Lyra Dorian - first thoughts

After a previous thread where I stated how much mickey taking I had to endure when I mentioned purchasing a Lyra Dorian, i have finally received it and got it up and running late last week.

Just thought I'd share my first impressions

1. The packaging, while neat, isn't over the top and you certainly don't get the impression that a large portion of the cost is down to this - which isn't always the case.

2. The stylus guard is superb, and allows you to easily handle the cartridge, which is nude, and also allows you get it on the arm and perform the initial setup as the cantilever is easily visible with the guard in place.

3. Setting the cart up was the easiest and most hassle free I've yet to encounter doing this. First the stylus guard helps (see 2.) and also once removed the cantilever/stylus is long and thin and is very visible making the alignment very easy. Also the holes are tapered so no need for bolts, just screws, which makes life so much easier.

4. The listening - I've currently got the cart tracking at about 1.9g and got it loaded into the Dino+ at 100 Ohms. The first things were that it was detailed but sounded a bit mechanical and matter-of-fact but after a couple of records it seemed to lose this and started to get better. After about 10 records it was really starting to get going. The treble is excellent while the bass has weight and great attack - vocals have a real in your room presence. but to me the best thing is how the cart just allows you to hear everything going on - and I've played some the most complex orchestral stuff that I've got. This also helps with Jazz records where for the first time I've actually started to really pick out the rythmic communication between the players and this is really where that bass starts to kick in - really tuneful and with great timbre.


The main problem with my Linn setup - the cart is on an LP12/Akito going to the Dino+ and then to a tri-amped active Linn Keildihs - is that sometimes you feel the bass but don't really hear it (if you can get what I mean), however with the Dorian the bass has great presence and speed.

I've probably put about 25 to 30 hours on the cart in the last 3-4 days and it keeps getting better and better - it is an amazingly addictive cart.

I've previously had a Denon DL304 and Goldring Elite on this deck and the increase in cost, so far, is fully justified and I do wonder how much better it would be with a better arm than the Akito. It makes both these carts sound dull and closed in by comparison, and yes I'm aware it costs double the price of the Elite.

this has really opened my ears - I did nothing this weekend except listen to record after record and not getting to bed until the early hours - it still sounds detailed and rythmic even at low 1:00 a.m. don't annoy the neighbours levels.

Certainly don't regret spending the money on this - but it does worry me if this the bottom of the range what is the Titan like ?

 

I've got a Lyra Helikon but have not had the time to sort out my vinyl playback. Missing a step-up trannie as well. Will report back when it's done...

JJ

 

Griffo,

I've owned a Dorian on a NAS Spacedeck/Spacearm for all of four weeks now, and I'm very happy with mine. Direct comparisons with previous cartridges are difficult, as I bought the NAS/Lyra as a package to replace my LP12/ARO/Troika.
When I initially demmed the Spacedeck it had an Ortofon MC15 fitted, and whilst the deck showed promise it seemed the cartridge was holding it back. I'd seen the Dorian recommended as a good match for the NAS, and asked if we could try it out, and as this was Walrus they were happy to oblige. 20 mins later the Lyra was set up and ready to go. It was immediately clear that the Dorian was a massive improvement in all areas.
I use a WNA kit built phono stage, and experimented with several different values of loading resistor, as Lyra are very vague - they say to use anywhere between 100 to 47k ohms. I've also settled on 100 ohms. I found 220 ohms too bright, 47k must be painful!
Have you seen the current HiFi+ ? There is a very favourable review of both mono and stereo Dorians.

I think the Dorain definitely deserves a better arm than the Akito - you should be able to pick up an Ittok for about £250 - start saving!

 

It was not long after reading the Hifi+ review that I finally decided to go and buy the cart - that and MF's review in Stereophile, which was surprisingly accurate.

I hope you are enjoying the the NAS/Lyra combo. I tried it at 47K Ohm as RSF did in his Hifi+ review. Some of the drive and bass was lost and I didn't really enjoy it as much as 100 Ohms. Must be something different in Canada/USA as a lot of them seem to run carts at 47k, judging by comments in US mags and such.

As for the the arm - I'm still not 100% convinced of an Ittok, and I'm still holding out for an Ekos.

 

Griffo,

Just read your other thread about s/hand Ekos.

I did the comparative dem a couple of times, a long time ago, when both arms were just released. I preferred the ARO, by a big margin, to the Ekos - it just sounded much more musical and involving, whereas the Ekos was very "HiFi".

I am thoroughly enjoying the NAS/Lyra combo, and consider the Spacedeck/Spacearm to be considerably better than my LP12/Cirkus/Lingo/ARO/EsCo Troika. When you consider that the Spacedeck/Spaceam costs about the same as a new ARO, it's an absolute bargain.
I'd recommend listening to one, and some other decks, before splashing out lots of money on an Ekos.

 

I listened to a NAS setup about 3 years ago at the hifi show in London. I was very impressed with it but never got to hear anything a bit rockier than the music being demoed.

With the rest of my kit being Linn I'm a litle biased and really enjoy the way my kit sounds.

 

The NA deck has a fairly "restrained" sound, which is smooth 'n nice, but not very dynamic. A friend bought a Michell Gyro, having originally gone into the shop with a NA Spacedeck firmly in his sights.

 

Interesting, shows how we all hear things differently. I didn't bother listening to the Gyro, as having heard an Orbe I thought it was more detailed than an LP12, with a wider and deeper soundstage, but sounded mechanical and completely devoid of emotion. The NAS kept the strengths of the Linn in terms of pace, dynamics, and conveying the emotion of the music, and built on them with better pitch (piano was significantly better on the NAS), soundstaging, quiter surface noise, and was much better at handling complex passages. Orchestral crescendos got muddled on the Linn, The NAS was much better at portraying scale and still letting you hear the various instruments.

I'm not saying the NAS is the best deck out there, just that there are viable alternatives to an LP12.

 

The Orbe is a great turntable, IMO. "Devoid of emotion" makes me snigger, because it's magazine-speak.

An LP12 with Aro shouldn't sound muddled - that's just down to poor set-up.

I think a lot of the differences which people perceive about record players are purely set-up issues.

 

I tend to agree with this. My set up, amp, speakers and lp12 were all set up my the dealer.

Originally I had changed the setup of the speakers due to what I had read in magazines. When the dealer came back to install the active stuff he set them back and told me not to believe everything I read in the mags - he was right too.

My LP12/Akito certainly doesn't sound muddled on orchestral music but has improved greatly with the new cart especially with regards to picking out intsruments - and I would expect the Aro to improve greatly in this respect.

However, I still think my LP12 is better at jazz and rock than orchestral music - might have something to do with all that rythm and timing.

Anyone got any views on the Clearaudio Unify arm - unipivot, carbon fibre arm and actually within reach financially.

 

I'm amazed I got away with criticising a Nottingham Analogue TT. Reading these forums gives one the impression that they are the Holy Grail in TT form!

 

Anybody I know?

 

Ed Rogerson.

 

Hello,

I am Mr. David from Indonesia.

I would like to ask : Which shop sell the Lyra Dorian cheaper than others?

At music direct, the Dorian cost USD 750.00
Any other shops that sell cheaper than music direct?

Thank you for your help.

 

The Ittock is a great arm. Using an Ittock2 at the moment. The Ekos may be preferable but the difference in price IMO is too much to warrant the change. The Ekops has a tighter bass,midbass and expanded soundstage and thats about it. If thats worth the extra scratch to you, give it a demo.

rollo