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Tha Freya with its stock tubes made a big improvement in my choral music, but it took expensive tubes to take it to an incredible level. Most importantly was using 6SN7GT - VT-231 JAN RCA, black plate gray glass tubes in the output stage. Here's what one reviewer had to say: "VT-231 RCA, black plates, rich harmonic structure, beautiful timbre and voicing, wide soundstage." A pair of these NOS tubes costs me $200.
Not as critical, but noticeable was in swapping out the stock tubes in the voltage stage with Sylvania 6SN7Ws. These tubes cast $250 for a NOS pair, but the cheaper Sylvania 6SN7GTA chrome top worked well too.
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"Humility is the true mark of genius. Just get used to it."
-Anonymous
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"Humility is the true mark of genius. Just get used to it."
-Anonymous
Scruffy, glad to hear your tube rolling effort has gone well. With the Saga I followed down a similar rolling path. The journey was a bit easier since there is only one tube to change.
I have attached a brief description to my Asylum review of the Schiit Saga. Here's a link:
http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?forum=amp&n=218168&highlight=
Wow.
How Schiit manages to propose such a preamp for 699$ says a lot about the general overpricing of everything audio nowadays. And it's made in the USA!
I would be very curious to hear it.
It seems to be beautifully made (haven't seen the innards).
It's good that some of us who cannot have a second mortgage on their audio system can now have a different option than supermarket mid-fi and AV receivers.
I am not familiar with the design of that preamp. But it seems you are willing to invest in it for improvements.One consideration is having it looked at and see if it can be upgraded internally with better caps, resistors, etc... I noticed from the web sites pictures that it uses WIMA coupling caps. Not bad as far as caps go but they do have a limited audio use. they typically use them due to space considerations vs. uF and voltage ratings.
There are several people that come to mind. Check over at the tube forum and ask around about it. Again have no idea of it's design or component quality. But always remember that good parts in the signal path are critical to good sound.
one upgrade that I would seriously consider is a Gold Point stepped volume attenuator. A world of difference!!! If it could even be put in that???
Can you post some internal pictures?
Edits: 02/21/17
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"Humility is the true mark of genius. Just get used to it."
-Anonymous
Anyway, makes sense, the better the tube (or, more accurately, the better you like the sound of the tube), the better the sound.
ENJOY!
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
something silly if I had it. All I got is it should be Freya Ass and your shit will follow.... I mean Schiit. Thats what my "Mind" honed in on.....
ET
"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936
I really do not mind spending a few hundred dollars for audio stuff that actually makes a big difference auditorily. Again, the stock tubes were OK, but the tube upgrade was profound in MY system.
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"Humility is the true mark of genius. Just get used to it."
-Anonymous
" a big difference auditorily."
It's "aurally".
Freya seems like a great product. I just reached the Freya design chapter in the Schiit story blog. I'm sure the designer would be simultaneously happy that your tube rolling was successful and horrified at the extra expense.Regards
13DoW
Edits: 02/20/17
he might listen to Scruffys rig and say they are worth it for the sound difference they make and the fact the pre and tubes are still just a little over a grand. Yet you and I can only speculate as we've not heard his setup.
ET
"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936
If upgrading the tubes were not producing the desired improvement in sound I would not be wasting my time and energy! Of course, good NOS tubes in the Freya is well worth the money IN MY SYSTEM!
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"Humility is the true mark of genius. Just get used to it."
-Anonymous
Of course this thread begs the question: is a 65% surcharge for premium tubes reasonable? And note that I ask this question from the perspective of someone who uses the same (RCA grey and black glass) tubes (in my pre- and power amps) as were mentioned. I didn't pay remotely close to $200/pair, however.
I guess only scruffy_ needs to answer this ... and he has! I'm happy that these amazing tubes have improved this pre-amp so much and have brought a corresponding amount of satisfaction. Still, pricey! Especially in context.
Relatedly, I have the feeling that there are some very fine 6SN7s available for much more reasonable prices. When second or third or fourth best is extremely close in performance and significantly cheaper, that's more my territory. But, again, I acknowledge that this is extremely personal.
Again, even the stock tubes do a nice job once they get some time of use. It's neat though to get to experience a great new sound just by switching tubes, and I think that's an indication of a good preamp!
Many good NOS tubes are already extinct it seems. I would love to hear the Tung-Sol round plates in my system, but finding them new seems impossible.
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"Humility is the true mark of genius. Just get used to it."
-Anonymous
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