If they offer it in black I may bite. Balanced <-> RCA with volume control can be handy.
Don't you hate it when the color of the box matters?
Black is easier on my eyes.
A few weeks ago I reviewed the Schiit Freya S preamplifier. It performed really well in passive mode, providing fully transparency to my ultra low distortion and and noise audio analyzer. In active mode, one channel produced excellently low distortion and noise but the other was some 9 dB worse. One or two dB is normal but not such a wide gap. After the review was published, company contacted me and offered to send me another sample to test. This is article is the results of measuring that unit. FYI, the owner of the unit who loaned his to me received a unit with a new board.
As I noted in the previous review, the ultra wide and not so tall height produces a much more attractive look than some of the other Schiit products:
The back panel shows the nice balanced connectivity:
Combined with the stepped attenuator providing good channel matching, this is a very attractive set of features.
Preamplifier Audio Measurements
I won't be repeating all the previous measurements but rather, focus on where the issue was starting with active "0 dB" mode. This is what we had before:
As you see, there is 9 dB of difference in SINAD between the two channels. Here is how the new unit performs:
View attachment 50796
The two channels are much closer and within margin of error I normally see. There is a slight drop in how good the one channel is though and we can see that in follow on measurements:
View attachment 50797
View attachment 50798
I think some variation is inevitable given the architecture here (stepped attenuator with many passive parts).
Conclusions
Honestly, there is no way I could ever build you a preamp with this functionality and performance and sell it at this price. Many of us who need a preamp have a digital source (DAC) and one analog input (Reel-to-Reel in my case, turntable for others). Having balanced preamplification including a passive and low gain mode is quite excellent here.
With the channel discrepancy fixed, I am happy to put the Schiit Freya S on my recommended list.
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As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.
I have been spending every dollar you all donate but then someone asked me what I am doing for a "rainy day." I said it rains most of the time here so every day is a rainy day. It was explained to me that rainy day meant having a huge bank account that I could draw upon for wild parties and such, after this effort has gone bust. So I thought I come to you all and ask for BIG donation to fill that new account using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
(or if you are brave, using software volume control).
CD is digital, the output level is entierly in the hands of the designer when doing the output stage. And far too many CDs digitaly clip.Whilst some CD players are specified at 4v RMS, There are as I understand NO actual CD's that achieve anywhere near this level.
CD is digital, the output level is entierly in the hands of the designer when doing the output stage. And far too many CDs digitaly clip.
I can, and it's the max output level frequently these days. Lots of DACs these days offer multiple max output levels as well, especially pro focused ones.No NOT the potential capability of the player, quite differently we need to know what level a typical CD actually attains. Can you see the difference ?
seems like schiit is finally behaving like a legit company?
i guess i was refering more to their "ethos"They always took care of me if I had a problem, and replied to specific issues I had (like scratchy pot for example). Doesn't seem like they aren't legit, it's just until issues were brought to their attention, they perhaps weren't rectifying them. Now that people have with demonstrations, they're like normal people and trying to make things better like any company would that wants to continue in good business.
Not only are they behaving like a legit company, they're also catering to their most critical audience and actually creating products that serve to represent as evidence they're capable of high performance products (which was the biggest criticism people leveled against them - that they're not capable of competing or making products that can perform objectively well).
I took a look at the innards of the Heresy, and saw pretty decent QC (with respect to not having solder all over the bottom of the board). So anecdotally, it serves to reason at least for that instance, they're taking mitigating measures to at least improve even QC which has been their second biggest criticism.
Not only are they behaving like a legit company, they're also catering to their most critical audience and actually creating products that serve to represent as evidence they're capable of high performance products (which was the biggest criticism people leveled against them - that they're not capable of competing or making products that can perform objectively well).
i guess i was refering more to their "ethos"
mmmm... didn't figure you for a reel to reel person -- what kind(s) are you using and what format (two-track, quarter-track, high speed) and EQ (IEC/NAB/both), if I might ask?Many of us who need a preamp have a digital source (DAC) and one analog input (Reel-to-Reel in my case, turntable for others).
I can't unsee it >_<
Death to the golden sample theories!
I prefer brunettes.Don't you hate it when the color of the box matters?