Schiit Freya+ Pre-amp Review

[abdo123]

That ~122 dB SNR was in passive mode, which likely means just a pot plus maybe a few DC isolation caps and other passive components. Provided decent-quality parts were used, not much to "design" in that mode except a proper PCB layout.

It’s 130db in passive mode, 120dB in solid state active mode.

It’s right there in the review.

 

[amirm]

Great to see the crosstalk measurement back (since Benchmark HPA4)!!! Would it be possible to see the crosstalk measurment for Topping A90/A90 Discrete, Singxer SA-1 etc?

Not really. If am suitably bribed with some cash, I might consider testing the A90 Discrete since it is on my desk:

 

[mhardy6647]

No, that tube is crooked. I tried to straighten it but it is in there very solid. Probably could be made to be straight but it was fine as it was so I didn't mess with it too much.

It could be the tube itself, in fairness to the Schiit-boys.

 

[audiotron]

I think they should stick to their sub $200 entry level products. Their higher priced products just aren't competitive with the competition.

 

[Jim Shaw]

"Only in audio folks sell muddy water as a better substitute for clean and clear water."

This gains an entry in my diary under 'I hold these truths to be self-evident,"
subparagraph High Fraudelity.

 

[Toni Mas]

I have been a tube folk for years... Tubes are Picky, tubes get quickly old, tubes get scarce and hard to source and select (simple circuits require strict tubes selection) almost unobtainum, and tubes finally drive you mad...

 

[Doodski]

@TK750 study some drawing/drafting stuff and go full isometric on life for weeks and see what you think after..., It's a rush!

 

[amirm]

It could be the tube itself, in fairness to the Schiit-boys.

To be clear, I think it is just a bit crooked in the socket. With some persuasion, it will likely become straight.

 

[Jim Shaw]

I have been a tube folk for years... Tubes are Picky, tubes get quickly old, tubes get scarce and hard to source and select (simple circuits require strict tubes selection) almost unobtainum, and tubes finally drive you mad...

I am a survivor of the era when tubes were all we had to amplify, oscillate, and switch. And yes, they drove us mad. Design and debug a design with a tube, change the tube to another of the same model, and start again. Get it right? OK, wait a few weeks or months and do it again. Try it again, and tube gets 'gassy.' Replace the tube and find the bias is off again. Repeat as needed donec insaniat.

Then came transistors, which were worse. We fretted over temperature, too. Repeat the therapy... donec iterum furit.

Then came digital, and now we had to threaten the lives and families of the programmers to get bugs fixed. perfecta est insania.

 

[Doodski]

Then came transistors, which were worse. We fretted over temperature, too. Repeat the therapy... donec iterum furit.

Then came digital, and now we had to threaten the lives and families of the programmers to get bugs fixed. perfecta est insania.

There was all sorts of stuff occurring. Digital security with porn was a big hit to get into. Some guy would buy a 12 foot diameter dish with 24VDC actuation compound drive assembly and then go gung hO on the operation. They needed hardware encrypted cassette about 2x the size of a VHS cassette and a subscription to go into the VideoCipher.

 

[steve f]

Schiit seems to be such an inconsistent company. Some of their stuff like Mani, and Freya S are good values. Others, not so much. I’m hoping someone sends Amir a Schiit Tyr power amp to review. In fact, I haven’t seen any of the subjective guys commen on one yet.

 

[sam_adams]

With some persuasion, it will likely become straight.

Or broken . . .

 

[sam_adams]

I am a survivor of the era when tubes were all we had to amplify, oscillate, and switch. And yes, they drove us mad. Design and debug a design with a tube, change the tube to another of the same model, and start again. Get it right? OK, wait a few weeks or months and do it again. Try it again, and tube gets 'gassy.' Replace the tube and find the bias is off again. Repeat as needed donec insaniat.

Then came transistors, which were worse. We fretted over temperature, too. Repeat the therapy... donec iterum furit.

Then came digital, and now we had to threaten the lives and families of the programmers to get bugs fixed. perfecta est insania.

Novus ordo seclorum!

 

[AluminiumEar]

Is this pronounce "shit"?

 

[Ajax]

"Only in audio folks sell muddy water as a better substitute for clean and clear water."

This gains an entry in my diary under 'I hold these truths to be self-evident,"
subparagraph High Fraudelity.

Hi Jim/Amir,

I thought it to be the best "one liner" comment on the audio / HiFi industry that I have read.

Absolute cracker Amir!

 

[PeteL]

Schiit seems to be such an inconsistent company. Some of their stuff like Mani, and Freya S are good values. Others, not so much. I’m hoping someone sends Amir a Schiit Tyr power amp to review. In fact, I haven’t seen any of the subjective guys commen on one yet.

Well, you're in luck. No need to send it to Amir, Schiit publish the full Audio Precision measurement report of their products right on their website, so you know exactly how it measures and what you are purchasing. It is true for the Tyr, it is true for the Freya+.

 

[Jimster480]

Is this pronounce "shit"?

Yes it is.

Well, you're in luck. No need to send it to Amir, Schiit publish the full Audio Precision measurement report of their products right on their website, so you know exactly how it measures and what you are purchasing. It is true for the Tyr, it is true for the Freya+.

Always hard to trust first party Reviews. Topping publishes them too and even includes them in the boxes of their products, but we still have reviews here.

 

[PeteL]

Yes it is.

Always hard to trust first party Reviews. Topping publishes them too and even includes them in the boxes of their products, but we still have reviews here.

I was not talking about reviews, I was talking about measurments. I trust the data an APx555 is plotting, it is not a matter of trust, it is a matter of double checking the measurments parameters and conditions. Yes they will vary and you can't draw straight comparison if they are not the same, but one can do the extrapolation with a bit of analysis.

 

[Cars-N-Cans]

Would be interesting on some of these tube pre-amps to get brief sound clips for comparison as has been done in some other reviews. Since its a preamp it lends itself well to the task of being captured via an ADC, and would be an easy demonstration for anyone with doubts about whether the tubes are "musical" or not. Unfortunate that it would add another step in the process of testing, though. Still maybe a "nice to have" at some point in a future review if time permits.

 

[Jimster480]

I was not talking about reviews, I was talking about measurments. I trust the data an APx555 is plotting, it is not a matter of trust, it is a matter of double checking the measurments parameters and conditions. Yes they will vary and you can't draw straight comparison if they are not the same, but one can do the extrapolation with a bit of analysis.

Well yes, but you are arguing semantics.... I meant measurements.
Any first party measurement is always something to be skeptical of.

Would be interesting on some of these tube pre-amps to get brief sound clips for comparison as has been done in some other reviews. Since its a preamp it lends itself well to the task of being captured via an ADC, and would be an easy demonstration for anyone with doubts about whether the tubes are "musical" or not. Unfortunate that it would add another step in the process of testing, though. Still maybe a "nice to have" at some point in a future review if time permits.

I can understand that, might be hard to do though. Because then the users would have to play back the sound through their DACs & Amps to see if the other DAC or Amp is musical ;x