Schiit Freya S Preamplifier Review 2

[Scot_Douglas]

Putting my dealer hat on, I'd suggest putting each mono amp as near the speakers as possible and have good quality longer interconnects between pre and power amps... If you can't, don't worry obviously, but it was the first thing I thought of when I saw your pic.

I'd never though of that - I had believed it was better to have the shortest interconnects as possible in hopes of picking up less noise to get amplified. Admitted audio n00b.

 

[DSJR]

The Schiit units probably don't care either way to be honest. If the speakers were active and you weren't using a fully balanced connection, you could have several metres to each speaker as I once did. Mind you, the RCA-only preamp was specifically designed to drive lengthy audio interconnects and I never ever had an issue with hum or noise. Just been looking at pics of my stereo stuff thirty years back when I finally had my own room and the amp(s) were in between the speakers when the latter were passive, the preamp around 7m away...

 

[Soniclife]

Putting my dealer hat on, I'd suggest putting each mono amp as near the speakers as possible and have good quality longer interconnects between pre and power amps... If you can't, don't worry obviously, but it was the first thing I thought of when I saw your pic.

Typical (ex)dealer, always trying to flog new cables .

There should be no performance difference for the 2 options, the eyes may have a preference to be indulged.

 

[DSJR]

Yeah, but it'd also help the finish difference of the boxes... Sitting the pre on top wouldn't induce any extra hum, even 'academically?'

 

[Laserjock]

Putting my dealer hat on, I'd suggest putting each mono amp as near the speakers as possible and have good quality longer interconnects between pre and power amps... If you can't, don't worry obviously, but it was the first thing I thought of when I saw your pic.

I came here to say this exact thing.
I think they look ok as is though also.

 

[TheInquiring]

Dear experts,

Will you please be so kind to comment on the differences in measurement results between Schiit Freya S (please see Amir’s excellent review), HoloAudio Serene, and Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifiers?

Objectively, which one is closer to the proverbial “wire with the gain”? The Serene, at least in terms of SINAD, looks like a winner to me. Not sure how to interpret the other published results though…

 

[Turcoda]

I had a PS1 music YouTube vid going and found a better example what going back and forth over 12 'oclock on the knob sounds like. I recorded the vid here comin' out of my Buchardt's

This is a single tone but with me going back and forth over 12 'oclock at the moment where it jumps in db, or micro disconnects/reconnects/whatever is happening. To me it's a lot more jarring than if I was going back and forth over any other point in the knob (ie: between 9-10 for example), 12 o'clock just makes it most apparent where it's not a gradual increase/decrease it's actually more of a "jumpy/poppy" increase/decrease.

This hopefully gives a better example of the worst it can get with the speakers (Buchardt S300 MK II.. not overly sensitive.. somewhat harder to drive 4ohm).. When in headphones - either my Aeon 2 Noire planars, or the Audio Technica M40X's - you hear this kind of jumpiness/disconnect/reconnect even as you are nearing 12'oclock on the knob.

Unfortunately even when in passive mode whenever I do touch the knob it's usually to go either just to 12 or over.. so it's the one position I'm floating between the most so I notice it quite a bit whenever I go to adjust (sometimes I adjust just to feel the knob.. I'm weird like that)

My super new Schiit Freya S is doing the same. I also notice there is a slight tactile bump at the 12 oclock position. Also, the knob is easier to turn at both extremes than in the mid. Weird that its not linear. Is all of this normal, and should I return it? I feel like like every other cheap preamp ive ever owned had smoother knobs than this.

 

[Pillars]

My super new Schiit Freya S is doing the same. I also notice there is a slight tactile bump at the 12 oclock position. Also, the knob is easier to turn at both extremes than in the mid. Weird that its not linear. Is all of this normal, and should I return it? I feel like like every other cheap preamp ive ever owned had smoother knobs than this.

Mine does this, it's a strange design choice but otherwise no issues with the pre.

 

[Energeezer]

Sciit Freya S owners.
Your thoughts.
Need a solid state (SS) preamp to feed my Bryston 4BSST and model Ts.
Would prefer a Bryston BP25 or higher due to the obvious synergy it should deliver but I'm open to other quality options since the "high end" preamps are huge money even used.
Currently using a VTL 2.5 with Mazda NOS tubes.
You may wonder.. why? The VTL is primo. I have no real complaints. I've been using the VTL with various amps for about 15 years and I'm curious what a quality SS unit would sound like paired to the 4BSST and Model Ts.
I listen to rock and pop and love the impact of high dynamics. You know, that thump in your chest. Its not that the VTL falls short but it is a tube pre and I believe SS may deliver even more impact.

 

[Shanman]

I don't own a Freya S so can't/won't comment on "synergy" with your Bryston gear, but with the 15 day Schiit return policy you don't have much to lose.

 

[Energeezer]

Ya. I just hate doing that. Would like to feel confident it will perform well before ordering. Maybe I'll contact them and make sure a return isn't an issue if I just don't like the sound.

 

[Rottmannash]

Ya. I just hate doing that. Would like to feel confident it will perform well before ordering. Maybe I'll contact them and make sure a return isn't an issue if I just don't like the sound.

I don't believe it has a "sound". It's transparent according to the measurements in passive mode. I have the Freya+ and it is as advertised-transparent (in passive mode).

 

[Matias]

Story behind Freya+ Noval and reintroduction of the LISST tubes.

Schiit Happened: The Story of the World's Most Improbable Start-Up

@Jason Stoddard I see the ragnarok pics were updated to reflect the toroidal transformer change. Are there new measurements, as well? Does the change affect the sound?

www.head-fi.org

 

[redjr]

So why do people need a preamp these days? Seems that setting aside $700 towards a purchase of Benchmark DAC3 or the like is a more rational choice. And I do like the Freya especially now that they ditched the tubes, but can't think of a use case for my purposes, then you still lose couple of dBs of SINAD while going through it.

They are a must with active speakers that generally only have one set of inputs. Some offer both RCA and XLR, but it's switchable - one or the other. My Freya S has finally found a home in my main system, used in passive mode exclusively. I wasn't sure after I got it, but it's all good now. I use RCA exclusively.