Hi Thomas the GTA has a faster startup time, GTB slower controlled for longevity, no sonic difference, hope this helps

Do you think a warm, laid back, SPONGY and yes, colored tone is achievable with this preamp with the right tubes, Thomas???

@@keeferdog5617 Oh, good question, my friend never tried to tune it that way, I have to ask him. I think his rule is that neutral sounding gear is easier to tune it to color sounding. While color sounding gear is harder to fine tune it to neutral.

Thomas & Stereo Sure, good point. That makes sense. Thanks for the quick reply. I’m looking for a good, inexpensive tube preamp to pair with a rather forward amp (Emotiva) and an extended, dare I say bright Focal (al/mag tweet) speakers. So you see the need for a pre to take the edge off the high end (if possible- I know...lose the high gain, forward amp) Always look forward to seeing your vids. Thanks

@@keeferdog5617 Oh, Focal. My favorite bright speaker. I had the Emotiva XPA5 before and those amps are very clear so if you add a freya in, that also is very clear, then you might need to change the tubes to 'roll off' tubes if it sounds too bright. You see, the older tubes will 'round' off the edges but the newer tubes don't necessary do that.

Compare this to PLD2000 and you will get the ideea with Parasound vintage line. 👍

I have one of the Schiit DACS. Outstanding.

Sumo amps where better boat anchors than amplifiers!

Heard an ugly at Hifi show, sounded amazing.

Yes he is.. We just have to change his mind on cables though.

Are you listening in audiophile quality HiFi?

Schiit is good....i haved used schiit mani phono pre amp before...wowww...amazingg...schiit had a good product, no doubt about it

@@kevonmanuel It's very easy to change a rational person's mind when confronted with indisputable evidence. If the OP hasn't heard a difference between exotic cables and excellent, reasonably-priced cables on the various high end systems owned by him or his friends, then an appreciable difference probably doesn't exist. It's quite a simple concept. It seems to me that the "night and day" differences that some people claim to hear with exotic cables MUST be plainly audible to a person of this OP's experience. Some people´s perceived differences between certain cables are much more easily explained using psychological rather than physical phenomena. Occam's razor. I will be a True Believer™ in exotic cables when someone publishes the first properly controlled, scientifically designed double-blind listening test (that is able to be replicated) and which shows a consistent, significant difference in sound. Why hasn't a study like this been done when it is SO easy to set up and not terribly expensive? The answer is plainly obvious to a thinking person. Remember, as in any debate, the skeptics or non believers don't have to prove a point: They are not making any claims. The True Believers™and the manufacturers are afraid of the inevitable results of such a test. The manufacturers have everything to lose. They are very astute marketers and understand consumer psychology. It is not how I would do business but at least no one is doing anything illegal.

You haven't watched many of his videos I take it.

Thanks for the compliment Philip.

@@ThomasAndStereo How come the tubes and the controls in the video are sometimes on the left side of the chassis and other times they are on the right?

@@phoebus The selfie camera on my phone flips things around.

@@ThomasAndStereo I thought it was probably a image flipping thing happening. Was the pre amp you reviewed the Freya or the Freya +?

@@phoebus Freya, first gen.

Thanks, there is a 15 day return policy but check if u have to pay shipping.

Schiit Audio gear is good enough for me too. Their Freya preamp mated to a pair of their new Aegir amps, run in mono sounded great at Axpona last week.

@@groovediggers2761 Do your Aegir's hum and buzz up close?

@@ThomasAndStereo Thomas, How did you end up with a left handed Freya+? Tubes on the left. I want one! Also, do you know if a single Aegir will drive a set of Elac UB52's?

@@markwasilow2757 Do they have him and buzz?? Do they??

Thanks Ron, perhaps I should give it a try in passive mode, I never did and many say it's pretty good.

No es verdad . Con tubo suena mejor

Haha, love the 'Merde' joke. That is so funny. Well said what you wrote and yup, 100% true.

That sounds interesting. will try.

Better option would be dielectric grease. Available at any auto parts store. Much more conducting than silicon

@@pauls2099 which is a form of silicon grease

Audible or just a nice idea?

@@pauls2099 don't use normal dielectric or silicone grease. I failed to mention this: the normal stuff plasticizes over time and loses its conductivity. Becoming an insulator instead of a conductor. The one I've used for years is called, ahem, Super Lube. It doesn't plasticize like the others.

2x Aegir or just the one? Curious as to how much power those badboys consume

a pair of course to run my 88db efficient speakers

@@Dieselmateo The power bill!!!!

Then you fall in that 10% of the people who i mentioned that can hear a big difference. i get you 100%. i have some shuguang anniversary tubes too, strangely, i never used it on the freya, i should give it a try someday

Wow, how did you resist? You have better discipline than me

@@herrtrigger7220 I honestly don’t know... I was really busy with work and when I got home every night I thought about that box, every single night. Until the day of the comment above... and I have not stopped using it ever since, such a great piece! It just makes everything sound better and my Heresys love it.

Glad you are enjoying it.

Nice, let me know how it sounds!

Well, if I use a tube setup, then I usually keep the preamp tube and power amp solid state. Tubes are really easy to maintain these days.

I agree. The only time I personally use a tube power section is in guitar amps.

Congrats. Yeah once you introduce tubes into the system, it does add to the soundstage.

@@ThomasAndStereo Update - definitely get a PSVane blue bulb tube - superb and not crazy money. I am loving this preamp. Now also have tube headphone amps and tube phono stage. Tubes are the way. Took 30 years of solid state to realise...

True. One day in a video soon, I will present a different point of view. As all my videos, I will try to give the viewer something to think about.

Spock said "Impressive", Darth Vader said "Impressive".

Nice.I had some musical Fidelity gear in the past and really liked them too. Never tried the entry level dac from Schiit though.

Yes, I heard the vidar and will be borrowing it maybe next week, sounded ok when I heard it last time.

whayneneal after watching this video I am considering the same setup. Want to do two Vidar’s for mono block power. Good luck to you on your purchase.

Freya and Crown XLS1502 combo sounds like it could be 90% there too. That would be an interesting test for a killer system on a budget

I second that, or ditto or yeah, please tell us what are the different tubes that you are using? Thank you for another honest informative video. Apparently he uses the GE 6SN7GTA or the GE 6SN7GTB. It is in the description and I have to admit I missed it myself.

Yeah how can you tease like this😱

I'm not in the market for a preamp. Yet, the suspense is killing me ;)

Glad that the Freya is really working out for you. I really like it too and I now have the Vidar to try it together with. So did the Sylvania meet your expectations?

@@ThomasAndStereo I think they give you a little more detail and balanced sound, but a little too neutral for my taste, the sound is very warm, a lot of bass and deep frequencies, but I like high frequencies more. Any descent tube from General Electric, CBS, Sylvania, Tung-Sol and RCA can achieve great sound for a lot cheaper. I am waiting for a new pair of Sylvanya's coin-base, let me see how those sound.

What power conditioner and dac do you have?

lol I ady bought and wait for RME ADI-2

Congrats! This youtube channel spent a lot of time on it. He made a few videos. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hNp8Z816qs3Kg5c.html

Congrats and I have now heard a few of their product and the things I heard so far are pretty good.

Yeah, so far I haven’t been disappointed with Schiit. Even their entry level products are really good. I have the Fulla and at 100 usd it is a solid audio product. I’m now looking to upgrade my system with their higher end DAC, the Yggdrasil, Freya and a second Vidar for a balanced dual mono setup. Should be interesting.

Mike Gadoury I agree, although Ron @newrecordday is also very creative. I like both of them.

Wow, that is quite an unusual setup! Wilson puppy with entry level priced gear. However, I get what you mean and glad you are enjoying your current setup. I don't know what kind of music you listen to but I wonder if the difference between the budget and high end will show up more in complexe music such as classical music where you need very good control and dynamic range. I just a vidar yesterday and can't wait to try it.

@@ThomasAndStereo Yes it is a unique pairing. The Schiit vs Levinson system seems to perform equally when playing a wide range of music. I enjoy a lot of contemporary classical music. I am still yet to pick a complex piece where the Levinson system sounds bigger and more revealing. I can certainly say though that the 2 x Vidars with balanced interconnects is significantly more impressive than a single Vidar. Ill be interested to hear what you think of it. Enjoy and keep up the great videos. I wish I had friends with big impressive systems as you do!

Well, I have been looking for stuff that will perform above it's price point and so far I have not been able to find a lot of gear that can do it. If you have a few examples, please share. When I compare gear, it has to be in the same category else the comparison is not fair. I love the Freya but at the same time, I understand it's limitation when compare to something higher end in the same category. That limitation is insignificant for many people but not all people. My point is I truly am blown away by what modern budget gear can do but at the same time, I want to acknowledge there is still a difference when compared to higher end gear.

Thanks, i explained a bit more in detail old sound in the prima luna video. I will check with my friend if he knows more. Right now, all I know is GE made in Canada. GTA tubes 6sN7.

Yup, changing tubes does make a difference. Thanks!

Thanks Tom. They have a return policy so if you don't like it, you can always return it. I never tried their Aegir. The problem is that if I ask for a review sample, I don't feel as 'free' to say whatever I want as I would be if I bought it myself and review it. If I don't like it, I usually just return it without reviewing it.

Schiit also makes the Loki equalizer, it's not bad.

I hopeeeeeeeeeeeeee you like it!

@@ThomasAndStereo i'm sure I will like it Thomas , I mean 1k for a tube Pre-Amp with many balanced inputs and outputs and a remote !! Thats kind of un heard of today . And i will evaluate performace on pricepoint of course. But I listened carefully to all your videos about the Freya thats how i made my choice . But my last preamp i bought not counting the Emotiva Pt100 new was the Parasound P3 Back in 09 or 2010 that one was 799.00 new but preamps jumped up in price alot with Parasound ! Can't wait to try the 6sn7 ! Hopefully you have reccomendation for tube rolling !! I know about the tungsol/Sylvania NOS is suppose to be good

Ohhh boy !!! Freya plus Vidar completely different sound than the Doge ! There will be a comparraion !

Tube rolling can be addictive. Glad you are enjoying your system.

Did you replace all 4 tubes with the tung sol 6sn7?

@@ThomasAndStereo Hi Thomas, can you tell me what tubes you ended up with being your choice....I grew up with boxes and boxes of various tubes for amps and TVs... original GEC's etc...would be nice to hear from you

@@Bothtapes nice. It is in the description box.

Yeah, that is why they are making the big bucks. Smart businessman too.

Yup, there are no set rules, whatever sounds good to you is the most important.

i almost bought the vidar a few days ago!

@@ThomasAndStereo Imo, Schiit equals great value for the money! Take care!

@@ThomasAndStereo I am going to get the Vidar and Freya and combine them with my Modi.

John mok. How about the PREamp??

@@thomasmleahy6218 I love it! Good value with balance input. Sound quality is very good.

looks good, thanks. Probably gonna try it, since Schiit is always on back order...

Ah thanks. I have the Modwright LS100 too and yup, there is more meat to the sound. I actually let a friend did a quick AB test between the modwright and Freya, now he owns a $100k+ systems and for a quick listen, the Freya was pretty ok and as you said, leaner. For me, you belong to that 10% of the people who can hear a big difference between the both.

Nice :)

What you have to be careful is the bass on the R8 can be a bit too strong for some while the Freya + vidar has a more balanced presentation. (I have never heard the Aegir). I would say the R8 would be more holographic and tuby sounding but the Freya + vidar would have better control. Aegir, if it has the class A sound would be more 'lean' sounding. That is how class A usually sounds, they have a more linear midrange. Also, look into the Doge 10. It all depends on what you want in your system as I mentioned in this video. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/aKl7mNyQ1NbSnXk.html

We are talking -20dB noise level improvement..

Hmm, depends on your budget. I remember my mcintosh C47 could do it. My burmester (forgot the model), the rest I will have to go check my list but most of them were not in the same price category. Depends of course on price and that is why I say the Freya can do it at such a low price.

Man, thank you, I'm so glad I read this about the Schiit Saga as well, thanks :) I want to pair up a nice high quality preamp with a Crown XLS1502 Drive Core power amp behind it. Some people think that's crazy but I know it is a high resolution Class D power amp and I'm really curious how that combo will sound, especially if its a tube preamp. Here's my latest video, too , enjoy Cheers, Mario kzfaq.info/get/bejne/n62imLxpx7uzoHk.html

Oh, very surprised at the Saga.I hear mixed review on it and I should try it one day. I was always interested to give Rogue Audio a try and am impressed that you prefer the Saga over it. I like the 5 year warranty part. It's amazing we live in an age we can get so amazing sound at an affordable price.

I think it should be fine. I had it with many amps and never I felt that it did not pair well.

I too am amazed as a previous owner of a Rogue Perseus tube preamp. I was looking to get an RP-1, but reading up on the Saga and the Freya have me rethinking. I appreciate your comment.

Ah, good to know there is a Schiit community and people help each other out on what tubes to get. Oh, I don't have any experience with their other tube gear so I see they also don't have the 'old tube' sound. Thanks for dropping by.

@@ThomasAndStereo How much do the tubes(GE GTA/GTB) you have in there now cost? I respect your opinion and would like to try them.

Sorry, Clark, I don't know as it was given to me by my friends.

Really appreciate your support. I did not know they say those stuff, oh well. I am curious about their high end Dac though, there seems to be lots of good feedback on it. Good to know about the cheap dacs, I guess I will skip trying those then.

@@ThomasAndStereo The Modi 2U dac got a lot of positive critics too. When it comes to sound, it's really something subjective so you could still try any of their products and tell people what you think. May be I'm the one who have problem who knows. My problem is the harshness of the sound and the weak mid-range. Cheers.

@@SpikeoutBattleStreet Ah, the harshness of the sound, it's actually one of my talking point comparing entry level and high end dacs. One day I will make a video on Dacs.

@@ThomasAndStereo nah even my emu 1212m internal soundcard killed the bifrost DS and the modi multibit ... also my friend bought an apogee duet 2 sound card and sold the modi multibit on the spot.. i also had problem with the gungnir.. i had many production problems with schiit products.. no wonder they measure like shit. my magni is noisy as hell with the knob glitchy.. i dont agree at all that you cant find low cost product that beat higher product.. its possible since when you diy your own you can do it fairly cheap.. 699$ and cant have a solid board common... this is schiit... i will never buy any schiit product again..

ah, if you look at my past video, there are 2 exception to my statement. The first one is DIY. The 2nd one is a no name brand where a mad scientist builds something in his basement. My statement only applies to brand names. I forgot to mention that but I did in my past video. The soundcard is interesting, I have one and it's pretty good but I still hear a gap against higher end gear. Just never heard your sound card.

I am really picky when it comes to being specific. Just because the big brother sounds good does not mean the lower end model will too. So I have no idea.

Thanks Rob, I don't know the Lyr2 and Bifrotst but one day would like to , thx for dropping by.

lol, i think your front end is very nice.

That's pretty killer system, no matter what anyone says.

Hi Richard, what Prima Luna amps are you using

I have a pair of ProLogue Fives. About 35 watts, with KT88s. They sold out a few months ago. They are stereo amps and I hope to use them to biamp something eventually.

Wait for my Topping Pre 90 review too.

@@ThomasAndStereo hi, thank you for the heads up on this. I am not desperate just yet but want to be sure that when I do spend the money it is based on “good authority” and unbiased opinions. I was also thinking Premaluna....?

Or Doge 8, depends on your budget.

Ah, that one. Everytime I mention about cables, people go to war in my comment section! I am breaking in a pair right now actually and it's one of the best speaker cable I have used. I can stop my search for speaker cables at this point. Just google on lItz cable.

@@ThomasAndStereo that's almost a teaser... is there a particular brand you've come to enjoy or did you make a DIY cable.. that's "good enough and cheap!"

For me cables is system dependant. Meaning if the setup is too bright, I would use cables that are not to balance it out. So in that sense, there is no best cable. These DIY cables are expensive because LITZ cables are expensive to start with. Although I have experience the differences in cables, I usually tell people don't worry too much about it. Unless your system has a significant problem and you need cables to adjust it, I usually tell people just don't concern yourself with it as the changes is very subtle and not always for the better.

Thomas & Stereo very good point. appreciate that sentiment/perspective.