[brad1138]

To deal with the fact the Freya has no HT passthrough I use a quality RCA switch box to switch between it and my Emotiva PrePro into my Citation Amp. The one I had custom made failed and I want to go a different route. I have found 3 options:

http://www.decware.com/newsite/ZSB.html

http://www.goldpt.com/sw4.html

http://www.homehifi.co.uk/S/tc-7240.htm

The first 2 are good looking and very good quality units, but at nearly $400... And if I want to upgrade the ZSB connectors, that another $150...

The 3rd one looks good quality and has good reviews (like the rest), I almost pulled the trigger on it last night, but having 2 switches, it has twice as much potential for signal degradation.

I hate spending so much on a darn switch, but I didn't spend so much time putting my system together to have it degraded at that point.

Anyone have any thoughts? (maybe I should start a separate thread). Or is anyone else doing the same thing and have a recommendation?

Thanks

OK, for everyone that couldn't sleep, not knowing what direction I went....

I found a quality switch box that uses the same internal switch as the Goldpoint and Decware, for ~$200.

I know I probably could have gotten one for under $50 that sounded "just as good" but I like having "better" quality.

My previous switchbox, only had 2 inputs, since this has more, I decided to add another component, a Schiit SYS. I like to listen to music all day, but I don't like that much wear on the tubes. So now, out of my Modi MB, I hit a pair of Monster Cable Y adapters like these:

1 pair of cables goes to the Freya, 1 to the SYS, then their outputs go to the switch box, along with the main output from my Emotiva Prepro.

It works very well, now I have a work around for the Freya not having HT passthrough, or the ability to turn tubes off when not using them.

If I am actually sitting down and listening to music, I'll use the Freya, otherwise, the SYS. I did a quick comparison, between the SYS and the passive mode on the Freya. W/O actually sitting down, the Freya sounded a bit smoother, but really fairly close.

I am very pleased with the results. So I now spent ~$1,000 For Freya/SYS/Dodocus, but I don't think i could have found a better tube preamp, with HTPT and the ability to turn off tubes for that much.

 

[brad1138]

Also, just came up with a solution for the brilliant idea of having the power switch in back.... I had a 3rd unutilized AMX PC1, which toggles AC with a simple short. So I installed another rocker switch, and wired it to the PC1, and plugger the freya into it.

Now the left rocker turns the Freya on/off, the one next to it, turns on 1 of my ACE-515 line conditioners, which powers up the Citation amp, Mimby and CD transport (3rd AMX & ACE-515 combo runs Surround/center/sub amps-not used with Freya 2.0 listening). I could have combined it to 1 switch, but if I don't wait for the Freya to finish powering up before I turn the amp on, the amp sometimes goes into protection when the Freya comes on.

 

[Ghosthouse]

I've seen other comments about Schitt's placement of the On/Off switch. I recognize this makes access difficult for some. Personally, I applaud their choice from a design aesthetic point of view and enjoy the clean looking face and minimalist design found in my Asgard, Gungnir and Freya components. Again, I realize nice aesthetics won't outweigh the aggravation inaccessibility causes for some - but I did wish to suggest there in fact might have been some "good thinking" in that placement choice.

 

[brad1138]

I've seen other comments about Schitt's placement of the On/Off switch. I recognize this makes access difficult for some. Personally, I applaud their choice from a design aesthetic point of view and enjoy the clean looking face and minimalist design found in my Asgard, Gungnir and Freya components. Again, I realize nice aesthetics won't outweigh the aggravation inaccessibility causes for some - but I did wish to suggest there in fact might have been some "good thinking" in that placement choice.

I am guessing they thought the same thing. But 1 more button just like the rest, on the front left or just left of the current buttons/lights, I don't think would have made much difference aesthetically.

 

[belgiangenius]

Also, just came up with a solution for the brilliant idea of having the power switch in back.... I had an extra AMX PC1, which toggles AC with a simple short. So I installed another rocker switch, and wired it to the PC1, and plugger the freya into it.

Now the left rocker turns the Freya on/off, the one next to it, turns on 1 of my ACE-515 line conditioners, which powers up the Citation amp, Mimby and CD transport. I could have combined it to 1 switch, but if I don't wait for the Freya to finish powering up, before I turn the amp on, the amp sometimes goes into protection when the Freya comes on.

I don't know what Freya is doing during power-up, but it puts my power amp into protection for a few seconds too.

 

[Mike Thompson]

I don't know what Freya is doing during power-up, but it puts my power amp into protection for a few seconds too.

Pretty sure it's from the tubes coming online. I always wait for the Freya to be operational before powering on my amp.

 

[Ghosthouse]

Agree with belgiangenius, I had been taught with separates to power up sources first, pre-amp second, and power amp last. Reverse this order when shutting down.

 

[bmanone]

Agree with belgiangenius, I had been taught with separates to power up sources first, pre-amp second, and power amp last. Reverse this order when shutting down.

I use this switch to turn components on and off in my system, all switches are up front. I use the Main switch to power on the Bimby and RaspberryPi; the Aux switch to power on the Freya; and the Tx switch to power on the Power Amplifier and Sub-woofer. The Bimby and Pi stay powered on 24/7 (except during thunderstorms), the Freya is power on first and then the amp and sub. Power off sequence is amp and sub and then Freya.

I was lucky to find this use switch a local Houston electornic parts outlet store, not sure where you find a new one today.

 

[brad1138]

I use this switch to turn components on and off in my system, all switches are up front. I use the Main switch to power on the Bimby and RaspberryPi; the Aux switch to power on the Freya; and the Tx switch to power on the Power Amplifier and Sub-woofer. The Bimby and Pi stay powered on 24/7 (except during thunderstorms), the Freya is power on first and then the amp and sub. Power off sequence is amp and sub and then Freya.

I was lucky to find this use switch a local Houston electornic parts outlet store, not sure where you find a new one today.

Nice,

I have everything automated. Switch for Freya, Switch for everything else for 2.0 listening, and Emotiva Prepro triggers everything for surround sound (includes main citation amp, but not Freya). Kind of fun engineering it, and makes it all easier.

 

[belgiangenius]

My Freya and Yamaha B2 are on the same switch.

I'm quite sure a preamp is not supposed to be doing anything at power up that makes the power amp fear for its life.

 

[DoubleIPA]

I was lucky to find this use switch a local Houston electornic parts outlet store, not sure where you find a new one today.

I have no idea either http://www.furmanpower.com/products/all/power-sequencing/all

 

[bmanone]

If I power down the Freya before the amp and subwoofer, I get a very noticeable pop through the subwoofer and speakers . I guess some power down transients get though before the Freya's muting relay cuts the signal. Also, if I power on the amp and subwoofer before the Freya I get pop through the speakers.

 

[franz159]

If I power down the Freya before the amp and subwoofer, I get a very noticeable pop through the subwoofer and speakers . I guess some power down transients get though before the Freya's muting relay cuts the signal. Also, if I power on the amp and subwoofer before the Freya I get pop through the speakers.

After a lot of thinking I ended up not buying the Freya, but a Micro Zotl 2.
In the manual of my Micro Zotl [tube] pre I read:

CAUTION: when connecting to a direct coupled solid state power amplifier, the turn on and

turn off transients might be dangerous to the speakers and possibly the amplifier. It is necessary

that when using the MZ2 as a preamplifier with direct coupled solid state power amps, first

turn on the MZ2, then turn on the power amplifier, and when powering your system off,

first turn off the power amplifier, then turn off the MZ2. This is not an issue when using

tube power amps.

I guess this does not apply only to my pre....

 

[socklosk]

I have a 6SN7GT - VT-231 JAN RCA tube and when looking down at it, only one side of the tube is lighting up brightly. Using a Sencore TC162 Mighty Mite VII Tube Tester, everything looks fine. Is there a serious problem with this tube that will harm my preamp?

 

[bagwell359]

Now that Freya's are beginning to come into possession of more/many(?) of us "Schiit-O-Philes"...

Of those of you who have owned or at least heard both and Freya and Ragnarok, (as a pre-amp), in your audio systems, would you please compare/contrast the sound qualities of both Freya and Ragnarok...?...frequency curve/timbre, image size/breadth/depth, image specificity, etc...as I currently use my "Rag" as my stereo system pre-amp, but am VERY curious/interested in the Freya as a dedicated pre-amp, so as to not have to power-up another amplifier within my pre-amp, (60 watts/channel...), when I am listen to my speakers, (driven by an Aragon 4004 amp)...

Speaking of which, I DO wonder how Vidar would compare to my venerable Aragon...(200 watts /channel dual mono-block design, driving a pair of Lipinski Sound 707 monitors rated at 4 Ohms...)...

Oh, and again, I wonder if some sort of a circuit/switch(?) could be designed/installed into the Freya so that one could use it as a pre-amp in either the passive or solid-state active mode of operation, without having the tube section under power, thus saving tube life AND some energy/heat generation...?...

Anyone out there with a solution?...(other than to remove the tubes every time...lol...)

If Freya had a circuit/option that would do the above, I would purchase it in a New York City gnat's heartbeat!...(even faster than a New York Minute... ...)

Edited by Synergist969 - Today at 8:07 am View History