[US Blues]

I keep checking within the Schiit Audio website to find a listing as to availability and price of the LISST's for the Freya valves, that one or more fellow HeadFier's had assuredly stated that Schiit Audio was attempting to provide by the end of the 4th quarter of 2017...
I have not yet seen evidence of them...Perhaps I am just looking in the wrong place on the "Products" page of the Schiit Audio website...perhaps their design/manufacture priority has changed, and/or there have been unanticipated glitches in this process...?...

Anyone out here in HeadFi land have any additional information?

Thanks in advance to anyone who has any solid, or at least semi-solid information... ...

P.S....I KNOW it is not glass...However, some of us would love the reliability of solid-state with the advantage of single-ended signal source to balanced-output conversion, along with the additional gain, AND the decrease in heat generation...

Jason hinted that they would make them for Freya, but he has never made any substantial, or even insubstantial, statements hinting at when this might happen.

 

[SAndreev]

I have some Parasound equipment , P-3 preamp I run for an outdoor system comprising 20 speakers and my take on Parasound
is it can sound sort of lifeless but fairly accurate .

I had no complaints on my P3 pre-amp, except the volume knob (that stopped working properly 2 years in, but I mostly use remote so I didn't care), but Freya brought new life to my system, and I really like to tube mode.

Oh and don’t judge the Freya based on the stock tubes which are terrible . I tossed mine in the trash after a month or two .

Even the left (output stage) pair? I only listened to all stock tubes for 2 days, and then replaced the input stage ones with a pair of EH. I like them, though one was a little bit buzzing occasionally, tried reseating it and it seemed to help.

 

[LouS]

A week ago I gained an Yggdrasil, a Freya and a Vidar (running in stereo mode) having upgraded from a Nuprime IDA-16. Speakers are Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby Grand SEs. After a week the Yggdrasil is sounding sweeter and sweeter but I have a couple of questions about the Freya. Even running in passive mode it gets really hot (can't leave a hand on it very long hot). Also, it requires volume to be set at levels of 90%+. Until a set of balanced cables arrive I'm currently using reasonable quality RCA connections. Am I worrying too much having got used to the coolness of a class D? Any help / advice would be much appreciated.

Hi PieterV, the Yggdrasil likes to take it's sweet time before sounding good, Schiit ought to offer a 30 day return on it because it takes the better part of 14 days for it to really shine.

Tubes get hot, there is no way around it. You can get some socket savers which will allow you to elevate your tubes out of the chassis and keep the internal temperatures on the Freya down a little bit. I have been debating trying the Vidar because I have a pretty nice amp. You really need to buy some NOS Raytheons. There are a couple of sellers on eBay who test for microphonics, I'd seriously consider getting at least one good pair.

 

[hornytoad]

I keep checking within the Schiit Audio website to find a listing as to availability and price of the LISST's for the Freya valves, that one or more fellow HeadFier's had assuredly stated that Schiit Audio was attempting to provide by the end of the 4th quarter of 2017...
I have not yet seen evidence of them...Perhaps I am just looking in the wrong place on the "Products" page of the Schiit Audio website...perhaps their design/manufacture priority has changed, and/or there have been unanticipated glitches in this process...?...

Anyone out here in HeadFi land have any additional information?

Thanks in advance to anyone who has any solid, or at least semi-solid information... ...

P.S....I KNOW it is not glass...However, some of us would love the reliability of solid-state with the advantage of single-ended signal source to balanced-output conversion, along with the additional gain, AND the decrease in heat generation...

They are coming according to Schiit personnel . I would suspect we will see them this quarter .

 

[whatcomfalls]

I keep checking within the Schiit Audio website to find a listing as to availability and price of the LISST's for the Freya valves,

Why use LISSTs when the Freya already has 2 soild state options in passive and JFET modes? I suppose LISSTs would make sense if you needed the extra gain.

 

[PieterV]

Hi LouS
Thank you very much for the advice and info. I had been sufficiently concerned about the running temperature of the Freya to take it back to the supplier here in Adelaide who ran it for a couple of days over the weekend. It's now back and am currently really enjoying how the Freya reveals the Yggdrasil. And it's going to get better? Am already thoroughly delighted with the increased detail, 'solidness' of the natural sound and the increased bass.
I'm running Freya (which is still quite hot) in JFET mode. So I might try it tomorrow with the tubes out and see what happens.
But I will look for those lifters and also the Raytheons
Cheers

 

[hornytoad]

Why use LISSTs when the Freya already has 2 soild state options in passive and JFET modes? I suppose LISSTs would make sense if you needed the extra gain.

It would have to be the extra gain with very low sensitivity speakers. I'm sure that some may not want to keep buying tubes all the time as added expenses . Ive already paid half the cost of the Freya in tube purchases.

 

[LouS]

It would have to be the extra gain with very low sensitivity speakers. I'm sure that some may not want to keep buying tubes all the time as added expenses . Ive already paid half the cost of the Freya in tube purchases.

Half the cost?

Hi PieterV, the Yggdrasil likes to take it's sweet time before sounding good, Schiit ought to offer a 30 day return on it because it takes the better part of 14 days for it to really shine.

Tubes get hot, there is no way around it. You can get some socket savers which will allow you to elevate your tubes out of the chassis and keep the internal temperatures on the Freya down a little bit. I have been debating trying the Vidar because I have a pretty nice amp. You really need to buy some NOS Raytheons. There are a couple of sellers on eBay who test for microphonics, I'd seriously consider getting at least one good pair.

Here are some socket savers;

https://m.ebay.com/itm/1x-NEW-TUBE-...L6-6V6-6SN7-EL34-etc-/253063330770?nav=SEARCH

These are apparently stocked in the US, the ones I bought were ceramic, they were from China and took forever to get here. I didn't see them doing a quick search. I don't know if you are leaving your Yggdrasil on 24-7, but you need to unless you are not going to use it for a long time. They say it takes 2 days for it to stabilize once it fully cooks in, I haven't had mine off for more than 15 seconds since I bought it, an that's because it freaked out when I went to change tubes in the Freya, static from touching the Freya got the Yggdrasil to lock up, so I had to reset it. I now try to short myself to something other than the Freya or Yggdrasil, you can also spray a 50/50 Downey and water mix on the carpet.

 

[hornytoad]

Half the cost?



Here are some socket savers;

https://m.ebay.com/itm/1x-NEW-TUBE-...L6-6V6-6SN7-EL34-etc-/253063330770?nav=SEARCH

These are apparently stocked in the US, the ones I bought were ceramic, they were from China and took forever to get here. I didn't see them doing a quick search. I don't know if you are leaving your Yggdrasil on 24-7, but you need to unless you are not going to use it for a long time. They say it takes 2 days for it to stabilize once it fully cooks in, I haven't had mine off for more than 15 seconds since I bought it, an that's because it freaked out when I went to change tubes in the Freya, static from touching the Freya got the Yggdrasil to lock up, so I had to reset it. I now try to short myself to something other than the Freya or Yggdrasil, you can also spray a 50/50 Downey and water mix on the carpet.

Yes, i have paid about 350 for various quad sets of tubes. Freya is what 699?

 

[LouS]

Yes, i have paid about 350 for various quad sets of tubes. Freya is what 699?

Wow, I thought that I had erased that... I have a lot more in tubes and again in cables. I just ordered Cardas Golden Presence cables, they are half off at Parts Connection as are all Cardas's old lines. I no doubt either have more disposable income or am less disciplined, or both!

 

[hornytoad]

Wow, I thought that I had erased that... I have a lot more in tubes and again in cables. I just ordered Cardas Golden Presence cables, they are half off at Parts Connection as are all Cardas's old lines. I no doubt either have more disposable income or am less disciplined, or both!

By the way, all of the tube vibration issues I had seem to have been resolved by Herbie's tube dampers . Cheap silicone damper rings did nothing.

 

[LouS]

By the way, all of the tube vibration issues I had seem to have been resolved by Herbie's tube dampers . Cheap silicone damper rings did nothing.

That's great news, I don't understand how or why it works, but I am really glad they do! Thanks for the information!

 

[jseymour]

+1 for Herbie's tube dampener and put something heavy on top of Freya to dampen the chassis.

 

[Synergist969]

ONE reason I elected to purchase the Freya, (approx. 6 months ago), was based on reasonably "reliable" information on a HeadFi forum thread at that time, ...that Schiit Audio was going to make available LISST's for it, (time frame unclear),...so that the necessity of periodic replacements of glass tubes could be eliminated if desired...

Reasons for desiring LISST's:

1. Ability to uses Freya's balanced-output mode to convert single-ended sources to fully balanced outputs...
2. Ability to use Freya's balanced-output mode while running somewhat cooler/more efficiently...
3. NOT having to worry about purchasing "bad" tubes, or replacing tubes which have inherently limited "lifespans"...
4. Fully balanced-outputs for amplifiers that either function better in that mode, and/or only accept a balanced-signal input...
5. Additional signal level gain/output should I elect to use them with downstream equipment which functions better that way...
6. Additional audio system flexibility in general...


When I sent a polite inquiry to Schiit Audio via e-mail, (shortly before Christmas of 2017), regarding the development/manufacturing/availability of LISST's for the Freya, I received a polite but carefully stated, non-informative response back from Schiit Audio essentially stating that it was Schiit Audio's policy to not provide any information regarding products that were not available, (i.e., "speculative" products at a given point in time). So, I am at this point simply attempting to reconcile the apparently conflicting information I have encountered/acquired regarding these LISST's...

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated... ...

 

[hornytoad]

I asked the question about LISST tubes and was told very specifically that they hoped to have them out by December or early 2018 .
I won’t say who I talked to but that’s what I was told .