[jerick70]

I may have to just get the Freya and swap out connections when switching to different balanced amp. Do you know of any other balanced tube preamps I could look out of of curiosity with no price limit?

FYI, here is another preamp that I've been keeping my eye on. VAC is the end all be all in the tube preamp world, IMO.

http://www.vac-amps.com/productPages/SignatureMk_IIa.html

One other thing, I've posted the TOTL preamps from all of these manufacturers. They have fabulous lower end preamps too.

 

[Boogie7910]

So I've engaged with emails with Roy who said a custom balanced SP14 could be made but he referred me to Don Sachs to build it who already told me he can't. After I told Roy what Don said, Roy replied with he wouldn't be interested in building it because it's too much trouble, too expensive, and they've both wasted many hours on it and determined there is no improvement to sound.

 

[jerick70]

So I've engaged with emails with Roy who said a custom balanced SP14 could be made but he referred me to Don Sachs to build it who already told me he can't. After I told Roy what Don said, Roy replied with he wouldn't be interested in building it because it's too much trouble, too expensive, and they've both wasted many hours on it and determined there is no improvement to sound.

That sounds a bit contradictory to me. I had a discussion with Don a few months ago about the same thing. He said he wasn't able to do a fully balanced preamp too. So I think you'll have to go somewhere else for a fully balanced setup.

 

[jerick70]

@Boogie7910 here's another option for a fully balanced preamp. This will bring the price down to earth too. Rogue Audio released this just recently. I've owned a few of Rogue's pieces and they make excellent kit.

http://www.rogueaudio.com/Products_RP7.htm

 

[jseymour]

This has been mentioned previously by myself and others. If you decide to purchase a preamp like Don Sach's and require XLR outs, use a RCA to XLR converter. It is going to be about the same cost Don Sach's charges for adding the XLR inputs.

https://www.fullcompass.com/prod/16...-hd-dual-stereo-level-and-impedance-interface
http://www.radialeng.com/product/jdi-stereo/
https://www.fullcompass.com/prod/061023-radio-design-labs-txafc1m-tx-afc1m

 

[Boogie7910]

I initially had intended to purchase a kit from Roy, but he moved, and as it turned out, Don had a preamp some knucklehead had ordered, so I got him to add what I wanted to it, and it'll be here tomorrow.

So I assume you got the premamp? Any initial thoughts or are you waiting to break it in?

 

[Jamiee]

Hi,
So I've just upgraded my Yggy A1 + SPL Volume 2 combo to a Yggy A2 + Freya ..... All good except I notice one odd thing about Freya.
It doesn't fully mute. if I put the volume down to zero, I can still slightly hear whats being played through it - same goes for muting it as well...
is this normal?

 

[purehifi192]

Hi,
So I've just upgraded my Yggy A1 + SPL Volume 2 combo to a Yggy A2 + Freya ..... All good except I notice one odd thing about Freya.
It doesn't fully mute. if I put the volume down to zero, I can still slightly hear whats being played through it - same goes for muting it as well...
is this normal?

Running tubes in mono block mode into efficient speakers? Yes. I hear noise even with my relatively inefficient speakers.

Edited to add: I hear nothing when mute is engaged, only with volume is at 0.

 

[US Blues]

Hi,
So I've just upgraded my Yggy A1 + SPL Volume 2 combo to a Yggy A2 + Freya ..... All good except I notice one odd thing about Freya.
It doesn't fully mute. if I put the volume down to zero, I can still slightly hear whats being played through it - same goes for muting it as well...
is this normal?

Yes, it's normal for Freya to pass a tiny signal with the volume knob all the way down. No worries!

PS- Ask Jason for the tech details.

 

[Jamiee]

OK glad to know it's normal... Thanks guys.

I definitely still hear what's playing even when muted. Mute is the same output level as having the volume at 0 --- eg. turning the volume to 0 and pressing mute = no change.
I can reduce the output further by enabling passive or JFET buffers, but there's still a little bit of sound that gets through.

I have Freya feeding a FOCAL professional subwoofer, which in-turn feeds a pair of FOCAL studio monitors (2.1) .

 

[FLTWS]

Sub'd again, for the 6SN7 tube - talk.

 

[Mondo Caliente]

My Freya also has mute leakage issues but it doesn't bother me…maybe it should so I'll be sure and give it some thought. However, I can continue to talk about 6SN7GTBs as my Sylvania "Chrome Domes" continue to process electrons…or photons…or something…very well indeed. I think one of the main issues with a Freya is it can lead to TAS, or Tube Accumulation Syndrome which will fill up a tube storage drawer quickly with no end to it. If I just used up the various tubes I currently have I could last for maybe 60 years without buying any replacements. In spite of that, I still check online for cool NOS tubes…therapy…I need therapy. A note to tube power amp freaks, I decided to try the Gold Lion KT77s in my single ended Dennis Had Firebottle amp (another TAS vehicle, although it has only 4 tubes including the rectifier so not so bad) and they're astonishingly good in this amp. Although I have many other power tubes for that amp, none sound as good as the GL KT77s. By the way, the driver tube is a NOS Amperex USA 6SN7GTB, which seems nearly unobtainable, although I have one other Amperex as a backup.

 

[cheeseeater]

I took possession of my new Freya today. This is some cool SCHIIT! JFET Buffer alone would have been worth every penny! And on top of that the tubes are even better (of course I haven't tried the stock tubes. I have RCA 5692 lying around, etc.)

 

[Jamiee]

Just added a quad of Grade-A Psvane CV181 T-II's.
So far so good... surprisingly good straight out of the box, though I'm sure they'll need some hours on them to be at their best.

 

[DrJam]

OK glad to know it's normal... Thanks guys.

I definitely still hear what's playing even when muted. Mute is the same output level as having the volume at 0 --- eg. turning the volume to 0 and pressing mute = no change.
I can reduce the output further by enabling passive or JFET buffers, but there's still a little bit of sound that gets through.

I have Freya feeding a FOCAL professional subwoofer, which in-turn feeds a pair of FOCAL studio monitors (2.1) .

I normally mute my system by muting the Oppo, but I just tested by muting the Freya and I couldn't hear any leakage. Nothing. Not even with my ear to the speaker.