Freya+ review
I have always enjoyed preamplifier reviews. Other than speakers, or arguably DACs, nothing defines the sound of a system more than a preamplifier. I enjoy them because, when the reviewer is really feeling the love, nothing can compare with the verbal imagery and hyperbole when trying to express the writer’s enthusiasm. This will be one of those reviews.
I’ve been using a Benchmark DAC1 USB directly feeding my power amp for a decade. I’m a enthusiastic member of the “no preamp is the best preamp” club. When I bought my Benchmark the digital side of my system finally got me where I felt I was finally getting a taste of high end sound. My only reservation was the slight analytical and cool flavor I sometimes heard. Conventional wisdom says insert a preamp with tubes for a musical sound. Theoretically the Freya+ could give me that, maybe with some “halo graphic soundstage“, while preserving the transparency that I enjoy through using the line or buffer stage.
I waited about a month and a half for my Freya to come out of back order. I spent my wait time searching the internet for Freya reviews. I found a informative one on Youtube by New Record Day. He thought the line stage sounded very good with transparency as a strong point. He said the bass was a bit light, though, and that it lacked dynamics. He felt the buffer stage was “better in every way”. Dynamics were improved and “mids and bass were given “meat on the bone”. He referred to the tube stage as the “dessert”.
When I finally plugged in my example, just 3 days ago now, I didn’t give much thought to trying the line stage. I went to the “better in every way” buffer stage. Compared to what I was used to with the Benchmark volume control I heard bass that was a bit softer, not quite as deep and not quite as controlled. Mids were nice and quite transparent. Highs and dynamics were good. As I put on more time everything improved to the point that overall sound was very competitive to the Benchmark out sound.
Then I tried the tube stage. Not good. Muddy bass, vailed, poor definition overall. This was not totally unexpected with new tubes so I went back to try the line stage.
Oh my! Couldn’t believe my ears. I was hearing things like my wildest fantasies of what the tubes might sound like. First thing- dynamics. Even if the bass wasn’t prominent in the recording it had a propelled property to it. The forward front of bass notes seemed to spring out into the room like a vertical wall. I listened to some bass guitar, not rocking in volume. I happened to touch a finger tip to the fake leather of my couch. I could faintly feel the bass line through my fingers. Dynamics were apparent on a micro scale to. Like fingers on guitar strings, small details in the upper range of female voices, room tone. All was revealed with boldness and delicacy at the same time. Highs were almost antiseptically clean but not etched. I could go on.
I am not a professional writer. My lame attempts to describe to you are inadequate at best. Let’s just say I am pleased with the line stage in my system. Any problems I have with the tube stage is moot at this point. Maybe it will improve with burn in. Maybe I will eventually replace the JJ tubes. I will have a hard time switching from the line stage to burn the tubes in. I will probably continue to run a FM signal through the tubes tonight.
Before I close I feel I need to offer a possible explanation as to why my experience with the line stage seems to differ so radically. I’m no preamp expert. But I have read that line stages are very dependent on how they interact with the other components that they “see”. Maybe a clue can be found in the owner’s manual for the DAC. It has “a high-current output stage designed to drive long cables or low-impedance loads, such as high end power-amplifiers.” Also “The DAC1 USB features drivers that are capable of driving 300-Ohm loads without increase in distortion. They are also well suited for driving long cables or high-capacitance loads.” I am using Benchmark balanced cables DAC to Freya and Benchmark balanced to RCA cables from the balanced out to my single ended power amp.
My guess is these factors may help to explain why I am not experiencing any lack of bass or dynamics with the line stage. Bottom line- Maybe I just lucked out that my system just enjoys a synergy with the Freya+ line stage. So, mileage may certainly vary.
