[firedog]

Freya - Trying other tubes for fun:
 
I don't want to try anything expensive. Don't want to get too involved, just see what something else sounds like. The tubes locally available to me are:
EH 6SN7 regular
EH 6SN7 Gold
 
Any difference between them? There's about $1.50 difference in price between the two.
 
Also available JJ 6SN7 for less.
 
Comments 

 

[KoshNaranek]

Freya - Trying other tubes for fun:

I don't want to try anything expensive. Don't want to get too involved, just see what something else sounds like. The tubes locally available to me are:
EH 6SN7 regular
EH 6SN7 Gold

Any difference between them? There's about $1.50 difference in price between the two.

Also available JJ 6SN7 for less.

Comments 

The JJ 6sn7 may be a relabled ECC33. It is griity, tinny and basically sounds like a clown car. I wasted my money so you don't have to.

Take a look at the Saga tube rolling thread

 

[Sam Lord]

I am Guessing by Meter you mean Multimeter and when the Downstream Component is powered down you are checking for Continuity?

Exactly. You always should check for rising R value if it first switches to very low, in case there's a capacitor loading up. But I don't expect to see that except in the rarest circuit.

 

[Paddlefoot]

Firedog, I did buy the Tungsol reissue 6sn7, I am happy with them in my Freya, I got them from Jim McShane. He likes these better than the EH.

 

[DigitalFrontEnd]

Firedog, I did buy the Tungsol reissue 6sn7, I am happy with them in my Freya, I got them from Jim McShane. He likes these better than the EH.

I have both. The Tung Sols are very nice. The EH's are a bit warmer. A matter of taste.

 

[DigitalFrontEnd]

The JJ 6sn7 may be a relabled ECC33. It is griity, tinny and basically sounds like a clown car. I wasted my money so you don't have to.

Take a look at the Saga tube rolling thread

Too bad. I found their 12AX7 and 12AU7s to be really nice.

 

[firedog]

Any comments on EH Gold vs regular? I've been told there's no difference in sound.

 

[comzee]

  Any comments on EH Gold vs regular? I've been told there's no difference in sound.

idk how they work in the saga/freya, but the 6sn7 EH tubes I used in my SET amp were the worst I've used.
 
If you browse audio forums, the general consensus is the EH tubes in general are junk, having owned multiple tube tubes of EH myself, I'm reinforcing this. 

 

[KoshNaranek]

Too bad. I found their 12AX7 and 12AU7s to be really nice.

I love JJ's 6922 tubes, but their 6ns7 is just awful.

 

[firedog]

As far as sound, I will say this (I've been listening mostly to SS Jfet mode): very clear sound, with a lot of detail (not too much).Yet doesn't sound "cold" or analytical. The passive mode sounds similar, but with less output.
 
Before this I was mostly using the analog preamp section of my Mytek DAC as pre/volume control. I think the Freya is cleaner and clearer sounding which is a good thing. 
Will get into the tubes later. 
 
As far as the pairs of tubes - gain stage and output stage: I'd assume if tube rolling, changing the pair in the output stage would make a bigger difference. Correct?

 

[JohnnyCanuck]

   
As far as the pairs of tubes - gain stage and output stage: I'd assume if tube rolling, changing the pair in the output stage would make a bigger difference. Correct?

 
No.  Changing the voltage gain tubs will make a bigger difference.

 

[purehifi192]

Appreciate people's opinions around my question.  I have a pair of the Elac Uni-Fi UF5 (floorstanding speakers, 140 Watts (peak), 3.4 min to 4 Ohms nominal, 85 dB Sensitivity).
 
I'm thinking about replacing my current setup with a Schiit stack, my third, and leaning toward the Yggdrasil to Freya to Vidar using balanced connections.  I know I can only use the Vidar balanced outs in a monoblock configuration and that's not going to be rated by Schiit given the 4 Ohm impedance for my speakers.
 
Would I be better suited using single ended connection and one Vidar; balanced connections into the Freya, then single ended into one Vidar; or balanced in a monoblock configuration with two Vidars?
 
Budget is an issue so I'm curious, other than MORE POWER, what I'd be losing with one Vidar?  I think one Vidar outputting 200W per channel into 4 Ohms with 85 dB sensitivity will produce more than enough power so my question is mostly comparing balanced vs single ended (my wire runs will be less than 6 ft per).  If singe ended is a no brainer, am I then better suited to go with a Saga rather than Freya.
 
Thank you.

 

[Brubacca]

Appreciate people's opinions around my question.  I have a pair of the Elac Uni-Fi UF5 (floorstanding speakers, 140 Watts (peak), 3.4 min to 4 Ohms nominal, 85 dB Sensitivity).

I'm thinking about replacing my current setup with a Schiit stack, my third, and leaning toward the Yggdrasil to Freya to Vidar using balanced connections.  I know I can only use the Vidar balanced outs in a monoblock configuration and that's not going to be rated by Schiit given the 4 Ohm impedance for my speakers.

Would I be better suited using single ended connection and one Vidar; balanced connections into the Freya, then single ended into one Vidar; or balanced in a monoblock configuration with two Vidars?

Budget is an issue so I'm curious, other than MORE POWER, what I'd be losing with one Vidar?  I think one Vidar outputting 200W per channel into 4 Ohms with 85 dB sensitivity will produce more than enough power so my question is mostly comparing balanced vs single ended (my wire runs will be less than 6 ft per).  If singe ended is a no brainer, am I then better suited to go with a Saga rather than Freya.

Thank you.

My opinion is worth what you pay for it, but....

Go with Freya over Saga. Saga is just a Tube buffer where Freya is an actual gain stage. Freya should sound better even single ended. One Vidar should be plenty of power unless your room is huge AND you listen at ear bleeding levels. Why can't you use Vidar Balanced as just a stereo amp?

 

[purehifi192]

My opinion is worth what you pay for it, but....

Go with Freya over Saga. Saga is just a Tube buffer where Freya is an actual gain stage. Freya should sound better even single ended. One Vidar should be plenty of power unless your room is huge AND you listen at ear bleeding levels. Why can't you use Vidar Balanced as just a stereo amp?

 
That's the reason I'm leaning toward the Freya.  Appreciate your opinion.  My understanding is that I cannot use one Vidar in a balanced configuration to drive stereo speakers and it must be set up in monoblock configuration to take advantage of balanced.
 
Maybe I'm wrong or maybe I'm misreading your question however?

 

[bigro]

  Appreciate people's opinions around my question.  I have a pair of the Elac Uni-Fi UF5 (floorstanding speakers, 140 Watts (peak), 3.4 min to 4 Ohms nominal, 85 dB Sensitivity).
 
I'm thinking about replacing my current setup with a Schiit stack, my third, and leaning toward the Yggdrasil to Freya to Vidar using balanced connections.  I know I can only use the Vidar balanced outs in a monoblock configuration and that's not going to be rated by Schiit given the 4 Ohm impedance for my speakers.
 
Would I be better suited using single ended connection and one Vidar; balanced connections into the Freya, then single ended into one Vidar; or balanced in a monoblock configuration with two Vidars?
 
Budget is an issue so I'm curious, other than MORE POWER, what I'd be losing with one Vidar?  I think one Vidar outputting 200W per channel into 4 Ohms with 85 dB sensitivity will produce more than enough power so my question is mostly comparing balanced vs single ended (my wire runs will be less than 6 ft per).  If singe ended is a no brainer, am I then better suited to go with a Saga rather than Freya.
 
Thank you.

I have the UB5's which have the Same Specs and have Freya on the Way., and Possibly a Vidar when it is out.  Unless you really want Mono Blocks One Vidar will more than drive the hell out of the UB5's. I am Running an Emotiva Flex right now which is 75 Wpc RMS into 4 ohms and that drives them with more than enough authority with room to spare. 200Wpc will leave a massive amount of headroom.  I have not run Mono Blocks in a Home rig so I cannot say what you will and will not Lose. If your really wanting to do a fully balanced chain, peoples opinions seem to Vary, what can your wallet handle?