[Ghosthouse]

Hello folks.  As owner of a few pieces of Schiit (Asgard 2, Gungnir, Freya) I've been following this informative (and enjoyable) thread.  
 
This is my first post to it and writing because I'm wondering about any further input to member TwatterShatter re his question about tube orientation in the Freya.  
 
Are the right channel tubes the right pair (front and back?) and the left channel tubes the left pair (front and back)?  If yes, which are gain and which are buffer?  
 
Don't mean to make a big deal of this but I also am a little confused by conflicting info.  The Freya owner's manual I received with mine on Jan 17 says FRONT tubes are voltage gain and REAR tubes are cathode follower output.   
 
BUT the on-line Freya manual at the Schiit website says:  "If you’re curious, the RIGHT tubes are for the differential voltage gain stage. The LEFT tubes are for the cathode follower output stage."  
 
Why this matters is if one is interested in upgrading only the tubes in the gain position but keeping the stock tubes in the buffer position.
 
Which pair should be changed out?  Which pair should be kept?
 
Would really appreciate some clarification on this.  THANKS.

 

[JohnnyOps]

Still digging my Fulla 2, but wondering if I'm going to be able to withstand the lure of the STACK for much longer. Stuck on whether I can reasonably keep a STACK of Schiit on my desk at work without that Schiit getting swiped.

 

[AviP]

 
Hello folks.  As owner of a few pieces of Schiit (Asgard 2, Gungnir, Freya) I've been following this informative (and enjoyable) thread.  
 
This is my first post to it and writing because I'm wondering about any further input to member TwatterShatter re his question about tube orientation in the Freya.  
 
Are the right channel tubes the right pair (front and back?) and the left channel tubes the left pair (front and back)?  If yes, which are gain and which are buffer?  
 
Don't mean to make a big deal of this but I also am a little confused by conflicting info.  The Freya owner's manual I received with mine on Jan 17 says FRONT tubes are voltage gain and REAR tubes are cathode follower output.   
 
BUT the on-line Freya manual at the Schiit website says:  "If you’re curious, the RIGHT tubes are for the differential voltage gain stage. The LEFT tubes are for the cathode follower output stage."  
 
Why this matters is if one is interested in upgrading only the tubes in the gain position but keeping the stock tubes in the buffer position.
 
Which pair should be changed out?  Which pair should be kept?
 
Would really appreciate some clarification on this.  THANKS.

From Jason:

  On Freya...it's imminent. First articles were qualified last week. We're just waiting for boards. Should be this week (we'll see.)
 
With respect to tubes, yes, you'll want matched tubes at least for the input pair. The input pair does voltage gain, so it's the most critical. The input pair is on the right-hand side of the quad. The output pair is on the left-hand side. It's a follower, so it's less critical. 
 
We're also doing some degeneration of the input, so matching will be less critical, but you're still going to want to have reasonable matching.
 
No biasing is necessary, since the input is run off a current source, which sets the operating point of the whole system.
 

 

[Talisker90]

Still digging my Fulla 2, but wondering if I'm going to be able to withstand the lure of the STACK for much longer. Stuck on whether I can reasonably keep a STACK of Schiit on my desk at work without that Schiit getting swiped.

 

It depends, do you want an all-in-one system capabilities that the fulla 2 has or do you to have separate components for each task? I'd recommend keeping the stack at home...all my work headphones are the cheapest of my set for that exact reason.

 

[Ghosthouse]

AviP - Thanks for finding that.  I do now recall reading that statement from Jason.  So, if gain tubes are the right hand pair and buffer tubes are on the left, any idea how the L & R channels are oriented?
 
Rear = Right channel?
 
Front = Left channel?
 
Thanks again.

 

[jnak00]

 
AviP - Thanks for finding that.  I do now recall reading that statement from Jason.  So, if gain tubes are the right hand pair and buffer tubes are on the left, any idea how the L & R channels are oriented?
 
Rear = Right channel?
 
Front = Left channel?
 
Thanks again.

 
I would just pull one tube out and see which channel continues to function - if you don't get a better answer.

 

[AviP]

I would just pull one tube out and see which channel continues to function - if you don't get a better answer.

I would try to get an answer from Jason first. But if you do end up pulling a tube, make sure you do it when the unit's off and only put the tube back after you've turned the unit off also.

 

[aamefford]

As to the 6 and 7 figure audio systems. It occurs to me that my lovely wife and I could take a limo to a concert of our choice, have a nice dinner, spend the night and take a limo home a whole bunch of times for the price of such a system. Probably several years worth at our frequency. I think that would be a better use of such funds. Well, and a modest audio system for the stay home nights.

 

[JohnnyOps]

  It depends, do you want an all-in-one system capabilities that the fulla 2 has or do you to have separate components for each task? I'd recommend keeping the stack at home...all my work headphones are the cheapest of my set for that exact reason.

 
Yeah, the problem is I do 99% of my listening to cans @ work so I don't even have a real use for a home system.
 
Most of the time at home, I'm listening to music on Sonos, not doing critical listening in any sense of the word.  
 
So unless I invest in some sort of massive security system, I'm probably not going to have more glitz than the Fulla 2 on my desk.  I listen to my AKG k553's and my Senn HD598 Cs at work.  That makes for a grand total of $300 which could possibly walk away, which I'm not excited about but I'm willing to risk given people are generally pretty honest.  The stack would look way too appealing is my guess, but maybe so few people know what this Schiit is that it would be safe.

 

[Ghosthouse]

AviP - Did exactly that...well, sort of.  Pulled the rear two tubes.  Only the front tubes in.  Had sound in the left channel but not in the right.  So, looks like Front tubes are left channel.  Rear tubes are right channel.  
 
Gain and Buffer as per Jason's description here and as described in the Schiit website Freya manual.  

 

[Ghosthouse]

Sorry got confused about who said what when I tried to reply.  AviP was quoting you, jnak00.  
Anyway, hope you saw my reply to AviP.  Pulled both rear tubes.  Only had sound in the left channel.  That told me what I needed to know.  Thanks for the input.

 

[Talisker90]

   
Yeah, the problem is I do 99% of my listening to cans @ work so I don't even have a real use for a home system.
 
Most of the time at home, I'm listening to music on Sonos, not doing critical listening in any sense of the word.  
 
So unless I invest in some sort of massive security system, I'm probably not going to have more glitz than the Fulla 2 on my desk.  I listen to my AKG k553's and my Senn HD598 Cs at work.  That makes for a grand total of $300 which could possibly walk away, which I'm not excited about but I'm willing to risk given people are generally pretty honest.  The stack would look way too appealing is my guess, but maybe so few people know what this Schiit is that it would be safe.

Ah, gotcha. Well, I think your Fulla 2 is fantastic enough to power what you have, but I agree. At first glance, the Schiit Stack looks nice and really expensive lol.

 

[Steven3445]

Jason Stoddard so when can we have Cthulu?

 

[dmckean44]

@Jason Stoddard so when can we have Cthulu?

 
I'm betting we won't see new products launch until after Mani, Yggy, Jot and Mjolnir are back in stock.

 

[darkarn]

As to the 6 and 7 figure audio systems. It occurs to me that my lovely wife and I could take a limo to a concert of our choice, have a nice dinner, spend the night and take a limo home a whole bunch of times for the price of such a system. Probably several years worth at our frequency. I think that would be a better use of such funds. Well, and a modest audio system for the stay home nights.

 
I think I can use that figure to pay off college debts and even a downpayment for a house!