Step One
I have recently acquired a used Schiit Freya preamp, a used Gungir MB USB5 (from a HeadFier in Portugal) and a brand new amp based on Nelson Pass’ Aleph J. This Schiit will displace a (really competent and pleasant) TEAC UD 501 DAC. Other components I use are an Accuphase E-302 integrated, a fanless Euler Media PC with SS discs running a Roon NUC. Transducers are original Tannoy Cheviots (not the modern re-issue), connected to 16ga wire long enough to reach all the way to the amp. Interconneects are home brew teflon insulated whispy thin solid core silver wire
Rather than coming as a package, everything will come from a different seller, from a different country, arriving at different times. Which turns out to be great, because that way I can listen to every step of the transformation for a while.
The Freya is a joy to behold. My wife, not a big fan of audio equipment has stopped several times in front of it just to tell me how beautiful she thinks Freya is. How ‘bout that for WAF?
The remote and its buttons take some getting used to. The loud, metallic clicks that accompany volume changes were scary at first, I think they have gotten softer over time. The unit, even though I let it acclimate in the room for maybe three hours was quite cold, I think. Outside temp that day was freezing and it had been travelling for a few days. Why switching between sources as well as muting needs to be accentuated by clicks almost as loud as the stepped ladder resistor’s begs to be. Would some sound deadening material have been an issue of cost or negatively affected the sound quality? Does such an exquisite product be so harsh on the ears of its blissed out owners when they operate it?
A sound that is liquid joy. Where the Accuphase is all about Sound, the Freya is a wide open window into the music. Freya is seriously good. The Accuphase still does duty as power amp, and in it’s new setting it’s actually quite neutral and disappearing. All the character of Freya shines through the many stages of the E-302. Quite surprisingly, I could happily live with that.
Oh, maybe someone can tell me please if Freya’s LEDs are supposed way behind the front, inside the case, as opposed to being situated in their respective little holes and glowing from there?