beginner seperate system

The Schiit Freya doesn't seem "colored" in my system, although every preamp has its own sound (I've owned several). In the passive mode you can see this for yourself, unless of course that's colored also...I use NOS RCAs and Sylvanias and the results are excellent, and NOS versions are readily available at a reasonable price (new Tung Sol 6SN7GTBs are also cheapish, and seem to work fine)...it's worthwhile to note that a Don Sachs preamp with remote is nearly 3 times the cost of a Freya, and although it's a  well regarded thing it's just not comparable to a Freya in either cost or features. Also, you can easily make your own REL cables with Speakon plugs and whatever spades or bananas you need, saving some bucks there (I use Canare Star Quad wire for these), and my 2 used RELs were found on Ebay for about 200 bucks each...they work perfectly. I "stack" the REL cable spades on the amp posts, and use bananas for the main speaker wire...works for me. 

The Freya passive and FET modes sound very similar, the tube mode sounds great with much higher gain and provides tube rolling adventures...I've heard the newer versions have less of a gain jump for the tube setting. If I was putting together a budget tube system that wasn't based on a single ended power amp, I'd consider a new Jolida tube amp with a Freya as Jolidas are pretty cool, relatively inexpensive, and well made (I owned a 502p for years). Tubes provide more detail generally, making music sound more realistic with a harmonic content most SS amps simply can't do.

U.S.A. made Schiit Freya preamp, 3 instantly switchable modes resolve any mystery regarding tubes vs. solid state (passive, FET, and tube)...balanced and single ended ins and outs...I’ve had one for over a year and it sounds great, and there’s actually nothing like it. 700 bucks or so, their class A/B Vidar amp is the same price. I run my Freya into a Dennis Had SE tube amp and the sound is astonishingly good through efficient speakers. I also own a couple of Schiit Magni 3 headphone amps, and a Loki EQ...all very well built and designed by smart guys.