Have you upgraded from a Freya?

I have the CODA #8 and also LS50’s. I have the Freya+ with the Benchmark AHB2 amp and KEF LS50 + KC62 sub. I mainly use the tube setting and have grown fond of this pairing.

The CODA #8 sounds incredible with the Benchmark LA4 preamp. Each week, I tend to listen 60% with the LA4 on the #8 and 40% with the 3x more expensive CODA 07x preamp. I just love the LA4 + #8 combo. I also loved the AHB2 + 07x combo. The 07x + #8 is what I am listening to now as I post this, and it is a nice change of pace for me.

@zlone I have owned the CODA 07x (for 1 year), the Benchmark HPA4+LA4, Schitt Freya+, Topping pre90, and the Holo Serene. I have decided to keep only the LA4 and Serene.

The 07x is warm, fairly detailed, and slightly noisy. In the end that noise was bugging me to no end, so I sold it. I only really heard it on very quiet passages but once I knew it was there it was always on my mind.

The Freya+ was good (especially for the price) but not as good as the 07x and not as detailed as the LA4. So sold that.

Both the Holo and LA4 are 2 of the quietest preamps around (along with the pre90). Being quiet leads to amazing low volume listening. That was the main reason I bought the HPA4 about 8 years ago. I had to listen late at night at low levels as the baby was sleeping. It was great when I added the HPA4, compared to going DAC direct to amp. Direct to amp at low levels tends to be the weakness of digital volume controls in DACs. At low volume the sound is all there with the LA4 and Holo. It is just lower in dB. With other noiser preamps you can lose some of the sound like bass at low volume.

I am using the LA4 with a CODA #16 and I think CODA amps and Benchmark preamps are a perfect match for my tastes. I moved the CODA #16 to my office this morning to keep it safe from visitors (next 4 weeks) and listening to it with the Holo is another pleasure. Just amazing.

My preamp shopping days are done. I think the Holo and LA4 are perfect for what I want in my system.

@zlone Glad you liked the LA4. The Serene is a touch warmer and maybe preferred by some, such as this guy who compares the Serene to the HPA4 (same as LA4).

Review Holo Audio Serene Level 1 preamplifier - Tastefully Serene - Alpha Audio (alpha-audio.net)

I agree with this review but I like the LA4 the most still, but it really depends on the chain of gear it is hooked up to.

I like the LA4 and Serene so much that I tossed the shipping boxes. My preamp shopping days are done. I would not change these 2 for anything. I do not want sound added from my preamps, other gear in the chain already does enough of that.

I also have a Schitt Mjolnir (sp?) preamp. I got this because my Magtech amp does not have a Standby switch (long story). I think this preamp is the best one in Schitt’s lineup. It is sold as a headphone amp/preamp. The headphone amp is not powerful enough for my RAAL phones. I use the preamp with a Schitt Aegir amp and it is almost the best I have heard the phones.

I tried the Mjolnir in place of the Holo Serene in my office with the Magnepan LRS+ and Magtech amp. It was a real fun listen. Much warmer (but not too much). I was really impressed and it was definitory a better preamp for me than the Schitt Freya+ that I sold.

BTW - I had the LS50 with the CODA #8 and it was very good in my small office. However, the LS50 Meta is much better to my ears. Most people are saying it was only a minor improvement. In my system I thought it was a big improvement. I did not want to get rid of the LS50 Meta but I gave it to my nephew to take to university.

I now use the Magnepan LRS+ ($999) in the office and it is much better than the LS50 Meta in most aspects. I think the LS50 Meta was a bit sharper focused on the images but I only did a few hours of A+B tests and I was trying to find something.

The CODA #8 should be very good on the LRS+. The CODA #16 is incredible on the LRS+.