Schiit Freya + Class A in Stereophile

The Freya+ really is a remarkable preamp not just of the sound quality but for the features. Lots of inputs and outputs both balanced and single ended. The remote is quite nice. It's nice to have a remote controlled stepped attenuator despite the clacking involved with it. It has "passive", buffered, and active modes of operation. I'm pretty sure the active tube section is the Aikido circuit designed by John Broskie of TubeCad Journal fame. 

I put the passive mode in quotes because it does actually go through some minimal active circuitry so that single ended inputs can be converted to balanced. It's a clever design. So while it still is a passive stage in that there is no buffering, the fact that no signal goes through it when the power is off means that there is some active circuitry. 

All that said, I'm selling mine. My Supratek Cabernet gives me more of what I'm looking for in a preamp. I'm very happy with it. At 4 times the price I try not to think about the ugly reality of diminishing returns but I am happy with it. 

@output555 When you say passive tube stage do you mean a stage without gain? Those are called buffers and are really helpful if you need to drive long interconnects. The "solid state" function of the Freya+ is in fact a buffer and adds no gain. The "passive" mode does not have the buffer stage. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I don't really consider it a real passive stage since there is still active circuitry involved. Maybe I'm a purist but I want my passive stages to be nothing but passive components like resisters or transformers. 

If you search for tube buffers you will find a variety of products out there but you're right, the Frey+ is not one of them.