I just bought some Blue Jeans RCA to XLR cables and they are nice and really economical. I would be inclined to get fully balanced XLR's from them as well unless there is a better, reasonably priced alternative.
Schiit Freya+(Plus)
Freya+ users:
For me, sending DAC input through tube output clearly adds warmth, bloom, punch, musicality, presence.
However, when used with analog inputs (TT, FM, cassette), the tubes (current stock JJ 6SN7 supplied with the unit) sound too lush, rather over the top, sometimes frankly bloated. I mean at equal volume (not volume SETTING).
Despite balanced output to power amp, the SS buffer stage sounds inferior to pure passive mode. So it's tubes with
DAC, passive with analog, SS buffer with nothing.
Questions: (1) does my experience sound typical?
(2) should I experiment with rolling Tung-Sols or other recommended upgrade tube?
(3) does any of this bespeak some peculiarity elsewhere in the chain?
Advance thanks for diagnoses/suggestions.
For me, sending DAC input through tube output clearly adds warmth, bloom, punch, musicality, presence.
However, when used with analog inputs (TT, FM, cassette), the tubes (current stock JJ 6SN7 supplied with the unit) sound too lush, rather over the top, sometimes frankly bloated. I mean at equal volume (not volume SETTING).
Despite balanced output to power amp, the SS buffer stage sounds inferior to pure passive mode. So it's tubes with
DAC, passive with analog, SS buffer with nothing.
Questions: (1) does my experience sound typical?
(2) should I experiment with rolling Tung-Sols or other recommended upgrade tube?
(3) does any of this bespeak some peculiarity elsewhere in the chain?
Advance thanks for diagnoses/suggestions.