2. amps-preamps
  3. 169186-141093

Thinking Out Loud

I have been interested in checking out the “tube sound” for some time and just bought a Schiit Freya+ to pair with my SS amp.  The Freya+ replaces, or compliments, a Parasound P5 preamp I have been using.  I don’t know whether to just set aside the Parasound pre and go with the Freya+, as I don’t know how to incorporate both into my system so I could just switch between them.

A bigger issue surfaced when I realized the Freya+ doesn’t have a dac, not even for phono use.  So it wasn’t as simple as getting the Freya+ and dropping it into the system, I now need to supply a dac for at least the phono.  I had previously purchased a Audiolab CD transport, which lacks a built-in dac.  To remedy that, I bought a Pro-ject Dac Box 2 that I was just using with the Audiolab via the RCA-type connection.  I know this dac has other connections, but I’m not sure if I can connect it to the Freya+ using the other connections.  The Pro-ject has no power off button, so I have been plugging and unplugging it each time I play a CD.  Now I would have to do that each time I want to play vinyl — a bit annoying.

I think my problem is that I approached things piecemeal, adding/substituting gear without realizing up front the problems in doing that.  Do I just switch to the Freya+ full-time or is there a good way to incorporate both preamps?  Do I try to use the Pro-ject dac with available connections, or do I retire the Pro-Ject and buy a more full-featured dac equipped to handle multiple devices easily?
bob540

Showing 1 response by 4afsanakhan

4afsanakhan
134 posts
 
If one uses a DAC for phono, it becomes faux-no. Well, actually it doesn’t have to be. Instead of all that gear, consider the Devialet Expert Pro, which includes;
- superb phone stage that indeed takes the analogue signal and converts to digital.
- world class DAC
- Pre-out if one chooses to utilize the unit as a DAC only and send that signal to an outboard amp
- Very versitile for use with subs, including high pass filters, low pass filters, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th order crossover options, and prcision signal delay to compensate for sub placement, plus the amp will drive two stereo subs at 250watts rms each
- Coax, toslink, SPDIF XLR, configurable digital in or out
- plug ‘n play versatility with Airplay, USB, Line 1 and Line 2 in
- great adaptability with numerous optional configurations
- an amp powerful enough to drive about any speaker with tremendous grip yet delicate refinement

All this is academic if the unit did not sound wonderful. It does sound truely wonderful. Voices sound spectacular. It is, along with VERY few dacs and pre-amp / amplifiers without distortion of any kind offering a glass clear window onto the music. Throws a very wide and deep soundstage. In fact the soundstage sounds unlike any other amp I have heard, perhaps being close to the higher end Levinson amps. The impression is of sitting at the farside of a large wide deep field with the music playing wide across and deep back at the far side of that field. It is very addictive.

if you can, listen to one at your dealer.
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