Schiit Freya + Class A in Stereophile

@invalid

+1 and Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, Pass, and other truly high end companies will still be there. Pushing the envelope, improving the sound that is possible. 

lanx003: The Class A rating was in an issue where the Freya + was actually reviewed, but you likely know that. I've had the original version of the Freya since it first came out years ago and have raved about it, and noted that I'd compared it to much more expensive preamps (including my own). It's utterly a steal even today, and somehow the thing had really never had much audio geek press (in the audio mags I read anyway.)  I bet the reviewer would have appreciated the tube stage if it had better tubes (I stuck some new Tung Sols in mine and thought they weren't nearly as good as NOS GEs). The Topping seems fine but the Freya still does far more...including tubes. It will likely always suffer from being too inexpensive for some.

The tube stage is the thing I agree with the Freya, the reason for being.  I put some CBS Hytron tubes in the input stage side and it really made the preamp a whole lot better.  I wonder how it would compare to an expensive preamp.  I was really thinking hard about trying something like a high end VAC or even Rogue RP 9 or CJ maybe but all the accolades I keep reading about the Freya and even from users that haven't experienced how much better it can sound with better tubes makes me think it might not be worth the bother.  

I put some CBS Hytron tubes in the input stage side and it really made the preamp a whole lot better. 

When I read the Stereophile test, the first thought I had is why they didn't roll some tubes. 

The Freya plus response well with tube roll, the better the tube the Freya improves, Iam using pavane 6sn7 and tennis ball pavane 6sn7.Though the JJ 6sn7  also does a good job.Its worth also upgrading the pc.iam happy with Freya, though originally I want audio research, backert preamp.