Preamps

For those that have the Freya:

Can you please comment on the transparency in the passive mode of the Freya ...

...versus without the Freya, with source(ie oppo 205) direct to amp.

Is it noticeable?

Thanks

How about the new Rogue Audio RP-9? Uses the Russian 6H30P tubes.

I have the RP-1 and really like it, wish I could afford the 9 :). Rogue is a great company to work with. http://www.rogueaudio.com/Products_RP9.htm

@wolf_garcia Of course you can blame the preamp for microphonics. Same tubes in Don Sachs preamp are silent. The tubes are Super Line grade VT231s from Andy at VTS. The chassis on Freya just picks up a lot more vibration than other preamps I've experienced.

As to noise, I'm not the only one complaining. The forums are full of Freya complains. It's unbearable into both pairs of my studio monitors. It's better into a pair of hifi speakers. 

Audio Research LS28 is a silent tube preamp. Stick your ears next to tweeters, nothing. In Freya, the tubes are a fun afterthought with $8 dollars worth of coupling caps. Like I said, amazing, transparent volume control with JFET buffer, but a tube preamp it ain't.

So many good reports out weigh the few bad to me, about noise with the Freya.
Sure for those kind of low dollars ($699) you get cheap 6SN7 or 6H8C tubes with it, and there are going to be the odd bad noisy one, but I was told by owners they send out asap replacements if you do get that.

And spending $7,500 on the Audio Research LS28 will get you, matched selected 4 x tubes, but it’s also costing >10 X the amount and some reports that it’s nowhere near worth the money when compared to the similar 4 tube Freya.

Cheers George

A Freya is simply not inherently more vibration prone than any other preamp so that ain't it, sorry. You can hit this thing with a stick and it's still quiet...Also, the stock 6H8C tubes provided for my Freya were also dead silent, just less interesting sounding than other options. Of course there are others "whining" about Freyas, as well as ARC preamps and every other brand out there as that's what people on forums do, but the Freya is a huge hit in spite of forum critics as the vast majority of owners seem happy with 'em. I suggest astelmaszek simply send his back as the warranty is likely still valid.