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Adcom GFP-710 to Schiit Freya - upgrade?

looking for some thoughts...

It’s been a while since I’ve done anything with my system. I’ve been running a Mac Mini streaming AIFF via Kimber USB into Bel Canto
Dac-3, running the DAC into Pass Labs X250.5 via balanced BlueJeans XLRs. Speakers are Dynaudio S5.4
I recently added a Rega P2 table and that forced me to break out the Adcom GFP-710 that I had laying around in order to be able to switch between sources. Adcom has a built in phono pre, but I bought Schiit Mani as well. I kind of like it a lot. 
I feel that the Adcom may be the weakest link in the chain, and am looking at possibly upgrading a pre. 
Seeking thoughts on Schiit Freya, or any other preamp used or new around $1k that would offer an upgrade in resolution, soundstaging, imaging, etc. 
Balanced or single ended, tubes or solid state, with or without a built in phono pre.

Has anyone compared the Freya to any of the Adcom or comparable preamps, what can you share? What other preamps should I put on a list?
128x128audphile1
wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 
To clarify, I use it because it's a better sounding thing than any preamp I've used in my system (tube rolling is also more fun than otherwise since with a solid state preamp the tubes just roll off onto the floor) including the Kavent and any of the Adcoms I've used...extremely low noise floor, low noise ceiling, and low noise edges and corners, and a reticent yet florid essence of tubishness with an old oak finish of profound musicality and tonal accuracy, and it gets hot so I assume it's enjoying itself. I have no desire to replace it which for an audio freak is a good sign. The LEDs are too bright but I fixed that.
tomcarr
1,504 posts
 
LOL!
mcreyn
293 posts
 
I use a GFP-750 and tried a Freya and found the Freya notably inferior.  Veiled and poor imaging.  I ended up returning the Freya with a note that I thought it might be defective, but Schiit never notified me of a problem with it.  That said, I am still not convinced that I didn’t get a defective unit, as the sound quality difference was quiet large, far more than a preamp should ever be.  

For the record, I like Schiit products and use their dacs, headphone amp, and phono pre.  
213runnin
914 posts
 
Mcreyn, I'm guessing that you posted that with a straight face.  The Adcom GFP 750 is the best pre that Adcom ever released, and is legendary.  It goes used for about what the Freya sells for new.  

That said, you provided none of the details around your demo of the Freya, so it's hard to say whether you managed to hear the Freya at its best or not.  Either way, nothing wrong with not liking the Freya.
auxinput
2,920 posts
 
The GFP-710 (along with every other standard Adcom preamp) uses op amps for tone controls (bass/treble) as well as the audio output stages.  I used to have a GFP-565 a long time ago.  It was okay and nice, but nothing special.

The GFP-750 is a completely different beast.  It was designed by Nelson Pass and uses all fully discrete analog circuits (no bass/treble tone controls).  I would suspect that it's significantly better than Freya with stock tubes, but we are also talking about colored/textured tube sonics vs. solid state.   Now Freya with upgraded tubes could be a different story (such as PSVANE or some true NOS Amperex, depending on your desired taste).
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