Schiit Freya plus. Is this an upgrade?

Tung Sol
GTB
brown base

Well the Freya+ is certainly an upgrade over the OG Saga, no doubt about that!  I've only had it a couple of days, but even out of the box it's more dynamic with a bigger soundstage and seemingly better detail.  

This is my first go at a tube based pre, the Saga had one tube as a buffer only.  When I first got it the jfet buffer mode was a little quieter than the volume pot only mode.  But on day two the db difference between the two disappeared, and I suspect as it burns in things will improve further.

The tubes were also making some slight noise with no music playing occasionally.  I powered down and removed them, and found I hadn't inserted them fully.  I also used some deoxit on the pins just in case.  Upon full insert they've been dead silent since.  And what a jaw dropping SQ.  It's a new level of "in the room live performance" for me.  

I can see why they keep selling out on the Schiit page.

I posted this elsewhere  and repeating myself   FWIW -- I stay away from JJ tubes based on my experience with them and there are many links online about the quality of this brand.   In all fairness considering there are those here using them  with no issues its entirely possible that quality control has improved over the last few years or so and maybe more digging would confirm that. 

  I bought a quad of JJ power tubes more than  a few years back and was having noise issues in the vintage Sherwood integrated I had and sent the amp to a tech I have used over the last 10 yrs or so.   He said the only problem with the amp was the tubes.   the new JJ's.    During this period there seemed to be more than  an usual amount of complaining about JJ tubes. 

Im still on the fence on going for the plus.    If there was just a tape monitor on there that would be a game changer possibly.    In the meantime its beneficial to hear what others are experiencing with the  Plus.    

from what I have read, all the new production tubes come from just two locations - one in China and one in Russia. Only the brand name changes....

Current info shows JJ (Jan Jorgo) as being made in Slovakia purportedly with previously owned Tesla equipment.
Tungsol made be New Sensor (Mike Matthews) owned by an American and produced in Saratov, Russia. Sovtek made there as well. Not up to researching more at the moment but there are possibly other smaller companies that are making tubes. TJ  Full Music  If info currently applies has their own factory which is  a separate entity from the big players in China.