Schiit Freya+(Plus)

Not trying to get off the subject too much, here OP.

The unit was setting on a slotted grate, Lots of air all the way around.

Ambient temp was 65-75.

When I started monitoring with a temp gun, it stayed right at 96-7 F.
The valves 145-150 F. Stayed pretty constant after the first overheat issue.

I was thinking a valve had something inside the glass that may have moved in transit, flipped upside down a couple time.. Duno..

I should have tested the valves, but I was in a bit of a panic ;-)

Customer service and support both contacted me QUICK.
Pleased with the response for sure..

The unit sure had a nice feel, weight, and look. Crap, I’m gonna order another one, pretty sure. I really wanted to tinker and I like a remote.

As far as 12XXX valves, I've used them so long, and they're in everything I use. Mac, VTL, Cary.  Easy to roll and a TON to choose from. Do they run Cooler? LOL  They run a lot cooler 1/2 the heat. Even my hot rodded C20 is not close to the heat.. of the Freya...

Back to soldering.

Regards

Not sure if it was mentioned, but Freya+ only gets hot when in tube mode.  And the main source of heat at that point is the voltage regulators, to the left of the tubes in the case.  The hotness should take over an hour to develop, and it’s never been too hot to leave my hand on it.  It also doesn’t get as hot as it did at first.
 
At least I think that’s what they are, (stepping the volts up to 300?). I’m not the most technical person.  Anyway, it’s my best audio purchase in the last 5 years.  

On a cold night I can use my "Classic Original Version" Freya to warm my hands by placing them directly on the amp (one at a time since my hands are HUGE), and although I was initially a little concerned by the heat even with plenty of room around the thing, it's performed its tasks perfectly for a couple of years now...a great sounding humless, microphonicless, clean preamp. 

I've run mine 8 hours today and while it does get warm, no need to move my hand either.  I've been so impressed with this pre  I have decided to use the Aegir for my second system after it was graded "A" on the Stereophile list.  Frankly they could ask for twice the price and I would still buy it again.  I run the Tube mode 100% of the time.  

Kudos to @wolf_garcia for three things.

One, for sharing the experience of dealing with Freya tube heat and for keeping Freya in his system when so many fancy alternatives have been out there beckoning for so long. Thanks to his encouragement, replacing Freya is now my lowest audio system upgrade priority.

Two, for both knowing and exemplifying in one sentence the precise difference between the contractive "it's" (it has) and the possessive" its" (belonging to it) forms of a three-letter assemblage which for most -- here I include even contemporary lexicographers, who seem to have given up -- has become either incomprehensible or enraging. 

Three, for the highly relatable "huge hands" perspective. (No, I'm not yet conceding that "relatable" is a real word, just that it seems to have displaced its predecessors and isn't inherently ugly or illogical). Come winter, I'll remember the Freya tubes when the big old hands stiffen and the therm might be lowered a notch or two.