2. amps-preamps
  3. 175898-166628

shiit Freya+ muffles the base? Recommendation for preamp please

I have always liked the sound of B&W. So I recently upgraded my speakers to 804s. They’ve been sitting there for a while as I do not have a proper amp to drive them, till recently I got a Classe CA-2300. So I set everything up, excitedly!

my system got:

- Shiit Bifrost

- Shiit Freya+
- Classe CA-2300

- B&W 804s

 

so right after I turned on, I noticed the lack of base. The mid and high are sweet and clear. But the base is just not there, completely. A friend suggested to go from DAC to amp which I did. It suddenly brought forward all the missing base, tight and clear just like how it should be. Plus I am hearing some details I don’t get with Freya+ in the middle.

 

So I am wondering why the Freya+ is muffling the base? Just because it’s not in the league now? 
 

while without the preamp it got all the base, I do find it’s dryer and less musical. I do like how the tube preamp tune the sounds.. so any recommendation for a good tube preamp?

 

thanks all!

 

Azmixr

 

azmixr
azmixr OP
3 posts
 

@lowrider57 & @pesky_wabbit thanks for the recommendation

@djspinner thanks for the pointer. yes i use single ended... will try XLR and report back!

@noske I am new to audio and no expert here. that said, it's not a comparison of 804S to other speakers. there is a huge difference with or without Freya+ in the middle. if you say the perfect bass scores 10 and 804S is 6, then when i have Freya+ i got probably 3 or 4... anyway, now i took Freya+ out and am decently happy with the bass (till i hear something better...). 

 

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 

Yes, try using balanced connections. And it’s likely you need a preamp with a large power supply.

yyzsantabarbara
4,912 posts
 

I compared my Freya+ with my CODA 07x and Benchmark LA4. I liked all 3 but loved the 07x and LA4 and sold the Freya+. The LA4 and 07x are vastly different sonically. For the B&W speakers I would use the warmer CODA 07x.

charles7
110 posts
 

Van Alstine Transcendence RB 10 tube preamp!

 

ronboco
854 posts
 

@azmixr 

Are your speakers broken in? My Avior ii speakers were light on the bass when they were new and at about 300 hours I was able to hear a big difference. Good luck! 
 

Ron 

More to discover