Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in California

Freya+ is a refinement of the original Freya, with higher performance, more features, and enhanced ease of use. But it’s still a true no-excuses, balanced, remote-control preamp. Switch between passive, differential buffer, and differential tube gain modes, enjoy the fine control of a 128-step relay-switched stepped attenuator volume control with perfect channel matching, and control it all from the comfort of your favorite chair.

Whisper-Silent Tube Stage—With Tube Shutdown

Now, you can enjoy a tube preamp without the hiss and hum of classic designs. Freya+’s all-new tube stage with new-production 6SN7 tubes, DC heaters and semi-circlotron, noise-cancelling output stage is whisper-silent. Better yet, it turns off when you’re not using it! That’s right, both the tube heater and high voltage rails go away when not in use, so you can preserve lifetime of costly tubes.

Differential Buffer Stage—Versatile Interface

Freya+’s buffers aren’t just buffers—they’re differential. That means they convert single-ended signals to balanced, so you can interface more easily throughout your system. In addition, you can use it to convert SE sources to drive mono Vidars and Aegirs.

Easiest 128-Step Relay-Switched Volume, Ever

The benefits of a relay-switched stepped attenuator for volume are clear. Compared to a potentiometer, they give you essentially perfect channel matching and near-unmeasurable distortion. However, some preamps with relay-stepped attenuators confuse you with buttons and screens. Not Freya+. Freya+ has a volume knob that works just like a volume knob—just grab and turn. And if you use the remote control, the motorized potentiometer changes to match the remote setting.

Yes, Remote Control Included

When you’re talking about gear that doesn’t sit on your desktop (like our headphone amps), you need the convenience of remote control for volume, input switching, output switching, and muting. Freya+ includes a custom remote control, standard.

Perfect Companion to Our DACs

Want a remote-controlled system to interface your digital gear with the rest of your system? Stack Freya+ and Gungnir Multibit or Freya+ and Yggdrasil (or any other of our DACs) for a true no-compromise remote-controlled system.

Designed and Built in California

By “designed and built in California" this is what we mean: the vast majority of the total production cost of Freya+—chassis, boards, transformers, assembly, etc—goes to US companies manufacturing in the US. Our chassis are made minutes from our facility. Our PCBs are done just over the hill from us, or done in NorCal.

5-Year Warranty and Easy Return Policy

Freya+ is covered by a 5-year limited warranty that covers parts and labor. One exception: the tubes. Those we cover for 3 months. And if you don’t like your Freya+, you can send it back for a refund, minus 5% restocking fee, within 15 days of receiving it.

Compound Differential Buffer

Gain: 1 (0dB)

Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, -0.2db, 3Hz-500KHz, -3dB

THD: <0.004%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 1V RMS

IMD: <0.0055%, CCIR

SNR: >120db, A-weighted, referenced to 2V RMS

Output Impedance: 75 ohms SE, 600 ohms balanced

Topology: JFET differential amplifier compound pair with equalized-gm followers

Tube Gain
Gain: 4 (12dB)

Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, -0.2db, 3Hz-200KHz, -3dB

THD: <0.01%, 20Hz-20KHz, at 1V RMS

IMD: <0.01%, CCIR

SNR: >115db, A-weighted, referenced to 2V RMS

Output Impedance: 75 ohms SE, 600 ohms balanced

Topology: differential triode input with semi-circlotron follower stage

Input Impedance: 10K ohms

Crosstalk: >85dB, 20-20kHz

Inputs: 2 XLR pairs plus 3 RCA pairs, selectable via front switch or remote

Outputs: 1 XLR pair plus 2 RCA pairs, selectable via front switch or remote

Volume Control: relay-switched stepped attenuator with discrete thin-film resistors, 128 0.625dB steps

Power Supply: One 48VA transformer with regulated 300V rail, plus 24VA transformer with regulated +/-18V rails, plus 6.3VDC tube heaters and regulated 5VDC for microprocessor

Power Consumption: 40W typical

Size: 16” x 8” x 2” + tube height (about 2.5" more)

Weight: 11 lbs

APx555 Report for Freya+

So what’s the difference between Freya+ and the original Freya?
Actually, quite a bit. Here’s the breakdown:

Freya+ has a completely new tube stage, with DC heaters and a noise-cancelling semi-circlotron output buffer, which reduces noise by more than 20dB when compared to the original Freya—a significant improvement!
Freya+ has a completely new differential JFET buffer stage, which converts single-ended signals to balanced, which allows you to use more sources with mono Vidars or Aegirs.
Freya+ has a tube shutdown mode—tubes are completely off unless Freya is in tube output mode (no B+, no heaters, off means off), so you can extend life of costly tubes.
Freya+ has a motorized pot that tracks the remote control volume, which provides a continuous physical reference for the volume level.
Freya+ uses our new “fastenerless” chassis for a sleeker overall look.
Freya+ is sold only with new production 6SN7 tubes, which we have found to be superior to affordable NOS tubes.

Holy moly, that’s a whole new preamp!

Exactly.

Hence the price increase?

Hence the price increase.

Well, hell, this thing still has tubes, and I still don’t want tubes!

Then you want a Freya S. Or you can use this as a passive preamp or differential buffer preamp, and still have the option to use tubes from time to time.

Why so many options?

Why 31 flavors of ice cream? Why 173 different kinds of toothpaste on the store shelf? Why more than one color of car? Because choices. Choices are cool. We should have more choices. Except maybe in toothpaste. We don’t really understand that one. Or why there’s like 500 different kinds of bread on the bread aisle. But hey, those are mysteries that we shouldn’t perhaps delve too deeply into.

So what can I use a preamp for?

If you have only one source, and it has a volume control, maybe you don’t need a preamp. But if you have a system with more than one source, and you want convenient remote input switching and remote volume control, a preamp is a good idea. You can also pair it with our DACs for convenient remote volume control, since our preamps don’t cost like the total debt of a small nation-state.

So cheap is good?

Absolutely. Because in the last 20 years or so, audio pricing has gotten really stupid. Go ahead. Look around for a remote passive preamp, and check the prices. Now add a buffer stage. And a tube gain stage. Oh, wait, there really isn’t anything like that. And then start looking at preamps that use a sophisticated, perfectly-matched relay-switched stepped attenuator instead of a volume pot, and you’ll quickly come to the conclusion that Freya is in a class by itself. That is, a class with a three-digit price tag, not a four-digit price tag (that doesn’t start with, like “5,” either.)

I don’t like cheap. I distrust cheap. I like nice things.

That’s cool. We like smart design and efficient construction that make great sound affordable to more people. But if you literally have $100 bills hand-stitched into toilet paper so you can wipe your butt in wretched excess, then by all means, find something that costs more. Just don’t think it’ll automatically be any better.

So I can run this fully passive, no gain stage at all?

Yes, no problem at all. Just don’t expect it to convert single-ended to balanced or anything like that. It is, after all, passive.

But I can use the buffers to get differential output, right?

Right. The differential JFET buffers will convert single-ended to balanced, which is very handy if you want to run, say, a pair of Vidars from a single-ended source. They’re also pretty cool designs, with a compound feedback pair front end and an equalized-transconductance output stage.

And the differential tube gain stage—tell me about that.

This one is also pretty neat, with a differential triode front end feeding a semi-circlotron output stage for lower distortion and noise cancellation. That trick, together with DC heaters, provides a much, much lower noise floor than most tube preamplifiers.

So what’s the big deal about a relay-stepped attenuator?

Unlike a typical potentiometer, a relay-stepped attenuator gives you perfect channel matching down to the lowest level of the volume knob. It also makes cool clicking noises when you turn the knob. In our minds, this is the best way of doing volume control. There’s only a couple of thin-film resistors in the signal path at all times, rather than a potentiometer wiper. And it doesn’t use a “volume control chip,” which we believe proper only to cheap receivers. But then again, a lot of people think we’re crazy.

What if I don’t need balanced inputs and outputs?

Then you need Saga+ or Saga S, Freya+’s little sisters.

So what’s a Freya?

From Wikipedia, In Norse mythology, Freyja (/ˈfreɪə/; Old Norse for "(the) Lady") is a goddess associated with love, sex, beauty, fertility, gold, seiðr, war, and death. We have no idea what seior is, and the war and death stuff doesn’t sound so fun, but the first five items we can go along with just fine. Disturbed? Don’t be. It’s just a name.

Positive Feedback: Schiit Freya+ Preamplifier

Smit Patel

"For example, the Freya + captivates more of a warm sound with some midrange thump and smoother vocal delivery. The tube gain is also noticeably quieter which is more evident across sensitive audio gear; a complaint which the old Freya had often received. As with the previous model, the passive mode offers a solid-state flavor with a more transparent and revealing sound albeit with less soundstage and harmonic bloom compared to the tube gain. The tube gain also impacts a more holographic sound stage with height and depth while also adding some weight to the lower frequency spectrum."

:...I would strongly urge readers to try this product for those seeking a smart preamplifier solution to their audiophile needs."

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Audio-Head: A Four-Way Schiit Shootout

Brian Hunter

From a blind test at the Schiitr between all four preamps (Saga S, Saga+, Freya S, Freya+.)

"After the first run of Tracy’s Chapman’s Fast Car it was readily apparent that the Freya + was earning its keep as the most expensive option of the lot. A flushed out, full representation of everything from bass to treble produced focused instruments that were never flimsy, vocals that drew you in and tonal beauty that both delighted and entertained the small crowd that was gathered. The guitar parts from 15 Steps translated as a smooth, euphonic sound – thick with both detail and dimensionality."

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Any Flavor You Want

Darko.Audio, John Darko

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Listening to the Schiit Freya+ Preamplifier

Fair Hedon

"...we have had numerous far more expensive tubed preamps in the system, including multiple models from Rogue, Audio Research, Lamm, Manley, and others. It is our belief the Freya+ was not in any way embarrassed by these units, and in fact, held it’s own in every category except maybe for less elaborate case work.

To add another perspective, we have also had many “budget” tube preamps in for audition and while all of them sounded generally “good”, they all seemed to do one thing well, usually a smooth midrange, or they added some harmonic richness, but along with that a flat sounding top end, and somewhat sloppy bass. No such situation with the Freya+. It was difficult to find an area where it was deficient sonically overall.

The Schiit Freya+ gets our highest recommendation. For $899 you get a triple mode line stage, with a 128 stepped attenuator, rarely used but beautiful sounding 6SN7 tubes (new production Tung Sols to boot) and a nice metal remote control. The Freya+ with the design changes noted above, only commands a $100 premium over the original Freya, which is amazing. If you have no desire for tubes, the Freya S is available for less."

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AudioSolace: Freya+

Smit Patel

"The Freya + establishes what the original set out to do with its involving and holographic sound as well as the convenience of controlling multiple sources from one device. However, there are some differences between the new model and its predecessor. For example, the Freya + captivates more of a warm sound with some midrange thump and smoother vocal delivery."

"As with the previous model, the passive mode offers a solid-state flavour with a more transparent and revealing sound albeit with less soundstage and harmonic bloom compared to the tube gain. The tube gain also impacts a more holographic sound stage with height and depth while also adding some weight to the lower frequency spectrum."

Read Full Review ->

Schiit Freya Plus Preamp

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