kvetcha
Well-Known Member
I thought it sounded quite good with my F2s, actually. Will report back with the K-Horns. He's got them in kind of a lousy space, so there are some inherent limitations.
Totally Tubular: The Tube Thread
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GStephenH
Active Member
So, after few weeks with the Schiit Freya+ I think the tubes have warmed up quite a bit. At first, outside of the increase in gain, I couldn't tell much difference between the differential JFET buffer stage and the tube stage. Both were extremely quiet, clean, and musical, if more to the lean than the warm. The soundstage, while very focused, was also condensed between the speakers and with a cap on height until the volume was louder than I really wanted to listen at in my space. It was a very "clear" picture, but small. It also gave the impression of having three separate stages - the left stage, center stage, and right stage. Once the volume was high enough it became one stage.
The JFET stage still maintains much of the above characteristics. It has relaxed some and the stage is a bit bigger, but still contained and presented in three stages until the volume is sufficiently high. But, when the tube stage is engaged it is a fully different beast. The sound stage is always one stage, the picture coherent across the window of sound. The height is nicely above and below the speakers and there is depth. Due to room characteristics and my speakers the boundaries are still the edge of my speakers unfortunately. But, the stage is alive, cohesive, full of color and bloom and yet still clean. When I do start to add high volume the sound can almost get too large in my small space. I feel like the band is trying to crawl into my lap while also becoming tall as giants! It continues to surprise me every time.
The tubes I am using are JJ 6SN7s which are not even very well rated. I can't imagine what a good pair of NOS tubes might be able to do!
The JFET stage still maintains much of the above characteristics. It has relaxed some and the stage is a bit bigger, but still contained and presented in three stages until the volume is sufficiently high. But, when the tube stage is engaged it is a fully different beast. The sound stage is always one stage, the picture coherent across the window of sound. The height is nicely above and below the speakers and there is depth. Due to room characteristics and my speakers the boundaries are still the edge of my speakers unfortunately. But, the stage is alive, cohesive, full of color and bloom and yet still clean. When I do start to add high volume the sound can almost get too large in my small space. I feel like the band is trying to crawl into my lap while also becoming tall as giants! It continues to surprise me every time.
The tubes I am using are JJ 6SN7s which are not even very well rated. I can't imagine what a good pair of NOS tubes might be able to do!
Bloodlemons
Well-Known Member
It must be so hard to not have a world-class amp to play instead. I don't even know what I would do.
GStephenH
Active Member
I have to say one of the things I like about the Freya+ is the option to run without tubes. During the week when it is just office music from Spotify I can still run a balanced preamp but know I am not aging my tubes. And then, when I finally get that time to flip it to tubes I get to be surprised at how much tubes add each time. The brain is funny. I will swear the JFET stage is really starting to sound close to the tube stage....then run the tube stage and laugh at myself all over again.
I so blame this group for this, but I will never be able to go back to pure solid state again.
I so blame this group for this, but I will never be able to go back to pure solid state again.
Jango
Active Member
If anyone is on the market, Fidelis has a pre-owned Jolida integrated for about half price.
Has anyone here much experience with Mystere? Seems like they’re a sister company of Prima Luna and use the same adaptive auto bias technology. Their top of the line power amp the pa-21 looks interesting 4 el84 power and 4 6sn7 input. Capable of being switched to kt88 but doesn’t accept any bigger. Is a fair bit cheaper than both the evo300/400 power amps and looks like a nice prospect on a lower budget than them.
Mystere is indeed PrimaLuna. It never gained traction though for whatever reason. Or maybe it was biting into PL business at its lower cost. Upscale (also the North American PL distributor) seems to only have the PA21 left. No preamp, no integrated. It seems to me that Mystere is gone.
kvetcha
Well-Known Member
Yeah Ive come to the same conclusion. I’ve only found the two power amps avsilable as NOS at a eu vendor. It seems, reading an old review, that they were built and marketed as an upscale version of the old PL prologues. Im guessing that the dailogues were a step up again and cannibalised their marketplace. Still for $2000 or €2000 they might be worth an experiment if you’re after a power amp and the dialogue/300 or dialogue premium/400 are out of reach. The high gloss piano black is a looker too and that’s coming from someome who much prefers silver hifi components!
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I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to buy one given my PL experience. I’d buy PL again in a heartbeat.
Jango
Active Member
It's been pretty great, thanks. It came with a pretty good variety of power tubes including kt88s, kt150s, and the PL EL34s. I've spent time with all of them. I could almost see switching them up depending on the music I'm into at the moment, but the kt150s are the all-rounder. They're very linear, almost solid state in their extension, but with the sweetness that tubes bring. I gave the kt88s a week in rotation thinking they'd settle in a little, but they're a bit too bright with my Focals and the stock 12au7s in the gain position. I picked up a pair of Brimar 12au7s from Upscale and those are absolutely perfect with the kt150s: the bottom end kicks even stronger while adding the perfect amount sparkle at the top. Couple the Brimars with the EL34s or kt88s and everything heads south. Less bass, greater treble emphasis, less control and very fatiguing. I could probably find some 12au7s for the driver positions that would balance things out (or just get rid of the Focals), but there's plenty here for me to enjoy for the near future.
Again interesting. Does this mean the evo 300/400 will be compatible with the new monster tube 
Electrically, a drop in replacement. It’s 1/2” taller, so the tube cage won’t fit. Not sure of the diameter- they actually might not fit at all- the tube sockets may be too close together.Again interesting. Does this mean the evo 300/400 will be compatible with the new monster tube
Jango
Active Member
The cage doesn’t fit with the kt150s in place either. The Prima Luna branding on the kt170 makes me think they will fit at least some models. They’re probably going to be hella expensive though.
At least you won’t need 8 of them. It could be worse.
€150 a shot at that stores list price. Fancy spending €1200 on retubing your amp every couple of years @HiFi Guy
AnthonyI
Well-Known Member
I'm just glad all 14 tubes don't have to be replaced at once and you can stagger the 3 types on the PL...........the eight output tubes I just bought were just about $600, not terrible for the expected lifespan.€150 a shot at that stores list price. Fancy spending €1200 on retubing your amp every couple of years @HiFi Guy