Tube preamp: Cary SLP-03 vs Schiit Freya+

Hey guys.

Just wanted to give thanks to the crew. The Freya+ arrived about two weeks ago and so far it has been a delight. It has definitely added quite a bit of smoothness AND dynamics (unexpected combination) vs going straight from DAC to actives. Also the JFET option is really great: the used Freya came with a quad of Shuguang CV-181 which are (reputedly) very good but I just find that sometimes they muddle up the sound a little (I need to roll back the stock TS 6SN7GTB but haven’t done that yet) so on faster/more complex tracks, the JFET setting is just nicer (warm but clean).

Considering current NOS 6SN7 prices, I’ve only ordered 7N7 (loctal equivalent) and 6N8S (Russian equivalent) pairs to start my tube rolling fun… Let’s see where that leads us.

In any case, thanks a lot for the advice and the Schiit redos. Very happy with it so far and only curious about future tubes!

Cheers!

Important aspect I forgot to mention (thanks Riley for the message though) is that the preamp should have balanced circuit: Mytek has balanced XLR and ELAC takes XLR so considering my cables have to run quite a bit around TV and stuff, it’s a much needed advantage to stay in balanced mode.

Cheers.

Thank you, helomech, for the interesting views. I am trying to find more unenthusiastic reviews of the Cary but most seem (very) positive. Of course it’s not as good as the SLP-05, nor ARC, but I have a limited budget here. And, Russ, yes, the SLP-03 is fully balanced. I have looked for the entire range of ARC preamps (that are balanced - most SP models are single ended) but the price is 1.5-2.0x my max budget… 

Regarding the Schiit, I have read indeed that it doesn’t colour the sound in the same way a lot of tube preamps might, but it does give what is often called “holographic imaging” and wider sound stage, which is probably the key part for me as long as the sound isn’t referred to as “cold”.

I also don’t want to go for Chinese, even though some models like YS Audio Experience Balanced A3 look very nice, because component quality and QC aren’t always what they should be.

Thank you to @wturkey, @ditusa and ​​​​@bjw54 for the ringing endorsements of the Schiit Freya+! Much appreciated.

I understand the need for tube rolling, which confirms what I have been reading, and I have no doubt I would revel in scouring marketplaces for the best NOS tubes (and I read new productions like Shuguang/PSVane CV181 can give good results too). Clearly tubes are getting increasingly expensive and I wouldn’t mind investing in that considering the base price of the unit vs my budget.
Could you maybe tell me where you saw the greatest improvements when adding the Freya in your chain? Does it help with sound stage and imaging? Is it more in refinement? Or mids? Does it tame and round out the sound? Many thanks!

Thank you for the added views. It sounds like the Freya is the way to go at this point, also because resale is quite easy at minimal discount if I don’t like it. I still like the thought of slightly older, but better built, gear from brands like ARC, VTL, etc but I guess that may be for later, when I have been able to test the impact of tubes in my chain and probably also when I am looking to improve my whole setup - the ELAC powered speakers are amazing at their price point but I am sure at some point I will consider other options, likely passive.

Well, I have just done a deal on a used Freya+ - it’s heavily back-ordered here in Europe, well into 2022, and I want to enjoy it over Christmas next to a wood fire. It comes with a quad of CV181-Z which, though no NOS, have received good reviews. I am looking into NOS tubes that are “affordable” and am quite interested in trying 7N7 tubes with an adaptor - getting some great reviews for the price.

I much appreciated all the advice received and will be sure to post my views when I have had the time to listen to it. The Cary was tempting but, for the price, the Schiit seemed to offer more tech and more options (and easier to resell). Bel Canto and the likes simply out of my current set budget for this piece.