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Best Value Line Stage Tube Preamps?

Given they are all multi-input, multi-output, balanced line stage tube preamps, what are sonic benefits of a serious Rogue RP-7 or Prima Luna EVO 400 vs. the $899 Schiit Freya Plus? Currently these would feed a Parasound Halo A21 into Legacy Signature SEs, with all cables and speaker placement constant. I know the relevant mfrs/dealers all offer trial and/or return policies, but living far from any source and disliking return hassles, I'm soliciting expert opinions before (preferably, in lieu of) undertaking in-home experiments.
I know that much depends on one's own listening habits and sonic signature preferences, but surely differences in power supply, output impedances, etc. might be objective benefits to spending the 5x more coin for a bigger, badder device?
hickamore
rickytickytwo
88 posts
 
@ hickamore, 

Sorry about the late response The tubes that came with the Freya Plus were Tung-Sol 6SN7 as someone noted before. There were two options and I chose the Tung-Sol. I replaced them with General Electric GTB's from Canada. The Tung Sol sounded (in my system in my current very small room) like there were less dynamics, and there was less separation in the instruments. 

I have only changed the tubes approx 3 times.
hickamore OP
773 posts
 
rickytickytwo thanks for the info. Others have said that Tung-Sol are no longer supplied but agree with you, rolling to better tubes is easy and beneficial. So that is the plan for when I return from long travels.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
Best Value Line Stage Tube Preamps?
For me without a doubt, the Schiit Freya or if you handy the Elekit TU-8500
 https://www.schiit.com/products/freya-1

https://cheaptubeaudio.blogspot.com/2015/03/review-elekit-tu-8500-full-function.html  5 pages to this one.

Cheers George
hickamore OP
773 posts
 
Sounding better all the time. Thx!
rongold's avatar
rongold
49 posts
 
Mofimadness: I DO have a new AI L3B. I am ecstatic about it. Check my other posts for assoc. equip. I had an older line stage ~ 25 years old. It developed a problem not able to be fixed. AI made me an offer to good to refuse for a new one & I bit because of my 20 year great experience. Only problem is they don’t make ‘em ‘til they sell ‘em, I had to wait 12 weeks to get it, but when it arrived.....WOW! Looks & sound. The outside appearance, w/lights is cool but the inside is almost beautiful, all point-to-point boards. I am a happy camper!
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