[jefffree69]

Tubes schiit sell are russian including the tungsol. This is the tube we are speaking of. An old tungsol would be made in the USA and cost 100$ or more and be a rediculous investment.

OK thanks for the quick reply.

And sorry if I wasn't clear - those prices from Schiit include the SAGA , thrown in for free!

Sounds like the SAGA with Tungsol is preferred and worth the extra $25 , would you agree?

 

[limelake]

I do agree. Get the stock one as well if you desire. But it does nothing really. Russian Tungsol is way better.

 

[Mike Foley]

The new valve has been in for a few weeks now, and I reckon it’s run in. Buying one is a no brainer for any Saga owner using the stock valve. It’s a bargain priced upgrade.

 

[aromancer]

I just got a Saga with a Tung Sol tube. Saga is connected to a Vidar. Whether or not the tube is enabled, there is noise/hum in my speakers (even if I disconnect the input to the Saga - a Bifrost) that is audible from maybe 2m away. The noise is gone if I disconnect the tube. I reported this to Schiit and they sent me a new tube. Same problem with the new tube.

Did anybody experience that problem?

 

[438555]

I have the original NOS tube and the LISST, and I don't hear any hum with my Vidar, even at full volume (through my magnepan 1.7is)

 

[h.rav]

I'm using the same setup. Saga w/ Tung Sol + Vidar.
I notice if I use certain interconnects, I can hear hum.
I switch to Blue Jeans LC-1, no hum at all at any volume, tube or passive mode.

 

[Mike Foley]

My Saga/Vidar hums very slightly. I can only hear it with an ear placed right up to the speaker, so I’m not worried about it, although I might try @h.rav suggestion of changing interconnects.
I’m using a Tung-sol valve, as the stock valve was making noise audible from several yards away.

 

[aromancer]

I have the original NOS tube and the LISST, and I don't hear any hum with my Vidar, even at full volume (through my magnepan 1.7is)

I wonder if it could be related to the fact that the Magnepans are less sensitive. My speakers are quite sensitive at 91dB, so that could be it.

If I use an Asgard as my pre-amp I don't hear any noise. But Saga always generate a small amount of noise if the tube is plugged in. I wonder if I have a bad unit, or if, like Mike, most people aren't bothered by it.

I did try multiple interconnects already, although nothing of the quality of BJC. But as mentioned above, these interconnects work fine with an Asgard as the pre-amp.

Schiit is sending me a new Saga, but from reading around I'm afraid people just live with a small amount of noise, or don't have noise because they have non-sensitive speakers.

 

[Mike Foley]

I’ve swapped interconnects, and the hum is gone. All I can think of is that the replacement cables have better shielding.
My speakers are a pair of vintage B&W DM2 series 2, and I have no idea of the sensitivity.

 

[h.rav]

Yep, it's the better shielding that makes the difference.

 

[noddy43]

Can I ask saga owners that you can utilise both outputs from this pre-amp. That is A+B instead of A or B? Thanks

 

[liquidsmote]

Can I ask saga owners that you can utilise both outputs from this pre-amp. That is A+B instead of A or B? Thanks

Can confirm. I used to run an amp off Set A, and a pair of subwoofers of Set B ... concurrently. Worked great!

 

[noddy43]

Great thanks for the quick reply. Thinking bi-amping my speakers. May just fit the bill nicely.

 

[liquidsmote]

Great thanks for the quick reply. Thinking bi-amping my speakers. May just fit the bill nicely.

No problem, caught the notice at the right time . The Saga is such a great little pre!

 

[Deaj]

During some casual reading earlier this year here on Head-fi I became aware of the Schiit Saga and Freya preamps. I was intrigued at the time as the hybrid tube buffer has often been described as having a positive impact on imaging and staging, as well as a 'sweetening' of the upper frequencies without having much effect on tonality of the source.

My headphone DAC/Amp rig is a Windows 10 desktop PC, coax S/PDIF to a Schiit Modi Multibit, into a Schiit Jotunheim. I've been running this rig for about two years now and I've been very pleased with it during this time. As tempting as other components have sounded in reading impressions on Head-fi I haven't felt compelled to purchase anything else. I'm not sensitive to higher frequencies so I've never found the Jotunheim to be overly bright, even when I was running a D/S DAC (before the MIMby), and this with beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro's, and several custom Grado builds (Symphones Magnum V8 drivers).

I also had an OTL headphone amp during my first year with the Jotunheim. I liked some of what it did for the DT 1990's but, due to the way it colored the sound of the source, I eventually came to prefer my headphones through the Jotunheim and so I eventually sold the tube amp.

I recently stumbled upon the Schiit Saga tube rolling thread and read through it for a bit. This once again piqued my interest in the Saga. All of my desktop audio gear (multibit DACa nd Loki EQ, multichannel audio interface, AxeFX II guitar amp modeler, etc) currently runs through a manual stereo routing switch box, something the Saga could handily replace. From here the Saga would add an active tube hybrid buffer - my primary interest in the Saga, and a bypass switch so that I may retain use of my rig without the active buffer. I have no current interest in the remote control or the Level control on the Saga. My gear sits within arms length so switching sources won't require a remote. The Jotunheim functions both as a preamp for my near field monitors and as my headphone amp so the Saga's Level control would remain at full clockwise position for a gain of 1 whether active or passive. I use the output level control on the Jotunheim for the monitors and headphone output both. The Saga then would provide a hybrid tube buffer and a source switch that would allow me to shrink the footprint of my audio gear on my desk (the manual audio source switch is an odd shape that makes stacking the rest of my gear difficult requiring more space than should be necessary).

I found a pre-owned but unused Saga with all original packaging and contents for a great price. After locating a NOS GE 6SN7 GTB and a pair of RCA 6SN7 GTB's, all tested 90% or better and all with both triodes matched within 2%, all for less than $30 from a reputable source from whom I used to buy my guitar amp tubes, I decided to buy the aforementioned Saga.

I post my impressions once it arrives and I've had some time to listen.