michman66
Member
Any suggestions for high efficiency speakers? Budget is Max 1k. Since I have a sub with a very good hi pass cross..I'm looking for monitors mostly. Thank you
You are looking for volume - look for towers. I've never heard a monitor do loud - like really loud -cross over or not. I had some good experience with Tekton Pendragon speakers. You may be able to get them used for about 1.3 k . They will also work with little pwoer.Any suggestions for high efficiency speakers? Budget is Max 1k. Since I have a sub with a very good hi pass cross..I'm looking for monitors mostly. Thank you
(Subjective impressions). I tried the Schiit Saga too. I did notice a difference between the two modes. The tube had a bit more well...something tubey in the treble. However I wasn't necessarily thrilled with the sound though nothing too bad stuck out to me. Interesting that these measurements show that theoretically there should have been no audible difference at all. Its measurements actually show it doing quite a bit better than some other preamps I've used. The guy that owned it sold it quickly though he mildly liked it best as I know.
You turn up the preamp and do not get any clipping/distortion? Are the small speaker running full range, or are you using the highpass from the crossover?Really glad to see this review today! I own a Saga. After 6 months of owning it, I decided to try another tube. I bought a Tung-Sol SN7 GTB from Tubedepot. I liked it better. Here's my issue; I can't seem to get my combo loud as I would like. I have a Linn LK 140. I just checked the input impedance and its 10K. I have a few sets of speakers, my Fave''s are Vandersteen VLR Wood. The efficiency is 86db. With the volume at max, my SPL is not as loud as I'd like it. Putting aside all the what? I listen to all kinds of music and sometimes like to play loud at LIVE levels as I am a Pro musician. The Linn is 140 w into 4 ohms and 95 at 8 ohms. I have a set of HSU bookshelf speakers 92 db and I can get things louder. I also have a HSU SUB and their hi-end xcross. Still I am at MAX and I'm wondering why it's not ear bleed level way before the MAX? I've been thinking of selling the Saga or the Linn or maybe both? With the input impedance at 10K is the SAGA a bad marriage? Thank you.
Really glad to see this review today! I own a Saga. After 6 months of owning it, I decided to try another tube. I bought a Tung-Sol SN7 GTB from Tubedepot. I liked it better. Here's my issue; I can't seem to get my combo loud as I would like. I have a Linn LK 140. I just checked the input impedance and its 10K. I have a few sets of speakers, my Fave''s are Vandersteen VLR Wood. The efficiency is 86db. With the volume at max, my SPL is not as loud as I'd like it. Putting aside all the what? I listen to all kinds of music and sometimes like to play loud at LIVE levels as I am a Pro musician. The Linn is 140 w into 4 ohms and 95 at 8 ohms. I have a set of HSU bookshelf speakers 92 db and I can get things louder. I also have a HSU SUB and their hi-end xcross. Still I am at MAX and I'm wondering why it's not ear bleed level way before the MAX? I've been thinking of selling the Saga or the Linn or maybe both? With the input impedance at 10K is the SAGA a bad marriage? Thank you.
Impedance variation with respect to frequency can do that and hence the reason I covered that in the review.@amirm Would any of the plots you already have be able to show something along the lines of what EQ effect the gear might have on the music? Am I just confused?...
I will put the stock tube back in and compare. I started thinking about my speaker wire. I don’t think it’s a problem but never know if the linn doesn’t like it. I am using Signal cable Silver resolution,,its a 10 gauge wire. Last year I had an NAD 326bee which I sold and I kinda regret it. That amp had lots of guts and power.This is surprising. According to the Linn spec sheet, your amp requires only 870mV to reach its maximum output voltage of 23.5V. The Saga is capable of outputting much more than 870mV, so turning it up to max should not only clip your amp but should also drive your Vandersteens to well beyond their maximum recommended power.
Do you find you have the same issue with the stock tube?
And what’s your source?
The tube does not effect gain, try it passive, should be the same output wise? A mismatch would cause roll-off not low output.I will put the stock tube back in and compare. I started thinking about my speaker wire. I don’t think it’s a problem but never know if the linn doesn’t like it. I am using Signal cable Silver resolution,,its a 10 gauge wire. Last year I had an NAD 326bee which I sold and I kinda regret it. That amp had lots of guts and power.
When I bought the Saga I slipped it into the pre out and used the nad amp section only. It was pretty sweet as I remember, oh well 20/20. I’m thinking of selling both to get another intregated amp and forget all the possible mis-match possibilities between different companies pre amp and power amps. Keep it simple and eliminate one rca cable. Switching components for the fun of it produces hit or mis results for sure. I could get a Schiit Vidar and have a matched set and better results? Has the Vidar been reviewed here? Amir or anyone reading I’m pretty new here. I have searched this site for reviews and find its hit and miss. Is there a section here with ALL the products that have been reviewed all in one place?
One more thing, I am guessing you purchased the Linn used? Is it 115 volts? Look on the back. If is working right you should be getting distortion at full volume, unless what is connected to the pre has low output. What are your input devices?I will put the stock tube back in and compare. I started thinking about my speaker wire. I don’t think it’s a problem but never know if the linn doesn’t like it. I am using Signal cable Silver resolution,,its a 10 gauge wire. Last year I had an NAD 326bee which I sold and I kinda regret it. That amp had lots of guts and power.
When I bought the Saga I slipped it into the pre out and used the nad amp section only. It was pretty sweet as I remember, oh well 20/20. I’m thinking of selling both to get another intregated amp and forget all the possible mis-match possibilities between different companies pre amp and power amps. Keep it simple and eliminate one rca cable. Switching components for the fun of it produces hit or mis results for sure. I could get a Schiit Vidar and have a matched set and better results? Has the Vidar been reviewed here? Amir or anyone reading I’m pretty new here. I have searched this site for reviews and find its hit and miss. Is there a section here with ALL the products that have been reviewed all in one place?
I will put the stock tube back in and compare. I started thinking about my speaker wire. I don’t think it’s a problem but never know if the linn doesn’t like it. I am using Signal cable Silver resolution,,its a 10 gauge wire. Last year I had an NAD 326bee which I sold and I kinda regret it. That amp had lots of guts and power.
Any suggestions for high efficiency speakers? Budget is Max 1k. Since I have a sub with a very good hi pass cross..I'm looking for monitors mostly. Thank you
AND/ OR the Linn's input sensitivity is kinda low ( 10K)
I wish I had a SPL meter.
You are right. I know the input sensitivity...is not 10k.lol. I might do better with a pre amp that can amplify the input signal higher than the Saga. I guess I did not know the Saga was unit Gain. Whether I switch from passive or tube the volume does not change. I also have a Schiit SYS passive pre amp. Little sucker is quite good. I get about the same results as the Saga. Any suggestions for an inexpensive pre amp? I can sell the Saga and move on....and keep the Linn which is a very musical amp.
I checked Tidal. And everything is Max output. I use a Drangonfly Black for Tidal. I have an Asus laptop running Windows 10. What I really need to do is open up JRiver and run Tidal through it. I just have not stopped to do yhst. Jriver may adjust and correct the interface. The Onkyo 7030 shoul be out putting 2v. I'll check that spec too. A few posts ago in this thread I mentioned the NAD was playing louder across the board with same CD player. No mismatch possibly because it's an intergrated.Actually that's not the input sensitivity, that's the input impedance. The Linn's input sensitivity is spec'd at 870mV, which is way way below the Saga's max output. This is the basis of my view that whatever the reason for your problem, it's upstream from the Saga.
In fact, here's where I think your problem is: the Saga is a unity gain device. That means that when the Saga's volume is on maximum, it outputs exactly the same voltage as it receives at its input. So if it's receiving for example an input signal of 200mV, it will output only 200mV when on max. volume.
In other words, your problem is most likely that the input driving the Saga (whether it's your PC or CD player) is outputting significantly less than 870mV.
The question is how to fix this. My next steps if I were you would be to check the output voltage from your PC and CD player. Do you use a DAC or external soundcard from your PC, or just the stock sound device in the motherboard? Whatever you use, can you find the spec for max. output voltage?
I'd also check your gain settings on Tidal (if it has them). I know that Spotify for example has a setting that can adjust the gain normalisation. Tidal may have a similar setting which may enable you to "normalise" the playback volume to a louder level.