I know, I know...every Schiit pun has been used to death...forgive me.
Just a quick bit of feedback on a piece of gear I really hesitated to buy, and fully expected to send back within the 15-day trial period, but didn't: The Schiit Saga.
My Maggie 3.6s are used predominantly for home theater these days, and the majority of my music listening is with headphones. But even so, I have missed having a dedicated preamp in the chain for those times when I like to let them spread their wings with some tunes.
I have been using a Butler 5150 tube hybrid amp for over a decade, and since 2016 I've had it connected to the pre-outs of an Anthem 520 receiver (great product). One of the cool things about the Schiit is that it can function as a 1:1 HT bypass when it's in passive mode. So all I had to do was run the L/R pre-outs from the Anthem into one of the inputs on the Saga, and then attach my source (Sonos Connect => Schiit multibit DAC) into another input on the Saga. With the flip of a switch, I can take the receiver out of the equation and enjoy an active tube buffer/preamp with the Butler amp.
The main reason I figured I wouldn't keep it is because I used to have a very highly regarded SAS Labs preamp paired with the Butler and Maggies, and it sounded great. I wasn't sure I'd be happy with a budget tube pre in its place and it would pale by comparison. Is it as good as the SAS Labs pre? No. But is it far better than I expected, and does it raise the game over the Anthem? Yes, it absolutely does. I'm particularly impressed with the center fill and the added warmth to the vocals.
I've just ordered a NOS tube from my preferred tube vendor to start doing some tube rolling (just cause it's fun), and I have to say that at $349, this is one of my favorite bargains I've ever come across. This is one heck of a solid performer.
https://www.schiit.com/products/saga
