SCHIIT Saga 2 Pre Amplifier Instruction Manual
- August 23, 2024
- SCHIIT
Table of Contents
SCHIIT Saga 2 Pre Amplifier
Welcome to Saga 2, simply the most advanced, flexible, affordable, buzzword- compliant preamp on the market today. Yes, you get your fill of buzzwords here: Class A—Saga 2 is hard-core, real Class A, single-ended and current- sourced, unable-to-go-outside-of-Class-A Class
Confused about the difference?
We wrote a chapter about it. Look it up. It’s also real, no-fooling, 100% no-
feedback. Yes. For real. Other than emitter degeneration and complementary
pair nonlinearity cancellation, there’s no feedback here. We also did a
chapter on that. And it’s differential. And discrete. Hey, we did chapters on
both of those too! But why spend time reading—listen to some great tunes on
Saga 2 instead!
The following is required by the roughly 9,542 government agencies and regulations we have to comply with. If you have some common sense, they should seem pretty straightforward. In any case, read these instructions before proceeding further, follow all instructions, and heed all warnings. Or else!
- If you don’t know how to install audio devices, get a qualified professional to help.
- Never use this device near water, and clean only with a dry cloth.
- Assure adequate ventilation, do not block any ventilation openings, or place them near heat sources.
- Use only the supplied power cord or a suitable replacement.
- Route cords away from traffic areas and protect them from being pinched. Unplug the cord from the outlet if the apparatus is unused for a long period.
- To prevent electric shock, do not use the plug with an extension cord, receptacle, or outlet unless the blades can be fully inserted.
- Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Service is required when the device has been damaged, including the cord or plug damage, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the device, the device has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS DEVICE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
CONNECTIONS
- RCA inputs. Connect up to 4 inputs to Saga using RCA cables. The inputs are conveniently numbered “1” to “4” to match the front panel indicators. Tricky, huh?
- XLR outputs. XLR balanced outputs? Yes. These are real XLR-balanced differential outputs, so you can connect to downstream balanced power amps (or run a couple of Vidars or Gjallarhorns in mono, hint hint!) using XLR cables.
- RCA outputs. No, we are not insane, so you get single-ended RCA outputs here as well. Connect to any of your single-ended gear using RCA cables.
- Power switch. Up is on, down is off. Simple as that. But it won’t work at all unless you proceed to (5) below.
- AC inlet. Connect the output of the special 24/6VAC wall-wart here. You’ll need this wall adapter; as far as we know, there are no other 24/6 dual AC wall warts out there.
Lost it? We sell replacements on the site, and cheap!
Note: it may make you feel better to refer to the wall-wart as an “external linear power supply,” but that’s fancy for a simple preamp, isn’t it?
OPERATION
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Headphone Output. Yes! Saga 2 now has a headphone output. It’s not the most powerful thing on the planet, but it can do plenty of volts. The bottom line, it’s gonna be great for most headphones. Try it out!
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Input Select. Press to select the input you want to listen to. There are no wrong answers. Unless you don’t have something connected to the input you select.
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Volume. Turn to the right to make the music louder. Stop before smoke comes out of your speakers.
Note: Saga 2 uses a relay ladder volume control, so you will hear clicks from the chassis when changing volume. You also may get transient drop-outs while adjusting volume. Both are normal. Don’t panic. These are small trade- offs for having the best volume control in the world. -
Mode Select. Press to select Passive, Active Low Gain, or Active High Gain output. Again, no wrong answers. Use the one that sounds best in your system. When the preamp is muted, your mode LED will flash.
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IR Window. The remote “talks” to the Saga 2 through this window. Don’t block it, unless you don’t want the remote to work. You can also mute at any time using the remote control.
REMOTE
Yes, Saga 2 comes with a remote control. It’s the same one we use for all Sagas, Freyas, and Kara.
- Input. Press this button to select the input you want to listen to. If you skip the input, keep pressing—it cycles back around.
- Volume Up/Down. Press the up arrow to turn the volume up, and press the down arrow to turn it down. Simple as that.
- Output. Press to change between passive, low gain, and high gain modes.
- Mute. Press to mute the preamp.
Changing the Battery
- Flip the remote over to reveal a single hole in the back.
- Push the remote open by inserting the end of an open paper clip into the hole in the back and pushing firmly. It’s held together with magnets.
- Replace the battery inside with one of the same type.
- Reassemble the remote by first inserting the clear LED in the front, then dropping the panel down onto the matching magnets.
- Press down gently to pop the panel in place.
FAQs
I hear hum, what do I do?
You may have too much gain in the system, or have a ground loop in other
connected gear. Try low gain, and if that doesn’t work, check for ground loops
in the rest of the system. There’s no sound after I turn Saga 2 on. Saga 2
delays the output for 40 seconds
after you first turn the preamp on for self-checks, during which time the LEDs
flash. No, I mean there’s still no sound?
Is the preamp muted?
If none of the input LEDs are lit, and the preamp is muted. Unmute using the
remote. If the problem persists after that, make sure you have the right input
selected.
What’s with the clicking noises when I turn the volume?
That’s the sound of the mechanical relays in the relay-switched stepped
attenuator. Normal.
It seems like it drops out when I’m adjusting the volume.
We have adjusted relay timing for minimal transients, so there may be some
muting while adjusting volume. Once you stop adjusting, it will be fine.
Does Saga 2 convert from SE to balanced?
If you are using the Low or High gain settings, yes. Passive cannot convert.
Can I use both balanced and SE outputs at the same time?
Most of the time, yes. If you have products that short the input when turned
off, then that can cause distortion.
I have the volume down and still hear faint music.
Yes, that is normal with a relay attenuator. If it’s bothersome, hit the Mute
button to completely mute the preamp.
It doesn’t turn on, what do I do?
Plug it into a different AC socket. Ensure you are not currently in a
blackout. Then email us if it still doesn’t work.
IN THE BOX
- (1) Saga 2
- (1) Remote Control
- (1) 24VAC/6VAC wall wart
- (0) Tubes, feedback, switching supplies, or other excuses for typical affordable preamps
- (Various) Stickers and stuff
- (Infinite) Appreciation from the whole Schiit crew
- (Even more) Thanks from our chassis and PCB guys throughout the USA!
WARRANTY
Schiit Audio warrants to the original purchaser that this product shall be free from defects in material and workmanship for three (3) years from the date of purchase. If a defect covered by this warranty occurs during this period, Schiit Audio will repair the defective product, free of charge. The date of purchase will be based on customer receipts, otherwise, the date of manufacturing will be used.
If you believe you need warranty service, contact us first. Schiit Audio products sent back to us without a Return Authorization (RA) will be returned to the sender without repair. To contact us and obtain an RA, email info@schiit.com. Warranty Limitations. This warranty shall not apply if a product: (a) is modified or tampered with; (b) is damaged by negligence, accident, unreasonable use, or other causes unrelated to defective materials or workmanship, or (c) has had the serial number altered or removed. Any implied warranties, including warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, are hereby limited in duration to the warranty period of 5 years.
In no event shall Schiit Audio be liable for consequential or incidental damages resulting from the breach of any implied or expressed warranties. Some states do not allow these limitations, so they may not apply to you. You may also have other rights which vary from state to state or province to province.