DSP Volume or Saga 3?

Audio Gear Talk
1

Hey! I have always struggled with my Schiit Saga 3, because the remote - even the new, metal one, didn’t work probably (you have to aim directly to the small hole, I guess they changed this with the 3+).

So today I tested going directly from Nuc with ROCK to my Gumby Multibit and from there to the Vidar. Surely I had to limit volumes and set the output to DSP Volume.

I can’t really make A/B … and it sounds kind different, maybe more transparent but also brighter. But it sounds ok to me!

So even then the roon light shows only “high quality” that solution is alright, I guess?

I wanted to double check with you, But I remember reading somewhere, the the Roon DSP volume is “kind of” one of the best things you could consider despite active preamps?

So maybe an easy question: would you go with the Saga 3 (mostly passively) or with my current setup without pre?

Thanks in advance for your advise!

2

Personally I would never choose DSP volume over a dedicated analogue volume control in amp or preamp. Tried it a few times and always returned to fixed volume and use my amp, maybe a bit more inconvenient but it sure sounds a hell of a lot better.

1 Like
3

Hmm, I have to do some A/B then, found a whitepaper which states the opposite … soo many different approaches :smiley: Maybe I should just stick to DSP Volume AND the SAGA… if I crank the volume up at DSP, it should be bit-perfect…

4

Most digital volume controls strip bits unless very near max volume settings, or they used too, not read up on modern ones TBH.

I always have Roon fixed volume and use my analog volume control no matter which amp or preamp I am using.

Just my 3 cents ( inflation!:grin:).

5

DSP is done in floating point, so the accuracy is high enough not to cause bit depth reduction.

6

DSP activation always sounds worse to me whatever I have tried it on.

1 Like
7

Ok, thanks guys… read a lot of threads today, also like: The final truth about DSP Volume Control in Roon | Audio Science Review (ASR) Forum

I guess I really have to do some critical listening by my own :slight_smile: for a while!

2 Likes
8

If at first you don’t hear any difference do what’s easiest and let it be!

1 Like
9

Thanks for the link. I was suspecting that, but it’s good to have confirmation that Roon is doing the right thing with DSP. It must have been designed by geeks like me!

1 Like
10

Just for the record: Me and my “I can beat all internet “CD or MP3”- challenges 10/10 in a minute”-wife sat down for a listening session.

In the end: SAGA (passive) is slightly more laid back, has a broader soundstage, but it’s kind of muddier and you can’t point the positions exactly. Voices sound rounder. What I realized in comparison: Some vocals or tunes tend to “overturn” in my setup, they sound wrong… never heard that before.

In comparison, the direct link to the Vidar has more texture, seems flatter / narrower, but everything seems to be “right”… positions are clearer. I have to admit though, that it lacks excitement. Maybe this is because the SAGA adds some more base.

We will change from time to time, but I will stick with the convenience for now. I plan to add a KEF KC62 to the KEF LS50 … anyway, maybe this will be enough to bring back more “excitement”.

Switching from passive to active was not really distinguishable for me in that session.