Preamp suggestions

Just making sure that I am following all of you correctly.

The Saga with unity gain could be fine with your Snell's also, it just comes down to how much your source is giving, most do 2v and some I've seen can do 6v.
Give the Saga a go you may fine it fine. If you can't get the volume you know you can send it back for the higher gain Freya.

Cheers George 

Why is the Schiit Freya + being left off the list?

Cost and the tube gain stage is 4 x on the Freya, and unity on the Saga, and if he did have the Klipsch the unity would be better, but now with the Snell's the Freya would be better.

Cheers George 

icarus12


You definitely don’t need any more preamp gain with your amp an speakers.
Your Naka PA-5 needs only 1.4v in for full 100w output and it’s 75kohm input impedance. With today’s sources all you’ll need is a passive preamp, especially with your 98db efficient Klipsch Cornwalls.

You’ll really only need the $49 Schiit Sys passive preamp a great match for your PA-5, it’ll work great with what you have. https://www.schiit.com/products/sys

Nelson Pass,

We’ve got lots of gain in our electronics. More gain than some of us need or want. At least 10 db more.

Think of it this way: If you are running your volume control down around 9 o’clock, you are actually throwing away signal level so that a subsequent gain stage can make it back up.

Routinely DIYers opt to make themselves a “passive preamp” - just an input selector and a volume control.

What could be better? Hardly any noise or distortion added by these simple passive parts. No feedback, no worrying about what type of capacitors – just musical perfection.

And yet there are guys out there who don’t care for the result. “It sucks the life out of the music”, is a commonly heard refrain (really - I’m being serious here!). Maybe they are reacting psychologically to the need to turn the volume control up compared to an active preamp.

Or if you want to add some tube warmth "colouration", the Schiit Saga+ at $399 has a tube running at unity gain which is also an option. And has remote control. https://www.schiit.com/products/saga-2

Cheers George

Yes mcreyn got the money shot icarus12 , didn't see that closeout sale on the original Saga which is tube /or passive and remote for $100 less.  https://www.schiit.com/products/saga

Cheers George