Adding a volume with remote to DAC

[olds1959special]

Would it be bad for sound quality to set my Fiio K11 R2R to LO mode (no volume control) and then plug in a Schiit Saga 2 running in passive mode and then going to my preamp, thus adding a volume control in between my DAC and preamp?

 

[solderdude]

The sound in the K11 will always go through the internal (analog stepped) volume control IC.
In no volume control mode it is just set to 0dB so there is no 'advantage' there.

Saga 2 is transparent in passive mode so there is no impact on the sound here either.

Are you using a Saga-2 pre-amp into another pre-amp ? I don't see any logic in that.
You could skip the Saga 2 and run the DAC directly into the pre-amp and why not use the volume control in the K11 r2r if the goal is to maximize the output voltage ?

 

[olds1959special]

The sound in the K11 will always go through the internal (analog stepped) volume control IC.
In no volume control mode it is just set to 0dB so there is no 'advantage' there.

Saga 2 is transparent in passive mode so there is no impact on the sound here either.

Are you using a Saga-2 pre-amp into another pre-amp ? I don't see any logic in that.
You could skip the Saga 2 and run the DAC directly into the pre-amp and why not use the volume control in the K11 r2r if the goal is to maximize the output voltage ?

I just need a remote control for the volume and mute, which the K11 R2R doesn’t have, but the Saga 2 should.

 

[solderdude]

I just need a remote control for the volume and mute, which the K11 R2R doesn’t have, but the Saga 2 should.

When the goal is to add remote volume control then it makes some sense if neither the DAC nor the existing pre-amp has that.
I would, however, suggest to use the Saga-2 in active mode (low gain).

It is too bad FiiO decided not to add a remote to the internal volume control IC. That would have been really easy to implement.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

In general, the more devices in series, the higher the resultant noise floor (assuming you are not doing proper gain staging).

 

[olds1959special]

In general, the more devices in series, the higher the resultant noise floor (assuming you are not doing proper gain staging).

If I were to do this, I would try to do proper gain staging. So I would set my pre-amp to more open on the volume knob, set my DAC to max volume (line out), and control the volume with the Schiit Saga 2 that is in between. I'm just concerned adding another volume control will decrease sound quality.

 

[TimW]

If I were to do this, I would try to do proper gain staging. So I would set my pre-amp to more open on the volume knob, set my DAC to max volume (line out), and control the volume with the Schiit Saga 2 that is in between. I'm just concerned adding another volume control will decrease sound quality.

Can you tell us why you are connecting a preamp to a preamp?

 

[Mikig]

I don't understand this complication. You put the Dac on fixed output, which normally corresponds to the maximum output, and you connect it to a single preamplifier, which has the task of managing the volume of the system. You don't need two preamplifiers in series.

 

[olds1959special]

Can you tell us why you are connecting a preamp to a preamp?

My tube pre amp has no remote, nor does my music dac, so I need to add a remote somehow.

 

[TimW]

My tube pre amp has no remote, nor does my music dac, so I need to add a remote somehow.

Ah I see, you want the tube and R2R "sound". Do your other sources not need remote volume control? Or is the DAC your only source?

If you don't already own the Saga 2, why not just get the Saga+ to replace your current preamp?

 

[olds1959special]

Ah I see, you want the tube and R2R "sound". Do your other sources not need remote volume control? Or is the DAC your only source?

If you don't already own the Saga 2, why not just get the Saga+ to replace your current preamp?

My other DAC has a remote control, but it's a digital volume control. My pre-amp sounds great and I don't want to change it, just add a remote somehow.

 

[TimW]

My other DAC has a remote control, but it's a digital volume control. My pre-amp sounds great and I don't want to change it, just add a remote somehow.

I think at some point you should consider weather 2 DACs and 2 Preamps is just audiophoolishness

 

[Mikig]

just add a remote somehow

I saw on the web some kits with remote control to motorize the volume…

 

[olds1959special]

I think at some point you should consider weather 2 DACs and 2 Preamps is just audiophoolishness

If I didn't add a second DAC, I wouldn't need a second pre-amp for remote control, so yea. If I just stuck with one pre-amp and one dac (with remote) I'd be fine. Right now I'm going back and forth between the 2 DAC's listening to which I prefer and considering just using the one I was using before, that has a remote.

 

[TimW]

and considering just using the one I was using before, that has a remote.

That's certainly the most practical and sensible solution, hopefully you can be satisfied with it.

I personally just downsized from a very complicated system with a high end DAC/interface, DSP/crossover, streamer, phono stage, ADC, and an HDMI audio extractor. All of those things have been replaced with a Wiim Ultra and it is much more pleasant to use.

 

[Masterxyr]

Would it be bad for sound quality to set my Fiio K11 R2R to LO mode (no volume control) and then plug in a Schiit Saga 2 running in passive mode and then going to my preamp, thus adding a volume control in between my DAC and preamp?

would a flirc usb help?