The new Schiit Folkvangr OTL !!! Figured this could use its own thread.
https://www.schiit.com/products/folkvangr
They’re starting to ship today! Time for some Schiit talkin’……
What’s your thoughts on this?
Who’s all getting one?
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Given my love for Valhalla 2, Folkvangr has to be at least a consideration for me. But TEN tubes? Do I really need that headache? Do I need that much HEAT? I’m not sure I do. As fond as I am of Schiit I think this one might be just one step too far down the rabbit hole for me.
(famous last words…watch me order one tomorrow! lol)
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Considering that you really only have to worry about rolling and matching the 2 6n1ps. The 8 6n6p’s don’t have to be matched and apparently there’s very little variation of this type. This info is from Schiit.
This info was a big deciding factor for me as I didn’t want to jump into a tube nightmare of which I know nothing about. Seemed like a lot of amp with pretty simple and uncomplicated tube rolling options.
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Does that mean you’re getting one? I’d be quite interested in what either of you has to say if you get one. (Or anyone else, for that matter)
I’m tapped out on my audio budget at this point, with fairly recent acquisitions of Atrium, Yggy, and Soloist GT (yikes!)
@chrisnyc75 I have you to thank (blame?) for getting a Valhalla 2 a while ago for my Verite! 
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I can’t remember the last time that a headphone amplifier created the type of excitement that Schiit’s Folkvangr has. Fascinating product!
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I am. Ordered one in black.
I’ll definitely share my thoughts on it. Can’t promise that it will be all that insightful since I don’t really have anything to compare it to.
I do have a number of headphones I’m looking forward to try out with it. Especially curious to know what the 800s is going to be like on it.
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I notice that they have a picture of the Stealths hooked up. Does it seem a reasonable proposition to run those on this amp?
Sounds like a dirty word in German. But love the tubezilla madness.
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As you can see from measurements that Schiit provides, this amp is extremely distortion forward, producing significant 2nd, 3rd, and 4th order overtones for not just the fundamental signal but also the 60 Hz switching power supply hum. These distortions become even more forward with lower load impedances, and since the Stealth has a 23 ohm load impedance, you can expect maximum tubey coloration of anything played through these.
I imagine those interested in this amp want a lot of distortion in their chain and are willing to pay for that, and lower impedance headphones can provide more of that when paired with this amp.
I have ordered one!
I’m still fairly new in this hobby and this will be my first foray in the world of tube amps. I already have the Schiit Jot 2 and BF2. Looking forward to exploring this new rabbit hole!
I’ll post my noob thoughts FWIW.
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I think I just died and went to heaven (Valhalla?) reading your list of new acquisitions. Hope you are enjoying them all!
My next pick up will be the Atriums. Can’t wait!
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Don’t know how much exists to compare it to, really. There are a few tube OTL amps around of course, but aren’t most (all?) of them capacitively coupled?
Really looking forward to listening impressions on this one.
Lou
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Wow, that’s a lot of tubes.
While I’m probably not the target audience for such an amp, I’m still glad Schiit released it. Such a release is interesting from an electronics design point of view. I’ve heard of OTL as I’ve considered the Valhalla vs the Lyr, but OCL is new to me.
I’m also curious to see what the optimum Schiit DAC pairing will be.
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I’m super tempted and experiencing some serious FOMO, but I just moved to a new apartment and bought all new furniture plus I’m going on vacation to Greece in August AND I’m expecting delivery of my Stellaris by the end of the year, so my wallet is a “little” tapped out right now. I look forward to hearing your review, though. I have a feeling I’m going to regret not grabbing one.
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We can commiserate when we’re both sorry for not picking up a Folkvangr when we had the chance. 
Fwiw, Jason says Folkvangr sounds nothing like Valhalla - totally different circuit design.
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That’s right!! That will be awesome! I was very close….getting the Sus stopped me from going that route. Man, I’d be obsessed with checking the queue 
I’m trying to stay away from any more purchases atm too. My plan is to get something big at Canjam in September but this new Schiit caught me off guard and I caved haha.
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Expecting my Starlett at the end of 2022, early 2023, or I would have purchased a Folkvangr too. Lots of interest in the Folkvangr. It should not take long to sell the 248 units that were available.
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Rearranging my setup tonight in anticipation of adding my Folkvangr tomorrow. Got a shelf all to itself…
Don’t let me me down FedEx !!! 
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I’m excited for you!
Let’s see some “after” pictures, and do let us know what you think 
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Ok, just got to listen to it for the first time. Very preliminary…only about an hour in.
So far listened to the Arya v2 very briefly, like snippets of a few different genres/songs…electronic sounded good and holographic. Nothing stood out as bad…but then I switched to some West African music, Salif Keita - M’Bemba, and it sounded very bloated, sloppy bass. Sounds overdriven and grainy. Low gain is better but still not great and impedance multiplier doesn’t change things much. Will have to come back to these.
What I was dying to here was my 800s…. Again very preliminary but they sound great. To be fair I’ve pretty much only listened to my Susvara for the last 3 months, so it’s been quite a while since I’ve used the Senns (probably close to 6 months) but my initial very brief impressions are that …I like it😁!! I know that’s lame but it will take some a/bing and a lot more time to draw some real conclusions.
Which by the way I’m really terrible at. Considering my lack of listening time these days, the dozen or so headphones I want to try on the FV, quite a few tubes I plan to roll and also using it as a pre with my other amps, then listening to everything again in those configurations…It’ll be slow going but it’ll be fun. Definitely added some fun, experimentation and tinkering to my listening in the foreseeable future, which is cool. Makes things interesting.
Just as I’m writing this, letting Roon radio roll, I’m really liking what I’m hearing on the 800S!! I’m happy 
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