Schiit Folkvangr Review - Measures like shit, but sounds GRRREAT

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by purr1n, Jun 30, 2022.

  1. RestoredSparda

    RestoredSparda Friend

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    Yup. I'm surprised they are still available. I figured folks would snatch them up on credit and than resale with a price hike after they are removed from the Schiit site. We will see!
     
  2. roshambo123

    roshambo123 Friend

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    If FV had been released during the Covid stimulus packages I think that scenario would have been more likely. Given everyone is poor now I'm not as certain that there's a ton of money out there to pay premiums for audio gear.
     
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  3. ColtMrFire

    ColtMrFire Writes better fan fics than you

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    Sounds too general to be accurate. Lots of poor people, but still lots of deep pockets and even the poors will buy stuff they can't afford. FV will sell out at some point and I can see a price hike happening because we live in a satire now.
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2022
  4. roshambo123

    roshambo123 Friend

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    Entirely possible. Hard to say and certainly a lot of variables with this one.

    At any rate, mine just shipped.

    I will say Covid stimulus absolutely did drive up prices on guns and ammunition and the end of the stimulus caused a dip in demand lol
     
  5. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I only had this for a day and had to return this unit because it's a limited quantity item. Maybe SBAF should buy one?

    With respect to the measurements, I sort of rushed it and didn't have as much time as I wanted to recheck things. At a glance I got worse results than Schiit. You know how it goes. I'd compare mine to the Schiit results here to get a bigger picture: https://www.schiit.com/public/upload/PDF/Schiit Folkvangr APx Tests.pdf
     
  6. Pancakes

    Pancakes Friend

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    I vote yes. Not like it's going to depreciate.
     
  7. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    250 units for an $1800 amp is a decent number. Likely a bunch sold on the first day, a decent amount will be sold in the first week, and then it will tail off after that. Maybe there will be resurgence of interest a bit later (how stuff sells is weird), but by then it will be too late for half the bandwagon.

    True. It's odd because $1800 really doesn't seem like it's that much money anymore. A Woo WA6-SE which was $1200 in 2010. It was a middle priced amp back in the day. That $1200 is $1800 today. Also that $1800 today will easily be $2000 two years from now at current inflation rates.

    Jamie Dimon, CEO of Chase has said there is plenty of money out there, but has stated concerns of what will happen when it runs out, which it will. He's got a lot of data on this hands that we don't have and probably knows better than us when it will run out.

    FRED M1 money supply graph below. M1 is checking and savings (but excludes time deposits like CDs, stocks, etc). Looks like most people haven't been spending their stimulus until recently (about nine months ago). There's also been the general increases in wages as well.

    upload_2022-7-1_17-50-28.png

    There's still some room for Folkvangr purchases. :)
     
    Last edited: Jul 1, 2022
  8. yotacowboy

    yotacowboy McRibs Kind of Guy

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    Any chance one of these might go out on a loaner tour after the Schiit Show?
     
  9. will_f

    will_f Friend

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    That’s pretty impressively low background noise. My house seems pretty quiet right at or slightly above 30 dBA. I designed the mechanical systems for a concert hall once with a noise criteria of 15 (somewhere around 25 dBA). That was actually kind of challenging to do.
     
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  10. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Probably zero and I am not asking for any favors. If famous old-school king-maker reviewers and even more famous new-media YouTube personalities are denied any accomodations, I am simply not going to ask.

    One thing I will say in my years of organizing meets and shows: for the most part, people are appreciative and good. However, there are the few entitled douchebags who think everything is free. Since I've been on the the opposite end of people trying to sponge, I will have to insist that SBAF pay full price. Schiit has been good to us.

    Thank you for making realistic statements. I get annoyed at 55 year olds who claim they can hear up to 22kHz or tinkerers who claim they have achieved 11db SPL in their homes.
     
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    Last edited: Jul 1, 2022
  11. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    The lowest noise levels in my space are at night with appliances and HVAC off.
    Designing a space with HVAC running and still achieving a low NC is quite challenging and expensive.
    Calibrated measurements of my listening environment:
    https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...oise-floor-discussion.8589/page-2#post-280107
    https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...oise-floor-discussion.8589/page-4#post-283038
     
  12. atomicbob

    atomicbob dScope Yoda

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    Ranking lists such as this are interesting, but are subject to so many variables, as you mention. A+ level components (of which I own a few) can produce magic, however it doesn't stop me from enjoying greatly modi 3E + Vali 2+ and ETA mini closed for reasonably long listening sessions.

    Understood. It would have been useful to see D2, D3 and 4+HD+N sweeps over levels at 500 Hz, 1KHz and 5 KHz.

    Based on schiit's measurements it would infer a D2 sweet spot for 300R high gain between 15 and 250 mV. Headphones with approximately 100 dB SPL at 0 dBu will be around 65 to 90 dB SPL at those levels. A great place for a distortion sweet spot.
     
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  13. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    they are not as diseased as the keyboard community yet
     
  14. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Since it’s low current and high output impedance, can this do preamp duty?

    Nice high H2 preamp
     
  15. Johnston98

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    I just ordered one.

    TBH, $2k right now in disposable cash not common. Add to that the sparse reviews, I’m not surprised. Once more reviews hit the interwebs, things probably will heat up.
     
  16. Degru

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    Are the low-impedance figures measured with or without the impedance multiplier circuit turned on? The amp seems much happier driving those loads with the circuit added according to the Schiit measurements. Would be interesting to see overall impressions with less sensitive lower impedance headphones too.
     
  17. roshambo123

    roshambo123 Friend

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    Interesting first take on Head-fi saying they felt Focals were muddy but big thumbs up on planar. Doesn't seem like they had high ohm Senns on hand to test. My FV should be here tomorrow (after it missed Saturday delivery on a long weekend fml), so we shall see.
     
  18. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Great question. All of the measurements are with the impedance multiplier circuit turned off. The impedance multiplier circuit is absolutely a necessity when driving low impedance planars. Interestingly, the tonal qualities don't change with the impedance multiplier circuit turned on. However, the circuit also removes the soul of the music. Think of it as someone you love having the exact same physical form, but their consciousness replaced with an mediocre AI. Some people will notice the effect of the impedance multiplier circuit more than others. Some may not notice it at all. This has been my observation watching others listen to the Folkvangr.

    I'll try an LCD-X and Elex on it and report back. The 15-ohm to 20-ohm entry level HFM's were a disaster from the Folkvangr.
     
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    Last edited: Jul 5, 2022
  19. roshambo123

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    [​IMG]

    I have my copy in hand. It's very attractive. My coworker was hypnotized by staring at it.

    The early reports of people hearing very different things on different headphones and chains agrees with what I'm hearing. Folkvangr is a chimera that's headphone sensitive, source sensitive, and driver tube sensitive.

    Mjolnir 2 has been my main headamp since 2017 so all comments relative to that.

    Yggdrasil GS (SE) > Folkvangr (Amperex Orange Globes, High Gain, Impedence IC off) > HD800 SDR
    Yggdrasil GS (BAL) > Mjolnir 2 (EH6922) > HD800 SDR

    Both have a similar aggressive presentation, FV is more even and natural, MJ2 has extra Photoshop sharpening.

    FV treble quality is excellent. MJ2 has splashy metallic wackness in the highs. This is the biggest difference.

    FV has superior depth and clarity, half to 2/3 step difference. This does come across.

    FV has more forward mids and leans darker but is more "correct" sounding and cohesive. MJ2 has more air.

    MJ2 has additional focus & control while FV is more energetic. What you'd expect with hybrid vs. pure toob

    Bass is close. MJ2 slams a little harder and is slightly tighter.

    MJ2 stages wider due to the extra treble emphasis. The FV stage is taller.

    FV has better blackground. Call it 10pm vs. 11pm.

    Based on memory, DNA Starlett's headstage is wider, taller, and deeper than both the Schiit amps, and it can match or beat FV on most if not all technicals. Personally, I prefer the FV presentation as it's a bit cozier and doesn't stage as crazy wide. At any rate, they're certainly same tier.

    This is Schiit's best headamp for high ohm headphones.

    So, if you have Mjolnir 2 is it warranted spending $1800-2000 on Folkvangr? That depends on your chain and what things are worth to you. Does MJ2's dry treble really annoy you? Do you actually prefer some of the solid-statey-ness that MJ2 has? Do you want to deal with 10 tubes instead of just 2? I'm still answering these questions for myself.

    Immaterial side note: The power button is a black rocker, not traditional Schiit mini-missile switch. I prefer the traditional.

    [​IMG]
     
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    Last edited: Jul 5, 2022
  20. Woland

    Woland Friend

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    Why test it with the impedence IC off? Hope you can add some comments about how it sounds when on!
     

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