Schiit Folkvangr Review - Measures like shit, but sounds GRRREAT

Should 12AT7 tubes with adapter work? It does in Valhalla 2.

 

Thinking about picking one of these up before they're gone. Is anyone successfully using a F'vanger as a preamp? Also have looked at the Rag2, but I've really enjoyed the OTLs I've owned, minus the occasional hum issues.

Edit: Just spoke to Schiit and looks like they're down to their last few of these.

 

Just pulled the trigger on the Folkvangr. I looked into tubes and got 2 quad matched sets for $120 NOS.

I’m sure they are marking up price to keep people from hoarding. Woo does the same.

 

Bifrost 2/Folkvangr/Focal Stellia combination is fantastic. I'm glad I got over my perceived injustice and ordered one.

I'm unsure why Jason thinks the Bifrost 2/Folkvangr combo isn't ideal.

 

Just placed an order for a silver B-stock FV!

Hoping it supplants my Mjolnir 2 in my main desktop rig!

 

So intrigued why you thought that merited a dislike, @zonto - are you a big Mjolnir 2 fan?

 

“I just bought X” posts are generally disliked around these parts - considered noise. Imagine if every member posted “I just bought X” in every respective thread. We value high signal to noise ratio in our reviews/impressions threads. Better to post early impressions once it has arrived than an update on your latest expenditure. That type of thing can be done as a personal profile post / status update instead.

 

I second the profile post suggestion.
@Johnny Opps , you might get more reactions such as "cool, that will be good synergy with your other components" on a profile post than on a thread.

 

I have a question for those with the Folkvangr (or tube gear in general). I have a bit of "tube nervosa" as Jason calls it. The NOS 6n6p of the Folkvangr are unlikely to be produced again. Add to that the ECC99 is not compatible with the Folkvangr. How many spares do you have lying around?
I picked up 4 quad matched sets from Viva tubes for about the same cost as allegedly Schiit will sell them for 1 set.

 

I did some reading about using 12 v tubes in 6 v applications. Theoretically it should work, but I’d email Schiit if you haven’t already. FV has a rather unique topology.

If you do get an answer please post or PM the response.

 

There are two different things, tube nervosa and tube hoarding. Tube nervosa is spending outlandish sums on increasingly obscure tubes in the hope of either (1) filling an unfillable hole in your psyche or (2) achieving something more easily and cheaply achieved by buying a better amp. Tube hoarding is buying up vast stocks of known good tubes when they come up at a good price. Possible timespans you might want to accommodate (in descending order): your lifetime, time until the total collapse of human civilisation, time until you get bored of the amp and sell it.

 

Question for the Folkvangr owners.

What seem to be people’s preferred source pairings? I have a Gungnir Multibit on hand, and a Bifrost 2 OG, and a Yggdrasil LIM, though each of those has a system it is very happy in (with a MJ2, Jot 1, and Freya+/2*Aegir respectively), and if I took one out I’d need to replace it. I’d love to take this opportunity to move beyond Schiit. For whatever reason I don’t love the idea of owning “doubles” of one item. I thought about a Denafrips Ares II despite the warmpoo but then came up unwilling to delve into all the filter bullshit. I thought about a Mytek. When the FV arrives it will likely live in the place the MJ2 currently lives so it will by default start with the Gungnir Multibit. If that works well, then I need to find a pairing for the Mjolnir. But I’m open to whatever. The Folkvangr has opened Pandora’s box.
Thoughts?

 

I’d caution against buying new DACs until you’ve thoroughly explored the three you’ve got right now. I’ve heard all three in my system, albeit without the vangr of the folk, and they do each have their own distinctive characteristics even as they share a few common qualities. I’d recommend spending a good amount of time with each to get a sense of what it is you like, dislike, or feel is missing. I wouldn’t rush this: give them time to reveal their qualities and flaws.

Once you’ve got a better sense of your preferences, you could then explore other options (if needed). And at that time you could be more specific in your request for recommendations, e.g. by saying that you love x and y about DAC a, but dislike z, and that you also want to have more of DAC b’s quality n. This could make it easier for folks to give you more helpful suggestions.

More than all this, though, just enjoy your new gear!

 

^ That is just some damn fine advice. If you're itching to spend, you can get a XLR->SE converter (or make one) that will probably do more for your current stable of DACs with the FV than any new toy.

 

Folkvangr is sold out.

 

There are a few on closeout here, though: https://www.schiit.com/b-stocks

 

I didnt ask Shiit, because i tried - Brimars CV4033 and it works, but i rather switched them back in a while. With an adapter, it should have the right parameters, but Im not sure. It was good, but not that great like 12AT7 in Valhalla. 6N1Ps are better IMHO.

 

By that reasoning, the 12AU7 could be substituted as well? Heater current is 300ma at 6.3V in parallel. Gain factor is 20 as opposed to the 6922 at 33.

I'm not sure if there will be sonic improvement using a NOS 12V under voltage vs a new production 6922.

 

I've purchased 4 "same date made" sets of the 70s 6n6p tubes on ebay, 8 tubes for $40 including postage ... supposedly new. Sound good to me! The 6n1p are a variety of prices, but you can get ten for $20 or so and they seem to be least microphonic in the FV.

Cheaper than Schiit, and I'm sure they would encourage FV owners to buy spare tubes where they can! 4 spare sets is a lot, but I suspect next time I need to buy some, the price will be up.