"Folkvangr is completely bonkers," admits Jason Stoddard, Schiit's co-founder and head of analog development. "There's no other way to put it. There's no reason for a 10-tube amp that dissipates 100 watts at idle, to produce only about a watt or so at its best. It measures very badly, and it's not what we'd use for any kind of IEM. But it's the answer to a question that's bugged me for years - what do tubes really sound like - and, at least to me, it sounds very good."
Stoddard explains that he's always wondered what a direct-coupled tube amp would sound like, so, a few years ago, spurred on by their surplus stock of 6N1P and 6N6P tubes, he decided to design one. Design iteration led to what he considered a great-sounding amp, so he started the process of putting it into production.
"We didn't intend this to be a limited-edition amp at first," Jason admitted. "But tubes have become more expensive and much harder to get. So, to keep classic designs like Valhalla 2 in production, we decided to limit the number of Folkvangrs we would make."
Jason also explained he didn't expect Folkvangr to be a big seller in any case, since it's a very hot-running, impractical amplifier that doesn't put out an especially large amount of power. "On paper, Vali 2 beats it," he says, laughing.
For those who are interested in Schiit's all-out tube headphone amp, Folkvangr uses a total of 10 tubes - two matched 6N1Ps for input and voltage gain, and eight 6N6Ps for output. Eight separate DC servos keep the output tubes at a low level of offset, and an analog-computer-style protection system monitors and mutes the output in case of any tube mishaps. At idle, the 10 tubes run 7.2A of heater current and 100mA of standing bias.
In addition to the tubes, Folkvangr offers a switchable impedance multiplier — an electronic circuit that operates similar to a transformer. Stoddard emphasizes this is "not a buffer, it's output is in parallel with the tube stage, and has the same distortion profile." The impedance multiplier makes 32 ohm headphones look like 256 ohm headphones to the amp, which is a much better load for tubes. The impedance multiplier is also completely switchable out of the circuit, so owners can choose to use only tubes.
Folkvangr also features an oversized, 400VA transformer and discrete-regulated high-voltage rails at +/-100V and +200V. Coupled with over 10,000uF of filter capacitance (yes, on a tube amp), Folkvangr is truly overbuilt. Prospective customers may also notice the chassis design, which provides maximum tube exposure for best heat dissipation.
Like all Schiit products, Folkvangr is made in the USA — specifically, designed and and built in California. The vast majority of the total cost of the product, including chassis and PC boards, go to US-based companies manufacturing in the USA. Available to order now for $1799.
www.schiit.com/products/folkvangr
