[Ripper2860]

I swear Charlotte has become the Mecca for craft beer, pubs, and micro- breweries. Love it when I visit!

 

[AudioGal]

I rarely listen to music in my car, I prefer audio books.

I tried listening to audio books in the car. And failed. Hard. Really difficult to rewind back to where you went mentally off the rails when something in the story triggered a mental tangent. And I get so involved in a good story that I get distracted from the road. Double Not Good. I already have a problem with getting lost in thought on the commute only to realize 20 minutes later that I'm where I'm supposed to be but have no freakin' clue how I got there.

I need to READ books. I don't care if they are electronic or made from dead trees.

I have Sirius XM in the car - sounds like ass. Which fits since there's road noise and I have the basic factory music system in the car. And I don't want to upgrade, it would be too distracting. Sigh.

 

[DougD]

I have Sirius XM in the car - sounds like ass. Which fits since there's road noise and I have the basic factory music system in the car. And I don't want to upgrade, it would be too distracting. Sigh.

I have a pair of Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds. I like them for long solo drives. They sound pretty good, especially with bluetooth LDAC, and the noise cancelling does a nice job, so I don't have to play everything extra loud to overcome the road and wind noise. Which also expands the choices ... Billy Idol was always primo travelling music, but now so is Billie Eilish. Keeps me awake, and I arrive more relaxed than I used to.

 

[rkw]

It will be interesting to see how he can monetize and profit from that endeavor.

I don't think Dorsey is focused on monetizing Tidal. I think it is a billionaire's vanity project, like Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson dabbling with space flight. Dorsey wants to get involved with the music business and put his mark on it.

https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/jay-z-jack-dorsey-talk-tidal-plans-1235006917/

 

[tincanear]

I’ve only been following this thread for a couple of months so it is likely I’ve missed it, but does anyone know any more about Folkvangr? I know it is a 10 tube head amp and that 8 of the 10 tubes don’t need to be matched. I believe Jason said it would be OTL, but otherwise I’m in the dark. Anyone know a rough price point? Will it have a remote? Multiple inputs or pre-outs?

IIRC from Jason's engineerese, plus some of my own extrapolation (aka SWAG, aka Sophisticated Wild Ass Guess):

the Folkvangr is designed with 4x 6N6P output tubes for each channel, and a single 2-dual triode (6N1P / 6DJ8 etc.) for the voltage gain stage. If the topology is similar to Valhalla 2, expect about 4x the output power (4x300mW = 1200mW) into a 75 ohm load. Presumably, it will also drive lower impedance planars like DCA E2 (16 ohms), Abyss (42 ohms), newer medium-sensitivity HFM etc. with sufficient power (500 ~1000mW) but a bit more distortion. Not bloody likely to have balanced out. Balanced input a possibility but expect a requirement for close EXTREME matching of the input tubes if this is indeed a feature. More likely topology uses the input dual-triode section 1 for voltage gain stage, and section 2 as buffer/driver/level shifter for the output stage. Price $1500-$2000??? Likely to offer at least SE (RCA) pre-outs. Jason had mentioned no need for matching of the output tubes, and from this Feb 2021 post:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-4758#post-16164084

something about 8 DC servos (for output tube auto-biasing, eliminating the 6N6P output tube matching requirement) and possibly an analog computer or digital management / shutdown microprocessor; the latter design makes a remote volume/muting/input selection option more likely, but only Jason and Co. know at this point.

@Jason Stoddard how about a pic of folkvangr's rear panel when first articles are approved and this thing hits manufacturing ramp-up / initial stock-building?

 

[corndog71]

I was into car audio before I was an audiophile. I became an audiophile when I upgraded the cables in my car.

 

[tincanear]

Let me start off by saying I'm sorry...

and yet you still posted this anyway....

what's next??? teletubbies hampster dance

 

[Ripper2860]

Their lyrics are unintelligible, but I thought about it.

 

[OldRoadToad]

I tried listening to audio books in the car. And failed. Hard. Really difficult to rewind back to where you went mentally off the rails when something in the story triggered a mental tangent. And I get so involved in a good story that I get distracted from the road. Double Not Good. I already have a problem with getting lost in thought on the commute only to realize 20 minutes later that I'm where I'm supposed to be but have no freakin' clue how I got there.

I need to READ books. I don't care if they are electronic or made from dead trees.

I have Sirius XM in the car - sounds like ass. Which fits since there's road noise and I have the basic factory music system in the car. And I don't want to upgrade, it would be too distracting. Sigh.

If I may, m'lady? I recently upgraded the stereo system in my car and the speakers in my truck. On both counts it was worth it to me. I do not have a frAudiophile's ears nor ego but I know what I like and want, and to date, other than I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally hate Android Auto and need to get another iPhone, I have no regrets with my choice to upgrade my vehicles. I sit in traffic every day. Ugh. Southern California traffic. It can take an hour or more to go one mile. I talk to my mother and sister every day on my way home.

And then I listen to Siriusly Sinatra. Or some Johnny Mathis. Or Steely Dan. Or June Christy. No cRap. No Hippity Hop. No Hick Hop (e.g., Taylor Swift/ new "country"). Just traditional rock and roll, pop vocals from the 40s through the 80s and Real Jazz. It is never a matter of it is what it is, but rather what we can make of it to make it better for ourselves. Enough ramblin'.

ORT

 

[vinylguy87]

IIRC from Jason's engineerese, plus some of my own extrapolation (aka SWAG, aka Sophisticated Wild Ass Guess):

the Folkvangr is designed with 4x 6N6P output tubes for each channel, and a single 2-dual triode (6N1P / 6DJ8 etc.) for the voltage gain stage. If the topology is similar to Valhalla 2, expect about 4x the output power (4x300mW = 1200mW) into a 75 ohm load. Presumably, it will also drive lower impedance planars like DCA E2 (16 ohms), Abyss (42 ohms), HFM etc. with sufficient power (500 ~1000mW) but a bit more distortion. Not bloody likely to have balanced out. Balanced input a possibility but expect a requirement for close matching of the input tubes if this is indeed a feature. More likely topology uses the input dual-triode section 1 for voltage gain stage, and section 2 as buffer/driver/level shifter for the output stage. Price $1500-$2000??? Remote ... only Jason and Co. know. Likely to offer at least SE (RCA) pre-outs. Jason had mentioned no need for matching of the output tubes, but unclear whether the auto-biasing for each of the 4 paralleled output tubes per channel is via analog circuitry or under microprocessor control (the latter option making a remote more likely). Likely to be offered initially in Black finish only.

@Jason Stoddard how about a pic of folkvangr's rear panel when first articles are approved and this thing hits manufacturing ramp-up / initial stock-building?

Thanks for this. More insight than I had before. I’m expecting a little bonus from work come February and I’m really hoping some more details will be available by then to help me determine if it’ll be worth allocating some funds for it.

 

[tincanear]

happy New Year's day to all fellow head-fiers.



may this still be in your heads on New Year's day, compounding that hang-over

 

[mordante]

The UK dealer ( Electromod) now has some products in stock
https://www.schiit.co.uk/

Mark Dolbear at Electromod is a pleasure to deal with.
I bought my Yggy from him and he subsequently upgraded it to A2 as well as (the now old) USB Gen 5.

My last Schiit purchases were made direct from the States. These were:
Freya S
Unison USB board for Yggy
Lokius.

I found that Schiit in the States were very efficient, but you do have the extra hassle and costs associated with import taxes, VAT and shipping.

I'm Dutch so when I order from the UK I have to pay import duties and VAT ( 21%). The same when I order from the US, however US prices are lower so I think I will order from them. When I have saved some money. My dream combo would be a Magnius + Modius, but I think my budget would be closer to a Hell. I use an old Wadia 12 DAC and have my headphone directly in the Wadia 12 DAC connected to my computer via optical SPdif.

 

[classfolkphile]

I grew up on Lawn Guyland and learned to drive there. In time I discovered it was a great training ground for driving in other parts of the US. Best of all I can still summon my NY driving skills, and driving style, at a moment's notice.

I've wondered about your screen name. Roslyn?

 

[Zojokkeli]

That’s how I feel about U2. Something about that band just annoys the hell out of me.

You all may be familiar with this joke already, but it never fails to make me giggle.

During a U2 concert in Glasgow, Scotland, Bono asked the audience for total quiet.
Then in the silence, he started to slowly clap his hands. Once every few seconds. Holding the audience in total silence, he said into the microphone "Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies."

From the front of the crowd, a broad Scottish accent pierced the quiet: "Well ****in' stop doin' it then ya evil person!"

 

[tafens]

Does anybody care about MQA anymore? I've never cared one iota about MQA because of the reasons that you mention, and I've always had the impression that the MQA 'interest' is driven more by mainstream audiophile magazines, equipment vendors and their dealers pushing the format.

I haven’t looked around too thoroughly, but I have only really seen Tidal pushing it.

I prefer voting with my money and buy my music as lossles FLAC instead whenever possible.