[sopranomi]

Off the current topic but I’ve been listening to a bunch of Schiit content and going thru posts by Jason and Mike…and I heard or read (can’t remember specifically) that a Valhalla 3 would take a leaf from the Folkvangr book in terms of otl and ocl—is this going to result in Valhalla being considerably different than Valhalla 2 and be more Folkvangr Jr, or am I thinking too much about public comments that are not finalized (based on the timeline being 4-6 months from now iirc)?

From Jason's 5y.o. post on Continuity/Aegir...

Class A (in an output stage) is profoundly limiting.This is why Asgard 2 can’t really ever go over 1 watt, because we have to offload the heat somewhere. Again, because physics. So while Asgard has stayed stagnant at 1W, Magni’s power output has grown by 200% since its inception. Similarly, Valhalla 2 has vanishingly small power output into 32 ohms, because we can only run so much Class A bias through tubes (and this despite the fact that we’re using an output-boosting White Cathode Follower output stage to make it into a push-pull design, rather than a pure single-ended design.)

Perhaps a sign of things to come?

 

[Daniel Johnston]

Off the current topic but I’ve been listening to a bunch of Schiit content and going thru posts by Jason and Mike…and I heard or read (can’t remember specifically) that a Valhalla 3 would take a leaf from the Folkvangr book in terms of otl and ocl—is this going to result in Valhalla being considerably different than Valhalla 2 and be more Folkvangr Jr, or am I thinking too much about public comments that are not finalized (based on the timeline being 4-6 months from now iirc)?

Not sure of the OCL part. That's part of the FV experiment. The impedance multiplier certainly could make it into the Valhalla 3.

I'll be curious to see what he'll do at the cost point near the valhalla 2.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Not sure of the OCL part. That's part of the FV experiment. The impedance multiplier certainly could make it into the Valhalla 3.

I'll be curious to see what he'll do at the cost point near the valhalla 2.

I'm still finalizing Valhalla 3. Hopefully the new transformer will be spot-on and then we can get it scheduled.

As far as features, let's make sure this is (a) really 100%, and (b) not a beeelion dollars. I think you'll be pretty happy with where it goes, though.

An important note on price. As I've noted before, there are two possible responses to increased production cost, AKA inflation:

1. Decontent to hold the price point.
2. Enhance the product to make it worth a higher price.

You're gonna be seeing us using both strategies. We can decontent via chassis and transformer, and move things down to the Corpus production line, while still delivering better products for lower cost than ever. See Midgard and Magni Unity.

Aaaand we can make things better and move them upmarket, like Lyr+. So don't be surprised if the new Valhalla 3 doesn't keep the same price point. Because if it's worth it, it's going upmarket. (Not ridiculously. We're not assholes.)

In the meantime, we have inexpensive Valhalla 2s.

 

[davidflas]

With the discontinuation of Aegir and Valhalla 2, all the Schiit I own is now out of production with the exception of my Lokius, which ironically is out of rotation right now. Solution: must buy more Schiit!

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

I'm still finalizing Valhalla 3. Hopefully the new transformer will be spot-on and then we can get it scheduled.

As far as features, let's make sure this is (a) really 100%, and (b) not a beeelion dollars. I think you'll be pretty happy with where it goes, though.

In the meantime, we have inexpensive Valhalla 2s.

What he said.
If I didn't already have one, I'd get one now.
Yummy sounding piece of kit and easily the purest tube experience you can get anywhere for under a grand.

 

[HWB3]

What he said.
If I didn't already have one, I'd get one now.
Yummy sounding piece of kit and easily the purest tube experience you can get anywhere for under a grand.

A luscious piece of cheesecake?

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

A luscious piece of cheesecake?

Two luscious pieces of cheesecake. Or one bodacious one, your pick.

 

[earnmyturns]

What I want is a dedicated preamp version of the Mjolnir 3. With the inputs of the Freya+ and a remote for controlling input, volume, and settings like feedback and mode (I guess gain is less of an issue for a straight preamp unless it is equipped with headphone outputs). Could something like this be done at a $1.5 to $2k price point? If so, I’d definitely be interested.

Do you really need an active pre for your speaker setup? Schiit does not make a premium purely passive pre AFAIK, but from experience, a top-notch passive pre has been able do a better job between my DACs (currently Holo, but also Yggdrasil previously) and various amps than any active I've owned, including the expensive Holo Serene.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Schiit does not make a premium purely passive pre

Except Saga S, Saga+, Kara, Freya+--all passive resistor ladder/relay switched attenuation, literally the best you can get anywhere from anyone. No volume control chips, no potentiometers, just switched resistors. With other modes available. At waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy less than others charge for just passive.

With respect to Mjolnir 3 as a preamp, all preamps are Class A. There's no reason to run a preamp in Class AB. Or D, LOL. However, topologies have a sound, as with Mjolnir 3--which is extremely similar topologically to the differential buffer in Freya+. And volume pots have a sound. Alps RK27s, as used in Mjolnir, are very nice.

 

[Ableza]

A Class D preamp - my skin crawls and itches just thinking about that.

 

[NoBodyNoWhere]

Do you really need an active pre for your speaker setup? Schiit does not make a premium purely passive pre AFAIK, but from experience, a top-notch passive pre has been able do a better job between my DACs (currently Holo, but also Yggdrasil previously) and various amps than any active I've owned, including the expensive Holo Serene.

I think it’s going to depend a lot upon your system and your tastes. The Freya+ used in passive mode sounds good, but I get more enjoyment from buffered or tube mode. That’s just my taste. I’m not sure that using the Mjolnir as a preamp for my main system makes a lot of sense and my fantasies about a choke based preamp with a remote may be just that - fantasy. But I can genuinely hear some goodness by putting the Mjolnir into the signal chain. That said, I think it’s worth giving a serious listen to a passive preamp, so I do appreciate your suggestion. I’ll keep tinkering and figuring out what I like.

 

[KoshNaranek]

A Class D preamp - my skin crawls and itches just thinking about that.

https://nnp.ima-press.net/nnp/article/view/432?locale=en_US

 

[KoshNaranek]

Good for you. Now get mobile fast.
If one ever wonders what a wonder machine like the DaVinci costs, ask doctor @KoshNaranek.
He buys these machines for his hospital, I think.

Out of the spare change that I find in my sofa

/s

 

[Godaisan]

What he said.
If I didn't already have one, I'd get one now.
Yummy sounding piece of kit and easily the purest tube experience you can get anywhere for under a grand.

Speaking of OTL headphone amps. Does anyone else have Schiit going into their Crack?

 

[adydula]

I'm still finalizing Valhalla 3. Hopefully the new transformer will be spot-on and then we can get it scheduled.

As far as features, let's make sure this is (a) really 100%, and (b) not a beeelion dollars. I think you'll be pretty happy with where it goes, though.

An important note on price. As I've noted before, there are two possible responses to increased production cost, AKA inflation:

1. Decontent to hold the price point.
2. Enhance the product to make it worth a higher price.

You're gonna be seeing us using both strategies. We can decontent via chassis and transformer, and move things down to the Corpus production line, while still delivering better products for lower cost than ever. See Midgard and Magni Unity.

Aaaand we can make things better and move them upmarket, like Lyr+. So don't be surprised if the new Valhalla 3 doesn't keep the same price point. Because if it's worth it, it's going upmarket. (Not ridiculously. We're not assholes.)

In the meantime, we have inexpensive Valhalla 2s.

I think most folks bought the Vahalla and V2 for their high impedance cans IMO...
A less costly OTL tube amp...that costs less than most other OTLs even the Bottlehead Crack that you have to put together.

The V2 at $299 is a steal of a deal.

Yeah I know the V2 was also designed in mind for "better" use with lower impedance cans but many of us still preferred other amps
for our low impedance cans...

So what will Vahalla 3 be?

A super OTL amp with exceptional musical performance with high Z cans?
OR
A super OTL amp that can do both high and low Z cans?

Impedance multiplier to make your 32 ohm cans look like 300 ohm cans???

SE + Balanced?

For me I have 250/300 and 420 cans...and a few lower impedance cans..
So I will look for an exceptional pairing with my Senns, Beyers. ZMF's and Audio Technicas.

What say you???
Alex