Forkbeard™ Previews
Total Control is Just the Start
November 2, San Antonio, TX. Schiit Audio previewed Forkbeard™, the first multi-product, multi-stack unified audio control system. Available on 8 Schiit products at launch, Forkbeard provides unified control of multiple products in multiple systems, additional functionality such as instant power output and system health metrics, and advanced inter-product features. Forkbeard is optional, uses a single common BLE module, and is controlled by an iOS or iPadOS app. Forkbeard is available on products from $329, and the Forkbeard module is $50.
“Forkbeard is far more than a fancy remote control,” said Jason Stoddard, Schiit Audio’s co-founder. “In fact, total control, in one unified and dynamic interface, is just the start. Forkbeard gives our customers the ability to see instant power output of their amps, to check for over-temperature or over-current conditions, to see if the amp is running in Class A, to understand tube integrity and input quality, and, soon, to use advanced inter-product features such as Visual Volume, which shows exactly how much headroom your total system has at any time.”
Forkbeard allows total control of all products in all stacks, including volume, input select, output mode, gain, standby mode switching, feedback switching, mute, and more.
Forkbeard also provides system health information, including temperature, current, triggered protection, tube heater integrity, and more. Finally, inter-product coordination provides for much more advanced features that further enhance the experience.
Forkbeard is completely modular and optional. All Forkbeard-enabled products use a single standard external Bluetooth module that plugs into a unique, keyed slot on the back of the product. Products can be ordered without the module, saving $50, or the module can be added later for $50.
Forkbeard sets the standard for ease of setup—just install an app and add nearby Schiit products to one or more “stacks.” No pairing, no account creation necessary.
It also sets the standard for ease of use—all products are displayed in logical order, with most-used controls appearing prominently in a dynamically reconfigurable interface. It easily accommodates a “main listening system,” a “desk system,” and a “bedroom system.”
Forkbeard launches for iOS, supporting both iPhones and iPads. An Android version is planned for the future.
Forkbeard is available on 8 Schiit products to start. This large number of Forkbeard-enabled products allows customers to create systems up and down the line.
Forkbeard-Enabled Products
- Gungnir 2 Multiform™ DAC
- Saga 2 Preamp
- Kara F Nexus™ Preamp
- Freya+ F Tube Preamp
- Vidar 2F Power Amp
- Aegir 2F Continuity™+Halo™ Power Amp
- Wotan Nexus™ Power Amp
- Kraken™ 5-Channel Power Amp
Additional Forkbeard-enabled products are coming, including Stjarna, an all-out tube phono amp.
The least expensive Forkbeard-enabled product is Saga 2, at $329. Paired with an $899 Vidar, this creates a very affordable, extremely capable system. On the other side of the spectrum, a Freya+ F, Gungnir 2, and Wotan can be combined into a “gigastack” that still sells for less than $5,000.
Forkbeard products and systems are available now at schiit.com. Forkbeard modules will be shipped when the app is available, estimated to be in time for Thanksgiving 2024.
Forkbeard is patent-pending.