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Schiit Audio Skoll F

Name: Schiit Audio Skoll F
Brand: Schiit Audio
SKU: skoll-f
Rating: 4.6 (7 reviews)

View at Schiit Audio

Skoll F is the highest performance, most flexible, least expensive balanced phono preamp available today. Put it in your system, sit down in your chair, and adjust everything with the included remote control, or get integrated, app-based control with Forkbeard™. You’ll give up nothing to the big-boy phono preamps out there—while keeping a much fatter wallet!

Over the Top Performance
Skoll F is insanely quiet and accurate—and it does this with uber-simple, fully discrete, differential Class A zero feedback gain stages and a fully passive RIAA network. Or, in English, there’s not an op-amp in sight. Skoll’s gain stage is compound JFET-BJT pair running on massive 64V rails for enhanced linearity and freedom from overload. The result is over 100dB signal to noise ratio for 40dB of gain, and up to 70dB of gain on tap.

Flexibility Without Penalty
Is your turntable single-ended or balanced? Don’t worry. There’s no performance penalty for either balanced or single-ended input or output. And with four gain levels, it’s ready for virtually any cartridge, from MM to MC to MI. Add relay-switched inputs for two turntables, plus relay-ladder loading for both R and C values, as well as a switchable passive LF filter, and Skoll delivers all the flexibility you need without penalty. We even went so far as to post-filter the relay power supplies and make the microprocessor turn off when not in use, in order to keep Skoll exceptionally noise- and interference-free.

Adjust Everything from Your Listening Chair
Here’s where it gets good. Skoll F includes an infrared remote control. Or, choose Forkbeard for total system, multi-stack control via your iOS device. You can adjust literally everything from your favorite listening chair.

Select input: choose balanced or SE input
Change gain: choose 40, 50, 60, or 70dB
Change resistive loading: Choose 47k, or 10, 50, 100, or 150 ohms
Change capacitive loading: choose 50, 100, 150, or 200pF
Select LF filter: choose no LF filter, or engage the 2-pole/15 Hz passive network

Designed and Built in the USA

By “designed and built in the USA" this is what we mean: the vast majority of the total production cost of Skoll F—chassis, boards, assembly, etc—goes to US companies manufacturing in the US. Our chassis are made in California. Our PCBs are made in California or Utah, and it all comes together in our Corpus Christi facility.

2-Year Warranty, 15-Day Easy Returns

Skoll F is covered by a 2-year limited warranty that covers parts and labor. And if you don’t like your Skoll, you can send it back for a refund, minus 15% restocking fee, within 15 days of receiving it.

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Overall Score 91/100

Deliciously Crispy

Schiit Audio Skoll F — compact, feature-rich phono stage

The Skoll F stakes its claim as a surprisingly capable, fully balanced discrete Class‑A phono preamp that punches well above a $399 price point. Reviewers praise its deep, controlled low end, detailed midrange and clear treble—delivering a wide, engaging soundstage—while a very low noise floor keeps backgrounds quiet for improved resolution. Andrew Dewhirst, Michael Fremer and Audiophilepure highlight the utility of remote-controlled input impedance/capacitance and four gain steps (40–70dB), making it compatible with a broad range of MM/MC cartridges. Build is compact yet thoughtfully executed with passive RIAA and relay switching. Ideal for vinyl enthusiasts seeking flexible loading, strong dynamics and exceptional value, the Skoll F is a practical upgrade that often sounds far more expensive than its sticker price.

Future Audiophile

"It isn’t often that you come across a $400 component that makes a remarkable change in the sound of your audio, but Skoll F did that for my vinyl collection."

Tracking Angle

"The Skoll definitely sounds very good. It's super quiet, has plenty of gain, very low distortion and outstanding measured and heard channel separation."

Audiophilepure

"With a linear tonal balance, excellent dynamic range, and extreme noise floor which gives you a massive soundstage"

Pros

Truly balanced, fully discrete Class‑A topology with remote-controlled loading and four gain steps (40–70dB) for wide cartridge compatibility.
Extremely low noise floor and spacious presentation that reveal detail and deliver a large perceived soundstage.
Impressive dynamics, transient clarity and deep, well-controlled bass for the price—enhances sustain and instrumental detail.

Cons

Front‑panel symbols and tiny silkscreen LEDs can be non‑intuitive; on‑device control is limited so the remote is effectively required.
Reported occasional DC/balanced‑in issue in some systems that required using single‑ended inputs to avoid speaker anomalies.

Transparency

93/100

Multiple reviewers describe an extremely low noise floor and 'super quiet' operation (Tracking Angle, Audiophilepure). Measured specs (RIAA +/-0.15dB, SNR up to >102dB depending on gain setting) and comments about 'quiet backgrounds' and 'extreme noise floor' support a high transparency rating. No mentions of hum/hiss were reported; the subsonic filter was noted to help with record wear artifacts but not as a replacement for inherent quiet operation.

Sound Quality

90/100

Reviews repeatedly praise excellent dynamic range, transient clarity and macro-dynamic punch ('excellent dynamic range', 'punch', 'toe-tapping' character) with specific praise for sustain and decay once broken in (Tracking Angle, Audiophilepure). The unit's class-A discrete design and low noise floor contribute to lively and involving dynamics.

Cartridge Compatibility

92/100

Skoll F offers 40/50/60/70dB gain steps and switched resistive loadings (10, 50, 100, 150, 47k) plus selectable capacitance (50–200pF) controllable via front panel or remote, giving broad compatibility for MM and MC cartridges. Reviewers highlight the 70dB gain for low-output MCs and the convenience of remote/ Forkbeard control for loading changes, supporting comprehensive cartridge flexibility.

Build Quality

89/100

Reviewers praise the efficient miniaturized design, fully discrete differential Class A circuitry, passive RIAA network and relay switching, indicating solid engineering and shielding (Tracking Angle). The use of a wall-wart style power supply is noted in the specs; while circuitry and relay control are well implemented, the external PSU prevents a perfect top-tier build score.

Value for Money

93/100

Across reviews the Skoll F is repeatedly described as 'pitching way above its pay grade', 'no one would guess the sound was produced by a $399 phono preamp' and delivering remarkable sonic improvements at $399 (Future Audiophile, Audiophilepure, Tracking Angle). Those strong, consistent endorsements justify a high value score in its segment.