Viking Audioforge takes the Draupnir to production at £1,799
A year after the prototype won an innovation award, the dual glass-diaphragm open-back is on pre-order at £1,799, with shipping estimated at around three months.
Viking Audioforge showed the finished Draupnir at CanJam London 2026, a year after the prototype took a Best Innovation award at the same show. It is an open-back using two 50 mm glass-diaphragm drivers per side, summed through an acoustic lens so the pair presents as a single source, with a baffle switch that adds bass weight. Pre-orders are open at £1,799, with shipping estimated at roughly three months, and the maker says the sound and materials are unchanged from the Launch Edition while fit and finish have been reworked for consistent manufacturing.
Two drivers per side is the interesting part and the risky one. Summing two sources at the ear creates interference that varies with position, so the honest test is not one frequency response but several taken at different fit positions. A bass-boost switch is likewise a claim that can be plotted rather than described.
Announcement sources
- The Best Headphones from CanJam London 2026 (ecoustics)
- Draupnir Launch Edition (Viking Audioforge)
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This is an announcement, not a verdict. Specifications come from the manufacturer and nothing here is measured until a unit reaches the rig. For tested dynamic drivers, see Dynamic Drivers reviews. Back to all new releases.