Feliks-Audio ELISE...New thread.

[UntilThen]

Raven there's no escaping the C3gs. It will titillate your senses. This thing is on steroids.
 
If you are critical go with Tidal HiFi which is streaming at 16/44.1khz - CD quality. This is what I am using now. For casual listening, Spotify Premium at 320kbps is ok. Of course if you buy HD Tracks at 192khz you will get more juice. I have tried sample files at that resolution and it's not a myth. However as you say, Music Streaming is so convenient.
 
There's no doubt that a new pair of headphones will bring the greatest improvement or lead you further down the rabbit hole. So what's it going to be? HD800s, Beyer T1g2, LCD4, HE1000

 and when you get these you'll soon realise you need an expensive pair of headphone cables, USB cable, RCA interconnects, shielded power cord.

 

[nephilim]

Excellent news, UT! Your impressions match mine but I'm not as eloquent You made me curious regarding the C3gs/5998 pairing. Will have to give it a chance soon. But first I have to wait for two 6n7g pairs and then for #11's maintenance in Poland. I tested the amp in a different environment with new electrical installation and it still hums.

 

[UntilThen]

Nep that's kind of sad to hear regarding the hum but I'm sure Lukasz will fix that. Mine is absolutely hum free or it that Humphrey

2 6n7g pairs !!! Let me guess..you have the Fivre and Mazda tubes?
 
Certainly check out the C3gs/5998 pairing. It's so good I haven't change the tubes the whole day.

 

[UntilThen]

Well finally I gave in to temptation and decided to swap out the C3gs for Philco 6N7G. I broke out into a big smile on the first note. It's going to take a while for me to articulate the differences in sound between C3g and 6N7G. Suffice to say I'm very please with 6N7G now as I was with C3g. Still using 5998 as power tubes.
 

 

[Lord Raven]

  Raven there's no escaping the C3gs. It will titillate your senses. This thing is on steroids.
 
If you are critical go with Tidal HiFi which is streaming at 16/44.1khz - CD quality. This is what I am using now. For casual listening, Spotify Premium at 320kbps is ok. Of course if you buy HD Tracks at 192khz you will get more juice. I have tried sample files at that resolution and it's not a myth. However as you say, Music Streaming is so convenient.
 
There's no doubt that a new pair of headphones will bring the greatest improvement or lead you further down the rabbit hole. So what's it going to be? HD800s, Beyer T1g2, LCD4, HE1000

 and when you get these you'll soon realise you need an expensive pair of headphone cables, USB cable, RCA interconnects, shielded power cord.

LOL That is insane, you know I started in car audio from a simple pair of (probably fake at that time) Kenwood 6x9 speakers in the back parcel and a Sony head unit and moved all the way up to Focal Utopia with everything in the system at Utopia level, I must say that I have a bad reputation haha
 
All I have is 24/192 or higher, DSD I am a firm believer that higher resolution sounds better, hands down.
 
Next? I still did not receive my HD600. Chances are that I will self pick them up in January Next headphones would be only decided after I give HD600 a fair chance to shine.
 
What you have to do is, suggest the best tubes with Elise So far I am on the band wagon of ECC31, it is going to arrive in early November. I picked up 5998 over A1834 as so many reviewer said 5998 is neutral and detailed while A1834 is warmer. 
 
Cables, I got radioshack RCA and Belkin USB cables for my home audio listening, I believe in cables but I don't have any sort of noise that I should add extra on cables. Even if there is noise, it is inaudible, or not there at all. I don't want to break my bank on cables haha LH Labs 2G USB cable is 999 USD, who would want that?

 

[Oskari]

  Regarding the Mazda 6n7g ,mordy got this from Brent Jesse regarding the meaning of MO he seems to think it means MARCONI OSRAM here's the e-mail

 
Color me extremely skeptical.

 

[UntilThen]

 
What you have to do is, suggest the best tubes with Elise So far I am on the band wagon of ECC31, it is going to arrive in early November. I picked up 5998 over A1834 as so many reviewer said 5998 is neutral and detailed while A1834 is warmer. 

Raven I'll be honest with you. Best tubes in Elise can mean different things to different people. What you have to realise is we don't use the same gear besides Elise. Most of us have different headphones and DAC. However I think ECC31 is a safe choice.
 
Never disregard the A1834. I have not heard it but I'm willing to trade you my brand new pair of 5998 with a pair of A1834 anytime any day, I'd even pay for shipping and buy you a cake.

 

[UntilThen]

After a day of listening with C3gs/5998 and 6n7g/5998, I swap to the stock tubes. I need to listen to these before my day is over.
 
So if you ask, what can I expect getting Elise at $649 with the stock tubes, Tung Sol 6sn7gtb reissue and Svetlana 6h13c...
 
My answer is, 'really marvellous'. Sure the C3gs/5998 sounds more exciting to me but the stock tubes is really good right out of the box. I really think Feliks Audio has done thorough testing with these tubes and numbered them accordingly. You could have been quite happy with these if you don't want to splash a lot more money. However buying a tube amp and not doing any tube rolling is like eating Spaghetti for every meal. You're missing out on the lobsters !!!
 

 

[MIKELAP]

 
Regarding the Mazda 6n7g ,mordy got this from Brent Jesse regarding the meaning of MO he seems to think it means MARCONI OSRAM here's the e-mail

Color me extremely skeptical.

. He also thinks year would be 1958 to be honest when looking at MO it doesn't strike me as being a manufacture abbreviation then again why do all the Mazda 6n7g we see all have the same markings? Would like to add that he thinks that the date code would of been somewhere else on the tube and that the 3 bars and the 8 is when the tube was stamped

 

[hypnos1]

  Elise 1st impressions
 

 
...So this is the scream that woke me up, lol!...should have known...

...
 

  Elise initial impressions
 
Jerick you have no idea. I'm speechless now. I'm running with a pair of Lorenz C3gs and Tung Sol 5998. Elise has more slam and bass weight than my DV336se with these tubes !!!
 
If I ever doubted that she wouldn't sound like a tube amp, I'm ever so wrong. With my favourite tracks now playing, Elise is everything that I wanted in a tube amp and didn't know about until now. Forget that I rave about the DV in the past. Elise is wayyyyyyyyyy better. How much I can't put a figure but it's so muuuuuuuuuuucccch. This is the 1st time I've heard the C3gs and OMG .....buy these tubes RIGHT NOW. Maybe it's a combination of Elise and C3gs and 5998.
 
I need to gather my thoughts. Sorry I'm lost in music right now.....
 
HE560 the planar magnetic has never sounded so good. Elise is driving this headphone with EASE. HE560 is 35ohms and 90db low efficiency....not a problem with Elise.

 
Aaahhh UT - ye of little faith, lol!

...never doubted her for a moment. And knew she would steal your heart also...

...(not to mention keeping you from your sleep!!

).
 
Am so glad she arrived safe and sound, and without gremlins...and that you must now agree with all the rest of us re her pedigree!!! You will now be listening to all your favourite music as if for the first time - which is pretty well true, since you will hear things you never knew existed in pieces you have heard many times...and as mordy intimates, they will hit you from all (unexpected) directions! I am already excited for you, mon ami...

...
 
And that's great news for those with low-impedance cans - further confirmation of the Fairy Dust Feliks-Audio have sprinkled onto this amp...magical indeed, lol.
 
I can only imagine how you must be feeling after such a long wait - and given the torture of anticipation, after all we have been saying during it. But as has been said many times, the wait most certainly is worth it....CHEERS! 

 
ps.  Glad you like the C3gs....

 

[UntilThen]

H1 day one with Elise will always be memorable for me. You're right I was so elated she arrived safe and sound, without a scratch and best of all no hum, no noise, except when I first started it I could only hear from one side. I was in panic mode there for a second. It's a loose RCA connection. Need to plug it in fully.
 
Before I go any further, let me just say thanks for all your work and foresight in scouting out Feliks Audio and working with them in the creation of Elise. I have reread the first 100 pages of the old thread many times and I'm aware of the excitement and anticipation everyone must have felt when you finally received the first production unit of Elise. I believe you missed your Christmas turkey and forget your other presents because Elise arrived on Christmas Eve.
 
I cannot fault Elise at all. Some minor criticisms but they are purely my opinion. For a start I would have prefer the start button in front. Each time I reach behind to shut it off I've to be careful not to burn my hand on the hot tubes. Also the headphone jack is too much at the left corner. I remember the 1st iteration. The jack was up at the top plate. I guess when they did the work around they didn't have much room to wiggle. Another thing is the weight. I would have prefer that Elise is heavier because when I plug in my headphone jack I sometimes move it. While everything is perfect aesthetically I felt the front panel and volume knob could have been a better finish. Lastly an optional balanced input/output would have been great. I'm being picky here because sonically where it counts, I'm really in love with how she sounds.
 
Thanks and cheers.....

  now for more day 2 torture

 
 
I've an idea...how about some after market gold feet (with some felt on it, it will stop it moving) and matching gold volume knob. 

 

[JazzVinyl]

Before I go any further, let me just say thanks for all your work and foresight in scouting out Feliks Audio and working with them in the creation of Elise.

Here here!

Thank you to hypnos1...!!!

.

 

[nephilim]

Also the headphone jack is too much at the left corner. I remember the 1st iteration. The jack was up at the top plate. I guess when they did the work around they didn't have much room to wiggle. Another thing is the weight. I would have prefer that Elise is heavier because when I plug in my headphone jack I sometimes move it. While everything is perfect aesthetically I felt the front panel and volume knob could have been a better finish.

 
I agree on the knob... Regarding the jack... I leave my cans plugged in all the time now. I listened carefully but there is no single sound during powering on and off.

 

[UntilThen]

My problem now is that the HE560 sounds better than the HD650 with Elise.....urrrgh. I thought that HD650 would be all I need but now having heard HE560 clarity and linearity with the added warm and lush I'm a bit sad to feel the HD650 lacking now. I didn't think I'll say that until now. Sob !!!
 
Those of you with HD800 and T1 or even LCD are definitely in for a treat. Without comparing though, this is the best I have heard from HD650. I would have been satisfied if I didn't taste the forbidden fruit.

 

[MIKELAP]

Here's an interesting link to vacuum tube manuals                             https://archive.org/details/vacuumtubemanuals