[oshipao]

Right on, brother!

I am spinning some vinyl right now...

Cheers!

Right on back at you!

It is involving. And I love the bigger format!

 

[Kon Peki]

@UntilThen I noticed you also have the DarkVoice 336SE.  I currently have that amp along with HE-560, HD600, and others.  Is the Feliks Audio Elise a very noticeable step up from the Darkvoice 336SE?  If so, in what way?

 

[UntilThen]

  @UntilThen I noticed you also have the DarkVoice 336SE.  I currently have that amp along with HE-560, HD600, and others.  Is the Feliks Audio Elise a very noticeable step up from the Darkvoice 336SE?  If so, in what way?

Hi KP, welcome to Elise thread. 
 
I should do a proper review of DV336se vs Elise but I'm kind of in a music listening mode at the moment and there's a big gap in those 2 amps that I do not think it's a fair contest. 
 
Here are my summary points. I do have to mention the tubes used because they do impact on the overall sound.
 
Elise (EL3N and Chatham 6520)
What stands out most when compared to DV336se is that Elise has PRaT (pace, rhythm and timing - hate over using this terminology but it really applies here), fast transient response and greater clarity and details especially in the mid and higher frequencies. It's more linear across the FR. Soundstage is wider and deeper. Finally it's a more engaging and euphonic sound compared to DV336se.
 
It's also better adapt with high and low impedance headphones and have a greater range of tubes to roll. Tubes that hum in my DV336se, works fine in Elise. 
 
DV336 se (with Tung Sol 6SN7GT mouse ears and Tung Sol 5998)
Very good sound for the price. Bass is quite impressive. Have a lot of power for it's size. Taken on it's own, it's a good sound but when compared to Elise, it feels sluggish, grainier, less sparkle and narrower soundstage. It did seem to have a better bass weight and impact but doesn't extends as low. These comments are made in relation to Elise.
 
 
Do I think it's worthwhile to upgrade to Elise? You bet. No question about it. 

 

 

[JazzVinyl]

DV336 se (with Tung Sol 6SN7GT mouse ears and Tung Sol 5998)
Very good sound for the price. Bass is quite impressive. Have a lot of power for it's size. Taken on it's own, it's a good sound but when compared to Elise, it feels sluggish, grainier, less sparkle and narrower soundstage. It did seem to have a better bass weight and impact but doesn't extends as low. These comments are made in relation to Elise.

Just for giggles, have you tried a pair of 6BL7's and a brighter 6SN7 in the DV?

I see the DV 336SE on Massdrop for about 1/3 what I paid for the Elise...was thinking of getting one to play around with.

 

[UntilThen]

Just for giggles, have you tried a pair of 6BL7's and a brighter 6SN7 in the DV?

I see the DV 336SE on Massdrop for about 1/3 what I paid for the Elise...was thinking of getting one to play around with.

Well I'm going to do a comparo with these tubes and publish my findings on http://www.head-fi.org/t/348833/darkvoice-336i-336se-tuberolling-partii, which I participated in before I got Elise. Don't want to hijack Elise thread for a DV336se tubes comparison. 

 
I'll use a Sylvania 6SN7GTB chrome top as driver. It's affordable, bright, clear and sweet sounding.
 
The following power tubes will be compared:- 
Tung Sol 5998
Tung Sol 7236
Chatham 6520
Mullard 6080
GE 6BL7GTA 1963 cross plate
 
I think the DV336se will complement Elise very well for testing out singular tubes and also for trying out newly acquired tubes. Sort of like a guinea for experiment. Besides it sounds pretty good for a low monetary outlay.

 

[UntilThen]

It's photos time. 

 

 

[DavidA]

@UntilThen, looks like one of the skulls from "The Shadow" movie
 
let me know when you are serving this:

Or one of these:

 
I'll be over shortly

 

[UntilThen]

@DavidA do not remind @hypnos1 of the XO.... 

 
How about this? Will this do? Japan duty free 2010.... I've to age it another 4 years. 

 
I'm sure the HE560 sounds better with the whisky. 

 

 

[DavidA]

@UntilThen, Its a Louie XIII, and the bottle is at friends house since I don't really care for it

, actually had two bottles, gave the other to an ex-GF since it was her favorite.  Me, I'm a wine, vodka, beer, champagne person:  below is a great pairing, had it the other week.


I'm a real light weight when it comes to whisky, scotch, bourbon, (or as I call them brown stuff) a few (2-3max) shots and I'm down for the count                                                                    

 

[UntilThen]

Diem !!! Louie XIII is $3500 per bottle. I think you need to take it back from the ex !!! 
 
Also that Cain Valley looks like a perfect headphone stand.
 
Anyhoo I've complied a playlist for my comparo.
 
Rainy Nights in Georgia - Randy Crawford
Dreams - Fleetwood Mac
Private Investigations - Dire Straits
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zepellin
Take Five - Dave Brubeck
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K 467 - "Elvira Madigan". II.Andante - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra
1812 Overture in E-Flat Major, Op.49 - Tchaikovsky, Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra 
Die Walkure, Act II: Ride of the Valkyries - Richard Wagner, Boston Pops Orchestra 
 
and I've expanded my power tubes to include all of these
 
Tung Sol 5998
Tung Sol 7236
Chatham 6520
Mullard 6080
GE 6BL7GTA
RCA 6AS7GA
GE 6AS7G - with copper rod - looks like a RCA 6AS7G 
Svetlana 6H13C
 
That means I'll listen to all the songs above 8 times. I should know those songs by heart at the end of it.

 

[UntilThen]

After several hours of listening, a single 6BL7 in DV336se is lack lustre. Besides being low gain it's not even better sounding than the RCA 6AS7G. Don't even suggest using a pair in DV336se. Anyway I've no wish to resurrect the 6BL7 debate and shall just drop this.

 

[hypnos1]

  Diem !!! Louie XIII is $3500 per bottle. I think you need to take it back from the ex !!! 
 
Also that Cain Valley looks like a perfect headphone stand.
 
Anyhoo I've complied a playlist for my comparo.
 
Rainy Nights in Georgia - Randy Crawford
Dreams - Fleetwood Mac
Private Investigations - Dire Straits
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
Whole Lotta Love - Led Zepellin
Take Five - Dave Brubeck
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K 467 - "Elvira Madigan". II.Andante - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra
1812 Overture in E-Flat Major, Op.49 - Tchaikovsky, Ljubljana Symphony Orchestra 
Die Walkure, Act II: Ride of the Valkyries - Richard Wagner, Boston Pops Orchestra 
 
and I've expanded my power tubes to include all of these
 
Tung Sol 5998
Tung Sol 7236
Chatham 6520
Mullard 6080
GE 6BL7GTA
RCA 6AS7GA
GE 6AS7G - with copper rod - looks like a RCA 6AS7G 
Svetlana 6H13C
 
That means I'll listen to all the songs above 8 times. I should know those songs by heart at the end of it.

 
YIKES, UT!!...methinks you'll need the help of that entire bottle of whisky to get through this marathon, lol!

...GOOD LUCK!...
 
ps. Have NOT forgotten the XO...yet!!!..

 

[UntilThen]

   
YIKES, UT!!...methinks you'll need the help of that entire bottle of whisky to get through this marathon, lol!

...GOOD LUCK!...
 
ps. Have NOT forgotten the XO...yet!!!..

Haha... I'll need 2 bottles of David's Louis XIII. 

 
Anyhoo why bother doing a tubes review for DV336se now. I'm plug back into Elise and enjoying pure sonic bliss with my EL3Ns. 

 

[DecentLevi]

Hello guys, I thought this may be helpful for any Elise owners considering to get the headphones listed below. I've done a semi-thorough comparison between these 5 headphones on the Elise. I had done a last comparison before I sell 3 of these headphones, because two reign supreme. I'm very familiar with the sound of these, especailly the Denon AHD 1001 (owned 8 years), Beyerdynamic DT-880 (about 6 years), and the Beyerdynamic DT-150 I've had for over a year.
 
I had done this comparison using this tube combination for the Elise:

Dual EL3N + quad 6J5 (2 Sylvania + 2 RCA intermixed, using two 6J5 adapters)
 
Beyerdynamic DT-880 Vs. HD 650: DT-880 sound generally flat, non-engaging sound with forward treble & lows take a few steps back. Tonality seems slightly more lifelike however
Vs. HD-650: drums hit about 2x harder (good dynamics). Mids much more forward / lush, instrument separation 2-3x better, soundstage at least 50% bigger. Bass about 2x more full / authoritative.

 
 
Denon AHD 1001 Vs. Beyer. DT-880: Denon is more engaging / energetic. General tonality slightly higher pitched and overall brighter. Good sub-bass extension yet slightly recessed bass amount.
Vs. HD-650: Denon is much brighter and somewhat smoother in the mids with better sub-bass. The HD 650 impact, and stage and instrument separation much better. Overall Denon was smoother and more polite yet with harsh highs, while HD-650 rougher / tougher sounding with veiled highs

 
 
Beyerdynamic DT-150 (heavily modded): Perfect tonality yet treble doesn't extend very high and sounds slightly artificial
Vs. HD-650: very similar tonality, yet the instrument separation, soundstage, detail, bass definition and organic-sound are almost 2x better on the HD-650.

 
 
Soundmagic HP 100 (extremely modded)
Vs: HD-650: HP-100 mids are the most vivid and lush of all, bass definition is the best of all, yet highs are not quite as organic sounding as HD-650 and soundstage is slightly smaller. Yet the bass definition and mids win above all others in this list. Absolutely extravagant and heavenly with electronic music. But HD 650 sounds much better when it comes to acoustic / analogue music as it's more lifelike and 3D, and has slightly better impact.

 
The general sound of the first 3 headphones doesn't change very much from amp-to-amp, meaning they don't really scale at all and the Elise doesn't do them any favors... But the HD-650 and my specially modded HP-100 are a VASTLY different story when paired with good tubes on the Elise! Overall amazing resolution, refinement in spades, spine tingling surrealism, holographic soundstage, and lifelike enough to get you to turn around frequently to see if the sound you heard was real - that was mostly describing the HD 650 with Elise. And this specially modded HP-100 is something to behold! A total relic of lushness and divinity for electronic music!!
 
The point: consider yourself lucky to have the  650 or "Tru-Fi" modded HP 100 with the Elise because the pairings are sensational. And forget about the DT-880 (32 ohm anyway), AHD 1001 and DT-150 with the Elise. (I'll pretty much guarantee the HD 558 / 598 / 600, Tru-Fi modded HP 150 and modded Fostex TH-900 are just as good also on the Elise)

 

[UntilThen]

Thanks for the review @DecentLevi  !!! 
 
Glad you're happy with HD650 and modded HP 100. Have you tried a modded HD650? and T1? They're magical on Elise.