Edit...the amp has been named the 'Elise', and I am indexing the more relevant posts at the end of this one for those who may not have the time to plough through them all at first (although there are a good few other interesting contributions that you may want to browse at your leisure!)...
On encouragement from member 'Lorspeaker', I am starting this thread to channel any interested folks here - new ones as well as those from "Little Dot Tube Amps Vacuum Tube Rolling Guide" (which is where I first mooted the suggestion re this project), and from "For 6AS7G tube rollers here".
For those who are wondering what it's all about - a quick intro...
After a year with the marvellous guys at LDTAVTRG, where we discovered wonderful results from using 6SN7s and especially 6AS7G/6080s (in amps that were NEVER intended for such tubes!), some of us felt the need to up our game and have gone, or are going for, higher level units...Woo/B'Head/Glenn etc.
I myself, however, cannot afford most of these prices so while looking around I saw the Feliks-Audio Espressivo-E (reviewed in another thread some while ago - but correct price now being about £230), made in Poland by feliks-audio.pl. Although it looked very well made, I felt it was let down badly by using mediocre tubes...ie 6N1P drivers and 6N6P powers. My LDMKIV SE had 6H30Pi-EH power tubes as stock, and when we found the massive improvement by using the 6AS7G/6080 I (tongue in cheek) suggested to the Feliks guys that a unit using the popular 6SN7 as drivers for the 6AS7G family would surely bring a great improvement, and appeal to a much wider audience - both in Europe and especially in the US and Canada - if the price was right!
Well, amazingly, they (specifically Lukasz) agreed and have just started on a prototype. Interested forum members have made suggestions re possible extra features, and he has already agreed to incorporate a protection circuit in the pre-amp section for use of DC direct coupled amps. He is considering balanced output as well as SE (but as an optional upgrade), and I am awaiting reply on some other possible optionals, like facility for the 5998 as well as the 6AS7G; 12SN7 provision; separate low/high impedance h'phone function...
The projected time frame is within the month (hopefully!...Edit...19/02/15 - first main production units now being constructed), and although it's too early of course to get a close final cost, they are seriously (again, even more hopefully) looking to try and pitch at BELOW $500 for the base unit...which will be some miracle, given the prices of some of the better Chinese models. Only time will tell if they can achieve the impossible...I for one am praying they can (especially as I want to see what my GEC 6AS7Gs can REALLY do - these tubes are awesome!). Edit...launch price confirmed at $500 + shipping.
Edit...from 20th June 2015 the post-introductory price is $649, with the re-issue Tung Sol 6SN7 as standard.
Anyway, folks, I'll finish for now but will keep you updated as soon as I get further info from the Feliks people.
Edit/Index...
First the main specs (as of 18th Jan - further info to follow soon) :
SE OTL Headphone amp + preamp (with protection circuit for use of direct-coupled power amps).
2x 6H5C (6SN7 equiv.) drivers; 2x 6N13S (6AS7G/6080 equiv.) powers - configured for good performance with low-impedance headphones, as well as high-impedance...(32 - 600ohm). Adapters/extenders for use of wider-based 6080 tubes...EDIT, May 2015 :
1. Re. low-z HPs, I personally found Audeze LCD2s were driven easily by the amp, and member Shaffer was impressed also : viz post#s 1112 (p75) & 1159 (p78).
2. From about unit 4 onwards the amp's sockets were raised flush with the case, thus allowing for wider-based tubes without the need for adapters/extenders.
220/240V model and 110/120V model.
Output impedance 50 ohms
Over-sized transformer (specially manufactured in Poland) for better performance/capacity.
Very low heat of both case and transformer housing.
Special unique 'in-house' developed noise/hum suppression feature.
Price (launch) : $500 (incl VAT) + shipping (post-introductory, from 20th June '15 : $649 + shipping)
A peek inside...certain spots blurred so as to retain some of the in-house R&D elements :
And a peek outside...
And video...(initial impression also on page 35)..
PRODUCTION UPDATE - 19/02/15....The first batch of (pre) orders is now under construction...
- 3/04/15....The first units (240V) having been delivered, the next batch (120V) should be on their
way within the week.
The website has been updated, with more info and facility for direct ordering. Plus the
option for upgraded driver tubes, ie new production Tung Sol 6SN7s or Melz metal-
based equivalents.
- 10/04/15....The lead time for new orders is 4 to 5 weeks
Index... post#s :
Video/photos....512; 520 (page 35 - video with initial impressions); 576; 670.
Related info/assessments....428; 533; 555/557; 561; 569; 588; 599; 604; 692(original ref to 'atma-sphere' article courtesy of Acapella 11);696; 712; 734; 740; 752(preamp results);891;909;1063,page 71(by Shaffer, USA) + 1112, p75 and 1159, p78.
Useful links : http://www.feliksaudio.pl/en
http://www.head-fi.org/products/feliks-audio-elise/reviews/13718 (Review by agnostic 1er)
http://www.head-fi.org/products/feliks-audio-elise (A review by Renderman)
http://www.head-fi.org/t/765460/feliks-audio-elise-tube-rolling-guide-6sn7-6as7g-6080-5998
http://www.head-fi.org/t/117677/the-reference-6sn7-thread
http://www.head-fi.org/t/479031/6sn7-tube-addicts
http://www.head-fi.org/t/410326/for-6as7g-tube-rollers-here
On encouragement from member 'Lorspeaker', I am starting this thread to channel any interested folks here - new ones as well as those from "Little Dot Tube Amps Vacuum Tube Rolling Guide" (which is where I first mooted the suggestion re this project), and from "For 6AS7G tube rollers here".
For those who are wondering what it's all about - a quick intro...
After a year with the marvellous guys at LDTAVTRG, where we discovered wonderful results from using 6SN7s and especially 6AS7G/6080s (in amps that were NEVER intended for such tubes!), some of us felt the need to up our game and have gone, or are going for, higher level units...Woo/B'Head/Glenn etc.
I myself, however, cannot afford most of these prices so while looking around I saw the Feliks-Audio Espressivo-E (reviewed in another thread some while ago - but correct price now being about £230), made in Poland by feliks-audio.pl. Although it looked very well made, I felt it was let down badly by using mediocre tubes...ie 6N1P drivers and 6N6P powers. My LDMKIV SE had 6H30Pi-EH power tubes as stock, and when we found the massive improvement by using the 6AS7G/6080 I (tongue in cheek) suggested to the Feliks guys that a unit using the popular 6SN7 as drivers for the 6AS7G family would surely bring a great improvement, and appeal to a much wider audience - both in Europe and especially in the US and Canada - if the price was right!
Well, amazingly, they (specifically Lukasz) agreed and have just started on a prototype. Interested forum members have made suggestions re possible extra features, and he has already agreed to incorporate a protection circuit in the pre-amp section for use of DC direct coupled amps. He is considering balanced output as well as SE (but as an optional upgrade), and I am awaiting reply on some other possible optionals, like facility for the 5998 as well as the 6AS7G; 12SN7 provision; separate low/high impedance h'phone function...
The projected time frame is within the month (hopefully!...Edit...19/02/15 - first main production units now being constructed), and although it's too early of course to get a close final cost, they are seriously (again, even more hopefully) looking to try and pitch at BELOW $500 for the base unit...which will be some miracle, given the prices of some of the better Chinese models. Only time will tell if they can achieve the impossible...I for one am praying they can (especially as I want to see what my GEC 6AS7Gs can REALLY do - these tubes are awesome!). Edit...launch price confirmed at $500 + shipping.
Edit...from 20th June 2015 the post-introductory price is $649, with the re-issue Tung Sol 6SN7 as standard.
Anyway, folks, I'll finish for now but will keep you updated as soon as I get further info from the Feliks people.
Edit/Index...
First the main specs (as of 18th Jan - further info to follow soon) :
SE OTL Headphone amp + preamp (with protection circuit for use of direct-coupled power amps).
2x 6H5C (6SN7 equiv.) drivers; 2x 6N13S (6AS7G/6080 equiv.) powers - configured for good performance with low-impedance headphones, as well as high-impedance...(32 - 600ohm). Adapters/extenders for use of wider-based 6080 tubes...EDIT, May 2015 :
1. Re. low-z HPs, I personally found Audeze LCD2s were driven easily by the amp, and member Shaffer was impressed also : viz post#s 1112 (p75) & 1159 (p78).
2. From about unit 4 onwards the amp's sockets were raised flush with the case, thus allowing for wider-based tubes without the need for adapters/extenders.
220/240V model and 110/120V model.
Output impedance 50 ohms
Over-sized transformer (specially manufactured in Poland) for better performance/capacity.
Very low heat of both case and transformer housing.
Special unique 'in-house' developed noise/hum suppression feature.
Price (launch) : $500 (incl VAT) + shipping (post-introductory, from 20th June '15 : $649 + shipping)
A peek inside...certain spots blurred so as to retain some of the in-house R&D elements :
And a peek outside...
And video...(initial impression also on page 35)..
PRODUCTION UPDATE - 19/02/15....The first batch of (pre) orders is now under construction...
- 3/04/15....The first units (240V) having been delivered, the next batch (120V) should be on their
way within the week.
The website has been updated, with more info and facility for direct ordering. Plus the
option for upgraded driver tubes, ie new production Tung Sol 6SN7s or Melz metal-
based equivalents.
- 10/04/15....The lead time for new orders is 4 to 5 weeks
Index... post#s :
Video/photos....512; 520 (page 35 - video with initial impressions); 576; 670.
Related info/assessments....428; 533; 555/557; 561; 569; 588; 599; 604; 692(original ref to 'atma-sphere' article courtesy of Acapella 11);696; 712; 734; 740; 752(preamp results);891;909;1063,page 71(by Shaffer, USA) + 1112, p75 and 1159, p78.
Useful links : http://www.feliksaudio.pl/en
http://www.head-fi.org/products/feliks-audio-elise/reviews/13718 (Review by agnostic 1er)
http://www.head-fi.org/products/feliks-audio-elise (A review by Renderman)
http://www.head-fi.org/t/765460/feliks-audio-elise-tube-rolling-guide-6sn7-6as7g-6080-5998
http://www.head-fi.org/t/117677/the-reference-6sn7-thread
http://www.head-fi.org/t/479031/6sn7-tube-addicts
http://www.head-fi.org/t/410326/for-6as7g-tube-rollers-here
