Feliks Audio ENVY

[RonaldS86]

I have used both Elrog ER and MO and now WE300B.

The Elrogs were superb. Everything improves quite significantly over stock. MOs could sound a little bright on occasion but not often enough to be a concern.

The WEs are really wonderful though. They have an addictive midrange and are quite tubey but all of the detail is still there. It's a different presentation but one which maybe I prefer.

I really have no idea why Bartók is described as smooth as that implies it smooths over details. That is not my impression at all.

It's a very detailed, technically superb DAC which doesn't sugar coat the music. It's just not overly bright.

I must say the Grimm completed my setup for me. Combined with the Bartók, the WEs and Melz I cannot fault it. I can literally listen to anything and it's simply beautiful.

You could probably pair the Grimm with a £15 amazon DAC and it would probably be great. Its not for everyone though if you don't use or are not a fan of Roon.

I'll stop going on about the Grimm now though.

Please have a listen to as many DACs as you can before purchasing.

There are some amazing choices. Some like the Weiss DACs as well.

I'm lucky that my dealer can provide me with WaveDream edition and Bartok Apex for demo so I can try it first

 

[turbofeet]

I'm lucky that my dealer can provide me with WaveDream edition and Bartok Apex for demo so I can try it first

Please report back on that

 

[alekc]

I'm lucky that my dealer can provide me with WaveDream edition and Bartok Apex for demo so I can try it first

@RonaldS86 what ever your choice will be you will be facing great listening time

As long as you will be enjoying the music you can't go in wrong direction IMHO. As others pointed out, if you already have you dream setup in your head I'd go for it assuming you can accept the price tag, otherwise it will be always bogging you why you haven't bought it in the first place. On the other hand if you treat this hobby as a journey... than the road itself is a pleasure. For example I am quite happy I started my adventure with very limited budget and gradually stepping the SQ ladder. Now I can appreciate my setup more and I know exactly for what I am looking for in sound and what will great for critical listening and what will fit better for pure pleasure of listening for example.

Please report back with detailed findings after demo!

 

[alekc]

May I know why is that? Are there not too much difference between WL and WD? Maybe just a tad bit smoother? My friend also suggest me to pick Chord TT2 but that will be my last option because I don't really like the orb control on Chord products. Cen Grand DSDAC is quite interesting and I have the chance to try it because my dealer has a demo, but last time I try only Rockna WL because he's planning to sell his demo unit for US$3560.

May I know what tube are you using on Envy with when you pair it with Bartok? I already try it with WaveLight several days ago but using Elrog's 300b Mo and I have to say it sound's brighter when compared to the stock Full Music tube but a smooth bright so what I get is a great and extended high notes but not piercing my ears
I thought that Bartok are supposed to be brighter than the R2R WaveLight? Or am I wrong? Thanks

@RonaldS86 in my case the difference between WL and WD haven't been justified by price tag difference. Secondly I think - but this is matter of taste - WL is more enjoyable while WD can force you to be more focused on the music (which may not be a bad thing). Secondly if you plan to add Envy to the chain I would rather invest in headphones and/or tubes than into WD instead of WL. Especially if you consider that for the price of WD you can get WL+WLS.

For the top WD price you can get Mola Mola Tambaqui for example which is IMHO overall a lot better proposal considering both SQ and functionality but be careful as this is very revealing DAC. WL with Envy will always give you joy and beautiful smooth music no matter what track or album you will throw at it. With MMT things are starting to get complicated: some of my favorit albums sounds awful, while others sounds exceptionally amazing. So MMT is perfect for critical listening, especially if you want to hear that somebody snooze in 3rd row in front of Philharmonic orchestra during recording. For joy WL is extremely well proposition unless you want less "analog" sound and prefer more bass and sharp edges (while accepting the fact that this is not how real life instruments sound).

Keep in mind that everyone has own taste. For example for the reasons above I've went with TT2 instead of Dave - Dave has been to bright and fatiguing for me, same reason I've skipped Qutest, Hugo 2 while I loved Mojo. I went with Audeze MM-500 instead of LCD5, MM-500 are more fun and the difference between both models are again not a night and day (especially if you used those with multiple amps/dacs including mobile ones).

 

[alekc]

Can anyone share their experience with pairing of Envy with T+A headphones: T+A Solitaire P-SE and T+A Solitaire P please? So far I found only few mentions of those here.

I have been demoing both sometime ago and I really like their dynamics but the only amp available was HA-200 (great amp BTW). Honestly speaking T+A Solitaire P-SE did better overall experience and the difference between both weren't that large. At the Solitaire P price level I would rather consider Susvara.

What I am really curious is if they retain their dynamics, air and sound stage with Envy comparing to HA-200 or are they optimised for great synergy with T+A amplifiers.

 

[ThanatosVI]

Can anyone share their experience with pairing of Envy with T+A headphones: T+A Solitaire P-SE and T+A Solitaire P please? So far I found only few mentions of those here.

I have been demoing both sometime ago and I really like their dynamics but the only amp available was HA-200 (great amp BTW). Honestly speaking T+A Solitaire P-SE did better overall experience and the difference between both weren't that large. At the Solitaire P price level I would rather consider Susvara.

What I am really curious is if they retain their dynamics, air and sound stage with Envy comparing to HA-200 or are they optimised for great synergy with T+A amplifiers.

Personally I consider Solitaire P above Susvara.
Better tonality, detail retrieval on par if not slightly above and Way better build quality

 

[RonaldS86]

Please report back on that

@RonaldS86 what ever your choice will be you will be facing great listening time

As long as you will be enjoying the music you can't go in wrong direction IMHO. As others pointed out, if you already have you dream setup in your head I'd go for it assuming you can accept the price tag, otherwise it will be always bogging you why you haven't bought it in the first place. On the other hand if you treat this hobby as a journey... than the road itself is a pleasure. For example I am quite happy I started my adventure with very limited budget and gradually stepping the SQ ladder. Now I can appreciate my setup more and I know exactly for what I am looking for in sound and what will great for critical listening and what will fit better for pure pleasure of listening for example.

Please report back with detailed findings after demo!

Will do
But I think I'll have the time on mid January because the shop is closed due new year holiday and the shop is on a different city

@RonaldS86 in my case the difference between WL and WD haven't been justified by price tag difference. Secondly I think - but this is matter of taste - WL is more enjoyable while WD can force you to be more focused on the music (which may not be a bad thing). Secondly if you plan to add Envy to the chain I would rather invest in headphones and/or tubes than into WD instead of WL. Especially if you consider that for the price of WD you can get WL+WLS.

For the top WD price you can get Mola Mola Tambaqui for example which is IMHO overall a lot better proposal considering both SQ and functionality but be careful as this is very revealing DAC. WL with Envy will always give you joy and beautiful smooth music no matter what track or album you will throw at it. With MMT things are starting to get complicated: some of my favorit albums sounds awful, while others sounds exceptionally amazing. So MMT is perfect for critical listening, especially if you want to hear that somebody snooze in 3rd row in front of Philharmonic orchestra during recording. For joy WL is extremely well proposition unless you want less "analog" sound and prefer more bass and sharp edges (while accepting the fact that this is not how real life instruments sound).

Keep in mind that everyone has own taste. For example for the reasons above I've went with TT2 instead of Dave - Dave has been to bright and fatiguing for me, same reason I've skipped Qutest, Hugo 2 while I loved Mojo. I went with Audeze MM-500 instead of LCD5, MM-500 are more fun and the difference between both models are again not a night and day (especially if you used those with multiple amps/dacs including mobile ones).

What is WLS? Some kind of enhancement device like Mscaler on TT2? Well, I have to admit that I enjoy using WL with envy last time. I don't know is it because the Elrog Mo or not
The price of both WD and Bartok Apex is hard to swallow but IMO I think going broke once and for all is one of a "good" choice than doing it step by step
I don't have a slightest idea how much is the price drop in the amps and DACs world

 

[alekc]

Will do
But I think I'll have the time on mid January because the shop is closed due new year holiday and the shop is on a different city

What is WLS? Some kind of enhancement device like Mscaler on TT2? Well, I have to admit that I enjoy using WL with envy last time. I don't know is it because the Elrog Mo or not
The price of both WD and Bartok Apex is hard to swallow but IMO I think going broke once and for all is one of a "good" choice than doing it step by step
I don't have a slightest idea how much is the price drop in the amps and DACs world

@RonaldS86 WLS = Rockna WaveLight Server. It is a new product with firmware still in development. It is important point since Rocka/AudioByte is very slow with software updates and promised functionality delivery. It is a streamer with internal ssd storage with Roon core and other Roon options. At the moment upsampling including to DSD is available but limited only to I2S. So far this is the only upsampler I really like with WL and I have tried HQP and NuPrime to name a few. HQP is also supported and I know other owners are using it, I never mastered filter configuration so I have no real expirence. However I listen now mostly via AES from WLS without upsampling and with NOS filter. Envy adds what is needed. Upsampling is nice, especially on some tracks but I can live without it.

 

[RonaldS86]

@RonaldS86 WLS = Rockna WaveLight Server. It is a new product with firmware still in development. It is important point since Rocka/AudioByte is very slow with software updates and promised functionality delivery. It is a streamer with internal ssd storage with Roon core and other Roon options. At the moment upsampling including to DSD is available but limited only to I2S. So far this is the only upsampler I really like with WL and I have tried HQP and NuPrime to name a few. HQP is also supported and I know other owners are using it, I never mastered filter configuration so I have no real expirence. However I listen now mostly via AES from WLS without upsampling and with NOS filter. Envy adds what is needed. Upsampling is nice, especially on some tracks but I can live without it.

Ahh okay. So I guess my dealer don't know yet about it because he says nothing about WLS. Sounds like a bit incomplete though. I mean that upsampling only available via I2S. Will have to search about the WLS later. Thank you for answering my question

 

[mani3kk]

BTW. Just want to say "hello". It arrived today

 

[nwavesailor]

Personally I consider Solitaire P above Susvara.
Better tonality, detail retrieval on par if not slightly above and Way better build quality

I had the P and Sus for a year or 2. I liked the SQ of the P but, IMO, the Sus had the P beat in comfort and weight. I found I was reaching for the P far less and sold the the P at a huge loss from the $6K+ I bought it for.

Oh, well..........I still love the Sus! YMMV

 

[ThanatosVI]

I had the P and Sus for a year or 2. I liked the SQ of the P but, IMO, the Sus had the P beat in comfort and weight. I found I was reaching for the P far less and sold the the P at a huge loss from the $6K+ I bought it for.

Oh, well..........I still love the Sus! YMMV

Yeah comfort and weight are the categories that I'd agree on, when we're talking about the Susvara beating the Solitaire P

 

[mani3kk]

Guys, I’m new to tube rolling. I have Envy standard edition with Electro-Harmonix 300B. How big will be improvement when switching to Elrog ER300b? What should I expect?

If I’m repeating than sorry guys. I was looking for an answer but didn’t find.

 

[turbofeet]

Guys, I’m new to tube rolling. I have Envy standard edition with Electro-Harmonix 300B. How big will be improvement when switching to Elrog ER300b? What should I expect?

If I’m repeating than sorry guys. I was looking for an answer but didn’t find.

I've not heard the Standard Edition Tubes. I'm sure it still sounds decent though.

Upgrading the 300Bs makes one of the biggest differences to the amp I have heard. Currently I have the Full Music in mine as i've sent one of my WE300bs away for replacement. I still like the amp with the Full Music but no-where near as much.

It's a pretty big improvement to upgrade those tubes. There are quite a few awesome ones to choose from with different flavours.

The ER300bs were the first upgrade I made as well and yes it was quite significant. It's probably easier to read someone else's words on them:

https://www.stereonet.com/uk/reviews/elrog-er300b-vacuum-tube-review

 

[WATASHIWA]

Guys, I’m new to tube rolling. I have Envy standard edition with Electro-Harmonix 300B. How big will be improvement when switching to Elrog ER300b? What should I expect?

If I’m repeating than sorry guys. I was looking for an answer but didn’t find.

I just upgraded to the WE300B, the difference is huge, I didn’t believed in tuberolling but didn’t expect such an big improvement. You can find more from my early posts about my experience