[Oskari]

optical, co-ax and USB would have made for more possibilities and made it easier for me to connect to more sources.

That would have made it a DAC+amp, quite a different animal.

 

[connieflyer]

Connection of coax USB Optical parts for imports does not make it a dac

 

[Oskari]

Connection of coax USB Optical parts for imports does not make it a dac

 

[HOWIE13]

Connection of coax USB Optical parts for imports does not make it a dac

That's true, but to get sound from the amp it would have to convert the digital signal from those digital inputs to an analogue signal, as I understand it.

 

[Oskari]

That's true, but to get sound from the amp it would have to convert the digital signal from those digital inputs to an analogue signal, as I understand it.

Which would make it a DAC... :blink:

 

[HOWIE13]

Which would make it a DAC...

  

Exactly.

 

[UntilThen]

97 - me
98 - ?
99 - @connieflyer
100 - @mordy
101 - @aqsw 
 
Who's 98? Who else ordered? Looking forward to everyone's impression of this amp. 

 

[UntilThen]

   
Hi H-E-A....externally, the quality is very Elise-like - ie. very good! The case size is the same, but with the front plate slightly larger and the finish a tad less matte than the very first Elises (and so not quite such a dust collector lol!). The transformer housing is larger than my prototype Elise, but am not sure if this is in fact also true for the later units. However, I believe F-A have also 'beefed up' the housing somewhat.
 
However, internally, there is indeed quite a jump in quality, along with certain design changes even though the general layout remains similar  :
 
And so, having the same case size, I suppose extra inputs and outputs wasn't really a viable option in F-A's eyes. And at least the one (extremely good!) pre-amp out is enough for most folks lol!...

 
I hope externally I will be able to tell them apart visually because they are going to sit on my desk side by side. Twins ! 

 

[hypnos1]

  From the internal views it seems we are talking about two different amps. Oh, I guess we are

 
That's precisely what I thought when I opened her up...WOW!...is this an 'Elise' lol?!...major reworking indeed. And which also helps to explain the jump in price - requires a good bit more labour cost, over and above those costly Teflon sockets/Mundorfs/Nichicons/Dales/Caddocks/pure silver wires etc.!!!
 
It truly is a shame in many ways that they didn't already have a different case & chassis that could have been modified so as to at least look different to Elise from the outside as well as inside lol!...but they evidently didn't, and so retained the Elise case in order to keep the increased cost to a minimum...and I for one don't really mind at all - I like the look as it is!!!

...
 
ps. And thanks guys - all of you - for placing your trust in me and plunging into the dark...I don't think it will be mis-placed trust...! 

 

 

[connieflyer]

And here I thought I was your twin I feel so bad now. I suppose I'd better go have some snack food to make me feel better

 

[hypnos1]

   
I hope externally I will be able to tell them apart visually because they are going to sit on my desk side by side. Twins ! 

 
Well, UT...Lukasz did say they were looking into adding some slight 'cosmetic' indicators as to its status...but knowing how they like to 'understate' things, you might just need a magnifying glass lol!!!

.
 
ps. You'll keep the two, mon ami?...that's just plain greedy!!!

...but double CHEERS!!...

 

[DecentLevi]

@hypnos1 Sorry to repeat myself, but do you ever have any desire whatsoever for a better sounding amp.. or any inkling that there may be something better out there, or is this seeming to be your end game?
 
Also if you had to compare the Euforia to the Elise, how much better would it be percentage wise... or if not by percentage could you at least use a superlative adjective, such as a lot better, much better, vastly better, mesmerisingly better, etc.? And does it seem to take you "deeper into the scene" of the recording?

 

[connieflyer]

I believe CJ has already decried that he loves the new amp, when you are in love, you don't go looking for something "better".  Here we go with percentages again.  What don't you understand about hearing? The perception is not going to be a percentage of anything. you can say one is better than the other or worse than the other, by how much some, a little, a lot, but you can not say, oh it is 27.5% better than the other.  It means nothing to someone that has not heard both together.  If you think the Elise is not up to your standards, buy the new amp, or a different one, or buy a better headphone. But what ever you do, stop with the percentage of differences.  Everyone's hearing is different. He may find it much better and I may find it only a little better.

 

[JazzVinyl]

@hypnos1
 Sorry to repeat myself, but do you ever have any desire whatsoever for a better sounding amp.. or any inkling that there may be something better out there, or is this seeming to be your end game?

Also if you had to compare the Euforia to the Elise, how much better would it be percentage wise... or if not by percentage could you at least use a superlative adjective, such as a lot better, much better, vastly better, mesmerisingly better, etc.?

No comparison to the two is legitimate (in my view) unless the comparison is preformed in a blind fashion.

I guarantee you that knowledge of which amp your listening to, will horribly prejudice your opinion of what you think you hear.

Hopefully someone who can afford both amps, rigged with an identical tube compliment of choice also has a knowledgable friend avail to conduct a truly blind test.

My attendance to a mini head-fi meet where blind tests were conducted really opened my eyes (pun intended) as to how good top notch SS gear performs, compared to top notch tube amps.

If the Elise. vs Euforia comparison is not conducted totally blind....I would kindly dismiss any expressed opinions.

Cheers!!!,

 

[HOWIE13]

No comparison to the two is legitimate (in my view) unless the comparison is preformed in a blind fashion.

I guarantee you that knowledge of which amp your listening to, will horribly prejudice your opinion of what you think you hear.

Hopefully someone who can afford both amps, rigged with an identical tube compliment of choice also has a knowledgable friend avail to conduct a truly blind test.

My attendance to a mini head-fi meet where blind tests were conducted really opened my eyes (pun intended) as to how good top notch SS gear performs, compared to top notch tube amps.

If the Elise. vs Euforia comparison is not conducted totally blind....I would kindly dismiss any expressed opinions.

Cheers!!!,

I'm hoping UT may be able to perform such a test in due course as he says he will have both amps side by side. In fact, I could have a nice holiday helping him out.