I'm not sure, but I think my Euforia sounds a lot better since the price increase!
You could just be right there aq!!
...and I'm sure
@Burgerbassist and
@sotto123 would also agree lol!!...(hope you latter guys are also beginning to see just what Euforia is
really capable of!!).
And I'm sure you too
@DecentLevi will be reminded of her virtues BIG time when you can manage that reunion lol!!
My Elise is STILL stuck in customs! Henryk has been in touch with me on updates and document requests. What was started August 4th is still in progress. Hopefully someday I'll see my Elise.
Good news is I have a brand new 2018 Euforia on the way! Got it with the new upgrade tubes offered on Feliks website. Damned thing better sound freakin' amazing!
Sorry to hear of such dreadful delays on your Elise, canthearyou...but that's great news indeed re. a nice new Euforia - she will not disappoint you, to be sure!
...
Now then all...on the subject of 'freakin' amazing!' - especially after recent apparent opinion in some quarters that this amp move from 'recommended to not recommended' - all I can say is that some folks are quite obviously NOT providing the right environment for her to shine to her full potential!!....viz :
For some time now, I've been describing the continued increases in Euforia's performance in line with upgrades to mains conditioning; media source; DAC. My latest target was my (already good!) cabling - thick, highly shielded mains cable and power cords, and pure silver interconnects.... Despite being somewhat skeptical at first, my initial trials with Neotech's single crystal UPOCC silver (and copper) cables that I terminated myself (both for interconnects and power cords) took Euforia to yet another level. Then, to my surprise, another pair of interconnects using better quality RCA plugs (KLEI 'Harmony') brought even better performance...which prompted me to bypass plug connections altogether and give poor ol' F-A yet another heart attack - they're used to me by now, however!
- ie. by connecting the cable's wires direct to the signal wires
inside the amp!!....Naturally, this is not for the faint-hearted as it will invalidate the warranty, but y'all know me by now lol!!!...(as does Lukasz, fortunately!). Anyway, along with modifying the plugs at the other end so that the wires make
direct contact with the Hugo2's sockets (not even going to try getting inside
that!), the result was
way beyond expectation...almost like a totally different amp, in fact...absolutely amazing! And all the more surprising,
given the extremely good quality RCA sockets used in Euforia.
Obviously, this last act was more for my own curiosity and cannot be a realistic basis for showcasing Euforia's potential...but is just the culmination of a progression from good cable with average plugs, thru UPOCC wire-based cable with high quality plugs, to the ultimate - NO plugs!!...and no sockets, if possible lol!!...
Anyway, folks, even without going to my own final extreme, I have proved that this amp is actually capable of performing to a level that probably
can compete with amps in its new price category. It is limited only
by the rest of the system!
My progressive upgrades have also highlighted two other elements within my system : firstly, that such upgrades bring exponential improvements to the performance of EL tubes in Euforia (specifically my mesh-plate EL11s driving TFK EL12 Spezial powers), even though not actually configured for them. They have continued to deliver more at every step...much more so than any other tubes I have ever used (and regarded as 'top flight') -
especially after my latest cable and plug forays. And after many 100s of hours' sole use now, they have had NO detrimental effect whatsoever on the amp...the opposite, in fact - the added bonus being the amp runs with case and trafo housing running barely warm.
Secondly - again especially with UPOCC cable and better plugs - my Beyer T1s(Gen 1) now show none of the slight (sometimes harsh, even!) criticisms thrown at them. In fact, the 'retuning' of Gen 2 would probably do no favours at all to the sound I'm now getting from my originals. The overall presentation is now so smooth, perfectly balanced, clear and with impeccable control, that I never believed them capable of such performance. In fact, I now have no desire whatsoever to even think of getting the HD 800 lol! The difference is quite astonishing...
...
And so, to round off, I personally believe that although in many ways unfortunate, the recent price hikes of Elise and Euforia do in fact reflect more closely their true pedigree and
potential. Those of us who acquired one (or both!) of these amps at much lower prices were indeed extremely fortunate, and did so with precious little profit going towards any kind of proper remuneration to the Feliks family...for either their R&D or dedicated efforts in producing these early units. I for one believe they deserve immense gratitude and respect for what they have done for us here...not ill-informed, unsympathetic criticism, which comes only too easily to some, I fear...
I wish all lucky Euforia (and Elise!) owners continued enjoyment of their wonderful amps...and hope you too manage to provide - as and when permissible! - the kind of environment in which they can truly shine to their fullest lol!!
...CHEERS!
...CJ