*Update 4/6/2022 - After more experience with my Euforia, I've noticed that it has the characteristic of mellow smoothness in its neutrality and resolution, and I should also mention excellent note extension. In light of these observations, to me, the Euforia seems to be great for lower-volume listening.

*Update 3/1/2022 - If you have treble sensitivity like me, after extended use, some fatigue may be noticeable. I would advise to chain for warmth, and instead pair the Euforia with a warm R2R DAC/headphone. I've been recommended the Schiit Gungnir Multibit. 

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I started my audiophile journey in 2015. Everything began when I picked up Audio-GD’s NFB 15.32 with TXCO upgrades. Judging from reviews I’d read, this would be a fine first DAC/Amp to have. I had it for some time before selling it for what in hindsight may have been an overheating issue.

In 2016, I kept my eye on the Feliks Audio Elise after reading through threads and hearing of its qualities. It arrived, but I was such a newb I had no idea what to look after. I know it sounded airy and neutral with not much emphasis on the regions. I still miss the Elise and may look into one in the future.

I ended up trading my Elise for the Yulong D18, A18, and U18 stack. Unfortunately, in hindsight, I probably turned the volume up too high not understanding how to enjoy a neutral amp, and the treble ultimately fatigued my ears, I may have had an ear infection during this time as well. Nevertheless, I want to try the Elise in the future with a different source, as I remember enjoying it.

I’m glad that I have the Feliks Audio Euforia on hand to review, as it points to the origins of where I began when I first got into Hi-Fi. It’s the flagship headphone tube amplifier by the Polish family-owned business, now priced at $2,599. I have the 2017 edition which was priced at $1399 on release. Since the release of the 2017 edition, there have been some improvements worth noting: an upgraded preamp circuit, CV181 driver tubes, a crossfeed circuit to enlarge the sound stage by making the channel separation more natural, and a soft mute so when you power off and on you don’t have cracking noises.

Technical Specifications

Input Impedance: 100 kOhm

Frequency response: 8 Hz - 75 Khz +/- 3 dB (300 ohm)

Power output: 250mW

THD: 0.4 % (300 ohm, 20 mW)

Supported headphones impedance: 32 - 600 ohm, including planar magnetics

Premium PsVane CV-181 Mk2 “Gold” /or "Silver" PsVane 6SN7 driver tubes *

Improved noise cancelling construction

High grade power transformer

100% pure silver signal wiring in teflon jacket

Heavy duty teflon gold-plated tube sockets

High quality Mundorf and Nichicon capacitors

Dale and Caddock resistors

Preamp safety circuit

Gold plated RCA inputs

Headphones output: Jack 6.3mm

Dimensions: 310x205x175[mm]

Weight: 6kg

3 years warranty

Design/Functionality

The Euforia is a sleek looking amp with a quality build. It sports a rugged matte black aluminum chassis and has a low profile look, and has a classical feel about it.

It’s a versatile amplifier that can drive a variety of headphones, IEM’s, and planar magnetics.

The Euforia comes with CV-181-TII drivers tubes, some of the most high quality tubes of the 6SN7 type, but can be used with tubes from the 5692, 6N8S, 6F8G, and ECC32 families.

The stock power tubes are the 6N13S, which are a dual power triode, and are interchangeable with 6AS7G. However, you can also use tubes of the ECC230, 5998, 6N5S, 6N5P, 6080, and 7236 families.

Sound Quality

As a tube amplifier, there are a variety of styles to be experienced with the Euforia. It’s inherent signature, however, is more neutral. This is what you’ll expect to see with some combinations. However, with some “higher-end” tubes, things become more interesting, and when you switch out the tubes, you’ll discover some magical pairings.

What I have available to roll is the Bendix 6080, GEC 6080, Mullard EL38, RCA 6AS7G as powers, and the EL32, Philips EL3N, and Sylvania 6SN7 as drivers. With these tubes alone, the Euforia sounds fantastic.

There is a certain fluidity to the Euforia that engages. Overall, with the right tubes, it’s a smooth, clean sound. The Euforia faithfully renders with an apparent soft, velvety musicality.

For this review, I mainly used the RCA 6AS7G as powers paired with Philips EL3N as drivers brings out the bass, and after tube burn in, things start to sound a little smoother, with a rich, ambient tonality, and better soundstage that pronounces the level of engagement and overall sound signature.

In all, the Euforia is a totally neutral amplifier with kind of a light-creamy tone to it with good extension. The sound coming from the Euforia often stuns me with just how smooth it is in its neutrality. 

The Euforia has a mellow “naturalness”, fluidity, smoothness, and air being neutral while remaining musical, and I thought I couldn’t enjoy the HD 600 with the Euforia, but it’s perfect for me with enough bass and detail without being bright, flat, or lacking in ambiance. 

The Euforia also has a lot of utility. You can also use it with a preamp and achieve all sorts of combinations within your chain.

Conclusion

I think the Euforia is an awesome tube preamp/amplifier to own. If you can pick one up in the second-hand market, a neutral amplifier or preamplifier is perfect because we don’t stray too far from the inherent signature that holds the details, and there are tube options to modify the tonality.

The Euforia MK I was used for this review, but there have since been a few revisions to the Euforia, with editions such as the Evo and Anniversary (both of which I have read on Head-Fi are the same internally). 

I think the Euforia is a lovely-looking amp that I could recommend to anyone, for both superb, almost ethereal quality sound, and for simply being beautiful. It has a very sleek, classic look that fits in any environment.

Product Links:

Feliks Audio website