Feliks Audio Interview with Lukasz Feliks

Returning to Munich as excited as ever, Feliks Audio introduced their latest advancements in tube amplification. This year, they presented the Envy 25th Anniversary edition, a premium headphone amplifier limited to just 25 units, and their first electrostatic amplifier prototype. Join us as we discover more about Feliks Audio’s innovative journey and upcoming plans for 2024.

It was great to have you back in Munich this year. What new stuff did you bring to the show?

Lukasz: We are delighted to continue to share with audio enthusiasts around the world our latest developments in tube amplification. This year we had two very special projects to share. First, the unique Envy 25th Anniversary – our best headphone amplifier ever designed, that despite having an exclusive coverage of only 25 units worldwide, has already made some noise within the enthusiasts’ community. The “mystery” showing was an advanced prototype of our very first electrostatic amplifier.

What is the concept behind the Envy 25th Anniversary? What’s different about this version? 

Lukasz: Envy has been a market leading premium tube headphone amplifier for a while. It’s an incredible product, and we still get asked by customers “can you make it better?”. It is never easy chasing these last percentages of something that’s already a top performer, so it took us some time to really understand where we would be able to make the good even better. 

By then, we also began thinking of how we could celebrate 25 years of Feliks Audio, and that gave us the idea to create a truly exceptional amplifier, that would excel in both sound performance and aesthetics. As we limited the production to just 25 units, we had more liberty on applying some expensive solutions that would not make sense in a regular production model. The main upgrades include custom-made amorphous core output transformers, a different power transformer, Elrog 300B Feliks-branded power tubes and various other upgrades – all carefully chosen to get the desired synergy effect. And, of course, it comes in a stunning black piano finish. 

You talked about a mystery reveal at Munich. Can you share any details about it? 

Lukasz: Yes, we have been working for over 3 years on various prototypes of a fully tube electrostatic amplifier. We decided to use our favorite 300B as the power tube and ensure it works with all (old and new) electrostatic headphones available on the market. We will have a working prototype at our booth that will be open to customer auditions, and we are looking forward to their feedback. Of course, the prototype has no proper chassis, but you can count on us to make it just as stunning as the rest of our line-up. 

How would you describe the sound signature of this new amp? 

Lukasz: We aimed for good bass reproduction, which is often a challenge in electrostatic setups. At the same time, we wanted to ensure the highs and resolution remain top notch, as expected from such a device. The overall signature is neutral, like most of our amplifiers, and we are very happy with the results. We’re excited to know what people think about it. To me, this amp offers a unique experience, especially with headphones like Stax SR-X9000. It creates a setup that makes music surround you, like a magic dust, light, yet powerful.