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W5000 Owners' Amp Registry - Page 4

post #46 of 182
1/1/07 at 5:37am
I had SennHD650, RS1, MS-Pro....and the (simple) modded W5000, the F5000, has more quality deep bass than all of them.

Here are Fitz's W5000 mods in detail: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=216676


Quote:
Originally Posted by GASTAN View Post
I tried W5000 with EAR Purist HD150 and Heed CanAmp (more power) but they sound really bass light. I can get some bass extension by pressing them hard against my ears, but that wont let me any more hands left to do some other things
I am coming from HD650 and RS1 and at this point I am "slightly" dissapointed.
Even K1000 from Heed has more bass to it

I tried inserting some pads, but it did not help, I am currently trying to burn them in (even I remember reports it did not do much difference)


--G
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post #47 of 182
1/1/07 at 5:50am
I love the w5000 with my Grace m902 - great soundstage, liquid sound.
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post #48 of 182
1/1/07 at 2:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GASTAN View Post
I tried W5000 with EAR Purist HD150 and Heed CanAmp (more power) but they sound really bass light. I can get some bass extension by pressing them hard against my ears, but that wont let me any more hands left to do some other things
I am coming from HD650 and RS1 and at this point I am "slightly" dissapointed.
Even K1000 from Heed has more bass to it

I tried inserting some pads, but it did not help, I am currently trying to burn them in (even I remember reports it did not do much difference)


--G
Like SK138 said, try the mods. If you're still unhappy with the amount of bass, I'll eat my left foot.
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post #49 of 182
1/1/07 at 4:25pm
i'm using a woo3 with tung sol 6bq7a tubes and a sony scd-595 -> dac1 as my source. i'm sure that i'm not doing these cans justice with this set up but it sounds pretty good so far. the woo3 seems to be powering them easily enough but again, i've not heard these cans with any other amps.
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post #50 of 182
1/1/07 at 7:16pm
Throwing in a few larger caps to back up the stock caps in the Woo 3 could lead to alittle better controll of the bass.
-greg
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post #51 of 182
1/1/07 at 10:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by phergus_25 View Post
Throwing in a few larger caps to back up the stock caps in the Woo 3 could lead to alittle better controll of the bass.
-greg
yeah, i've been meaning to mod my woo3 but have been a bit lazy about it. i'm still enjoying it stock though. maybe modding the woo3 will be one of my goals this year.
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post #52 of 182
1/1/07 at 11:45pm
I think the W5000 with the Earmax Pro (with EH tubes) is one of those magical pairings. This is what made me stop my headphone quest.
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post #53 of 182
1/1/07 at 11:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oski View Post
I think the W5000 with the Earmax Pro (with EH tubes) is one of those magical pairings. This is what made me stop my headphone quest.
have you tryed any NOS tubes? I obviously dont have any experiance with your combo, but EH tubes were pretty lack luster to me.
But im not trying to change it, im glad your happy with your setup.
-greg
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post #54 of 182
1/2/07 at 12:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by phergus_25 View Post
have you tryed any NOS tubes? I obviously dont have any experiance with your combo, but EH tubes were pretty lack luster to me.
But im not trying to change it, im glad your happy with your setup.
-greg
I wanted to stay with current production tubes. Previously I was using Amperex Bugle Boys and Telefunkens with my Cary preamp for my stereo system and was rather put off by the skyrocketing tube prices and hoarding taking place. It didn't help that the preamp ate tubes also. It got to the point where I was concious of the fact the equipment was on and that the tube was burning out...of course that's no way to enjoy music, so I got rid of the preamp.

When I went back to tubes for the benefit of my headphone rig, I had two requirements (1) it had to sound good with current production tubes and (2) it had to be quiet. The EMP fulfills both of these requirements for me. It is shockingly quiet, a darkness like good SS amps. Also I tried the gamut of JJ, Sovtek, and EH tubes. What I like about the EH is actually opposite of your findings, at least with the EMP and with the 6922. There are a couple of threads where EMP owners were weighing in on tube recommendations:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=136633

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=139217

Here's also my original review of the tubes I tried with the EMP:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Oski View Post
Okay, been tuberolling over the weekend and tonight. Here are my impressions of the tubes I have on hand with the EMP:

Telefunken E88CC and ECC81 while is very transparent and clean is also lean and analytical, I prefer my music to be a bit more fleshed out, palpable, and better textured.

The Electro-Harmonix 6922/12AT7 combo renders a beautiful picture that is holographic, transparent, and detailed. The sense of dimensionality is what I really like about these tubes, but it almost seems artificially euphonic. The best thing about them is the price $23 a matched pair! I just put in an order for the gold pin version and will see if they are even better.

The JJ E88CC/ECC81 combo has a nice tonality, but it isn’t as resolving, layered, dimensional or extended as the EH , but in a way they are more polite, musical, natural, and laid back.

I just got some Mullard CV4024 (12AT7) today and had them in the center position with EH 6922 on the outside. The Mullard gives a more tubey character, where it offers a softer and intimate presentation. With all EH tubes in, it’s a big sound that is very clean, detailed, and a bit more etched. However, with the Mullard in the mix, it provides the necessary bloom to make it sound just a bit more organic and mellower, with a lusher midrange. It’s seductive and enchanting with acoustical music, but with bass heavy material, it tends to be just a tad flubbier. But to me this is the most pleasing of the combinations so far.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oski View Post
Been using the DT 880s tonight and decided to go back to the full complement of EH tubes (6922 EH/12AT7), wow…this setup is just extremely dynamic. Notes are darting all around my head and flying in the very 3 dimensional space these tubes create. The texture is also just fantastic, but I can’t get over how great these inexpensive tubes sound…it is just so vivid and fun. This is what brought me back to tube equipment actually, the availability of current production tubes that can be had on the cheap. The spiraling NOS tube prices took the fun out of music enjoyment. That’s it, I’m going to get a new tube preamp for my stereo system too in January which will also use 6DJ8/6922 tubes so I can roll tubes between the two units.
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post #55 of 182
1/2/07 at 12:26am
Obiously im dealing with 12ax7s and a diff amp path.
And you haev obviously done the testing. Its great that you found what you like, and the fact that its $10 a tube is nice.
I just though i would suggest some NOS tubes if you hadent tryed them.
-greg
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post #56 of 182
1/2/07 at 12:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by phergus_25 View Post
Obiously im dealing with 12ax7s and a diff amp path.
And you haev obviously done the testing. Its great that you found what you like, and the fact that its $10 a tube is nice.
I just though i would suggest some NOS tubes if you hadent tryed them.
-greg
Thanks Greg, but any tinkering with the setup right now may just be the catalyst for a bout of upgraditis and the inevitable avalanche of changes...like the fluttering of a butterfly causing a hurricane on the other side of the world.

Good luck with yor pending W5000 purchase. You'll find it an amazing headphone with your tube amp. It's probably not surprising to see that the registry is filled with tube amps for these phones. Tubes will lend the warmth and body to fill out the W5000 while taking off some of the edge that people perceive with the W5K when used with some SS gear.
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post #57 of 182
1/2/07 at 12:41am
Thread Starter 
Ah, nice to see two of my favorite head-fiers here, fureshi and Oski.

Thanks to Oski for the detailed info about EarMax Pro.

And no thanks to fureshi for the lower-case formatting; instead of a cut-and-paste I actually had to type his entry in the list. I see that not modding the Woo3 is not the only thing you're lazy about, hhrrrrmmmph!
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post #58 of 182
1/2/07 at 12:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oski View Post
Thanks Greg, but any tinkering with the setup right now may just be the catalyst for a bout of upgraditis and the inevitable avalanche of changes...like the fluttering of a butterfly causing a hurricane on the other side of the world.

Good luck with yor pending W5000 purchase. You'll find it an amazing headphone with your tube amp. It's probably not surprising to see that the registry is filled with tube amps for these phones. Tubes will lend the warmth and body to fill out the W5000 while taking off some of the edge that people perceive with the W5K when used with some SS gear.
I'v actually heard Fitz's pair, pre mod and post mod, on my amp and I am extremely happy to be recieving my pair before the end of the week.
-greg

EDIT: they will be here tommrow
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post #59 of 182
1/2/07 at 1:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elephas View Post
Ah, nice to see two of my favorite head-fiers here, fureshi and Oski.
Good to see you still championing the W5K love! I was actually just in Taiwan for Thanksgiving. I'll likely be back again at the end of next year...maybe we should get a mini meet together at that awesome audio shop you've been posting pictures of. So what headphone related purchases do have in your sights, or are you also pretty much happy with your rather substantial collection already? Have a great new year!

Quote:
Originally Posted by phergus_25 View Post
EDIT: they will be here tommrow
That's awesome, what a great way to start the year! By the way, do you prefer the W5K modded or stock?
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post #60 of 182
1/2/07 at 1:04pm
Thread Starter 
Oski, I've been stuck with the current collection for some time. The W5000+HA5000 combo will probably remain my favorite, but the AD2000 and L3000 shares the rotating top spot with the W5000 in a headphone game of musical chairs.

The wide variety of amps in the list was a bit surprising to me. I think this is a testament to the variety and quality of amps available in the current market. I do wonder, if all of us got together in a meet, if the list would stay the same.
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