Woo Audio Amp Owner Unite
Aug 22, 2014 at 4:46 PM Post #30,766 of 42,285
  Are there any difference by using the k1000 output or high gain output driving the hd800?
Although i just have a new wa5-le, but i am quite interested in this question.
The wa5-le sounds good on the hd800 after changing tubes, fuse and cabes.. maybe will get a max wa5 next year..


HD800 is better driven from the high gain SE socket - I plug it into the K1000 output to experiment, but it probably isn't a good idea.
 
The K1000 socket is ideal for the HE6. From what I understand, the only differences between the WA5 and WA5LE are the K1000 socket and the speaker outs. If you don't want to drive speakers, or a HE6, there is probably no need to go from the WA5LE to the WA5. Others on the forum will know more about this than I do.
 
Aug 22, 2014 at 9:27 PM Post #30,767 of 42,285
I'm about to upgrade to the SERP 300Bs from the SEP 300Bs. I might have to stop there - swapping out high end 300B tubes does horrible things to my budget :confused_face:


I think you will find a substantial improvement there. I find the RPs very good in many areas, bass, soundstage, lush 300b midrange, etc. It's just that once you compare it with the AVVT, you will know that the RP is noticeably coloured and that something doesn't really sound right. I never felt that way with the RP until I had the AVVT.
 
Aug 22, 2014 at 9:31 PM Post #30,768 of 42,285
Your AVVT's getting Woo'ed...throw up some pix, please. 
ksc75smile.gif

 
Aug 22, 2014 at 11:04 PM Post #30,771 of 42,285
This WA22 is dangerous. Anyone who said tube amps are muddy only listened to crappy tube amps. This guy ruthlessly exposes bad recordings, like a medieval torturer rooting out heresy. I wouldn't have it any other way!
 
Aug 23, 2014 at 1:18 AM Post #30,772 of 42,285
"It's just that once you compare it with the AVVT, you will know that the RP is noticeably coloured and that something doesn't really sound right. I never felt that way with the RP until I had the AVVT."

G"Day lojay
 
I see in your sig that you refer to your AVVT's as AV32B's.  Being no expert on AVVT's is this a  different tube to their 32B-SL?
 
Cheers - Peter
 
Aug 23, 2014 at 1:43 AM Post #30,773 of 42,285
  G"Day lojay
 
I see in your sig that you refer to your AVVT's as AV32B's.  Being no expert on AVVT's is this a  different tube to their 32B-SL?
 
Cheers - Peter

 
  Your AVVT's getting Woo'ed...throw up some pix, please. 
ksc75smile.gif

 
Yes the AV32B-SL. A picture is worth more than a thousand words:

 
Aug 23, 2014 at 2:04 AM Post #30,775 of 42,285
The tubes you are talking about are the ones I have, and are officially called the AVVT AV 32B-SL (Super Linear). See http://www.elektronenroehren.de/avvt/datashts/av32b.htm
 
Aug 23, 2014 at 2:37 AM Post #30,776 of 42,285
I've also tried the he-6 with the official hifiman amp In a locol audio shop yesterday, and I found it is so FUN and I like it!
Although I like it's sound signature,I don't think the amp has drove it well. I always want to find a fun headphone to opposite the neutral hd800.
How's the he6 compair with hd800 in terms of sound stage, image and young female vocal on wa5 and wa5le?
 
Aug 23, 2014 at 3:21 AM Post #30,777 of 42,285
I've also tried the he-6 with the official hifiman amp In a locol audio shop yesterday, and I found it is so FUN and I like it!
Although I like it's sound signature,I don't think the amp has drove it well. I always want to find a fun headphone to opposite the neutral hd800.
How's the he6 compair with hd800 in terms of sound stage, image and young female vocal on wa5 and wa5le?

 
I see that you have the WA5-LE. The HE-6 is not going to be properly driven by that amp. You need the WA5 proper and use the K1K output to realise its potential. 
 
Assuming you get your hands on a WA5 (preferably) with the best NOS tubes, my views as follows might have some relevance to you:
 
1. I never enjoyed HD800 on the WA5 with vocals unless the recording is top notch, like Cassandra Wilson's New Moon Daughter and Melody Gardot's One Only Thrill. I think you need to mod it / change the cables to make it tolerable with most non-hifi grade female vocals (and some hifi vocals!). But tolerable is not good enough when so much money is invested. So IMHO, vocals are much better on the HE6 + WA5 than the HD800 + WA5 on most music, especially non-hifi recording music. No contest here.
 
2. The soundstage of HD800 is more impressive than the HE6. But the HE6 when modded with the grill mod and the Vegan pads has a wide soundstage, albeit not as wide as the HD800, it images very precisely and is good enough. In fact I think it does better than the SR-009 on the WA5 in this regard.
 
3. The HE-6 is the fun headphone. The most impressive thing about the HE6 is its dynamic speaker like impact and natural tonality with vocals and instruments. And it has more impactful bass compared to the HD800 though when properly driven the HD800's bass is very good too.
 
4. The Hifiman amp you tried (I think the EF-6, which I've tried at probably the same local hifi store you have) is a class, if not a few classes, below the WA5. The only thing it does better than the WA5 is the bass quantity, as expected, I suppose that's because it is a SS amp and not a tube amp. WA5 does everything better, a lot better.
 
5. I used to hold the view that the HD800 can make 1% of the music collection I have (I have a very wide ranging eclectic one) sing beautifully, while the HE6 can make 90% of my music sound very nice but not as good as the HD800 at its best. I have reconsidered this view after modding the HE6 and think that HE6 is the better headphone overall, and can make much of my music sound magical. Your mileage may vary of course. I suppose if you listen to a lot of orchestral classical music where the soundstage improves the experience significantly, the HD800 is preferable. But if that be the case, WA5 may not be the best amp for you because its soundstage is more restricted driving the HD800 than some other amps I've heard such as the Rudistor 030B and what others say about Eddie Current BA/ 4-45.
 
Aug 23, 2014 at 3:45 AM Post #30,778 of 42,285
Thx for your help.
 
I love Symphony, guitar, piano,violin and original sound tracks which the hd800 sounds great on them.
But when i switch to some extremely bad recorded anime music, the hd800 sounds sucks.
 
I really want to get a headphone which can let me to listen those bad,bad recordings, especially not harsh to recording of female vocal's peak.
But do the he6 needs a different combination of  sources, tubes and cables compare with the hd800?
 
The wa5 max is quite expensive, but its sound quality compare with a standard one?
Will I benefit more if i ask for better internal wiring, resistors and sockets?
I bought the standard wa5-le mainly because I can save some bucks for cables and tubes.
 
Aug 23, 2014 at 4:57 AM Post #30,779 of 42,285
.... I have reconsidered this view after modding the HE6 and think that HE6 is the better headphone overall, and can make much of my music sound magical...

 
+1. My HD800 gets very little use on the WA5 vs my modded HE6. Remove the grills, install the fuzzor, add some vegan Audeze pads and enjoy
tongue_smile.gif

 
Aug 23, 2014 at 5:16 AM Post #30,780 of 42,285
  Thx for your help.
 
I love Symphony, guitar, piano,violin and original sound tracks which the hd800 sounds great on them.
But when i switch to some extremely bad recorded anime music, the hd800 sounds sucks.
 
I really want to get a headphone which can let me to listen those bad,bad recordings, especially not harsh to recording of female vocal's peak.
But do the he6 needs a different combination of  sources, tubes and cables compare with the hd800?
 
The wa5 max is quite expensive, but its sound quality compare with a standard one?
Will I benefit more if i ask for better internal wiring, resistors and sockets?
I bought the standard wa5-le mainly because I can save some bucks for cables and tubes.

 
I use the standard WA5. It sounds spectacular. Saving money to buy tubes is the way to go. But the point is you need speaker and K1K output capability, ie you need to buy the WA5 (standard). It is not the same thing as WA5 max (which my understanding is it includes cap and other internal upgrades).
 
The HE6 is slightly bright but it is more forgiving of bad recordings. It will benefit from inexpensive mods. The Audeze Vegan Pads will darken the sound and the removal of the grills and cotton is for free! Have not tried the Fuzor mod yet. The cable that comes with stock is copper, which also makes the HE6 more forgiving. Avoid silver cables if you want to use the HE-6 to listen to bad recordings.
 

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