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Woo Audio WA2 vs RSA The Raptor

post #1 of 25
7/8/09 at 1:01pm
Thread Starter 
Woo Audio WA2 vs RSA The Raptor, which one better?

I am planning to get a tube based headphone amp with the budget of USD 1k+- but finding it hard to make a decision, or is there a better one out there? Suggestions and recommendation is desperately needed ...

Will be using my ipod with WAV/AIFF songs as the main source. Currently owning W3, IE8, Ultrasone HFI 2000, AKG 702 and Sennheiser HD 650.
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post #2 of 25
7/8/09 at 1:26pm
I much preferred the WA2 maxxed over the Raptor when I auditioned them at Canjam.

The WA2 had a much more wide open soundstage while the Raptor sounded pretty solid state like.
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post #3 of 25
7/8/09 at 1:36pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by moonboy403 View Post
I much preferred the WA2 maxxed over the Raptor when I auditioned them at Canjam.

The WA2 had a much more wide open soundstage while the Raptor sounded pretty solid state like.
The worst thing, I wish I could audition few before I actually buy one, but that's is not possible in the country I'm living in right now
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post #4 of 25
7/8/09 at 1:55pm
I have used Raptor for two years, and roll so much tubes.
I don't think it absolutely belongs to SS sound. It depends on your headphone, and I like it to pair with my HD650/.
I planned to buy WA2 Maxxed to pair with Grado's headphone.
In this case, my situation is different to you.
But I can tell you about hd650.
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post #5 of 25
7/8/09 at 4:03pm
I've listened both amps with HD650 briefly. WA2 has much better soundstage, airy... much better overall... I'm planning to get a WA2 Maxxed later this year.
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post #6 of 25
7/9/09 at 4:42am
Thread Starter 
Does Maxxed means taking every addition things Woo has got to offer within WA2? Which bring the price close to USD2k ...

If so how if I were to compare a default WA2 with The Raptor?
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post #7 of 25
7/9/09 at 4:51am
The maxxed at Canjam only had premium parts upgrade I believe and cost around $1400. You can then find the tubes you want on ebay for cheap.
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post #8 of 25
7/9/09 at 5:03am
Don't know much about WA2, but I just switch from the RSA Raptor to WA6SE and never regret.

I think OutdoorXPlorer another Malaysian head-fier still have both WA6SE and RSA Raptor. You may PM him to try them out. Then you will get idea how you like the sound of RSA and Woo.
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post #9 of 25
7/9/09 at 5:07am
The WA6SE and WA2 sound nothing like each other.
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post #10 of 25
7/9/09 at 6:22am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by WittyzTH View Post
Don't know much about WA2, but I just switch from the RSA Raptor to WA6SE and never regret.

I think OutdoorXPlorer another Malaysian head-fier still have both WA6SE and RSA Raptor. You may PM him to try them out. Then you will get idea how you like the sound of RSA and Woo.
Thanks for the info, will contact him to find out more.
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post #11 of 25
7/9/09 at 6:27am
Thread Starter 
The bigger "soundstage" thingy being mentioned few times here actually kinda get into me. Many here pointed out headphone soundstage can never reach the level of loudspeaker, which I totally agreed but to certain extend; in the case of IE8 vs W3, IE8 indeed has the bigger soundstage compare to W3, where W3 shine when listening to jazz/classical music especially on how the instruments are being layered by the W3's drivers.

Ms.Soundstage, I love you more than anything else!
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post #12 of 25
7/9/09 at 7:00am
YGPM
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post #13 of 25
7/9/09 at 9:49am
ohh.. hope things works well.
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post #14 of 25
7/9/09 at 6:05pm
Owning a maxxed WA2 and a HD650, I can tell it definitely lacks dynamics (that's why I've just ordered a grado) but couldn't tell if it's because of the amp or the inner nature of the can. I don't have much experience but hardly believe going from one amp to another (in this price range) could make such a difference.
I never listened to a raptor so I can't help on that.
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post #15 of 25
7/9/09 at 6:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LeMat View Post
Owning a maxxed WA2 and a HD650, I can tell it definitely lacks dynamics (that's why I've just ordered a grado) but couldn't tell if it's because of the amp or the inner nature of the can. I don't have much experience but hardly believe going from one amp to another (in this price range) could make such a difference.
I never listened to a raptor so I can't help on that.
You certainly can if you go balanced with the HD650 with the Phoenix. I only have impression of the HD650 SE driven by RSA HR-2 and driven balanced by Phoenix.

In short, I hated the HD650 when driven by HR-2, but love it when it's driven by Phoenix. Whether it's due to improvement of the amp or benefits from balanced, or a combination of both? I don't really care. All I know is that the HD650 is a different headphone now.
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