WA22 let's roll some tubes (Done Mod, Burnning-in)

For those of you own WA22 now. What tubes have you been rolling? Too busy to listen your Amp or too lazy to post?

All listening is done with only HD650 with Stefan AudioArt and Cardas Balanced cable .

Round 1
Russian 6AS7G, Sylvania 6SN7WGTA brown base, Mullard 5AS4
This is not very good start. I could tell the high is congested, mid is sweet and too creammy. there is big mid bass hump mix with lower mid. lower bass has good impact. there is some fuzz around the edge of the sound. Hump at left channel in and out sometimes. HD650 sound darker than It was.

Round 2
Russian 6AS7G 2nd Tested pair, Brimar 6SN7GT tall black glass ($250 a pair), Mullard 5AS4
Change out Sylvania was good idea for 2nd though. Brimar clean and opened up sound little bit while have the tube sweetness. bass get tighter and deeper with more info in there.

round 3
changed out Mullard 5AS4 to Amperex GZ34 Holland
This is 1st major change to sound, it took away all the slowness and extra fat of amp. no more hump. Not super black background but black enough even at 1:00 in the morning. Nice pair with HD650. I guess the problem I had was 5AS4, which was to creammy.

Round 4
2 Pair of GEC 6AS7G arrived, Brown base with round sidewall (both pair for $300)
Compare with Russian tubes, well there is nothing to compare. GEC bettered in every way, but the change was not as big as GZ34 swap. I would say there is one star better out of 5 star rating system for GEC 6AS7G.

Round 5
I ordered a pair of 6F8G/VT-99 adapters from ebay, a guy name Glenn. pictures is in the thread " Got my paws on WA22". They are very well made for the price at $40/pair. and you can chose cable color too. For those of you remember SiglePower Audio was charging people over $100 for adapters?
Now pair of Raytheon in place of 6SN7. Turn on the amp let it warmed up for 5 min. Put on Headphone...... Holy crap! I jump out the chair. My amp is burnning!


























No just kidding. The amp sounds so expansive with ton of air on top, while still tube sweet. the mid is very clear and engaging, soundfile has enlarge with all 3 dimensions The bass is very clean and powerful, when low bass note kicks in you feel your heart is pumping faster. Compare to 6F8G's Brimar are very tubey maybe good to pair with HD800 or something bright. then I put Sylvania 6SN7WGTA back in just to make sure, Sylvania just don't have the "impact" to music like 6F8G do.

Round 6
Got 6CG7/6FQ7 adapter fro same guy. pair of Amperex 6CG7/6FQ7 made in US by Philips. They look like very tall 12AU7, Very quick to warm up.
6CG7 sound even Little more open than 6F8G, very deep impactfull bass. At this time my Zu Varial cable sound little harsh on the top so I swap the cable to ELF Gold (gold plated copper) that made sound more life like again. Note: ELF is not slow and boring by any mean, they have no shielding. 6CG7 are most soild state sounding so far, as well as in speed, detail and impact. It is very strange about them, as they don't have the body like Brimar, but the bass weight much more, kicks harder and faster than Brimar. 6F8G have mixture of both type. To my tast I would not use 6CG7 with silver cable as they may sound bright. But very good match with HD650.

For those of you still pay big bucks for 6SN7 type, it is the time to move on.

I would like to try 12AU7 , 274B, and 5U4G soon.
 
 
 
Update as 1/13/2017, I don't believe this thread is still going after 8 years. I sold my WA22 and moved on to better amps and headphones. I did have fun with my WA22 that taught me many things in my audiophile life and I am still benefited from the knowledge I gained. My WA22 quickly got very expensive with all the tubes, but SQ wise, the investment to performance ratio was very very poor with WA22. Now, I am enjoying an ALO Audio continental dual mono amp with Mullard tubes much better than my maxed out WA22 at 1/3 of the total price. So, time to move on guys, there are many fishes in the sea......

The Raytheons sure seem like something I'd like to try once it comes time to start tube rolling. I definitely can't wait to hear your impressions on the 5U4G.

Now I debating between NOS Mullard or EML 5U4G

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/eml...s-wa22-456533/

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Have you tried the Sophia Princess Mesh Plate 274B rectifier.

I have been rolling the EML 274B mesh and solid plate, In my 6SE maxxed.

It is starting to seem to me that the Princess is the best choice.

ss

Thanks for the impressions, Seamaster. I can't add anything as my WA22 won't be with me for a week or so, but I'd sure be interested in your impressions of the EML 5U4G mesh as that's what I've ordered with mine .

Im using the Sophia Princess Mesh 274B Rectifier, Shuguang Treasure CV181-Z x2 (from Woo), and 2x GEC 6AS7 round brown base for power. I've never enjoyed a dynamic amp as much. Better than my balanced SP Supra and Jade by far, the only amp keeping me with dynamics We'll see if that changes whenever i get my KGBH SE

I do want to try a GZ34 metal plate and 7236 in power one of these days though. But so far I haven't had much motivation to move away from the current tube choice

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Yes , I do remember your recomendation. thanks. But WA22 is designed to use 5U4G as Woo 6 is using 274B in mind. As jack said he like 5U4G better WITH wa22. I try to get a NOS 5U4G 1st, try to avoid sepnt $219 for EML mesh.

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GZ34 metal plate is so expensive and not much better than UK or Holland made tubes.

Sorry Shuguang Treasure CV181 is not worthy their pirce, since a real pair Brimar or Mulldard only $100 more.

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I am very happy with the 6F8G and 6CG7. They are very cheap. When you buy 6CG7, make sure get shield tpye unless they are Amperex or Philips both made in US , as unshield tubes are cheapper type of same kind.

I ordered EML 5U4G mesh plate. I will report back.

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Fantastic

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any update to this?

Yes good point! I have mine now as well, but I haven't even tried the stock tube yet, so unable to make a comparison at the moment. I'd be interested to hear your opinion on the EML 5U4G mesh, Seamaster.

I will as soon as I get home today.
So far I have tried GZ34, 5As4, EML 5U4G mesh, and 53KU

How long does it take to get home?

I was reviewing 2 tubes but fall in sleep in the chair with headphone on and Maker's Mark on ice in my hand. Tried next day I did same thing! Shoot. I enjoy the music so much now, and it is very hard to do it right.