[leftside]

I'd suggest the ECC31 or ECC32, but I don't think there is room in the WA5 (one of the reasons I don't own a WA5). Try the ECC33 or ECC35 instead.

 

[pippen99]

  Here is a question for Woo WA5-LE/WA5 owners.  I have a WA5-LE with EML 520B V3 for power, EML 5U4G for rectification, and Sylvania 6F8G Tubes with adapters for drivers and a Furutech Audiophile fuse installed.  The most noticeable short coming of my Woo is that the last little bit of treble and resolution.  When I use my Violectric V281, I can hear the nuanced details of my music.  Such as the brushes touching the snare drum or the air around instruments and voices.  There is a layer of resolution missing on the Woo.  I've certainly spent a pile of money on tubes.  Based on other owners experience, were there any other changes that I can make?

You might try the  WU4GB solid state rectifiers.  The biggest effect is to lower the noise floor to the point of non-existence but it might also accomplish what you are looking for.  I got mine from Ted Weber with shipping for only about $50.  A cheap experiment!  The website says only for guitar amplifiers but they work fine.  I eventually went back to the Sophia 274B as I found it made the WA5 a little too dry and clinical but I am keeping them as backup and for a different flavor.

 

[jhljhl]

  Here is a question for Woo WA5-LE/WA5 owners.  I have a WA5-LE with EML 520B V3 for power, EML 5U4G for rectification, and Sylvania 6F8G Tubes with adapters for drivers and a Furutech Audiophile fuse installed.  The most noticeable short coming of my Woo is that the last little bit of treble and resolution.  When I use my Violectric V281, I can hear the nuanced details of my music.  Such as the brushes touching the snare drum or the air around instruments and voices.  There is a layer of resolution missing on the Woo.  I've certainly spent a pile of money on tubes.  Based on other owners experience, were there any other changes that I can make?

It isn't a highly resolving amp. It is more euphonic than analytical.   But try ecc35 and tungsol 6sn7 vt-231- the sylvanias are not the best.

 

[musicman59]

  I'd suggest the ECC31 or ECC32, but I don't think there is room in the WA5 (one of the reasons I don't own a WA5). Try the ECC33 or ECC35 instead.

Yes, there is room I have tried the Mullard ECC32 in a WA5-LE. It tight but they fit.

 

[musicman59]

  Here is a question for Woo WA5-LE/WA5 owners.  I have a WA5-LE with EML 520B V3 for power, EML 5U4G for rectification, and Sylvania 6F8G Tubes with adapters for drivers and a Furutech Audiophile fuse installed.  The most noticeable short coming of my Woo is that the last little bit of treble and resolution.  When I use my Violectric V281, I can hear the nuanced details of my music.  Such as the brushes touching the snare drum or the air around instruments and voices.  There is a layer of resolution missing on the Woo.  I've certainly spent a pile of money on tubes.  Based on other owners experience, were there any other changes that I can make?

IMO your issue is the EML tubes. I used to have the EML 5U4G and the 300b Mesh. My personal opinion is that the EML sound is relaxed and warm. If that what you like then they are excellent tubes. If you want faster sound with more spark and detail I personally like the EAT 300b for that and the Brimar 5R4GY rectifiers.
I really like the sound of the 6F8G specially the ones with round plates and black glass but for the sound I think you are looking for you can try the Sylvania 6SN7WGT short bottle, brown base, chrome top. I have never try the Taks.

 

[jhljhl]

  IMO your issue is the EML tubes. I used to have the EML 5U4G and the 300b Mesh. My personal opinion is that the EML sound is relaxed and warm. If that what you like then they are excellent tubes. If you want faster sound with more spark and detail I personally like the EAT 300b for that and the Brimar 5R4GY rectifiers.
I really like the sound of the 6F8G specially the ones with round plates and black glass but for the sound I think you are looking for you can try the Sylvania 6SN7WGT short bottle, brown base, chrome top. I have never try the Taks.

It might also be your dac. The Auralic Vega is a more analytical dac but euphonic. I think the eml are more hifi sounding and chinese 300b to be more lush and warm.  Try also metal 5ar4 mullards.

 

[watchdog507]

 
It might also be your dac. The Auralic Vega is a more analytical dac but euphonic. I think the eml are more hifi sounding and chinese 300b to be more lush and warm.  Try also metal 5ar4 mullards.

I have the Mytek Brooklyn and if I didn't have a way to do a quick "A" to "B" between the V281 and the WA5-LE It would have been a possibility.  In this case the source is excellent.  It's the Amp that's affecting the output.  V281 is absolutely magic in detail. WA5-LE is good but just missing that last little resolution.  As for the EML Tubes, yes they are clean and analytical but what I'm hearing is good.  My suspicion is the driver tubes. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 WA5-LE is good but just missing that last little resolution.  

 

[watchdog507]

  IMO your issue is the EML tubes. I used to have the EML 5U4G and the 300b Mesh. My personal opinion is that the EML sound is relaxed and warm. If that what you like then they are excellent tubes. If you want faster sound with more spark and detail I personally like the EAT 300b for that and the Brimar 5R4GY rectifiers.
I really like the sound of the 6F8G specially the ones with round plates and black glass but for the sound I think you are looking for you can try the Sylvania 6SN7WGT short bottle, brown base, chrome top. I have never try the Taks.

I had a pair of Brimar 5Z4G from Langrex.  One of tubes was running noticeably hotter than the other and it's partner died after less than 3 months.  My guess is just bad tubes.  While they worked they gave me a very "wooly" bass and not a lot of gain in current.  I was able to dial back from 1:00 O'clock to 11:00 O'clock when i received the EML 5U4G's. The sound is relaxed and warm but the resolution is there just slightly out of reach.  My leaning is to the Driver tubes.  Maybe Tung Sol 6SN7 VT231?  I have a box of 6SN7's and I might start working through them this weekend. I also picked up a pair of new Black Treasure 50th Anniversary 300B's for a change of pace. We'll see if these changes make a difference.

 

[jhljhl]

  I had a pair of Brimar 5Z4G from Langrex.  One of tubes was running noticeably hotter than the other and it's partner died after less than 3 months.  My guess is just bad tubes.  While they worked they gave me a very "wooly" bass and not a lot of gain in current.  I was able to dial back from 1:00 O'clock to 11:00 O'clock when i received the EML 5U4G's. The sound is relaxed and warm but the resolution is there just slightly out of reach.  My leaning is to the Driver tubes.  Maybe Tung Sol 6SN7 VT231?  I have a box of 6SN7's and I might start working through them this weekend. I also picked up a pair of new Black Treasure 50th Anniversary 300B's for a change of pace. We'll see if these changes make a difference.

The Black Treasures are warm tubes that sound very euphonic.  They are a value now at partsconnexion.

 

[kyle1010]

Anybody ever clean the pins on their tubes? Does it make an audible difference? My Sylvania metal base 6SN7 pins could use some work. Any recommendations on what to use? Soft wire brush?

 

[phase0]

  Here is a question for Woo WA5-LE/WA5 owners.  I have a WA5-LE with EML 520B V3 for power, EML 5U4G for rectification, and Sylvania 6F8G Tubes with adapters for drivers and a Furutech Audiophile fuse installed.  The most noticeable short coming of my Woo is that the last little bit of treble and resolution.  When I use my Violectric V281, I can hear the nuanced details of my music.  Such as the brushes touching the snare drum or the air around instruments and voices.  There is a layer of resolution missing on the Woo.  I've certainly spent a pile of money on tubes.  Based on other owners experience, were there any other changes that I can make?

 
The best driver tubes IMO are the TungSol round plate 6F8G, next would be the National Union 6C8G (I tried 6F8G and one was noisy which is apparently something that happens with the NU 6F8G in the WA5). You could try ECC35 I have a pair of Mullards but I like the TSRP 6F8G just a little bit more and the last I looked at the cost of more ECC35 it looks much higher. The rest of the 6F8G didn't sound as good IMO. Finding a pair of TSRP would be worth the effort. With my setup I still think the V281 is slightly more detailed in some way but I spend more time on the WA5 as a preference. You could try the Weber WU4GB SS rectifiers, those are cheap and some people said they felt that performed better than that Taks but it's not a tube purist solution.

 

[phase0]

Anybody ever clean the pins on their tubes? Does it make an audible difference? My Sylvania metal base 6SN7 pins could use some work. Any recommendations on what to use? Soft wire brush?

 
Try DeOxit (amazon has it). You may find clean pins will produce some more dirt after that. I have had some noisy tubes from eBay either fixed 99+% or noise reduced from unacceptable to barely audible during silences. I think the consensus was to try and remove residues. I've had some luck with rubbing alcohol but it doesn't work as well as Deoxit.

 

[Contrails]

Sell the Wa5 and get a Glenn 300b/EC Studio instead? I think tubes only result in minor changes.

I get the same feeling when I listen to my WA22, that there's a Veil covering the finer details. I haven't heard a V281 but I did own a V200 once.

 

[leftside]

DeOxit does the job - just a little. Also be sure to give the pins a "rinse" with isopropyl alcohol afterwards to remove any junk. Apply with a cotton bud/swab.

 

[leftside]

Sell the Wa5 and get a Glenn 300b/EC Studio instead? I think tubes only result in minor changes.

I get the same feeling when I listen to my WA22, that there's a Veil covering the finer details. I haven't heard a V281 but I did own a V200 once.

I have a Glenn 300B arriving next week. I've typically found there are bigger differences with sources though - for example my DAC sounds very different to my turntable setup. The turntable setup is very warm and relaxed (but sometimes sounds a little dull on some tracks) whereas the DAC is very dynamic with a wider soundstage (but sometimes sounds a little metallic or bright on some tracks). I can run both at the same time through my preamp, so it makes for interesting comparisons. Some tracks I prefer on vinyl, others through the DAC.
 
I'll also be able to run both headphone amps at the same time through my preamp, and will just need to unplug the headphones from one amp and plug into the other to make comparisons. I find I need to make the comparisons as quickly as possible to give a fair assessment.
 
From the descriptions of the V281, it might sound a little dry with my DAC, but could be ideal with my turntable. I'm not a fan of the design and that large knob though.