[Solude]

Alright I got the WA22 and LF from CP.  First impressions... unplugged... the Woo definitely looks the part, its substantial, beautiful and just gives the impression of money well spent.  The LF... no.  It weighs nothing, the casing is just pitiful and frankly visually looks like a toy.  Sorry Alex but at the asking price the case has to be some inside joke.  I may just place something on the top to weight it down just to not hear the metal knocking.  There should have been at least 1 screw at each end to keep the plates from knocking.
 
Anyway, I'll give it a chance sonically before declare final judgement but combined with low feature set, brutal case work and its price tag... its going to have to demolish the others.
 
Been listening to the WA22 since I started to write this and its good.  First impressions, at what 10 minutes, is that its quite clean, has more bottom than the GS-1, maybe even more dynamics and laser focused imaging... very positive experience.  I'll swap over to the LF to replay the play list once its finished and report back.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Alright I got the WA22 and LF from CP.  First impressions... unplugged... the Woo definitely looks the part, its substantial, beautiful and just gives the impression of money well spent.  The LF... no.  It weighs nothing, the casing is just pitiful and frankly visually looks like a toy.  Sorry Alex but at the asking price the case has to be some inside joke.  I may just place something on the top to weight it down just to not hear the metal knocking.  There should have been at least 1 screw at each end to keep the plates from knocking.
 
Anyway, I'll give it a chance sonically before declare final judgement but combined with low feature set, brutal case work and its price tag... its going to have to demolish the others.
 
Been listening to the WA22 since I started to write this and its good.  First impressions, at what 10 minutes, is that its quite clean, has more bottom than the GS-1, maybe even more dynamics and laser focused imaging... very positive experience.  I'll swap over to the LF to replay the play list once its finished and report back.

 
I can attest the the visual beauty of the WA22! And it weighs a tonne (or 25lbs

)! But I like the LF's looks too. It does light up like a Christmas tree. Nice here in the dark, to have the tube glow back (and the added LEDs give it a festive look

). Quick question...what tubes are you using on the WA22?

 

[Solude]

The ones you gave me Probably butcher this but Syl 7236, EML 5ug4 and Shu cv181-z.

 

[Solude]

LF has quad of GL 6922.

 

[MorbidToaster]

I disagree on the LF's looks...I love the tube window and the fact it's light and small. It's a fantastic no nonsense amp.

Looks are the most subjective part though so I see where you're coming from. I wish the case were powder coated instead of painted but that's the only real complaint I have about it.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

The ones you gave me Probably butcher this but Syl 7236, EML 5ug4 and Shu cv181-z.

 
Those are my favourite tubes with the WA22 (and that's after 9 months of trying and rolling...and spending). The Gold Lions are more organic and "real" sounding than the JJs. So far, I'm very impressed with them and the LF.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

I disagree on the LF's looks...I love the tube window and the fact it's light and small. It's a fantastic no nonsense amp.
Looks are the most subjective part though so I see where you're coming from. I wish the case were powder coated instead of painted but that's the only real complaint I have about it.

 
I like the LF looks as well. But the WA22 is simply a thing of beauty in one's rack. And its built like a brick "you-know-what" house. Still the LF is impressive visually. Audibly is where I am really happy (and that's what counts).

 

[sachu]

Weight isn't really  a factor here..the WA22 is transformer coupled..so that's extra 12 pounds easy there for the two output transformers and their covers. 
 
THe LF also uses an R-Core which by design is smaller by mass and dimensions for the same power rating of a EI core or even a toroid transformer. Judging build quality by weight is a fallacy that has just been perpetrated by folks who know no better. 
 
Alex is too darn thorough in his work to put out anything for commercial use without having vetted every little issue to the end.
 
And the WA22 is like most tube amps..it exaggerates the look of the amp by having tubes sticking out..its more glamorous for amps and preamps which is why this look is so popular.
 
Alex's vision for the LF was  completely different from this traditional design route. 
 
It took me a while to get used to it too..after seeing the wonderful systems around this amp..its a breath of fresh air in a sleek decisive manner in the world of tube hybrid amps.  But hey..YMMV

 

[mwilson]

Well, the LF is no Edsel, at least.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Weight isn't really  a factor here..the WA22 is transformer coupled..so that's extra 12 pounds easy there for the two output transformers and their covers. 
 
THe LF also uses an R-Core which by design is smaller by mass and dimensions for the same power rating of a EI core or even a toroid transformer. Judging build quality by weight is a fallacy that has just been perpetrated by folks who know no better. 
 
Alex is too darn thorough in his work to put out anything for commercial use without having vetted every little issue to the end.
 
And the WA22 is like most tube amps..it exaggerates the look of the amp by having tubes sticking out..its more glamorous for amps and preamps which is why this look is so popular.
 
Alex's vision for the LF was  completely different from this traditional design route. 
 
It took me a while to get used to it too..after seeing the wonderful systems around this amp..its a breath of fresh air in a sleek decisive manner in the world of tube hybrid amps.  But hey..YMMV

 
I agree with your thoughts on the looks of the LF, but I do disagree with this statement:
 
"And the WA22 is like most tube amps"
 
IMO, its a beauty. Yes the tubes are out for everyone to see (also makes tube rolling easier), but the look of Woo amps are something unique IMO. Not sleek by any means, but it did look real purdy in my rack. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy with the LF in my rack as well.

 

[Solude]

I might just record myself playing the LF top plate.  How that got through QA I have no idea.  Two screws, that's all it would have taken or a strip of foam on one side to stop the rattle.  I realize its a headamp but if used in a full system, a good sub will make it musical
 
You may like seeing the tubes, I do as well, but I could do without the red led assault and rattling top plate, but hey maybe you like the added percussion
 
Sound wise I'm only 20 minutes in after an hour of warm up and its ok.  Resolution is average, attack is high and I can't quite explain it but it sounds to be projecting through a film if that makes sense.
 
To be fair though, my SPL metre battery died sometime between its last use and now so they are matched by ear, which is to say they aren't

 

[mwilson]

Are you referring to LCD-3 by any chance? 

 
In all seriousness though, average resolution, projecting through a film are attributes coming nowhere near my mind when describing the LF. Not by a far margin.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
  Resolution is average, attack is high and I can't quite explain it but it sounds to be projecting through a film if that makes sense.
 

 

[mwilson]

WA22 is a work of art. By far my favorite looking amp of all that I've owned. There's something about Woo's designs (not the newer stuff like the CDP, etc.) that have a timeless elegance to them. The LF? Meh, I was never a fan of the looks and the LEDs to begin with, but have learned to live with them on account of the sound it produces.
 
Quote:

 
I agree with your thoughts on the looks of the LF, but I do disagree with this statement:
 
"And the WA22 is like most tube amps"
 
IMO, its a beauty. Yes the tubes are out for everyone to see (also makes tube rolling easier), but the look of Woo amps are something unique IMO. Not sleek by any means, but it did look real purdy in my rack. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy with the LF in my rack as well.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

WA22 is a work of art. By far my favorite looking amp of all that I've owned. There's something about Woo's designs (not the newer stuff like the CDP, etc.) that have a timeless elegance to them. The LF? Meh, I was never a fan of the looks and the LEDs to begin with, but have learned to live with them on account of the sound it produces.
 

 
I'm very impressed with the sound with the GL's in right now. And they're brand new tubes...so its only gonna get better. I'll make some more critical listening after I get 100 or so hours on the tubes. Resolution, clarity, transparency, but yet musical. So few amps manage to straddle these values like the LF.

 

[MorbidToaster]

Now I want a WA22...I could see owning one along side the LF.