[Dr.J]

Hi,

I recently purchased a pair of K701's and can't get over the number of headphone amp choices out there, particularly tube amps.

Are there any, what would be considered ideal, tube amps for the K701's?

thanks,

John

 

[phaseshift]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.J /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi, I recently purchased a pair of K701's and can't get over the number of headphone amp choices out there, particularly tube amps. Are there any, what would be considered ideal, tube amps for the K701's? thanks, John

Hi, I just bought a WooAudio 6, and just love it with my K701's. It has plenty of clean power to drive them, and is built like a tank. The sound is superb. Jack the guy who builds them in New York is great to deal with. Can't go wrong for the money.

 

[sacd lover]

The Woo 6 already mentioned is a good choice. I use the Singlepwer Extreme and I am very pleased with this amp with the 701, as well as with the senn 580 595//600 and the Alessandro MS2.

 

[yrh0413]

what's your budget? You can take the cheaper route: LD2++, Darkvoice 336i. Slightly more expensive will be LD3+, Darkvoice 332. Nevertheless, the WA6 has been recommended by most Headfiers =)

 

[cotdt]

someone should do a shootout between all the K701 tube amps!

 

[arrowmark]

I listened to the Raptor with the K701 at the South FL Meet and thought they sounded excellent together.

 

[George Chronis]

I have the Woo6 and I am extremely satisfied with the K701, but I have not heard any other tube amps. I am about to try an Extreme, though, just to see what the difference is.

 

[Hi-Finthen]

The Mapletree / K-701s synergy is awesome (;-}

 

[Dr.J]

I just had a look at the Woo 6 and compared it to the Woo 3, which seems to have the 6 beat in every spec category, yet weighs 3 lbs less and is priced $100 lower; WHY?

Which of the two are better performers and why?

thanks,

John

 

[yrh0413]

http://www.wooaudio.com/products/ <- from their official webbie the WA6 retails at $570 whereas the WA3 and WA3+ is $470 and $495 respectively.

 

[Dr.J]

Correct,

and so my question is: why are almost all the specs for the cheaper Woo3, better or higher than the specs for the Woo6? Or, in other words, why is the lower performing amp more money than the better performing amp; or, am I missing something?

thanks,

John

 

[spacemanspliff]

After all I have read and experienced with AKG I can tell you this:

AKG NEEDS MORE POWER!!!!!

So get the Woo6 if it's stronger. I run the SQ-84 which nobody has but I will state that as a headphone amp it is killer. The bonus is that it's also a really clean speaker amp to boot.

Weighs 32 pounds and uses 4 6x6 and 2 6U8A tubes

http://www.questforsound.com/amps/amps_sq84.htm

 

[spacemanspliff]

check this thread about the Woo6

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=232034

 

[phaseshift]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.J /img/forum/go_quote.gif Correct, and so my question is: why are almost all the specs for the cheaper Woo3, better or higher than the specs for the Woo6? Or, in other words, why is the lower performing amp more money than the better performing amp; or, am I missing something? thanks, John

The Woo 6 adds output transformers to the amp which drives more current that the OTL design. The Woo 3 can't drive the K701's as loud as the Woo 6 before clipping sets in. There is an impedance switch on the back to match the amp to different headphone types. These are two different designs. The Woo 6 sound excellent as I'm sure the 3 does, but the 6 is a better match for the hard to drive K701's. Both are top quality products.

 

[Gradofan2]

Others can better answer your question from a technical standpoint... I just know what Wu indicated to me... that he developed the Woo 6 as a "transformer coupled" amp, rather than an OTL amp (as the Woo 3's), with the objective that it would better drive low impedence phones, which the original Woo 3 struggled to do. The original Woo 3 drives high impedence phones (Senns), exceptionally well, but not low impedence phones (Grados). Apparently, the Woo 6 drives both well.

The Woo 3+, eliminates the pre-amp circuit of the Woo 3, and modifies the output signal path to provide more current / power to the phones, presumably driving low impedence phones better, than the original Woo 3, while still excelling with high impedence phones.

I assume the "transformer coupled" design is more challenging to produce the same, or better specs, in a "value priced" package, than in an OTL design.

So... if you want to drive Grados well... you may want to get the Woo 6... while if you want to drive Senns well... you'll be fine with the Woo 3, or Woo 3+. And you might even be able to drive Grados fairly well with the Woo 3+. On the other hand, I doubt that the Woo 6 will drive Senns much better, if any, than the Woo 3's will.