jerico
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2010
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Well, my Christmas vacation with family was cut short by a blizzard forming on the east coast, so I found myself home a day early. The good news is that my new WA22 had been delivered in the meantime and was waiting for me. So, I wanted to post some initial photos and impressions!
I purchased this amp as part of a small bedroom system: a W4S DAC2 feeding the WA22 driving Beyer T1s. The T1s are single-ended, but I'm running balanced out of the DAC2 (Jack at Woo said that a balanced input was much more impactful than a balanced output with this amp, so I've yet to re-cable the T1s, and may not). Balanced interconnects are AudioQuest King Cobra, and I'm waiting on an AQ Carbon USB cable (using stock cable in the meantime). The amp and DAC are connected to a PS Audio Duet power conditioner, with PS Audio AC3 cables all around (including between the wall and the Duet).
There was an issue with the stock rectifier, so I'm using the Sophia Princess for now. The rest are stock tubes.
My source is a Mac feeding losses files stored on a NAS via Pure Music over USB. I use Pure Music in memory and hog modes. I use an Ethernet power line unit to connect to my network.
I plan to get a Mac Mini to use as a "full time" source here, feeding the DAC (so I can listen to music in the bedroom without having to lug a laptop around, or make room for it).
So far, with about 2 hours of play on the amp (closer to 10 on the DAC), the setup sounds awesome. It's very natural sounding, clear and concise with full - but not booming - bass. I want to say it sounds "laid back" but not in an overly warm, or mushy, sense - just that it presents music very well, clear and detailed but not sterile and not etched. It's very FUN to listen to.
More impressions to follow, but for now, here are some unboxing and initial setup photos!
I purchased this amp as part of a small bedroom system: a W4S DAC2 feeding the WA22 driving Beyer T1s. The T1s are single-ended, but I'm running balanced out of the DAC2 (Jack at Woo said that a balanced input was much more impactful than a balanced output with this amp, so I've yet to re-cable the T1s, and may not). Balanced interconnects are AudioQuest King Cobra, and I'm waiting on an AQ Carbon USB cable (using stock cable in the meantime). The amp and DAC are connected to a PS Audio Duet power conditioner, with PS Audio AC3 cables all around (including between the wall and the Duet).
There was an issue with the stock rectifier, so I'm using the Sophia Princess for now. The rest are stock tubes.
My source is a Mac feeding losses files stored on a NAS via Pure Music over USB. I use Pure Music in memory and hog modes. I use an Ethernet power line unit to connect to my network.
I plan to get a Mac Mini to use as a "full time" source here, feeding the DAC (so I can listen to music in the bedroom without having to lug a laptop around, or make room for it).
So far, with about 2 hours of play on the amp (closer to 10 on the DAC), the setup sounds awesome. It's very natural sounding, clear and concise with full - but not booming - bass. I want to say it sounds "laid back" but not in an overly warm, or mushy, sense - just that it presents music very well, clear and detailed but not sterile and not etched. It's very FUN to listen to.
More impressions to follow, but for now, here are some unboxing and initial setup photos!
