PROJECT WA5+++: Power Up! Lets Rock and Roll!

[ghhf]

I am adding another enhancement to my WA5, this is a custom-made AC power cord in SCC wires same material as the DC cord for my WA5, I also cut a section SCC wire to by-pass the fuse socket, checked all wires in properly connection and no shorted circuit.
 
Got the WA5 internal fuse upgraded and by-pass the fuse in SCC power cord. Yeah! again, that makes a difference!
 
 
*** Warning: do not attempt if you are not sure what all these about ***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ghhf]

Got a sample CD ready for my WA5. I am going to load it with a pair of WE300B, WE274A & TSRP 6SN7GT to see how WA5 is performing with decent tubes

 

 

[Leotis]

Be careful.
After you hear it you won't be able to listen happily  to any of your other tube again.
I use Takatsuki 300B and TSRP 6SN7GT in my WA5 and now I have a bunch of other tubes going to waste.
BTW, what CD is that?
Any suggestion where I could find a copy?
Thanks,
Leo

 

[ghhf]

Be careful.
After you hear it you won't be able to listen happily  to any of your other tube again.
I use Takatsuki 300B and TSRP 6SN7GT in my WA5 and now I have a bunch of other tubes going to waste.
BTW, what CD is that?
Any suggestion where I could find a copy?
Thanks,
Leo

I am afraid that you are telling the truth, I got the WE300B pairs about 3 months ago before ordering WA5, and now even my WA5 open box for 3 weeks time, yet I still haven't loaded it on WA5 for a single trial session. I am aware of that and managed to explore everything on the base system before plug in the WE300B.

I got the CD from ebay, that is a sample album specifed for WE300B , definitely not a rare item, just have a search on ebay or google for something like "Western Electric 300B Vacuum Tube TEST DEMO CD ABC SHOWCASE".

 

[Leotis]

Thanks for CD tip.
Found a copy on eBay and snagged it!
I remember when I first got the WA5 I just played the stock tubes for a good while.
Wanted to break it in before I plugged in the good tubes.
Thought it sounded wonderful with stock tubes.
Now when I swap in the stock tubes it sounds lackluster.
Only tried that once.
Once was enough. :/

 

[ghhf]

  Thanks for CD tip.
Found a copy on eBay and snagged it!
I remember when I first got the WA5 I just played the stock tubes for a good while.
Wanted to break it in before I plugged in the good tubes.
Thought it sounded wonderful with stock tubes.
Now when I swap in the stock tubes it sounds lackluster.
Only tried that once.
Once was enough. :/

 
Yeap, totally agree!
 
By the time I complete this posting, already got more than 30 listening sessions over 80 hours operating time, I have to admit that my WA5 sounded impressive with the stock tube set (at least true for my copy). In fact, I found it, specifically the nature imaging presentation, better than my WA22 and WA6 SE loaded with decent tube sets like WE 421A/ GEC 6SA7G/ TS 5998, TSRP 6SN7 GT, WE 274B/ Marconi/ GEC 5U4G etc.

 

[ghhf]

Adding the Zendo RCA cable to arm my WA5 on input 3. I used to have the Zendo and a copper signal cable for WA22 and WA6 SE, and I prefer the result from the copper in most case. Nevertheless, the Zendo seems working better with the WA5, at least with current combo Hugo as DAC and HD800 headphone.

So my WA5 is now fully equipped with add-on enhancements (fuse ugrade, vibb eater mouse, SCC wired power cord and Zendo signal cable), see how well they are doing with the stock tube set, then next against the result when I roll it with a set of WE300B/ WE274A/ TSRP 6SN7GT.

I am trying to get a sense of the sonic effect and how it is changing progressly untill it reached the final configuration, will keep my impression posted.

 

[ghhf]

Managed to post back at WA5+++ First Impression, summary for my impression with the combo Hugo + WA5 (stock tubes) + HD800.

 

[phase0]

I am afraid that you are telling the truth, I got the WE300B pairs about 3 months ago before ordering WA5, and now even my WA5 open box for 3 weeks time, yet I still haven't loaded it on WA5 for a single trial session. I am aware of that and managed to explore everything on the base system before plug in the WE300B.

 

 
I'm impressed with your restraint. I'd have popped those babies in on day 2 if not sooner. I went a good 4 months on stock tubes with my WA5. 1) I didn't know it would make that huge of a difference switching tubes 2) all the tube jargon was confusing and I didn't know how to get started. It was a bit of a shock when I got over the nervousness and took the plunge. I've heard a few other high end setups and it makes me LOL when I hear the occasional criticism that the WA5 isn't very good. I think there's better values out there like the V281 gives great results for much less money and no tube fuss. But I still like the WA5 and out of the systems I've heard at canjam I don't think I've heard anything that made me think "Wow this is so much better, I really messed up buying a WA5".
 
Anyways enjoyed reading your experience and will be fun to see you impressions when you start trying other tubes.

 

[Leotis]

Herb Reichert reviewed the WA5 in a recent Stereophile. It was very positive of course,
but I kept thinking "Put in a set of great tubes and then tell me how it sounds."
It was like reviewing a race car with bald tires.

 

[ghhf]

   
I'm impressed with your restraint. I'd have popped those babies in on day 2 if not sooner. I went a good 4 months on stock tubes with my WA5. 1) I didn't know it would make that huge of a difference switching tubes 2) all the tube jargon was confusing and I didn't know how to get started. It was a bit of a shock when I got over the nervousness and took the plunge. I've heard a few other high end setups and it makes me LOL when I hear the occasional criticism that the WA5 isn't very good. I think there's better values out there like the V281 gives great results for much less money and no tube fuss. But I still like the WA5 and out of the systems I've heard at canjam I don't think I've heard anything that made me think "Wow this is so much better, I really messed up buying a WA5".
 
Anyways enjoyed reading your experience and will be fun to see you impressions when you start trying other tubes.

 
Thanks for the share and idea.
 
I would suggest choosing WA5 or anything serious at its class is presenting a matter of personal taste, I prefer a tube amp and am not likely go for a SS. Though I may not be impressive with all possible effect, I do love tube rolling and managed to discover something impressive from many various combination of tube sets is a process with great enjoyment.
 
I am about to start the tube rolling in next stage, and Yeap! full of excitement.

 

[ghhf]

  Herb Reichert reviewed the WA5 in a recent Stereophile. It was very positive of course,
but I kept thinking "Put in a set of great tubes and then tell me how it sounds."
It was like reviewing a race car with bald tires.

 
Yeap, I am going to experience how far in difference between the stock tubes and a decent tubes set, and if WA5 can prove itself be a race car!
 
For the review for WA5, I think you are referring to this article published at the end of 2016. The Measurements from the review article induced critiques and discussions in the Owner Unite thread. Though it was measured objectively by instruments, that is rather a tricky for reference only. I always prefer to trust my own human ears rather than instrument measurements!
 
You know, my ears (actually "my sense") is somewhat a sonic receiver with "unique-to-me distortion", and they probably could not "sense" sonic effect in that strictly linear ("simple perfection") like an instrument sampling! A "zero distortion" effect (would mean everything go through as is and nothing more) doesn't necessarily imply my impression (with "unique-to-me distortion").
 
My sense (yours too!) will be more beneficial to analyze composition of complex sonic effect and I would rather conclude that the key for anything impressive is specifically tune ("unique-to-me tune") - via tube upgrade/rolling, and any other trial and error means, to best match my personal taste (with "unique-to-me distortion"), that is the live and realized scenario - trust my own sense!

 

[phase0]

I ran into this post on the Schiit thread yesterday which I thought might be interesting in relation to your mention of measurements...
 

Regarding Measurements:
 
Paul McGowan, one the co-founders of PS Audio sends out a daily email with thoughts about audio design, often quite interesting. This morning he shared this little tidbit regarding distortion measurements in audio design:
 

  Here’s the thing about THD distortion. It mostly doesn’t matter. Even relatively high levels of THD are not recognized by the ear.
The impacts of what amp designers do to lower it are far more noticeable than the added harmonics themselves.
And loudspeakers make orders of magnitudes more THD than amplifiers.
Factoid: the next time you see higher levels of THD listed on an equipment spec be attracted rather than repulsed. Higher levels of measured THD often signal a better sounding design than the opposite. (Not because they are higher, but because the design is likely more musical).
Measurements that do matter are mostly not mentioned: TIM (Transient Intermodulation Distortion), slew rate, or open loop stability are examples.
One measurement often included, but not understood, does matter. IM. Intermodulation distortion is quite noticeable to the ear and is often the red-haired stepchild, mentioned but not angst over.

 

[ghhf]

Thanks for the quote, very interesting reading.

It looks like "Distortion" turned out to be an indicator for sonic quality, but I had an idea years ago that it has become a marketing trick.

You know, I LOL when someone, without a single trial, tells it has too much "Distortion", so it is not an option. "Distortion" is for instruments , impression is for audiophile, it doesn't make sense sending my sense to detect "Distortion" like instruments rather than for seeking impression and enjoyment.

I come up the rule of thumb for anything impressive is to trust my own sense with specifically unique-to-me tune, but that requires effort to explore and for development of sense for real unique-to-me impression (taste).

 

[ghhf]

Show Time! Tube Rolling for Impression!
 
Unboxing a match pairs WE300B & WE274A and TSRP & SYMB I collected 3 months ago before ordering my WA5.