[atbglenn]

Same issue here with GE Fat Bottle 6EW7's I have. the pins are shorter than my Sylvania's, and fit too loosely due to the screw tips. I haven't done anything about it yet.

 

[takezo]

filing without taking the screws out may cause more of a mess than
you'd want... if possible, take the screws out one at a time, if
you don't want things falling apart on you, and cut the ends with
a cutting plier and screw it back on... continuing until you've gone
thru all four screws. if you don't want to go thru the hassle, just
use a diagonal cutting plier and go snip the protuding ends from
the top side. the cut piece may jump into the chassis, so take
care to remove it once done. good luck.

 

[jamato8]

Actually I thought of something that I would do if not so busy. I would mount the sockets on the top side of the inner plate. Then you could any tube, fat or narrow even with the early model 6 non SE.

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gradofan2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Finally, got to try the RCA Fat Bottle 6FD7 tubes in my SE Maxed with my Philco 5U4GB, at the moment. My first impressions are consistent with what some of you have reported... they seem to be a bit of a cross between the 6DE7s and 6EW7s - with exceptional bass and treble extension, and pretty good PRAT and impact, though not to the extent of the 6DE7s (especially the Tung Sols). They seem to have a bit greater detail and texture, expecially in the bass. The mids are a bit less prominent and rich, and the upper mids and highs seem a bit more emphasized relative to the lower mids. The soundstage is far more airy with greater ambience than the 6DE7s, more like the 6EW7s, but even greater - almost to the extent of being too emphasized, and almost artificial like the reverb, and ambience produced by a sound processor. This may be fine for classical music in halls, and larger venues... but... it may be a bit excessive for more intimate venues like jazz clubs, etc. I think I prefer the richer, bolder sounds of the Tung Sol 6DE7s and similar tubes, for jazz clubs, R&B, and intimate vocals. But... if you like a big, open, airy, more diffuse sound, you'll like the RCA 6FD7s. Of course, as previously noted, they have about 10-15% more "practical gain" (9 O'clock vs 10-11 O'clock for the same volume), though their MU is much greater... but... don't seem to have a any noticeable noise at reasonable volume levels. I still think I prefer the 6DE7s for the music I listen to most - to the 6FD7s, or 6EW7s, which both seem to be much more airy and diffuse. But... we'll see...

The 6FD7s do grow on you... after a while of listening to them.

 

[auee]

Gentleman, I am undecided between the Woo 6 and the Woo 6SE because of the various modifications. From my reading, there does not appear to be any disagreement that whichever version is selected the Sophia Princess Mesh Plate 274B rectifier is a must addition. The rest is very confusing to me as I am rebuilding a system and my discretionary funds must be used very efficiently.

I cannot tell from the post which of the other modifications are considered almost necessary to get the most from the amps. Particularly, I have not seen opinions about the improvement made by adding the DACT CT2 stepped attenuator.

The bottom line is if I order the Woo 6 which of the mods will bring about the most improvement? Which will bring it to or near the performance of the 6SE or is this not possible? Should I order the 6SE with no mods but the Sophia tube and have it modded later, when funds permit? I am just seeking to start off on the best possible foot. Thanks as always for your assistance.

 

[Orcin]

My approach would be:

Funds available < $1000 = buy the WA6 plus Sophia plus PDPS mod (approx $850-900)

Funds available > $1000 = buy the WA6SE (approx $1100 shipped) plus the Sophia now ($150) or later if you are short of funds

I cannot offer a personal opinion on the attenuator and parts upgrades. However, I chose not to buy them because I considered them to be on the downside of the diminishing returns curve and I preferred to put the rest of my available funds into headphones.

P.S. Takezo may be able to comment on the modded WA6 vs. stock WA6SE. I also cannot offer an opinion on that since I only heard stock units.

 

[atbglenn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by auee /img/forum/go_quote.gif Gentleman, I am undecided between the Woo 6 and the Woo 6SE because of the various modifications. From my reading, there does not appear to be any disagreement that whichever version is selected the Sophia Princess Mesh Plate 274B rectifier is a must addition. The rest is very confusing to me as I am rebuilding a system and my discretionary funds must be used very efficiently. I cannot tell from the post which of the other modifications are considered almost necessary to get the most from the amps. Particularly, I have not seen opinions about the improvement made by adding the DACT CT2 stepped attenuator. The bottom line is if I order the Woo 6 which of the mods will bring about the most improvement? Which will bring it to or near the performance of the 6SE or is this not possible? Should I order the 6SE with no mods but the Sophia tube and have it modded later, when funds permit? I am just seeking to start off on the best possible foot. Thanks as always for your assistance.

If you get a Standard 6, get the Pseudo Dual Power Supply for the extra $110. Makes a really nice difference in clarity when the music gets intense. Plus the bass is tighter and deeper as well

BTW, I love your avatar. I'm a classic rock freak and album "The Song Remains The Same" is one I play often including the first 3 Led Zep albums, I mean CD's

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orcin /img/forum/go_quote.gif My approach would be: Funds available < $1000 = buy the WA6 plus Sophia plus PDPS mod (approx $850-900) Funds available > $1000 = buy the WA6SE (approx $1100 shipped) plus the Sophia now ($150) or later if you are short of funds I cannot offer a personal opinion on the attenuator and parts upgrades. However, I chose not to buy them because I considered them to be on the downside of the diminishing returns curve and I preferred to put the rest of my available funds into headphones. P.S. Takezo may be able to comment on the modded WA6 vs. stock WA6SE. I also cannot offer an opinion on that since I only heard stock units.

Ditto... I think...

The WA6 SE has a bit more power to "man-handle" tough to drive phones - though, I'm sure the WA6 has plenty also.

 

[auee]

Thank you so much for the input. I hope to hear from Takezo before I place my order. And atbglenn, I listen to new stuff, but always return to the rock music of my youth.

I was lucky enough to see Zeppelin at MSG. They came on about 2 hours late and played for about 3 hours. What a night.

 

[takezo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by auee /img/forum/go_quote.gif Gentleman, I am undecided between the Woo 6 and the Woo 6SE because of the various modifications. From my reading, there does not appear to be any disagreement that whichever version is selected the Sophia Princess Mesh Plate 274B rectifier is a must addition. The rest is very confusing to me as I am rebuilding a system and my discretionary funds must be used very efficiently. I cannot tell from the post which of the other modifications are considered almost necessary to get the most from the amps. Particularly, I have not seen opinions about the improvement made by adding the DACT CT2 stepped attenuator. The bottom line is if I order the Woo 6 which of the mods will bring about the most improvement? Which will bring it to or near the performance of the 6SE or is this not possible? Should I order the 6SE with no mods but the Sophia tube and have it modded later, when funds permit? I am just seeking to start off on the best possible foot. Thanks as always for your assistance.

you're faced with a good question... wa6 modified or stock wa6SE... both
will run you approx. $1050, especially if you opt for the full blackgates options
for the wa6.

*the blackgates offer better noise suppression and smoothing out the grains found
in some tubes. it filters out ripples better than other brands, so i hear, leading to
an open and transparent sound. but the stock caps are pretty darn good too.
i'd get the blackgates if you can handle the budget but it's not a deal breaker imo.

if budget is the determining factor in your purchase, i'd recommed the following:

wa6 stock with the following; listed in order of importance:

1) psuedo dual power supply modification. most important mod. imo.
2) ask jack to put in 4 non-polar blackgate 470uf/16v caps in the bypass stage.
(don't know how much he charges for this)
3) if budget allows, ask jack to put in two 0.15uf/1200v mundorf silver in oil
capacitor for the input coupling stage, or two 0.15uf/600v auricap capacitor.
(mundorf is about $60 for the pair; auricap around $40 per pair; v-cap is
outstanding if you want accuracy and clarity but $150 per pair)
4) the princess sophia is very nice but will cost you $150+...
a good alternative will be the 5u4gb, gz30 or gz34. i won't say which is better
since each tube can sound different... i have a dozen of the gz34 and almost
all of them have slightly different sound signature. but, you'd always have
the idea of owning the 274b in the back of your head... and probably end
up buying one later anyway...

*imo, the gz34 w/ pair of 6cy7 or 6dr7 output tubes will give you 95% of the
princess sophia and 6DE7. of course, the sophia w/ 6cy7 is even better imo.

for output tubes:

6DE7, 6CY7, 6DR7 offers best prat and impact
6EW7, 6FD7 offers better sounstage and detail at the cost of losing some dynamics
6FQ7, 6CG7, 6GU7 offers the tubeyist sound, ie. soft glowing diffused sonic signature
at cost of soundstage, clarity and some dynamics.
*sorry, i forgot to mention the last 3 needs an adapter. it will not function in the wa6
without the adapter. you can ask jack to make you one but i've no idea how much
he'd charge for the pair. if you're good with soldering and electronics you can make
a pair yourself. it's not very difficult. you're welcome to ask if you need directions.

i haven't experienced the dact in my wa6, but when i had the mpx3 slam se
it had the 30 step dact... it didn't sound any better than my wa6 heavily
modded nor the wa6SE stock, in terms of clarity, openness and focus.
if the dact upgrade was moderate in price, like less than $100, i'd recommend
trying it out. but at $215, it's hard to justify the purchase unless it's gives
a significant sonic improvement. john, or jamato8, will give you a better idea
of this upgrade.

i hope this helps and haven't caused any additional confusion... good luck
in your decisions.

 

[auee]

Takezo, your post was fantastic. Budget is a factor. I am always interested in finding the point of diminishing returns in my audio purchases. Things can get way out of hand otherwise for a small change, not necessarily improvement, in sound. Your advise with respect to prat, timing, is a major point of concern for me. I place timing and tonality above sound staging and imaging. If the timing is off, to me, the essence of the music is lost. Now I am equipped to speak with Mr. Wu, Jack to you guys, about building me an amp. If all goes well, it will be early next week. I am stoked. I have been listening to solid state audio equipment for over 30 years. Now I get a chance to hear what a fine tube amp headphone system is all about. From reading your posts, I am expecting a wonderful experience. Thanks again. I hope within the next months to be able to constructively contribute to the group.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by takezo /img/forum/go_quote.gif you're faced with a good question... wa6 modified or stock wa6SE... both will run you approx. $1050, especially if you opt for the full blackgates options for the wa6. *the blackgates offer better noise suppression and smoothing out the grains found in some tubes. it filters out ripples better than other brands, so i hear, leading to an open and transparent sound. but the stock caps are pretty darn good too. i'd get the blackgates if you can handle the budget but it's not a deal breaker imo. if budget is the determining factor in your purchase, i'd recommed the following: wa6 stock with the following; listed in order of importance: 1) psuedo dual power supply modification. most important mod. imo. 2) ask jack to put in 4 non-polar blackgate 470uf/16v caps in the bypass stage. (don't know how much he charges for this) 3) if budget allows, ask jack to put in two 0.15uf/1200v mundorf silver in oil capacitor for the input coupling stage, or two 0.15uf/600v auricap capacitor. (mundorf is about $60 for the pair; auricap around $40 per pair; v-cap is outstanding if you want accuracy and clarity but $150 per pair) 4) the princess sophia is very nice but will cost you $150+... a good alternative will be the 5u4gb, gz30 or gz34. i won't say which is better since each tube can sound different... i have a dozen of the gz34 and almost all of them have slightly different sound signature. but, you'd always have the idea of owning the 274b in the back of your head... and probably end up buying one later anyway... *imo, the gz34 w/ pair of 6cy7 or 6dr7 output tubes will give you 95% of the princess sophia and 6DE7. of course, the sophia w/ 6cy7 is even better imo. for output tubes: 6DE7, 6CY7, 6DR7 offers best prat and impact 6EW7, 6FD7 offers better sounstage and detail at the cost of losing some dynamics 6FQ7, 6CG7, 6GU7 offers the tubeyist sound, ie. soft glowing diffused sonic signature at cost of soundstage, clarity and some dynamics. *sorry, i forgot to mention the last 3 needs an adapter. it will not function in the wa6 without the adapter. you can ask jack to make you one but i've no idea how much he'd charge for the pair. if you're good with soldering and electronics you can make a pair yourself. it's not very difficult. you're welcome to ask if you need directions. i haven't experienced the dact in my wa6, but when i had the mpx3 slam se it had the 30 step dact... it didn't sound any better than my wa6 heavily modded nor the wa6SE stock, in terms of clarity, openness and focus. if the dact upgrade was moderate in price, like less than $100, i'd recommend trying it out. but at $215, it's hard to justify the purchase unless it's gives a significant sonic improvement. john, or jamato8, will give you a better idea of this upgrade. i hope this helps and haven't caused any additional confusion... good luck in your decisions.

I liked the GZ34 with Grados, but after comparing them to the Sophia I am not impressed with the GZ34. I have an Amperex Bugle Boy and a 1955 Philips metal base worth $300-400 for the two, and the Sophia beats them in clarity, speed, control and spaciousness.

The RCA and Sylvania 5U4G for $20 sound more spacious than the GZ34 but were a little plasticky or artificial in the treble. The Sophia was noticeably better in timbre and tone than these. With anything but the Sophia my Edition 9 and re-cabled HFI-780 were almost unusable (muddy boomy bass and rolled off treble) with the WA6, till I got the Sophia which was a match made in heaven.

And, now with Sophia my WA6 sounds just like Blutarsky's Melos SHA Gold and Zana Deux with anything we threw at them (from RS-1 and HP-1000 to HD6000). With the GZ34 it was still nice but lacked the bigger soundstage and bass control of the other amps. The bass with the Grado PS-1 is a little excessive on my WA6/Sophia but still well controlled.

Anyone wanna buy my GZ34's let me know in PM...

 

[takezo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by auee /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...Budget is a factor. I am always interested in finding the point of diminishing returns in my audio purchases. Things can get way out of hand otherwise for a small change, not necessarily improvement, in sound. Your advise with respect to prat, timing, is a major point of concern for me. I place timing and tonality above sound staging and imaging. If the timing is off, to me, the essence of the music is lost. Now I am equipped to speak with Mr. Wu, Jack to you guys, about building me an amp. If all goes well, it will be early next week....

then i'd highly suggest you get the v-caps that jack offers, or the mundorf
silver and gold in oil with same specs. jamato8 has the latter and he indicated
that they are outstanding in the wa6. they're relatively expensive for an input
coupling cap, but should provide you with the maximum prat and tonality you
strive for in a tube amp. you can scratch the dact to make up the difference.

i'm sure you will, but asking jack for his opinions based on your needs is the
way to go too. good luck!

 

[Orcin]

With regard to tubes...

Power tubes: You should experiment with Takezo's list. It can change the sound more than you might think.

Rectifier tubes: There are really two ways to go here. Experiment with Takezo's list, and have a lot of fun for not much money. You will get great sound, endless variety, and be able to tweak with power tube combos for months. OR you can just go right to the endgame and buy the Sophia Princess. Either way is justified.

 

[sclamb]

One good thing about the Princess is that you will save the $150 in no time because you can turn the lights off and just sit in the glow of the tube. Over time, you will be saving a lot