[a1uc]

Beolab, as I said, I also appreciate your advice/impression and take interest in your words.

As far as amp recommendations go Paul, I enjoyed the wa5 and wa234 (marginally better). I have managed to get a decent sound out of my ragnarok but the amp has major issues I can't get past. I couldn't find a SS amp that could compete with wa5 or wa234.

So my next experiment is to basically have the best components/topography and tubes money can buy. The tribute transformers, the AVVT tubes have cost me an absolute fortune but this is legendary stuff by a world class amp designer. I really just wanted the most resolving and detailed amp I could have built and I will try find a source that keeps it musical.

Stuff like soundstage/separation are impossible to measure. If this doesn't beat the wa234 in a side by side comparison I guess I will sell all my stuff and just get a wa234.

Xec

nevermind lol

 

[ufospls2]

   
Beolab, as I said, I also appreciate your advice/impression and take interest in your words.
 
As far as amp recommendations go Paul, I enjoyed the wa5 and wa234 (marginally better). I have managed to get a decent sound out of my ragnarok but the amp has major issues I can't get past. I couldn't find a SS amp that could compete with wa5 or wa234.
 
So my next experiment is to basically have the best components/topography and tubes money can buy. The tribute transformers, the AVVT tubes have cost me an absolute fortune but this is legendary stuff by a world class amp designer. I really just wanted the most resolving and detailed amp I could have built and I will try find a source that keeps it musical.
 
Stuff like soundstage/separation are impossible to measure. If this doesn't beat the wa234 in a side by side comparison I guess I will sell all my stuff and just get a wa234.
 
Xec

The only Woo I have real experience with is the WA8 sadly. I've read varying opinions on the WA5/WA5-LE, from its too warm and syrupy to its the best thing since sliced bread(I suppose this varies depending on the tubes being used.) Everyone seems to like the WA234 but its a solid $16,000. Whilst I would love to drop that kind of money on an amp, its just out of my budget 

 I'll try to give the WA5 a shot if I can, but I'm definitely leaning towards SS amps, mostly due to the convenience/my lack of knowledge of tubes. I'm definitely open to a tube amp though if it really sounds good to my ears. I suppose the chase is half the fun of all this. 
 
Good luck with the experiment, I hope your tube purchases etc. pay off

 

[Xecuter]

Yeh I tried the moon 430. I wasn't overly impressed.
My studio hasn't arrived yet. It is still being built. Should arrive in a few weeks or so. 
The wa5 requires some good tubes to sound half decent, the stock tubes were terrible.

 

[Thenewguy007]

Yeh I tried the moon 430. I wasn't overly impressed.
My studio hasn't arrived yet. It is still being built. Should arrive in a few weeks or so. 
The wa5 requires some good tubes to sound half decent, the stock tubes were terrible.

How did the Moon compare to the stock WA5?
Any one thing either did better than the other noticeably?

 

[Xecuter]

The stock wa5 isn't worth talking about. The moon would be leaps and bounds better. I find the moon had a bit of the agd dullness to it but was a pretty good pairing with abyss.

However compared to a maxed wa5, the wa5 is a clear step above the moon 430ha. The maxed wa5 was close to wa234, like really close.

I am not the biggest woo audio fan but the pairing of abyss with wa5 and wa234 is definitely special.

 

[jelt2359]

The stock wa5 isn't worth talking about. The moon would be leaps and bounds better. I find the moon had a bit of the agd dullness to it but was a pretty good pairing with abyss.

However compared to a maxed wa5, the wa5 is a clear step above the moon 430ha. The maxed wa5 was close to wa234, like really close.

I am not the biggest woo audio fan but the pairing of abyss with wa5 and wa234 is definitely special.

By maxxed do you mean caps or tubes or cables/cords or all of the above?

 

[Xecuter]

Yeh basically everything. I'm not into cable voodoo just yet.

 

[Xecuter]

You have wa5 and studio!!
Damn son

Edit: and teton!!!

 

[a1uc]

I have both the 430HA and WA5 LE V2 and the WA5 LE V2 is a clear winner

 

[a1uc]

If there is a hp amp out there that bests the WA234 or maxed out WA5 I'd love to try it

 

[Xecuter]

Studio or stellaris maybe? We need cedible reviews.

 

[jelt2359]

Why limit yourself? Buy an adaptor and hook up that abyss to your speaker amps

 

[a1uc]

I might be selling my WA5 so I'm going to need to replace it

 

[Xecuter]

Well most speakers amps aren't really optimised for use with headphones. However I do agree that there are some great pairing with he-6 and abyss with speaker amps.
I will drop some serious money on speakers and speaker amps when I have a proper space soon - 50k usd budget.
 
For now I will chase the perfect desktop set up! I'll be stoked if I can beat my current rig which has kept me smiling for the past few months!
I will continue to recommend modding the abyss, or at the very least trying it.

 

[The Piper]

The new Milo will be out within the next 2-3 weeks and I believe that Tricell Enterprises has a couple of interested dealers in western Canada who want to try it out. If you can hang on for a few weeks then you should have an opportunity to give it a try. It puts out roughly 18 watts into 32 ohms and will retail in the states for $1699.00. It sounds like the Enigma for less than half the price and even at this low price does not give up the power that is absolutely necessary to get full performance and enjoyment from the Abyss.-Jeff Wells