[Aynjell]

Hello everybody, I've been shopping around trying to find an AMP for myself, and actually ended up upgrading my DAC first as I got a great deal on an NFB-2 from a member here.
 
Anyway, I'm still using my Little Dot I+, and I've grown tired of it. It's extremely sluggish, and never really made a massive impact on sound quality until I replaced the op-amp with an OPA2107 and installed M8100 tubes. The resulting sound made music slightly more recessed and as such made the amp a bit more capable with fast material, but it was still sluggish in the end. I fear that the current equipment is causing me to favor slower music and as such limiting my musical taste. This is inexcusable.
 

I want something fast. Something you'd call effortless.​

 
Next up, the amp has an issue with volume imbalances at low levels (normal trim pot limitations) and I'm convinced any non stepped attenuator will have this issue to some degree. I won't tolerate it and would like the full range of my volume pot at my disposal. This means lower volumes are not an option and it's limiting, again, what my amp can do, causing me to listen at higher volumes which in turn cause fatigue. It's not as bad as I'm making it out but having to get a 20% knob turn to balance the volume is just crap. Plus I'm looking at spending 800+ and I won't settle for something with an alps pot. NOT, GONNA, HAPPEN.
 

I want a stepped attenuator.​

 
I want tubes. I like being able to custom tailor my sound. I enjoy the experimentation, and while it took me 6 months to find it, I feel I managed the best possible configuration for my Little Dot I+. This involves me into the listening experience more than just listening, and not one to just "settle" tubes allow me to tweak. Plus I like the pretty glow. *derp*
 

I want tubes.​

 
I want an amp that is resolving, has a good head stage, and lets me just sit back and listen. I want something that tames the highs a tad on my SR325i while not making the HD650 too dark.
 

I want a tubey sound, but at the same time clear and resolving.​

 
I want an amplifier that can handle any reasonable load I ask of it (grado, sennheiser, shure, etc). I understand IEM's will sound terrible, and some amps may be able to drive what's listed but not power planar/ortho well, and I'm okay with that. I can't afford those. My current inventory is the Grado SR325i, Shure SRH840, Sony MDR-V6, and currently putting together a pair of HD650 from a broken set of HD580's. My priorities for this amplifier are the SR325i, and the franken-650.
 

I want one amp for Grados and Sennheisers.​

 ​

I also can't tolerate a brick. The idea of a brick just bothers me. Please, no bricks.
 

No bricks, I got enough of a rats nest behind my desk.​

 ​

It also can't look like crap. (if it helps, it's not a priority, but the EAR+ is ugly as sin while the WA2 is absolutely gorgeous)
 

Ooh, Shiny.​

 

...​

 
In a nutshell I want something that will work with anything I plugin, be a huge upgrade over my Little Dot I+, and something that looks good on the desk. The most highend thing I've used to date is the Headroom Ultra Desktop, and I want something equally capable and resolving, but tube based.
 
Now, I know that this thread happens to often but I'm not one to just post such a thread without having done my research prior and so far the only thing I've found is the WA6SE, or the WA6 for the more budget minded, add 200$ or so to either one for the stepped attenuator.
 
Personally, I prefer the way the WA2 looks, but it looks like technically for my needs the WA6 or WA6SE is going to be more my desired route. However reviews I've read show the WA6SE as being energetic, powerful, and more upfront while at the same time having more sound stage. I'm not sure I want something in my face, I want something lax, something unimpressive on first listen. I want that piece of equipment that bores you for the first month until you realize it's playing music exactly the way it should sound. Something that will last according to what I'm going to pay for it.
 
So guys, any other options? Am I misreading the woo audio amps a bit? Which is going to give me the flexibility I desire with the smoothness and resolution I need to be happy? This is also gotten happen in the next two months or so because I have to go back to school next year and get my BS.
 
So yeah, help a brother out?
 

 

[fabio-fi]

I had in mind a couple of SS amps...but you're a tubey boy. 

 

[Aynjell]

I know this seems like one of those way too often made posts, but anything I've searched for basically ends up being a few years old so may end up not accounting for newer options. Really could use the head-fi community's input on this one.

 

[Aynjell]

Can anybody offer any kind of input? As stated above I'm really leaning towards WA6SE with DACT Stepped attenuator, is there no other option anybody would suggest?

 

[Uncle Erik]

Budget?

A Zana Deux would serve you well, but I don't know how much you want to spend.

If you want to drive Grados and Senns, you need a tube amp with a low output impedance. That ruls out an OTL save for the Zana (its low output impedance is what makes it special). Otherwise, you will need a transformer-coupled amp. The least expensive one is the Bottlehead Smack, but you'll have to supply labor. You can also DIY a transformer-coupled amp for about the same price.

If you can't swing that, go with solid state. It doesn't light up and look cool, but solid state does sound good and has a nice, low output impedance.

 

[Aynjell]

Quote:

Budget?
A Zana Deux would serve you well, but I don't know how much you want to spend.
If you want to drive Grados and Senns, you need a tube amp with a low output impedance. That ruls out an OTL save for the Zana (its low output impedance is what makes it special). Otherwise, you will need a transformer-coupled amp. The least expensive one is the Bottlehead Smack, but you'll have to supply labor. You can also DIY a transformer-coupled amp for about the same price.
If you can't swing that, go with solid state. It doesn't light up and look cool, but solid state does sound good and has a nice, low output impedance.

Ideally something that doesn't overshoot my new DAC by too much. I just bought the thing, I don't want it limiting my system already. :S
 
The WA6SE is what I'm currently most set on with the stepped attenuator it comes out to 1250 + tax and shipping? I know base price is 1250 and I'm cool with that. I'd say 1500$ is my budget for an amp. The zana deux overshoots that by too much, I think. This is less financial and more " my s/o would murder me if I spent a dime more  ".
 
DIY is out of the question. I want somebody to yell at if it breaks. I'd possibly consider DIY by an experienced member of the boards, but I'd still prefer a commercial design. Were I to go DIFM (Do it for me), I'd definitely prefer AMB products to others. They're, based on what I've ready the most universally praised of the diy designs.
 
And I want tubes, mainly because I can tailor the sound to more closer suit my preferences. With solid state the closest you can get to that is audio-gd's swapping pcb boards or op amps... that I know of. Maybe I'm wrong? I want a purist setup. Something all tube/discrete. I'd go B22 but I can't afford it. Alternatively would go ultra desktop if I could afford it... because one of my rules on this amp is no walwart or bricks... and to not break that with a headroom product would be 2200$ at least. Still thinking I want tube though, despite SS being a great choice based on my needs. I know there are amps that'll do what I want, the WA6SE exists, after all. I want some experience and upgradeability after dropping close to 2000$ upgrading my system... with an SS system you really don't get that.
 
I'm also quite familiar with the headroom product line. The bithead never fails to surprise me, and I had the Ultra Desktop in my home on loan with a pair of HD800. That was one of the best weeks of my audiophile life.
 
The setup will be as such:
 
X-Fi Titanium (BJC Optical) -> Audio GD NFB-2 (BJC RCA) -> ??? -> HD650/SR325/SRH840
 
I really don't want to be restricted to those cans though. I want to see a headphone on the market and say "man I want it, screw I got the money". I never want to say "damn, I need a different amp for those." The exception is the hifiman stuff and the audeze stuff as most of that stuff is too rich for my blood.
 
Also, Uncle Erik thank you for your reply. You're one of the most respectful and respectable members of this board (of course much love to everyone else, but I always give pause to your posts)! And I didn't realize I was missing so much obvious information. :O
 
I think the most important thing I can say is: I'm buying the WA6SE. Can anybody suggest alternatives I should consider prior to placing my order in december? I'm open minded within the above contraints, I just don't know of much else that meets my needs.
 
So far the two biggest eargasms I've had was the ultra desktop into HD800 and the HD650 driven by the manley 300b at the chicago canjam. Holy crap if I had 5000$...

 

[LugBug1]

I know this is an old amp, but its a great one and they are always popping up second hand. The Musical Fidelity X can V3, Hybrid tube amp. I used it for a long time to drive my HD650's and RS1's. Both headphones responded well with it. Its quite a large amp and the tubes are hidden though....

 

[Aynjell]

Quote:

I know this is an old amp, but its a great one and they are always popping up second hand. The Musical Fidelity X can V3, Hybrid tube amp. I used it for a long time to drive my HD650's and RS1's. Both headphones responded well with it. Its quite a large amp and the tubes are hidden though....

Sorry, ugly brick. Can't do it.
 
To be more specific, it has to have an IEC inlet. Anything that has a hard wired brick is a no go for me. It screams of lacking quality to me. External power supplies like the aftermarket headroom psu and the psu provided with the likes of the WA6SE are just fine. Separate psu's are noted as being better for a lot of reasons, but a commercially available brick is just a no go for me. If it looks like a brick, I can't do it.

 

[GWN]

The Mad Ear+ HD (not the HD Super)  meets all of your requirements exept that you find it ugly. Still my favorite amp with Grado's and Senn's. You can have it built with a Dact volume control installed, mine has a Noble Step in it. Small, compact design. Easy on the tubes. Proven design that has been around for a while. Great service from Mapletree. But I guess you can't get pass the looks.

 

[Aynjell]

So the EAR+ is your favorite amp for senns, or just your favorite amp for when you need to be able to drive both (grados and senns)? Do I have to do anything internally to switch it over for grados or senns? Or can I just plug either in and get great results?

 

[PanamaRed]

Quote:

The Mad Ear+ HD (not the HD Super)  meets all of your requirements exept that you find it ugly. Still my favorite amp with Grado's and Senn's. You can have it built with a Dact volume control installed, mine has a Noble Step in it. Small, compact design. Easy on the tubes. Proven design that has been around for a while. Great service from Mapletree. But I guess you can't get pass the looks.

I love the looks of my Ear + HD. And yes, with Grado and the Sennheiser HD650, it's hard to find better synergy (I haven't tried any other Sennheiser with this amp).
 
The Ear+ HD has two outputs (Low Imp and High Imp) depending on the impedance of your headphones. No need to switch anything.
 
Good luck making your decision.

 

[Aynjell]

So is there a general consensus that the ear is better than the WA6SE?

 

[PanamaRed]

Quote:

So is there a general consensus that the ear is better than the WA6SE?

 
Do you mean "better" for Grados? Certain Sennheisers?
 
The WA6SE has many fans (especially on the Woo Audio thread)

 

[Aynjell]

Quote:

 
Do you mean "better" for Grados? Certain Sennheisers?
 
The WA6SE has many fans (especially on the Woo Audio thread)

Assuming both do both well, which will do one or the other better than the other can do? Like, how would you rate performance for grados and for sennheisers on a scale of 1 to 10? Assuming one got a 10/6, and one got a 9/9, I'd probably go for the 9/9 because again, most important to me is being able to get a phone and just use it. I want the amp to be no work in this regard. I want to say "hrm, I suppose I'd like to try those beyers" and just buy 'em. Given the aesthetics, reviews, etc I'm still leaning towards the WA6SE. Sort of in love with the idea of it on my desk. Everything about it's following, the aesthetics, it's documentation, the fit and finish, and it's obvious ease of use suggests it will be the better amp. Plus the woo audio support team has been amazing to me thus far with any questions I've had.
 
The EAR+ just isn't tempting me the way the woo is.
 
Are there any other options for pure tube amps in my price range?

 

[GWN]

I said the Ear was my favorite amp with Grado's (have used  SR325, HF1, PS500) and Senn (HD600, HD650). It is not the best with HD800, LCD-2 Rev2  (I am still looking for that beast). I do not know if it is better than the WA6SE since I have never heard that amp.  I have heard early iterations of Woo amps along with the WA 3 and the WA6. I still prefer my MAD. I guess I like the sound of the 12AX7, ECC83, 5751 family. Single input tube, lots of different tube flavors to try and tailor the sound.  The WA6SE with a DACT is only about $350 more. If I lived in the USA, I might be tempted by it. If I didn't like the sound it is easy enough to re-sell.  In this hobby I only trust my ears after all I am the only person that has to be pleased with my decision. I read reviews to get a general idea of construction, design and general sound but since most reviewers use different front end and music that is were the review stops for me.  I am usually skeptical of FOTM and when everybody falls over themselves for a product.