The Woo Audio 2

[Promee]

Haha, good to know someone is reading it

I am planning on the doing a Sennheiser HD6** ... WA2 will be an essential part of that article

Sounds like one that I will definitely want to check out!!

 

[adamaley]

Anyone have an RFT EZ81 WPFG they are willing to sell? Please PM me if so

 

[bildar]

Anyone have an RFT EZ81 WPFG they are willing to sell? Please PM me if so

I have a huge pile of ez80. Do you need any?

 

[zeroduke]

For Woo WA2, do not underestimate the importance of the rectifier tubes (EZ81). Sonic differences between 5998s and 7236s / 6922s and 7308s pale in comparison.

I agree

 

[ardilla]

I spent a few days revisiting the HE500 with the WA2. It's just such a fabulous combination. Some planars haven't heard about impedance matching

 

[billerb1]

For Woo WA2, do not underestimate the importance of the rectifier tubes (EZ81). Sonic differences between 5998s and 7236s / 6922s and 7308s pale in comparison.

Far be it from me to ever disagree with my brother Jonathan, but one day give the Telefunken G73R's a pop and then get back to me.

 

[Promee]

Interesting stuff on the rectifiers. I just went for the Woo upgrade when ordering the amp to the GE - Mullard made EZ80. It also came with a stock pair of RFT EZ81, but I do not believe they are of the rarified variety mentioned earlier in this thread. Of these two, the GE definitely sounds a good deal better to me basically across the board. I’m curious if anyone thinks that I might be missing a lot with this rectifier pair. I’m using NOS Mullard made E188CC drivers and alternating between NOS Chatham 5998 and Tung Sol 7236 for the power tubes.

 

[AudioDuck]

I’m curious if anyone thinks that I might be missing a lot with this rectifier pair. I’m using NOS Mullard made E188CC drivers and alternating between NOS Chatham 5998 and Tung Sol 7236 for the power tubes.

As I got lucky early on and rolled in a pair of the foil getter RFT EZ81s to start out, I’m really not sure unfortunately. Tagging @jonathan c for his wisdom on the topic of rectifiers.

However, I can say that you’d have to spend a LOT more on power tubes (at least $600-700) to get improvements, and I am so fond of the 5998s’ sound with my input tube choices that I would not recommend spending “silly money” on different power tubes.

I can also note that while your Mullard drivers are definitely good, there is some opportunity to get better results there. Of course, at a cost: First getting decent tube adapters so you can use 12XX7-type tubes, then getting a good pair of Brimar CV455s, for example: https://www.langrex.co.uk/products/12at7-cv455-kb-fb-brimar-rare-triple-mica-1956-nos-valve-tube/.

Those run about $100 a pair and are excellent- but if you can spring for a pair in the $400/pair range, reach out to Brent Jessee and see what he has of medical-grade Mullards.

I bought an incredible pair of Mullard 12AX7s from him that were only bested by the Telefunken G-73Rs I got my hands on later… at about 50 percent more, but honestly it was worth it.

As an aside, I have a pair of medical-grade Amperexes and a pair of Amperex Bugle Boys (originally from Brent) with very limited hours on them… they are more neutral and punchy than warm and smooth like the British tubes though. If they are of interest to anyone, feel free to PM me. I’ll get around to listing them eventually but haven’t had time yet. But I won’t charge too much for them (thinking $150 per pair).

 

[adamaley]

I have a huge pile of ez80. Do you need any?

Will these be Welded plate foil getter?

 

[blackdragon87]

Will these be Welded plate foil getter?

interested in those as well

 

[Promee]

Just finished writing up a comparison of several DACs using the WA2 as one of the 2 amps for critical listening. Thought I’d share it here in case anyone is interested!

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dac...-12th-chord-qutest-topping-e70-velvet.972824/

 

[vlach]

Has anyone contemplated replacing the WA2 volume pot for a stepped attenuator to gain more transparency?
I would be interested to know which volume pot is currently in use in the WA2.

 

[AudioDuck]

Has anyone contemplated replacing the WA2 volume pot for a stepped attenuator to gain more transparency?
I would be interested to know which volume pot is currently in use in the WA2.

It’s an interesting question, but I can’t say I’ve ever felt the WA2 is opaque in any way with higher-end tubes and a fuse/power cord upgrade vs. my solid-state amp.

That said, it would intriguing to see if others have had this idea…

 

[ardilla]

Has anyone contemplated replacing the WA2 volume pot for a stepped attenuator to gain more transparency?
I would be interested to know which volume pot is currently in use in the WA2.

They used to have stepped.

 

[Promee]

I'm curious if any of you guys have a good / moderate pair of used Mullard-made 6080s and would be interested in swapping for a pair of used (not NOS, but still in-spec) 421a or 5998. I have a few extra of those, and some of my headphones love them, but I think the stock Thomson 6080s that came with the WA2 actually synergize better with the Qutest, WA2, and Atrium chain, so I'm curious to try a higher-end 6080. The EBay landscape for those looks pretty sketchy at the moment... If preferred, I would also consider a straight-up purchase of the 6080s if you're drowning in tubes and don't want to swap. Just shoot me a message if interested!