[Dubstep Girl]

  Thank you DubstepGirl.
 
You asked me a couple of days ago how I find WA2 as a preamp. I'm still reviewing it, but the 6AS7G tubes were unusable for the JBL 4430's as there was just to much humming (not that bad with high impedance headphones). Tung Sol 5998 is ok, but then again, you don't get the fantastic sound of 6AS7G. Compared to the preamp in Mytek 192 DSD DAC (which I use as a DAC when WA2 is pre) I think it adds a tad of meat to the bone, but I will probably not use WA2 as preamp in the long run. I think Mytek 192 works fantastic on its own. Also, I see you have one too

 
yes the mytek is awesome!!!! pairs great with my GS-X, extremely transparent and revealing, albeit slightly unforgiving at times.
 
i prefer the 5998 with my beyerdynamic T1 to the GEC 6AS7G. though with the HD 800, the GEC's are a far superior tube, no comparison.
 
i'm upgrading to WA22 in a couple weeks so i can keep using my rectifiers. if i don't like it though, i'll end up re-buying a WA2 and upgrade my Bugle Boys and Orange Globe A-frames to something better, thinking of PQ Whites or even the legendary Pinched Waist D-getters, oh and gonna get some CCas as well 

 

[Clayton SF]

Ah, the time has finally come for me to start selling off some of my audio equipment so that I can move to Europe--or at least visit there more often. So if anyone is interested, I am selling my WA2. It will ship from Europe. Thanks!

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Any rare tubes u might happen to have?

 

[magiccabbage]

Any rare tubes u might happen to have?

 
you have enough tubes! I on the other need lots more. 

 

[eleathar]

Finally I pulled the trigger: I will be another WA2 proud owner soon enough, doomed to tube rolling forever!
Shame on you for yours contagious enthusiasm and especially on Ardilla for this mind poisoning thread http://www.head-fi.org/t/615810/the-beauty-and-the-beast-wa2-vs-wa22. )

 

[ardilla]

Finally I pulled the trigger: I will be another WA2 proud owner soon enough, doomed to tube rolling forever!
Shame on you for yours contagious enthusiasm and especially on Ardilla for this mind poisoning thread http://www.head-fi.org/t/615810/the-beauty-and-the-beast-wa2-vs-wa22. )

 
Haha, you are very welcome indeed ;D 

 

[ru4music]

Has anyone here listened to the TS 5998 versus the WE 421a tubes on the WA2?  I know the debate between these tubes and I;m looking for someone who may have actually rolled them.  I'm particularly interested in the difference when using Senn. HD-650 and HD-800 phones.  GECs are hitting close to $600 USD per pair, Ouch!
 
I believe the 421a may be slightly better, however, would the WA2 exploit this difference and would the ROI (cost vs. improvement) be worth it.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

  Has anyone here listened to the TS 5998 versus the WE 421a tubes on the WA2?  I know the debate between these tubes and I;m looking for someone who may have actually rolled them.  I'm particularly interested in the difference when using Senn. HD-650 and HD-800 phones.  GECs are hitting close to $600 USD per pair, Ouch!
 
I believe the 421a may be slightly better, however, would the WA2 exploit this difference and would the ROI (cost vs. improvement) be worth it.

 
so far i think only a few have heard them, skylab as well as a few other members that have come across them cheap.
 
regardless of whether its the same tube, slightly better, or if you think it is better, for the money, value, and hell of it, get the GEC 6AS7G instead, especially for HD 800.
 
the improvements are MASSIVE imo between these 2 tubes and the hd 800, the GEC is far far better with the hd 800. of course, the 5998 are the better value but considering the 421A basically cost almost as much, you might as well just get the GEC.
 
for HD 800 i think its worth it, especially with good driver/rectifier tubes (siemens or amperex + mullard ez80/brimar ez80/RFT ez80/ez81)
 
with HD 650, you'll probably be happy with either.

 

[ru4music]

New question: Has anyone here listened/ owned the WA5 versus the WA2?  What are your opinions (i.e., should I stop putting money into WA2 tubes and start putting that investment towards the purchase of the WA5?)  Understand that I am pretty much loaded up with tubes (well not by Dupstep Girl's standards

): 2 pairs NOS 5998, 1 pair NOS 2399, 1 pair NOS Bendix 6080 WB graphites/ slotted, 1 pair TS 6080 graphite, many pair RCA/ Phillips 6as7G and 6080 etc. and etc for driver and EZ 80 rects.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

  New question: Has anyone here listened/ owned the WA5 versus the WA2?  What are your opinions (i.e., should I stop putting money into WA2 tubes and start putting that investment towards the purchase of the WA5?)  Understand that I am pretty much loaded up with tubes (well not by Dupstep Girl's standards

): 2 pairs NOS 5998, 1 pair NOS 2399, 1 pair NOS Bendix 6080 WB graphites/ slotted, 1 pair TS 6080 graphite, many pair RCA/ Phillips 6as7G and 6080 etc. and etc for driver and EZ 80 rects.

 
you have some nice power tubes tho, i still need to buy a pair of the graphites one of these days, nowhere to be found though.
 
i really don't have that many power tubes, just a pair of used 5998, a NIB 2399 pair, 2 pairs of Syl 7236, a pair of TS 7236, a pair of RCA 6AS7G, some cheap 6080s, and of course, the 3 pairs of GEC 6AS7G, 2 regular and 1 curved pair.

 

[ru4music]

   
so far i think only a few have heard them, skylab as well as a few other members that have come across them cheap.
 
regardless of whether its the same tube, slightly better, or if you think it is better, for the money, value, and hell of it, get the GEC 6AS7G instead, especially for HD 800.
 
the improvements are MASSIVE imo between these 2 tubes and the hd 800, the GEC is far far better with the hd 800. of course, the 5998 are the better value but considering the 421A basically cost almost as much, you might as well just get the GEC.
 
for HD 800 i think its worth it, especially with good driver/rectifier tubes (siemens or amperex + mullard ez80/brimar ez80/RFT ez80/ez81)
 
with HD 650, you'll probably be happy with either.

 
 
DG thanks for sharing your experience!  Yes, I am running NOS balanced and matched Amperex (Holland) 6922s/ and 6922 PQs (still need to try the PQs in extended listing as the non PQs sound great) along with Brimar EZ80s.
 
I think to hear the benefits of the 421a I would need to change/ tweak the bias/ operation point of the WA2's output tube.  I believe that the GEC may be more in line with the standard setup (6as7G/ 6080) of the WA2 which helps to contribute to an increase in SQ you describe.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

   
 
DG thanks for sharing your experience!  Yes, I am running NOS balanced and matched Amperex (Holland) 6922s/ and 6922 PQs (still need to try the PQs in extended listing as the non PQs sound great) along with Brimar EZ80s.
 
I think to hear the benefits of the 421a I would need to change/ tweak the bias/ operation point of the WA2's output tube.  I believe that the GEC may be more in line with the standard setup (6as7G/ 6080) of the WA2 which helps to contribute to an increase in SQ you describe.

 
ooooh PQ's, i never got to hear them myself, but if i do not like the WA22 i'm about to buy, i'll end up getting those with WA2.
 
i currently use Bugle boys for HD 800 and orange glove A-frame 6DJ8s for the beyerdynamic t1, i find the RFT EZ 80 rectifiers to be a step above most EZ80/EZ81 and to have extended treble and transparency, they never sound slow or muddy or rolled off, very well balanced with no flaws, they're cheap too!
 
i know that 421A might not sound as good as GEC with HD 800 regardless, even if they are an improved 5998, i think the GEC have a superior sound signature, mostly in tonal balance, the tube is very detailed, textured, and has a tonality that is far superior to the 5998, it just sounds very beautiful, thats the best way to describe it. the bass is more balanced and textured than 5998, though not as strong, but it doesn't lose any extension, which is a huge plus.

 

[ru4music]

   
you have some nice power tubes tho, i still need to buy a pair of the graphites one of these days, nowhere to be found though.
 
i really don't have that many power tubes, just a pair of used 5998, a NIB 2399 pair, 2 pairs of Syl 7236, a pair of TS 7236, a pair of RCA 6AS7G, some cheap 6080s, and of course, the 3 pairs of GEC 6AS7G, 2 regular and 1 curved pair.

Wow,  You only have three pairs of GECs

!  You better get busy cause your slipp'n

.
 
Interesting that you mentioned the graphite(s.)  I was planning on rolling in the Bendix slotted in this evening as I have not listened to them with the HD-800 and Matrix X-Sabre DAC yet.  I will let you know how that turns out (even though you may sell your WA2, but I guess they may sport well in a WA22 also!)

 

[Dubstep Girl]

i just posted my WA2 for sale to get WA22. if i miss my WA2 , regardless of whether i like the WA22, i might just end up rebuying this amp. its such a lovely amp and i've felt the most connected with this amp out of any that i've owned.
 
might just end up like Ardilla.....

 

[ardilla]

  i just posted my WA2 for sale to get WA22. if i miss my WA2 , regardless of whether i like the WA22, i might just end up rebuying this amp. its such a lovely amp and i've felt the most connected with this amp out of any that i've owned.
 
might just end up like Ardilla.....

 
And that is not as bad as it might seem