Utopia tube amp recommendations

[E-norm]

Loving my Focal Utopias which I am currently running from a RME ADI-2 DAC which sounds great. I still got that itch however and am wondering if a tube amp is still the way to go to push it further. The RME is -very- clean, some would say clinical, but perhaps not as ”fun” or engaging and I think there might be more to get from the Utopias.

I am considering the WA8 from Woo as it seems very popular on the main Utopia thread, but am wondering if they would actually be a worthy upgrade. Also, are there others I should consider as well at a similar price point? Thanks!

 

[buke9]

Amps and Sound Kenzie is another to look at. I heard the Utopias from this amp the first time I heard them and then another time just goodness.

 

[Rhamnetin]

I would try to spring for a Bottlehead Mainline (pre-built if you can't/won't build one).

 

[E-norm]

Thanks for the replies! I'm tempted to try the Bottlehead or a different pure tube amp as the RME DAC itself is great and that with the WA8 I’d be paying for a dac and portability I don't really need. How difficult is the Mainline to build for someone who is a complete noob?

 

[buke9]

Can’t say on the Mainline but building a Crack was a piece of cake. The instructions are very good and knowledge base at Bottlehead is also very good if you have a problem. Have you soldered before?

 

[emilsoft]

Loving my Focal Utopias which I am currently running from a RME ADI-2 DAC which sounds great. I still got that itch however and am wondering if a tube amp is still the way to go to push it further. The RME is -very- clean, some would say clinical, but perhaps not as ”fun” or engaging and I think there might be more to get from the Utopias.

I am considering the WA8 from Woo as it seems very popular on the main Utopia thread, but am wondering if they would actually be a worthy upgrade. Also, are there others I should consider as well at a similar price point? Thanks!

If you have a chance to hear the WA8 you should, even putting aside portability, it's the most unique source/amp i've used.. used as all in one it has a special synergy with it's dac so you get a warm but exciting/vivid sound.. anything i've plugged in has never sounded better - generally speaking, it smooths things out but not in a boring way, it adds bit of sub bass, romantic but vivid, instruments have their own space, reverbs trail naturally, you can hear the room not just the instruments - bla bla, just go demo one, I'm sure it'll sound incredible with the Utopias I'm using it with HD650s, and it's made them sound like thousand $ headphones.

 

[E-norm]

Haha, I was kinda hoping someone wouldn't say that, makes it more difficult Your description sounds exactly like what I'm looking for. Thing is, they're not available in my country at all so I have to spring for it blind (or deaf if you'd like). I guess I'd always be able to sell the DAC or keep them both if their signature is different enough. What about other Woos without built-in dac's? Others I've heard mentioned are Pathos Aurium and the Mjolnir 2. Decisions, decisions...

Regarding Mainline; haven't soldered since school I guess, so perhaps it's stupidity of the highest order to try to build one

 

[Rhamnetin]

Haha, I was kinda hoping someone wouldn't say that, makes it more difficult Your description sounds exactly like what I'm looking for. Thing is, they're not available in my country at all so I have to spring for it blind (or deaf if you'd like). I guess I'd always be able to sell the DAC or keep them both if their signature is different enough. What about other Woos without built-in dac's? Others I've heard mentioned are Pathos Aurium and the Mjolnir 2. Decisions, decisions...

Regarding Mainline; haven't soldered since school I guess, so perhaps it's stupidity of the highest order to try to build one

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bottlehead...lifier-Assembled-Audiophile-TOTL/253719626696

Probably unbeatable for the price (as far as tube amps go). Heck I'd put money on it beating the Woo Audio WA22, and even the WA5 except for super power hungry headphones like the HiFiMan HE-6 and SUSVARA. If I didn't already have my Pure BiPolar amp I'd buy that.

 

[emilsoft]

Haha, I was kinda hoping someone wouldn't say that, makes it more difficult Your description sounds exactly like what I'm looking for. Thing is, they're not available in my country at all so I have to spring for it blind (or deaf if you'd like). I guess I'd always be able to sell the DAC or keep them both if their signature is different enough. What about other Woos without built-in dac's? Others I've heard mentioned are Pathos Aurium and the Mjolnir 2. Decisions, decisions...

Regarding Mainline; haven't soldered since school I guess, so perhaps it's stupidity of the highest order to try to build one

I compared the WA8 with the WA5 (about 10 times the size) - I preferred the WA8, it seemed more unique for lack of a better word, what I mentioned before; it has that vivid but warm quality- it wasn't an in depth comparison, I just didn't see it offering anything over the WA8 that I liked (maybe clean battery power helps a lot with tubes, I dont know). I also was considering getting the RME DAC you have, no doubt it has a fantastic toolset, but it didn't offer any magic, it's was a bit too dry and blunt for me... the WA8 just makes music flow like honey, it's what all music should sound like in my view, there's far too much focus on brightness/uber clarity nowadays, we are forgetting about the soul/groove and stepping back a bit to enjoy the music. I used to own a Lavry DA11 pro dac, which is a pro level converter, interestingly it had bit of a warmth and soul to it which is unusual in the pro sector, but this is rare to find nowadays. In any case WA8 is a work of art, it sounds beautiful - I'm still in honeymoon period, so take my enthusiasm with a pinch of salt

 

[buke9]

Well we all hear things differently and I would put the WA5 as one of the best things I’ve heard and the WA8 lower on the list it is good but to me not as good as the WA5 by a good margin. You hear what you hear and I hear what I hear and I don’t hear that.

 

[emilsoft]

Well we all hear things differently and I would put the WA5 as one of the best things I’ve heard and the WA8 lower on the list it is good but to me not as good as the WA5 by a good margin. You hear what you hear and I hear what I hear and I don’t hear that.

It might be a synergy thing likely - I was testing with the HD650, and I was using the WA8 internal dac, the WA5 doesn't have a dac so I used a different source, which isn't a very fair comparison admittedly- but as I mentioned earlier, the WA8 needs to be considered together with it's dac, it's a special combo.

 

[buke9]

You hear what you hear to me the WA5 is one of the best things I’ve heard. I have heard the new Orpheus and several times Stax’s 009’s and 007’s along with the Mr Speakers Voce and the WA 5 is along with them you think the WA8 is better sorry I have to disagree one of my favorite amps we will have to agree to disagree.

 

[buke9]

Yes they are electrostats

 

[ra990]

The WA8 and it's built-in DAC are fantastic with the Utopias. It's a perfect match, go for it.

 

[E-norm]

A case for the WA8 is that it has a global voltage (I live in Europe ). The Bottlehead is available with 240v as well, but I think this rules out the Kenzie. All the best tube brands are American it seems