W5000 Owners' Amp Registry

[Elephas]

I'd like to compile a list of the amps people are using with the W5000.

Please post the best-matching amps for the W5000 that you own or have extensive experience with. If you use multiple amps, please limit your post to the best one, or the top two if you feel they are at comparable level. I hope this will give everyone a better idea of the types of pairings that are preferred.

Note: I've only added to the list and haven't made any deletions, so some listings may be outdated.

If possible, please also list the primary source used.

1. Zana Deux

Primary source: Esoteric P-05/D-05/G-03X
--

W5000 Owners' Amp Registry

1. Antique Sound Lab HB1 xenithon
   .
2. Antique Sound Lab MG Head OTL MkIII DT xenithon, mikeymad
   .
3. AT-HA5000 Elephas, slwiser, bizkid, TommySix, Fing, LonerGenius, JimP, a-LeXx(with Phonic T8300), Mister Crash, Macwizard, Shiki, tensaichen
   .
4. Berning MicroZOTL SK138
   .
5. Darkvoice THA336FM Fitz
   .
6. EAR HP4 Afrikane
   .
7. EarMax Pro Oski
   .
8. G&W T-2.6f a-LeXx
   .
9. Grace m902 guynamedjohn
   .
10. Graham Slee Green Solo Headphony
    .
11. HeadAmp Balanced Gilmore Reference Iron_Dreamer
    .
12. HeadAmp GS-1 Andrew_WOT, panyncor
    .
13. HeadRoom Desktop Portable drummerboy47
    .
14. HeadRoom The Max Headphone Crazed
    .
15. HeadRoom MicroStack Drumonron
    .
16. Heed CanAmp jo_kok
    .
17. JA audio 6080 12ax7, modified phergus_25
    .
18. Lisa III ralphmoe
    .
19. M^3 socrates63, Superpredator, sean-xenos, jamesp
    .
20. MAD Ear+ Purist HD150 GASTAN, ISLE OF JURA
    .
21. Meier Corda HA-2 MkII SE digihead, ecclesand
    .
22. Meier Corda Move GTanaka
    .
23. Meier Corda Opera prototype Richter Di
    .
24. Meier Corda Prehead MkII Sture
    .
25. Melos SHA Gold jjhatfield
    .
26. Original Master Vic
    .
27. Portaphile V2^2 ralphmoe
    .
28. PS Audio GCHA GarryH
    .
29. RSA HR-2 covame, number1sixerfan
    .
30. RSA Raptor Elephas, 2deadeyes, Bones13
    .
31. RudiStor RP5.1 Patu
    .
32. SinglePower Extreme panyncor, Mher6
    .
33. SinglePower MPX3 (all versions) socrates63, lator, jetstream
    .
34. SinglePower Supra XLR Vic
    .
35. Stello HP100 Iron_Dreamer
    .
36. Sugden Headmaster Wildsurfer
    .
37. Talisman T-35hp minivan, braddo
    .
38. WooAudio 2 The Pieman
    .
39. WooAudio 3 fureshi
    .
40. WooAudio 4 maxed piotr z
    .
41. WooAudio 6 j5brock, fkclo
    .
42. X-Can V2, modified SK138
    .
43. Xin SuperMacro4 sulcata_geo, crypt@, jlingo
    .
44. Yamamoto Soundcraft HA-02 GarryH, tuatara, Icarium, inzynier
    .
45. Zana Deux shiosai, Elephas
    .
46. Zero P_1

And a photo, so it's not just boring text.

 

[Vic]

Hi Elephas,
- House rig: Resolution Audio Opus 21/Supra XLR maxed out
- Work rig: FLAC/iRiver optical out/Lavry DA10/Original Master

They both sound very good. Still my favourite can after the L3000.

I also liked it a lot out of the Opus 21 and a Raptor

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

1) Balanced from Headamp Balanced Gilmore Reference (dynamid)
2) Unbalanced from Stello HP100 or amp above

Primary source: Stello DA220 MkI

Both sound excellent, but listening balanced has a more impactful bass and more open soundstage.

 

[GASTAN]

Iron: How did u make them balanced ? DIY ? also recabled ?
or just reterminated ?
why are u doing IC on your balanced amp ? what are you up to ?

thx


--G

 

[GASTAN]

I am supposed to get W5000 on Xmas, so I will report back on how does it compare to RS-1 and HD650 on Heed CanAmp (and hopefuly Ear Audio Purist)


--G

 

[SK138]

1. Maxed M^3 MOSFET based with all blackgate caps and step PSU
2. Mod to extreme X-Can V2, with very little of original parts with dedicated PSU

I have chosen above amps after owning or auditioned the following amps:
1. HA5000 (auditioned at home micro-meet)
2. Upgraded (silver wire / blackgate caps) Gilmore V2-SE
3. Woo3 with enough NOS tubes to last until the next Ice Age
4. Mapletree Ear Purist + HD with several NOS tubes
5. X-CAN V3 (few days...modded X-CAN V2 was better)
6. 2000 Ok HP 100A hybrid Chinese amp

Primary source:
Apple G5 with iTune (AAC 320kbps)
Musical Fidelity A3.24 Upsampler DAC
Monarchy Upsampler DIP
Modded Musical Fidelity X10V3 Tube Buffer

 

[2deadeyes]

- RSA Raptor (Mullard CV4003 & Tung-Sol 5687)

Source is Stello DA220 MKII from Squeezebox 3

I will have to look into getting the HA5000 as my ears shows more affinity towards the W5000 by the day. The thought of it sounding better than now is very enticing

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GASTAN /img/forum/go_quote.gif Iron: How did u make them balanced ? DIY ? also recabled ? or just reterminated ? why are u doing IC on your balanced amp ? what are you up to ?

I completely recabled them, because outward appearances suggested that a simple re-termination would not be possible. I have not ripped the stock cable apart to confirm this, nor do I have any intention of doing so. I used a 26awg mix of silver and copper wires, so that the cable would not be annoyingly stiff like some aftermarket cables.

As far as my amp goes, I'm mainly just considering scaling back my level of investment in this hobby a bit. It doesn't reflect upon my enjoyment of the amp, just more of my overall priorities at this time.

 

[Afrikane]

EAR HP4
Source: Esoteric SA60

 

[Richter Di]

Opera (at the moment with the Prototype I). In two weeks hopefully with my regular one.

 

[Bones13]

I use Raptor with the same tubes as 2Deadeyes.
I use computer source thru Lavry Black.

 

[Fitz]

Darkvoice THA336FM (not THA336i)

Source: Squeezebox 3

 

[Elephas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2deadeyes /img/forum/go_quote.gif - RSA Raptor (Mullard CV4003 & Tung-Sol 5687) I will have to look into getting the HA5000 as my ears shows more affinity towards the W5000 by the day. The thought of it sounding better than now is very enticing

I use the same tubes with the RSA Raptor.

A Mullard ECC82 in place of the CV4003 also sounds good; a bit bassier and more body.

Unless you're going to use the Raptor with other headphones and the AT-HA5000 with other ATs, you might consider saving the money on the AT-HA5000. The Raptor is a versatile amp, driving the HD650, K701, DT880-'03, Grados and ATs well.

--
Impressive-looking list so far. Supra XLR, Balanced Gilmore Reference, Maxed M^3 MOSFET, EAR HP4, Corda Opera, Darkvoice THA336FM, three Raptors...

My AT-HA5000 is trembling in the corner having self-doubts about its capabilities.

 

[socrates63]

Best matching from personal experience? That would be Singlepower MPX3 Slam SE with 6BL tubes. Source is Arcam CD73.

 

[xenithon]

Great: ASL HB1
Fantastic (extremely resolving and involving): ASL MG Head OTL MkIII DT

Source in both cases: FLAC lossless ---> Edirol UA-1EX ---> Amp