[Sid-Fi]

Hah. As for the motivation - thank you. As for the money - well there is always hope it will pay off eventually haha.
 
Quote:

 Yeah... but if I had Sid-Fi's motivation and money 

 I'd be marching toward an MBA. I applaud and congratulate you. 

 

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

I'm wondering how many Woo owners are using a computer as source. If so, what sdpif converters are you using and how do you like it?
 
I'm using an Audiophilleo2 with an Aqvox low-noise power supply, and have been really pleased with it. It has made my listening sessions extremely more enjoyable and has brought my laptop and FLAC library to levels close enough to nice CD transports to be very pleased with the tradeoff for convenience. Just wondering if any of you have found this type of converter to be a big help with your own systems.

 A resounding YES! In Spring 2011, I had ordered an A2... it even shipped! And I cancelled the order in transit. This is because, I had recently purchased the MHDT USBridge. I was experiencing problems playing tracks at 176.4 kHz and my audio dealer was at a lost to resolve my issue. So, I ordered the A2. But quickly became interested in the soon to be released Duet2 and freed up those funds.
 
I eventually contacted MHDT of Taiwan and got to the bottom of the issue I was having. Happy, I decided to keep the bridge and turn around and buy new headphones and new DAC. 

 But the bridge took my system to the next level. I have a Wireworld Silver Starlight USB coming out of the Mac into the USbridge; Wireworld Silver Starlight Coax coming out of the bridge and into the W4S DAC.
 
One thing I'm interested in trying later this year, is getting the Hi-Face EVO with a separate power supply or a custom battery option (LiFePo).
 

 

[Austin Morrow]

Quote:

No, but I have heard an Eddie Current Balancing Act with EML 300B tubes and HD 800. It was the best audio experience I have had so far. In particular, it had incredible dynamics and impact and was very moving. It felt like the percussion instruments were in the room with you and impacting you physically instead of just through your ears. I was very impressed with it. It was also very transparent, had precise imaging, and very good detail. All of the impressions I have read on the WA5 seem very similar to how I would describe what I heard with the BA, so I would think the WA5 would provide a lot of the same benefits.
 


 

 
Ah, it's like the ECBA? That's very interesting to know, considering that piece of kit is very legendary in terms of sonics. Excited for the future.
 
 

 

[Sid-Fi]

Yeah, the sonic characteristics that I described for the ECBA are similar to those I have read for 300B amplifiers in general. I think the tubes themselves are regarding for having those attributes. I wanted to get the WA5LE instead of the WA22, but there was no doubt I wouldn't be able to afford upgraded tubes for it for a quite awhile since the WA22 was already a stretch.
 
Quote:

 
Ah, it's like the ECBA? That's very interesting to know, considering that piece of kit is very legendary in terms of sonics. Excited for the future.
 
 

 

 

[Austin Morrow]

Quote:

Yeah, the sonic characteristics that I described for the ECBA are similar to those I have read for 300B amplifiers in general. I think the tubes themselves are regarding for having those attributes. I wanted to get the WA5LE instead of the WA22, but there was no doubt I wouldn't be able to afford upgraded tubes for it for a quite awhile since the WA22 was already a stretch.
 


 

 
Actually, I was contemplating just getting the WA5LE instead of the WA5 due to the fact that I'll never use the speaker taps, but I didn't know what the difference in sound quality would be between the two. Also, I was considering the WA22 but doesn't sound like it has the same sonics that'll match what I enjoy in an amp.

 

[musicman59]

Quote:

Does anybody have the WA5 Maxed out and the HD800? I'm thinking that will be my final setup in a  year or so.

I do. My WA5-LE has all the electronic upgrades, Teflon sockets, EML 300B Mesh, Several different tops NOS drivers and several different top rectifiers including EML 5U4G Mesh and USF 596.  The amp also is internally wired with all Neotech OCC copper wire and Cardas Eutetic solder. The only thing missing to be TOTALLY upgraded is the RK50 pot but I did not want to pay another $700 for that.
 
My HD800 are recabled with the Zeus cabled and the internal wire connecting the inside of the connector the the driver has also been replaced with the same Wireworld wire used in the Zeus.
 
IMO those HD800/WA5-LE sound excellent and to my taste the best open headphones (I also have the T1 with the Zeus). My 3 favorite headphones with the WA5 are the HD800, HE-6 and W3000ANV. Each at the top of the list within their own design. Now, which is the absolute winner of those 3 regardless design IMO it is a very close call between the HD800 and HE-6 to really declare a winner and the W3000ANV is just a 'hair" back but again it is a closed design so the soundstage is not as big (but it is very big for a closed headphone).
 
 

 

[Sid-Fi]

I don't think there are any sonic differences at all between the WA5 and the WA5LE, especially for headphones. The only difference, as far as I am aware, are the speaker taps and ability to drive efficient speakers as well.
 
I thought the WA22 would be good for my HD 650 since they are so much better in balanced drive mode. Also, I felt a little funny springing for a WA5LE when I still have a $300 pair of cans hehe. I'm looking forward to HD 800 as my ideal can for the WA22. With a nice tube amp, I prefer the HD 800 over all of the orthodynamics, although I still have not heard the LCD2 r3.
 
Quote:

 
Actually, I was contemplating just getting the WA5LE instead of the WA5 due to the fact that I'll never use the speaker taps, but I didn't know what the difference in sound quality would be between the two. Also, I was considering the WA22 but doesn't sound like it has the same sonics that'll match what I enjoy in an amp.

 

 

[musicman59]

Quote:

I don't think there are any sonic differences between the WA5 and the WA5LE, especially for headphones. The only difference, as far as I am aware is the speaker tabs and ability to drive speakers as well.
 
I thought the WA22 would be good for my HD 650 since they are so much better in balanced drive mode. Also, I felt a little funny springing for WA5LE when I still have a $300 pair of cans hehe. I'm looking forward to HD 800 as my ideal can for the WA22. With a nice tube amp, I prefer the HD 800 over all of the orthodynamics although I still have heard the LCD2 r3.
 


 

That is correct the WA5 and the WA5-LE are the same amp but the WA5 has speaker output and K1000 output jack. 
I was thinking to buy the WA22 because I was wanting to say balanced but when I compared the WA22 to the WA5-LE with the same T1 headphones it was very clear to me that the WA5-LE was a lot better amp even being SE so I went for it.
 
 

 

[IceClass]

Quote:

 
I was thinking to buy the WA22 because I was wanting to say balanced but when I compared the WA22 to the WA5-LE with the same T1 headphones it was very clear to me that the WA5-LE was a lot better amp...
 

As someone who has been thinking of upgrading for a while but has been stuck on the fence between the WA5-LE and the WA22 and has no opportunity within 2000 miles to hear either I really wish I knew what this means.

 

[Sid-Fi]

Based on my experience listening to the Balancing Act and on everything I have read about the WA5 and 300B tube amplifiers in general, the WA5LE would likely have a significantly more "dynamic" sound. Everything just sounds much more alive and emotionally involving with great PRAT, impact, and slam. I have heard a lot of good balanced tube amps and none of them had these characteristics at the level that could compare. These are considered to be traits of 300B amplifiers, which both the WA5 and Balancing Act are.
 
I agree with musicman59 that the WA5 being single ended means very little. Musicman59, would you agree in general with how I describe the sound characteristics of the BA as being representative of your WA5 as well?
 
Quote:

As someone who has been thinking of upgrading for a while but has been stuck on the fence between the WA5-LE and the WA22 and has no opportunity within 2000 miles to hear either I really wish I knew what this means.

 

 

[hodgjy]

I would also argue that unless you're running cables longer than 25-50 feet, there's no need to go balanced. 
 
Quote:

 
I agree with musicman59 that the WA5 being single ended means very little.
 


 

 

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Yeah, the sonic characteristics that I described for the ECBA are similar to those I have read for 300B amplifiers in general. I think the tubes themselves are regarding for having those attributes. I wanted to get the WA5LE instead of the WA22, but there was no doubt I wouldn't be able to afford upgraded tubes for it for a quite awhile since the WA22 was already a stretch.

I hate to say it as one of my first enamorations w/ the HD800 was the WA5.  But after hearing two different WA5s and having a lot of time on the BA, the two are not on the same level.  I haven't heard a fully Woo'd+ version to my knowledge but I know the way Craig gets his BA to sound the way it does is not through those parts upgrades or tube rolling.  That's a whole different ball of wax.  I do think the WA5 is top 5 though there abouts.  I'd take a Manley 300B over it tbh but that's still $2000+ more than a BA and different animal altogether.
 

 

[Austin Morrow]

Quote:

I do. My WA5-LE has all the electronic upgrades, Teflon sockets, EML 300B Mesh, Several different tops NOS drivers and several different top rectifiers including EML 5U4G Mesh and USF 596.  The amp also is internally wired with all Neotech OCC copper wire and Cardas Eutetic solder. The only thing missing to be TOTALLY upgraded is the RK50 pot but I did not want to pay another $700 for that.
 
My HD800 are recabled with the Zeus cabled and the internal wire connecting the inside of the connector the the driver has also been replaced with the same Wireworld wire used in the Zeus.
 
IMO those HD800/WA5-LE sound excellent and to my taste the best open headphones (I also have the T1 with the Zeus). My 3 favorite headphones with the WA5 are the HD800, HE-6 and W3000ANV. Each at the top of the list within their own design. Now, which is the absolute winner of those 3 regardless design IMO it is a very close call between the HD800 and HE-6 to really declare a winner and the W3000ANV is just a 'hair" back but again it is a closed design so the soundstage is not as big (but it is very big for a closed headphone).
 
 

 
Looks like I'm going with the WA5LE then. As of the moment I'm running my re-cabled HD650's through a WA6 and while the very lush, romantic sound is quite enjoyable, it's not a versatile for all the genres that I listen to. I want something that's a lot more technically capable, and so far the HD800 off the WA2, the Liquid Fire, and the Stingray all sound better than any other headphone I have tried, and that includes all the top tiered orthos and dynamics I have heard (LCD-2 - T1 - K1000 etc).

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

WA2, the Liquid Fire, and the Stingray all sound better than any other headphone I have tried, and that includes all the top tiered orthos and dynamics I have heard (LCD-2 - T1 - K1000 etc).

How would you compare those, particularly the LF to Stingray.
 

 

[Austin Morrow]

Quote:

How would you compare those, particularly the LF to Stingray.
 

I like the Liquid Fire more, especially for the HD800. They're both excellent amplifiers, but I find the Liquid Fire to edge out the Stingray, more to personal preference. I found the Liquid Fire to be less speedy and dynamically capable than the Stingray, but the imaging and overall layering was a lot bigger. The Stingray has a slightly edgy treble with lusher mids than the LF. The LF screams clarity, and while I didn't really listen to a lot of bass heavy music, I think the Stingray wins in that regard. Also, this is just in a nutshell.