Woo Audio Amp Owner Unite

[Silent One]

 
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I think maybe "reassurance" might be the more appropriate word
 
 

 
I understand, especially when spending is involved. Just funnin' with you! 

 But the recommendation stands.

 

[MacedonianHero]

 
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We have a split vote right down the middle. Though, I wonder what recs were being used by you, MacedonianHero and Golfnutz?

 

It didn't matter as I kept everything the same and only swapped out the power tubes. That said, my rec tubes were the 274B Sophia Princess and 5U4G EML Mesh. Could be a difference in the circuitry between the WA2 vs. WA22?

 

[Xcalibur255]

 
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Sound science isn't really my thing. 

 
What does this translate into in how it will affect the sound?
 
 
 

 
The rectifier provides power to the part of the other tubes that actually amplify the audio signal.  It's called the B+ voltage.  The other tubes in the amp are expecting a specific amount of voltage to do their thing, and it is the rectifiers job to supply it.  The tricky part is that different rectifiers behave differently when they are under various loads, and when a rectifier is asked to work hard some voltage sag can appear.  How much varies depending upon the type of rectifier, but this along with some other factors such as ripple and general stability directly affects the operation of the other tubes downstream.  When these values change or vary it changes the way the other tubes are behaving and will naturally affect what you are hearing, which is why swapping a 5AR4 for a 5U4G for example produces a different sound.  It's primarily because the 5U4G has more voltage sag under load than a 5AR4 does.  The rectifier itself has no "sound" but it influences the sound of all the other tubes by changing the amount of voltage that is being applied to their plates.
 
Just like a good power supply matters a lot to any amp, the rectifier tube is the power supply for the other tubes and can make or break some areas of performance.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

nvm, you're right, they are warmer with more bloom especially in the mids, kinda hard to tell at first though. its like the opposite of what i heard earlier.
 
 

 

[xinque]

So I'm guessing the load that's put on the rectifier depends on the volume and audio signal?  These seem to be the only two variables that come to mind.  If that's the case, wouldn't it be more the recording that breaks certain tube combos than the rectifier?
 
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The rectifier provides power to the part of the other tubes that actually amplify the audio signal.  It's called the B+ voltage.  The other tubes in the amp are expecting a specific amount of voltage to do their thing, and it is the rectifiers job to supply it.  The tricky part is that different rectifiers behave differently when they are under various loads, and when a rectifier is asked to work hard some voltage sag can appear.  How much varies depending upon the type of rectifier, but this along with some other factors such as ripple and general stability directly affects the operation of the other tubes downstream.  When these values change or vary it changes the way the other tubes are behaving and will naturally affect what you are hearing, which is why swapping a 5AR4 for a 5U4G for example produces a different sound.  It's primarily because the 5U4G has more voltage sag under load than a 5AR4 does.  The rectifier itself has no "sound" but it influences the sound of all the other tubes by changing the amount of voltage that is being applied to their plates.
 
Just like a good power supply matters a lot to any amp, the rectifier tube is the power supply for the other tubes and can make or break some areas of performance.

 
 

 

[musicman59]

 
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I see Takatsuki makes a 274B tube as well.

 

Yeah, saw that too.  The odd thing is I believe it's priced higher than the 300B.  Skeptical about swapping my rectifier though, Jack mentioned to me the rectifier had the least amount of impact to the sound.

 
 
I am not sure if they impact the least but one thing I know... They do impact the sound. I have roll several different one in my WA5-LE and it is clear the change in sound form one to the other keeping the same driver and power tubes.

 

[Silent One]

 
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It didn't matter as I kept everything the same and only swapped out the power tubes. That said, my rec tubes were the 274B Sophia Princess and 5U4G EML Mesh. Could be a difference in the circuitry between the WA2 vs. WA22?

 
Dubstep Girl is now reporting the reverse and siding with what you and Golfnutz heard. I spent good time with listening rather than back and forth - left one set of power tubes in for the week and then changed. I have Glenn's custom built OTL amp and so I cannot comment on the WA2 experience between power tubes. Heard the WA2 but as pre-amp only. 
 
The transformer could be an influence between the two Woo's though. With my custom built amp, the TS-5998's bring more clarity, details and dynamics. The Sylvania 7236's bring more warmth, softness and a bit more dreamy.

 

[Silent One]

Rolling rectifiers has always changed my order of preference for my top five drive tubes. That's how BIG the influence of rectifiers are for me.

 

[MacedonianHero]

^^
 
As noted, I've come to my conclusion using a plethora of rectifier tubes...from my Sophia Princess and EML Mesh plate (primarily) to my 5U4G Sylvania to my 5AR4 Mullard. The TS5998 is a bit warmer and lusher and the 7236 more ss sounding. Could also be what amp these tubes find themselves in too. But I did own the WA2 and felt the same way when I owned that amp as well. YMMV, etc...

 

[Dubstep Girl]

hmmm i guess..
 
i couldn't decribe the 7236 as ss sounding, not at all.

 

[MacedonianHero]

 
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hmmm i guess..
 
i couldn't decribe the 7236 as ss sounding, not at all.

 

Just in relation to the 5998 or 6AS7. Again, IMHO.

 

[Silent One]

 
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^^
 
As noted, I've come to my conclusion using a plethora of rectifier tubes...from my Sophia Princess and EML Mesh plate (primarily) to my 5U4G Sylvania to my 5AR4 Mullard. The TS5998 is a bit warmer and lusher and the 7236 more ss sounding. Could also be what amp these tubes find themselves in too. But I did own the WA2 and felt the same way when I owned that amp as well. YMMV, etc...

 
Our experiences are actually aligned. Different recs did not change what I heard from the two power tubes in questions. Drive tubes yes, not power. Only difference is what we're hearing with the two power tubes. Even that might change along with my emotions in-session. 

 
A quick add, MH! I totally overlooked the fact that I'm currently using D7000's @ 25 ohms, so playback with the OTL perhaps, is not under ideal circumstances. When I had the HD600's in earlier this month, the difference between power tubes was not something I checked. The cans may also matter.

 

[Nosbig]

Hello Head-fiers. I registered ages ago, but have not done much replying. I too bought GE and Westinghouse 6GL7's, and unlike most of the replies, I love them. I had GE 6FD7s coupled with my HD-800's, and thought: You know, I'm itching to try these tubes Jack's been raving about. I was pleased with the 6FD7's, so something with similar specifications should sound roughly the same. I was wrong. Right after removing the 6FD7s and installing the 6GL7s, I was greeted with deeper bass, and a crisper treble. There definitely is more gain with these tubes, but found keeping the volume control at the same point as the the 6FD7s listenable.
 
Now I'll be honest. I do not prefer warmer sound characteristics, and prefer a bit of sibilance and bloom. The 6CY7s that came as the stock tube, I found bland and dull with my HD-800s. I also bought Jack's 7N7-6DE7 adapters and found the later GTA style 7N7s not that enjoyable. The older GT style T, or Box plates sacrificed some treble in lieu for a deeper soundstage. Seemingly I am contradicting myself, but somehow, I sort of liked the T-Plates. Oh well, If I ever build up the balls to save for a WA5-LE, I'll have the perfect driver tubes, with an adapter of course.
 
I use to listen to my father, in a band, play music live, and found that their music was a great deal more bassy and, "treble happy" than my, sadly broken, HD-580's. I used, and still own a: Denon DCM-460, Creek OBH-11, and that was about it, as far as Hi-Fi or Mid-Fi. Now I have my HD-800's, WA-6, MHDT Havana, and a Cambridge Audio Azur 640A to from which my WA-6 is fed from. Things now sound more bassy, a bit brighter, more forgiving in the midrange, and thus more lively sounding. From hearing Head-Fi's praises of the WA5, I should be able to sit idly enough by, to save for one.
 
Don't take all these bad reviews for granted. I could have warped hearing, but then again so could you, and you could like what the 6GL7 has to offer 

 

[Sid-Fi]

I've only tried three rectifiers so far, but swapping each was a huge difference in sound characteristics. Especially comparing the Mullard GZ34 right after the Mullard GZ37 - talk about night and day difference with the same power and driver tubes. The latter is smooth and slower while the former is fast, impactful, and energetic.
 
After my 6F8G are burned in, I would really like to try a Sophia Princess with my Sylvania chrome dome 6sn7 gta. From everything I have read so far, I am pretty good leaving my Sylvania 7236 alone and focusing on rectifier and driver combinations.
 
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Rolling rectifiers has always changed my order of preference for my top five drive tubes. That's how BIG the influence of rectifiers are for me.

 
 

 

[San Raal]

 
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Yeah, saw that too.  The odd thing is I believe it's priced higher than the 300B.  Skeptical about swapping my rectifier though, Jack mentioned to me the rectifier had the least amount of impact to the sound.

 
I can't get over this logic either, I "really" want to try a pair of the Takatsuki 274b on the WA5, but at 160,000 Yen (130,000 for the 300B pair) it seems someone nonsensical. Perhaps they're expecting folks to only require 1 for most applications.