[jc9394]

  and you are sounding like a Woo basher.   

Glenn is not bashing Woo at all.  Dannie01 does have a lot of issue with rectifiers and drivers tube before, especially using GEC BL63.

 

[GloryUprising]

   
Check these out-- 
 
http://toxic-cables.co.uk
 
Outstanding hand built cable at a great price (though not under your $200)

 
I had a set of Toxic Cables's "Silver Poison" when I had my LCD2s and didn't hear a big difference (then again I didn't notice a difference between a 5ar4 and a PS Sophia either) so I've come to the conclusion that I'm not part for the group that can hear differences in cable. I can, however, FEEL the difference between a well built cable vs a lower quality cable (and the build quality for toxic cables is very good, BJC is also a company with outstanding build quality).
 
For me, cabling is more about practical considerations vs 'tweaking' the sound of my cans... In this case, I need something in the 10ft/3.3m range in balanced configuration.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

  Glenn is not bashing Woo at all.  Dannie01 does have a lot of issue with rectifiers and drivers tube before, especially using GEC BL63.

yeah i remember hearing about the rectifier problems on the woo in  the past. 
 
i think they fixed most of them, but who knows. maybe it was only limited to WA5 and WA6-SE, i know the WA6-SE is fixed cause of the single rectifier vs double

 

[Dubstep Girl]

  another 596
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261315729536&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1120

 
wow 42 dollar shipping.

 

[longbowbbs]

 

  another 596
 
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=261315729536&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1120

 
wow 42 dollar shipping.

I think that is from the US to the UK....

 

[Clayton SF]

Makes me have second thoughts on getting a WA5. Blowing up rectifiers is not fun. But it can happen in any amp. My RK-60 just flashed bright purple a few weeks ago. It looked like there was a purple ghost in that tube trying to escape and my speaker was making thud sounds. I have just lost one RK-60. Fortunately I have a spare.

 

[koiloco]

  and you are sounding like a Woo basher.   

Not because I own a Woo now but I tend to agree with Frank on this.  Not good...

 

[koiloco]

  Matched Rectifiers in the WA-5
 
The rectifiers in the WA-5 should be from the same lot. Woo has the 5U4 heaters in series and have to have matched heaters
or one will have a early failure. 5U4s are not meant to be run in series. This is why I came up with the 596 they have matched heaters.
I even made a tester to test for matched heaters when I was selling them with adapters.
You can go back in this forum and look at the problems Dannie01 had with rectifiers blowing up in the WA-5.
Came up with the 596 specifically for the WA-5 but everyone started using them on other amps they are a good military grade rectifier.
 
DG will have to sell all the rectifiers unless she has them in pairs ore they will be blowing up in the WA-5.

and what a way to put some fear into DG about her tube collection 

 

[GloryUprising]

  Makes me have second thoughts on getting a WA5. Blowing up rectifiers is not fun. But it can happen in any amp. My RK-60 just flashed bright purple a few weeks ago. It looked like there was a purple ghost in that tube trying to escape and my speaker was making thud sounds. I have just lost one RK-60. Fortunately I have a spare.

 
Yea, when I rolled in my first USAF596, it was good for a few hours then blew up and took out a good fuse (HiFi Tuning Gold, too bad they stopped making them) with it. The lightning storm was kinda cool, but that was a one time glitch from a bad tube. *fingers crossed*

 

[Dubstep Girl]

its too much money and time to resell and rebuy everything. 
 
and i don't think Glenn is bashing woo, just as an amp designer/amp builder, just explaining how the WA5 is built and why the rectifiers have to be matched for best performance. and why he came up with the 596 for it.
 
if he was bashing them, he probably wouldn't have taken the time to even come up with a solution to the rectifier problem, and much less make adapters and mods for woo amps.
 
 
i know i've had issues with WA22/WA6-SE rectifiers as well. mostly things which don't seem to affect performance, but just don't seem good for the tubes lifespan.

 

[Clayton SF]

^ +1
And well said.

 

[Silent One]

@ 2359glenn
 

 Great recap! A few of us current day-to-day posters remain that rode along side that experience. I would also like to add that while some rectifiers can marginally skate by what's recommended, the EML Glass was susceptible at that time, blowing up in WA22s, WA6SEs & WA6s as well. But even more critical for WA5 owners.
 
Time for trivia! For all you tube aficionados out there, in the beginning I affectionately dubbed the USAF-596 "The Mighty 596" but why? Really, I don't just go around

making stuff up! It's based on technical merit.

 

 

[Wapiti]

We have heard the disadvantage of the Wa-5 design of placing the 5U4 heaters in series.
 
What are the advantages?

 

[Clayton SF]

  We have heard the disadvantage of the Wa-5 design of placing the 5U4 heaters in series.
 
What are the advantages?

That's a very good question.

 

[ru4music]

  We have heard the disadvantage of the Wa-5 design of placing the 5U4 heaters in series.
 
What are the advantages?

There is not really a technical advantage at all, it ultimately is just cheaper (cost/ real-estate) because your not using two transformers/ dual taps etc.  I agree with Glenn on this one, series heaters although used in earlier designs is NOT the best way to run heaters.