[Frank I]

  So this came today. Sounds silky smooth and musical compared to my Nuforce Dac-100.
Liking it a lot so far!!
 

cool- one of the best ams Jack makes

 

[kazsud]

5998's?

Yup
Can't wait to acquire some tubes.
Doesn't sound harsh at all like the stock ones I heard a while ago.

 

[magiccabbage]

Yup
Can't wait to acquire some tubes.
Doesn't sound harsh at all like the stock ones I heard a while ago.

See if you can get some GEC 6As7g's with amperex bugle boys - supposed to be amazing with HD800! Never got to try it myself and i don't think I will take the plunge before I sell mine. 

 

[magiccabbage]

Kazud - Do you own a Stratus? 

 

[Clayton SF]

I think that the best amp I've heard in the WooWorld has to be the WA4. That's my current bed-side setup.
With Black Gate caps and V-Caps. Yummy!
 

 

[joseph69]

That is awesome!!!

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

 

[Silent One]

Woo-tastic? 

 

[punit]

  I think that the best amp I've heard in the WooWorld has to be the WA4. That's my current bed-side setup.
With Black Gate caps and V-Caps. Yummy!

So there is a or used to be a WA4, I used to wonder why they skipped the no.4 in the Woo line up & went from 3 to 5. What kind of amp is it , what tubes, etc ?

 

[Nic Rhodes]

http://www.wooaudio.com/products/wa4.html

 

[Dubstep Girl]

they only made a few WA4 didn't they?

 

[kazsud]

Kazud - Do you own a Stratus? 

 


Nope only heard it.

 

[lojay]

   
mostly I find its hard to find good 6SN7, on most of the amps i have tried, they introduce noise and microphonics, the tubes themselves are more sensitive overall.
 
im happy to say though that the WA5 right now doesn't seem to have any issues with the 6SN7/6F8G, dead silent, its amazing it can do that, the Wa22 sucked at doing that.
 

 
Funny, I think I have a noisy pair of Tungsol BGRP that is quite microphonic. I can't hear it with the HE6 (K1K out) or SR009 (Speaker out). But it becomes quite apparent when I use the HD800 with the high impedance out.
 
Quote:

   
well so far its definitely a step above the other Woos, the WA6-SE, WA2, and WA22, which I have owned aren't as good, even all maxed out with the best tubes you can get.
 
it still shares the same woo sound but its different like all the other woos. it fixes the problems the WA22 had. 
 
like this amp is very transparent, unlike the other woos, theres no doubt that this one has top level performance. its dynamic, but at the same time, soft and relaxed, not slow, but rather less PRaT, though the amp is actually quite fast as far as transients go, separation is great, no congestion. it images very well, lots of depth soundstage is natural, more rounded than lets say a WA2, the mids are soft and presented slightly forward but they arent aggressive. bass is similar to GSX, neutral, very well textured and natural. very detailed, similar to the other woos.
 
not as aggressive as a WA6-SE but similar detail and dynamics, this amp is tubier sounding. more euphonic, tonality is balanced, its not super dreamy silky goodness like a WA2 though, not as colored or warm or as lush as a WA22, more neutral, faster, but at the same time more relaxed. WA6-SE had bigger soundstage than WA5 but not as much depth, separation, or imaging. similar size to WA2 soundstage, just more rounded out. nothing like the huge soundstage the WA22 had.  the mids are well present and detailed,, but they aren't as forward as the WA22, has more bass than the WA22, almost as much as WA2, less bloom and decay but very tight very clean and textured. the bass is actually very good.
 
 
noise is very low, kinda like WA2, slightly more quiet until louder volumes. more quiet than WA6-SE background and definitely alot more than WA22, which is noisy woo amp.

 
Important question that would really help me: do you think it is better than the Stratus you've heard? How about some other top flight amps? 
 
I think I agree with your observations but I have not had a chance to listen to other amps in the same price range. I think the WA5 is very transparent but I do not know if it is the last word for resolution or imaging.  
 
What I do know is that with the U52 + Sophia Royal Princess 300Bs, the soundstage is as wide as it can be. It becomes a touch wider if I swap out the Tungsol BGRPs for the Sylvania 6SN7GTW, sacrificing bass response and airiness at the top end. I can't imagine my HD800s possibly sounding any wider than that. It is already completely out of my head. It even seems unnatural on some tracks. I did find the soundstage to be rather small when I had my stock 300Bs and rectifiers. So small that the WA5 sounded unimpressive - just a bit better than my Little Dot MkIV (for at least 6x the price). No kidding.
 
I still think the bass quantity is lacking compared to say the HE6 driven by the EF 6. Or maybe that was bass bloom I was experiencing? But it is very tight and controlled, plenty of slam with the HE6, and picks up the low notes extremely well.
 
Btw I haven't listened to the HD800 and HE6 much these days. The SR009 + WA5 combo is really supreme. 

 

[magiccabbage]

   
 The SR009 + WA5 combo is really supreme. 

You mean Wes? Oh I see you have an converter for WA5, whats that like with 009?
 
 

   
Important question that would really help me: do you think it is better than the Stratus you've heard?
 
 
 

I don't think she has heard she Stratus yet. 

 

[Dubstep Girl]

   
Important question that would really help me: do you think it is better than the Stratus you've heard? How about some other top flight amps? 
 
haven't heard the stratus, but i will soon!!!!
 
 
 
 
I think I agree with your observations but I have not had a chance to listen to other amps in the same price range. I think the WA5 is very transparent but I do not know if it is the last word for resolution or imaging.  
 
What I do know is that with the U52 + Sophia Royal Princess 300Bs, the soundstage is as wide as it can be. It becomes a touch wider if I swap out the Tungsol BGRPs for the Sylvania 6SN7GTW, sacrificing bass response and airiness at the top end. I can't imagine my HD800s possibly sounding any wider than that. It is already completely out of my head. It even seems unnatural on some tracks. I did find the soundstage to be rather small when I had my stock 300Bs and rectifiers. So small that the WA5 sounded unimpressive - just a bit better than my Little Dot MkIV (for at least 6x the price). No kidding.
 
i found this too, the soundstage is still somewhat small, though not sure how 596 affects this. and even though its small, it feels big in a way and separation is great. ur tube combo is also something i wanna try, the royal princess with the U52's. or 422A even.
 
I still think the bass quantity is lacking compared to say the HE6 driven by the EF 6. Or maybe that was bass bloom I was experiencing? But it is very tight and controlled, plenty of slam with the HE6, and picks up the low notes extremely well.
 
bass isn't as good as with my SS amp, like quantity/amplitube, i found the Decay of the Wa5 to be very tight, textured and controlled, in an organic kinda way, a bass thats only found on tube amps, it definitely has punch. i didn't find it all that bassy though, but its a nice bass. definitely satisfying enough, not like a solid-state, but like a tube...
 
Btw I haven't listened to the HD800 and HE6 much these days. The SR009 + WA5 combo is really supreme. 
 
hmm... 

 

[jc9394]

 

haven't heard the stratus, but i will soon!!!!

 
DG on a roll again?