[reeltime]

   
Wow - that's an impressive monster.
 
I use the Psvane T2 CV-181s (6SN7s) in my WA5 and my big rig TRV-845SE. They are extremely detailed, transparent and extended - they beat every NOS tube I have tried in those areas. The only thing they are lacking is some warmth - they sound perhaps a little 'solid state'. I have also had one tube blow on me in the first 50 hours of burn in (out of 6 tubes), so reliability can be an issue.
 
Pair them with warmish power tubes and the result is excellent.
 
The Shuguang Treasure CV-181s are also very good.

I have the PSVane TII CV-181 in my WA5LE (barely fit) but after hours of listening and swapping I changed to a brown base NOS Sylvania 6SN7.  The PSVane is a little crunchy on clean material like jazz and acoustic music, to my ears. The Sylvanias were a bit more transparent, open, and less colored. 
 
I like the PSVane for rock, but honestly they've been sitting on a shelf for a year, along with a matched pair of Mighty 596s, which lost a tube face off to the EML Mesh 5U4G.  

 

[TonyNewman]

 
I have the PSVane TII CV-181 in my WA5LE (barely fit) but after hours of listening and swapping I changed to a brown base NOS Sylvania 6SN7.  The PSVane is a little crunchy on clean material like jazz and acoustic music, to my ears. The Sylvanias were a bit more transparent, open, and less colored. 
 
I like the PSVane for rock, but honestly they've been sitting on a shelf for a year, along with a matched pair of Mighty 596s, which lost a tube face off to the EML Mesh 5U4G.  

 
Did you give them a lengthy burn in? Every Psvane tube I have tried has required a lengthy burn in of around 250->300 hours to reach its best. Prior to the 250->300 hours there is some lingering harshness in the sound.
 
I'm surprised the EML mesh 5U4G beat the 596. I have the EML mesh 274B that I was using in my WA6 - a very average tube for the money, I thought. The Mullard GZ32, at less than half the price, kills it in every way.

 

[bpcans]

Yes - love them. Excellent tube.

I am using the Woo adapters.

Spoiler

Tony, those look really cool in your black WA6. Did you try the Sophia Electric 6SN7's and which rectifier are you running with those smoked glass beauties?

 

[TonyNewman]

Tony, those look really cool in your black WA6. Did you try the Sophia Electric 6SN7's and which rectifier are you running with those smoked glass beauties?

 
Funny you should ask - I just swapped out the Shuggies for the Sophias a few minutes ago to give them another try

 
Currently running a Psvane WE274B 1:1 replica (have a review for it in the Recitfier thread). More often I use a Mullard GZ32.
 
One thing about the WA6 and fat 6SN7s - like Shuggies and Psvanes - a fat rectifier just won't fit with them.

 

[reeltime]

   
Did you give them a lengthy burn in? Every Psvane tube I have tried has required a lengthy burn in of around 250->300 hours to reach its best. Prior to the 250->300 hours there is some lingering harshness in the sound.
 
I'm surprised the EML mesh 5U4G beat the 596. I have the EML mesh 274B that I was using in my WA6 - a very average tube for the money, I thought. The Mullard GZ32, at less than half the price, kills it in every way.

I used the PSVane for about 3 or 4 months, they were the first driver I purchased for the amp.  I could given them even more time, but the Sylvania tubes sound quite nice.  There was definitely harshness!  
 
I'd ask this question-- If I have to listen to 400 hours of crap, just to get to a decent sound, doesn't that mean the tube just kind of sucks?  
 
The 596-- I couldn't make heads or tails of the bass on that tube.  Not that the EML is gonna light your toes up with bass, it's pretty bass light itself, but I was disappointed by the 596.  The bass was detailed, but not plentiful.  I did think the soundstage was better on the 596 than the EML, I will give it that. But gave away compromises in too many other areas to not go with the EML.  
 
The best rectifier I've ever heard is the metal base Mullard GZ34.  I had a 1956 that was simply gorgeous, and it sold on eBay for around $600 dollars AFTER I'd used it on my WA6 for a year (I was honest in my description).  I'd love to try a pair of GZ34s in the WA5, but I'm not sure they'd work, and two of those tubes would be over $1000, for the rectifier.  For that kind of cash, I'd rather try the SERP (Currently I have the EML Mesh 300B).

 

[joseph69]

 
 I changed to a brown base NOS Sylvania 6SN7.  
 

I've been using these myself since my first WA6! 

 

[bpcans]

Funny you should ask - I just swapped out the Shuggies for the Sophias a few minutes ago to give them another try

Currently running a Psvane WE274B 1:1 replica (have a review for it in the Recitfier thread). More often I use a Mullard GZ32.

One thing about the WA6 and fat 6SN7s - like Shuggies and Psvanes - a fat rectifier just won't fit with them.

I suppose I could use a little more bottom(bass) on my current rig. But how much hot chocolate should one put on their lemon sorbet? Is there an endgame rectifier for the WA6 with 6SN7 drivers?

 

[TonyNewman]

  I'd ask this question-- If I have to listen to 400 hours of crap, just to get to a decent sound, doesn't that mean the tube just kind of sucks?  

 
I take the point. It takes forever to rack up 300+ hours on a tube amp. Sometimes the payoff is large, sometimes it isn't.
 
I have been very happy with the results from some of the Psvane WE replica series. The WE274B replica has the best bass I have heard from a rectifier in the WA6 (beats the GZ32), but it takes a very long time for the harshness to fade.

 

[isquirrel]

Rolled in my TS RP BG last night, forgot how good it sounds, I am thinking the Shuguang Treasures and or the Psvanes 6SN7's are worth a shot if you are prepared to run them in for extended hours. I have a 1956 Mullard GZ34 metal base with only 100 hours on it if anyone is interested PM me.
 

 

[Fririce0003]

Hey guys I am finally able to join the Woo's owners club next week 

I have a pair of 234's coming, cannot wait, gave them a good listen on Thursday and was absolutely staggered at how good they sounded. I will be paring them with my Audeze LCD-3's / X's and Lightharmonic DaVinci DAC. Running balanced.

I was wondering about tubes and I have ordered the Sophia Princesses in the 45 Mesh plates Royal Princess 300B's, 274B Mesh plates and 2A3 Sophie Princess.

I ws wondering what to use as the 6SN7 I have many singles of 6SN7 but no pairs: Tung Sol RP BG, RCA red base 5992, Ken Rad staggered plates, RCA grey glass etc etc. I see Woo can supply the Sylvania's are the PSVANE worth considering?

Congrats on your new purchase! I'd say for the 6sn7's the best I've heard, out of my WA5, is the 1952 sylvania bad boys. 3 hole plate, polished mica and proper date code. A nice fast detailed response which is still musical. I've also tried ken rads, raytheon vt231, sylvania chrome domes, sylvania metal bases, sylvania 7sn7gt (Non bad boy) and Psvane cv181.
My top picks in terms of combination if detail and musicality in order are bad boys, Raytheon and then chrome domes. I haven't spent much time with the psvanes just made sure they work as using them with my KR balloon 300b's the glass is about 1mm from touching.
Though for 300B's I'd say try giving the KR Audio ones a go, I've got the balloon glass but I think the 300BXLS may be nicer. Over the royal princess they're more neutral, better dynamics, faster response and also have more bass control. With the rectifier tubes the full music 274b/+/n is the best I've heard, fast, detailed and plenty of bass response and extension. The Psvane 274b WE replicas come close and the gold lion GZ-34 isn't too far behind in terms of speed anyway. I feel the Sophia mesh to be rather lacking overall for the type if music I listen to. That being said though, for strictly acoustic be it jazz or classical the lush romantic sound of the Sophia royal princess and 274b mesh is hard to top.
But I can say the KR 300b, full music 274b/+/n and sylvania bad boy combination works perfectly with the WA234.... Too wonderfully, went in yesterday and now I'm waiting for a quote since I'm getting a pre amp output and xlr loop out put on mine. I'd love to try out some eml tubes with it but trying to find a supplier plus the price has put it on the back bench. Especially after the 234...

 

[isquirrel]

Glad you enjoyed listening to my 234's... George told me he had a couple of demo's to go before he shipped them up.
 
Thank you for the tube suggestions I will try and procure the valves you recommend. Don't think A2A have those.
 
Any suggestions on where to source them from?
 
Thanks

 

[Fririce0003]

Glad you enjoyed listening to my 234's... George told me he had a couple of demo's to go before he shipped them up.

Thank you for the tube suggestions I will try and procure the valves you recommend. Don't think A2A have those.

Any suggestions on where to source them from?

Thanks

That was your unit? Well I've got to thank you for the opportunity to demo it then Though my savings account disagrees, apprentice wages and this hobby don't go too well together...
As for the tubes, I got all of them off eBay, I couldn't find any Australian distributors for the tubes. Though the Fullmusic tubes were from seller listeningchina.hifi.cn, had one tube fail after about two weeks but the pair was replaced under warranty with no issues. The KR tubes were from a bloke in Italy but he doesn't seem to have any listed currently.
Also for EML I'd say head to their international dealer instead of tubeaudio store for buying internationally. I tried to get some 5u4g's and 300BXLS from them, transferred the money, no word back, emailed them and a couple of weeks later they said they had shipped. Waited about two months and then I noticed a refund from them for the price of the tubes. So all together 3 months of waiting around for nothing, wasn't even informed they wouldn't be cancelling my order...
For the NOS drivers it's a bit hit and miss, I've had a few tubes fail after a couple weeks but I just keep a few sets spare in case.

 

[Khragon]

Glad to see some 234's showing up on the forum... congrats guys.  Pictures please when you have a chance, and if brave, internal pics too

.

 

[Stereolab42]

I forgot about the KR 300B balloons. They certainly look cool. I may try them over the EML 300B mesh as a SERP alternative.
 
(Also, what's up with Australians and ultra-nosebleed headphone setups? Lol.)

 

[bpcans]

(Also, what's up with Australians and ultra-nosebleed headphone setups? Lol.)

My question exactly. The W234 looks like something that would make your head explode if you even turn it on, let alone plug some headphones into it.