Woo Audio Amp Owner Unite

[fhuang]

Hahaha my bad
I'd say the XLS should work, it's confirmed to work with the WA5 since the circuitry and the transformers are massively over spec'd so it accommodates the extra current draw. So if say looking at the build of the 234 it should be fine. And I also recall Jack saying it won't draw the full wattage just what the standard 300b draws, though it's always nice to have that extra headroom.

 
 
i didn't know.  i got them only because they were on sale at that time.  i asked before and i checked too but i didn't find much information.  i've been using them a while so i think it's safe to use kr audio 300b balloon with wa5

 

[Fririce0003]

i didn't know.  i got them only because they were on sale at that time.  i asked before and i checked too but i didn't find much information.  i've been using them a while so i think it's safe to use kr audio 300b balloon with wa5

Yeah the 300B balloon is safe to use, the plate voltage and current and everything else is the same as the standard 300B, only the glass is different. The XLS has a higher plate current and a higher maximum plate voltage which let's it put out 14-25W in class A. Got it confirmed by Jack that the 300BXLS will work, but the woo gear runs it at 300B spec so you won't get the 14W specified output. The 320BXLS takes the output even further, but he said they weren't compatible.

 

[isquirrel]

I'm running the old DS, the version before the DXe and newer DS came in. It's got the same specs as the new DS but a better power supply.
It's very transparent, hooked up to the Luxman DA-06 it's almost indistinguishable from the Luxman D-06 SACD. I actually prefer it, it still had that smooth, musical, liquid Luxman mid but also a tad more detail retreival. I was using a light harmonic USB with the USB power turned off on the antipodes.
The new DX with the SSD's is supposed to be a noticeable step up, better storage medium, better disc reader and a better power supply. A bit disappointed it wasn't in at the start if the year when I got mine...
Though one thing is the software to tag and organise the music library is a bit fiddley at times and if you're ripping and playing back at the same time it'll take a little time between tracks, not much, but not gapless. Also if you're using it with a Telstra T-Hub modem router and a wireless access point going to the Ethernet port it'll occasionally drop out or fail to connect, the T-Hub wireless is hopeless. So I'd hardwire to get around that if you're able to, I've just been too lazy to chase an Ethernet cable down the wall.

Thanks, that confirms it, I had been told that once you use one of these its bye bye laptop so I have ordered the DX, thank for the feedback on the wireless - I will go direct ethernet. The DX is still a few weeks away apparently.

 

[isquirrel]

Yeah the 300B balloon is safe to use, the plate voltage and current and everything else is the same as the standard 300B, only the glass is different. The XLS has a higher plate current and a higher maximum plate voltage which let's it put out 14-25W in class A. Got it confirmed by Jack that the 300BXLS will work, but the woo gear runs it at 300B spec so you won't get the 14W specified output. The 320BXLS takes the output even further, but he said they weren't compatible.

So thats a no on running the BXLS on the 234's?

 

[TonyNewman]

  Anyone using one of these ?
 
http://www.antipodesaudio.com/index.html

 
My experience with a DXe with an Auralic Vega was not a happy one. This is the only big ticket hifi purchase I have made that I totally regret. For some reason the DXe does not want to play nicely with the Vega.
 
To summarise the issues:

• Software would freeze after every 2 to 3 songs when playing .m4a files.
• Moving to FLAC files fixed the freezing, but when using 'Exact' clock mode on the Vega every song would have a drop out of around 1 second a few seconds into the playback.
• Setting the Vega clock back from 'Exact' to 'Fine' or 'Auto' would give a drop out every 4 or 5 tracks. That is still not acceptable to me. If I pay 3K for a music server it should support the best clock setting my DAC has - this device can't even support the second best clock setting on the Vega. It should also support .m4a files.

 
I contacted the retailer, who put me in touch with the designer/manufacturer (since we all reside here in NZ). I won't give the details of that exchange unless folks want to hear it - bottom line is that the issues I am having are beyond the user's ability to fix. There are no config settings I can adjust ... etc. The unit arrives with the firmware and software pre-loaded - and it is what it is (mine has the latest firmware loaded).
 
After all this unsatisfying drama I tried again using my PC (3 year old windows machine) as a server to the Vega. It worked flawlessly, in 'Exact' clock mode, for hours on end, with any file type I threw at it (wav/flac/m4a). Maxing out the buffers on the Vega's windows driver gives a rock solid result. This PC has no special tweaks or hardware or anything else - it is a stock PC running Media Monkey to the Vega via a $5 USB cable.
 
Keep in mind what a music server is delivering to the DAC - an asynchronous data stream of binary information - not an audio signal. I found my PC did a better job and the sonic result was identical to my ears (apart from the drop outs via the DXe). I also get to chose which the software and file types to use with my PC.
 
I have purchased an upgraded PC that will become my personal PC, and my 'old' PC will become my music server. The DXe is currently back in it's box gathering dust on my shelf. Not sure what to do with it - I am having trouble selling it in good conscience given the issues I have had.
 
The DXe might be wonderful with a different DAC - I don't know. For me it was a wasted purchase when paired with the Vega. YMMV.

 

[Fririce0003]

So thats a no on running the BXLS on the 234's?

300BXLS will work fine just not the 320BXLS, did you receive my email about the tube comparability chart? If not the 234 has the same rectifier and driver comparability as the WA5.

 

[isquirrel]

300BXLS will work fine just not the 320BXLS, did you receive my email about the tube comparability chart? If not the 234 has the same rectifier and driver comparability as the WA5.

Matt, sorry I haven't received it, okay so the BXLS are back in the mix, would still like to get some comfort re potential QC issues.

 

[Fririce0003]

My experience with a DXe with an Auralic Vega was not a happy one. This is the only big ticket hifi purchase I have made that I totally regret. For some reason the DXe does not want to play nicely with the Vega.

To summarise the issues:

1. Software would freeze after every 2 to 3 songs when playing .m4a files.
2. Moving to FLAC files fixed the freezing, but when using 'Exact' clock mode on the Vega every song would have a drop out of around 1 second a few seconds into the playback.
3. Setting the Vega clock back from 'Exact' to 'Fine' or 'Auto' would give a drop out every 4 or 5 tracks. That is still not acceptable to me. If I pay 3K for a music server it should support the best clock setting my DAC has - this device can't even support the second best clock setting on the Vega. It should also support .m4a files.

I contacted the retailer, who put me in touch with the designer/manufacturer (since we all reside here in NZ). I won't give the details of that exchange unless folks want to hear it - bottom line is that the issues I am having are beyond the user's ability to fix. There are no config settings I can adjust ... etc. The unit arrives with the firmware and software pre-loaded - and it is what it is (mine has the latest firmware loaded).

After all this unsatisfying drama I tried again using my PC (3 year old windows machine) as a server to the Vega. It worked flawlessly, in 'Exact' clock mode, for hours on end, with any file type I threw at it (wav/flac/m4a). Maxing out the buffers on the Vega's windows driver gives a rock solid result. This PC has no special tweaks or hardware or anything else - it is a stock PC running Media Monkey to the Vega via a $5 USB cable.

Keep in mind what a music server is delivering to the DAC - an asynchronous data stream of binary information - not an audio signal. I found my PC did a better job and the sonic result was identical to my ears (apart from the drop outs via the DXe). I also get to chose which the software and file types to use with my PC.

I have purchased an upgraded PC that will become my personal PC, and my 'old' PC will become my music server. The DXe is currently back in it's box gathering dust on my shelf. Not sure what to do with it - I am having trouble selling it in good conscience given the issues I have had.

The DXe might be wonderful with a different DAC - I don't know. For me it was a wasted purchase when paired with the Vega. YMMV.

Hmm that's rather strange, I'm running my DS with a vega and it switches over to exact without much fuss. Sometimes when I just change it over it'll drop out a couple of time as the clock syncs up and again sometimes if the bit rate changes, though it usually stabilises after 10 seconds at most. If that doesn't do the trick I just pause, change inputs to reset the clock and then change back to USB.
What cable are you using, I noticed this more when using a wire world platinum starlight cable. I've since changed to a light harmonic, but the firmware was also updated to the squeezebox control at the same time so it may or may not have been due to the cable.

 

[isquirrel]

Hmm, so many new music servers coming onto the market now maybe its time to sit back and let the dust settle.
 
Ones of note are the new Astell & Kern AT500N though that doesn't have USB output, but looks great, I am having heart palpitations thinking of how that would look next to the DaVinci.... Darth Vader come on down.
 
Then's there the Baetis Ref Media Server www.baetisaudio.com - friends in the US tell me its special.

 

[isquirrel]

Scratch the Baetis, I have just spent 30 minutes being lectured by the arrogant owner John. Now I don't care if he has the best sounding media server, apparently none of us on head-fi have the faintest idea of how computer audio should work.
 
Right oh, move along.

 

[bpcans]

Scratch the Baetis, I have just spent 30 minutes being lectured by the arrogant owner John. Now I don't care if he has the best sounding media server, apparently none of us on head-fi have the faintest idea of how computer audio should work.

Right oh, move along.

I just read a referenced article by John Mingo on the Beatis web site. Is Mr. Beatis the gentleman who you spoke with for 30 minutes and was not impressed by his positions on computer based audiophile sound, or was he something else altogether, like very very arrogant?

 

[isquirrel]

Same guy. Lets put it this way, I am no expert on computer audio, I am just trying swim through the new world, but it helps when someone who is trying to explain something to you works with your knowledge however pleb-bite that may be......

 

[bpcans]

Same guy. Lets put it this way, I am no expert on computer audio, I am just trying swim through the new world, but it helps when someone who is trying to explain something to you works with your knowledge however pleb-bite that may be......

Oh, I understand. Your merely a simple lover of music who can't understand the primary basics of computer audio. lol. When he stated early in his article that it was his contention that JRiver was the best music playing software, and at the end that his company made Windows based computers, I thought I kinda saw where he was comin from.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Hey everybody, this just went live.  http://en-us.sennheiser.com/wooaudio
 
 

 

[TonyNewman]

Hmm that's rather strange, I'm running my DS with a vega and it switches over to exact without much fuss. Sometimes when I just change it over it'll drop out a couple of time as the clock syncs up and again sometimes if the bit rate changes, though it usually stabilises after 10 seconds at most. If that doesn't do the trick I just pause, change inputs to reset the clock and then change back to USB.
What cable are you using, I noticed this more when using a wire world platinum starlight cable. I've since changed to a light harmonic, but the firmware was also updated to the squeezebox control at the same time so it may or may not have been due to the cable.

 
My DXe does not play nice. Perhaps I have a dud unit - really don't care anymore - fed up with trying to get the stupid thing to work properly so am moving on to PC based music server that ticks all the boxes for me (exact mode, supports all the media file types I use, can adjust the buffer settings via the vega windows driver, user selected software and upgrades).