[TonyNewman]

   
1 TOTL amp specifically made to drive each flagship headphone is the ideal 

. The WA5 / HE-6 combo is great though, especially since WA5 can do speakers and other headphones really well too. Allnic HPA-5000 with HE-6 is incredible though too, I miss having it around, the WA5 is just missing that 2%, like 2% vs skim milk kinda thing.
 
for HD 800 / HE-6 though, yeah tough to beat WA5, I've been using WA5 more for my speakers now though

 
Have you tried driving the HD800 via the speaker taps on the WA5 via a HiFiMan adapter box (or similar)? For me, this beats the standard HPH output of the WA5 significantly. Dynamics improve noticeably.
 
This doesn't work for the HE6 - the K1K output remains king, but I find that socket unusable for the HD800 due to the high noise floor (loud hum).
 
If you have access to a bigger and better tube amp you can get better results. I have an 845 based tube amp that I was using to drive speakers before replacing it with an Accuphase power amp. I now use the speaker taps of this 45kg beast to drive headphones. 20W of SET power driving the HD800 is quite something.
 
845 SET amp speaker taps >> WA5 speaker taps >>>>> WA5 HPH output
 

 
For both the HD800 and HE6 I am finding the Simaudio 430HA superb.
I slightly prefer it to the (WA5 K1K + HE6) and (845 SET + HD800) pairings mentioned above.
 

 
 
My HeadFi buddy prefers the 845 SET driving the HD800 - it's a close call. Both take the HD800 a very long way.
 
Do you know the sensitivity of the speakers you are driving with the WA5?
 
I had an expensive journey along that path. My floor standers are 88dB sensitivity - roughly average for a speaker, I guess. The 8W of the WA5 speaker output was just inadequate - like a poorly amped HE6 - thin sound and weak bass. The 20W 845 SET amp did a much better job and I was happy enough with the sound, but the heat coming from the 845 SET amp was insane for regular use, so I went with a nice solid state power amp (Accuphase P-4200). Only after hooking up the SS power amp did I realise what I missing out on due to the inadequate power of the 845 SET amp. Dynamics and bass took another big step upwards and sound is now excellent. 20W isn't enough to deliver the best from 88dB speakers , despite what some tube-heads might suggest

 
Happy to have found a use for the huge and expensive 845 SET speaker amp - it drives headphones like the HD800 stunningly well via an adapter box.
 
I have learned that speaker taps are not just for the HE6. Other headphones can benefit from the extra juice - highly recommended for the WA5 + HD800 combination.

 

[TonyNewman]

  Agreed!  I  wished certain reviewer knew this before slamming the HE-6 driven by the Pinnacle!
 
I am not sure how much power the Woo WA5 delivers into 50 Ohms, but the HE-6 needs about 5 to 10 pristine watts.  Many tube amps and Class-A SS amps with 30-70 wpc into 8 ohms work just fine.
 
Now back to one TOTL amp  for each Flagship:  great idea.  I am having trouble with execution though, unless I sell my house...Darn!

 
Why Tyll didn't use a WA5 via the K1K port in that review is beyond me. Apex Pinnacle might be a wonderful amp (never heard it) but it does not pack the gear to drive the HE6 properly.
 
WA5 delivers 8W into 50 Ohms. Simaudio 430HA does the same. I have both and they both drive the HE6 exceedingly well. I slightly prefer the 430HA on the HE6, but I love the better detail and dynamics that SS can deliver. Am yet to get my HE6 speaker tap harness so I can compare these two against my power amp speaker taps - that will be fun.
 
I did sell my house and am sitting on a small stack of cash - have to restrain myself from blowing too much of it on audio gear. Answer might be to buy another house faster so I can have a mortgage again. Nothing like a mountain of debt to restrain spending

 

[Justin_Time]

Why Tyll didn't use a WA5 via the K1K port in that review is beyond me. Apex Pinnacle might be a wonderful amp (never heard it) but it does not pack the gear to drive the HE6 properly.

WA5 delivers 8W into 50 Ohms. Simaudio 430HA does the same. I have both and they both drive the HE6 exceedingly well. I slightly prefer the 430HA on the HE6, but I love the better detail and dynamics that SS can deliver. Am yet to get my HE6 speaker tap harness so I can compare these two against my power amp speaker taps - that will be fun.

I did sell my house and am sitting on a small stack of cash - have to restrain myself from blowing too much of it on audio gear. Answer might be to buy another house faster so I can have a mortgage again. Nothing like a mountain of debt to restrain spending :wink_face:

Buy another house quickly!

I just sold my Peak/Volcano last week so I cannot re-verify but last time I played the HE-6 with this amp using the Shuguang and Sylvania driver tubes, the sound was not only wonderful but loud, loud, loud, to ear splitting level. This combo packs a punch! Remember, it is a hybrid so power is not really a problem. The big, separate power supply helps a lot too.

 

[TonyNewman]

Buy another house quickly!

I just sold my Peak/Volcano last week so I cannot re-verify but last time I played the HE-6 with this amp using the Shuguang and Sylvania driver tubes, the sound was not only wonderful but loud, loud, loud, to ear splitting level. This combo packs a punch! Remember, it is a hybrid so power is not really a problem. The big, separate power supply helps a lot too.

I have made my last big audio purchase for a long time - onto the house next

 
Took a while and a lot of $$$, but I now have setup that covers all the bases I wanted to cover:
HE6 - 430HA for solid state, WA5 for tube.
HD800 - 430HA for solid state, 845 SET for tube.
Floorstanders - 430HA preamp, Accuphase P-4200 power amp.
Auralic Vega DAC feeds all the above.
 
All this craziness started with a WA6 just over 12 months ago

 

[Badas]

I did sell my house and am sitting on a small stack of cash - have to restrain myself from blowing too much of it on audio gear. Answer might be to buy another house faster so I can have a mortgage again. Nothing like a mountain of debt to restrain spending :wink_face:

Buy anymore and you will need a warehouse not a home.
seriously tho you are done. You have every best combo to drive all your gear (headphones and speakers)
I think the HE-6, Vega and 430 HA is my favourite. Just so great.



At the moment I am burning in some free tubes. The nice guys at Langrex sent me these sample Mullard power tubes. So far it is doing the basics nicely. No noise or hum. I will put some hours on them and then compare with others. Ignore the logos. I make my own logos for some tubes. The Mullard and Brimar logos on the bottom are fakes.

 

[Justin_Time]

I have made my last big audio purchase for a long time - onto the house next

Took a while and a lot of $$$, but I now have setup that covers all the bases I wanted to cover:
HE6 - 430HA for solid state, WA5 for tube.
HD800 - 430HA for solid state, 845 SET for tube.
Floorstanders - 430HA preamp, Accuphase P-4200 power amp.
Auralic Vega DAC feeds all the above.

All this craziness started with a WA6 just over 12 months ago :blink:

I think you are in a better shape than I am.

I started with the HD-800 and Burson HA-160D a few years ago, a wretched combination of memory serves.

Over a dozen pairs of HP and more than 20 amps later, I am nowhere close to settling for a permanent set up.

At least I have the Woo WA5 and the GS-X Mk2 as my two primary amps.

 

[TonyNewman]

...At least I have the Woo WA5 and the GS-X Mk2 as my two primary amps.

 
That's a nice amp pairing for SS and tube coverage.
 
I thought about the GS-X Mk2 as my endgame SS HeadFi amp, but availability is an issue and there are reports that it struggles to drive the HE6 fully, so went with the 430HA.

 

[Justin_Time]

That's a nice amp pairing for SS and tube coverage.

I thought about the GS-X Mk2 as my endgame SS HeadFi amp, but availability is an issue and there are reports that it struggles to drive the HE6 fully, so went with the 430HA.

Yes, with the GS-X Mk2, you need to crank up the DAC output level to the max, then everything works out.

With all SS amps, you also have an alternative: the Sophia Electric Magik Box. It makes SS amps' midrange warmer and more liquid--like tube's--and gives you +6 dB of gain to boot, just what you need for the HE-6. But at $2,500, it also gives you pause.

Cheers,

J-_T

 

[TonyNewman]

With all SS amps, you also have an alternative: the Sophia Electric Magik Box. ...

 
Interesting product - had no clue it existed. I already have a sunk cost in the WA5 and 845 SET, so my tube bases are covered.
 
The SS gear I have has a velvety warmness to it that makes it very 'non transistor' to listen to. The Vega DAC plays a big part in that, also the Accuphase power amp and the 430HA (as preamp and headamp). Sound is very 'tube-like' with the extra detail and dynamics that SS can deliver.
 
If I had the chance to do it all over again I would go SS all the way. Tubes are lovely, but the cost and hassle factor are a big disadvantage.

 

[JohanGao]

I Just receive my LCD3f, and trying it with Woo WA6SE, I am little confuse with problem that I found...
I found that the sound vibrating for the left headphone chanel.. Firstly, I think the headphone have a trouble, but when I try to use the headphone with ALO national amp playing same song, the problem doesn't appear..
Then I think that is the Woo that cause that.. I try to tighten the cable and tube all the way, but the problem not disappear, until I found this issue...
When you insert your headphone jack, there is 3 step to make the jack completely inserted. So I found when I inserted the jack completely then the sound on the left driver of every headphone I use sound vibrating on recessed, but when I pull one step out the problem disappear, but the sound feel likes mono not stereo... 
 
Could anyone know what happen with my WA6SE or there is something I miss when installing the amp or whatever?

 

[bfreedma]

I Just receive my LCD3f, and trying it with Woo WA6SE, I am little confuse with problem that I found...
I found that the sound vibrating for the left headphone chanel.. Firstly, I think the headphone have a trouble, but when I try to use the headphone with ALO national amp playing same song, the problem doesn't appear..
Then I think that is the Woo that cause that.. I try to tighten the cable and tube all the way, but the problem not disappear, until I found this issue...
When you insert your headphone jack, there is 3 step to make the jack completely inserted. So I found when I inserted the jack completely then the sound on the left driver of every headphone I use sound vibrating on recessed, but when I pull one step out the problem disappear, but the sound feel likes mono not stereo... 
 
Could anyone know what happen with my WA6SE or there is something I miss when installing the amp or whatever?

Is this happening on both the high and low jacks or just one of them? My 6SE's low output jack doesn't make a perfect connection with a few cables (most work fine). Wondering if you might be having the same problem. I really like the 6SE/LCD3 combo, so hope you get it working properly.

 

[JohanGao]

Is this happening on both the high and low jacks or just one of them? My 6SE's low output jack doesn't make a perfect connection with a few cables (most work fine). Wondering if you might be having the same problem. I really like the 6SE/LCD3 combo, so hope you get it working properly.

it's happening on both of low and high.... But it don't happen with all song, some songs just fine but some songs feel so disappointed... but when I change with other amp with same song the problem is gone...

 

[JohanGao]

May I know how long is the time we need to make the tube warm.... Before I hear the song in half of hour and more the sound still feel vibrating on low and recessed for the high... now After I finish watching film, just realize that I forget to turn off the amp (WA6SE) and I try to listen to the same song which have a problem before, and the problem just vanish... Now it sound like what it should sound.... 

 

[kokushu]

 
Just got my elrog 300b.  So with the elrog 300b/ tung sol 6f8g/ and WE 422a I should be done with tube upgrade right?  Now I just wait till the Hifiman he 1000 to come out.

 

[Khragon]

Congrats... unfortunately my Elrog won't be here until Monday... nice setup.  I'm going to have similar.  How is the HD800 sounds?