[TonyNewman]

   
 
the ears and yourself ok?

Absolutely - thanks for asking. I didn't have the headphones on my head at the time 

 

[Krutsch]

  I have blown 2 capacitors in my WA5. Curious if anyone else has had a similar experience.
 
You can see the two little devils in the picture below.
 

Wow... glad to hear you didn't have cans on at the time and that your ears are OK. I assume this is going back to Woo for repair.
 
Please post-back and let us know what may have been root cause; I am very curious to hear what blew two caps at the same time.

 

[TonyNewman]

 
Wow... glad to hear you didn't have cans on at the time and that your ears are OK. I assume this is going back to Woo for repair.
 
Please post-back and let us know what may have been root cause; I am very curious to hear what blew two caps at the same time.

 
I live in Auckland, New Zealand, so sending a 70+lb amp to New York isn't practical. To send even the amp section at 30+lb isn't going to happen.
 
I am chasing some local options to repair the amp. The good thing about Woo amps is that they are very simple electronically, so I am hoping that replacing the caps isn't going to be a big drama. Might even think about getting all the caps upgraded if that is an option.
 
I suspect that I blew the first cap (the top one in the picture) some months ago while using a bad tube that blew rather spectacularly, and I think it took out the first capacitor. I didn't realise the cap was damaged and continued to use the amp until the second, and bigger, blow out. I don't know if the first cap blowing led to the second cap blowing, but it seems reasonable to think they might be related.
 
It's moments like this that make me want to go solid state. None of this sort of carry on from my Taurus Mk2 or Simaudio 430HA

 

[Krutsch]

  I am chasing some local options to repair the amp. The good thing about Woo amps is that they are very simple electronically, so I am hoping that replacing the caps isn't going to be a big drama. Might even think about getting all the caps upgraded if that is an option.
 
It's moments like this that make me want to go solid state. None of this sort of carry on from my Taurus Mk2 or Simaudio 430HA

 
I do consulting work for a H/W design company (on the S/W side) and I've been seriously considering taking my WA3 in and asking one of the EEs to super-size me with some upgraded caps, et al. I've read through some of the WA3 upgrade thread (from a few years ago); why not buy some parts and see what happens? Good luck with your upgrade; I have to imagine using top-shelf caps would make a noticeable difference, but I would expect the WA5 to be so equipped out-of-the box, as opposed to the low-end WA3.
 
For SS, my back-up is an NAD D 1050 which, as my girlfriend points out, is not as satisfying.  

 

 

[Khragon]

 I have to imagine using top-shelf caps would make a noticeable difference, but I would expect the WA5 to be so equipped out-of-the box, as opposed to the low-end WA3.

I did asked Jack about the baseline WA5 before purchasing and he mentioned that Woo already used audiophile grade parts in the baseline model.
 
As for the repair, I wonder if it feasible for Woo to send you just that PCB as replacement? look like it soldered in place though, so may not be as easy as it sounds.

 

[TonyNewman]

   
I do consulting work for a H/W design company (on the S/W side) and I've been seriously considering taking my WA3 in and asking one of the EEs to super-size me with some upgraded caps, et al. I've read through some of the WA3 upgrade thread (from a few years ago); why not buy some parts and see what happens? Good luck with your upgrade; I have to imagine using top-shelf caps would make a noticeable difference, but I would expect the WA5 to be so equipped out-of-the box, as opposed to the low-end WA3.
 
For SS, my back-up is an NAD D 1050 which, as my girlfriend points out, is not as satisfying.  

 

 
Solid state can be a warm and engaging sound. Perhaps not quite as enthralling as a good tube amp, but perhaps a lot closer than many folks think.
 
I think it is all about the equipment selection. Pairing a warmish and highly musical DAC (Auralic Vega) with a high quality headamp that is a little on the warm side (Simaudio 430HA or Taurus MK2) produces a sound that is WONDERFUL. In fact, I had to seriously upgrade the driver tubes on my WA5 just so it would be competitive with my solid state amp.
 
If I had to do it all over again, I would probably skip tubes altogether. I love the tube sound, but it doesn't stack up in a cost-benefit analysis against SS. For my WA5 SQ to be competitive with my 430HA SQ I have to put close to top tier tubes in it. That is expensive and takes the WA5 + tube costs significantly above the 430HA. Then there is the hassle of tube warm up, tube burn in and tubes blowing ... etc.
 
I switch my 430HA on and 2 seconds later I have great music. I like that a lot.

 

[Khragon]

Yeah, but does it glow?

 

[TonyNewman]

... As for the repair, I wonder if it feasible for Woo to send you just that PCB as replacement? look like it soldered in place though, so may not be as easy as it sounds.

 
That's a good idea - thanks. If the local repair option becomes problematic I will chase that possibility up with the Woo folks.

 

[Krutsch]

  Yeah, but does it glow?

Ha Ha... Good one 

 

[TonyNewman]

  Yeah, but does it glow?

 

You got me there, but that is really my point. It is an emotional, gut level attraction that keeps me in the tube game.
 
From a logical cost-benefit + practicality point of view there is really only one choice for me - SS.

 

[Krutsch]

   
Solid state can be a warm and engaging sound. Perhaps not quite as enthralling as a good tube amp, but perhaps a lot closer than many folks think.
 

 
Peace... I am not arguing with that, at all. I was commenting more on my particular SS amp. I'm sure the SimAudio component is incredible.
 
For me, I like my NAD w/ Grado for some music. But plugging in the HD-650s is sort-of sad sounding, after being spoiled by my Rega + WA3 rig.

 

[TonyNewman]

  ...
For me, I like my NAD w/ Grado for some music. But plugging in the HD-650s is sort-of sad sounding, after being spoiled by my Rega + WA3 rig.

 
The perfect solution is to have a high end tube amp and a high end SS amp - both of which produce excellent, but different, SQ.
 
I was on track to achieve this, but then my WA5 had an internal capacitor hemorrhage ...

 
 
EDIT - my comments were a general tube vs SS spiel - nothing directed at you and your situation - apologies if I came across any different

 

[Badas]

Yeah, but does it glow?

You could just buy a Lava lamp.

 

[Stereolab42]

I would take this as an opportunity to learn how to solder... get a good kit and some busted parts and practice for a few days... then get some replacement caps, and go nuts on the WA5. It's not like you're trying to micro-solder traces, these are giant caps on an old-school circuit board.

 

[TonyNewman]

  I would take this as an opportunity to learn how to solder... get a good kit and some busted parts and practice for a few days... then get some replacement caps, and go nuts on the WA5. It's not like you're trying to micro-solder traces, these are giant caps on an old-school circuit board.

 
If I wasn't such a klutz at that sort of thing I would be tempted, but I am, and the WA5 is too important to me to take the risk. So I am going to pay for someone who knows what they are doing (I hope) to replace the caps.