[TonyNewman]

  I have the pleasure of introducing a WA5 into my home setup and I'm suitably impressed with the tone. I'm running Abyss with it and feeding it redbooks and HD flacs via a Bricasti M1.
 
I'm finding it very laid back though. Almost too laid back and not fast enough. Maybe I just need to adjust my perception as I've also running a LAu which seems more forward and certainly faster. I'm gonna try some AQ Sky RCA interconnects between the Bricasti and the WA5 this weekend to see if its the custom gold interconnects that's muddying up the SQ.
 
Any idea what tube combos I can roll with to add a bit more clarity?

No mention of what tubes are currently in use. If that is stock tubes *ACK*COUGH* then almost anything else you stick in the sockets is going to make things better, perhaps much better.
 
I would suggest the Brimar rectifiers as a starting point - very inexpensive and very high quality sound for the money.
 
Drivers - TS RPs or NUs (not the 6F8G if going NU - these struggle to power the 300Bs and can get noisey). The NUs are more coloured than the TS RPs, so if clarity is critical the TS RPs might be best. Note that there are versions of the TS RP that are much less expensive than the 6SN7s. Mine are all 6SL7s/6C8Gs and they sound fantastic. These can be had for a lot less than the 6SN7s. RCA 6C8Gs can be had very cheaply - these are very detailed tubes, but are a little dry.
 
Power - The EAT is the detail/clarity king of the 300Bs I have tried. Extremely transparent tube with great extension up and down. Almost SS sounding for a 300B, if you know what I mean. Don't expect much midrange magic from them, but if you want transparency this is perhaps the 300B for you. I sometimes use it for instrumental / classical listening and it is superb for that, but for vocal-centric tracks there are better choices out there.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

New revised WA5-LE will make an appearance at the S.F. Bay Area Head-Fi meet.
 

 

 

[Fririce0003]

Any aussie headfiers looking for WA5 tubes or just 300b's and 274b's in general I've got my old ones up for sale on SNA. Haven't used them since getting the Takatsuki's and it's a shame to have them sitting un used.
I would've posted them up for sale here on the trade forum, but that would've involved creating a few too many classifieds...
 
Here's the link for those interested: http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/85525-fs-sophia-royal-princess-300b-kr-audio-300b-balloon-full-music-274bn-psvane-we274b-replica-sophia-princess-274b-mesh-psvane-cv181-tii/

 

[musicman59]

  I have the pleasure of introducing a WA5 into my home setup and I'm suitably impressed with the tone. I'm running Abyss with it and feeding it redbooks and HD flacs via a Bricasti M1.
 
I'm finding it very laid back though. Almost too laid back and not fast enough. Maybe I just need to adjust my perception as I've also running a LAu which seems more forward and certainly faster. I'm gonna try some AQ Sky RCA interconnects between the Bricasti and the WA5 this weekend to see if its the custom gold interconnects that's muddying up the SQ.
 
Any idea what tube combos I can roll with to add a bit more clarity? 

I agree with Tony. You will probably like the EAT 300B or the Elrog. I would say that a pair of WE274B will help with that too. Oh! it just happens that I have all 3 in my collection and wil be willing to sell them 

.
 
I also have the Bricasti M1 and I would use the Wireworld Silver Eclipse 7 or even better the Gold Eclipse 7 for interconnect.
 
I like the more relaxed and warmer sound so I am using the Eclipse 7 that is OCC Copper. 

 

[jhljhl]

  New revised WA5-LE will make an appearance at the S.F. Bay Area Head-Fi meet.
 

 

Will there be an update to the WA5 as well?

 

[meraias]

 
Will there be an update to the WA5 as well?

+10000
hopefully with increased class A power!!!

 

[TonyNewman]

 
+10000
hopefully with increased class A power!!!

 
8W from the K1K output is plenty to drive the HE6 - what would you need more for? From the speaker taps to drive floor standers?
 
The 300B tube can't do a lot more output power. I have seen SET designs that push the 300B output to 12W, but you are taking a big chance with that - some tubes might burn out pretty fast when pushed that hard.
 
Next step would be 211 or 845 tubes - a completely new design.

 

[meraias]

   
8W from the K1K output is plenty to drive the HE6 - what would you need more for? From the speaker taps to drive floor standers?
 
The 300B tube can't do a lot more output power. I have seen SET designs that push the 300B output to 12W, but you are taking a big chance with that - some tubes might burn out pretty fast when pushed that hard.
 
Next step would be 211 or 845 tubes - a completely new design.

my happy dream....

 

[TonyNewman]

 

my happy dream....

 
Viva Egoista(sp?) uses the 845 power tube. The only headamp that I know of that does that. 15W of class A SET goodness.
 
15W is very easy on the 845 - I have seen SET designs push the 845 up to 24W, with 20W being quite common.
 
LOve to own one, but the price makes my nutz shrivel.

 

[2359glenn]

 

 

my happy dream....

 
Viva Egoista(sp?) uses the 845 power tube. The only headamp that I know of that does that. 15W of class A SET goodness.
 
15W is very easy on the 845 - I have seen SET designs push the 845 up to 24W, with 20W being quite common.
 
LOve to own one, but the price makes my nutz shrivel.

A little over kill for headphones better to concentrate on SQ.

 

[TonyNewman]

 
A little over kill for headphones better to concentrate on SQ.

 
Sure - but it can be fun to play with this sort of thing.
 
I used to own an 845 based SET speaker amp. I used the HiFiMan adapter box to hook up the speaker output to drive my headphones. Didn't really work for the HE6, but it drove the HD800s superbly - slightly better than the WA5 IMHO. That beast was 20W of Class A power - enough to blow any headphone apart, so a lot of care was required with the gain knob. Fun fun fun.

 

[WooAudio]

The new version added a  HI / LO LEVEL switch, and a HI / LO power switch. The HI LEVEL and HI power setting will output approx 8W. This setting is recommended to use for inefficient headphones such as Abyss AB-1266, HifiMan HE-1000, HE6, and AKG K1000. Yes, there is a lot of power going into headphones but you don't have to use all 8 watts. You can use the LOW power setting, approx 1.5W, to make all other headphones to sing properly.
 
In the previous version of WA5, the XLR output (HI power output) lacked the ability to adjust output strength and thus limiting the volume control range for normal listening. The new version has a cure. We added a LEVEL switch to do just that. The LO LEVEL setting cuts down the power significantly so you will get plenty of volume to play with even on HIGH power mode. You will be sure to find one setting to make your headphones to dial in.
 

 
 
Cheers,
Jack

 

[abvolt]

wow that new wa5le sure looks good..

 

[TonyNewman]

  The new version added a  HI / LO LEVEL switch, and a HI / LO power switch. The HI LEVEL and HI power setting will output approx 8W. This setting is recommended to use for inefficient headphones such as Abyss AB-1266, HifiMan HE-1000, HE6, and AKG K1000. Yes, there is a lot of power going into headphones but you don't have to use all 8 watts. You can use the LOW power setting, approx 1.5W, to make all other headphones to sing properly.
 
In the previous version of WA5, the XLR output (HI power output) lacked the ability to adjust output strength and thus limiting the volume control range for normal listening. The new version has a cure. We added a LEVEL switch to do just that. The LO LEVEL setting cuts down the power significantly so you will get plenty of volume to play with even on HIGH power mode. You will be sure to find one setting to make your headphones to dial in.
 

 
 
Cheers,
Jack

 
Just a suggestion - moving the 6SN7 sockets slightly forward and apart on the top plate would make fitting 6F8G/6C8G tubes, together with fat 300Bs like the SERPs, a lot easier. As it is now the tubes are a very tight fit - have to juggle spacers/adapters to make everything fit.

 

[Badas]

   
Just a suggestion - moving the 6SN7 sockets slightly forward and apart on the top plate would make fitting 6F8G/6C8G tubes, together with fat 300Bs like the SERPs, a lot easier. As it is now the tubes are a very tight fit - have to juggle spacers/adapters to make everything fit.

I've always thought that was a design flaw. It is designed in a line to look nice however the space is very limited.