[Badas]

 
SS beats the WA22? What tube on the WA22 are you comparing? Also I suppose SS has only 1 characteristic but tube does give you more rolling options (different day at a time, you might want to listen to different types of sound....)

V281 smashed my Woo WA22. Using my own HP's.
Tubes: Rectifier TAK 274B (one of the best), Drivers Tung-Sol Round Plates 6C8G (one of the best) and power tubes Mullard 6080 (near best).
 
V281 had more bass, cleaner bass, the same amount of mid-range and more detail as you would expect from a SS amp. It combined the best of both techs. SS bass, Tube mid-range, SS detail and the real kicker it was holographic. The Oppo HA-1, Sim Audio 230HA, Sim Audio 430HA, Auralic Taurus and HiFiman speaker taps (all SS) have never sounded holographic. Somehow the V281 is. There really is no advantage in a tube amp now.

 
I will keep my WA22 for nostalgic reasons, however I need a V281 pronto.

 

[jayband]

 
V281 smashed my Woo WA22. Using my own HP's.
Tubes: Rectifier TAK 274B (one of the best), Drivers Tung-Sol Round Plates 6C8G (one of the best) and power tubes Mullard 6080 (near best).
 
V281 had more bass, cleaner bass, the same amount of mid-range and more detail as you would expect from a SS amp. It combined the best of both techs. SS bass, Tube mid-range, SS detail and the real kicker it was holographic. The Oppo HA-1, Sim Audio 230HA, Sim Audio 430HA, Auralic Taurus and HiFiman speaker taps (all SS) have never sounded holographic. Somehow the V281 is. There really is no advantage in a tube amp now.

 
I will keep my WA22 for nostalgic reasons, however I need a V281 pronto.

if I have a chance to audit it, will be good. Meanwhile I do have the Oppo HA-1, currently I am using it to drive the WA22 as I feel the HA-1 headphone sound is not my cup of tea on the HD800

 

[Badas]

 
if I have a chance to audit it, will be good. Meanwhile I do have the Oppo HA-1, currently I am using it to drive the WA22 as I feel the HA-1 headphone sound is not my cup of tea on the HD800

I have the Oppo HA-1 plus the Woo WA22 and using a Arcam DAC to feed both. I don't like the HA-1 DAC. It sounds better feeding a different DAC.
I did use the DAC on the HA-1 to feed the WA22 for a short time. Things got better for the WA22 once I changed the DAC.
 
I'm thinking of selling both the HA-1 and the WA22 and buying the V281 and possibly the WA6. I recon the WA6 would look cool stacked on the V281. About the same profile. WA6 would probably not get used much. I would just have it to use up my tube stock.

 

[jayband]

 
I have the Oppo HA-1 plus the Woo WA22 and using a Arcam DAC to feed both. I don't like the HA-1 DAC. It sounds better feeding a different DAC.
I did use the DAC on the HA-1 to feed the WA22 for a short time. Things got better for the WA22 once I changed the DAC.
 
I'm thinking of selling both the HA-1 and the WA22 and buying the V281 and possibly the WA6. I recon the WA6 would look cool stacked on the V281. About the same profile. WA6 would probably not get used much. I would just have it to use up my tube stock.

WA6 or WA6SE? Another DAC i was thinking to high bit DSD is the matrix, not sure if that will be a good combo

 

[Badas]

 
WA6 or WA6SE? Another DAC i was thinking to high bit DSD is the matrix, not sure if that will be a good combo

Only thinking at the moment but I was thinking WA6 as it would fit on top of the V281. V281 doesn't have cooling grates as well,  another plus.
DAC's can make a huge difference. Tony's Auralic Vega made my WA22 really sing. It beat my Arcam.

 

[jayband]

 
Only thinking at the moment but I was thinking WA6 as it would fit on top of the V281. V281 doesn't have cooling grates as well,  another plus.
DAC's can make a huge difference. Tony's Auralic Vega made my WA22 really sing. It beat my Arcam.

I was eyeing the Vega but out of my reach at the moment. Maybe I will get lucky in the used market eventually.

 

[TonyNewman]

  Remember as with all audio gear it's highly subjective to ones own opinion..

 
Absolutely yes. There is a big, fat YMMV on all my opinions spouted here (explicit or implicit).
 
 

 

[Badas]

  Remember as with all audio gear it's highly subjective to ones own opinion..

 
 

   
Absolutely yes. There is a big, fat YMMV on all my opinions spouted here (explicit or implicit).
 
 

Not on mine. I'm always right.

 
No absolutely YMMV. I have made a lot of silly purchases and mistakes in the past.

 

[TonyNewman]

 
I was eyeing the Vega but out of my reach at the moment. Maybe I will get lucky in the used market eventually.

 
I like my Vega a lot, but it is getting a little old now considering how fast DAC performance appears to be progressing. Similar levels of performance can perhaps be had for less $$$ (Schiit Yaggy?), or more performance for similar coin? I have never heard the Schiit DAC, but have read plenty of comments by folks that have that put the Vega and Yaggy at a similar performance level (and many say they prefer the Yaggy).

 

[MIKELAP]

 

Surely both you kiwis dontvwantvto have the same gear!!??

Looks like there's an impending mega tube sale about to erupt on the land of the long white cloud!!

It was embarrassing how much better the V281 was.
 
I kinda need one now.
 
Last week I was thinking about buying two more TAK 274B tubes. No point. I will stick my $$'s towards the V281.

Ever listen to a Burson Conductor or Virtuoso if so how would you compare it to the V281

 

[Contrails]

 
I will keep my WA22 for nostalgic reasons, however I need a V281 pronto

 
Oh boy, this week has brought some interesting turn of events in NZ! 
 
Not surprised you liked the V281 but for you and Tony to regard it better than Wa5 now that's quite something.  No wonder it got some fantastic reviews.

 

[TonyNewman]

   
Oh boy, this week has brought some interesting turn of events in NZ! 
 
Not surprised you liked the V281 but for you and Tony to regard it better than Wa5 now that's quite something.  No wonder it got some fantastic reviews.

 
No piece of gear can be all things to all people, but the V281 comes pretty close for my needs and preferences. WA5 will always win for lushness / euphony. For just about anything else, it would be the V281 (or the Glenn 300B).
 
Bang for the buck comes into it too. The cost of a high end tube amp, plus high end tubes to put in it, is hefty. The V281 isn't cheap, but it is around half (or less) of an uber tube amp with uber tubes. Then there is the hassle (and expense) of tube warm up / burn in / burn out. Sometimes I just want to switch something on and get an instant fix.

 

[thecrow]

No piece of gear can be all things to all people, but the V281 comes pretty close for my needs and preferences. WA5 will always win for lushness / euphony. For just about anything else, it would be the V281 (or the Glenn 300B).

Bang for the buck comes into it too. The cost of a high end tube amp, plus high end tubes to put in it, is hefty. The V281 isn't cheap, but it is around half (or less) of an uber tube amp with uber tubes. Then there is the hassle (and expense) of tube warm up / burn in / burn out. Sometimes I just want to switch something on and get an instant fix.

Tony, let me first say don't take this the wrong way as I'm not at all having a go and we all know it's great when we find gear that sooooo hits the right chord (excuse the pun). And obviously you and badas love the v281.

But I gotta ask were you just excited about the 430ha when you first got it?

Again, I ask that as a fellow music/gear lover that goes through his own ups and downs on gear

 

[Contrails]

  No piece of gear can be all things to all people, but the V281 comes pretty close for my needs and preferences. WA5 will always win for lushness / euphony. For just about anything else, it would be the V281 (or the Glenn 300B).
 
Bang for the buck comes into it too. The cost of a high end tube amp, plus high end tubes to put in it, is hefty. The V281 isn't cheap, but it is around half (or less) of an uber tube amp with uber tubes. Then there is the hassle (and expense) of tube warm up / burn in / burn out. Sometimes I just want to switch something on and get an instant fix.


 

 
That's a nice way to put it in comparing tube amps and solid state.  I went from the V200 to the Wa22 cos I missed the tubes and their glow (not in the same league as the V281 and WA5 or the Glenn 300B).   But Violectric do make stellar amps and German made too.  I am guessing we shall see all the mentioned amps in the next NZ headphone meet.

 

[pippen99]

   
I like my Vega a lot, but it is getting a little old now considering how fast DAC performance appears to be progressing. Similar levels of performance can perhaps be had for less $$$ (Schiit Yaggy?), or more performance for similar coin? I have never heard the Schiit DAC, but have read plenty of comments by folks that have that put the Vega and Yaggy at a similar performance level (and many say they prefer the Yaggy).

I have the Vega feeding a Liquid Carbon and a WA5.  I love what it does for both amps.  I found the Yggy to be overly bright for me.  Also I cannot get past the heat that thing generates.  You can practically see the heat waves coming off it and since the case is not vented think how hot it is inside.  Can that much heat be a good thing?