I’ve had both. The V2 is just a better version of the V1 with better control. It has a little more power as I recall- maybe 8W vs 5W? I may be thinking of the WA-5 speaker output.
Tubes are everything in this amp. Try to at least step up to EML tubes (300b and 5U4G). They resell well and higher end tubes are incrimentally better, not revolutionary. The GZ-34 metal base is still one of my favorite rectifiers. The 596 is great too, but you need adapters. The Takatsukis will cost you more than the amp.
Understood. In that case, I think I'll belay my Woo purchase until sometime in 2018. If I'm reading correctly, the EML step up is going to be in the $700-$1000 range on top of the amp which isn't something I'm willing to do right now. My budget is firm here, so I'd rather come back to the amp when I can get it AND the right tubes all at once than be only marginally satisfied for the next several months.
So I'll probably get the Violectirc V281 or iCAN Pro for now, as I want/need a good solid state amp anyway. That's fine, really. I will be back, though. Maybe in the summer or so. Until then, thanks to all of you for the feedback. I've bookmarked all of it so that when the time comes, I'll know what to buy and for how much.
Tube rolling story... I've been going through an analog phase for the past 6 months. By 'phase', I mean back to analog tape.
I'd been listening to a bunch of stuff and had this realization that everything sounds 'dark' or 'veiled'. So, I swapped to some different 'phones and... not much difference. Hmmm.... must be an issue with the tape, or the deck, or...?
Then I remembered that I'd recently switched out the tubes on my WA3 after some posts about the WA3. I swapped out my Western Electric 421a for a GEC 6AS7g "Brown Base", and I've been running this for a while (I'd also changed the driver tubes to a Siemens E288cc).
The GEC is *very* syrupy; with a clean digital source it's a nice, sort-of analog sound, but with vinyl/tape it's too much.
It appears you're correct. After speaking with some Woo reps, I'm now looking at the WA5-LE for my LCD-4's.
Just not sure I have the space on my work desk for something that large.
Given the normal asking price, I'm looking at a used v1 WA5-LE with new tubes and a 1 year warranty.
Is a v1 WA5-LE with new, stock tubes good enough, or will I need to immediately look at tube upgrades? Is there anything I should be worried about with it not being a v2?
They only headphones that the v1 will struggle a little bit to drive to its potential is the HE-6 or something similar in efficiency so around 98% of the headphones will be just fine.
My recommendation is to invest in at least in a pair of EML 300B Mesh and a pair of 6F8G drivers with adapters.
Is the WA2 a good match for hd800s and lcd3f? I was looking at getting a decware csp3 bc I heard it's a good amp for the price but it's so damn hideous and all of the inputs are on the top.
hey guys
i just purchased a matched pair of rca6de7s from ebay and when i installed them in my woo audio 6 last night to my surprise
there was a significant hum coming from the left channel , i took them out cleaned the pins swapped them over but there is no change
in the hum only that it has moved from the left channel to the right .
i changed the tubes and the hum is no longer there so i know the amp is not responsible for the hum.
i contacted the seller on ebay and he is telling me that tubes do not hum and they was tested before hand .
does anyone share this problem with the rca 6de7 tubes with the woo audio 6.
just to add the woo audio 6 is brand new and all my other tubes "no noise or hum"
Plus these rca 6de7s get a lot hotter and brighter than any other tubes I own .
I have the WA6 (circa '13) and about 3-4 pairs of 6FD7's and none of them make noise at all.
Contact the seller again and explain you don't want to go through eBay/PayPal, but would rather settle the matter between yourselves. I always try to settle any matters this way before getting anyone else involved and 99% of the time they're settled if you're dealing with a reputable/reasonable seller.
If he doesn't agree to accept your return, or replace your bad tube/s, then (and only then) I would contact both eBay/PayPal and open a case.
Thank you for the advise will do that ASAP it’s just annoying because I waited over 2 weeks
For these tubes plus they sound amazing even tho one of them is faulty , you can only hear the hum
When the track ends or any quiet passages in the song “ bloody annoying or what “ .
Thank you for the advise will do that ASAP it’s just annoying because I waited over 2 weeks For these tubes plus they sound amazing even tho one of them is faulty , you can only hear the hum
When the track ends or any quiet passages in the song “ bloody annoying or what “ .
Yes, most annoying. I've had bad tubes before, so I'm familiar with the hum you're talking about. If Woo stills has nay 6FD7's I would highly recommend buying them. I don't usually buy tubes from Woo, but I purchased all of my 6FD7's through Woo because I couldn't find them anywhere else at the time, and they're all fine.
You'll pay a bit more (if they even have them) but you'll get good tubes.
Yes, most annoying. I've had bad tubes before, so I'm familiar with the hum you're talking about. If Woo stills has nay 6FD7's I would highly recommend buying them. I don't usually buy tubes from Woo, but I purchased all of my 6FD7's through Woo because I couldn't find them anywhere else at the time, and they're all fine.
You'll pay a bit more (if they even have them) but you'll get good tubes.
thanks for the advise you cant really go wrong with jack great customer service but custom fees kill me every time , not so bad on the tubes tho .
the guy i purchased the tubes from asked me if the rca 6de7s was suitable for the woo audio 6 which i know they are , they will try anything lol
as for the 6fd7s you mentioned are they the rca type or the sylvania type tube.
I have both RCA & Westinghouse 6FD7's from Woo. I've only tested the Westinghouse to make sure they were good and that was it. I'm using the RCA because I had received them first and there was some time between my next purchases, so I figured I'd use them until they're no good anymore. They didn't have any RCA left at the time of my next purchase so I received the Westinghouse.
EDIT; The Westinghouse could be re-branded? Not sure, and I really wasn't concerned. Did you inquire with Woo to see if they have any left?
I had a message back from the seller of the faulty 6de7 tube that has the hum and this was his response.
seller This must be an older unit that still uses 6DE7 tubes. All of them that I can find use 2 13DE7 tubes. I would say you need to raise the control grid voltage on your amp. Have you tried running this tube on one channel without the other tube installed? This would increase the grid voltage if it is to low and the hum may be gone. Then you will know it's to low. If it is to high you can find out by if you have the amp running and unplug it while listening for the hum. The grid voltage will drop off quickly and the hum will go away very fast but the amp will continue to play while the capacitors drain and the filament cools. Anyway you look at it one tube is likely drawing more grid current and dropping the grid voltage below what that tube will run at. I didn't relies the this was a sale through the E-Bay global shipping program. I have another tube here but I don't know how to get it to you. I have to contact E-Bay to see how this works. That's why I state in my ads that I don't recommend buying internationally.
me Does this make any sense to you the 2nd gen woo audio 6 does accept the 6de7s don't they or have I been wrong from the beginning? The compatibility sheet on woo website has them on there. As for the 6fd7s I have not contacted woo yet but will do that as soon as I sort this mess out .
Check this out for the differences between the 6/10/13DE7 tubes.
I'd ask Woo rather than relying on their chart. I do believe there was some misleading info on the older chart.
EDIT: After confirming with Woo that the 6FD7 is a compatible tube for the newer WA6, I would direct the seller to the their tube chart to show him it's compatible.
Just picked up a WA5LEv2 and was wondering if anyone had some recommendations for tubes. I listen to all kinds of music. I have solid state amps and really prefer the bigger sound stage of tubes. Also something that takes the edge of the treble. My current headphones I'm using with the Woo are LCD-4 and Utopia. Price isn't my primary concern but would appreciate suggestions at different price points and comparisons. Don't want to throw money away needlessly. Some of these tubes are too expensive to blindly try without some idea of their character.
Just picked up a WA5LEv2 and was wondering if anyone had some recommendations for tubes. I listen to all kinds of music. I have solid state amps and really prefer the bigger sound stage of tubes. Also something that takes the edge of the treble. My current headphones I'm using with the Woo are LCD-4 and Utopia. Price isn't my primary concern but would appreciate suggestions at different price points and comparisons. Don't want to throw money away needlessly. Some of these tubes are too expensive to blindly try without some idea of their character.
Lots of suggestions buried in these pages. I would try to swing at the least the EML 300B and 5U4G Mesh. In my opinion, that's the price level where things really get interesting sound-wise. Other rectifiers: GZ-34 metal base and 596 (these need adapters). Tung-Sol 6SN7 round plate are the gold standard drivers. There are many good driver options for less. But avoid the CV-181. They have too much grain. 300B-- Again, EML is always my starting point. Elrog makes a good one-- hope they got the reliability thing down. Takatsukis are the top-tier in both 300B and rectifier with a price tag to match-- oh there is that Western Electric 300B that I've never heard-- NOS can run up to $10,000.
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