Did you swap the tue from the R to L and have the same issue?
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Woo Audio Amp Owner Unite
- Thread starter dannie01
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Swapping doesn't do anything and fiddling doesn't affect the sound once I swap. I'm about to replace both tubes soon. Will report back.Did you swap the tue from the R to L and have the same issue?
Dredge Collaborative
New Head-Fier
Swapping doesn't do anything and fiddling doesn't affect the sound once I swap. I'm about to replace both tubes soon. Will report back.
Funny, I had the same exact problem. Right driver tube seemed to be the issue, but the only thing that worked was using the unit at a buddy's place being that I live in an old building without ground wiring. Please let me know if you find a solution. I did find that the stock driver tubes and the Tung Sol 5998 tubes don't make a difference although the 5998 tubes are a great upgrade!
I assume you already did this but if you haven’t have you switch the tubes around to see if that static comes the other channel
Dredge Collaborative
New Head-Fier
I have tried that, but thanks for the suggestion.I assume you already did this but if you haven’t have you switch the tubes around to see if that static comes the other channel
Still get hum even with $80 noise remover inserted at amp power cable end to conditioner. Next step is to try some different tubes.
Krutsch
Headphoneus Supremus
Tubes with the same internal structures are always the same tube (one being the original and the other being the rebrand), I have never seen exceptions. WE 421A and Tung Sol 5998 are no different.
...
That much is true.
But I haven't seen any 5998s that look like my WE 421As, which I purchased years ago from a Western Bell employee's estate sale in Wisconsin, in their original boxes.
For sure, there are some 421As that are simply rebranded TS 5998... but that is not always the case. And there is some discussion on earlier vs later models.
My post on this topic is in an interesting thread:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/vis...998-western-electric-421.506133/post-12490846
I know I posted pics showing the structural differences between my collection of TS 5998 and WE 421a tubes, but I must have posted those pics somewhere in this thread and not the linked thread I reference above (and I am too lazy to search for that post).
davehg
100+ Head-Fier
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I bought a stash of 6SN7s and a spare 6080 and 5AR4 at our local PC recycle place. Looks like a few winners assuming they test out - most look perfect. Which ones would you favor?
Includes:
Includes:
- Two pairs of Westinghouse, a grey plate and black plate.
- Two pairs of Sylnania JAN 6SN7W’s
- Pair of RCA GTB (very little getter left)
- Raytheon GTB pair and one GTA
- One GE GTA
- Pair of Sylvania GTBs, one new in box
- Sylvia is 5U4GB
Woo Audio offered to inspect my WA22 (thx, Mike L.!) but I want to wait for my tubes to settle and, hopefully, reduce the hum. Music through this amp with stock tubes (updated the rectifier tube) is really sweet.Still get hum even with $80 noise remover inserted at amp power cable end to conditioner. Next step is to try some different tubes.
levinhatz
100+ Head-Fier
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Hi all!
I haven't posted on this site in years.... My desktop amp broke a while back and I kind of drifted away from head-fi, but recently replaced it with a Woo WA6-SE and I'm getting back into it!
Along with the amp I bought a Sophia Princess 274B Aqua rectifier tube. I'd been told it would be a significant upgrade over the stock tube. And it is, I just have one issue with it after a couple of weeks of listening and A/Bing back and forth. The mids are a little bit further recessed and generally there seems to be a bit of a darkness to it. I'm plugging my old LCD-2 into it and something I love about that headphone is that I can get nearly (but not quite) Grado RS1-like mids/vocals without the treble peaks of the Grado, and of course a wider soundstage. Some of that magic gets lost with this rectifier tube. I've got the Sophia Mesh Plate 274B on the way to me as well, and I'll be testing that one out. Pulled the trigger on that simply just because it seems to be lauded on Head-Fi by almost anyone here who owns the WA6-SE.
Haven't started getting fancy with interconnects and headphone cables just yet. Last amp was balanced XLR, so all my good cables are XLR terminated. Still using the stock Audeze 1/4 inch cable and some monoprice RCA interconnects into my Yggdrasil DAC. I plan on doing the DAC some better justice in the near future- just haven't gotten there yet.
Wondering though- does anyone here have experience with both the SP 274B Aqua and Mesh Plate Rectifiers? If not I will certainly find out in a few days
I haven't posted on this site in years.... My desktop amp broke a while back and I kind of drifted away from head-fi, but recently replaced it with a Woo WA6-SE and I'm getting back into it!
Along with the amp I bought a Sophia Princess 274B Aqua rectifier tube. I'd been told it would be a significant upgrade over the stock tube. And it is, I just have one issue with it after a couple of weeks of listening and A/Bing back and forth. The mids are a little bit further recessed and generally there seems to be a bit of a darkness to it. I'm plugging my old LCD-2 into it and something I love about that headphone is that I can get nearly (but not quite) Grado RS1-like mids/vocals without the treble peaks of the Grado, and of course a wider soundstage. Some of that magic gets lost with this rectifier tube. I've got the Sophia Mesh Plate 274B on the way to me as well, and I'll be testing that one out. Pulled the trigger on that simply just because it seems to be lauded on Head-Fi by almost anyone here who owns the WA6-SE.
Haven't started getting fancy with interconnects and headphone cables just yet. Last amp was balanced XLR, so all my good cables are XLR terminated. Still using the stock Audeze 1/4 inch cable and some monoprice RCA interconnects into my Yggdrasil DAC. I plan on doing the DAC some better justice in the near future- just haven't gotten there yet.
Wondering though- does anyone here have experience with both the SP 274B Aqua and Mesh Plate Rectifiers? If not I will certainly find out in a few days

I had the same combo of WA6-se and Yggdrasil. Another tube to consider is the EML 5U4G mesh. I felt it had a large yet detailed soundstage and great mid-range.
levinhatz
100+ Head-Fier
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I had the same combo of WA6-se and Yggdrasil. Another tube to consider is the EML 5U4G mesh. I felt it had a large yet detailed soundstage and great mid-range.
Thanks, I'll give that one a look!
Well, I found the source of my hum: it was the stock pair of 6080 power tubes. I replaced them with a pair of Tung Sol 5998 tubes and the hum disappeared.Woo Audio offered to inspect my WA22 (thx, Mike L.!) but I want to wait for my tubes to settle and, hopefully, reduce the hum. Music through this amp with stock tubes (updated the rectifier tube) is really sweet.
Holy Sh--...the sound is so good: palpable, sweet, and listenable (is that a word?).
Kudos to Mike L. of Woo Audio for prompt response and offer to check on the WA22.
Here's my setup: Mac mini - ROON - Metrum Acoustics Ambre - XI Audio Sagra DAC - WA22 - Abyss Diana Phi.



Astral Abyss
1000+ Head-Fier
I don't think I've tried my Diana on my WA6-SE. I need to. Usually blasting metal on them through the GSX miniWell, I found the source of my hum: it was the stock pair of 6080 power tubes. I replaced them with a pair of Tung Sol 5998 tubes and the hum disappeared.
Holy Sh--...the sound is so good: palpable, sweet, and listenable (is that a word?).
Kudos to Mike L. of Woo Audio for prompt response and offer to check on the WA22.
Here's my setup: Mac mini - ROON - Metrum Acoustics Ambre - XI Audio Sagra DAC - WA22 - Abyss Diana Phi.
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It was a couple of days late but I’m still a happy camper

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