[ucmgr]

I loved my WA-6SE and I used it with HD800's and HD650's. I think the WA-6SE is the sweet spot in the Woo line. The Wa-6 not quite as good but still has a lot of the "sound character" of their bigger brother. There's soooo much you can do to alter its' sound by tube rolling and the nice thing is that the tubes aren't really all that expensive. Sure, a rectifier like a Sophia Electric is expensive but not nearly as expensive as other rectifiers. They also last a long long time unless you leave your amp on 24 hours a day. Theres so much information on tube rolling for many different amps but those for Woo Audio amps are plentiful regardless of which amp you are considering. Head-Fi ers are eager to share their experience, good and bad, so one can benefit for all the members who are kind enough to share the wealth of experience of owning a particular amp or pair of headphones. If you get to the point where you want to move up the Woo line, their amps are very easy to sell. Just look how few used ones of any model are for sale right now.

 

[JLoud]

I went from WA6se to WA5le to WA33. Each amp sold in less than 1 day here on Head-fi. They hold their value very well. I love me some Woo!

 

[vlach]

I've just purchased a HD650. I'm a big metal/heavy music fan, as well as newer folk/acoustic/indie guys like Iron and Wine, Ben Howard, etc. Is the WA6 going to be up my alley? Don't want to drop huge coin, but a used WA6 seems like a good value/performance level for these cans. Do they pair well? Any reason to look at the WA7 instead?

It largely depends on the DAC feeding it.

 

[matthewh133]

It largely depends on the DAC feeding it.

I'm currently using an El Dac II, is that a good or bad thing?

 

[vlach]

I'm currently using an El Dac II, is that a good or bad thing?

I haven't heard this particular DAC but i read good things about JDS products in general, namely that they represent good value.
I should re-phrase my comment by saying the WA6 will scale according to the quality of the DAC signal feeding it.

 

[Ciggavelli]

Has anybody listened to the 3ES? There’s like nothing written about this amp anywhere. I have the WA33 EE JPS, and the 3ES looks to be a similar design, so it has me curious. Anybody have any impressions?

 

[bpcans]

Has anybody listened to the 3ES? There’s like nothing written about this amp anywhere. I have the WA33 EE JPS, and the 3ES looks to be a similar design, so it has me curious. Anybody have any impressions?

Ciggavelli, my question is why would anybody be looking at the WES if they already have the WA33? The WA33 can drive anything short of a fully loaded garbage truck. I have a friend who uses his 33 to drive his Audeze LCD-4’s, and he’s going to use it with his incoming ABYSS 1266 Phi TC’s.

 

[Ciggavelli]

Ciggavelli, my question is why would anybody be looking at the WES if they already have the WA33? The WA33 can drive anything short of a fully loaded garbage truck. I have a friend who uses his 33 to drive his Audeze LCD-4’s, and he’s going to use it with his incoming ABYSS 1266 Phi TC’s.

I’m guessing you mean 3ES and not WES? If that’s the case, the 3ES is for electrostatic headphones, and the WA33 is for normal headphones. I love my WA33...absolutely love it. Because of that I wanted to learn more about the 3ES. I haven’t really heard any electrostatic headphones other than the Koss 95x ones. I kinda just want to learn more about the 3ES. If the 3ES is basically a WA33 for electrostatic headphones I’d be pretty interested. I could then use Stax headphones or the Hifiman ones. It just opens up some options

 

[bpcans]

I’m guessing you mean 3ES and not WES? If that’s the case, the 3ES is for electrostatic headphones, and the WA33 is for normal headphones. I love my WA33...absolutely love it. Because of that I wanted to learn more about the 3ES. I haven’t really heard any electrostatic headphones other than the Koss 95x ones. I kinda just want to learn more about the 3ES. If the 3ES is basically a WA33 for electrostatic headphones I’d be pretty interested. I could then use Stax headphones or the Hifiman ones. It just opens up some options

Ciggavelli, I’m sorry if I maybe got the two amps, the WES and the 3ES, confused. I’m just a poor bum who only has a lowly WA22. Honestly, I’d be happy to able to need either one of those stellar amps for electrostatic hp’s.

 

[thecrow]

I loved my WA-6SE and I used it with HD800's and HD650's. I think the WA-6SE is the sweet spot in the Woo line. The Wa-6 not quite as good but still has a lot of the "sound character" of their bigger brother. There's soooo much you can do to alter its' sound by tube rolling and the nice thing is that the tubes aren't really all that expensive. Sure, a rectifier like a Sophia Electric is expensive but not nearly as expensive as other rectifiers. They also last a long long time unless you leave your amp on 24 hours a day. Theres so much information on tube rolling for many different amps but those for Woo Audio amps are plentiful regardless of which amp you are considering. Head-Fi ers are eager to share their experience, good and bad, so one can benefit for all the members who are kind enough to share the wealth of experience of owning a particular amp or pair of headphones. If you get to the point where you want to move up the Woo line, their amps are very easy to sell. Just look how few used ones of any model are for sale right now.

My experience has me defining the wa22 as the sweet spot - but that’s me

 

[bpcans]

My experience has me defining the wa22 as the sweet spot - but that’s me

thecrow, ding 🛎 ding 🛎 ding 🛎 ding 🛎 ding 🛎. Yes you are correct sir, the WA22 is without a doubt the sweetest spot in the entire Woo lineup! Of course that’s my totally unbiased opinion.

 

[thecrow]

thecrow, ding 🛎 ding 🛎 ding 🛎 ding 🛎 ding 🛎. Yes you are correct sir, the WA22 is without a doubt the sweetest spot in the entire Woo lineup! Of course that’s my totally unbiased opinion.

Having said that my wa2 is superb for my hd800 specifically and surpasses the wa22 when looking at that one specific headphone.
for me the wa2 and hd800 combo is one single unit - if one goes, they both go. No if’s and no buts

 

[joseph69]

Has anybody listened to the 3ES? There’s like nothing written about this amp anywhere. I have the WA33 EE JPS, and the 3ES looks to be a similar design, so it has me curious. Anybody have any impressions?

I listened to the 3ES at CJNYC '19 paired with the Stax 009 and was very impressed. Remember, this was under meet conditions so it was a brief listen with some background noise. With that being said, IMO if I can hear and enjoy something under meet conditions and it leaves me with a very good impression, too me, this is a big positive even thought my listening was brief. I find it very hard to be impressed at these big meet and I'm mostly disappointed with a big majority of the headphones & gear I hear (even gear I own at the time) so again, this is a big positive too me. I've also owned the 009 & 007Mk2/BHSE combo for +/-2yrs (sold it for the WA33/Utopia combo) and while I was waiting for my BHSE to arrive (1yr) I also owned both, the Mjolnir KGSShv & KGST.

 

[JLoud]

Right now I am thrilled to have both the WA33 and the BHSE. Both are beautiful to look at and wonderful to listen to. Spent a few hours this past Friday listening to the BHSE and 009, very nice combo. I would guess from my experience with the WA33 and previous Woo amps, that the 3ES would be excellent as well.

 

[ucmgr]

Wow, that's quite a pair of excellent headphone amps. I've had the pleasure of hearing the WA-33 and it was spectacular. I understand the the BHSE is equally as good. There's something that's very special about glowing tubes late at night in a dimly lit room that's hard to explain to someone else who hasn't experienced it!