[bpiotrow13]

What is the most affordable (used) woo audio tube amp, capable or driving lcd4z (low impedence planar, I think 17ohm)
Trying to stay away from hybrid. Trying to get started with tubes.

Woo wa6/wa6se. With 17 oms it is difficult to find suitable full tube amp as You generally need to look for non - OTL.

 

[InstantSilence]

Woo wa6/wa6se. With 17 oms it is difficult to find suitable full tube amp as You generally need to look for non - OTL.

Which of those models is more *tube* and a better performer? Also gen1 or gen 2 more favorable?

Looking for the smoothest laid back presentation

 

[bpiotrow13]

Not sure what will give me more bang for the buck...rectifiers, drivers or power tubes. Any other WA-22 owner that than chime on or recommend from experience?

At the time i owned wa22 the best change in sound gave me changing stock rectifier into Sophia Princess. So rectifier would be first to change IMO. Tubes for wa22 can be costy so really worth going through wa22 thread as suggested above.

 

[bpiotrow13]

Which of those models is more *tube* and a better performer? Also gen1 or gen 2 more favorable?

Looking for the smoothest laid back presentation

Never had wa6, i owned wa6se, which has much more power. Apart from that the difference is not fundamental i guess.

The 2nd version of wa6/wa6se seems not to be real upgrade. 1st version gives a lot more opportunities for tube rolling (tubes are more accessible and cheaper).

My wa6se with Meze Empyrean gave me the smooth presentation You described. I have not tried it with Audeze. Wa6 is not considered very tubey sounding but still smooth.

 

[thecrow]

Which of those models is more *tube* and a better performer? Also gen1 or gen 2 more favorable?

Looking for the smoothest laid back presentation

This is an old chart for looking over
https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...1059475471/wooaudio_amplifier_comparisons.pdf

for a versatile amp that could serve you well for a long time, have a look at the wa22 if that fits your budget

 

[InstantSilence]

This is an old chart for looking over
https://static1.squarespace.com/sta...1059475471/wooaudio_amplifier_comparisons.pdf

for a versatile amp that could serve you well for a long time, have a look at the wa22 if that fits your budget

I appreciate you
Need something on the cheaper side at first.. To hear what tube is all about first.

 

[JLoud]

I had a WA6se first gen. I used with LCD4 and Utopia. I thought it was very good. Plenty of power and good sound stage. It was the amp that sold me on tubes. The WA6se besides having more power is supposed to have lower noise floor due to separate power supply. I bought mine for about $800 used.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

WA6 is a great starter amp. It was my first Woo Audio product prior to joining the company over 5 years ago. I still have the amp and it still sounds great by today's standards.

 

[joseph69]

I too started with the WA6 and had it for 5+yrs and enjoyed it very much.

 

[bpiotrow13]

or a versatile amp that could serve you well for a long time, have a look at the wa22 if that fits your budget

WA22 is a nice amp provided You have a balanced source and You upgrade tubes (which can be costy..).

 

[thecrow]

WA22 is a nice amp provided You have a balanced source and You upgrade tubes (which can be costy..).

Absolutely. Part of “if it fits your budget“ concerns the tubes.
For those of us that are likely to keep upgrading over a few years i feel, if one is ready and (again) within one’s budget, to go to the wa22 rather than (for eg) wa6 to wa6se to wa22. After the wa22 one hits another price level with woo amps.

but if one is just sussing it out, why not start with a wa6?

i have the wa2 purely for my hd800. I would have spent more on tubes than the amp - probably just under twice the cost of the amp on tubes but my tube buying has been conpleted.

 

[bpiotrow13]

Wa6/WA6SE seems to be a nice intro. Not really that expensive with tube rolling.

I can imagine WA2 is gread with HD800, pure tube sound (not the best fit for 17 oms impedance though)

 

[thecrow]

Wa6/WA6SE seems to be a nice intro. Not really that expensive with tube rolling.

I can imagine WA2 is gread with HD800, pure tube sound (not the best fit for 17 oms impedance though)

100%

 

[arftech]

Good Mornin. Anybody connect their Woo amp to a dedicated preamp? If so what are the advantages or disadvantage?

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Good Mornin. Anybody connect their Woo amp to a dedicated preamp? If so what are the advantages or disadvantage?

A direct connection from the source yields the best sound quality. But if you need multiple inputs, going through a preamp as a switch box via the FIXED LINE OUT or TAPE OUT will do the trick for convenience.