[mab1376]

Hi all.

Any thoughts on the WOO WA22 vs ALO Studio Six?

They're completely different in the sense that the WA22 is balanced and the studio 6 is not.

The Studio 6 uses 6v6 output tubes compared to the 6080/6AS7G used in the WA22.

The WA22 can output 1.5 watts into 32 ohms (2 if you use 5998 or 7236 output tubes), and the studio 6 does about 1 watt.

They are both transformer-coupled, single ended triode designs.

The Studio 6 is also quite a bit more expensive at $4000 US vs. $2700 US.

 

[RobertSM]

Hi all.

Any thoughts on the WOO WA22 vs ALO Studio Six?

Let me also add that the Studio Six lives up to it's name, Studio. It's an extremely linear tube amp. It's fast and tight and nimble in it's factory tuning. Of course it can be made to be warm and liquid smooth like the WA22 in it's own Woo house sound factory tuning. Tube rolling on the Studio Six can take you from the cleanest, fastest and more linear sound to the warmest and most liquid sound imaginable via changing tubes.

Good luck.

 

[Contrails]

Hi all.

Any thoughts on the WOO WA22 vs ALO Studio Six?

Having owned the WA22 and listened to the Studio six extensively, they are both very different sounding. WA22 is slow/romantic. You can improve it a bit by using 7236 tubes. The Studio six is more Solid state sounding in comparison. The decision would depend more on the headphones used. Audeze - Studio six any day. HD800S, HD650 I would choose the WA22. In saying that, the $$ spent on tubes for the WA22 makes it poor value for money. I would look at the Cayin HA-6A as well.

 

[ardilla]

Great info, thank you guys very much for the responses!

I think I will hold on to my WA22, then. I have enough neutral sounding SS amps to be covered in that section

 

[MindBreak]

I am saving up to purchase my first Tube Amp next year, and I am looking at going with the WA22 2nd gen. I am currently using a Burson Soloist 3xp /w supercharger paired with a Bifrost 2/64 as my main setup. There are also two Schiit Audio Gjallarhorn amps on my desk to power harder to drive planar headphones. I mostly use planar headphones, but I am planning to expand my headphone collection in the future. I have been throwing around the idea of using the WA22 as my main amp, and preamping the Soloist in power amp mode with it for headphones that need a little more juice. My current headphones are the Arya Stealth, SJY Audio Starry Night V1, SJY Audio Moonlight, Sennheiser HD660s, Dekoni Blue, and KPH 30i. Is the WA22 2nd gen a good option for my use case, or should I look elsewhere? I listen to a bit of everything, but Rock & Blues are the majority of my library. Any feedback would be much appreciated, and thanks in advance.

 

[Contrails]

I am saving up to purchase my first Tube Amp next year, and I am looking at going with the WA22 2nd gen. I am currently using a Burson Soloist 3xp /w supercharger paired with a Bifrost 2/64 as my main setup. There are also two Schiit Audio Gjallarhorn amps on my desk to power harder to drive planar headphones. I mostly use planar headphones, but I am planning to expand my headphone collection in the future. I have been throwing around the idea of using the WA22 as my main amp, and preamping the Soloist in power amp mode with it for headphones that need a little more juice. My current headphones are the Arya Stealth, SJY Audio Starry Night V1, SJY Audio Moonlight, Sennheiser HD660s, Dekoni Blue, and KPH 30i. Is the WA22 2nd gen a good option for my use case, or should I look elsewhere? I listen to a bit of everything, but Rock & Blues are the majority of my library. Any feedback would be much appreciated, and thanks in advance.

I would explore the Cayin HA-6A as well.

 

[mordy]

I am saving up to purchase my first Tube Amp next year, and I am looking at going with the WA22 2nd gen. I am currently using a Burson Soloist 3xp /w supercharger paired with a Bifrost 2/64 as my main setup. There are also two Schiit Audio Gjallarhorn amps on my desk to power harder to drive planar headphones. I mostly use planar headphones, but I am planning to expand my headphone collection in the future. I have been throwing around the idea of using the WA22 as my main amp, and preamping the Soloist in power amp mode with it for headphones that need a little more juice. My current headphones are the Arya Stealth, SJY Audio Starry Night V1, SJY Audio Moonlight, Sennheiser HD660s, Dekoni Blue, and KPH 30i. Is the WA22 2nd gen a good option for my use case, or should I look elsewhere? I listen to a bit of everything, but Rock & Blues are the majority of my library. Any feedback would be much appreciated, and I am saving up to purchase my first Tube Amp next year, and I am looking at going with the WA22 2nd gen. I am currently using a Burson Soloist 3xp /w supercharger paired with a Bifrost 2/64 as my main setup. There are also two Schiit Audio Gjallarhorn amps on my desk to power harder to drive planar headphones. I mostly use planar headphones, but I am planning to expand my headphone collection in the future. I have been throwing around the idea of using the WA22 as my main amp, and preamping the Soloist in power amp mode with it for headphones that need a little more juice. My current headphones are the Arya Stealth, SJY Audio Starry Night V1, SJY Audio Moonlight, Sennheiser HD660s, Dekoni Blue, and KPH 30i. Is the WA22 2nd gen a good option for my use case, or should I look elsewhere? I listen to a bit of everything, but Rock & Blues are the majority of my library. Any feedback would be much appreciated, and thanks in advance.

Take a look at the McChanson UltimatE. It will cost less and may surpass the others.
There is a dedicated thread Eric McChanson headphone amp?

 

[ucmgr]

Depends on your budget. One of the best values in the Woo lineup is the WA6-SE. I’ve had both and while the WA22 offers balanced inputs where the WA6 doesn’t, it’s half the price and 80% of the performance (imho)

 

[azvargulis]

Is the WA22 2nd gen a good option for my use case, or should I look elsewhere?

I generally don't love the idea of using two amps at once. Can you? Sure. But once you're in the analog domain, you can only degrade the signal as it passes through every device and connection. By using two, daisy-chained amps, you're basically applying two filters to a camera lens instead of choosing one that matches what you're looking for. There are plenty of tube amps that can very competently drive planar headphones. Every amp has a "flavor" or signature, but it's not sonically "free" to put one behind another.

 

[UntilThen]

Take a look at the McChanson UltimatE. It will cost less and may surpass the others.
There is a dedicated thread Eric McChanson headphone amp?

I was going to suggest that but I didn't want to sound overly biased.

FWIW and it's in my opinion, I have had that Burson Soloist 3xp with super charger, the Wa22 with good tubes and Super Ultimate. The order of preference is :-

1. Super Ultimate
2. Wa22
3. Burson Soloist 3xp

The Burson sounded so bland compared to the tube amps that I traded it for a pair of GEC KT88 and Philip Miniwatt EL34 double D getters brown base. I think it is a fantastic trade as the tubes are brand new.

 

[MindBreak]

I was going to suggest that but I didn't want to sound overly biased.

FWIW and it's in my opinion, I have had that Burson Soloist 3xp with super charger, the Wa22 with good tubes and Super Ultimate. The order of preference is :-

1. Super Ultimate
2. Wa22
3. Burson Soloist 3xp

The Burson sounded so bland compared to the tube amps that I traded it for a pair of GEC KT88 and Philip Miniwatt EL34 double D getters brown base. I think it is a fantastic trade as the tubes are brand new.

I will check them out more towards the time I am ready to purchase. Thanks for the info. I made the jump to the Soloist 3XP w/ supercharger from an Asgard 3, so as you can see I don't make small leaps with my upgrades lol. Whichever amp I get I will most likely be spending money on tubes the following year, and then I will consider a DAC upgrade sometime after that (maybe a new headphone first).

 

[nephilim32]

I am saving up to purchase my first Tube Amp next year, and I am looking at going with the WA22 2nd gen. I am currently using a Burson Soloist 3xp /w supercharger paired with a Bifrost 2/64 as my main setup. There are also two Schiit Audio Gjallarhorn amps on my desk to power harder to drive planar headphones. I mostly use planar headphones, but I am planning to expand my headphone collection in the future. I have been throwing around the idea of using the WA22 as my main amp, and preamping the Soloist in power amp mode with it for headphones that need a little more juice. My current headphones are the Arya Stealth, SJY Audio Starry Night V1, SJY Audio Moonlight, Sennheiser HD660s, Dekoni Blue, and KPH 30i. Is the WA22 2nd gen a good option for my use case, or should I look elsewhere? I listen to a bit of everything, but Rock & Blues are the majority of my library. Any feedback would be much appreciated, and thanks in advance.

If you get the WA22 you’ll be fine. It’ll be a nice purchase and will complement your existing equipment very nicely. It is an amp that responds well to tube rolling.

 

[Contrails]

If you get the WA22 you’ll be fine. It’ll be a nice purchase and will complement your existing equipment very nicely. It is an amp that responds well to tube rolling.

Tube rolling is subtle in the WA22 and the tubes can cost almost the same as the amp itself. You might as well spend a little more and get the last Apex Teton from TTVJ.

 

[bpcans]

What sounds better to most folks ears, plugging their WA22 directly into the wall, or into a power conditioner first? I’ve had my Woo going directly into an AQ Niagara conditioner for a couple of years, and I’m not sure if the difference that I’m hearing is more openness and a less compressed soundstage when the WA22 is plugged into its own isolated wall socket? I’m not sure

 

[VanHai]

What sounds better to most folks ears, plugging their WA22 directly into the wall, or into a power conditioner first? I’ve had my Woo going directly into an AQ Niagara conditioner for a couple of years, and I’m not sure if the difference that I’m hearing is ore openness and a less compressed soundstage when the WA22 is plugged into its own isolated wall socket? I’m not sure

I am glad that you did the experiment. I did the same thing and could not hear the difference, may be we have old ears. In my opinion, it is a waste of money that we should invest in tubes. I can tell the differences right away when i change tubes in my WA22.