Woo Audio Amp Owner Unite

[hodgjy]

When does the popping start and how long does it persist?  Some tubes naturally make a popping noise (not in the headphones, but an external sound you can hear like a tick) while it heats up.  If your tube is microphonic on top of that, it could translate into a pop in your headphone.  This has happened to me a few times, but once the tube is warmed up, the pops go away.  Better yet, once the tube is burned it, often time the microphonics go away, too, so no more popping sound in the headphone--ever.
 
But, if it's a persistent pop that remains after 20-30 hours of break in, you probably got a bum tube and should inquire about a refund.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by mikemalter /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Everyone once in a while I am hearing a very quick pop in my left earphone that is not a result of the music or line-noise.  I heard one on the right side.  I have never heard tubes pop like that.  Should I return these tubes?
 
Thanks.

 

[mikemalter]

Quote:

Hi guys, looking to be a part of the club

 
Any GES out there looking for a new home? 

There are several pairs up for auction over on ebay:
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300491374557&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_1156
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300493095187&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_1156
 

 

[mikemalter]

Quote:

When does the popping start and how long does it persist?  Some tubes naturally make a popping noise (not in the headphones, but an external sound you can hear like a tick) while it heats up.  If your tube is microphonic on top of that, it could translate into a pop in your headphone.  This has happened to me a few times, but once the tube is warmed up, the pops go away.  Better yet, once the tube is burned it, often time the microphonics go away, too, so no more popping sound in the headphone--ever.
 
But, if it's a persistent pop that remains after 20-30 hours of break in, you probably got a bum tube and should inquire about a refund.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by mikemalter /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Everyone once in a while I am hearing a very quick pop in my left earphone that is not a result of the music or line-noise.  I heard one on the right side.  I have never heard tubes pop like that.  Should I return these tubes?
 
Thanks.

 

Yeah, it keeps coming.  Also the music is fuzzy on the same channel.  Dave Hollander at Arizona Tube Supply where I got the tube says he'll do a refund.  He is a really good guy and did not give me any static about it.  He was apologetic about it.

 

[dariusf]

 
Quote:

Quote:

Hi guys, looking to be a part of the club

 
Any GES out there looking for a new home? 

There are several pairs up for auction over on ebay:
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300491374557&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_1156
 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300493095187&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_1156
 

Oh sorry I was referring to Woo Audio GES Electrostatic amp, once I get one I will be part of the Woo Audio club

 

[Clayton SF]

Quote:

Woo coming soon.  Should I handle new tubes with gloves to avoid oils to glass?  Last tubes I changed were on my Mesa/Boogie(1977) guitar amp.
 
A sidestep off-topic:  I realized the other day that all the music I listened to in the mid sixties on my parents "stereo-console" was tubed.

Me too. The first LP that I actually bought and played on my parents' Motorola Stereo console was the Doors--their first LP . I used to climb behind the stereo and look at the tubes and wonder what each of them did. One day I removed one when the stereo was off and my parents weren't home. It shut down one channel. My dad couldn't figure out why so I replaced it when he wasn't home and it worked again. He thought I fixed the stereo. Boy was it dusty back in there.

 

[Xcalibur255]

You handle your tubes bare handed then?  I wear yellow rubber kitchen gloves while handling mine, figuring if the skin oil thing is a myth then at least there is still value in having a better grip so I don't drop a tube. 
 
Quote:

It's a complete myth that such treatment is necessary.  Do it if it makes you feel better, but it's not at all needed.  But don't touch hot tubes at all, or you may burn your skin

 

 

[Xcalibur255]

 

• Does the copper have any sonic value over the non-copper?

 
In this particular case I'd agree with Skylab's wisdom on the subject, but I wanted to touch on this because there are times when this does matter.  At least in my opinion/experience anyway.  In your example the rod is a support rod, but something to pay attention to on tubes, particularly signal tubes, is the material the grid posts are made from.  If you look at a typical 6SN7 you'll see three posts poking up from the mica.  The center one is a support rod, but the ones on each side of it are grid posts and you'll see these in both copper and what I assume to be steel (they are silver colored).  I've had the chance to compare tubes which are otherwise identical which had both copper and steel grid posts and there is a clear difference in sonics between them, to the point where such tubes couldn't function as a pair because the sound from each channel was colored differently.  I often see tube sellers selling pairs where one has copper posts and the other steel because they simply are not aware of this detail, and I learned the hard way to pay attention to this when buying tubes.  The copper posts are the ones that sound better IMO.

 

[Skylab]

 
Quote:

You handle your tubes bare handed then?  I wear yellow rubber kitchen gloves while handling mine, figuring if the skin oil thing is a myth then at least there is still value in having a better grip so I don't drop a tube. 
 

 
Yes, bare handed, and never had any issue whatsoever, and I have it on very good authority that there is no reason not to.
 

 

[Torero]

Has anyone compared the WE 274B NOS with the EML  or the Sophia?

 

[sillysally]

 
Quote:

 
Quote:

You handle your tubes bare handed then?  I wear yellow rubber kitchen gloves while handling mine, figuring if the skin oil thing is a myth then at least there is still value in having a better grip so I don't drop a tube. 
 

 
Yes, bare handed, and never had any issue whatsoever, and I have it on very good authority that there is no reason not to.
 

Same here, bare hands.


Quote:

Has anyone compared the WE 274B NOS with the EML  or the Sophia?

Don't think the WE 274B will work as a replacement for the EML 5U4G or the Sophia 274B in are Woo's. I could be wrong but what I have read and the specs I have seen say no.

 

[hodgjy]

X2.  I get a much better grip without gloves getting in the way.  If I remember, I might take a clean cloth and wipe them off.  You have to think about their construction, purpose, and then put it all into perspective.  For years, tubes were used in military radios.  Do you think the GIs in the field would put on clean gloves just to swap out a tube when it was time to call in reinforcements during a bomb raid?  Would oily fingerprints potentially mean the difference between life and death and radio failure?  Tubes were designed to withstand military abuse.  I think they can handle obsessive hobbyists like myself.
 
Quote:

 
Quote:

You handle your tubes bare handed then?  I wear yellow rubber kitchen gloves while handling mine, figuring if the skin oil thing is a myth then at least there is still value in having a better grip so I don't drop a tube. 
 

 
Yes, bare handed, and never had any issue whatsoever, and I have it on very good authority that there is no reason not to.
 

 

[Icenine2]

Thanks for the info.  I used to handle my guitar amps tubes by hand all the time and never really had one go bad.  6L6's.  Big tubes.  When I sold the amp two years ago I had a bunch of extra tubes and at the time I was surprised how much others were paying me for them.  It's ironic that I wouldn't even consider a solid state guitar amp.  Ever.  Tubes are the only way to get a great tone and screaming sound.

 

[bobski32]

Hey guys

I've been reading the forms for a while and I've decided to get into headphones. I have a good stereo, but I haven't been able to get it sounding right in my new house/room. I spent about $2000 on panels and I'm just tried of messing around with it. So... what better way to start off with headphone audio then buying a Woo.

I'm thinking of going with a WA22 first, but I won't have a balanced source for a year or so. Should I still get one? Will it still sound half decent?

Thanks

 

[Audiogalore]

 
Quote:

Hey guys

I've been reading the forms for a while and I've decided to get into headphones. I have a good stereo, but I haven't been able to get it sounding right in my new house/room. I spent about $2000 on panels and I'm just tried of messing around with it. So... what better way to start off with headphone audio then buying a Woo.

I'm thinking of going with a WA22 first, but I won't have a balanced source for a year or so. Should I still get one? Will it still sound half decent?

Thanks

The WA22 has a selector switch in the rear that will allow you to choose SE or balanced. I have heard both ways and the SE had great sound signature. If you choose not to go balanced you may want to consider the WA-6SE and save some money.
 
Both are transformer coupled output and will drive lo/hi impedance phones.
 
Enjoy music!

 

[mikemalter]

Quote:

Hey guys

I've been reading the forms for a while and I've decided to get into headphones. I have a good stereo, but I haven't been able to get it sounding right in my new house/room. I spent about $2000 on panels and I'm just tried of messing around with it. So... what better way to start off with headphone audio then buying a Woo.

I'm thinking of going with a WA22 first, but I won't have a balanced source for a year or so. Should I still get one? Will it still sound half decent?

Thanks

I've got a WA22 and am very glad I got it.  My headphones are Sennheiser HD800 and I put an aftermarket cord on them with balanced connectors.  With the Sennheisers, the cable is not hardwired and replacement is easy.  My DAC has balanced out and that's how I am using it.  However you can select single ended for input as well as output.  If you are wondering what the difference is, there is a review of the WA22 with HD800 'phones at http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/woo2/1.html.  The writer says that while balanced sounds better, single ended is good too.  So, you don't have to get everything all at once, you can get the amp and then can add a little bit more as time goes on.
 
Another aspect of the WA22 is that the amp responds to whatever tubes you put into it, and that is another area of growth.  If you do get the WA22, think about requesting the Emission Labs 5U4G rectifier as an upgrade and read as much as you can about tube rolling.  Changing tubes and finding the right ones, have at least doubled the performance and my enjoyment of my WA22.
 
Finally, there is an adjustment from speakers to headphones.  While, you get much more performance for your money when going via the headphone route, it's a different experience.  Your headphones are your speakers, and the best headphones out there cost exponentionally less that medicore speakers.  Also, you don't need as much equipment to drive headphones, so for similiar costs to a lower end preamp you can get a high end unit.  But, the listening experience is not exactly the same as listening to speakers.  I'm not sure if you are a image guy, I was when my primary listening was through speakers.  Whenever I listened to music, if there was no imaging, I was not interested.  With headphones, the stereo image is going to be different.   So, while you pay considerably less money for much higher quality, the experience may not be what you are looking for.  Woo's build quality is exceptional, and the service you get from Jack is the best so no problem there.