[jaywillin]

the wa6se i shipped off, arrived DOA according to the buyer, its on the way back to me, 
i hope it ain't too bad !

 

[kokushu]

   
Best to stop thinking in terms of upgrade and start thinking in terms of "different combinations of tubes to suit your mood/music/variety".

That is what I am thinking but I just couldn't think of the right way to put it.  I am just looking for the perfect tubes combination to match my taste right now.  The three right I have right now I think is consider good by everyone but I want the best combination that bring out the best of the hd 800.

 

[BirdManOfCT]

It's still too early (listening a bit with about 15 hours burn-in), but not sure I'm liking the EH tubes better on the WA7. They seem brighter, but not necessarily clearer. I don't like bright. Will give it some more time.

 

[bbophead]

  It's still too early (listening a bit with about 15 hours burn-in), but not sure I'm liking the EH tubes better on the WA7. They seem brighter, but not necessarily clearer. I don't like bright. Will give it some more time.

In this case, time is your friend.

 

[BirdManOfCT]

  It's still too early (listening a bit with about 15 hours burn-in), but not sure I'm liking the EH tubes better on the WA7. They seem brighter, but not necessarily clearer. I don't like bright. Will give it some more time.

Over 20 hours listened. Ouch. Listened to some songs that I've listened to many times (headphones and high-end system). Just too bright.
 
Let tubes cool, put in stock ones. Much better.
 
Who knows. It's hard to align with so many people liking the EH better. Maybe I haven't given them enough time. Maybe I'm reacting to a wider soundstage (possibly preferring a more narrow one because it sounds like "normal" stereo). Maybe I'm more reactive to brightness than I thought. Don't know.
 
Edit: spelling (apparently short on caffeine).

 

[sillysally]

  Which driver tube for the WA5 will give me the best resolution and soundstage?  I currently running the eml 300bmesh, bad boy, and cv 593.

I have tried must of the best tubes for my WA5-SE, the best combo by far is as follows. 
Matched Pair nos WE 300B (date code 1956/26 week), Matched Pair nos TSRP 6SN7GT (August 1942), new Matched Pair EML 5U4G. 
 
However the WE 300B original and TSRP 6SN7 from the above vintage is very hard to find in a matched set.
 
ss 

 

[TonyNewman]

   
However the WE 300B original and TSRP 6SN7 from the above vintage is very hard to find in a matched set.
 

 
Word. Close to impossible to find TSRP 6SN7 matched pair under $300. For a matched pair of vintage NOS WE300B, I would expect a price around (or over) $10,000, if you can find them.
 
I am having a lot of fun with new production 300Bs and rectifiers in my WA5, it is the 6SN7 drivers that I am struggling with a little. The combination of detail + extension + 'musicality/warmth' is hard to find.

 

[sillysally]

   
Word. Close to impossible to find TSRP 6SN7 matched pair under $300. For a matched pair of vintage NOS WE300B, I would expect a price around (or over) $10,000, if you can find them.
 
I am having a lot of fun with new production 300Bs and rectifiers in my WA5, it is the 6SN7 drivers that I am struggling with a little. The combination of detail + extension + 'musicality/warmth' is hard to find.

 
I bought two pairs of the nos CTL TSRP 6SN7GT many years ago. They were made for the US Navy back in 1942.
Very good soundstage, great Hi, low/base and mid tones. These TSRP's really help the EML 5U4G. with adding a larger soundstage and a nice crisp base. 
 
I have the nos WE 300B and one set of the nos TSRP's in storage, they maybe have 300 hours on them. The other set of TSRP is still nos.  



The above picture is the guys I got the WE 300B's from.
They are the Alabama historical radio club.  
 
ss

 

[TonyNewman]

   
I bought two pairs of the nos CTL TSRP 6SN7GT many years ago. They were made for the US Navy back in 1942.
Very good soundstage, great Hi, low/base and mid tones. These TSRP's really help the EML 5U4G. with adding a larger soundstage and a nice crisp base. 
 
I have the nos WE 300B and one set of the nos TSRP's in storage, they maybe have 300 hours on them. The other set of TSRP is still nos.  
  ss

 
Hang onto those for dear life - excellent setup to have spares of these hard to get tubes.
 
Only thing you are missing are the matched pair of WE422As

 

[Stereolab42]

  So I just rented an HE-6 from www.thecableco.com. They've got a great program where they will let you rent a demo of a certain cable or headphone from their library for a small percentage of its cost. You use it for a week and return it, and you can credit the fee to a purchase for a new unit. Pretty awesome, and a lot nicer than abusing the Amazon return policy.
 
Anyways, it sounds great through the WA5's K1K jack. It is not better than my LCD-XCs though. Wider soundstage due to its open nature, but not as different in that regard as you'd expect. So far I find it a bit drier and less engaging, but maybe a touch more detailed. Certainly different.

 
My conclusion after more listening: The LCD-XC is simply head-and-shoulders above the HE-6. The HE-6 has a nasty tendency to compress and nasalize mids to a large degree, even while it's presenting an expansive soundstage and great bass/treble. It is basically no contest.

 

[rschoi75]

Hey everyone, 
New member/Old lurker here. Just figured I'd introduce myself and post up my WA7d +WA7tp desktop combo. This isn't anywhere close to some of the systems I've seen posted up here, but I hope you guys enjoy all the same. 
 
Now to go back, and attempt to read this thread... I may need a few cups of coffee for this.  
 
 
 

 

[bpcans]

Hey everyone, 
New member/Old lurker here. Just figured I'd introduce myself and post up my WA7d +WA7tp desktop combo. This isn't anywhere close to some of the systems I've seen posted up here, but I hope you guys enjoy all the same. 

Now to go back, and attempt to read this thread... I may need a few cups of coffee for this.  

Spoiler

[COLOR=FF4400]
[/COLOR]

That's a great looking rig, very clean and modern.

 

[bbophead]

Black on black is nice looking!

 

[sillysally]

   
Hang onto those for dear life - excellent setup to have spares of these hard to get tubes.
 
Only thing you are missing are the matched pair of WE422As

 
If memory serves, I don't think the WE422A's work in a WA5/SE.
 
ss

 

[TonyNewman]

   
If memory serves, I don't think the WE422A's work in a WA5/SE.
 
ss

 
I thought the WE422A was "Western Electric's version of the 5U4G" as per this thread:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/694525/dubstep-girls-massive-5ar4-5r4-5u4g-rectifier-review-comparison-rectifer-tube-rolling-thread
 
If those don't work, then the WE274B