[TonyNewman]

...  
Also going to roll Raytheons in 6F8G, and they are supposedly like the RCA, just a bit inferior. Will report back. I'll essentially have all the great 6F8G, and the only thing you can find in 6SN7, additionally, is the red base RCA. I will just have to wait for a while to hear those.

 
Apologies for not mentioning this earlier - I have a set of 50s Raytheons in 6SN7GTB and they suck hard. Nowhere near as good as RCA. Muddy and microphonic as a mofo.
 
The Raytheon in 6F8G might be a totally different animal from the 6SN7GTB, of course. There is also a chance that I just got lucky with a "super suckarse" pair of Raytheons as well.
 
EDIT - I am 90% sure these are one of the sets of diabolical tubes that I ordered direct from Woo Audio before I learned that almost any other source of tubes on planet Earth was a better bet. My dead grandmother could knit a better sounding set of 6SN7s than these glass encased audio turds from Raytheon. I think these are just about the worst sounding driver tube I have ever tried - have to put them into the WA6 this weekend just to remind myself what extreme suck really sounds like.

 

[bpcans]

Apologies for not mentioning this earlier - I have a set of 50s Raytheons in 6SN7GTB and they suck hard. Nowhere near as good as RCA. Muddy and microphonic as a mofo.

The Raytheon in 6F8G might be a totally different animal from the 6SN7GTB, of course. There is also a chance that I just got lucky with a "super suckarse" pair of Raytheons as well.

EDIT - I am 90% sure these are one of the sets of diabolical tubes that I ordered direct from Woo Audio before I learned that almost any other source of tubes on planet Earth was a better bet. My dead grandmother could knit a better sounding set of 6SN7s than these glass encased audio turds from Raytheon. I think these are just about the worst sounding driver tube I have ever tried - have to put them into the WA6 this weekend just to remind myself what extreme suck really sounds like.

Hey Tony, I bought a pair of those Raytheons too. Now I don't feel so bad.

 

[Moon2014]

Today I received my WA5 one day earlier then estimated WoW such a beautiful Amp.
First I would like to burn in the amp with the stock Tubes and then I will try the SERPs with the Brimar Rectifier and Cossor 6SN7GT from the 1950's I am looking forward

How many Hours need the WA5 for burning in? And Woo Audio recommended to use the Amp not longer then 10 Hours per Session how long it need for cooling down?

I also got the 6SN7 adaptors for my WA6 and the octal Tube saver. At the moment I am listening to the Psvane 274B Replica and the Psvane CV181 T2's ...it Sounds not so good I really hope that the T2's dont need such a long time for burning in as the Replica

 

[TonyNewman]

Hey Tony, I bought a pair of those Raytheons too. Now I don't feel so bad.

 
I found it fun to compare the performance of these abominations with the absurd marketing spiel on the Woo website saying that they would transport you to audio nirvana, halt global warming and triple the girth of your johnson. It did none of those things, unfortunately.

 

[TonyNewman]

Today I received my WA5 one day earlier then estimated

WoW such a beautiful Amp.
First I would like to burn in the amp with the stock Tubes and then I will try the SERPs with the Brimar Rectifier and Cossor 6SN7GT from the 1950's I am looking forward

How many Hours need the WA5 for burning in? And Woo Audio recommended to use the Amp not longer then 10 Hours per Session how long it need for cooling down?

I also got the 6SN7 adaptors for my WA6 and the octal Tube saver. At the moment I am listening to the Psvane 274B Replica and the Psvane CV181 T2's ...it Sounds not so good I really hope that the T2's dont need such a long time for burning in as the Replica

 
Both the replica WE274Bs and the T2s need 200+ hours, and they will suck quite a bit until then unfortunately. Harsh and nasty - can't be helped until they are burned in.

 

[bpcans]

I found it fun to compare the performance of these abominations with the absurd marketing spiel on the Woo website saying that they would transport you to audio nirvana, halt global warming and triple the girth of your johnson. It did none of those things, unfortunately.

So Tony what your saying is I need a pair of Psvane CV181 T2's? I personally like the certitude, and the warranty, of purchasing a new pair of tubes versus the risk of getting a dud set of vintage NOS 6SN7's. Am I wrong in that a lot of tubes are expensive because they're rare and not because they're especially great sounding? It seems like a couple people on fleaBay are making bank by selling rare, as in very old, tubes to head-fi members with upgrade-itis.

 

[TonyNewman]

So Tony what your saying is I need a pair of Psvane CV181 T2's? I personally like the certitude, and the warranty, of purchasing a new pair of tubes versus the risk of getting a dud set of vintage NOS 6SN7's. Am I wrong in that a lot of tubes are expensive because they're rare and not because they're especially great sounding? It seems like a couple people on fleaBay are making bank by selling rare, as in very old, tubes to head-fi members with upgrade-itis.

 
Maybe - the Psvanes are the best new production 6SN7 equivalent I have found, but they still are far from perfect.
 
They have stunning detail and extension and are very well balanced. Fantastic tubes up to this point - but now the bad news - they lack any sort of warmth whatsoever. Very dry that can become harshness with the wrong pairing.
 
For example, when paired with the Psvane WE274B replica in the WA6 (and SERPs in the WA5) they perform quite well. The replica is quite a warm and dark rectifier. The dryness is there, but is OK. Pairing them with a more neutral rectifier like the Brimar, the dryness of the CV181s becomes harshness and rather unpleasant. That doesn't work at all.
 
Best combination I have found so far is the Brimar rectifier with RCA drivers. This works very well, and won't break the bank.
 
Drivers are now my biggest tube headache. Nothing in new production that I have found has a good combination of detail, extension, balance and warmth. The RCA is an affordable warm-ish compromise that pairs well with the cool to neutral Brimars.
 
Lots of good options out there for 300Bs and rectifiers, not so much for 6SN7s.

 

[Krutsch]

  Anyway, in other news on the low end of the scale... 

 
I am finished listening to the Russian Reflector 6N23P-EV driver tubes. Functionally correct, but after 20 hours of listening, I don't see these being a contender. I would put them at parity with the Electro-Harmonix 6922 that shipped with the WA3.
 
Back to the Siemens E88CC with the Tung-Sol 6520 to cleanse my palette; I have another drive set coming in the mail this week, and am hoping to snag a WE 421a; then the real testing begins.
 
If I had to pick the best pairing, so far with the WA3, it would be the Siemens E88CCs or Telefunken E188CC, with the TS 5998 (although I need to re-listen, because the current TS 6520 is just really sweet sounding).
 

 
Probably not a lot of WA3 owners on this thread, but I'm going to keep posting my observations anyway (if nothing else, it's note taking for me).
 
I removed the Tung-Sol 6520 and the Russian Reflectors this morning, and switched back to the Siemens E88CCs and the Tung-Sol 5998. Let them warm up for 30 minutes and started playing FKA twigs "LP1" (really rich bass and vocals). I immediately noticed some additional detail, but that magic tonality I was really enjoying is missing. Crap... ah, what was the change, the power or the driver tubes?
 
I think the mistake I've made was changing power and drivers at once. Tonight, I will put the TS 6520 back in and see what that does on its own. I can see this process is going to take some time.

 

[Badas]

   
Apologies in advance, if you are in recovery, but I am out of Rye Whisky and Scotch, so tonight it's Polish Potato Vodka Martinis ... 
 


Does this photo count a night shot of audio glass? 

 
Yes it does. Great pic.

   
You have convinced me - I have order a pair of national union 6F8G and the adapters. Looking forward to trying this in the WA6 and WA5.

 

You are going to 6F8G. That is going to be interesting. I can't wait to hear your thoughts.

 

[magiccabbage]

   
Yes it does. Great pic.
 

You are going to 6F8G. That is going to be interesting. I can't wait to hear your thoughts.

I also have a TS 6f8g pair on the way - gonna pair those with the brimars and EML 300b. I can't wait to hear the changes in sound. Hopefully they will bring the LCD3f more clarity
 
At the moment I only have stock WA5 tubes plus brimars  -  surely the EML's and TS 6f8g will make a huge difference over the stock. 

 

[TonyNewman]

  ...
At the moment I only have stock WA5 tubes plus brimars  -  surely the EML's and TS 6f8g will make a huge difference over the stock.

 
Hell yes. You are repalcing sucky stock tubes with some very nice glass. You should hear a stunning change in the SQ once burn in is complete.
 
Happy listening and welcome to the WA5 club

 

[Angelbelow]

Today I received my WA5 one day earlier then estimated

WoW such a beautiful Amp.
First I would like to burn in the amp with the stock Tubes and then I will try the SERPs with the Brimar Rectifier and Cossor 6SN7GT from the 1950's I am looking forward

How many Hours need the WA5 for burning in? And Woo Audio recommended to use the Amp not longer then 10 Hours per Session how long it need for cooling down?

I also got the 6SN7 adaptors for my WA6 and the octal Tube saver. At the moment I am listening to the Psvane 274B Replica and the Psvane CV181 T2's ...it Sounds not so good I really hope that the T2's dont need such a long time for burning in as the Replica

 
I asked a similar question when I first got my WA5. Everyone advised me to switch out the stocks ones so I ended up changing out the stock tubes pretty quickly (2 weeks in). I still don't really have a 300b tube but love the sound so far. I'm almost at the point of being skeptic that it could get any better if I replace the 300bs.
 
Tubes used: Rectifer tube: Brimars and Driver tubes: GE 6sn7
 
Also, good thing I changed them out because I discovered that my 6sn7 bad boys that I bought were no good. One of the tubes didn't work. So I would recommend trying out all the tubes just to make sure they work.

 

[TonyNewman]

   
...I'm almost at the point of being skeptic that it could get any better if I replace the 300bs...

 
That's one of the best things about the WA5 - it scales wonderfully well with better glass.
 
Put better tubes in it and the SQ just keeps improving. If there is a limit I am yet to find it.

 

[Badas]

   
That's one of the best things about the WA5 - it scales wonderfully well with better glass.
 
Put better tubes in it and the SQ just keeps improving. If there is a limit I am yet to find it.

That is one strange thing I have found with the WA22.
 
Rectifiers: make huge differences to the sound. The biggest difference.
 
Drivers: make small changes. Kinda like a small tweak to the sound signature.
 
Power tubes: Do bugger all. I have so many different types of power tubes and there is slight changes but nothing to get excited about. It is almost like you can stick any driver tube in and be done. That could be a good and bad thing. Good as you can use anything. Bad is you want to add change. I'm looking for that last 5% bass response.
 
I have tried these in 6080's. GE, Brimar, Bendix and Tung-Sol 7236. All are very dull. 7236 is the best with the best bass response.
 
These are the 6AS7G's that I have tried. Winged C 6N13, Chatham, Tung-Sol, Sylvania, Raytheon and RCA. These are better than 6080 or 7236 (more dynamic). Best is Chatham. But the difference between the best and worst in my mind is 1-2%. That's all.
 
It is almost like there is a limiting filter on the power circuit of the WA22.
 
I haven't tried the legendary Tung-Sol 5998. I would like to but the price at $170 a pair is out of my reach.

 

[TonyNewman]

 
That is one strange thing I have found with the WA22.
 
Rectifiers: make huge differences to the sound. The biggest difference.
 
Drivers: make small changes. Kinda like a small tweak to the sound signature.
 
Power tubes: Do bugger all. ...

 
Interesting.
 
WA5 is very different with the 300B power tubes. I can hear the difference between the Psvane 300B and SERPs - even though they are quite similar tubes. The EATs are totally different and it is immediately obvious when they are installed.