[Silent One]

Quote:

It's a stock unit right now, will gradually think about tube rolling after getting used to the sound signature, read through that WA2 thread, and when money permits. 

  Very wise.
 

 

[Ahzari]

Quote:

Is the Sophia brighter than the stock rectifiers on the woo 6?  I'm looking for more warmth. 

I don't know if someone already answered this, but the sophia is warmer than the stock tube (to my ears). Its an all around better tube. I was playing around with the Emission Labs 5U4G rectifier that I also have.. between the two, the differences I have noticed:
 
EML: larger soundstage (noticeable), tightened up bass with less impact
Sophia Princess: warmer, stronger bass impact, more intimate 
 
Both are great tubes, I can't say which i prefer, just depends on the music you like to listen to.. oh and generally the EML rectifier is more expensive (something to keep in mind).
 

 

[leng jai]

My itch to tube roll is already starting 

 

[TopCaliber]

I got a woo audio headphone stand... Does that count ?

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

I got a woo audio headphone stand... Does that count ?

 

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

My itch to tube roll is already starting 

 You'll be "Rolling" amid a fine group of Head-Fier's, a shared sea of emotions and empty wallets... come on in!

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

I don't know if someone already answered this, but the sophia is warmer than the stock tube (to my ears). Its an all around better tube. I was playing around with the Emission Labs 5U4G rectifier that I also have.. between the two, the differences I have noticed:
 
EML: larger soundstage (noticeable), tightened up bass with less impact
Sophia Princess: warmer, stronger bass impact, more intimate 
 
Both are great tubes, I can't say which i prefer, just depends on the music you like to listen to.. oh and generally the EML rectifier is more expensive (something to keep in mind).
 

This mirrors my findings between the two rectifiers except for the size of the soundstage with Miss Sophia escapes me before midnight. But, I do recall she excelled at 'Straight Ahead Jazz'... deliciously so!
 

 

[kchew]

Silent One, I know you're looking forward to my rectifier shootout, but I accidentally won a used metal-base GZ34 and it'll delay my review. It'll probably take two weeks to arrive and another two weeks for me to get acquainted with it. I'm also debating if I should include the RCA and Tung Sol 5U4GBs that are flying to me right now. It looks like next month will see some heavy tube rolling from me!

 

[Silent One]

Quote:

Silent One, I know you're looking forward to my rectifier shootout, but I accidentally won a used metal-base GZ34 and it'll delay my review. It'll probably take two weeks to arrive and another two weeks for me to get acquainted with it. I'm also debating if I should include the RCA and Tung Sol 5U4GBs that are flying to me right now. It looks like next month will see some heavy tube rolling from me!

I'm also looking forward to seeing what February holds as promise - your evaluation, my own Linux projects, it's shaping up to being an exciting month! On, and then there's a Head-Fi meet in February as well. Enjoy your shootout - I'm with you in spirit!

Congrats on the Metal-base GZ34... may it sing for you! 

 

[Zeruel the 14th]

Quote:

Not having a close match won't hurt the amp.  I've run tubes that aren't even within 20% of each other without trouble, though you don't want to get really far apart or you run the risk of volume level mismatching between the channels.

 
Did that gap of more than 20% yield any channel imbalance at all? I figure even more than 20% of 'nothing' is still nothing. I'm itching to get in to some tuberolling but so far it sounds like I shouldn't worry too much that rectifiers (and 6AS7s) aren't sold matched.
 

 

[Golfnutz]

Quote:

Silent One, I know you're looking forward to my rectifier shootout, but I accidentally won a used metal-base GZ34 and it'll delay my review. It'll probably take two weeks to arrive and another two weeks for me to get acquainted with it. I'm also debating if I should include the RCA and Tung Sol 5U4GBs that are flying to me right now. It looks like next month will see some heavy tube rolling from me!

kchew, do you have a non metal-base GZ34 to compare as well? I know the metal-base are pretty expensive. It would be nice to know if they're actually worth the extra money over the non metal-base version.
 
 

 

[kchew]

Hi Golfnutz, I have a black-base f31 GZ34 as well, with factory/date code X8E indicating manufacture in early 1958 at the Philips Sittard, UK plant. I was not very impressed with this tube; it sounded a bit cold and lean when paired with TS 5998 and Mullard ECC32, although to be honest I've not tried it with the TS BGRP. As I've been hearing a lot of hype around the metal-base variant, I got curious and somehow ended up with one from fleabay. Another alternative to the metal-base that people seem to recommend is the f31 fat base from the Blackburn, UK plant. I believe dannie01 is using them in his WA5?
 
You might also be interested in the fat bottle GZ37, I have not spent much time analysing it but from initial impressions it's smoother and more lively than the normal skinny GZ37.

 

[shipsupt]

Accidentally 

 
 
Quote:

Silent One, I know you're looking forward to my rectifier shootout, but I accidentally won a used metal-base GZ34 and it'll delay my review. It'll probably take two weeks to arrive and another two weeks for me to get acquainted with it. I'm also debating if I should include the RCA and Tung Sol 5U4GBs that are flying to me right now. It looks like next month will see some heavy tube rolling from me!

 
 

 

[kchew]

Yeah, caught me by surprise too. The bids on it were low, probably due to the dirty exterior and all that getter flashing. So I threw in a low bid as well and went to bed. When I woke up the next day I found out I won.

 

[sling5s]

Thanks.  
Does anyone know how the stock power tubes compare to the other options that woo audio provides:  Option 1 6GL7; Option 2 7N7; Option 3 6SN7GT.
 
Quote:

I don't know if someone already answered this, but the sophia is warmer than the stock tube (to my ears). Its an all around better tube. I was playing around with the Emission Labs 5U4G rectifier that I also have.. between the two, the differences I have noticed:
 
EML: larger soundstage (noticeable), tightened up bass with less impact
Sophia Princess: warmer, stronger bass impact, more intimate 
 
Both are great tubes, I can't say which i prefer, just depends on the music you like to listen to.. oh and generally the EML rectifier is more expensive (something to keep in mind).