wavoman
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2008
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Impressions from the NJ Micro Meet -- WEE vs. (Kerry's Build) Blue Hawaii vs. Lundahl-by-audiocats vs. SRD-7 Pro
Several listeners, all agreed. We tested with Stax Omega 2 Mk 2 (007a) Spritzer mod. Source was balanced analog out from SACDs spun in a Wadia 781i, a Goldpoint balanced attenuator, and a PS Audio A100 100-Watt solid state balanced Class D amp. Installed by nikongod (Ari), so you know it's done right. BJS balanced audio cable (Belden 1800F wire, Neutrik Gold XLRs), Zu Birth Power cables, Tara Power Conditioner with Furutech Power Distributors, QED speaker switch, Anti-cable speaker cables. (SACDS: Diana Krall; Janis Joplin BB&THC. CDs: Re-Mastered Beatles Box Set; Paul Simon Box Set)
The WEE sounds fine, better than the stock Stax SRD-7 Pro, not quite as good as audiocats' custom Lundahl box. The WEE does not match the BH dedicated amp; Kevin's box comes close. Soundstage was a bit constricted, freq response constrained.
(I was the only one to listen to the SRD-7 Pro; the WEE vs audiocats vs BH was done by several people).
If you own O2's I think you should get an amp to reveal the magic in these phones.
Tonight I am listening with 404s, and here the WEE holds its own against the amps.
So does the SRD-7 Pro in fact, but I give the edge to the WEE. audiocats has modded an SRD-7 Pro, and it equals the WEE, maybe slightly better, hard to tell. The audiocats Lundahl box actually sounded better than the BH on some CDs! ... something about 404s I guess. All are very close.
The WEE has not been broken in, and I think it needs to be ... transformer cores do physically change over time, I have been told.
Also, I think the Class D amp is a poor match. I liked it with the SRD-7 Pro, but I think it is too tame for the WEE. I am looking for a real Class A balanced solid state amp to drive the WEE ... stay tuned.
I will have the WEE and the stock SRD-7 Pro at the NYC meet for anyone who wants to listen ... I will bring the 404s.
The build quality on the WEE is exceptional, and of course commercial interaction and support from Woo Audio is superb. All my non-headphone audio friends need to send Woo Audio $1000 + change, to buy the WEE ($495) and hook it in-line with their speakers and incredible amps, plus new 404s ($490), along with Woo's great HP stands. A power cable and some short speaker cables to do the in-line installation, and they are set.
This will, IMHO, beat any other $1000 purchase in headphone land for SQ, build appeal, human factors, footprint, ease of installation, no-hassle buying. These audiophiles all have amazing amps, and don't need to listen to speakers and HPs at the same time, so this is a perfect -- PERFECT -- addition to their sound rooms. Yea, some have HP jacks on their pre-amps and dusty 701s somewhere, which is why they dis headphones (I have invited them to my listening room, but they never come). When they get their box from Woo and hook this up, in under 10 minutes, they will understand. And their wives will thank them, since they don't have to listen to Mahler thru the walls anymore.
The WEE is an important new product for just this reason.
PS: It looks like I have Serial #1 !!
Several listeners, all agreed. We tested with Stax Omega 2 Mk 2 (007a) Spritzer mod. Source was balanced analog out from SACDs spun in a Wadia 781i, a Goldpoint balanced attenuator, and a PS Audio A100 100-Watt solid state balanced Class D amp. Installed by nikongod (Ari), so you know it's done right. BJS balanced audio cable (Belden 1800F wire, Neutrik Gold XLRs), Zu Birth Power cables, Tara Power Conditioner with Furutech Power Distributors, QED speaker switch, Anti-cable speaker cables. (SACDS: Diana Krall; Janis Joplin BB&THC. CDs: Re-Mastered Beatles Box Set; Paul Simon Box Set)
The WEE sounds fine, better than the stock Stax SRD-7 Pro, not quite as good as audiocats' custom Lundahl box. The WEE does not match the BH dedicated amp; Kevin's box comes close. Soundstage was a bit constricted, freq response constrained.
(I was the only one to listen to the SRD-7 Pro; the WEE vs audiocats vs BH was done by several people).
If you own O2's I think you should get an amp to reveal the magic in these phones.
Tonight I am listening with 404s, and here the WEE holds its own against the amps.
So does the SRD-7 Pro in fact, but I give the edge to the WEE. audiocats has modded an SRD-7 Pro, and it equals the WEE, maybe slightly better, hard to tell. The audiocats Lundahl box actually sounded better than the BH on some CDs! ... something about 404s I guess. All are very close.
The WEE has not been broken in, and I think it needs to be ... transformer cores do physically change over time, I have been told.
Also, I think the Class D amp is a poor match. I liked it with the SRD-7 Pro, but I think it is too tame for the WEE. I am looking for a real Class A balanced solid state amp to drive the WEE ... stay tuned.
I will have the WEE and the stock SRD-7 Pro at the NYC meet for anyone who wants to listen ... I will bring the 404s.
The build quality on the WEE is exceptional, and of course commercial interaction and support from Woo Audio is superb. All my non-headphone audio friends need to send Woo Audio $1000 + change, to buy the WEE ($495) and hook it in-line with their speakers and incredible amps, plus new 404s ($490), along with Woo's great HP stands. A power cable and some short speaker cables to do the in-line installation, and they are set.
This will, IMHO, beat any other $1000 purchase in headphone land for SQ, build appeal, human factors, footprint, ease of installation, no-hassle buying. These audiophiles all have amazing amps, and don't need to listen to speakers and HPs at the same time, so this is a perfect -- PERFECT -- addition to their sound rooms. Yea, some have HP jacks on their pre-amps and dusty 701s somewhere, which is why they dis headphones (I have invited them to my listening room, but they never come). When they get their box from Woo and hook this up, in under 10 minutes, they will understand. And their wives will thank them, since they don't have to listen to Mahler thru the walls anymore.
The WEE is an important new product for just this reason.
PS: It looks like I have Serial #1 !!