[ayang02]

You have pha-3 in your signature. Would you be so kind to elaborate on how do you feel two amps compare? Thanks.

Hey there, is there a specific use case you want to compare? Like driving sensitive IEMs or full-sized headphones? I haven't really used the PHA-3 much in recent years after getting the Chord Mojo. The only time I used the PHA-3 recently is to use its line out to feed into my desktop amp, the Massdrop THX 789. In that role, the PHA-3 did a fairly decent job until I got my Chord Qutest DAC.

I can tell you the WA11 has A LOT more driving power & juice than the PHA-3, there's no comparison in that department between the two. Yeah, the WA11 also beats my other portable DAC/amps and I think is a great alternative to the Hugo 2 for people who find Hugo 2 too bright. That being said, I don't think the PHA-3 is in the same league as the WA11.

 

[lacedaemonian88]

Hey there, is there a specific use case you want to compare? Like driving sensitive IEMs or full-sized headphones? I haven't really used the PHA-3 much in recent years after getting the Chord Mojo. The only time I used the PHA-3 recently is to use its line out to feed into my desktop amp, the Massdrop THX 789. In that role, the PHA-3 did a fairly decent job until I got my Chord Qutest DAC.

I can tell you the WA11 has A LOT more driving power & juice than the PHA-3, there's no comparison in that department between the two. Yeah, the WA11 also beats my other portable DAC/amps and I think is a great alternative to the Hugo 2 for people who find Hugo 2 too bright. That being said, I don't think the PHA-3 is in the same league as the WA11.

Mainly how they perform with your IEMs in balance mode. Signature differences, black background, soundstage, instrument separation. Full-size cans are not of my interest right now. Do you still have the cables to use your PHA-3 in balance mode? If not, any info from your memory would be great. Appreciate your input.

 

[ayang02]

Mainly how they perform with your IEMs in balance mode. Signature differences, black background, soundstage, instrument separation. Full-size cans are not of my interest right now. Do you still have the cables to use your PHA-3 in balance mode? If not, any info from your memory would be great. Appreciate your input.

When I used my PHA-3, I paired it with AKG K3003 most of the time so it's mainly single-ended usage for me. I only have one dual 3.5 mm balanced cable made for my Sennheiser HD700 and I think the PHA-3 did a good job driving those cans.

Sadly I don't own any dual 3.5 mm balanced cables for my IEMs because by the time I moved on from my K3003 to IEMs with replaceable cables, Sony has pretty much given up on the dual balanced 3.5 mm plugs so I didn't get another balanced cable like that. I've also moved on to Chord Mojo for single-ended usage and later to other 2.5mm/4.4mm balanced devices. I may consider custom-made adapter cables just to see how well the PHA-3 balanced out works with IEMs.

From what I remember from using the PHA-3 with K3003, its background is pretty clean and dark. I am pretty sure the WA11 has a warmer signature and a wider soundstage compared to the PHA-3. For a better comparison, I should really try out PHA-3's balanced mode using my IEMs again.

If you have really sensitive IEMs, I would probably use the PHA-3 because the WA11 may not work too well for you if you can't lower your source's volume. When I use my sensitive IEMs, I have to be extra careful with the volume knob when using the WA11.

 

[Jalo]

Has any owners of the WA11 compare the amp section with another source like the WM1z for instance to the amp/dac section of the WA11? I am just curious if better sound can be possible using another source over the built in Dac, if so what are the difference?

 

[havagr8da]

Has anyone compared the WA11 to the rme adi-2 dac any thoughts?

I did today and although I may lack the jargon to convey the actual difference which is very slight I will give it a try.
To my ears the WA11 has just a very tiny edge on body. Some may call this musicality vs analytical, both are great at each.
The WA11 just has a tad bit more weight, not fat or even chubby just a couple pounds if that makes any since.

Comparison was done with ADI 2 balanced out to WA11 to balanced HD660S
I was assuming you wanted dac comparison as the ADI 2 is SE amp.

 

[freesole]

I did today and although I may lack the jargon to convey the actual difference which is very slight I will give it a try.
To my ears the WA11 has just a very tiny edge on body. Some may call this musicality vs analytical, both are great at each.
The WA11 just has a tad bit more weight, not fat or even chubby just a couple pounds if that makes any since.

Comparison was done with ADI 2 balanced out to WA11 to balanced HD660S
I was assuming you wanted dac comparison as the ADI 2 is SE amp.

Interesting - thanks for the comparison. I was considering either of these as a DAC/AMP for my Elegia's and Flamenco IEMs. If you were to compare ADI 2 as a dac/amp vs the WA11 as a dac/amp, what would you say are the qualitative differences that you hear?

 

[havagr8da]

Interesting - thanks for the comparison. I was considering either of these as a DAC/AMP for my Elegia's and Flamenco IEMs. If you were to compare ADI 2 as a dac/amp vs the WA11 as a dac/amp, what would you say are the qualitative differences that you hear?

That my friend is a very complicated question. The Wa11 topaz is a portable plug and play Class A balanced dac/amp combo. The ADI 2 is a somewhat portable with external battery power pack, extremely more than just plug and play dac/amp. Plug and play - meaning plug it in and turn up the volume. Extremely more - meaning EQ, Filters, Presets. Bass Treble, Display screen etc. They are two very different creatures.
I have to admit I have not used the ADI 2 Amp that much it is usually used balanced out to THX AAA 789 or balanced to Jotunheim. I have not really done any critical listening to the amp. I have the ADI 2 for the purpose of using all it's features to tune it to my preferences using many different headphones. To bright no problem - adjust. To boomy no poblem - adjust. Mids recessed - no problem EQ.

PS I have done some critical listening to the SE ADI 2 vs WA11 topaz SE using THX OO - K7XX - Elex and the ADI 2 more power in SE than WA11 sound wise same as dac compare but even less noticeable. To the point of just as great as the other.

 

[freesole]

That my friend is a very complicated question. The Wa11 topaz is a portable plug and play Class A balanced dac/amp combo. The ADI 2 is a somewhat portable with external battery power pack, extremely more than just plug and play dac/amp. Plug and play - meaning plug it in and turn up the volume. Extremely more - meaning EQ, Filters, Presets. Bass Treble, Display screen etc. They are two very different creatures.
I have to admit I have not used the ADI 2 Amp that much it is usually used balanced out to THX AAA 789 or balanced to Jotunheim. I have not really done any critical listening to the amp. I have the ADI 2 for the purpose of using all it's features to tune it to my preferences using many different headphones. To bright no problem - adjust. To boomy no poblem - adjust. Mids recessed - no problem EQ.

Thanks for the response. I still need to research and play around with how to EQ (that is a whole new world to me). It seems that it would not be worthwhile to get the ADI-2 if you were not taking advantage of those features. I liked the idea of the WA11 because it is so simple so I was hoping at comparing apples to apples here with the ADI-2 (even though that is not realistic).

 

[havagr8da]

Thanks for the response. I still need to research and play around with how to EQ (that is a whole new world to me). It seems that it would not be worthwhile to get the ADI-2 if you were not taking advantage of those features. I liked the idea of the WA11 because it is so simple so I was hoping at comparing apples to apples here with the ADI-2 (even though that is not realistic).

You really can't go wrong with either one, just depends on functionality vs simplicity. I am on the fence right now on which Active Speakers to get Elac vs Kef and they will be hooked up to the ADI 2.

 

[John Blackshear]

I am very curious as to what folks think when comparing the WA11 and the Ifi Micro Black Label? I have the BL and am considering the WA11. Thanks, in advance.

 

[freesole]

You really can't go wrong with either one, just depends on functionality vs simplicity. I am on the fence right now on which Active Speakers to get Elac vs Kef and they will be hooked up to the ADI 2.

I have my LS50 Wireless hooked up to my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+. It is brilliant in a small office setup.

 

[329161]

Does the sq match up to something like the magni/modi stack?

 

[Cognacbrown]

I’ve just upgraded the stock driver tube in wA8 to Mullard. Burning in now. I’m curious how the WA11 compares to the Mullard WA8. I’m using the Chord Qutest DAC and Audeze LCDi4.

 

[havagr8da]

I’ve just upgraded the stock driver tube in wA8 to Mullard. Burning in now. I’m curious how the WA11 compares to the Mullard WA8. I’m using the Chord Qutest DAC and Audeze LCDi4.

Looking forward to your take on the Mullard vs Stock.

 

[329161]

Can anyone do a sq comparison with the Hugo2?