[nigeljames]

Thanks for the comparisons. I always wondered how they compared as I always considered the W22 the natural upgrade to the W2.

 

[Skylab]

Very nice write-up, Peter. I really enjoyed reading it. Having just switched from a WA2 to a WA22 myself, I basically agree with what you wrote.

One question for you - I found the WA22 to be gussied about tube choice than the WA2. Any thoughts on that?

Again, excellent review, my friend,

 

[MacedonianHero]

Thanks Rob. I agree that the WA22 is more influenced by tube selection. I initially tried my 6080, 6AS7, and 5988. The sound changed remarkably. In the end, I settled on the Tung-Sol 7236.

Same went for the other tubes. Funny how one amp can change so much, while the other much less so.

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. Really appreciated.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Thanks for the review. I appreciate the effort.  I'm glad you added the part about the WA6 sounding solid state because I'm considering a tube amp at summers end and I want it not to sound SS.  Is this also true of the WA6E?   Of course the WA2 and the WA22 are front runners but at the price of the WA22 the APEX/Volcano comes into my picture.
 
Myself being ignorant to tube rolling how much rolling did you have to do to find the combination that you liked in the WA2 and the WA22?

With my WA2, it took several months before I settled on my tube combination (mentioned in my review). With the WA22, I'm still on that journey.

 

[MacedonianHero]

excellent Peter

!  don't any of you Woo guys go for black?  i mean the silver looks great, but come on...

I prefer silver and black for me is a dust magnet. I already own a black car...while they may look better in the shade (Insert Gino Vanelli reference), they do collect dirt quite easily.

Thanks for the revealing review, Peter. As always, a pleasure to read. Enjoy your new WA22 (which, I am sure, will be no difficult feat). An amazing looking piece of audiophile art, as well.
 
Not to nitpick or anything, but isn't the newest 'Kind of Blue' release called the 'Legacy Edition'? Very glad to see that it is a favourite album of yours, too!

Fixed...thanks.

 

[Golfnutz]

Peter, very nice review, thank you.  Do you have a preference for a particular headphone with the WA22?

 

[sampson_smith]

Now I can rest easy, with HE-500's on my previously worried head. Thanks very much, Peter!
 
If you are a fan of 'KoB', be sure to check out Cannonball Adderley's 'Somethin' Else' and Oliver Nelson's 'Blues and the Abstract Truth'. Both represent great modal jazz listening that is difficult to overplay. 
 
Quote:

Fixed...thanks.

 

 

[Frank I]

Nice write up peter. Glad you like it.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Nice write up peter. Glad you like it.

Thanks Frank...yes I do.

But the WA2 was still a very special amp too.

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

Thanks Frank...yes I do.

But the WA2 was still a very special amp too.

I'm very interested in the WA2 for the LCD-2's.  I'm also interested in what discrete amp would pair well with the WA2 when used not only for headphones but  as a pre amp in a small speaker set up.
 
 

 

[MacedonianHero]

I'm very interested in the WA2 for the LCD-2's.  I'm also interested in what discrete amp would pair well with the WA2 when used not only for headphones but  as a pre amp in a small speaker set up.
 
 

I can confirm that the WA2 was a great pre-amp in my home theater setup...quite versatile that way.

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

I can confirm that the WA2 was a great pre-amp in my home theater setup...quite versatile that way.

I sometimes use the DAC-2 in the home theater, didn't think about adding something like the WA2 till now!

 

[bergnerm]

Thanks for this excellent review!

 

[Naim.F.C]

Awesome impressions. Sub $1k DAC recommendations for the WA2?

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Awesome impressions. Sub $1k DAC recommendations for the WA2?

 
Thanks!

I still really like the PS Audio DLIII; the Bifrost and new DAC Magic are also really good choices too. But at $999, the W4S DAC-1 is tough to beat IMO.
 
But if you're going to spend $1K, I strongly recommend looking for a used Cary XCiter or W4S DAC-2.