[CAJames]

...Currently i have TS 5998s, Metz 1578s and Mullard GZ37 ( wish i have fat bottle) and WA22 sounds sublime.

The GZ37 aka 53KU fat bottle is pretty special IMO. Currently I'm running Sylvania VT-37s, GEC A2293s and the Cossor 53KU fat bottle and it sounds amazing. The input and power tubes are cheap so I can splurge on the rectifier.

 

[u2u2]

Just rolled in these GEC 6080's. Very nice sounding!! Looking forward to trying my various tubes from my stash, which have been sitting for years.

Also, my tube rectifier that came with my WA22 is the USAF 596 with the Frankenstein adapter. I honestly hear zero difference with it vs. the stock Svetlana winged-C rectifier. Knowing what I know about tube amps circuitry, the rectifier carries no audio signal and only smooths the DC current after the phase inverter stage. As a result, I'm concluding a good, working, tube rectifier should sound the same whether it's NOS or newer production. To my ears, anyway.

You started your WA22 journey with some very good tubes. Those GEC are excellent in my WA22 experience. I have some CBS 5692 brown base, like yours, and they are near the top dogs. Possibility that had you started with the normal stock tube set and lived with them before listening with the upgrades rectifier changes would be more pronounced? Throw in some pedestrian power tubes and drivers, play with the rectifiers, and see where it leads. If you want to dump that ugly 596 I know of a potential buyer
Enjoying your honeymoon posts.

 

[skhan007]

That is a common engineering analysis, but inconsistent with most listeners experience: that rectifiers have a profound impact on the sound. See for example:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dub...mparison-rectifer-tube-rolling-thread.694525/

From an engineering perspective the argument could be made that since the rectifier creates the high voltage aka B+ that the audio signal rides on it is intimately involved in the audio signal. Also each rectifier has a unique "sag" which is how much the DC voltage is reduced after rectification and that determines the operating points of the signal tubes. But of course what matters is what you hear so FWIW, YMMV and all that.

Excellent points and I’ll read up. Thank you!

 

[LegionofDoom]

That is a common engineering analysis, but inconsistent with most listeners experience: that rectifiers have a profound impact on the sound. See for example:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/dub...mparison-rectifer-tube-rolling-thread.694525/

From an engineering perspective the argument could be made that since the rectifier creates the high voltage aka B+ that the audio signal rides on it is intimately involved in the audio signal. Also each rectifier has a unique "sag" which is how much the DC voltage is reduced after rectification and that determines the operating points of the signal tubes. But of course what matters is what you hear so FWIW, YMMV and all that.

FWIW when I reached out to Woo asking for advice as I began my tube rolling journey from stock to something else, the FIRST tube recommendation to change was the rectifier. One can presume the makers of the amp have an experienced based answer for the one given.

 

[BillinSF]

That is a common engineering analysis, but inconsistent with most listeners experience: that rectifiers have a profound impact on the sound

Yeah. I'm on board with rectifier as making a huge difference.

When I bought my unit in 2017, I discovered Head-Fi and DubStep Girl's Rectifier thread and the 6SN7 thread. And immediately went shopping.

Picked up a WE 422A rectifier (No. 1 on the list). WOW. Blew away the stock tube in every respect. It truly is a holy grail. (A friend with a WA 22 bought one at the same time and he agreed)

 

[skhan007]

New Adapter Day! This is a 4.4mm female balanced to dual male 3-pin XLR.

I'm immediately noticing a wider soundstage, more separation in the L & R channels, bigger presentation in imaging, and a very noticeable divergence in instrumentation!

J/K. I simply wanted to try this kind of adapter because the amp had the L/R outputs. So why not?

 

[synfinatic]

Definitely everyone's ears are different and we all care about different things, but I find myself coming back time and time again to the USAF-596. Found it a very nice upgrade over the stock tube.

 

[u2u2]

New Adapter Day! This is a 4.4mm female balanced to dual male 3-pin XLR.

I'm immediately noticing a wider soundstage, more separation in the L & R channels, bigger presentation in imaging, and a very noticeable divergence in instrumentation!

J/K. I simply wanted to try this kind of adapter because the amp had the L/R outputs. So why not?

Here is a shot of how the outputs are wired on a WA22 should there be an interest.
I have not used the dual outputs on mine due to polar reports on the value of them vs the 4 pin XLR so your experience is another point in favour of trying.

 

[VanHai]

Here is a shot of how the outputs are wired on a WA22 should there be an interest.
I have not used the dual outputs on mine due to polar reports on the value of them vs the 4 pin XLR so your experience is another point in favour of trying.

​

I have talked to Mike at Woo Audio and he said you can use both the dual 3 pin and 4 pin XLR at the same time with exactly the 2 same headphones. I do have 2 ZMF Eikon headphones I tried it. There is no difference in sound at all to my ears.

 

[u2u2]

I have talked to Mike at Woo Audio and he said you can use both the dual 3 pin and 4 pin XLR at the same time with exactly the 2 same headphones. I do have 2 ZMF Eikon headphones I tried it. There is no difference in sound at all to my ears.

Very slick but you must choose your listening partner with care... or long cables, thus another balanced advantage. They should promote that feature.

 

[Promee]

Just rolled in these GEC 6080's. Very nice sounding!! Looking forward to trying my various tubes from my stash, which have been sitting for years.

Also, my tube rectifier that came with my WA22 is the USAF 596 with the Frankenstein adapter. I honestly hear zero difference with it vs. the stock Svetlana winged-C rectifier. Knowing what I know about tube amps circuitry, the rectifier carries no audio signal and only smooths the DC current after the phase inverter stage. As a result, I'm concluding a good, working, tube rectifier should sound the same whether it's NOS or newer production. To my ears, anyway.

Regarding the rectifier, I have read similar advice that they shouldn’t be that different, but I popped in a Gold Lion GZ34 new production, and it definitely sounded different from the stock Psvane 5U4G, though I wouldn’t say it was better. It seemed with the tubes I was using at the time that it increased the bass noticeably, but caused some significant bloating, and it also seemed that the background hum from the amp was stronger. I went back to the stock rectifier and liked it better. I have been a little reluctant with NOS rectifiers after a “NOS” Mullard 5AR4 / GZ34 wreaked some havoc on the power amp in my stereo - took out 2 or 3 good KT-88s and a handful of fuses over the course of about 6 weeks before I pulled it and all the trouble stopped.

So, I picked up the Sophia Electric Aqua 274B, and I think the difference compared with the stock rectifier is smaller, but it does feel like there is a bit more authority / slam in the bass, and it retains a clean and agile presentation. It definitely sounds like an upgrade to me. I have also definitely heard differences in cheap new production rectifiers compared to more expensive new production ones in my stereo amp. I was very skeptical and wish it were not the case (would be nice to save some cash on the rectifiers) but I definitely perceive a difference.

 

[Promee]

In other news, been rolling a few different power tubes, and I have hit on a combination that I’m loving. I am presently using NOS Tung-Sol 7236, tightly matched pair from a great seller on EBay with the Grant Fidelity special edition 6SN7 globe from LinLai. I had been using a pair of WE 421a prior, and I love the way they sound, but maybe it’s my sensitive, low impedance headphones, but it feels like 421a is almost creating too much power, I have 3 pairs, and they all seem to make the amp feel like its driving almost too hard and get a little prone to breakup, but they do have a whole lot of tube magic and power. The 7236 still feels quite powerful, but more controlled. There is definitely still some tube sound, but it feels agile and extremely resolving. The drivers are a bit bass-boosted, but very resolving and clean on the high end without being bright, and the 7236 seems to be a great match to harness that bass and give it an authoritative, refined, but still sufficiently magical feel. I’ve been especially liking this combo with jazz, and it has worked well with both my Focal Clear and the LCD-X 2021 (this is the first tube combo I’ve found that has really let me lose myself in the music with this headphone and this amp). Hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying the tunes!

 

[LegionofDoom]

In other news, been rolling a few different power tubes, and I have hit on a combination that I’m loving. I am presently using NOS Tung-Sol 7236, tightly matched pair from a great seller on EBay with the Grant Fidelity special edition 6SN7 globe from LinLai. I had been using a pair of WE 421a prior, and I love the way they sound, but maybe it’s my sensitive, low impedance headphones, but it feels like 421a is almost creating too much power, I have 3 pairs, and they all seem to make the amp feel like its driving almost too hard and get a little prone to breakup, but they do have a whole lot of tube magic and power. The 7236 still feels quite powerful, but more controlled. There is definitely still some tube sound, but it feels agile and extremely resolving. The drivers are a bit bass-boosted, but very resolving and clean on the high end without being bright, and the 7236 seems to be a great match to harness that bass and give it an authoritative, refined, but still sufficiently magical feel. I’ve been especially liking this combo with jazz, and it has worked well with both my Focal Clear and the LCD-X 2021 (this is the first tube combo I’ve found that has really let me lose myself in the music with this headphone and this amp). Hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying the tunes!

Which option did you select on the Grant Fidelity site??

BTW....I too have the Sophia Aqua rectifier. I thought it made a nice improvement over stock in the area of the midrange which is a bit more lush while keeping the low end under good control and well defined. It was a step in a pleasing direction though not a leap.

 

[ziggz]

I ordered this amp from my Canadian Dealer, and should be here in a couple days, also, based on this thread, I ordered the 274B Sophia Aqua II Tube from Woo, and hopefully that wont be to far behind the amplifier. I have much to learn on tubes, but this thread has given me A LOT of options to look into in the future!

 

[Promee]

Which option did you select on the Grant Fidelity site??


BTW....I too have the Sophia Aqua rectifier. I thought it made a nice improvement over stock in the area of the midrange which is a bit more lush while keeping the low end under good control and well defined. It was a step in a pleasing direction though not a leap.

Perfectly captures the Sophia experience there. I got the lowest noise grade pair. I think driver stage tubes can still absolutely add noise, so I strongly recommend spending the few extra bucks for the top grade. These didn’t need a huge amount of run in time, but they sounded pretty U shaped to me for about 5-10 hours, then either the tubes or my brain adjusted and now they are some of the best if not the actual best 6SN7s I’ve heard