[bpiotrow13]

Why are you not convinced about balanced mode? If an amp is design for balance then it will be beautifully balanced. If it is design for Se, then it will be SE beautiful. This is common knowledge. One is not better than the other. It's in the implementation and how the designer/engineer plan it. They have the technical know how. I don't. I just listen to both balance and se amps and I know they are both beautiful sounding.

I have not heard the Empyrean but my guess is that it needs a less warm amp. One that is more skew towards neutral would be good. The SPL Phonitor X that I heard today would be great for it.

Fully agree. Both balanced and SE could sound good so no real benefit in going balanced for me. I do not have a balanced dac (i have MHDT Orchid) so buying balanced amp means i need balanced dac as well.

Meze do need less warm amp. I am considering feliks euforia (praised with meze) or woo wa6se, the latter seems a bit lower SQ though. I have not decided yet, this is why i am interested in all options

 

[UntilThen]

This morning's combo and there's still a lot of love for the Wa22.

 

[bpcans]

This morning's combo and there's still a lot of love for the Wa22.

Great setup UntilThen! What tubes are you using in your WA22? Are those Tung Sol 5998 power tubes per chance?

 

[UntilThen]

Thanks @bpcans yes those are my NOS Tung Sol 5998, literally brand new when I got it in 2017 and use sparingly. Rectifier is the Cossor 53ku and drivers are just Sylvania 6sn7gtb chrome top.

 

[bpcans]

Thanks @bpcans yes those are my NOS Tung Sol 5998, literally brand new when I got it in 2017 and use sparingly. Rectifier is the Cossor 53ku and drivers are just Sylvania 6sn7gtb chrome top.

UntilThen, I bet that combination sounds pretty good. I found a “matched pair” that were supposedly NOS on eBay for a lot less then what Woo Audio charges. To me they sound much better than the stock Sylvania 6080 power tubes. I had the USAF 596 rectifier and the Sophia Electric 6SN7 tubes in my WA6 for years before I got the WA22, then I just put them right in the new amp because they sound fantastic.

 

[UntilThen]

The 596 rectifier is a work of art. Stock tubes can’t beat better tubes much less with 5998. I have Bendix 6080, GEC 6as7g and 6080. Also Tung Sol 7236. I also have GEC U52 rectifier. One of the best on WA22.

Also try dual 6bx7gt with an adapter in each of the power slots. These are my favourites when I run 6 x 6bx7gt in the Glenn OTL amp.

 

[UntilThen]

I even debated buying a new WA22 Gen 2 because I like my Gen 1 a lot. A black version would be nice.

 

[bpcans]

I even debated buying a new WA22 Gen 2 because I like my Gen 1 a lot. A black version would be nice.

UntilThen, I just got this WA22 a few months ago and I think it’s a really great desktop hp amplifier. But I’d also like the WA33 as my endgame. I think I’ll stop spending money on audio gear and buy my family a house instead.

 

[UntilThen]

@bpcans you will have your house, everything for your family and a WA33 with Susvara. I can see your future.

As for me, I've been there and done that and now it's time for some toys. At the moment, am listening to music with Hekse with Violectric v280 and it's good !

 

[bpcans]

@bpcans you will have your house, everything for your family and a WA33 with Susvara. I can see your future.

As for me, I've been there and done that and now it's time for some toys. At the moment, am listening to music with Hekse with Violectric v280 and it's good !

Thanks UntilThen. It’ll all work itself out. Have you tried the Susvara’s and the Abyss 1266 Phi TC’s? I just saw on the Woo Audio website that my Focal Utopia’s have gone up $401 to the astronomical list price of $4,400. Ooh wee! That’s a lot of bananas.

 

[UntilThen]

Thanks UntilThen. It’ll all work itself out. Have you tried the Susvara’s and the Abyss 1266 Phi TC’s? I just saw on the Woo Audio website that my Focal Utopia’s have gone up $401 to the astronomical list price of $4,400. Ooh wee! That’s a lot of bananas.

It seems I have to repeat this on multiple threads but I'll repeat it for you.

I've heard the Abyss ab 1266 phi not the TC version - at a local meet 3 years ago - with my Yggdrasil and Ragnarok and then with my friend's WA5LE at the same meet.

Heard Susvara at the Sydney HiFi show in 2017 with WA33 at the Addicted To Audio stand. Love that. Also heard Susvara in a very nice setup only 2 weeks ago where I spend 2 hours auditioning it at Minidisc - a downtown head-fi shop. Some pictures and some commentary in this post that I make...
Post #366 of 443

Am I in a hurry to dive into the expensive deep end? No because I'm still enjoying my setup of CMA 12 dac > Violectric v280 > Hekse tonight. These gear were only bought on New Year's Eve. I don't believe in rushing through my gear. There will be a time for everything.

 

[grokit]

I just saw on the Woo Audio website that my Focal Utopia’s have gone up $401 to the astronomical list price of $4,400. Ooh wee! That’s a lot of bananas.

That's just the "Deluxe" setup with the case and various speaker-like cables, to make the package more in line with Stellia/Clear etc. for an extra $400
I think the standard 1/4" OFC cable is of higher quality, but it's nice to have a balanced one. It says this lower in the listing:

• Standard Package: 10ft (3m) OFC cable (1 x Neutrik® 01/4“ (6,35mm) stereo Jack Neutrik® 2 x shielded 03⁄8“ (9.5mm) Lemo® connectors with self-locking bayonet system)
• Deluxe Package: carrying case and two cables (instead of one): the first cable will be a 3m symmetric one, with a 4-pin XLR connector, and the other one a 1.2m cable with a mini-jack connector, and a 6.35mm Jack adaptor.

 

[lawshredpower]

Hey everyone,

just swapped the stock 6080’s for a matched quad 6BL7GTA. Wow that’s a huge difference! Less boomy, tighter low end and those sparkly highs I enjoy so much. Now the WA22 sounds so much better and just the way I like it.

I’m buying a U52 recto next. Any recommendations for the 6SN7 replacement? I like it tight and analytical.

 

[bpcans]

Hey everyone,

just swapped the stock 6080’s for a matched quad 6BL7GTA. Wow that’s a huge difference! Less boomy, tighter low end and those sparkly highs I enjoy so much. Now the WA22 sounds so much better and just the way I like it.

I’m buying a U52 recto next. Any recommendations for the 6SN7 replacement? I like it tight and analytical.

lawshredpower, I’m using Tung Sol 5998’s as my power tubes that replaced the stock 6080’s. Much better sound and definition. For driver tubes I like my Sophia Electric 6SN7’s, but ECC35’s will also work well. Check the Woo tube compatibility charts for more options.

 

[njs170]

I am surprised the better tubes let the amp run cooler. My amp would heat up my room like no other with the stock tubes. Not anymore.