[stevekwc]

Could anyone share the tube rolling experiences for WA6-SE paired with LCD-2 rev.2? I am thinking to get the SE with stock tubes first.
 
Thanks.

 

[Ahzari]

Quote:

Could anyone share the tube rolling experiences for WA6-SE paired with LCD-2 rev.2? I am thinking to get the SE with stock tubes first.
 
Thanks.

I'll be pairing my SE with a HifiMan HE500.. I think it shares some similarities with the LCD2s I will post my reviews once I get them in. From what I read you can't go wrong upgrading the rectifier to Emission Labs or Sophia Princess; to start I think the stock driver tubes should be good.
 

 

[shipsupt]

I think rocking the stock tubes for a while is a good way to go.  Get a feeling for the amp with your headphones, see what you like, etc...
 
I haven't heard the rev 2 with my 6SE, but I have listened to it.  It's close enough to the rev 1 that I think that the same tubes would do well with it.
 
Drivers:

1. Sylvania 6FD7 fat bottle black plates - Great all around tube for me.  Pairs up well with the LCD-2.  Good dynamics, on the brighter side, great details.
2. 6EM7/6EA7 - I don't have a specific favorite, yet, but I've tried Lindal, Sylvania, and Tung Sol.  All do pretty well with the LCD-2.  I think the Orthos like these tubes with a higher amplification factor.  So far I'm starting to think that I am liking these more than the Sylvania 6FD7's...
3. 6DN7 - Another strong driver.  Again, not sure which particular tube I'd recommend yet, but there are plenty to choose from... RCA, Sylvania, GE, Lindal.  These don't stand out in particular area to me, nor do they lack, which is probably a real positive thing to say about them.

 
Rectifier

1. I've generally used either the EML or the Sophia with all of the above drivers.  I wouldn't say I prefer one of the other for the LCD-2 in particular.  For the LCD-2 I would definitely choose either of them over something with less air, say like the RCA 5U4GB.

 
Quote:

Could anyone share the tube rolling experiences for WA6-SE paired with LCD-2 rev.2? I am thinking to get the SE with stock tubes first.
 
Thanks.

 
 

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

Could anyone share the tube rolling experiences for WA6-SE paired with LCD-2 rev.2? I am thinking to get the SE with stock tubes first.
 
Thanks.

 
all i can say is it sounds good with my tube combos. haven't rolled other tubes on the WA6SE though, so i can't say much, sry.

 

[Ahzari]

So my WA6SE arrived today...
 
Played around with it a bit.. Liking what I'm hearing from the 6FD7, much more than the 6EW7s.. 
6FD7 has more bass impact, smoother treble, and better separation (from what I could tell)
 
 
Night time shot

 
 
Liked this set-up but the idecco2 was causing interference with the SE so I switched it up...
 

 
Current set-up
 

 
I had the HifiMan HE500 plugged in (thats what you connected to the SE), listened to it a bit.. the WA6SE has tons of power, I didnt even get the volume knob past 9 o-clock and it was plenty loud for the HifiMan..
 
The WA6SE has better soundstage and better separation from my experience with the WA6 (this may be due somewhat to the different driver tubes). Also, the gobs of power is readily noticeable..
 
I wasn't crazy about the HE500 combo with it though. Compared to my Denon D7000s I found the sound lacking in every respect (treble, midrange, and bass).. I have read plenty about the HE500s midrange magic, and while I really liked that there was very little sibilance, the instrument separation and positioning was not amazing, everything sounded like it was just coming at me through two channels (and while I know that is a fact, the Denons do a really nice job of building a 3D space with the music - kinda sucks you into the music).
 
Going to listen more, maybe everything needs to be burned a bit, the HE500s have about 30 hours but I may just end up returning them to headroom, besides the soso sound one ear cup is loose and the cable looks and feels really cheap (I don't know anything about cables though so that may not be true). I'll have another update when everything gets a bit more burned in.

 

[danska]

Great pics there! Nice ring around that EML?, don't think I've seen one that big before!
 
I actually got a chance to try out the HE-500 (along with the HE-6, HD800, and my acquired LCD-2), my biggest gripe was the way they fit my head. The pads were rather slim and they felt a little bit cheap, construction-wise, in comparison to the others. While they sounded really good, I preferred the sound of the LCD-2. I tried them with an ALO cable, that probably cost as much as the cans themselves.. The LCD-2 was the only one I tried with the stock cable actually, and to my ears it wasn't holding them back too much.
 
On a side note, I'm in SoCal right now. It's funny how cold people think it is down here! I left Seattle monday night, where snow was coming in like crazy. This is winter paradise for me!

 

[Ahzari]

Quote:

Great pics there! Nice ring around that EML?, don't think I've seen one that big before!
 
I actually got a chance to try out the HE-500 (along with the HE-6, HD800, and my acquired LCD-2), my biggest gripe was the way they fit my head. The pads were rather slim and they felt a little bit cheap, construction-wise, in comparison to the others. While they sounded really good, I preferred the sound of the LCD-2. I tried them with an ALO cable, that probably cost as much as the cans themselves.. The LCD-2 was the only one I tried with the stock cable actually, and to my ears it wasn't holding them back too much.
 
On a side note, I'm in SoCal right now. It's funny how cold people think it is down here! I left Seattle monday night, where snow was coming in like crazy. This is winter paradise for me!

haha I was just telling my friend its freezing in socal lately.. I put on 3 layers every night, we aren't used to anything below 60 here haha..
 
In the pic I'm actually running the Sophia Princess, I have a EML tube too, haven't got around to listening to it too much yet.
And yea totally agree with you regarding the construction of the HE500s, they are nowhere near as nice as the Denons or even the Ultrasones I have, both of which I paid less for... They do sound nice, but I think I'd rather pay a little more and get something better maybe the LCDs or the T1s.. The search continues, but at least the Woo can handle whatever I throw at it (minus the HE6s haha).
 
 
 

 

[danska]

I was contemplating as I wrote that last night if it were a EML 274b, it just appears huge in that pic! I have the EML 5U4G, which looks a lot different, its much taller! Hope the sounds of things improve for you, once things get a bit of time on them.

 

[bobeau]

Quote:

I was contemplating as I wrote that last night if it were a EML 274b, it just appears huge in that pic! I have the EML 5U4G, which looks a lot different, its much taller! Hope the sounds of things improve for you, once things get a bit of time on them.

I currently own an older production Sophia 274b and a new EML 274b.  I've also owned the newer EML 5u4g and old production EML 274b.  
 
The new EMLs (5u4g/274b) are roughly the same size.  The old 274b was _much_ larger than the new 274b, about 1.5 inches taller, perhaps 30% more internal volume.  I'm not sure if the old/new 274bs sound identical, but they definitely have a house sound that is different than the other tubes.  I actually found the EML 5u4g and Sophia 274b to sound fairly similar, the EML being a bit more refined, whereas the EML 274b is rather different - more spacious, open sound, but somewhat diffuse and less detailed.  I much prefer the EML 274b on my maxxed WA6SE w/ 6ew7s for my Edition 8s, mostly for its ability to give these cans good soundstage.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

so the EML is a better rectifier than the Sophia?
 
 

 

[bobeau]

Quote:

so the EML is a better rectifier than the Sophia?

I think this depends on system synergy and preference.
 
For me I rank 
 
1) EML 274b
2) EML 5u4g
3) SP 274b
 
Where there is quite a bit more distance between 1 and 2 relative to 2 and 3.  
 
Another head-fier had a good writeup in the big Woo thread, think for a WA22, and he ranked the it in reverse, where the SP 274b was on top, the EML 5u4g, and EML 274b in 3rd (it was also more comprehensive, had about 5-6 rectifiers in total).  His comments seemed to echo mine in a way, and I think if I had open cans like the HD800 or LCD-2 my preference may be different.
 

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

I think this depends on system synergy and preference.
 
For me I rank 
 
1) EML 274b
2) EML 5u4g
3) SP 274b
 
Where there is quite a bit more distance between 1 and 2 relative to 2 and 3.  
 
Another head-fier had a good writeup in the big Woo thread, think for a WA22, and he ranked the it in reverse, where the SP 274b was on top, the EML 5u4g, and EML 274b in 3rd (it was also more comprehensive, had about 5-6 rectifiers in total).  His comments seemed to echo mine in a way, and I think if I had open cans like the HD800 or LCD-2 my preference may be different.
 

oh ok.
 
thanks.
 

 

[danska]

I prefer the EML over the Sophia. The bottom end weight and control are improved by going to the EML. Both are quite nice, not sure if the extra cost is really worth it or not. The EML/6F8G TS combo, is still the best I've ever heard my HD 650s sounds fwiw.

 

[Ahzari]

Quote:

I prefer the EML over the Sophia. The bottom end weight and control are improved by going to the EML. Both are quite nice, not sure if the extra cost is really worth it or not. The EML/6F8G TS combo, is still the best I've ever heard my HD 650s sounds fwiw.

I guess I need to a comparison on these a little more, I didn't find much difference between the SP and the EML 5U4Gs.. (but maybe I wasn't listening very carefully - haha). I also get a little scared every time I pull these rectifiers in and out of the Woo, cause its a pretty firm fit.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

Quote:

I guess I need to a comparison on these a little more, I didn't find much difference between the SP and the EML 5U4Gs.. (but maybe I wasn't listening very carefully - haha). I also get a little scared every time I pull these rectifiers in and out of the Woo, cause its a pretty firm fit.

 
its not as firm on mine. moves pretty easily.
 
 
the power tubes on my WA2 however, those are hard to get out