Thanks for the impressions on this tube. I placed an order for a pair of these as well, earlier this evening. They sound very promising...definitely excited to check them out with the HD800 & the LCD-2F.
I agree, it is indeed a very good combination. I find the HD800 to be smooth, slightly warm and completely free of harshness with WA7/WA7tp using the Electro harmonix Gold Pins & the Sylvania JAN 5814A respectively. If you're using the internal DAC, and you choose to upgrade, you'll definitely hear a difference there as well.
does the left tube in the power supply provide the power to the left channel and tube of the amp? curious because my left amp tube is much brighter then the right but the right tube in the power supply is much brighter then the left. is the left tube in the amp actually the left channel of the headphones?
There are many possible configurations eg one tube for heater current and one for plate current in this case matching would not be required Information is scarce , I don't even know if the WA7 runs AC or DC heaters
Oof, those cleartop tubes Woo posted about on facebook are pricy! $245 for a couple of tubes! That said, I'd love to hear from someone who picks up a pair...
Agreed. Definitely not cheap. That said, being a glutton for punishment, I purchased a pair. I'll post some impressions comparing them to the Sylvania JAN's and the stock tubes; after I burn in the RCA clear top's of course.
Are Woo's clear tops the same as the ones here? https://tubedepot.com/products/12au7-rca-clear-top If so, why the extraordinary price premium?
Perhaps Mike can weigh in on the exact tubes & pricing. Woo Audio described them as, "NOS RCA 12AU7 Clear Tops". I fully expect mark up given that they've gone through listening tests to find what tubes are worth offering (i.e. requires time/money), as well as testing what they sell to their customers. I don't have too big of a problem with this, assuming it creates a low-risk purchasing situation for me as a buyer. I ultimately feel that getting a very solid recommendation is worth more to me at the moment, given that I don't own a drawer full of 12AU7's to try. Furthermore, I don't have a problem supporting a small audio company like Woo Audio who's making products I enjoy and appreciate. This said, obviously everyone has to make such a decision for themselves. I'm sure my logic will seem like madness to some.
To each his own, but there is only one RCA Cleartop (a mid-1960's 12au7 ). Nos matched pairs go for $40-$70 from reputable dealers, rebranded pairs are cheaper but just as good. That said, I'm currently using a pair in my WA7tp and they sound amazing!
Dropped in the clear tops nice nos 59 pair Compared to the Sylvania 5814 , I prefer the mid and treble with the clear tops stronger mids and cleaner treble bass was better with the 5814 They look great too
