[Jeb Listens]

  I'd be interested to know how this sounds like compared to the Bottlehead Mainline. Both are 6c45pi amps with 12au7 tubes for the power supply. The Bottlehead amp uses a single tube for both channels while the Woo power supply has a tube for each channel. They are both pretty close in price so I think it would be an interesting comparison.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if they sound really similar and people base their decision on factors outside of sound quality when deciding between the two amps.

Great point - I didn't realise they used the 6C45s too!  i'd love to see that comparison too.  Woo products and bottlehead products are probably my favourite looking amps - obviously each for very different reasons. I have a Crack kit to build at some point so i'm interested to hear how their products compare to something as polished as the WA7.  I've been a bit intimidated to begin the build but one day they will sit side by side on my desk, looking totally incongruous but each providing a slightly different experience,  I hope.   With the added bonus of both using 12AU7s. 
 
My understanding was that the bottlehead kits, since they are DIY enabled the user to obtain an amp of a sonic quality far in excess of the price-tag so If the WA7+tp did go toe-to-toe with the Mainline at a similar price-point, I guess I would see the WA7/TP as great value because of the premium finish, the fact that it has already been professionally built (with a parts & labour warranty) and has the onboard DAC.  I can't find many specs for the Mainline but it looks like it might be 0.6watts@32Ohm vs the WA7's 1watt?  
 
The Mainline would have the advantage of balanced output and 2 different RCA inputs (nice), and the glory of knowing you built it yourself... of course!

 

[cspirou]

  The Mainline would have the advantage of balanced output and 2 different RCA inputs (nice), and the glory of knowing you built it yourself... of course!

 
Not to mention a stepped attenuator instead of a potentiometer. Although the trade off is you do have to build it.
 
I wouldn't put too much emphasis on price being the determining factor for quality though. Afterall, Schiit is known for changing expectations when it comes to price/quality.
 
If you are interested in a 6c45 DIY option you can also do the L2 amp by ECP audio. When it was brand new it sold for $2400. He now offers the PCB for $45.
 
https://squareup.com/market/ecp-consolidated-productions-llc/l-pcb

 

[Jeb Listens]

Thanks cspirou -You're right...I bet there are lots of different to assess and compare quality/price etc.
 
The L2 looks interesting too - thanks for the link.  Man, I need to build the Crack.  Having the WA7 isn't helping.
 
Cheers!

 

[LemSkee]

  To be clear, are these the Mullard tubes believed to be lower quality/knock offs?
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/130295387885?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 
Purchased from this same seller and wound up returning one set, then another.  Constantly arced and finally died in both instances.  Seller offered to send me a Brimar equivalent to which I agreed, and had the same result (ultimately failed after about a week).
 
So I bit the bullet, and purchased the Mullard set from Upscale and haven't had a problem since.  They sound amazing and I finally no longer have that "am I going to see sparks" feeling when powering up the WA7tp.  
 
Sometimes, you really do get what you pay for...

 

[Shini44]

   
Purchased from this same seller and wound up returning one set, then another.  Constantly arced and finally died in both instances.  Seller offered to send me a Brimar equivalent to which I agreed, and had the same result (ultimately failed after about a week).
 
So I bit the bullet, and purchased the Mullard set from Upscale and haven't had a problem since.  They sound amazing and I finally no longer have that "am I going to see sparks" feeling when powering up the WA7tp.  
 
Sometimes, you really do get what you pay for...

Thanks for the info, now i can go and order my tubes from Upscale  

 

[Jeb Listens]

   
Purchased from this same seller and wound up returning one set, then another.  Constantly arced and finally died in both instances.  Seller offered to send me a Brimar equivalent to which I agreed, and had the same result (ultimately failed after about a week).
 
So I bit the bullet, and purchased the Mullard set from Upscale and haven't had a problem since.  They sound amazing and I finally no longer have that "am I going to see sparks" feeling when powering up the WA7tp.  
 
Sometimes, you really do get what you pay for...

Nightmare!. Did you get your cash back? 

 

[Shini44]

Finished ordering +  Fedex shipping, the other set of tubes will go to a friend who might buy WA7tp soon, and i am sure he will

my next tube set from upscale would be the Cifte, for the sake of testing it thats all  

i also want to taste the other tubes for fun XD


oh i am using Chord Hugo as a DAC here, you guys want me to hook the WA7's DAC and compare both later?   


 

 

[abvolt]

  To be clear, are these the Mullard tubes believed to be lower quality/knock offs?
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/130295387885?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 
yes those are the tubes were talking about I've not tried them and won't. It's unknown if these tubes are fake but it's also common to find fake vintage tubes..
 
Take a look here for more info ->http://www.vacuumtubesinc.com/VacuumTubesHallofShame.aspx

 

[abvolt]

   
Purchased from this same seller and wound up returning one set, then another.  Constantly arced and finally died in both instances.  Seller offered to send me a Brimar equivalent to which I agreed, and had the same result (ultimately failed after about a week).
 
So I bit the bullet, and purchased the Mullard set from Upscale and haven't had a problem since.  They sound amazing and I finally no longer have that "am I going to see sparks" feeling when powering up the WA7tp.  
 
Sometimes, you really do get what you pay for...

 
Here's another link to a very reputable seller Langrex.co.uk I use a lot, their ebay store ->http://stores.ebay.com/langrex/
I've gotten most of my tubes from them, their a little less in cost over upscale

 

[LemSkee]

 
Nightmare!. Did you get your cash back? 

 
Well.... so here's the thing...
 
The seller is based in Canada, and each time the tubes would fail I'd send them back for replacement - which started getting pretty expensive and took forever.  Talking to the seller over the phone gave me the sense that he wasn't actually trying to take advantage of me, but rather, doing the best he could to get me a product that worked.  I'm no tube expert so I can only speak in laymen's terms, and while the ebay seller and Upscale had similar CV4003 tube packaging and overall appearance, the ebay seller's products failed multiple times whereas Upscale's did not.  I also noticed the Upscale tubes were wrapped in cigar rollers (like they should) versus the ebay seller which were not.  Also, and this may sound dumb, the Upscale tubes looked much cleaner and newer (even sounded better) than the ebay ones.
 
So Jeb, in the end, I'm out $100 for the original purchase, plus another $50+ in shipping to them multiple times, and have a set of dead tubes from the entire experience.  Would have saved myself a lot of trouble going the Upscale route from the beginning. 

 

[LemSkee]

   
yes those are the tubes were talking about I've not tried them and won't. It's unknown if these tubes are fake but it's also common to find fake vintage tubes..
 
Take a look here for more info ->http://www.vacuumtubesinc.com/VacuumTubesHallofShame.aspx

 
Ha! I've never seen that site!  Interesting...

 

[LemSkee]

   
Here's another link to a very reputable seller Langrex.co.uk I use a lot, their ebay store ->http://stores.ebay.com/langrex/
I've gotten most of my tubes from them, their a little less in cost over upscale

 
Thanks for the tip

 

[Jeb Listens]

   
Well.... so here's the thing...
 
The seller is based in Canada, and each time the tubes would fail I'd send them back for replacement - which started getting pretty expensive and took forever.  Talking to the seller over the phone gave me the sense that he wasn't actually trying to take advantage of me, but rather, doing the best he could to get me a product that worked.  I'm no tube expert so I can only speak in laymen's terms, and while the ebay seller and Upscale had similar CV4003 tube packaging and overall appearance, the ebay seller's products failed multiple times whereas Upscale's did not.  I also noticed the Upscale tubes were wrapped in cigar rollers (like they should) versus the ebay seller which were not.  Also, and this may sound dumb, the Upscale tubes looked much cleaner and newer (even sounded better) than the ebay ones.
 
So Jeb, in the end, I'm out $100 for the original purchase, plus another $50+ in shipping to them multiple times, and have a set of dead tubes from the entire experience.  Would have saved myself a lot of trouble going the Upscale route from the beginning. 

That's a real shame LemSkee.  From what you describe since they were kinda dirty and not in original cigar rolls/boxes it almost sounds like they might have been used tubes perhaps recycled out of old equipment or ones that had been stored poorly/water-damaged but were being passed off as "new".  Sure any tube can fail at any moment but It also sounds like they might not have been tested properly if there were repeated failures.  Not good.  Plus, taking them out of their pristine little cigar rolls is one of the great joys!
 
I try and buy as locally as possible but yeah sometimes its unavoidable to buy from further afield in the US  (I live in UK), luckily I got from Upscale when I had to do that. But I didn't know anything about them at that point.  
 
I've been lucky so far with my other Ebay experiences and there are bargains to be had so will continue to use it for the cheaper options...but would probably go for Langrex (UK)/Upscale(US) next time for anything remotely expensive,  especially after all the posts recently!  I'm going to add a little bit to my tube-rolling review to let people know about the dangers. 
 
Thanks for letting us all know, Lemskee, and glad to hear you got there in the end.  Hopefully your WA7/Mullards can go some way to making up for your bad experience. 
 
Jeb.

 

[abvolt]

   
Well.... so here's the thing...
 
The seller is based in Canada, and each time the tubes would fail I'd send them back for replacement - which started getting pretty expensive and took forever.  Talking to the seller over the phone gave me the sense that he wasn't actually trying to take advantage of me, but rather, doing the best he could to get me a product that worked.  I'm no tube expert so I can only speak in laymen's terms, and while the ebay seller and Upscale had similar CV4003 tube packaging and overall appearance, the ebay seller's products failed multiple times whereas Upscale's did not.  I also noticed the Upscale tubes were wrapped in cigar rollers (like they should) versus the ebay seller which were not.  Also, and this may sound dumb, the Upscale tubes looked much cleaner and newer (even sounded better) than the ebay ones.
 
So Jeb, in the end, I'm out $100 for the original purchase, plus another $50+ in shipping to them multiple times, and have a set of dead tubes from the entire experience.  Would have saved myself a lot of trouble going the Upscale route from the beginning. 

 
Sorry to hear about your bad experiences with this seller as Jeb said go with either upscale or langrex, also I never leave feed back until the tubes have been tested for maybe 5 to 7 days sellers hate bad feed back, good luck...

 

[Shini44]

48 hours passed, i sent 3 messages to upscale, no update on my order what so ever, 0 contact from their side, they even didn't bother to click on the "accept payment" on their paypal...

so far i am not happy with this super laziness from their side...