[MickeyVee]

I'm tending to agree with you O.. As much as I love the WA7, I'm finding more and more the DAC lacking.  Although I don't have the Schiit Stack anymore, I remeber/felt that the Bifrost Uber provided more airy sound with greater detail.  Pretty evident with Patricia Barber and Eva Cassidy. Even noticing it with Deadmou5, Enigma and Morgan Page. This is with the HD800 and I'm not so sure that it would be as noticeable with another set of HP's.  
If Woo ever comes out with an amp only version of the WA7, I'd be really tempted to get it and pair it with at least the Bifrost Uber or something better.  I love the simplicity of the WA7 but am seriously considering picking up another DAC.  Maybe the Bifrost Uber again, the Bel Canto DAC 1.5 or the PS Audio NuWave. I think I'm going to pull my PS Audio DL III out of my main AV system and giving it a go with the WA7.
 
Just a sidenote.. running my Black Momentum's out of the WA7 right now.. sound s pretty awesome! Really can expect much more out of a $350 headphone.
 
Quote:

I getting a little bit more clarity on highs when I use Schiit stack. As already was said too many times everyone hears differently so your preference could different.

 

[moriez]

Thanks olegausany and MV for that addition. I realise the YMMV factor but this seems pretty valuable info to me.

 

[olegausany]

 

While i like HD800, I got chance to try with my gear, when driven by WA7 over HD700, I still prefer them with Bifrost Uber /Crack Speedball combo. Yes I want simplicity too but clarity of details is more important since I want to create end of the game setup
Update: Just tried Bifrost Uber instead of WA7's DAC and it sounds much better so I would recommend this pairing to anyone who wants to improve sound quality without loosing simplicity.

 

[Shini44]

Guys i am enjoying the M-Stage(opa627)'s treble :3 and my WA7 + upgraded tubes will be here in two weeks, i really hope that the WA7 + Upgraded tubes will be able to top that, someone tell me so i stop getting worried over the next two weeks, using TH600 btw.

 

[MickeyVee]

It's a rainy Sunday so what else is there to do? I pulled my PSAudio DL III from my main system, hooked it up to my MacMini (iTunes and Audirvana Plus) via optical, connected it to the WA7, set it to RCA and started listening.. Holy Cr@p!!
 
I have a playlist specifically for testing.. the detail and imaging are amazing. I know its a cliche, but I'm hearing things that I haven't heard with the WA7 DAC. Back is the super soundstage, almost holographic, and placement of instruments. Bass and extension are about the same but it's cleaner across the spectrum (micro distortions are much, much lower) and that toe-tapping enjoyment is there.  Smooth as silk with great detail.
Enigma, Frank S, Patricia Barber, Deadmou5, Eva Cassidy, Eagles and I can go on an on sound great out of this combo no matter if it's an iTunes download, a CD lossless rip or and HD track HiRez.
 
As much as I'd hate to say it, It gives me the feeling that I had with the Schiit Stack (Bifrost Uber and Lyr / Ameprex Orange Globes) with my HD700 but with tighter and more extended bass and smoother highs. I really want to crank this (WA7 / DL III) setup.
 
At the same/similar price point, the Schiit Stack is pretty awesome and it runs neck and neck with the WA7 with the WA7 amp being a cut above and the DAC section being a cut below.  Throw in a more resolving DAC and the WA7 surpasses it.  I don't recall having the same reaction with the DL III and the Lyr/Amperex OG.  
 
My only conclusion can be that the WA7 amp section is a hair/step above the Lyr and what everyone else is saying, the DAC section is about equivalent to the Dragonfly, which isn't so bad, but not to HD800 level.
 
A couple of other comments.. The WA7 really looks silly sitting on top the of the DL III.. as much as I'd love a one box solution with the HD800, it doesn't seem to exist. The Bifrost Uber is an awesome DAC and very close to the DL III with a better USB implementation. 
 
So.. next steps.. external DAC with the WA7 or a downgrade in phones.. maybe the LCD 2.2.. or.. both.. add an awesome external DAC and get the LCD2.2 just for fun!

 

[Currawong]

Maybe we need to suggest that to Jack: A DAC that sits neatly under the WA7? 
 
Quote:

 
Don't see why it doesn't have an Toslink Optical or Coaxial connector at this price point.

 
I can't remember who asked, but I gather that there is room left inside the chassis.
 

  First, my biases. I have a love/hate relationship with my HE-500. I enjoy the tight and extended bass, the transparent mids. Highs are accurate but a little recessed for me. Separation is wonderful but soundstage more 2-D than 3-D on my head. My neck fatigues from the weight on extended (>2Hr) sessions. The T90 work well for me, are more 3-D in presentation and have a clarity I appreciate. So overall, I spend more time with the T90 than HE-500. There are some rock, trance, electronica where I enjoy a better experience with the HE-500.

 
Have you tried changing the position of the headphones on your head? That will affect the frequency response.
 
My set-up at the moment is the WA7 with upgrade tubes fed by the Audio-gd NOS-1704 DAC and modded/damped HD-800s. VERY easy listening without being mushy.

 

[Dogmatrix]

To throw my hat in the ring on the Wa7 dac thing
Very happy with the Woo as is
Have Yulong's Sabre D18 very close to the Woo , only need to pull the leads from the LaFigaro
Never felt the need , perhaps I am too lazy

 

[MickeyVee]

Yeah, I hear ya  I'm lazy too.. I really love the convenience of my setup and I think it really depends on the headphones.  With the HD800, I think that a higher quality DAC is important as the HD800 are pretty revealing. It's hard going back after a superior DAC has been put into the mix.  YMMV.
 
 
Quote:

  To throw my hat in the ring on the Wa7 dac thing
Very happy with the Woo as is
Have Yulong's Sabre D18 very close to the Woo , only need to pull the leads from the LaFigaro
Never felt the need , perhaps I am too lazy

 

[olegausany]

 

After trying HD800 with 4 different setups plus different tubes and combinations I would rather get external DAC (Bifrost Uber is proven to be a good match) than downgrade headphones. For those who insist on downgrade I would choose HD650

 

[pervysage]

Hmm... so there is a lot of talk about an external DAC benefiting HD800 users specifically.
 
But does that apply to other headphones as well such as the TH900?

 

[AnakChan]

  Hmm... so there is a lot of talk about an external DAC benefiting HD800 users specifically.
 
But does that apply to other headphones as well such as the TH900?

 
When I borrowed Currawong's WA7, I personally preferred running it off my HP-A8C's DAC with the TH-900 and TH-600. I did write a mail to Jack cc-ing Currawong and Shigzeo about my thoughts of the WA7's DAC. However for myself, bearing in mind the price of the WA7, it was great value for money. i.e. if Jack were to put a different higher quality DAC in there, the price could be considerably different.

 

[MickeyVee]

Been there, done that. LCD2.2 is next.  Definitely going to add a DAC.  In fact, almost pulled the trigger on the Bifrost Uber tonight.  The Toronto Audio/Video show is on November 1-3 so I'll decide after that.
Quote:

  After trying HD800 with 4 different setups plus different tubes and combinations I would rather get external DAC (Bifrost Uber is proven to be a good match) than downgrade headphones. For those who insist on downgrade I would choose HD650

 
 
Agreed.. it's a great bang for the buck.  The other option would be for a DAC-less WA7 and bring your own DAC which would bring the price down or Jack could up the ante on the amp for the same price.
 
Quote:

   
When I borrowed Currawong's WA7, I personally preferred running it off my HP-A8C's DAC with the TH-900 and TH-600. I did write a mail to Jack cc-ing Currawong and Shigzeo about my thoughts of the WA7's DAC. However for myself, bearing in mind the price of the WA7, it was great value for money. i.e. if Jack were to put a different higher quality DAC in there, the price could be considerably different.

 

[AnakChan]

  Agreed.. it's a great bang for the buck.  The other option would be for a DAC-less WA7 and bring your own DAC which would bring the price down or Jack could up the ante on the amp for the same price.

 
In the other WA7 thread (http://www.head-fi.org/t/643838/the-all-new-wa7-fireflies-from-woo-audio/15#post_9012971), Jack did hint on coming up with a DAC-less WA7. But this was back in January. No idea what happened to that :-
 

  Hi All,
 
Thank you for your feedback so far.
 
The USB chip is a C-Media 6631 and the DAC chip is a TI PCM5102.
 
Power consumption is 25W max. Battery operation is not feasible in this version and maybe the next, maybe. Yes, we plan on releasing an amp-only version in the future.
 
Here is a diagram to illustrate the features of this amp.
 
 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 
 

 

[olegausany]

I tried LCD2 with different setups at the meets but can't find anything special so would rather get T1 instead

 

[smellyfungus]

  Guys i am enjoying the M-Stage(opa627)'s treble :3 and my WA7 + upgraded tubes will be here in two weeks, i really hope that the WA7 + Upgraded tubes will be able to top that, someone tell me so i stop getting worried over the next two weeks, using TH600 btw.

 
can't give you any comparisons between the two but i do want to reiterate that the EH tubes do need some time to settle in. i hated it at first with my TH600, preferring stock tubes but after some unknown amount of hours it has now finally started sounding quite good. quite happy with the combo.