[pragu]

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3712/13899776103_595957defc_o.jpg

Do any of you keep your WA7 without the glass block on regularly? It looks great both ways and I'm curious.

 

[groovyd]

  I know this is old news. I just want to give me 2 cents of input here, in case anyone is on the fence about WA7 + Upgraded Tubes + HD800. I can't speak for the changes Cryo tubes make for other high end headphones like HiFiMan or Audeze, but I can definitively say the change is very noticeable on the HD800. The stock Sovtek run the HD800 bright, which gets fatiguing for certain genres. Now I say the Sovtek "run" the HD800 bright, what I really should be saying is, the Sovtek is the closest you're going to get the WA7 to sound like a solid state amp. The HD800 are naturally bright on amps with perfectly level frequency response (which a good solid state will give). The personal difference for me is game changing.
 
Now I am REALLY excited to get my Gold Pins, because the reviews say they have the same extensions the Cryos have, just better .
 
Who knows if I will ever find the mythical Cryo Gold Pins =/
 
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3712/13899776103_595957defc_o.jpg

 
got the cryo gold pins in my amp at work and they sound the same as the stock sovteks...

 

[comzee]

   
got the cryo gold pins in my amp at work and they sound the same as the stock sovteks...

Do you use them with HD800's or other headphones? I have read from more than one source, that the different tubes don't make much difference on Audeze and other types of headphones. Admittedly most people highlighted the bass boost from the cyro/gold pins, but the biggest differerance for me was the removal of the piercing treble. Not to say I have super human ears by any standard, but I am 22 and have never had any major ear problem in my life (like infections and what not). So the "bright" side of the HD800 annoyed me greatly (fatiguing).
 

  Do any of you keep your WA7 without the glass block on regularly? It looks great both ways and I'm curious.

I think it does look better with the glass on, but it literally sits on top of the metal, the plastic/rubber corner tabs do almost nothing to keep it from sliding when the unit is moved. I have been bringing the amp around places to essentially show it off, so I take the glass off.

 

[JoelT]

 
Do you use them with HD800's or other headphones? I have read from more than one source, that the different tubes don't make much difference on Audeze and other types of headphones. Admittedly most people highlighted the bass boost from the cyro/gold pins, but the biggest differerance for me was the removal of the piercing treble.

The EH gold pins are very smooth with my HD600 and took the treble edge off of them compared to the cheaper solid state amp I was using before. I have yet to hear the HD800 through the amp, please let us know your impressions once you receive the tubes and have them burned in a bit. This combination interests me as well.

 

[shultzee]

Waiting for the gold pins myself.  anyone know when they are going to be back in?  Only answer I get from Woo is April, and they don't have any yet.  I do like the cryo tubes and I don't feel they sound like the stock Sovtek's.

 

[groovyd]

 
Do you use them with HD800's or other headphones? I have read from more than one source, that the different tubes don't make much difference on Audeze and other types of headphones. Admittedly most people highlighted the bass boost from the cyro/gold pins, but the biggest differerance for me was the removal of the piercing treble. Not to say I have super human ears by any standard, but I am 22 and have never had any major ear problem in my life (like infections and what not). So the "bright" side of the HD800 annoyed me greatly (fatiguing).
 

I think it does look better with the glass on, but it literally sits on top of the metal, the plastic/rubber corner tabs do almost nothing to keep it from sliding when the unit is moved. I have been bringing the amp around places to essentially show it off, so I take the glass off.

Used it with Sony 7520, Beyer T1 & T5p, and LCD-X & XC... no difference on any of them.

 

[PleasantSounds]

I have four different sets of tubes and with the HD800 the differences between them are not too hard to notice, even though my ears are not that young. With the T5p I can still pick the gold pin cryos, but probably would fail a blind test among the other 3. With Q701 I'd struggle to tell any of them apart, but these are not very sensitive cans.
 
The gold pin cryos do have the smoothest treble presentation and the best detail recovery. What could make it hard to notice the differences is the fact that they are the most obvious once the tubes are properly warmed up, and that takes good 15 minutes. By that time our sound memory can be easily fooled.
 
Actually thinking about it gave me the idea to record the sound of all the tubes so that it would be possible to simulate switching between them instantly. Using the Y splitter I can use the actual headphones as the load, so that would be like eavesdropping on them. Sounds like a fun little project for Easter 

. I'll report back with the results.

 

[Dogmatrix]

  Used it with Sony 7520, Beyer T1 & T5p, and LCD-X & XC... no difference on any of them.

Also , use HD800 , HD650 , ATH-AD1000x , K545 , MS2i , HE500 , SE215 , ER4S , IM70
With Sovtek , Reflector , EH gold pin , Eh gold pin cryo
No Difference

 

[akhyar]

I have the WA7 with both the EH gold pins and stock Sovtek since last Xmas.
I do notice that on HD800 and Fostex TH600, the EH gives smoother treble, yet sounds more detail and extended. The Sovtek sounds brighter and harsher, giving the impressions that it has more treble energy.
Using warmer sounding cans like Sennheiser Momentum or ATH-ESW9, I can't notice the difference anymore.
Bear in mind that the EH has probably morr than 500 hours of usage while the Sovtek most probably only has about 100-200 hours of usage

 

[AnakBaru]

  Thanks to Warrenpchi, this was my hotel room rig in LA. Suffice to say, the sound quality was excellent.
 

Hi Currawong,
May I know what kind of RCA cable that you use in this setup to connect your AK240 to the WA7 please ? Its look very nice, also is it connected to the balance or to the mini output ? Pardon my stupid question, I'm very new to this hobby.
Just order a WA7 and have no RCA cable to go with it to use with my AK240.
Many thanks.

 

[Currawong]

@AnakBaru It was from WyWires, along with the headphone cable. Given the Audeze cans and the WA7 are more warm-sounding, the AK240 neutral/clear and the cables open/clear the rig had good synergy IMO.

 

[AnakBaru]

  @AnakBaru It was from WyWires, along with the headphone cable. Given the Audeze cans and the WA7 are more warm-sounding, the AK240 neutral/clear and the cables open/clear the rig had good synergy IMO.

Thanks Currawong...on my way

 

[warrenpchi]

  Just back from SSI in Montreal. True to his word, Jack did bring his new WA7 with separate tube PSU. Hooked up to a pair of Audeze LCD-X, it sounded absolutely fabulous.
 

 
We had that exact same rig at the SoCal meet.  Thanks to Jack for lending it out to us! 

 

Wow... I didn't realize the separate tube based power supply would take the form of the actual wa7 amp itself.

 
That's the best part!  I joke that it makes us look like crazies trying to monoblock headphones with WA7s.
 

  Thanks to Warrenpchi, this was my hotel room rig in LA. Suffice to say, the sound quality was excellent.
 

 
It was my pleasure! 

 

So what's the word on this tube power supply. Vaporware? Actually going to ship before Armageddon?

 
I'm receiving mine next week.
 

 

Originally Posted by Currawong /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 

 

  Thanks to Warrenpchi, this was my hotel room rig in LA. Suffice to say, the sound quality was excellent.
 

 
Hi Currawong,
 
May I know what kind of RCA cable that you use in this setup to connect your AK240 to the WA7 please ? Its look very nice, also is it connected to the balance or to the mini output ? Pardon my stupid question, I'm very new to this hobby.
 
Just order a WA7 and have no RCA cable to go with it to use with my AK240.
 
Many thanks.

 
@AnakBaru It was from WyWires, along with the headphone cable. Given the Audeze cans and the WA7 are more warm-sounding, the AK240 neutral/clear and the cables open/clear the rig had good synergy IMO.

 

Thanks Currawong...on my way

 
Anak, I actually have that cable here.  It's a 3.5mm TRS running from the AK240's headphone out to the WA7's RCA inputs.

 

[kugino]

 
 
I'm receiving mine next week.
 

nice. but when will we plebians be allowed to get one?

 

[JoelT]

  nice. but when will we plebians be allowed to get one?

 
+1  
 
Review sample I assume?