[dL.]

  Yes that's the place I also get stuff from TubeDepot, TubeWorld, TubeExpress

Did you go for CJ tested? Cyro? How would you define the sound signature difference from the stock to these Mullard?
 
dL

 

[abvolt]

 
Did you go for CJ tested? Cyro? How would you define the sound signature difference from the stock to these Mullard?
 
dL

I went for the Platinum grade tubes as far as the cryo option they offer not too sure about that I've read on other boards that people who bought that option didn't like the sound compared to the non-cryo. I don't really know which is the best option to go for so I went for the cheaper non-cryo. I have not had enough time yet to tell how well they sound maybe in the next couple of weeks or so. I'll post some results 

 

[HemiSam]

  I will do that, Also you should take a look at the  Mullard NOS CV4003 the ones made In Great Britain some were made in Russia they seen to run in price around 80-90 range, everyone that uses them says they are the best sounding of any tube for the WA7tp. I'll be getting some next week..

 
Thanks but I didn't go for the tubed power supply.  I just use a simple conditioner and the big block that came with the WA7.  Call me a rebel
 
HS

 

[abvolt]

Lol maybe someday you'll give it a try imo it's a very worthy upgrade..

 

[groovyd]

IMHO the tubed power supply is as important to the sound of the WA7 as the unit itself.  Was night and day for me.  An absolutely essential upgrade.

 

[Igor01]

I also loved the difference a tube power supply made, everything is seemingly more dynamic, decay is faster and overall the playback is more effortless and alive.  Before I hooked up the tube power supply I remember reading in one of the reviews that WA7 sounded like a "warmed up death" with the stock solid state power supply compared to the tube one and thinking to myself - wow, I have no idea what the person is talking about, this sounds awesome!  Then, having tired the amp with tube power unit I realized how spot-on that comment was...

 

[abvolt]

  IMHO the tubed power supply is as important to the sound of the WA7 as the unit itself.  Was night and day for me.  An absolutely essential upgrade.

I agree absolutely..

 

[comzee]

  I agree absolutely..

I only own the base WA7, to my understanding the tubes it uses are dual purpose. The tubes power the DAC, and they also amplify the headphones. Essentially the tube power supply, powers the tubes that are already in the WA7 powering the dac/amp, how is this making a significant different?

 

[abvolt]

  I only own the base WA7, to my understanding the tubes it uses are dual purpose. The tubes power the DAC, and they also amplify the headphones. Essentially the tube power supply, powers the tubes that are already in the WA7 powering the dac/amp, how is this making a significant different?

First off I am in no way an audiophile just a noob who loves music, As I understand it solid-state power supplies & tube power supplies should yield identical results. But to my ears and many others the difference is quite noticeable.
 
 
The tube amp power supply of the WA7tp  yields a warmer, more musical tone and more musical-sound over all. There really is a very big difference in the two, plus one has many options with different tubes which can change the sound of the amp quite a bit. All I can say is try it and see for your self I'm sure you'll love what you hear..

 

[groovyd]

The WA7 tubes amplify the music assuming they themselves are provided clean stable power.  They function as the audio 'amplifier' persay whereas the job of the power supply is to provide them with this clean and stable power.  In essence audio amplification really requires two amplifiers; one for the power itself and one that consumes the power to drive the music.  In this spirit it is a two-stage process that requires one stage to be doing it's job to provide sufficient power for the other to consume.  
 
This is where solid state and tube-based power supplies fundamentally differ.  The different technologies respond differently to the specific characteristics of dynamic power demand.  A good power supply maintains it's output voltage and power potential no matter what the demand whereas a poorer supply will collapse under demand and cause the music to suffer.  Presumably tubes are better suited for weathering these sonic storms

 

[comzee]

  First off I am in no way an audiophile just a noob who loves music, As I understand it solid-state power supplies & tube power supplies should yield identical results. But to my ears and many others the difference is quite noticeable.
 
 
The tube amp power supply of the WA7tp  yields a warmer, more musical tone and more musical-sound over all. There really is a very big difference in the two, plus one has many options with different tubes which can change the sound of the amp quite a bit. All I can say is try it and see for your self I'm sure you'll love what you hear..

 
Yea, I mean I could buy it right now, I'm just trying to see if it's rhetoric or not. The whole flac craze, I literally cannot tell the different between 320kpbs and any flac I've ever tried (using asio and all that), I consider that whole thing rhetoric. For example, I work in Cisco Voice, and Cisco did a blind study on audio codecs, letting people listen to lower / higher bitrates, 9 out of 10 people couldn't accurately tell the difference for anything over 256kpbs in the study. The way I see it, the stock power supply/conditioner supplies extremely clean power to the WA7 already, so I doubt it has anything to do with that. 
 
The only thing I can guess is that instead of making the audio more clear, it's more like an analogue equalizer that changes the tone of the music. 

 

[mikoss]

   
Yea, I mean I could buy it right now, I'm just trying to see if it's rhetoric or not. The whole flac craze, I literally cannot tell the different between 320kpbs and any flac I've ever tried (using asio and all that), I consider that whole thing rhetoric. For example, I work in Cisco Voice, and Cisco did a blind study on audio codecs, letting people listen to lower / higher bitrates, 9 out of 10 people couldn't accurately tell the difference for anything over 256kpbs in the study. The way I see it, the stock power supply/conditioner supplies extremely clean power to the WA7 already, so I doubt it has anything to do with that. 
 
The only thing I can guess is that instead of making the audio more clear, it's more like an analogue equalizer that changes the tone of the music. 

Agree on 320kbps mp3's vs FLAC for the most part, however this is entirely dependent on how well the encoder masks all the losses... LAME has come a long way, however there are certain tracks that have glaring audible imperfections vs their lossless originals. Personally, given the opportunity, I will always download the losslesss versions, to ensure I never come across tracks like these. A/B'ing blind gets "easier" with higher quality audio gear sometimes as well... playing them on a crappy DAC vs a good one would make it easier to A/B them. There are actually some threads on headfi that identify these tracks with lossy imperfections as well, if you're interested in hearing them.
 
In the case of the tube power supply. I've only ever heard my WA7 with the tube supply, but I can say that I hear great dynamic "ability" (for lack of a better explanation)... the bass doesn't come across as strained or anemic... it reminds me of the power behind the WA2 with Tung Sol 5998 tubes. I may try the SS power supply and do a comparison... I was also planning on rolling in some Mullard tubes whenever they arrive in the mail. I would guess that instead of being an equalizer/tone change, it would be more of a "power support" ability change. I'm thinking dynamics, decay, ability of the bass to hit deep and hard yet remain controlled. I will give impressions either way!  

 

[comzee]

  I will give impressions either way!  

 
Yes I would be interested in a side by side comparison. I can see the tube power supply increasing things like bass impact and depth possibly. I mean the important part to remember is that in a normal tube amp, the interchangeable tube part is amping the headphones directly, thus having direct input on the headphones. In the WA7's instance it's only powering tubes, which are then powering the amp/dac. It's really a completely different concept then most tube amps. 
 
Outlet -> rollable tubes -> non rollable tubes -> DAC -> AMP -> Headphones
 
Outlet -> SS -> non rollable tubes - > DAC -> AMP -> Headphones
 
The way I see it, is that the WA7s 6C45s might be inheriting the sonic power properties of the WA7tp tubes, like tube power pass-through essentially ? 

 

[olegausany]

  
Yea, I mean I could buy it right now, I'm just trying to see if it's rhetoric or not. The whole flac craze, I literally cannot tell the different between 320kpbs and any flac I've ever tried (using asio and all that), I consider that whole thing rhetoric. For example, I work in Cisco Voice, and Cisco did a blind study on audio codecs, letting people listen to lower / higher bitrates, 9 out of 10 people couldn't accurately tell the difference for anything over 256kpbs in the study. The way I see it, the stock power supply/conditioner supplies extremely clean power to the WA7 already, so I doubt it has anything to do with that. 
 
The only thing I can guess is that instead of making the audio more clear, it's more like an analogue equalizer that changes the tone of the music. 

Agree on 320kbps mp3's vs FLAC for the most part, however this is entirely dependent on how well the encoder masks all the losses... LAME has come a long way, however there are certain tracks that have glaring audible imperfections vs their lossless originals. Personally, given the opportunity, I will always download the losslesss versions, to ensure I never come across tracks like these. A/B'ing blind gets "easier" with higher quality audio gear sometimes as well... playing them on a crappy DAC vs a good one would make it easier to A/B them. There are actually some threads on headfi that identify these tracks with lossy imperfections as well, if you're interested in hearing them.
 
In the case of the tube power supply. I've only ever heard my WA7 with the tube supply, but I can say that I hear great dynamic "ability" (for lack of a better explanation)... the bass doesn't come across as strained or anemic... it reminds me of the power behind the WA2 with Tung Sol 5998 tubes. I may try the SS power supply and do a comparison... I was also planning on rolling in some Mullard tubes whenever they arrive in the mail. I would guess that instead of being an equalizer/tone change, it would be more of a "power support" ability change. I'm thinking dynamics, decay, ability of the bass to hit deep and hard yet remain controlled. I will give impressions either way!  

The tubes in the power supply act as recertifier tube in some other amps

 

[HemiSam]

The tubes in the power supply act as recertifier tube in some other amps

 
 
I believe you mean rectifier tube.
 
HS