[HiFiGuy528]

  From what I've read so far, the WA7's has a good amp but mediocre DAC. I already have a good DAC from the STX II, and doubt that anything below a uberfrost would be an upgrade for me. So I'm pretty much spending $800-$1100 for a good amp, which is a lot more than what I intended to shell out. I think if I'm eventually getting the uberfrost, the Lyr 2 or the Valhalla 2 would be more in line of what I should be upgrading next.
 
For anyone with the WA7 and also own/owned the Lyr 2 or Valhalla 2, can you share your experience comparing them? In theory, the best bang for the buck for me is the Crack + SB, but I bought it before and it's so damn ugly and I have no desktop room for it, so I ended up selling it.

 
Perhaps @dL. can chime in a bit or we can just wait for his review.
 
post #1575

 

[dL.]

[CONTENTEMBED=/t/649097/woo-hoooo-wa7-fireflies/1650#post_11259626 layout=inline]

 
From what I've read so far, the WA7's has a good amp but mediocre DAC. I already have a good DAC from the STX II, and doubt that anything below a uberfrost would be an upgrade for me. So I'm pretty much spending $800-$1100 for a good amp, which is a lot more than what I intended to shell out. I think if I'm eventually getting the uberfrost, the Lyr 2 or the Valhalla 2 would be more in line of what I should be upgrading next.

For anyone with the WA7 and also own/owned the Lyr 2 or Valhalla 2, can you share your experience comparing them? In theory, the best bang for the buck for me is the Crack + SB, but I bought it before and it's so damn ugly and I have no desktop room for it, so I ended up selling it.
 

The intent of the WA7 by Woo Audio is to produce the best sound in such a beautiful device, at a price that nobody can beat for the precision, detail, musicality and build quality of this cube. And when they mean "best sound", it means building a complete package. The best analogy is Apple. Apple never uses the best quality parts, but the combination of the parts chosen, along with their custom engineering allows them to produce a product that is u. The WA7 is intended to be used with headphones, with the best output being the 1/4". Sure the 1/8" works for IEM, and sure the RCA works for speakers, but that was not their focus.

What Woo Audio have done with the WA7 is truly the most magical and musical experience ever. I swear I have never listened to music as engaging and addicting until now. The funny thing about the WA7 is that it's not the most detailed, nor the most powerful punchy. Magic happens when everything harmoniously blend together so you can't really pick out what's so great about it, because the entire package is great. It's hard to describe this feeling because it's really hard to find something like this out there. 

The Bifrost Uber + Lyr 2 sounds phenomenal with the Audioengine A5+, but for a simple reason. The sound output for the preamp RCA at the back is coloured, because it is driven by the amplification from the hybrid design, which means you are using the tubes. Yes, that means you have to turn on the Lyr 2, using the life of the tube, just to power the speakers.

The WA7 is different. At first, I was kind of uncertain when HiFiGuy528 mentioned that the DAC to RCA output does not go through the tubes. Why would they want to amplify just the 1/4 and 1/8 but not the RCA? However, upon further thinking, I can see why they have designed it this way. And it's quite simple. One of the usage for the WA7 is to use it with a computer system (via USB). Woo Audio knows that everyone's going to have some form of speakers with their computer system. They also know that most people will use the speakers by default for casual listening, watching TV, playing games, or watching Youtube or Facebook videos. Remember, we are talking in a computer room environment.

That's why they engineered the WA7 the way it is so it does not require turning on the amp and draining the lifespan of the tube, when you are listening to the speakers. In fact, the unit doesn't even use any power because it's USB-powered directly to the DAC. You can unplug the power cable and the DAC would still work!

When it's time for critical listening with the headphone, then you simply turn on the unit. And they also have this thought out as well. Tubes take time to warm up right? Well that's fine. You can turn it on in advance, while continue to enjoy your content with the speakers. After a good 5-10 minutes (best if 20), then you simply reach to the back and switch to the headphone source. 

There's a reason why the WA7 is a DAC/AMP combined together, because it's meant to be used as a whole. If you enjoy the unit as its intended (best via 1/4"), then you will understand the thought process behind this masterpiece.

To ensure I've answered your question:

- The Bifrost Uber / Lyr 2 will sound better with the speakers (via RCA), but only because the Schiit is using the tubes to power it. While I haven't tried this, but if you want an upgraded sound for your speakers, then simply plug it to the front 1/8" or the 1/4" of the WA7.
- The Bifrost Uber / Lyr 2 is powerful, punchy and detailed. It excels in giving an impression of that, but unfortunately I was unable to be immersed in an engaging listening experience.
- The DAC is alright. It's an upgrade from the Fiio E17 but it's definitely not a monumental upgrade.
- The DAC with the AMP is truly the most musical and magical listening experience I've ever had with the 1/4" output, as it's intended to be used together as a combo. You don't buy a Mac just to play hardcore games. Thus, you shouldn't get the WA7 just to upgrade the speaker sound (via RCA).

And to top it off, I haven't even talked about the build quality, and the design of this thing compared with the Schiit and other competitors. It's getting late and I think I'm going to reserve my other impression at a later time when I write my official review. I'll end it off with this. To my knowledge, I haven't encounter something that sounds as good as it looks.

 

Perhaps <a data-huddler-embed="href" href="/u/142459/dL" style="display:inline-block;">@dL.</a>
 can chime in a bit or we can just wait for his review.

post #1575

I guess the above is a sneak peak of my review? Haha I promise I will write a review when I can find some time. Sorry!

dL
[/CONTENTEMBED]

 

[mikoss]

I don't think it's an upgrade it's a sound signature preference. But even if buying WA7 I would recommend also getting tubes power supply and Bifrost for best results

+1. I completely agree! I use the HD-650s and comparing the WA7 to the WA2, I can definitely tell the WA7 has some technical superiority. It's faster, goes very deep, and definitely brings some tight attack to the sound. Personally, I just wrote a review with a bit of a comparison, and I prefer the WA2 simply because I find it slower, warmer and for the ability to tube roll so many different tubes. I personally find the HD-650s to be bested technically by a lot of the newer "summit-fi" phones, which if I preferred using, I would probably also prefer driving with the WA7. For the 650s, I prefer the rich, harmonic WA2.

 

[money4me247]

@HiFiGuy528
 
do you know the rated power specs for the wa7 in rms/channel at 50 ohms? thanks

 

[groovyd]

Woo should sell a DAC-less version of the WA7 in my opinion.  Either trim a couple hundred off the price or put fatter caps inside or higher quality components, not that I know if the ones it uses aren't high quality but I am just guessing with the extra space from removing the DAC you could probably squeeze in a bit better whatever it is.

 

[Solarium]

Would I be better off spending that $1000 upgrading my HP to the HD800 and getting the Lyr 2/Valhalla 2, or to get the WA7TP?
 
I have some reservations about the WA7. I mean the WA7TP sounds incredibly awesome, it's small (a huge factor in buying amps for me since I am moving in 5 months), looks amazing and has a beautiful sound. I just don't know whether I can justify spending $1000 on an amp on my current $500 headphone (I just got a used HD700) though. I was planning on trying out a Lyr 2 or a Valhalla 2 for my HD700, but this massdrop deal is too good to pass up. I will eventually upgrade to a HD800 when I really get tired of the HD700, and I know the WA7TP is a great long term investment, but how much better do you think the WA7TP is to the Lyr 2 + Uberfrost? I also want to use the amp as a pre-amp for my speakers, and if I end up upgrading the DAC and connect to the WA7, I won't be able to use the RCA's for preouts. I was hoping that you guys can convince me to get it

 

[dL.]

Very strange that my previous post didn't appear properly earlier.
 

  From what I've read so far, the WA7's has a good amp but mediocre DAC. I already have a good DAC from the STX II, and doubt that anything below a uberfrost would be an upgrade for me. So I'm pretty much spending $800-$1100 for a good amp, which is a lot more than what I intended to shell out. I think if I'm eventually getting the uberfrost, the Lyr 2 or the Valhalla 2 would be more in line of what I should be upgrading next.
 
For anyone with the WA7 and also own/owned the Lyr 2 or Valhalla 2, can you share your experience comparing them? In theory, the best bang for the buck for me is the Crack + SB, but I bought it before and it's so damn ugly and I have no desktop room for it, so I ended up selling it.

 
The intent of the WA7 by Woo Audio is to produce the best sound in such a beautiful device, at a price that nobody can beat for the precision, detail, musicality and build quality of this cube. And when they mean "best sound", it means building a complete package. The best analogy is Apple. Apple never uses the best quality parts, but the combination of the parts chosen, along with their custom engineering allows them to produce a product that is u. The WA7 is intended to be used with headphones, with the best output being the 1/4". Sure the 1/8" works for IEM, and sure the RCA works for speakers, but that was not their focus.
 
What Woo Audio have done with the WA7 is truly the most magical and musical experience ever. I swear I have never listened to music as engaging and addicting until now. The funny thing about the WA7 is that it's not the most detailed, nor the most powerful punchy. Magic happens when everything harmoniously blend together so you can't really pick out what's so great about it, because the entire package is great. It's hard to describe this feeling because it's really hard to find something like this out there. 
 
The Bifrost Uber + Lyr 2 sounds phenomenal with the Audioengine A5+, but for a simple reason. The sound output for the preamp RCA at the back is coloured, because it is driven by the amplification from the hybrid design, which means you are using the tubes. Yes, that means you have to turn on the Lyr 2, using the life of the tube, just to power the speakers.
 
The WA7 is different. At first, I was kind of uncertain when HiFiGuy528 mentioned that the DAC to RCA output does not go through the tubes. Why would they want to amplify just the 1/4 and 1/8 but not the RCA? However, upon further thinking, I can see why they have designed it this way. And it's quite simple. One of the usage for the WA7 is to use it with a computer system (via USB). Woo Audio knows that everyone's going to have some form of speakers with their computer system. They also know that most people will use the speakers by default for casual listening, watching TV, playing games, or watching Youtube or Facebook videos. Remember, we are talking in a computer room environment.
 
That's why they engineered the WA7 the way it is so it does not require turning on the amp and draining the lifespan of the tube, when you are listening to the speakers. In fact, the unit doesn't even use any power because it's USB-powered directly to the DAC. You can unplug the power cable and the DAC would still work!
 
When it's time for critical listening with the headphone, then you simply turn on the unit. And they also have this thought out as well. Tubes take time to warm up right? Well that's fine. You can turn it on in advance, while continue to enjoy your content with the speakers. After a good 5-10 minutes (best if 20), then you simply reach to the back and switch to the headphone source. 
There's a reason why the WA7 is a DAC/AMP combined together, because it's meant to be used as a whole. If you enjoy the unit as its intended (best via 1/4"), then you will understand the thought process behind this masterpiece.
To ensure I've answered your question:
 
- The Bifrost Uber / Lyr 2 will sound better with the speakers (via RCA), but only because the Schiit is using the tubes to power it. While I haven't tried this, but if you want an upgraded sound for your speakers, then simply plug it to the front 1/8" or the 1/4" of the WA7.
- The Bifrost Uber / Lyr 2 is powerful, punchy and detailed. It excels in giving an impression of that, but unfortunately I was unable to be immersed in an engaging listening experience.
- The DAC is alright. It's an upgrade from the Fiio E17 but it's definitely not a monumental upgrade.
- The DAC with the AMP is truly the most musical and magical listening experience I've ever had with the 1/4" output, as it's intended to be used together as a combo. You don't buy a Mac just to play hardcore games. Thus, you shouldn't get the WA7 just to upgrade the speaker sound (via RCA).
And to top it off, I haven't even talked about the build quality, and the design of this thing compared with the Schiit and other competitors. It's getting late and I think I'm going to reserve my other impression at a later time when I write my official review. I'll end it off with this. To my knowledge, I haven't encounter something that sounds as good as it looks.
 

   
Perhaps @dL. can chime in a bit or we can just wait for his review.
 
post #1575

 
I guess the above is a sneak peak of my review? Haha I promise I will write a review when I can find some time. Sorry!
 

  Woo should sell a DAC-less version of the WA7 in my opinion.  Either trim a couple hundred off the price or put fatter caps inside or higher quality components, not that I know if the ones it uses aren't high quality but I am just guessing with the extra space from removing the DAC you could probably squeeze in a bit better whatever it is.

 
Or they should sell a version with a better DAC 

 and still trim a couple hundred off the price 

 
dL
 

 

[dL.]

  Would I be better off spending that $1000 upgrading my HP to the HD800 and getting the Lyr 2/Valhalla 2, or to get the WA7TP?
 
I have some reservations about the WA7. I mean the WA7TP sounds incredibly awesome, it's small (a huge factor in buying amps for me since I am moving in 5 months), looks amazing and has a beautiful sound. I just don't know whether I can justify spending $1000 on an amp on my current $500 headphone (I just got a used HD700) though. I was planning on trying out a Lyr 2 or a Valhalla 2 for my HD700, but this massdrop deal is too good to pass up. I will eventually upgrade to a HD800 when I really get tired of the HD700, and I know the WA7TP is a great long term investment, but how much better do you think the WA7TP is to the Lyr 2 + Uberfrost? I also want to use the amp as a pre-amp for my speakers, and if I end up upgrading the DAC and connect to the WA7, I won't be able to use the RCA's for preouts. I was hoping that you guys can convince me to get it

I much rather get the Sony MDR-Z7 instead 

 unless your priority is soundstage and treble.
 
Back to your topic, I think that the Massdrop deal is really too good to pass. I know you haven't tried the 7+7TP, but I have now, and if I had a chance to jump on this Massdrop, I would do it in a heartbeat, unless you also found a deal that you couldn't pass on the HD800.
 
I've tried A-B'ing the 700 (which I own) vs 800 (in the shop) and to be honest, there wasn't much of a difference. Sure, the soundstage is wider, and there's a bit more detail on the HD800, but it wasn't night-and-day difference and for some reason I could never get accustomed to the sound of the 800's. It just sounds like it's trying too hard to be detailed and overly-wide. Have you considered looking to get another brand to compliment your Sennheiser instead of upgrading?
 
To me, there's more difference going from the Schiit stack to the Woo Audio than the 700 to the 800. But the difference is in the musicality and the way the WA7 presents the music. No, it's not going to give you a lot more punch or a lot more detail, but it just does it in a way that is so musical. I think it's probably the difference between a full tube design (Woo) vs Hybrid design with tube + solid state (Schiit).
 
dL

 

[HemiSam]

I'm glad this wasn't in the HD800 threads.  That would be colorful...LOL.  I own the HD 650 and the 700.  I listen to the 650 alot and the 700 not so much...simply my preference of the two.  I also own some other cans as well like the Sony Z7 and the Koss ESP-950's (really like the e-stats).
 
Love my WA7.  I've used it as a single component (AMP/DAC) for a good while.  It does the job nicely.  I prefer using an external DAC these days despite having to add another footprint and cables.  The DAC in the WA7 is good but not great and I don't believe it needs to be used to achieve synergy.
 
HS 

 

[money4me247]

up to you what you want to spend you money on but always remember this rule.

greatest impact on sound quality is source >>> headphones >>> amp/dac >>> other

 

[Hififox]

Hi all, I just joined in Massdrop wa7 drop. My cans are HD600 and K701, could anyone share the experience about wa7 drives these two cans?
 
Thanks.

 

[rage3324]

How would you compare the dac of the DACMini to the DAC of the WA7? I have an unopened DACMini and I can't decide if it is worth keeping to act as an upgrade to the DAC of the WA7. My cans would be AKG K7xx, Beyerdynamic DT770 Premium (600 ohms) and Grado SR325i. 

 

[HemiSam]

I have the HD 650's, HD 700's and had the K702's.  WA7 pairs well with all of them.
 
HS

 

[Vinnces]

I just joined the drop on Massdrop and am still deciding if I want the WA7TP with it.  All the reviews I have looked up say it does make a difference but is it really that much of a difference?  Though I gotta say aesthetically it looks quite nice when they are together and that's a nice plus.  Basically it's get it now and be on instant noodles for 2 weeks or get it later down the road and spend $100+ more.

 

[olegausany]

If you want best sound plus ability to change sound signature using different tubes then get power supply while it still part of the deal