[MIKELAP]

  New WA2 owner here.
 
I noticed that headphone jack on my unit looks different that on the wooaudio website. Can someone confirm if this has changed?
 
From Wooaudio

 
 
My unit

is your unit new mine is a 2013 model its like first picture 

 

[maheeinfy]

  is your unit new mine is a 2013 model its like first picture 

I bought it new from wooaudio last week.

 

[TheGrumpyOldMan]

  Yes it can, sometimes better!
 
This is not always good advise regarding tubes!  For example, the 6as7G and 5998 types where primarily designed as voltage regulation tubes as opposed to audio amplifier tubes etc.
 
The 6bk7b comes recommended for the WA2 from a fellow head-fi'er and @MIKELAP is just trying to figure out if it's a direct fit.

While I agree that there there's no direct correlation between price & performance of a NOS tube in a given setup (*), I would caution in regards to plugging in some untested tube, there's more to compatibility than just the pinout.
 
As a reminder, Woo's official compatibility list is HERE, for any unlisted tube (and the 6BK7B isn't) I would at least check in with Woo first... unless you're knowledgeable enough and you have access to the full spec sheet. Even if at first it doesn't seem to have an immediate negative effect, it may put a strain on components that will affect longevity.
 
(*) unless it's something like a 421A, then the tears of your depleted wallet simply have to make it sound the sweetest ^_^;

 

[thecrow]

I bought it new from wooaudio last week.

I bought this from local dealer two months ago. They ordered it from woo.

 

[zeroduke]

My unit is 2015 and it's like yours.

 

[maheeinfy]

Hmm. Not liking that I received something other than what's shown on their website.
Wonder what the reason for changing the Jack.
Also my WA2 is producing hiss on my T1. Starting to feel bad about this purchase

 

[thecrow]

Hmm. Not liking that I received something other than what's shown on their website.
Wonder what the reason for changing the Jack.
Also my WA2 is producing hiss on my T1. Starting to feel bad about this purchase

The photos are old on their site. You'll notice there's a switch on the back of your amp to select preamp or amp. That's not in the pics

 

[MIKELAP]

 

  Yes it can, sometimes better!
 
This is not always good advise regarding tubes!  For example, the 6as7G and 5998 types where primarily designed as voltage regulation tubes as opposed to audio amplifier tubes etc.
 
The 6bk7b comes recommended for the WA2 from a fellow head-fi'er and @MIKELAP is just trying to figure out if it's a direct fit.

While I agree that there there's no direct correlation between price & performance of a NOS tube in a given setup (*), I would caution in regards to plugging in some untested tube, there's more to compatibility than just the pinout.
 
As a reminder, Woo's official compatibility list is HERE, for any unlisted tube (and the 6BK7B isn't) I would at least check in with Woo first... unless you're knowledgeable enough and you have access to the full spec sheet. Even if at first it doesn't seem to have an immediate negative effect, it may put a strain on components that will affect longevity.
 
(*) unless it's something like a 421A, then the tears of your depleted wallet simply have to make it sound the sweetest ^_^;

According to Woo 6BK7 tubes are plug &play in WA2 and need adapters in WA6 

 

[picklgreen]

maheeinfy, Woo audio has excellent customer service. If you have concerns or problems with your amp just email or call him! He will put you at ease trust me. They are a small mom & pop type operation and care a great deal for their customers and about their customers. As to the difference of the headphone jack, I wouldn't worry about it. Remember they don't pump out thousands and thousands of these on an assembly line like any brand you'll find at Best Buy. They are hand made one by one, and parts are ordered in small quantities. It is possible that supply dictated a change in a type of part.
 
And rest assured, you own one of the best sounding and well built headphone amps on the planet! I have owned literally hundreds of thousands of dollars of gear in my lifetime and my Woo Audio is one of my absolute favorite! Math it with good NOS tubes and proper headphones and you'll never look back. The hiss you hear is probably from the tubes you are using. If you want help choosing better tubes give us a price range and what tubes you currently use and recommendations can be made. Also email Woo and he can offer help also. A faulty amp usually wouldn't produce any hiss. It would be more of a hum if a bad transformer or loss of sound in one or both channels.
 
Woo can be reached at (+1 872 222 9667) or info@wooaudio.com.

 

[maheeinfy]

  maheeinfy, Woo audio has excellent customer service. If you have concerns or problems with your amp just email or call him! He will put you at ease trust me. They are a small mom & pop type operation and care a great deal for their customers and about their customers. As to the difference of the headphone jack, I wouldn't worry about it. Remember they don't pump out thousands and thousands of these on an assembly line like any brand you'll find at Best Buy. They are hand made one by one, and parts are ordered in small quantities. It is possible that supply dictated a change in a type of part.
 
And rest assured, you own one of the best sounding and well built headphone amps on the planet! I have owned literally hundreds of thousands of dollars of gear in my lifetime and my Woo Audio is one of my absolute favorite! Math it with good NOS tubes and proper headphones and you'll never look back. The hiss you hear is probably from the tubes you are using. If you want help choosing better tubes give us a price range and what tubes you currently use and recommendations can be made. Also email Woo and he can offer help also. A faulty amp usually wouldn't produce any hiss. It would be more of a hum if a bad transformer or loss of sound in one or both channels.
 
Woo can be reached at (+1 872 222 9667) or info@wooaudio.com.

Thanks. I also think that its one of the tube that is causing this hiss. I have spoken to Mike at WA and was told to put some hours on the tubes, as they need break in to perform their best. So i am currently using the amp as it is. If the hiss doesn't go away, i will have to ship them to WA for testing/replacement.
 
I also noticed that amp starts producing hum into headphones when volume dial is near 11' clock and the hum only becomes louder when i go past that position on volume. Is it supposed to happen on WA2?

 

[StanT]

No hum or hiss with mine at any volume that I can stand.
 
In my experience, tube problems with the WA2 are generally on a single channel. I've always been able to isolate a tube issue by swapping tubes left to right, one pair at a time.
 
I did find my WA2 or the cables running to it, to be sensitive to EMF. Straightening out my cable mess, using shorter cables, and at least trying to keep my PC and audio cables separated fixed that.

 

[maheeinfy]

  No hum or hiss with mine at any volume that I can stand.
 
In my experience, tube problems with the WA2 are generally on a single channel. I've always been able to isolate a tube issue by swapping tubes left to right, one pair at a time.
 
I did find my WA2 or the cables running to it, to be sensitive to EMF. Straightening out my cable mess, using shorter cables, and at least trying to keep my PC and audio cables separated fixed that.

Its right in my case as well. Tube hiss is only on one channel. One of the 6080 tubes that came with the amp is faulty i think. When i switch those tubes from left to right, hiss moves from left to right.
 
I am hearing the hum from the amp even when no cables are connected, except the power cord. There are no devices nearby that could cause interference.
 
I am starting to think, my unit is faulty

 

[picklgreen]

Sounds like a bad amp (caps or transformer can cause hum). Should never have any hum in any audio gear period regardless of brand make or model! Hiss is from your tubes. I had a bad CCA driver tube that was giving me hiss once.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Hmm. Not liking that I received something other than what's shown on their website.
Wonder what the reason for changing the Jack.
Also my WA2 is producing hiss on my T1. Starting to feel bad about this purchase

 
WA2 have been in production since 2005. We continuously update parts used in our products to improve on quality, reliability, performance, and cosmetics. The headphones jack on original WA2 looks kind of DYI project by today's standards, so we've updated the front panel and choose to use a flush mounted headphones jack that's also higher quality/reliability. 
 
Quote:

  Its right in my case as well. Tube hiss is only on one channel. One of the 6080 tubes that came with the amp is faulty i think. When i switch those tubes from left to right, hiss moves from left to right.
 
I am hearing the hum from the amp even when no cables are connected, except the power cord. There are no devices nearby that could cause interference.
 
I am starting to think, my unit is faulty

 
Is the hum coming from the amp itself or through the headphones? If through the headphones, you may have a ground-loop issue in the system. There can be a slight hum on the amplifier if you place your ears in close proixmity to the amp, but it shoud not be audible at normal listening distance.

 

[jhljhl]

   
Is the hum coming from the amp itself or through the headphones? If through the headphones, you may have a ground-loop issue in the system. There can be a slight hum on the amplifier if you place your ears in close proixmity to the amp, but it shoud not be audible at normal listening distance.

Could also be outlet?  Once had same issue I switched outlets or rather a different power strip and problem went away.