Just received my (new to me) WA2 yesterday afternoon.
Tung-Sol 7236 power tubes, RFT EZ81 rectifiers, and Amperex 7308s.
I feel Iike I’m getting away with something illegal with the (relatively) reasonable price I paid. I can’t see myself needing another tube amp. Ever.
Now I’m off to update my signature…
To stick to this thread's topic more properly: Some listening impressions after about 3-4 hours with the tubes listed above, using ZMF Auteur and Eikon, with which this amp does incredibly well:
- Very fluid, organic sound overall. There is an impressive ease of delivery across the frequency spectrum.
- Bass is very tactile, detailed, and textured. Notes are clearly differentiated, even in fast bass lines or in distorted music (think grunge rock or noisier electronica).
- Bass depth is also remarkable, with impressive "slam" that rivals good solid-state amps. From what I've read, the WA22 is even more agile/faster with more slam. I'm sure that's great, but this is plenty for me!
- With music that is mixed with a broader sound stage, there is pretty good width to the stage. Depth is also pretty well rendered- the 16/44 version of Soundgarden's "Like Suicide" (from "Superunknown") has Chris Cornell singing from a deeper position with bass/guitars extending much closer to the listener, encircling you with sound. This depth is also present with good jazz recordings, where the spaciousness of width is also very apparent.
- Vocals are natural and well-rendered, with some roll-off of treble limiting sibilance (and also sparkle, for those treble-lovers out there). This works well for me, but not all listeners will appreciate the somewhat euphonic rendering and kindness towards older/lower-quality recordings.
- High-quality recordings (and higher bit-depth, as well) benefit greatly from this amp, as it resolves micro-details quite well with this tube complement.
- Pretty good PRaT (pace/rhythm and timing) with these tubes- while certainly not the last word in speed (vs. solid-state and planars, for example- the LCD-XC with good solid-state being my benchmark), they will definitely get your toes tapping!
I would definitely recommend combining the Tung-Sol 7236s with Amperex 7308s and RFT EZ81s. The 7308s did exceptionally well in a 6922-family based amp (Feliks Echo), and their strengths of clarity, zero audible noise, and natural/organic rendering combine really well with the other tubes.
I have no experience with the other types, but from what I've seen on this thread, good 7236s are a solid choice for power tubes. I'll be rolling in EZ81s with foil getters in a day or two, thanks to advice from
@jonathan c , and should see gains in bass tightness from what I've read.
Not one to be unprepared for tube shortages or rainy days, I've also bought a few added power tubes (General Electric 6AS7GAs, RCA 6AS7G (1968), and Sylvania JAN 6080WCs). Silly, I know, but I like to have some options if issues/age sets in with current tubes. I already have Mullard 6922s and Philips 6JD8s from my old amp as backups. But now I'm set (no pun intended), and excited to get the upgraded RFTs in.
Then it's time to focus fully on the music- HDTracks, here I come. You'll be the site emptying my wallet for months (years?) ahead.
