[drgameboy]

WA2 is a TOTL tube amp with the right tubes! I have both the wa2 and an Eddie Current Zana Deux Super. Running the Tungsol 5998 power tubees, Phillips Miniwatt EZ80 rectifier tubes, and Amperex 6922 white label PQ O getter for my driver tubes, and with my HD800S, both amps sound exactly the same! Incredible. The Wa2 with the stock tubes were mediocre at best.

 

[thecrow]

WA2 is a TOTL tube amp with the right tubes! I have both the wa2 and an Eddie Current Zana Deux Super. Running the Tungsol 5998 power tubees, Phillips Miniwatt EZ80 rectifier tubes, and Amperex 6922 white label PQ O getter for my driver tubes, and with my HD800S, both amps sound exactly the same! Incredible. The Wa2 with the stock tubes were mediocre at best.

yes but........if you throw some holland tubes in there then it sweetens it nicely (that's me assuming your 6922 are usa).

though the PW tubes are great (and expensive) my valvo e88cc red label d-getter hollands (1960) are very good too.

in fact, i sold them a while ago, but i also had some other holland tubes (not bugle boys) that might have been e188cc and they were good too - from memory about $150 usd or so when i bought them about 3 or 4 years ago (ebay)

 

[drgameboy]

yes but........if you throw some holland tubes in there then it sweetens it nicely (that's me assuming your 6922 are usa).

though the PW tubes are great (and expensive) my valvo e88cc red label d-getter hollands (1960) are very good too.

in fact, i sold them a while ago, but i also had some other holland tubes (not bugle boys) that might have been e188cc and they were good too - from memory about $150 usd or so when i bought them about 3 or 4 years ago (ebay)

I really wanted to get the amperex 6922 Holland's, d getters, pq white label, with gold pins, but they were too expensive. Cheapest on eBay for a nos pair is $450!!!!! I plan to use the wa2 with my zmf eikons, hd800s I listen exclusively with ZDS. Also my ts 5998 are a little microphonic, is that normal? No weird sounds or pings, but I can hear feedback on my headphones when I tap the amp, or change inputs.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

WA2 is a TOTL tube amp with the right tubes! I have both the wa2 and an Eddie Current Zana Deux Super. Running the Tungsol 5998 power tubees, Phillips Miniwatt EZ80 rectifier tubes, and Amperex 6922 white label PQ O getter for my driver tubes, and with my HD800S, both amps sound exactly the same! Incredible. The Wa2 with the stock tubes were mediocre at best.

its amazing when maxed out, best synergy with HD 800 and T1 until you spend a lot more on a tube amp + upgrades (like the next level is WA5 with good tubes, DNA, Zana Deux, Apex Teton). I find the synergy with those 2 headphones to be even better than WA22 as its smoother, more coherent, emotional, musical; despite the W22 being more resolving, spacious, and dynamic.

didn’t find a combo that I found as pleased with until HE-6 + WA5 (with western electric 300B and other good tubes), that finally gave me the same kind of sweet smooth transparent sound and ended the search for better.

still one of woo’s best designs

 

[billerb1]

I tried every combination in the freaking world with my WA2 and this is what I ended up with: GEC 6AS7G's, Telefunken ECC801S's (with adapters) and Marconi U709's with Schiit Audio Yggdrasil Analog 2 DAC and HD800S's...pure (and I do mean PURE) heaven !!!

 

[Jacobal]

I’d say go to hell with all this confusion of mixing & matching and just get the Sennheiser HE1, an all-in-one solution:
https://en-us.sennheiser.com/sennheiser-he-1

You’ll save a ton of time and trouble. Not to mention this exotic product will most likely increase in value after it’s discontinued. A win-win.

 

[thecrow]

I’d say go to hell with all this confusion of mixing & matching and just get the Sennheiser HE1, an all-in-one solution:
https://en-us.sennheiser.com/sennheiser-he-1

You’ll save a ton of time and trouble. Not to mention this exotic product will most likely increase in value after it’s discontinued. A win-win.

It’s hard to argue with that logic

 

[billerb1]

It’s hard to argue with that logic

Hey Crow, I'm all for logic too. But I'm retired now. Wondering if I could borrow 58K.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Jacobal]

The HE1 has everything you’ve ever needed:

Headphones, check
DAC, check
Tubes, check
Amp, check
Power conditioner, check
Quality power cord, check

The only thing you have to supply is the USB cable.

 

[thecrow]

Hey Crow, I'm all for logic too. But I'm retired now. Wondering if I could borrow 58K.
Thanks in advance.

I can’t help right now. But I’m buying my he1 through layby.
(I hope you have layby over your part of the world, it’s old school. You just keep making payments until you’ve fully paid it then you take it home).

i should have it paid in 2028. By then, from what i am reading here it will be worth more than $58,000. so it’s win-win.

unless there is an he2 by then and then the he1 value drops off.

i may need to rethink this as i’m starting to think it may not be such a wise decision after all

maybe i’ll go back to where it all started with my athm50x. Or my O2 and odac (my first amp and dac)

 

[billerb1]

I can’t help right now. But I’m buying my he1 through layby.
(I hope you have layby over your part of the world, it’s old school. You just keep making payments until you’ve fully paid it then you take it home).

i should have it paid in 2028. By then, from what i am reading here it will be worth more than $58,000. so it’s win-win.

unless there is an he2 by then and then the he1 value drops off.

i may need to rethink this as i’m starting to think it may not be such a wise decision after all

maybe i’ll go back to where it all started with my athm50x. Or my O2 and odac (my first amp and dac)

I think you're makin' me dizzy.

 

[thecrow]

@billerb1 maybe i’ll put a wtb ad in the classifieds here In case someone wants to sell.

“willing to pay up to $10,000 or trade for my wa2 with upgraded tubes. Time wasters need not apply”

 

[drgameboy]

The HE1 has everything you’ve ever needed:

Headphones, check
DAC, check
Tubes, check
Amp, check
Power conditioner, check
Quality power cord, check

The only thing you have to supply is the USB cable.

will a $15 belkin USB cable suffice?

 

[Astral Abyss]

WA2 is a TOTL tube amp with the right tubes! I have both the wa2 and an Eddie Current Zana Deux Super. Running the Tungsol 5998 power tubees, Phillips Miniwatt EZ80 rectifier tubes, and Amperex 6922 white label PQ O getter for my driver tubes, and with my HD800S, both amps sound exactly the same! Incredible. The Wa2 with the stock tubes were mediocre at best.

yes but........if you throw some holland tubes in there then it sweetens it nicely (that's me assuming your 6922 are usa).

though the PW tubes are great (and expensive) my valvo e88cc red label d-getter hollands (1960) are very good too.

in fact, i sold them a while ago, but i also had some other holland tubes (not bugle boys) that might have been e188cc and they were good too - from memory about $150 usd or so when i bought them about 3 or 4 years ago (ebay)

I've been the happiest with 5998 power tubes, EZ81 RFT rectifiers, and Amperex A-Frame "orange globe" 6DJ8s from the 70s.

I've actually tried a ton of other driver tubes and I like these A-frames best. Weird. I even tried many different 2C51/6N3P/5670 and 396A Western Electric tubes with adapters, a pair of Valvo white label CCa, some Holland made Philips PQs from the 60s, supposedly wonderful Reflektor SWGP 6N23Ps from '75, random Sylvania 6922s, etc. I'm rather happy though, as those orange globes are fairly cheap and easy to find.

Only problem I foresee down the road is when the 5998s eventually wear out, I'll probably be SOL trying to find a new pair.

 

[drgameboy]

I've been the happiest with 5998 power tubes, EZ81 RFT rectifiers, and Amperex A-Frame "orange globe" 6DJ8s from the 70s.

I've actually tried a ton of other driver tubes and I like these A-frames best. Weird. I even tried many different 2C51/6N3P/5670 and 396A Western Electric tubes with adapters, a pair of Valvo white label CCa, some Holland made Philips PQs from the 60s, supposedly wonderful Reflektor SWGP 6N23Ps from '75, random Sylvania 6922s, etc. I'm rather happy though, as those orange globes are fairly cheap and easy to find.

Only problem I foresee down the road is when the 5998s eventually wear out, I'll probably be SOL trying to find a new pair.

I have a matched set of national electronics 5998's for sale, same as tungsol, grab them while they are still available. They are NOS with less than one hour of use.