[hehaw77]

I'm looking for a tube amp with enough grunt to do justice to the Abyss Phi (and possibly the Susvara in the future). It's a short list of candidates that fit that description. With that in mind, I brought my Abyss Phis to the local shop this morning and gave the WA33 and Egoista 845 a nice listen-to (my 2nd time with the latter).

I really took to the Woo and found it immediately very engaging. Soundstage, imaging, dynamics, resolving-ness, instrument separation -- all really satisfying, and easily a couple steps up from the tube amps I've had up to this point. To my ears it had an even, slightly warmer tilt to its tonality (w/ the stock tubes) that suites my preferences. Also, I found it to have a treble sweetness that was appealing that I could tell would grow on me. In the end, I didn't need to listen to the amp for long.

The merits of the Egoista's technicalities were super-obvious, but I think the sound signature is something I'm still struggling to wrap my head around. It had a tube midrange sweetness/bloom which -- combined with its analytical-like speed and maybe more distant presentation? -- wasn't really clicking for me. Soundstage is really big and very interesting, but didn't sound "natural" -- or maybe it was just that it sounded unfamiliar. I could see it growing on me with a longer-term listen, but at the 845's price point, that may not be so likely.

Two more things about the Viva amp though. The instrument realism is crazy-good. Jazz percussion is just like... damn. The other thing is that I felt like it took turning up the volume to 75+ dBA for the amp to come into its own, but since I usually listen at the 65-75 range, I'm slightly afraid all that gorgeous glass, heat, and automotive paint might end up being wasted on me.

Anyway, I ended up having less to say about the Woo amp, but I could tell from my audition of it that I'd find it very satisfying to own.

Thanks for this I was looking into the 845 myself and the Pathos inpolear and the wa33. I already listened to the little brother of the vista and did not like the sound signature with the focal utopia's. To harsh... I then went and tested a lowly wa6 and preferred it to the more expensive vista... way more ... I was also looking into the Felix which focal recommends for the utopia's... but compared to this amp... I don't think they are in the same league though I think for the price point they are supposed to be excellent. So long story short I've settled on the wa33...

 

[Thenewguy007]

This is subjective I can't stand the HD 800 in all its forms it just sounds like junk to me. The utopia's sound so much more detailed and precise compared to those lumpy cans to me...

What amp & DAC did you pair the HD800 with?

 

[hehaw77]

blumk2 scaler combined with the chord Dave

 

[Thenewguy007]

blumk2 scaler combined with the chord Dave

I have never gotten the HD800 to sound good with any solid state amplifier, but with tube amps, it's a different beast. The thin, overly analytical & bass shy sound signature is gone when paired with the right tube amp.

 

[andyschaub]

This is subjective I can't stand the HD 800 in all its forms it just sounds like junk to me. The utopia's sound so much more detailed and precise compared to those lumpy cans to me...

The Utopias are definitely warmer sounding than the HD800’s in some ways. On the other hand, they cost at least 3X more. So, no offense intended at all, what would you expect?

 

[andyschaub]

I have never gotten the HD800 to sound good with any solid state amplifier, but with tube amps, it's a different beast. The thin, overly analytical & bass shy sound signature is gone when paired with the right tube amp.

My experience, too, most notably with the Woo WA22.

 

[hehaw77]

The Utopias are definitely warmer sounding than the HD800’s in some ways. On the other hand, they cost at least 3X more. So, no offense intended at all, what would you expect?

Well not 3 times more... 2 times.... they are just a superior can... I did listen to the new HD's can't recall there name... I like them more than the 800's... but still lacking in depth... mind you they do sound better with a stronger amp... the dealer I usually buy from did his best to convince me they were good headphones but I just gave the a little bit below average...

 

[hehaw77]

I have never gotten the HD800 to sound good with any solid state amplifier, but with tube amps, it's a different beast. The thin, overly analytical & bass shy sound signature is gone when paired with the right tube amp.

Well I see that as a fault a good headphone should be able to at least sound decent on various setups... .. I mean the HD 800's aren't the only headphone that made me want to plug my ears.. the focal elear I think is also junk... pukey warm...

 

[hehaw77]

My experience, too, most notably with the Woo WA22.

Well I'll soon have a wa33 and no doubt I'll have some people still trying to convince me about the 800's so still willing to try them out on the tube amp... but I'm now very accustomed to the Utopia sound signature... so I don't know... I'm still open to convincing.... I have demoed the 800's so many times... ... in fact I've demoed lots of planars "expensive ones" and have found them lacking... yes I know the 800's are not planars just saying... the Utopia's are so detailed and revealing which is what I like... beautiful....

 

[matthewhypolite]

Well I'll soon have a wa33 and no doubt I'll have some people still trying to convince me about the 800's so still willing to try them out on the tube amp... but I'm now very accustomed to the Utopia sound signature... so I don't know... I'm still open to convincing.... I have demoed the 800's so many times... ... in fact I've demoed lots of planars "expensive ones" and have found them lacking... yes I know the 800's are not planars just saying... the Utopia's are so detailed and revealing which is what I like... beautiful....

Haven't been keeping up with the thread but jsut saw this message. I have both utopia and phi cc and I can tell you the abyss phi cc outclassed the Utopia on the WA33 with upgraded tubes.

Utopia is still good, but the abyss is so much better to my ears. In so much so that I don't take the abyss off of the WA33 anymore, utopia is on my solid state amp for youtube, gaming, etc. I Pmuch just listen to wa33/abyss now.

 

[joseph69]

Well I'll soon have a wa33 and no doubt I'll have some people still trying to convince me about the 800's so still willing to try them out on the tube amp... but I'm now very accustomed to the Utopia sound signature... so I don't know... I'm still open to convincing.... I have demoed the 800's so many times... ... in fact I've demoed lots of planars "expensive ones" and have found them lacking... yes I know the 800's are not planars just saying... the Utopia's are so detailed and revealing which is what I like... beautiful....

I don't know if you've ever heard the Utopia/WA33 pairing, but if not, you're in for quite an amazing experience. The Utopia scales excellent with the WA33.

I had the 800S and found them lacking in bass & punch, otherwise I did enjoy them via my GS-XMk2, but found I wasn't reaching for them after receiving my Utopia, so I sold the 800S. After receiving my WA33 w/ upgraded tubes I regretted selling my 800S because I do believe the WA33 would have taken the 800S to a totally different level. I do plan on borrowing the 800S from The Cable Company to hear if what I believe is true.

Please stop using the word "junk" to describe headphones that are not for your taste...this doesn't make them "junk".
Everything comes into play when listening to headphones, so you may have good 'synergy' with your system for some headphone, and others maybe not so much.

Congratulations on you WA33, and enjoy it.

 

[hehaw77]

Haven't been keeping up with the thread but jsut saw this message. I have both utopia and phi cc and I can tell you the abyss phi cc outclassed the Utopia on the WA33 with upgraded tubes.

Utopia is still good, but the abyss is so much better to my ears. In so much so that I don't take the abyss off of the WA33 anymore, utopia is on my solid state amp for youtube, gaming, etc. I Pmuch just listen to wa33/abyss now.

Everyone has there preference... I listened to the phi and didn't like it... at all.... not enough detail for me...

 

[Mikey99]

Haven't been keeping up with the thread but jsut saw this message. I have both utopia and phi cc and I can tell you the abyss phi cc outclassed the Utopia on the WA33 with upgraded tubes.

Utopia is still good, but the abyss is so much better to my ears. In so much so that I don't take the abyss off of the WA33 anymore, utopia is on my solid state amp for youtube, gaming, etc. I Pmuch just listen to wa33/abyss now.

I preferred the Abyss Phi to the Utopia on a variety of solid state amps. I would love to hear the Abyss on a tube amp, and the WA33 specifically. I just need to find one somewhere nearby to audition.

 

[hehaw77]

I don't know if you've ever heard the Utopia/WA33 pairing, but if not, you're in for quite an amazing experience. The Utopia scales excellent with the WA33.

I had the 800S and found them lacking in bass & punch, otherwise I did enjoy them via my GS-XMk2, but found I wasn't reaching for them after receiving my Utopia, so I sold the 800S. After receiving my WA33 w/ upgraded tubes I regretted selling my 800S because I do believe the WA33 would have taken the 800S to a totally different level. I do plan on borrowing the 800S from The Cable Company to hear if what I believe is true.

Please stop using the word "junk" to describe headphones that are not for your taste...this doesn't make them "junk".
Everything comes into play when listening to headphones, so you may have good 'synergy' with your system for some headphone, and others maybe not so much.

Congratulations on you WA33, and enjoy it.

Source and what your giving the WA33 are important to what you will hear... including cables, power cords etc.. I think my setup is top notch...so not concerned on that front...

 

[andyschaub]

I preferred the Abyss Phi to the Utopia on a variety of solid state amps. I would love to hear the Abyss on a tube amp, and the WA33 specifically. I just need to find one somewhere nearby to audition.

I tried the Abyss and the Utopias with both a Cavali Liquid Gold and the Woo WA5-LE with tube upgrades, and in both cases the Utopias sounded much more like music to me and had vastly better build quality, but YMMV.