[dawktah2]

Unboxed this expensive bedside lamp yesterday. Letting it burn in 80hrs or so with my old Sophia rectifier just cuz it’s pretty. I’ll throw the WE422a in after that. When my wallet cools off for a few months, upgrade path will consist of:

-Hugo TT2 (Black)
-Dana Lazuli Reference balanced HP cable
-KR Audio 2A3s
-Hugo M-Scaler(Black)

In that order. Then, like Thanos, I finally rest and watch the sunrise on a grateful system. (Until new stuff comes out)

I wish I could sit a WA33 out in the open like that! Unfortunately I have to put it where I can protect it from my 6 year old daughter. I can imagine the damage a hatchimal, LOL or a Lego village could do to it! Those of us with kids this age know what foreign language I just spoke, LOL

 

[kyle1010]

Quick question-- Does the 6.3mm output offer just half the power of the balanced outputs, or the same amount? (I don't have a XLR-to-6.3mm adapter to be able to verify this for myself at the moment.)

I honestly have no idea. No balanced dac on hand to test it(yet). On my WA22 balanced wasn’t any louder just better separation. Really, even though I’m under 10hrs of use total with impedance and gain both set to high, the LCD-4s don’t sound perceptively a whole lot louder with the volume knob at the same spots as the WA22. Driver control seems to be where the extra wattage is helping tremendously. WA33 is FAST but still deliciously tubey. Don’t understand how, don’t care, it’s marvelous.

Correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think Woo is a manufacturer that pushes you to run balanced by offering up more gain from the balanced outputs. I always thought that was a cheap shot by other brands to people who couldn’t swing a balanced dac right away. From my experience with the Dave I recently sold, Woo’s balanced outputs just have quieter backgrounds, better imaging and soundstage in all directions, but it’s not night and day vs SE to my ears. WA5 still sounds unbelievable single ended. Sorry to rant just thinking and typing haha.

 

[kyle1010]

I wish I could sit a WA33 out in the open like that! Unfortunately I have to put it where I can protect it from my 6 year old daughter. I can imagine the damage a hatchimal, LOL or a Lego village could do to it! Those of us with kids this age know what foreign language I just spoke, LOL

Haha yeah I don’t have a kid yet, but when that day comes it’ll need protection from me if it gets within touching or projectile distance of my gear. My dad had ALL the 80’s audio toys out in the open and god help me if I even looked at them funny. Lol cheers.

 

[llamaluv]

Quick question-- Does the 6.3mm output offer just half the power of the balanced outputs, or the same amount? (I don't have a XLR-to-6.3mm adapter to be able to verify this for myself at the moment.)

I honestly have no idea. No balanced dac on hand to test it(yet).

Oh, my question was purely on the headphone output side of things. Since the WA uses a phase splitter internally when being fed single-ended, all amplification paths are fully engaged even when connected via RCA, and the resulting output levels of the respective headphone outs are the same in both cases. (I definitely like this as an architectural design decision).

Speaking of SE vs balanced input, I want to mention the following -- even though it may call into question my own listening preferences (haha)...

My DAC outputs balanced and SE simultaneously and I was trying to decide which of my two amps would take the balanced connection and which would take the RCA connection. So as part of that test, I had the DAC (Metrum Pavane Level 3) feeding the WA33 using balanced and SE at the same time, and was able to switch inputs coming from that same source instantaneously. And the headphones (Susvara and Auteur) were being connected through XLR.

I actually liked the resulting presentation as much (and maybe even more?!) coming out of the SE compared to balanced. Balanced frequency response extended ever so slightly deeper and I think it was just ever so slightly more punchy, but SE resulted in larger (arguably less precise) images in a slightly expanded soundstage, which I quite liked. I also think the mids were less forward. But all the differences were -- as you might expect -- quite subtle (and c'mon, for an amp of this level, they better be).

My only point really is that RCA is a viable way to feed the amp and IMO doesn't have to be thought of as a second-class connection. And is just generally worth trying out even when you have the option of using balanced.

 

[joseph69]

If the room was dark enough and I found a set of 2A3s with fancy glowing filaments in the mesh plates like the Sophia(EML?), yeah probably.

You can barley tell that the EML 2A3's are on in the pitch-black.

My dad had ALL the 80’s audio toys out in the open and god help me if I even looked at them funny. Lol cheers.

LMAO!!!

 

[kyle1010]

Oh, my question was purely on the headphone output side of things. Since the WA uses a phase splitter internally when being fed single-ended, all amplification paths are fully engaged even when connected via RCA, and the resulting output levels of the respective headphone outs are the same in both cases. (I definitely like this as an architectural design decision).

Speaking of SE vs balanced input, I want to mention the following -- even though it may call into question my own listening preferences (haha)...

My DAC outputs balanced and SE simultaneously and I was trying to decide which of my two amps would take the balanced connection and which would take the RCA connection. So as part of that test, I had the DAC (Metrum Pavane Level 3) feeding the WA33 using balanced and SE at the same time, and was able to switch inputs coming from that same source instantaneously. And the headphones (Susvara and Auteur) were being connected through XLR.

I actually liked the resulting presentation as much (and maybe even more?!) coming out of the SE compared to balanced. Balanced frequency response extended ever so slightly deeper and I think it was just ever so slightly more punchy, but SE resulted in larger (arguably less precise) images in a slightly expanded soundstage, which I quite liked. I also think the mids were less forward. But all the differences were -- as you might expect -- quite subtle (and c'mon, for an amp of this level, they better be).

My only point really is that RCA is a viable way to feed the amp and IMO doesn't have to be thought of as a second-class connection. And is just generally worth trying out even when you have the option of using balanced.

I can agree with that. I’m hearing electrostatic levels of detail from the SE output of the 33. I’d imagine balanced would do as you described, but for some of my music it isn’t always preferred and I could see myself liking the SE output just as much as balanced.

 

[kyle1010]

Anyone try Woo’s Psvane WR2A3s? Impressions vs stock or the KRs?

 

[llamaluv]

Curious to know which impedance setting people are using with planars.

Output impedance isn't supposed affect planars much -- at least that's how the old adage goes. However with any tube amp with a high/low impedance setting, I've always found it to change presentation in some manner, even if in ways that can be hard to articulate sometimes.

With the WA33 on the high-z setting, I hear a tube-like bloom in the mids/upper-mids, and I'd say the overall volume level is boosted as well. Imaging seems to gain more definition, and the phantom center channel pushes outward and takes on more solidity.

Based on the specific music though, these differences can be barely noticeable, and other times they're very noticeable. With the Susvara, I tend to leave the impedance switch on high, although sometimes with my tube configuration the mids get to be a little much and I'll switch it to low...

 

[matthewhypolite]

Curious to know which impedance setting people are using with planars.

Output impedance isn't supposed affect planars much -- at least that's how the old adage goes. However with any tube amp with a high/low impedance setting, I've always found it to change presentation in some manner, even if in ways that can be hard to articulate sometimes.

With the WA33 on the high-z setting, I hear a tube-like bloom in the mids/upper-mids, and I'd say the overall volume level is boosted as well. Imaging seems to gain more definition, and the phantom center channel pushes outward and takes on more solidity.

Based on the specific music though, these differences can be barely noticeable, and other times they're very noticeable. With the Susvara, I tend to leave the impedance switch on high, although sometimes with my tube configuration the mids get to be a little much and I'll switch it to low...

I use high impedance and level for both the Abyss and Susvara, i use low on both for Utopia

 

[mahesvara]

Anyone try Woo’s Psvane WR2A3s? Impressions vs stock or the KRs?

I have the WR2A3. They are a lot better than stock (big surprise). Greater soundstage and much better clarity.

 

[kyle1010]

I have the WR2A3. They are a lot better than stock (big surprise). Greater soundstage and much better clarity.

Thanks. Hmmm. Tonality vs. stock 2A3s?

 

[mahesvara]

Thanks. Hmmm. Tonality vs. stock 2A3s?

The stock tubes would seem warmer, but it's because they have higher distortion, so the sounds would seem like their edges are blunted. WR2A3 are better in every way (to me).

 

[kyle1010]

The stock tubes would seem warmer, but it's because they have higher distortion, so the sounds would seem like their edges are blunted. WR2A3 are better in every way (to me).

Ahhh ok. I’m looking for something still warm sounding but also very detailed. Shuguang Treasures or maybe Sophias? Not sure.

 

[macx]

Pulling the trigger on a WA33 Elite, my poor wallet....

 

[kyle1010]

Pulling the trigger on a WA33 Elite, my poor wallet....

Yeah, but at least you know you’re done buying headphone amps for a long..long time.