# WOO-HOOOO... WA7 "fireflies"!!!



## mrbigsby

Picking up my WA7 tomorrow morning, stay tuned...Impressions to come!!!
   
  Unboxing
  Day 1 All my cans tested on all genres
  Day 3 32 bit Mac native (cool!) DAC only tests.
  Day 7 lasting impressions
   
  When my other 3 sets of tubes arrive - rolling guide.
   
  30 day revisit, whats changed?


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## wes008

I look forward to your impressions!





  Own any other Woos that you could copare it to? (or any other amp in general?)


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## mrbigsby

At home at the moment i have a c421, e17, and a miniwatt N3. So no real fair comparison. But i have heard the WA6, violetric 800, valhalla, and pan am recently. I have impressions of those all up here somewheres from when i reviewed the pan am, which is what i intended to buy originally.


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## wes008

mrbigsby said:


> I have impressions of those all up here somewheres from when i reviewed the pan am, which is what i intended to buy originally.




Haha, are you the Aussie who couldn't decide on which tube amp to get after auditioning, like, three of them? That was the greatest thread. Glad you finally got yourself some tubes and if this thread will be anything like the Pan Am vs WA6 vs Valhalla (or was it Lyr) thread, I can't wait


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## Kevin Brown

I am curious about this one too.  In fact, I emailed them earlier today about how well these would work with Grados, and if this one or the WA6 would be better for Grados.


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## mrbigsby

wes008 said:


> Haha, are you the Aussie who couldn't decide on which tube amp to get after auditioning, like, three of them? That was the greatest thread. Glad you finally got yourself some tubes and if this thread will be anything like the Pan Am vs WA6 vs Valhalla (or was it Lyr) thread, I can't wait




Hahaha wow I'm humbled! Yeah that was me. Just picked it up actually. Only had a brief listen through some grado gs1000i at A2A with the stock tubes only (which I'm going to keep in for 7 days before rolling). Wow it's TINY, I saw the magni and modi there which is also SO SMALL and cute, but this wasn't much different. Next to a Pan Am its only mm apart! Ill keep it short till I get home tonight and have a proper chillax, then ill post all the pics and side by side pics with other units plus some brief initial thoughts.




kevin brown said:


> I am curious about this one too.  In fact, I emailed them earlier today about how well these would work with Grados, and if this one or the WA6 would be better for Grados.




So far it's hard to comment but they did have a nice synergy. Of course it depends which grados you refer to. But I will say that this was not as warm and round as the wa6 (still sounds like tubes, just not rolle or dull), and seemed to have quite a bit more power.


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## mrbigsby

Sorry for the late reply, but here we are after day1. I should start by saying that due to working 10am-6pm today, i didnt get as much time with the WA7 as i would have liked although i did get a couple hours in and some very interesting results.

First off, some pics of when i first picked it up from A2A, god it was smaller than i thought!!!!


=



Next to the ever so tiny Pan Am "portable" amp... almost the same size, in fact apart from a couple mm more of  width, and half a bees bit in length (actually less) = the same size. One thing i did notice is that the 6c45's absolutely DWARFED the little dinky valves in the Pan AM. Build quality and finishes, there was absolutely no competition. Dont get me wrong, i love the sound of the Pan Am, and if it werent for the total package price, id own one (in the end i spent not a huge amount less on the WA7 considering over all cost), but the WOO feels, looks, and is just built better. The volume knob is silky smooth (after the first turn), it does weigh quite a bit though... Which i actually like. It doesnt feel like a chinese guitar pedal with a couple small tubes in it and a MASSIVE sound, it feels like what you expect... A compact american built powerhouse with no expense spared. I also had a chance to see and hold the modi/magni- that thing is also TINY, even smaller than these two, and feels heavy and well built. But the surface finish is no where near the Woo, but rather between the two. Neither rivals had hidden/invisible/no screws, the high end feel, nor design. But then again the Schiit offering is a third the price or less than a quater if you bought after the WA7 pre release. Respectable, but not in the same league, and not even tube driven- just a size and finish comparison as it was there at the time. I will go back to listen to it though as it had me intrigued as to what can be achieved with a small retail of $300 or whatever (Aus delivered with power supply, not supplied by Shiit but sourced in the same factory).





First listen was VERY brief. Buena Vista Social Club and Grado GS1000i, I could think of worse ways to start my day.

Even with these cans, this thing packed a punch. Not fully warmed up, DAC in play (had to load the driver on the PC there), and 12 o clock was verging on too loud with the big Grados. 

Thats the well built Power supply behind it, side by side its bigger than the amp in some dimensions!





Home sweet home and in business. Fully warm, and mated with Fischer Audios finest cans to date, FA002W Karelian Birch, with the non high edition drivers fitted because i like a fat deep reaching sound, and DT770 250. Via my macbook pro it was seamless at first. No driver. Select the audio input "speaker" and away i went. I used some 24 bit files FLAC and ALAC both through itunes and VLC (same tracks) and it sounded pretty darn good! But I noticed immediately that it wasnt reaching as low as id like on my usual test tracks that had gooch wrenching sub bass... whats going on? CCK (Camera Connection Kit) and ipad, same tracks- deeper sound, the sound i expected!!! GOD ITS NICE. This thing (on both devices with both the DT770 250 ohm, and FA002W 64ohm drivers) is a POWERHOUSE. 11 o clock is LOUD, im a volume fiend, but try as i might i couldnt get it much past 11 without fearing i might burst an ear drum. My teeth were grit hard at 11 and a touch (cant get past there), my brain was buzzing with bass vibration, while the high end sizzle and pops of trentemoller, radiohead, and dabrye made my sparse body hairs stand at attention. Its was the physical satisfaction you hope to expect from "the seriously good gear" at the highest possible volume you can bear. Win.

But wait, what happened with the macbook? Re-test. I didnt imagine it, its not as good? What is the ipad doing that the macbook is not? At first i assumed that i was listening to the proprietary DAC of the ipad (like an iphone would do) and that the "32 bit mac native" WOO DAC was rubbish. Then after calling a friend, we realised i was using a CCK, which means (with most amps) I should be using the WOO DAC. Then it hit us- I was so excited about all this "Mac native" stuff I didnt change the midi settings. I was listening to 16 bit on the Mac, and im guessing 24 bit on the ipad (the reason i recon its not 32 bit on the ipad is because the somgs were IDENTICAL, even with the same graphic EQ once i changed the mac to 24 bit. That being said the songs were only 24 bit recordings so who knows... Anyone got some 32 bit test tracks?

Anywoo, I was impressed  i was in bliss, this thing SERIOUSLY delivered. It doesnt sound anything like a WA6, but weirdly closer to the Pan AM, only a little more detailed and less 'fun'...It wasnt so tubey and glossy like a vaseline lubed wide lens in 80's porn set lighting, like you would expect from some tube amps, but it wasnt as icy cold and unforgiving like you expect from reference grade solid state big hitters. Was it in between? Nope, this was no hybrid amp sound. This is hard to describe. Let me try in more depth. The Woo reaches DEEP, and is POWERFUL. Its everything you want it to be and just a tad more- because its so damn sexy you feel like you stole it from the future somehow. I liked the Pan Am a LOT, its signature suits me. It has a deep sound, and trumped even the WA6 at bass, not to mention absolutely slaughtering the Schiit Valhalla in almost any respect. But what it did best, was electronica. It has a fun signature, with crisp highs, and low bass- a mostly flat smiley. I was in love with it. WAS.

My biggest fear is that the WA7 would look the business, but fall short in terms of the actual overall sound-joy i got from the Pan AM. This isnt me justifying spending more here, it cant be, i spent less. The sound, without doubt, nor the need for multiple back n forth a/b'ing the same tracks, is quite obviously better. Its similar, very similar in what it does, it just god damn does it better! I could punch myself in the face at this point. What kind of woodoo has Jack come up with? Has he done a deal with the audio devil? Yes im excited about my new gear, but im not excited because its new, I bought *several* new toys at once, and they are all nice in their own way, but this is the first and only one to meet all my hopes and expectations. I wont say it surpassed them, because I have listened to a lot of amps and cans by now, and i kinda knew what to expect. I wasnt comparing this thing to a fiio e10 (not that theres anything wrong with an e10), nor a NAD home theater integrated amp. I was hoping that this would be be as good as it looks, and it is... Seriously. Its a GREAT great great amp, and i would pay for it again, and again if i had to. I dont think ill ever feel the urge to buy another home amp. Dont not buy one of these amps idiot.








Every time i left the room to play with my daughter or help out with dinner, i found myself leaning back in to glance into the lounge to make sure i still owned it, and it was real.




 
Stay tuned for the tube rolling guide as i have 3 other (2 NOS, 1 EH gold pin) sets of tubes!!! DAC only tests to come too when i figure out how to use all 32 bits?
 
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
(for some reason spacing gets gnarly from here on, im guessing its from adding too many edits to one post? mods are welcome to interfere).
 
*EDIT: part 2, day 3,*

 
T50RP & WA7





Spent a night with these two bad boys.


**spoiler alert; i still prefer the Fischer Audio FA002W**


But thats a GOOD thing, why? Because what ive found more than anything [to my delight], is that so far a particular set of cans through the WA7 will sound just like that particular cans... Perhaps obvious, but not always true to other amps, and EXCELLENT news for me. So comparing the DT770 250 OHM, the FIscher FA002W, and T50RP (hardest to drive so far, got them albeit uncomfortably to 2:00), they all sounded like themselves, they all rang true. Im now starting to get more of a feel for this amp. Its really quite good, and the beauty is in its simplicity- both of design and (as i said in my earlier review post) tonality. This doesnt just sound as good as it looks, oddly enough it sounds just LIKE it looks. 


Let me explain. The physical design of this new woo to my eyes is smooth, classy, clean, but expensive and beautiful, a large portion but not all of it is also transparent (glass). Most importantly, its also very linear with only 3 prominent features:  two central glowing tubes, and a big volume knob. Once you hear this amp a few times with different cans over a few days, ALL of these physical attributes read as a genius review, a descriptive of the audible characteristics. It's an awe inspiring design, and an absolutely amazing interpretation of the sound.



_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


 


*EDIT: part 3 day 3,*


So this just arrived in the mail:


 





Im guessing by the label its my NOS russian (Reflektor) matched tubes i ordered from ebay. Item number; 140906991405

"STRONG MATCHED PAIR 6S45P-E = WE437 LONG LIFE Triode Tubes, NOS, OTK, Reflektor"




Who puts stickers on tubes? bit of electrical cleaner, and a long polish with a clean microfiber, and they were ready to burn in!




Top is the stock Sovtek, bottom is the Reflector 6S45P-E/WE437 clone. Bit of a funny angle, but they are actually the same size/shape- different stamping that didnt pick up in this shot.

Burn in at this stage was minimal, but results were not.

Its not easy to fluidly explain this situation without sounding like an overly enthusiastic techno-fanboy with a new toy, raving and ranting about audio-castles in the sky. I _*want*_ to be able to say, "oh well, it was only a $38 experiment in the uncharted waters of WA7 tube rolling. An educational and worthwhile exercise, but non the less the stock tubes are better *enter descriptives here*". Unfortunately/fortunately i cant do that. Chalk it down to whatever you like, the first (of three) pair of matched tubes to hit my door step, ordered the same day as ordering the amp itself a month ago, are absolute brutes!

Many are of the opinion that the amp makes the tubes and not the other way round, and i certainly agree here. So I'm not going to tell you these tubes will suddenly induce the WA7 to metamorphosis, emerging from the fog as unicorn with a glowing vacuum horn and two optional inputs under its tail (one apparently more sensitive... for IEM's). What i am going to say is this:

The Reflector 6S45P-E will significantly liven the mid range, very significantly enrich the bass (biggest change), and ever so slightly warm the highs (very minor change here). That being said, it still sounds like the WA7. All of my above notes and comments still stand "smooth", "classy", "clean", "beautiful", etc, etc. Perplexing as it may seem i guess the best way to describe it is mood. Same dude, different mood. Like using a "sports setting" on your automatic car. Same car, different feel. I personally really enjoyed the change, and doubt i will go back to the stock tubes. If your a jazz/classical listener you *may* favor the stock flavour for those genres. For rock, metal, electronica, and hiphop the "Other Russians" take over, and boldly so. 

As always ill keep you up to date with any changes or impressions... And on any more tubes arriving.

I also had a major crisis tonight that was likely my computers fault, but i played around with the midi setup, and quite a lot. I harassed it, flicking back n forth from 16-24 bit, through all the hz ranges. Violently defiling my poor MBP, until something finally gave. The WA7 started to add distortion on lower frequencies, quiet patches were not quiet. then it just stopped. Plugged, replugged, try the other USB port, tried closing and reopening programs, reset, and still nothing, then it just worked? go figure. I _*hope*_ it wasnt the WOO, im pretty sure it was the macbook, we're friends n all but we sorta arent.
 


 


 


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


*EDIT: part 4 day 4,*



Electro Harmonix 6C45Pi GOldpins arrived last night. Stay tuned!

ALSO after emailing Jack regarding tubes, as we all suspected this was the reply the kindly sent:


"[COLOR=0000CD][size=11pt]Hi Adrian,[/size]
[/COLOR]


[COLOR=0000CD][SIZE=11pt]The 6C45 is a very special tube. There is no other types can be used. Though WE437 is a direct substitute. This tube is very rare, however.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=0000CD][SIZE=11pt]Thanks,

Jack[/SIZE][/COLOR][COLOR=1F497D][SIZE=11pt]"[/SIZE][/COLOR]
 


So as far as i can tell without too much effort, 6c45pi from sovtek (current production?) or EH (current production) /6s45P-E (same thing just one is krylic for the other, and the E is military) from Reflektor (NOS), and if you want to spend more on tubes than you did on the amp you can get the WE437 from Western Electric... No idea what kind of difference it would make? 

 

One other candidate im interested in is the 6S15p/6C15Pi, this is the same on paper to the 6c45P, and according to two online sources could be rumoured to be the vintage consumer (non military) version of the NOS Reflektor. Cant even find them though.


EHX 6C45Pi Gold pins.


So they are finally here! I was very enthusiastic about trying these out. I figured the Woo Crew wouldnt have offered a second tube upgrade option if they didnt yield results in testing. I obviously cant comment on Woo's testing (perhaps Jack can?) but in my own experience I certainly found that there was indeed a difference. The amp, although still essentially the same had new perspective, at first apart from some extra depth on the bottom end (more so than the reflektor), and having to adjust the volume slightly down, the change seemed rather minor. Then i went back to Reflektors and felt instantly unimpressed by them, the same tubes i praised yesterday? you bet. I let them burn longer.
More testing the same 10 tracks then, after waiting for some cooling off, i changed back to the Gold Pins. 

[This in itself is a problem that faces all of us when actively reviewing tubes on the same single unit. Cooling times and then the subsequent warming times dont allow for an instant A/B. The solution, two WA7, and two sets of Fischer fa002w karelian birch woodies. DOnt get excited, this unfortunately (for now) just isnt an option. UNLESS someone in Melbourne with a WA7 wants to meet for a side by side comparison- i can easily arrange two bran new identical headphones, say DT880 or something? ]

After the cool/warm time, and hoping my brain had established a lasting sonic image of the Reflektors through the last 8-12 hours or so of intermittent listening over 24 hours, i settled in for second session with the EH goldies. 

They are a sure improvement, a stark change. Again, not a new amp- but with further reach. Most will greatly praise the extension and sparkle these tubes add to the upper end, while others will either love or hate the extension it adds down below. For me, this is exactly what i was looking for. The difference was akin to hitting the +8db peak bass boost switch on a C421. Perhaps for those who dont own or havent heard the C421 (soon to be replaced by the exciting new JDS labs C5), this would likely mean nothing. To those people I would best describe the lower end endowment added by the gold pins as "awesome". This isnt a flat signature. With the Gold Pin EHX in place, this definitely isnt an amp for referencing, and who would want it to be when this amp sounds SO GOOD! This is how i want my music to sound, this is how my WOO WA7 will stay. For referencing actual enjoyment, use a WA7 with Electro Harmonix 6C45Pi.

This amp sounds very nice in stock form, im a big fan of it compared to the Pan Am (its closest competitor) also in stock form. As with most things audio, and often life in general, you never really notice how much better things are until you view them in retrospect. The ears and brain (at least mine), always seem to appreciate a nice improvement, but its not till you go back to what was, when the differences really become apparent. 
In summery if your going to spend $999 on a gorgeous little amp, spend $60-$100 more on some tested & matched gold pins. 

I havent yet tested the gold pins against raw stock, however im certain Jack has. After the time spent with both the Reflektors and the Gold Pins, i can honestly say that these are obviously offered by the manufacturer with a good reason.

Dont bother with the Reflektors, go straight for these.



For now, thats all from me. Ill be back in a week or two with more if anything comes to mind. Questions and comments are of course always welcome!


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## wes008

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> gooch wrenching sub bass


 
  You Aussies crack me up  I want to speak like you guys.
   
  Awesome write up. It's a gorgeous piece of kit, and I'm glad it has a sound to match. I just wish Jack would lower the price, this thing could sell like crazy.
   
  EDIT: Just looked up the meaning of gooch... it does not mean gut


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## belisk

"woodoo" sums it up nicely i think.
   
  lemme know what your impressions are with the EH's compared to the stock tubes.
  I went straight for the EH's myself and rather leave them in place


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## mrbigsby

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> You Aussies crack me up  I want to speak like you guys.
> 
> Awesome write up. It's a gorgeous piece of kit, and I'm glad it has a sound to match. I just wish Jack would lower the price, this thing could sell like crazy.
> 
> EDIT: Just looked up the meaning of gooch... it does not mean gut


 
   
  THanks a bunch man. Yeah we all want our gear cheaper! Truth is its worth the money, and i never thought id say that, but it is. Not only because its just that good, but because you can see and feel what was spent creating it. After seeing it and hearing it for the first time i  immediately made enquiries as to where it was made and the size of his operation...I wonder if Jack is actually profiting to be honest. He almost went too far on quality compared to any other sub $2000 audio devices ive owned or reviewed lately. Apart from the glass top, its the hidden screws, simplicity, and power supply that get me (the powersupply is built better than most amps). On the glass, I never even knew glass came that clear, and i work with public and private aquariums!
  www.facebook.com/exoticaquatic
   
  By watching the waiting times increase every few days like this, and knowing how much A2A  wants as much stock as they can get their hands on, im guessing Jack is selling units faster than he can make them!
   
  re your edit: Oh, yeah, i guess im desensitised to my own speak. i should edit that shouldnt i? 
   
  Quote: 





belisk said:


> "woodoo" sums it up nicely i think.
> 
> lemme know what your impressions are with the EH's compared to the stock tubes.
> I went straight for the EH's myself and rather leave them in place


 
   
   
  Im eager to try all the tubes out! Im actually especially excited to try the NOS Russian WE437 clones by Reflektor!


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## Kevin Brown

^^^
   
  Thanks for your thoughts.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I ordered one over the weekend.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Jack says that, "[size=11pt]Overall, it has higher performance than the WA6.[/size]".
   
  I have a Valhalla now, and in spite of the fact that theoretically, it isn't the best match with Grados, I really like it.  In fact, I had a MAD Ear+ HD for a year and a half that I kept trying to like, but I just preferred the Valhalla.
   
  Can't wait !!


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## atomicbob

Thank-you for the first impressions. Hope to receive a WA7 sometime later in Feb. It will be interesting to see how it compares / contrasts with my woo WA3+ OTL amp which is a very enjoyable listen, to my ears, with Sennheiser HD600 and now Beyer T90.


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## mrbigsby

THanks gents! Please feel free to share your thoughts here, Im eager to have someone to share the love with.


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## V-Duh

Hey!  Thanks for the info!  I was just a little (very little) worried it might be a bit too tubey.  Sounds like this is far from the case.  I'm really looking forward to mine.  It'll make work FUN!!!


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## mrbigsby

Your going to love it im sure. Unusually (for me anyway) this bit of gear is quite hard to fault. When writing the review upon re-reading it i thought: "Wow, ok i have to balance this out somehow, i need to look more closely and listen some more, after all this is a gen 1 product, there has to be an oversight". Nothing is perfect, im sure theres a fault/minor inconvenience there somewhere- i just havent found it yet.


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## Bender1987

Very nice review mate I have been using mine sense it came in on Friday with both my LCD-2's and Grado HF-2,s, and coming from a FiiO E7/E9 setup
  I am 100% blown away with the difference I am getting from my headsets. Being that it is my first relatively high end Amp I am very happy with the purchase!


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## Bender1987

Just a couple of pics of my set up as well


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## V-Duh

The black version looks good in the wild.  I went with the sexy smokey look too.  Umm, wait, it's going to work...  Correction:  I went with the dark understated look too.


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## mrbigsby

Nice set up Bender! I was wondering how it sounded with LCD2! Any chance you could try your cans on a local dealers Pan AM, id be VERY curious as to the outcome!!!! The Pan Am was praised HARD for its synergy with the LCD2, I dont have an LCD2 with me to check, but based on my experience testing the two with other cans im guessing the WA7 will have an edge here too. Although its hard to guess with planars.


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## Bender1987

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> Nice set up Bender! I was wondering how it sounded with LCD2! Any chance you could try your cans on a local dealers Pan AM, id be VERY curious as to the outcome!!!! The Pan Am was praised HARD for its synergy with the LCD2, I dont have an LCD2 with me to check, but based on my experience testing the two with other cans im guessing the WA7 will have an edge here too. Although its hard to guess with planars.


 
  That's a good idea Big I was really considering The Pan Am before i jumped on the WA7. I kind of doubt we have a local dealer for one
  but next time I am out of town in Miami or Orlando I will check! Also the Atlanta meet in May I am hoping to have a lot to compare with there as well!


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## alwaysec

help!! how to connect the amp to a mbp? a usb cable usually for printer?


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## alwaysec

issue solved. 
   
  AWESOME))))))))


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## ariesq

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> THanks a bunch man. Yeah we all want our gear cheaper! Truth is its worth the money, and i never thought id say that, but it is. Not only because its just that good, but because you can see and feel what was spent creating it. After seeing it and hearing it for the first time i  immediately made enquiries as to where it was made and the size of his operation...I wonder if Jack is actually profiting to be honest. He almost went too far on quality compared to any other sub $2000 audio devices ive owned or reviewed lately. Apart from the glass top, its the hidden screws, simplicity, and power supply that get me (the powersupply is built better than most amps). On the glass, I never even knew glass came that clear, and i work with public and private aquariums!
> www.facebook.com/exoticaquatic
> 
> By watching the waiting times increase every few days like this, and knowing how much A2A  wants as much stock as they can get their hands on, im guessing Jack is selling units faster than he can make them!
> ...


 
  This is extremely off-topic. I"m just posting to say that your aquariums are beautiful lol =D


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## wes008

Quote: 





ariesq said:


> This is extremely off-topic. I"m just posting to say that your aquariums are beautiful lol =D


 
  ERMAHGERSH, I just took a look at them too, and they are spectacular 0_0


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## Kevin Brown

How are you guys getting these so early?
   
  I just got the shipping notice for mine ... and it won't be until the end of March.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I'm just late in the queue?


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## AustinHorn

Man I'm dying here. It says mine won't be here until early March & I thought I ordered early. Oh well...

I would love to hear more feedback on how it sounds with different headphones like the HD800, HE500 or HE6, LCD2 & 3, Beyer 880 600 ohm, etc. it may be a little early for tube rolling reports but any shared would be appreciated.

Great pics, buy the way.


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## mrbigsby

Quote: 





ariesq said:


> This is extremely off-topic. I"m just posting to say that your aquariums are beautiful lol =D


 
   
  Why thank you sir. Yep not your average "fish tank". Shame the Australian market isnt as big as the US, EU, or Asian market place or id be actually making money!lol
   
  Quote: 





wes008 said:


> ERMAHGERSH, I just took a look at them too, and they are spectacular 0_0


 
   
  Thank you thank you. *bows*, I'm glad you like them.
   
  Quote: 





kevin brown said:


> How are you guys getting these so early?
> 
> I just got the shipping notice for mine ... and it won't be until the end of March.
> 
> ...


 
   
  I ordered + paid Jan 2, I know that was early for Australia, no idea about the rest of the world. Never fret, its certainly worth the wait!!! 
   
  Quote: 





austinhorn said:


> Man I'm dying here. It says mine won't be here until early March & I thought I ordered early. Oh well...
> 
> I would love to hear more feedback on how it sounds with different headphones like the HD800, HE500 or HE6, LCD2 & 3, Beyer 880 600 ohm, etc. it may be a little early for tube rolling reports but any shared would be appreciated.
> 
> Great pics, buy the way.


 
   
  I was discussing this with a mate who said that this is almost always the case with new production models of boutique audio gear. 1st run is a little slow to keep up. Jacks operation must be pretty big, and obviously very talented, but demand might have washed over supply on this one for now- Im sure they are at max capacity and doing everything they can.
   
  Will do man! Last night I sat with a bran new pair of T50RP and the 7, ill post my findings below now and do my best to get my hands on some of those other cans. Its a long drive for me to get sennheiser though!


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## mrbigsby

Moved to Page 1, post 7 (coincidentally). Ill keep adding all the "reviewish" parts there to keep things as cohesive as possible? Im open to suggestions for this kinda thing, not great at keeping it neat and tidy.
   
  Thanks


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## pwfletcher

Great freakin' review!!!  Now I can't wait until mine shows up dammit


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## alwaysec

hi mrbigsby, how do you connect ipad with the wa7？ cant see clearly in the pic. i assume u can also connect an iphone with the wa7 using the same setup/cable, right?


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## mrbigsby

I use the CCK (iPad camera connection kit) supplied by apple. This enables USB input to any iPad and usually bypasses the DAC in the iPad (but not always for some reason?). In the case of the WA7 it does, confirmed by Jack. For an iPhone I haven't tried, I can try tonight but I immediately assume you would more likely use an RCA to LOD. There are nice silver RCA to LODs on eBay for $50-$60!!!! If like me you prefer copper they are there too. If you want something extra nerdy try toxic cables or ALO. 
   
  Many thanks
  Bigsby.


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## alwaysec

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> I use the CCK (iPad camera connection kit) supplied by apple. This enables USB input to any iPad and usually bypasses the DAC in the iPad (but not always for some reason?). In the case of the WA7 it does, confirmed by Jack. For an iPhone I haven't tried, I can try tonight but I immediately assume you would more likely use an RCA to LOD. There are nice silver RCA to LODs on eBay for $50-$60!!!! If like me you prefer copper they are there too. If you want something extra nerdy try toxic cables or ALO.
> 
> Many thanks
> Bigsby.


 
  thanks, i have the cck and will try today or tomorrow. 
   
  another questions (sorry, its my first ever tube amp) the metal case is quite warm (not burning "warm"). is it normal?


----------



## stainless824

For the pre-order price that we got the WA7 at, they are AMAZING value for money when paired with the audezes. I think the only times i've heard them better are from the RWA isabellina and the Liquid fire, both costing many times more than the WA7, DAC accounted for, and the difference was around 20% if i had to quantify things.
   
  That being said, haven't heard the LCD2 with the RWA darkstar or Woo's own WA6se.
   
  And I've had mine running for 5 hours now. It is VERY warm


----------



## mrbigsby

Quote: 





alwaysec said:


> thanks, i have the cck and will try today or tomorrow.
> 
> another questions (sorry, its my first ever tube amp) the metal case is quite warm (not burning "warm"). is it normal?


 
  An absolute pleasure dude. mmm, not sure. I mean tube amps do get warm, but usually Woo doesnt get too warm when compared to say the Asgard which can cook eggs after only half hour. My 7 hasnt gotten "warm" yet. I mean its not cold, and its above ambient temps, but it doesnt feel like the charger from my macbook after 2 hours use! I suppose it will all have a lot to do with ambient temps and air flow in the room... If you have a warm room and not much breeze, perhaps on hot days try running it glass-off and see if that makes a difference. Try to never handle the tubes with bare hands. If you have, when they are cold clean them with the included cloth. Residues from your skin can cause tubes/valves to prematurely expire from oily hot spots.
   
  EDIT: its 37 celcius here now, and the glass is now quite warm, still wouldnt call it hot though. Ill check again in an hour.


----------



## mrbigsby

Page 1 (post 7) updated. 
   
  A few things ive noticed or checked as per request:
   
  1/ As i suspected CCK wont work on an iphone with the WA7.
   
  2 and 3/ Keep your utilities in your task bar, you need to select 24/192 for 'speaker' (WA7) output everytime you connect. Otherwise youll develop paranoia about the ipad sounding better than the mac.
   
  Quote one of my replies from the WA7 thread:
   
 _"Yes mate, I experienced the same thing. But changing the midi section sorted 99% of it out. I *think** *I can still hear a very very slight difference, but it may very well be psychosomatic, after all I am some what of a Psycho Semite. _
  
 _I noticed some quiet intermittent sizzle through any of my cans (regardless of volume position) when this thing warms up. Almost like very quiet distant tidal sounds. It disappears after its warm though. I probably shouldn't be listening till its warmed up anyways so no harm done in my book._
  
 _I'm going to update my review in an hour or so to consolidate it all on the first post. Bit disjointed now. I had some fun with the WA7 and a new pair of T50RP yesterday, also have the new FA-011 rev2 AND the relatively new and aparently extremely impressive Soundmagic HP100 on the way over the next few days-week so ill keep adding as I go."_
   
  much love,
  Bigsby.


----------



## alwaysec

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> An absolute pleasure dude. mmm, not sure. I mean tube amps do get warm, but usually Woo doesnt get too warm when compared to say the Asgard which can cook eggs after only half hour. My 7 hasnt gotten "warm" yet. I mean its not cold, and its above ambient temps, but it doesnt feel like the charger from my macbook after 2 hours use! I suppose it will all have a lot to do with ambient temps and air flow in the room... If you have a warm room and not much breeze, perhaps on hot days try running it glass-off and see if that makes a difference. Try to never handle the tubes with bare hands. If you have, when they are cold clean them with the included cloth. Residues from your skin can cause tubes/valves to prematurely expire from oily hot spots.
> 
> EDIT: its 37 celcius here now, and the glass is now quite warm, still wouldnt call it hot though. Ill check again in an hour.


 
  now we have a common benchmark - the temp of the charger for mbp


----------



## PleasantSounds

mrbigsby - thanks for all the posts! 
  I have also pre-ordered the WA7, but will only pick it up it in about 2 weeks when I return from overseas. Your contributions help me believe this is money well spent.
  Having your reassurance that the WA7 pairs very well with LCD-2 gives me some comfort, but I'm planning to use it mostly with T5p. I have a feeling that for my listening this could be ultimate combo. I guess I'll find out in a couple of weeks...
  Cheers,


----------



## mrbigsby

Thanks Pleasantsounds! Glad i could be of service. It seems there may have been a misinterpretation there somewhere as i have unfortunately not yet tried the 7 with LCD2, however as soon as i do ill keep you in the loop (same goes for T5p).
   
  On page 2 there is another member who has this LCD2 combo, perhaps we can tease some more info out of him once he returns from WOOville?


----------



## mrbigsby

Original post _*Page 1 Post 7 *_ has now been updated (again) to include the first exercise in *WA7 tube rolling.*
   
There are a few updates there, and more to come, so scroll up to see what you may have missed if something seems out of context. Questions and requests are of course more than welcome.
   
Wishing you all well,
Bigsby.


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> It seems there may have been a misinterpretation there somewhere as i have unfortunately not yet tried the 7 with LCD2, however as soon as i do ill keep you in the loop (same goes for T5p).


 
   
  Could be it was someone else - thanks for clearing that out.  Looking forward to your further reports!


----------



## Bender1987

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> Thanks Pleasantsounds! Glad i could be of service. It seems there may have been a misinterpretation there somewhere as i have unfortunately not yet tried the 7 with LCD2, however as soon as i do ill keep you in the loop (same goes for T5p).
> 
> On page 2 there is another member who has this LCD2 combo, perhaps we can tease some more info out of him once he returns from WOOville?


 
  HAHA Hey Big I have been meaning to add some impressions to this post!
   
  Prior to the WA7 i was using my Grado HF-2 with a FiiO E7/E9 pairing and also was borrowing my friends Schiit Asgard from time to time..
  I picked up the LCD-2 only after my order for the WA7 was in " I wanted to be sure i had an amp that could compliment them".
  The LCD-2 Rev1 with a Norse Audio Norn  series cable  where all bought here threw fellow head-fi,ers
  I got the LCD-2 about 2 weeks prior to the WA7 and i knew hearing them from the FiiO E7/E9 that they where not being used to there full potential
  because to be honest they did not sound has good as my Grado HF-2 threw either the FiiO setup or the Asgard.
  So before the WA7 even got here i had very high expectations of it and knew it would either be a fantastic buy or a huge let down,
   
  I set it up literally the moment it was dropped off by FedEx.
  I used Foobar2000 with WASAPI for my first test Playing a 32 Bit FLAC Deftones Acoustic playlist " I usually use Audacity to check most of my files on my desktop so that is what i go on"
  The Deftones FLAC in question was ripped for me by a friend a few years ago and left un doctored IE i still can hear the the scratching of the record when played from high end equipment,
  And the difference from the FiiO to the WOO was night and day from the get go, The scratching from the Vinyl was there the sound stage was exactly where it need'ed to be,
  To be sure The LCD-2's where coming through much better it was seriously like i was just hearing them for the first time, And could see what all the fuss about them was for myself.
  It made me feel very good about the choice of the WOO WA7. I am looking forward to the meet in Atlanta in May so i can compare the WA7 to other amp,s there
  as my town is not so great for head-fi,er,s. But from what i have read around the net and heard from others here if you picked the WA7 up at the preorder price it is fantastic bang for your buck!
  And i feel i will be using it for years to come myself!


----------



## mrbigsby

There he is! Thanks Bender.
   
  Great to hear your enjoying your amp so much man. Its great to get satisfaction from a decent sized purchase. Cant wait to hear more once you get to that meet!!!
   
  My city is actually very good for hifi, but unfortunately i havent heard of any meets in a long while. I did try to gently mention/organise one once though. Perhaps ill try again soon.
   
  Thanking you again man, your tempting me to bite the bullet on LCD2


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> Thanking you again man, your tempting me to bite the bullet on LCD2


 
  Do it, do it! We have to know how it compares to the LCD-2/Pan Am combo!


----------



## mrbigsby

mmmm... I'm not a MASSIVE LCD fan, although I do like them a lot. Do I drop $a-grand in the interest of curiosity and wood-lust, or do I find some other way? Unfortunately there's no stores that have a demo WA7 but a couple with demo LCD2/3. Perhaps we need to organize a Melbourne meet? Someone with LCD, someone with the Pan Am, and ill bring... Cake?


----------



## jckp919

Anyone know if there is any substitute for 6C45 that WA7 is using? I am using the WA7 with Hifiman 500 and found that the sound is a little bit lack of warmth... wanna change the tubes if possible...


----------



## mrbigsby

Really? I guess the HE500 is quite a cool and revealing headphone. Perhaps try the Reflektor set mentioned in post7. There's even an eBay link. They are only around $40-$50 shipped. Experiences will vary based on the cans you use by my impressions of these tubes can also be seen there. It may also prove worthwhile holding out till my Electro Harmonix gold pins arrive to compare them to.


----------



## Mattimis

thats a really cool looking amp, not sure that factors in but I like the design.


----------



## Currawong

Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I have both amps here. Remember that the PanAm is designed to be, optionally, battery-powered. That means it has much less power than the WA7. All the same, unless one turns the volume up with some dramatic orchestral works, it still does very well at moderate listening levels, even with my LCD-3s. Using the better tube options for the PanAm the sound is more neutral and lively than the WA7, which is more warm and euphoric (with stock tubes).


----------



## mrbigsby

Arigatto Gozaymasu Amos-chan!! Humbled to have your input, and delighted to find you have both amps and LCD3 with you!!

I'm intrigued by your thoughts that the Pan Am is neutral (or at least more so). I found the Pan Am (with stock tubes) to have more colored bass than the Asgard, and to be bolder (but not warmer) than the WA6. Personally I found both the Pan Am and the WA7 to both be in the same sound vein, or signature direction, only I prefer the tonality and power of the WOO offering. Obviously also the look and build for essentially the same money (or less if you are in Australia and paid by the preorder cut off).

I'd be extremely interested to hear your view on both with stock tubes. Then both with your first choice of alternate tubes in either unit, if you find the time. What are your favorite cans for the Pan Am? How do these same cans compare through the WA7? 

Sorry for bombarding you, obviously take your time.

Many thanks!


----------



## jckp919

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> Really? I guess the HE500 is quite a cool and revealing headphone. Perhaps try the Reflektor set mentioned in post7. There's even an eBay link. They are only around $40-$50 shipped. Experiences will vary based on the cans you use by my impressions of these tubes can also be seen there. It may also prove worthwhile holding out till my Electro Harmonix gold pins arrive to compare them to.


 
  I am thinking if i should purchase a pair of WE437 .. just to see if the sound can improve..
   
  but the price tag...scared the shxx out of me...


----------



## mrbigsby

Personally i think its too much to spend. Depending where you get them they are often much more than the total cost of the amp iteslf. Try the reflektor and EHX gold pins. Or just wait till tomorrow night as *my electro harmonix just arrived in the mail.*
   
  unboxing, and initial impressions tomorrow.
  Then i plan a brief comparison of the three tubes, and finally ill burn each set in properly and re-evaluate.
   
  Hope to do as much of this as quickly as possible in mt downtime from my 6-7 day a week job! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




some hobby!


----------



## Currawong

I'm not fond of the stock tubes that the PanAm comes with. I haven't found them to give particularly good bass response in some of my headphones. My comments were derived from comparison to my main solid-state system (which was designed with the intent that it have no coloration whatsoever).
   
  By the way, "-chan" is the suffix for girl child, neither of which I am.


----------



## kr0gg

Quote: 





currawong said:


> By the way, "-chan" is the suffix for girl child, neither of which I am.


 
   
   
  i guess "-sensei" would suit the situation much better


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





currawong said:


> I have both amps here. Remember that the PanAm is designed to be, optionally, battery-powered. That means it has much less power than the WA7. All the same, unless one turns the volume up with some dramatic orchestral works, it still does very well at moderate listening levels, even with my LCD-3s. Using the better tube options for the PanAm the sound is more neutral and lively than the WA7, which is more warm and euphoric (with stock tubes).


 
  *GASPS* I was addressed by the mighty Currawong!  It is an honor, sir. And thank you for the comparison, lots of stuff to think about. What are your favorite tubes for the Pan Am? (No need to respond again if you don't want to, one response from your highness is enough for a lifetime)


----------



## Kevin Brown

Hey guys - Once I get mine ...  I can't remember seeing many comments about this (?), but any tidbits concerning burn-in of the WA7?
   
  The Valhalla was quite bright out of the box, but settled down quite nicely after about 50 - 100 hrs.


----------



## mrbigsby

Quote: 





currawong said:


> I'm not fond of the stock tubes that the PanAm comes with. I haven't found them to give particularly good bass response in some of my headphones. My comments were derived from comparison to my main solid-state system (which was designed with the intent that it have no coloration whatsoever).
> 
> By the way, "-chan" is the suffix for girl child, neither of which I am.


 
   
  THanks mate. Comparing the Pan Am directly to the WA7, and leaving out the reference kit? I only ask because this is what most people would be eager to know being these amps are the closest in price and size on the market. Like a simple A, vs B same cans same song? I know its not as intense but rather than referencing from "0", referencing off each other seems to satisfy an itch.
   
  Regarding the whole suffix thing, with more rigid and traditional 'desu' speak, yes you are correct, however in slang or street speak between friends (at least between Japanese people in Melbourne)it has no gender and is a term of endearment denoting friendship.
  In rough order ( and im sure ill forget some)
  sama (only samurai and otaku nerds use this)
  dono (another weird text only, or very formal term)
  sishu (teacher)/sensai (master)/taicho (military)/tensho (retail boss)
  senpai (a colleague superior)
  san (colleague or equal)
  kun (masculin form of friend) 
  chan (from a male over 40 to anyone younger this would be weird) most relaxed form between people who have come to know each other.
   
  My apologies if ive ballsed it up there too. In retrospect I suppose if we are going to be all Japanese about it, it should have been senpai. I was really just trying to be funny/warm though dude. Sorry all the same.
   
  Quote: 





kevin brown said:


> Hey guys - Once I get mine ...  I can't remember seeing many comments about this (?), but any tidbits concerning burn-in of the WA7?
> 
> The Valhalla was quite bright out of the box, but settled down quite nicely after about 50 - 100 hrs.


 
  I havent noticed any difference so far, but then again ive been swapping tubes around a fair bit, and their probably the things that "burn in".
   
*****super excited, my EH gold pins arrived last night, so ill have another set of tubes to play with tonight. Ill post initial thoughts, comparisons with the Sovtek and Refektor asap. And then ill likely take a longer while to listen to each again and again, then get back to you for a tube roundup/revisit. Im not expecting any MAJOR differences, but who knows? THe Reflector certainly raised a brow for me in overal tonality change (warmth, mainly on the mid and bottom end)****


----------



## wes008

Ooooohhh, telling Currawong, who lives in Japan, how to speak Japanese? GUFF THAT IS.


----------



## mrbigsby

wes008 said:


> Ooooohhh, telling Currawong, who lives in Japan, how to speak Japanese? GUFF THAT IS.




Wow, I don't think he would interperate it that way. It certainly wasn't intended that way, just explaining I didn't mean to apparently call him a girl! . Lets keep this about the woo WA7 before anything else gets misconstrued, we are clearly all friends here.


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> Wow, I don't think he would intemperate it that way. It certainly wasn't intended that way, just explaining I didn't mean to apparently call him a girl!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I was only jesting. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Yes, back to the WA7...
   
*EDIT: *Ooh, MrBigsby, do you think you could do a YouTube video overview-thingy on the amp? I like to see videos for gear like this.


----------



## mrbigsby

Sure, happy to do what I can. What would you like to see?


----------



## Currawong

It's funny. It's very easy to screw up how to address someone here. Best to use "-san" if you're not 100% sure.  
   
  About the PanAm and tubes: I'm going to stick with the idea that one should buy the PanAm and a better pair of tubes as some of them are only $9.


----------



## wes008

Hmm, a quick physical tour of the amp, the amp in your setup (seeing amps next to headphones is always cool 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





), and maybe your impressions in 30 seconds. Oh, and mention the tubes as well. 
   
  P.S. Sorry if that sounded like an order, we appreciate the video very much ^_^
   
   
  EDIT:


currawong said:


> About the PanAm and tubes: I'm going to stick with the idea that one should buy the PanAm and a better pair of tubes as some of them are only $9.


 
  Thanks Currawong!


----------



## mrbigsby

currawong said:


> It's funny. It's very easy to screw up how to address someone here. Best to use "-san" if you're not 100% sure.
> 
> About the PanAm and tubes: I'm going to stick with the idea that one should buy the PanAm and a better pair of tubes as some of them are only $9.




Thanks mate. Glad I didn't offend you.
Ok that's cool. So I guess it's best to wait till you have chosen the best tube for the WA7 to do a direct comparison between "the best" Pan Am, and "the best" WA7? In any case I'd be very interested in your opinion.

Many thanks!




wes008 said:


> Hmm, a quick physical tour of the amp, the amp in your setup (seeing amps next to headphones is always cool
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Happy to oblige buddy! I'm not one for being in film, but ill certainly compile something visually appealing and as informative as possible for you over the next couple days.

Thanks again.


----------



## mrbigsby

Gold Pins added to the initial review (post 7)
   
  Cant wait for others to get their amps too and share impressions!
   
  Let me know if i can help further.


----------



## stainless824

Thanks for your thoughts on the gold pins. Looks like i'm out on another 100 dollars


----------



## Currawong

One of the points about the PanAm compared to the WA7 is that it transportable and can be used with the Passport battery. That means a design that uses less power and so has less overall grunt. But still, without jacking up the volume on big orchestral works while using demanding cans for example, it does pretty well. No such issues with the WA7 of course.


----------



## mrbigsby

I did read an interesting comment Jack made once about a future revision of the WA7 posible being portable. However it wouldnt be possible with the gen 1 product. I may see if i can dig it up- just have to remember where it was said. In any case i think its too heavy and bulky to be portable. TO me portable means pocket or at least bag sized. Neither of these amps really are.  Although similarly sized to the WA7, the Pan Am is lighter and does have a passport battery. I still couldnt see myself using it on the go. Maybe id travel with it? It did have a nice sound.
   
HAHA it was here on headfi after all! Page two of The All-New WA7 Fireflies from Woo Audio thread
"...Power consumption is 25W max. Battery operation is not feasible in this version and maybe the next, maybe. Yes, we plan on releasing an amp-only version in the future."-Jack Woo (founder Woo Audio).


----------



## alwaysec

do i get a lemon?
   
  i just feel something is not right....
   
  first of all, the temp of the metal case. after about 3-4 hours, the metal case is burning hot. maybe not burning, but definitely not just warm. there is also burning smell, like plastic burning, not severe, but anyone can smell that without any effort. 
   
  it is my first tube amp, so i dont have any comparison or experience about these stuff. 
   
  there is also sound problem. dont know how to describe, i just feel the music sounds quite messy. i tried both hd650 and T1. i didnt notice this problem when i used e17 with hd650. i will do a comparison this weekend. 
   
  anyone can give me some ideas (or comfort me)? 
   
  ps.
  the amp already ran for more about 10 hours in total since i received it. (if it matters).


----------



## alwaysec

ok, i did a quick comparison by using two setups to play a same flac. 
   
  rmbp+e17+hd650
   
  rmbp+wa7+t1
   
  i never noticed the issue i mentioned before when  i used e17. the reason is just that i _never noticed_. 
   
  even though it is not as obvious as i use wa7 + t1/hd50, the "flaw" is still there. knowing this, i feel relieved. 
   
  i am very very tired, have to goto bed now.


----------



## mrbigsby

I had the burning smell with the Reflektor tubes, but my amp is yet to get hotter than warm. For a tube amp actually i think the temp is quite low. Again i assume it has more to do with ambient temps and air flow. For instance its summer in Australia so i have my aircon going quite a bit and even though the amp is far far away from it, it must play a role in why mine is not surpassing "warm". Im guessing we will know more when we have more basis of comparison. Mine certainly as no issues like that.


----------



## Currawong

Amps will get warm, sometimes very warm. The tubes will get too hot to touch, enough so any dust on them (from the packaging?) might produce a bit of a burning smell I imagine. In my room, which is around 20-22 degrees C the glass and metal case only get a little warm, even after a few hours. If the case were getting so warm you could barely touch it then I'd be worried, but not otherwise.


----------



## alwaysec

guys, pls report the temp of ur psu. mine is burning hot, which means even much hotter than the amp metal case.


----------



## alwaysec

bigsby, btw, i am from sydney.


----------



## mrbigsby

Will do!


----------



## V-Duh

Hey alwaysec,
  I've been running mine nonstop for around 4 hours with either music or pink noise.  Both the amp case and the psu are warm with no smell.  Is the voltage set correctly on your psu?  Something seems strange.


----------



## stainless824

i'm running mine in a non airconned room but ambient temperature is quite cool. I'm able to run my i7 pc at 38-40 degrees under light load, so ambient temp is about 20 degrees without much airflow. The amp and the power block are actually running quite hot, but nothing I haven't seen before.


----------



## alwaysec

just finished dinner.
   
  sydney is quite hot today compared to last week. 
   
  the room is quite "warm" too. 
   
  i turned on the amp again and lets see what will happen.
   
  i dont know the temp of my dell i7 mobile workstation which i am using to type these word (and play dota2 soon
   
  the temp of my rmbp sitting next to dell is like 48C. nothing is running except Vox playing some flac files. 
   
  psu is cool now (just turned on 1 min ago)
   
  metal case is cool too. 
   
  local time is 10:09pm.
   
   
  ps.
  i did slide open a little window just behind the amp to improve the airflow.


----------



## mrbigsby

Been running mine for a bit over an hour and a half very loudly and non stop amp barely warm, power supply feels the same to touch. I left the aircon off all evening and its a tad over 24 inside now.
  Did you check what your power supply is set to? 
   
  Another note: I assume my kid was playing with my itunes as i had disturbingly bad sound tonight for about 20 mins while i fumbled to plug and unplug, and play with midi settings and pull my hair out. Turns out in the couple hours i left the computer unattended my two year old had somehow turned on the "enhancer" setting in itunes preferences. After turning this setting back to off, sound returned to normal, as did my heart rate. Not sure why it sounded so horrible though? I hadnt really ever played with this setting, so as an experiment i briefly plugged my cans direct in the Mac and messed around with it. Its lame and cringy, but no where near as distorted as once the DAC and amp are added.


----------



## alwaysec

forgot to mention, the voltage was defaulted to 220v by a2a (i guess).


----------



## alwaysec

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> Been running mine for a bit over an hour and a half very loudly and non stop amp barely warm, power supply feels the same to touch. I left the aircon off all evening and its a tad over 24 inside now.
> Did you check what your power supply is set to?
> 
> Another note: I assume my kid was playing with my itunes as i had disturbingly bad sound tonight for about 20 mins while i fumbled to plug and unplug, and play with midi settings and pull my hair out. Turns out in the couple hours i left the computer unattended my two year old had somehow turned on the "enhancer" setting in itunes preferences. After turning this setting back to off, sound returned to normal, as did my heart rate. Not sure why it sounded so horrible though? I hadnt really ever played with this setting, so as an experiment i briefly plugged my cans direct in the Mac and messed around with it. Its lame and cringy, but no where near as distorted as once the DAC and amp are added.


 
   
  i just finished one good game, the case is warm and so is the psu. 11:14pm now.


----------



## Currawong

Having sat idle for a few hours the PSU is cold, but it is in front of a window behind my desk and it is winter here.


----------



## alwaysec

Quote: 





currawong said:


> Having sat idle for a few hours the PSU is cold, but it is in front of a window behind my desk and it is winter here.


 
  i like winter, but summer is here.
   
  it is burning hot now, both. 
   
  11:58pm


----------



## alwaysec

fyi
   
  the setting is hi-Z and USB


----------



## mrbigsby

can you hold the casing or PSU for an extended period of time without being forced to let go through pain? do you have a cooking thermometer? I think we need to quantify this. Mine barely gets warm (either one). I mean their not room temp, but they dont get hot like my macbook pro power supply. rather about as warm (at best), as my iphone 4g with extended browsing use for a couple hours.


----------



## alwaysec

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> can you hold the casing or PSU for an extended period of time without being forced to let go through pain? do you have a cooking thermometer? I think we need to quantify this. Mine barely gets warm (either one). I mean their not room temp, but they dont get hot like my macbook pro power supply. rather about as warm (at best), as my iphone 4g with extended browsing use for a couple hours.


 
  i can NOT hold the psu for an extended period of time. i dont have a cooking thermometer. i already turn off the mbp, so cant compare to its power supply. however, the psu is certainly hotter than the mbp power or iphone 4g (my company phone is 4g too). 
   
  damn it. it seems mine does have a problem. 
   
   
  ps.
  the glass is very hot too


----------



## wes008

Just shoot Jack an email. He'll probably give some insight or ask you to send it back. He needs to know if there are problems with these, so he doesn't wind up shipping other units and having more problems (Imagine if no one had told Jason about the issues with the Schiit Magni). If there is something making it unusually warm, he'll probably replace it for free.
   
  EDIT: Make sure you mention you're in Australia and bought it from Addicted to Audio. He'll still support you, but it would be a good idea for him to know what the power situation is.


----------



## atomicbob

I would suggest acquiring an infrared thermometer, General Tools IRT207 for example, and measuring the temperatures. They are fairly inexpensive. The IR thermometer is also handy later to monitor tube temperatures. In my WA3 a 6080wc runs approx 162 deg C while a 6AS7G will run 129 deg C.


----------



## carsany

Quote: 





alwaysec said:


> i can NOT hold the psu for an extended period of time. i dont have a cooking thermometer. i already turn off the mbp, so cant compare to its power supply. however, the psu is certainly hotter than the mbp power or iphone 4g (my company phone is 4g too).
> 
> damn it. it seems mine does have a problem.
> 
> ...


 
  Sounds like you may possibly have a issue with the heat.  I had mines running almost 24 hours straight and did about 3 hours of listening in a 75 degree room.  PSU and WA7 is warm only, surprisingly runs cooler than I would expect.  I used both the Sovtek tubes and the EH in this way.  You should definitely contact Woo Audio and inquire about it.
   
  One issue I am having intermittently is the sound would go to a high pitched digitized tone for a few seconds or longer sometimes.  Sounds like the DAC is resolving the data improperly or something.  I am guessing it is not the tracks I am playing as the same track can play perfectly fine sometimes and sometimes it will just slowly fade in as if the data buffering is getting overloaded or something.  Sometimes just stopping the track and restarting solves it.  Bit annoying, but still love the WA7 so far.  This is all guessing at what may be happening and only my opinion/description of what is happening for me.   Excuse me for my ignorance.  By any chance, does anyone else have this issue?  I think MrBigsby did mentioned you had a similar experience on your first day with the unit, has it occurred again for you?
   
  Thanks for any input that is shared


----------



## V-Duh

carsany said:


> One issue I am having intermittently is the sound would go to a high pitched digitized tone for a few seconds or longer sometimes.




I had this happen to me last night while first using the amp. I think I had been listening to it for only 10 minutes or so after a 10-15 minute warm up period. Shortly after that was a segment with cymbals that also sounded digitized. However, for at least an additional hour or so of listening the problem did not return. Including the same track with cymbals. Btw, I'm using EH tubes. 

On a positive note I found the Head-Fi/HDtracks Open Your Ears sampler to be the most engaging I've ever heard it through my AKG702s which are usually one of my least used as they can be a bit bright for me. That's not to say the amp rolled off highs, it seems all the info was there but it was no longer irritating. Now I'm looking forward to pulling my Grados out to see if I can listen to them for more than the usual 15 minutes max. 

Happy listening everyone!


----------



## mrbigsby

SO glad there are more of you with WA7's now! Not so glad to hear about these two issues, but at least they are relatively isolated.
   
  The only issue i HAD (now resolved) was i messed with the midi settings, clicking back n forth fast through them all to try to hear differences, and the DAC got angry. It went digitalised on the low end. Since then, (although I think its like this out of the box) ive discovered i dont get ANY sound out of the unit when i first plug it in- unless i reset the HZ setting to 42000 in the midi settings menu, then go back to 192000 and it runs perfectly. Again, i think it was always like this and could also well be my ancient MBP or file type.
   
  I more likely suspect this is a firmware thing, and only a minor issue that doesnt bother me at all. Now that i know what it is, its just part of my process when turning on the unit. Im guessing there will be a download to fix these issues in the future. the *actual amp/dac* itself and all hardware and manufacturing are perfect for me! No heat issues (runs quite cool actually), no issues at all really. 
   
  Being a gen 1 product there was bound to be some anomalies occurring. The great part about WOO Audio is their stellar reputation for addressing these issues and resolving them with good customer service. 
  Quote: 





wes008 said:


> Just shoot Jack an email. He'll probably give some insight or ask you to send it back. He needs to know if there are problems with these, so he doesn't wind up shipping other units and having more problems (Imagine if no one had told Jason about the issues with the Schiit Magni). If there is something making it unusually warm, he'll probably replace it for free.
> 
> EDIT: Make sure you mention you're in Australia and bought it from Addicted to Audio. He'll still support you, but it would be a good idea for him to know what the power situation is.


 
  This is good advice to start with. 
   
  I myself am going to also take some of the other suggestions here and buy myself an infrared thermo just to have at home for other reviews etc, i have a lot more gear coming more regularly now.
   
*Carsany: *are you running MAC? you may need an OS update to fix the issue, or a simple restart and check those midi settings. Most DAC issues like that are often the computer. If this doesnt fix it try it on another  MAC that runs the minimum OS requirement +, failing that you can email Jack regarding a software update.


----------



## Bender1987

I have been using the WA7 for about 2 hours this morning , I am in Florida so its pretty cool right now around about 19-20c in my room.
  The Temps i am getting from my Ryobi TEK4 i used to use for reptile cage installs so it's fairly accurate, are as follows
   
  The PSU for the WA7 is at 30.5c warm to the touch but not to hot!
  The Top of the unit with the glass removed is 32.7c
  The metal on the top of the tubes is get,ing up to around 71.6 to hot to touch
   
  No burning or odd smell,s 
   
  I will leave it on for a while to day and give some other numbers after lets say 8-10 hours!
   
  hope this helps hehe!


----------



## Bender1987

Also mind that the 71.6 was the highest reading i got a more likely and stable read out that puts it around 60-62c


----------



## Shubar

A nice looking all-in-one unit!


----------



## Currawong

alwaysec: IMPORTANT! Have you turned the PSU over to check that it is set to 220V? Someone asked this before but I didn't see you answer.


----------



## Bender1987

After about 5 hours the Temp has gone up quite a bit 
   
  The PSU is reading 34.4
  The top case without glass is 35.5c
  And the metal on the top of the tubes is at a whooping 114.4c
   
  So the tubes have gotten very hot over the past few hours as expected but the case and the PSU seem to hold it very well!


----------



## V-Duh

Currawong: Apparently alwaysec did check. In some senses it's too bad it may not be the simple answer of the voltage selection. Sure sounds like it though. 



alwaysec said:


> forgot to mention, the voltage was defaulted to 220v by a2a (i guess).


----------



## alwaysec

Quote: 





bender1987 said:


> I have been using the WA7 for about 2 hours this morning , I am in Florida so its pretty cool right now around about 19-20c in my room.
> The Temps i am getting from my Ryobi TEK4 i used to use for reptile cage installs so it's fairly accurate, are as follows
> 
> The PSU for the WA7 is at 30.5c warm to the touch but not to hot!
> ...


 
  19-20 C for Celsius? 
   
  the psu is like over 40c, may over 50c too. i can only estimate.


----------



## Bender1987

That's correct, Always all the temps are in Celsius


----------



## Bender1987

I will post the numbers i get after 8 hours of use Which mind you is the recommendation in the owners manual PDF
  as the max use time before turning it off.


----------



## belisk

I live in the hottest part of Australia and have used it 8 hour sessions every day since i got it, including playing games with it, and its warm, but not hot. sorry i have no way to check the temp of the amp.


----------



## alwaysec

thanks, belisk.
   
  should i contact a2a or wooaudio to arrange a new unit?


----------



## stainless824

It seems i may have one of these very hot units as well. The sound and everything coming from it is sublime, but its still awfully hot. Touching it after running 5 hours to burn in, the glass and the psu are scalding at 24 degrees ambient temperature. I don't have a thermometer to measure the actual temp, but lets just say I'm unable to carry the units after they've been left to run for 3 hours straight.


----------



## Bender1987

After 8 hours the temps on mine are about the same as they where at 5 "a few degree's less even"
   
  And Always i would contact a2a in case they have some sort of dealer warranty threw WOO i am not sure how it works,
  but i do know they will either handle it or tell you to contact WOO audio yourself, And from my experience and what everyone else says
  you should have no issues's getting it fixed or replaced WOO audio has stand up support.


----------



## alwaysec

Quote: 





stainless824 said:


> It seems i may have one of these very hot units as well. The sound and everything coming from it is sublime, but its still awfully hot. Touching it after running 5 hours to burn in, the glass and the psu are scalding at 24 degrees ambient temperature. I don't have a thermometer to measure the actual temp, but lets just say I'm unable to carry the units after they've been left to run for 3 hours straight.


 
  sorry to say that is a good news to me 
   
  as bender suggested, i will contact a2a tomorrow. i know a2a do not have stock until mid feb. i hope they can replace it with a brand new one. 
   
  Bender, thanks. i wish my next one will works as well as yours.


----------



## Bender1987

Quote: 





alwaysec said:


> sorry to say that is a good news to me
> 
> as bender suggested, i will contact a2a tomorrow. i know a2a do not have stock until mid feb. i hope they can replace it with a brand new one.
> 
> Bender, thanks. i wish my next one will works as well as yours.


 
   Hey no problem Always sorry your unit is overheating. But no worries you will have it replaced/fixed in no time and be enjoying it again!


----------



## alwaysec

hey guys from Australia (bigsby and stainless,etc) could you pls confirm the volt of your psu is set to 220v ( i mean the switch is set to the position where it shows "220v") ?


----------



## stainless824

Yep, I checked right when I just got it. I've had stuff blowing up because I got the voltage wrong in the past so i'm especially vigilant


----------



## carsany

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> SO glad there are more of you with WA7's now! Not so glad to hear about these two issues, but at least they are relatively isolated.
> 
> The only issue i HAD (now resolved) was i messed with the midi settings, clicking back n forth fast through them all to try to hear differences, and the DAC got angry. It went digitalised on the low end. Since then, (although I think its like this out of the box) ive discovered i dont get ANY sound out of the unit when i first plug it in- unless i reset the HZ setting to 42000 in the midi settings menu, then go back to 192000 and it runs perfectly. Again, i think it was always like this and could also well be my ancient MBP or file type.
> 
> ...


 
  Thanks for all the good info.  I'm running a iMac with all the latest updates so doubt there is a issue there.  I'll do a little testing on my MBP retina that is  clean software wise and see if the issue arises.  It's no big deal so far, seems to only happen in the beginning of a listening session.  After the first 30 minutes or so, I went 2 hours with no issues.  The WA7 was left on for 3 hours before I even started, so it was warmed up.  Seems the data has to pump thru it for a while before it all starts running smoothly.  It happened with the sovtek and EH tubes, so no affect there.  Thanks again for sharing your experiences.


----------



## mrbigsby

Im still not convinced this temp thing is a serious problem. I was reminded of the Valhalla today, after only 40 mins on that thing it was like an absolute OVEN.  I remembered my recent thread, where i auditioned a bunch of tube amps at A2A when heading down to buy the Pan Am. Thread can be found here. I rang Mark today to check. His a guy I met recently through work who owns a Valhalla and is a diehard fan. Ive listened to his amp recently and asked again (since noticing the extreme heat the first time) how hot it gets. He said again, as he had the time before: "Hot enough to cook your breakfast man, but still sounds good and never had a problem in the year or so ive had it".
   
I found i was SHOCKED by the heat of the Valhalla there too, so it couldnt have been an anomaly on Marks end or the demo at A2A either. Obviously its better if gear runs cooler, but we are talking tubes here- they get hot! My bassman guitar amp, or any of my other vintage moody tube amps etc, all get HOT- i mean H>O>T, but its just a given for vintage tube amps (guitar ones anyway). Perhaps the temps on the WA7 are ok? Im going to run mine for a few more hours tonight and get back to you. If i cant, try as i might, replicate your temps ill concede. 
   
  Ive already emailed Jack this morning to comment when he has the time on temps. In the meantime, im going to "suffer" through hours upon hours of music and movies and frequent checking amp and psu temps.


----------



## mrbigsby

Quote: 





carsany said:


> Thanks for all the good info.  I'm running a iMac with all the latest updates so doubt there is a issue there.  I'll do a little testing on my MBP retina that is  clean software wise and see if the issue arises.  It's no big deal so far, seems to only happen in the beginning of a listening session.  After the first 30 minutes or so, I went 2 hours with no issues.  The WA7 was left on for 3 hours before I even started, so it was warmed up.  Seems the data has to pump thru it for a while before it all starts running smoothly.  It happened with the sovtek and EH tubes, so no affect there.  Thanks again for sharing your experiences.


 
  Thanks dude. Hopefully its nothing. If Jack gets the time to check in here im sure he will address everything. Im sure theres a quick fix or reasonable explanation. At least all of us have working great sounding units!


----------



## alwaysec

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> Im still not convinced this temp thing is a serious problem. I was reminded of the Valhalla today, after only 40 mins on that thing it was like an absolute OVEN.  I remembered my recent thread, where i auditioned a bunch of tube amps at A2A when heading down to buy the Pan Am. Thread can be found here. I rang Mark today to check. His a guy I met recently through work who owns a Valhalla and is a diehard fan. Ive listened to his amp recently and asked again (since noticing the extreme heat the first time) how hot it gets. He said again, as he had the time before: "Hot enough to cook your breakfast man, but still sounds good and never had a problem in the year or so ive had it".
> 
> I found i was SHOCKED by the heat of the Valhalla there too, so it couldnt have been an anomaly on Marks end or the demo at A2A either. Obviously its better if gear runs cooler, but we are talking tubes here- they get hot! My bassman guitar amp, or any of my other vintage moody tube amps etc, all get HOT- i mean H>O>T, but its just a given for vintage tube amps (guitar ones anyway). Perhaps the temps on the WA7 are ok? Im going to run mine for a few more hours tonight and get back to you. If i cant, try as i might, replicate your temps ill concede.
> 
> Ive already emailed Jack this morning to comment when he has the time on temps. In the meantime, im going to "suffer" through hours upon hours of music and movies and frequent checking amp and psu temps.


 
  if every unit is equally hot, then it is just a hot amp. when some guys' are pretty cool or just a little bit warm but the others suffer the overheating issue, we need to find out why. what we have are the first batch of the products, there are probably some unexpected bugs that need to be ironed out. 
   
  i dong think it is relevant to the drivers. i tried it on both my rMBP and Dell mobile workstation. it is just HOT . 
   
  Jack does have some thoughts, but at this stage he is not sure about it either.  one thing i am pretty sure is that woo audio will sort out the issue and everyone will be happy at the end of day. i just want to enjoy the amp, my headphones and the music in a COOL fasion.


----------



## mrbigsby

ok at least 4 hours so far possibly more. Continuous loud usage. I gotta admit, my unit is warm, but not hot. PSU is warm too but slightly less than the amp itself. This temp would not concern me, especially knowing its a tube amp (think high voltage light bulbs). SO if your unit is running hot, theres likely an issue.
   
  As far as drivers go, this was not in refernce to the heat- but in reference to the stutter or high/low problems some of us had temporarily.


----------



## stainless824

does anybody know how these compare to the Schitt Lyr Btw. They've been the reference for sub 1k LCD-2 amps for some time now


----------



## belisk

yep mines set to 220
   
  ok had time to try out the HD650 and Q701 as well as the stock tubes
   
  i found the stock tubes to do well with the HD650 only, but gold pins all the way, that said, the HD650 and Q701 don't come close to my Signature Pros.
   
  My last test was seeing what my SigPro's were like with the Dragonfly vs Fireflies(gold pins), as i suspected the WA7 had more soundstage and weight.
   
  So thats my final setup, WA7(EH GoldPin) + SigPro = win.


----------



## mrbigsby

Quote: 





belisk said:


> yep mines set to 220
> 
> ok had time to try out the HD650 and Q701 as well as the stock tubes
> 
> ...


 
  Nice.
   
  Im interested though. Do you find that the cans change their general characteristics in the WA7? I found that each set of cans sounded just like each set of cans and wonder if it was only me?
  I mean you we all know what our headphones general signature is like...But you know how some amps just sound terrible, then you change cans and the amp suddenly isnt that bad. Because somehow a bit of the fat it was carrying awkwardly, just so happened to be in the exact places that next set of cans was a little thin- and together it worked? (again this might be just me). But with the WA7, although we all agree its not a reference amp, the sparkle and glow it adds at either end (which i love) are consistant. Meaning an even playing field for all cans, albeit a not perfectly flat one (which again i prefer its not), but never the less and even one.
   
  Personally i found: WA7+ any cans you happen to like most= win. I dont think this trait is unique to this amp, its just lucky that this amp shares that trait with some of the other amps ive learnt to love.


----------



## belisk

the HD650 is quite a veiled can imo, so yea big difference using the WA7 with my other cans, to be honest its my least favourite can, i really want to sell them along with my Q701. The SigPro really is king here, have you tried them? i think A2A have a demo pair on display.


----------



## mrbigsby

Yeah i have actually, i really like them, but couldnt justify the price. They are a gorgeous headphone but more comparable to the mid priced cans out there now.
   
  SO your in Melbourne? Are there many of us here? Perhaps we could do a shop crawl or meet some time. I know of a couple stores getting new and exciting things in very soon. Happy to arrange something.
   
  In any case, thanks for your feedback. Im wrapped you have found your ideal setup- i think i have too, just waiting on two more sets of cans to arrive to add to the equation. Then ill be selling at least one set to make room for the others (and more).


----------



## jckp919

anyone know if 417a will work on WA7? coz these tubes are easier to find..
   
  I did some research and found this:
   
   

  [size=9pt]WE437A[/size]
  [size=9pt]6.3[/size]
  [size=9pt]0.45[/size]
  [size=9pt]7.0[/size]
  [size=9pt]250[/size]
  　
  [size=9pt]± 50[/size]
  [size=9pt]11.1[/size]
  [size=9pt]1.0[/size]
  [size=9pt]3.8[/size]
  　
  [size=9pt]140[/size]
  [size=9pt]180[/size]
  [size=9pt]-2[/size]
  [size=9pt]-3[/size]
  [size=9pt]29[/size]
  [size=9pt]25[/size]
  [size=9pt]950[/size]
  [size=9pt]980[/size]
  [size=9pt]43000[/size]
  [size=9pt]42000[/size]
  [size=9pt]41[/size]
  [size=9pt]41[/size]
  [size=9pt]3A/167M[/size]
  [size=9pt]CV5112[/size]
  [size=9pt]6.3[/size]
  [size=9pt]0.45[/size]
  [size=9pt]7.0[/size]
  [size=9pt]350[/size]
  　
  [size=9pt]11[/size]
  [size=9pt]2.5[/size]
  [size=9pt]4.0[/size]
  [size=9pt]170[/size]
  [size=9pt]150[/size]
  [size=9pt]-2.5[/size]
  [size=9pt]-1.5[/size]
  [size=9pt]40[/size]
  [size=9pt]40[/size]
  [size=9pt]1000[/size]
  [size=9pt]1000[/size]
  [size=9pt]47000[/size]
  [size=9pt]47[/size]
  [size=9pt]47[/size]
  [size=9pt][size=9pt][size=9pt][size=9pt][size=9pt]6C45[size=9pt][size=9pt]Π-[/size][/size][/size][/size]E[/size][/size][/size]
   
  [size=9pt]6.3[/size]
  [size=9pt]0.44[/size]
  [size=9pt]8.0[/size]
  [size=9pt]200[/size]
  　
  [size=9pt]± 100[/size]
  　
  [size=9pt]10[/size]
  [size=9pt]1.8[/size]
  [size=9pt]15[/size]
  [size=9pt]150[/size]
  [size=9pt]175[/size]
  [size=9pt]-1.5[/size]
  [size=9pt]-2[/size]
  [size=9pt]28[/size]
  [size=9pt]27[/size]
  [size=9pt]930[/size]
  [size=9pt]56000[/size]
  [size=9pt]52　 [/size]
  　
  [size=9pt]5842WA[/size]
  [size=9pt]5842/417A[/size]
  [size=9pt]6.3[/size]
  [size=9pt]0.3[/size]
  [size=9pt]4.5[/size]
  [size=9pt]200[/size]
  [size=9pt]180[/size]
  [size=9pt]± 100[/size]
  [size=9pt]50[/size]
  [size=9pt]9.0[/size]
  [size=9pt]9.0[/size]
  [size=9pt]0.35[/size]
  [size=9pt]0.48[/size]
  [size=9pt]1.75[/size]
  [size=9pt]1.8[/size]
  [size=9pt]150[/size]
  [size=9pt]150[/size]
  [size=9pt]60[/size]
  [size=9pt]62[/size]
  [size=9pt]23[/size]
  [size=9pt]26[/size]
  [size=9pt]1800[/size]
  [size=9pt]1800[/size]
  [size=9pt]25000[/size]
  [size=9pt]24000[/size]
  [size=9pt]45[/size]
  [size=9pt]43[/size]

   
  from: http://hackeraudio.web.fc2.com/a-211-3.htmt
   
  the site is in chinese btw


----------



## CongeeBear

Thanks for the great review Mr. Bigsby!
   
  Now this is my 1st post as a Head-Fier, so this may be a silly question -- but what happens if you have, say, both a full-sized pair of cans AND an IEM plugged into the WA7 at the same time? Will music be playing from both, or is there a way to toggle between the two front outputs?
   
  Due to my crippling laziness, I would love not having to plug/unplug stuff all the time -- spares the connectors too, I'd bet...


----------



## Currawong

I tried just now and plugging headphones into both sockets no sound comes from the 3.5mm socket.


----------



## mrbigsby

I never even thought to check, good question!

Thanks Amos! How are you finding the amp with the gold pins in place man?


----------



## alwaysec

Quote: 





congeebear said:


> Thanks for the great review Mr. Bigsby!
> 
> Now this is my 1st post as a Head-Fier, so this may be a silly question -- but what happens if you have, say, both a full-sized pair of cans AND an IEM plugged into the WA7 at the same time? Will music be playing from both, or is there a way to toggle between the two front outputs?
> 
> Due to my crippling laziness, I would love not having to plug/unplug stuff all the time -- spares the connectors too, I'd bet...


 
  Wang is correct.
   
  actually you can find the answer on the manual which can be downloaded from woo's website. 
   
  if you plug in both iem and a pair of say T1 into the amp, the music will only play from the big guy. 
   
  btw,i read that manual a couple of time, trying to find any answer to the overheating issue.


----------



## mrbigsby

alwaysec said:


> Wang is correct...






On a more serious note, did Jack ever get back to you on the heat thing?


----------



## alwaysec

yes, Jack contacted me last Saturday and I received the replacement tubes today. I am currently experimenting the new ones. 
   
   
  sorry i hijacked your post for the overheating issue. 
   
  i started a new thread here:
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/651068/wa7-overheating
   
  btw, for running for only 12 mins, the amp is as cold as not operating. good start!


----------



## mrbigsby

Great news!!!! Wow so glad it's only tubes, what an easy fix!!
Please feel free to keep it all here, I think it's helpful for people to have a one-stop resource for each model. It helps keep things cohesive and makes searching topics easier.

It's totally up to you though.

So glad everything worked out. How are you liking the amp anyway? Did you try the EH tubes yet?


----------



## Bender1987

Quote: 





alwaysec said:


> yes, Jack contacted me last Saturday and I received the replacement tubes today. I am currently experimenting the new ones.
> 
> 
> sorry i hijacked your post for the overheating issue.
> ...


 
  Glad your amp is doing good Always i knew it could not of been a huge deal!


----------



## stainless824

what a relief, now i know to just get new tubes


----------



## alwaysec

hang on, guys. it kept running for 2 1/3 hours now. the metal case is warm. the psu is HOT. i removed the glass lid one hour ago (that might help to maintain the metal case temp), becuase the glass was warmer than the metal case. the PSU is hot, the part where there is a led indicator is near burning hot.


----------



## alwaysec

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> ok at least 4 hours so far possibly more. Continuous loud usage. I gotta admit, my unit is warm, but not hot. PSU is warm too but slightly less than the amp itself. This temp would not concern me, especially knowing its a tube amp (think high voltage light bulbs). SO if your unit is running hot, theres likely an issue.
> 
> As far as drivers go, this was not in refernce to the heat- but in reference to the stutter or high/low problems some of us had temporarily.


 
  i am re-reading the previous post, notice you mentioned that the psu is slightly less warm than the amp itslef. my psu is much hotter than the unit. i am going to gym now and leave it keeping running. 
   
  the amp seems less hot than it was last weekend using the original tubes, but maybe it's just because last weekend was a much warmer day than today.


----------



## mrbigsby

Try it again tomorrow. Main thing is the main unit is cooler. My glass also gets quite warm, thats normal as its surrounding two burning hot tubes. But the metal case shouldnt get hot, just warm like a laptop would. Same for the PSU. Remember my house is almost always airconditioned and my PSU is on the floor. Ill try it again tomorrow evening and get back to you.


----------



## Currawong

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> I never even thought to check, good question!
> 
> Thanks Amos! How are you finding the amp with the gold pins in place man?


 
   
  They have a bit more zing, which I like. The balance between detail and the richness the tubes bring to the music is spot-on for me. I have to finish my review now and pass the amp on. It's the first amp I've had in here that has left me feeling I don't want or need to fire up my main system to listen.


----------



## alwaysec

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> Try it again tomorrow. Main thing is the main unit is cooler. My glass also gets quite warm, thats normal as its surrounding two burning hot tubes. But the metal case shouldnt get hot, just warm like a laptop would. Same for the PSU. Remember my house is almost always airconditioned and my PSU is on the floor. Ill try it again tomorrow evening and get back to you.


 
  it is certainly warmer than a laptop. i feel quite frustrated. what i want after paying this amount of money, is just to enjoy the music while i play games, surf on the internet or do some reading. i will try again tonight and this weekend.


----------



## mrbigsby

Is it still "hot"? Can you measure the temp? Is there any difference since changing tubes?

Sorry for all the questions. I think it's good to quantify all these things.


----------



## alwaysec

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> Is it still "hot"? Can you measure the temp? Is there any difference since changing tubes?
> 
> Sorry for all the questions. I think it's good to quantify all these things.


 
  i cant quantify/measure the temp now. havent got a thermometer yet. will do later when i am back from holiday. the psu was certainlyer hotter than the psu of my dell workstation (mobile). the unit is certainly hotter than dell or rMBA. i will compare again this weekend.


----------



## jckp919

Edit: Jack replied me already


----------



## alwaysec

realised there was a jarcar near the office, bought a digital thermometer on the way back. i will report here the final results. all the detailed monitoring data will be posted on my own thread.


----------



## atomicbob

That will be most helpful. I am hoping to receive a WA7 soon. When I do I will be happy to post temps as measured with a Fluke 62 max+.


----------



## atomicbob

That will be most helpful. I am hoping to receive a WA7 soon. When I do I will be happy to post temps as measured with a Fluke 62 max+.


----------



## alwaysec

i am using a cheap digital thermometer which i reckon is probably for cooking. so the temp i measure will certainly be less than what it actually is, but it should still serve the purpose.


----------



## WhippieDaddy

I've been lurking here reading this thread with interest, since I've had my WA7 for about a week now. No overheating that I can tell, though I have to admit I haven't run the amp for too long during any listening session. I'm very happy with it so far and am anticipating increased performance as it burns in. I'm using the Electroharmonix tubes by the way.

The other day I took it to a local shop that carries Audeze products. I use the HE-500 and wanted to compare with the LCD 3, using both with the WA7. I was very impressed with the LCD 3 and ended up buying it. I'm definitely going to do further comparisons between the LCD 3 and HE-500, as well as against the baby Stax I have. I'm also going to use the WA7 as a DAC to feed a Lyr that I've been using - I'm very curious about the WA7's performance as a DAC. And of course comparing the Lyr against the WA7. A few variables to sort out... 

Great site and thread, and insightful comments by everyone. I'm very glad to see the high level of interest in this product and look forward to participating.


----------



## mrbigsby

WOW welcome mate, im looking forward to hearing more from you! sounds like we are in for some very interesting comparisons and insights- cant wait!


----------



## Sylafari

Man, I want my amplifier to ship so bad now ;_; I hope the WA7's DAC is decent :O


----------



## WhippieDaddy

Thanks mrbigsby! I appreciate the welcome. It's great to interact with fellow enthusiasts and I'll keep everyone posted on my findings. I' had been out of hi-fi/audio for some time, having only really returned in the last year or so. So I'm still coming up to speed now on how things have changed, though I think I know what I personally enjoy sound quality wise...

I've been extremely impressed with planar magnetic type headphones, which weren't really around (at least I don't recall them) in the 70s when I was really into hi-fi. I was big on Stax at the time, having spent $120 on a pair of SR-X Mk IIIs in 1976. So you can imagine how sticker shock has hit me, with the SR-009 costing $5K now. 

Anyway, I appreciate your review of the WA7. It's very helpful to me as a Rip Van Winkle type to read and compare experiences.


----------



## WhippieDaddy

Sylafari,

I imagine the DAC is exemplary in the WA7. I have just connected it to the Lyr in DAC mode, but it's too early to report on its quality. I'm also listening to music straight out of an Oppo 105 right now, playing a high def (176KHz/24 bit) recording of Samba Pa Ti by Santana, repeating it over and over just to let it sink in. Then I'll go back to the Lyr/WA7 to compare. The Oppo has a very good DAC that I really like, so it should be an interesting test, though of course the headphone amp in the Oppo is a major variable between the two arrangements. I also have a Rega DAC that impresses me, so I'll try to include that in the test as well. All of these aren't extremely high end products, but they are at similar price points so I think the comparison will be of roughly equivalent components... Roughly....

I feel your pain on having to wait for your unit to arrive...


----------



## Sylafari

Quote: 





whippiedaddy said:


> Sylafari,
> 
> I imagine the DAC is exemplary in the WA7. I have just connected it to the Lyr in DAC mode, but it's too early to report on its quality. I'm also listening to music straight out of an Oppo 105 right now, playing a high def (176KHz/24 bit) recording of Samba Pa Ti by Santana, repeating it over and over just to let it sink in. Then I'll go back to the Lyr/WA7 to compare. The Oppo has a very good DAC that I really like, so it should be an interesting test, though of course the headphone amp in the Oppo is a major variable between the two arrangements. I also have a Rega DAC that impresses me, so I'll try to include that in the test as well. All of these aren't extremely high end products, but they are at similar price points so I think the comparison will be of roughly equivalent components... Roughly....
> 
> I feel your pain on having to wait for your unit to arrive...


 
   
  Can't wait to hear your impressions!


----------



## atomicbob

@WhippieDaddy: I'd be interested in your impressions of the HE-500 compared with the LCD-3. I have the HE-500 so they are a familiar reference point for me.


----------



## Rayzilla

I do not know much about amps/dac but this piece does look very nice. Would it go well with the Ed8 (or TH900 under my radar but waiting approval from the SO)?


----------



## wes008

MrBigsby! Saw your review on Humanovation. I saw the first photo and I was like, "Hey that looks a lot like a picture from the WA7 thread." After reading a paragraph or two it became apparent that it was you  Nice work mate!


----------



## mrbigsby

Thanks Wes.
   
  I have the Fischer FA-003Ti (titanium), Fiio D03k DAC, Soundmagic HP100 (on the way), Fischer FA011 rev 2 (on the way), and just got the new Blumenstein Orcas. Cant decide what to review next, but you should see more from me in the next few days. Not sure which site will take which story yet though, of course all the headphones will be posted here too.
   
  All the best mate.


----------



## WhippieDaddy

Quote: 





atomicbob said:


> @WhippieDaddy: I'd be interested in your impressions of the HE-500 compared with the LCD-3. I have the HE-500 so they are a familiar reference point for me.


 
  Atomicbob,
   
  I haven't taken delivery of the LCD-3 yet, since they only had a demo model at the store I went to.  My unit should arrive any day now - I'm eagerly awaiting it as you can imagine.  I'll keep you posted on what I perceive.  While listening at the store, my perception was that the LCD-3 had better resolution than the HE-500 and more "air" - there was a solid three dimensional aspect to its reproduction that the HE-500 couldn't quite match.  I also felt that the soundstage presentation was definitely superior on the LCD-3 and I think that's what made me choose to buy it.  Overall, the experience led me to conclude that the HE-500 is a bit "muffled" by comparison.  None of this is too surprising to me, since the price point of the LCD-3 is so much higher than the HE-500.  And hopefully the much greater price didn't bias my perceptions about the LCD-3 in its favor.  
   
  I really like the HE-500.  When I first bought it back in November I did some comparing to the Baby Stax headphones (SR-003) I own.  At first I liked the Stax better, but then after burn in the HE-500 started to shine.  I found it to have more accurate midrange and certainly more substantial / accurate bass reproduction.  The highs are what the SR-003s do the best, though I'm not sure they're better than the HE-500's treble.  At this point I definitely prefer listening with the HE-500 than with the Stax.  Even last night I was marveling at how pleasurable it is to listen with them, particularly since my focus tends to be on the midrange.
   
  I plan on keeping the HE-500 since I enjoy it so much.  I don't think my purchase of the LCD-3 is going to make me want to give up on the HE-500 - the HE-500 is just too good for it to be completely supplanted by the LCD-3.  There is therefore something that I cannot yet articulate about them relative to the LCD-3 that makes me still like them as much as I do.  And of course the reason I can't yet articulate it is because it will require further side by side comparisons. Once I can, I will certainly share it on this forum.


----------



## belisk

Quote: 





rayzilla said:


> I do not know much about amps/dac but this piece does look very nice. Would it go well with the Ed8 (or TH900 under my radar but waiting approval from the SO)?


 

 From what I read here on head-fi, the Ed8 is similar to the SigPro, with the SigPro having the edge, i find the WA7 paired with the SigPro nothing short of amazing.


----------



## Rayzilla

Thanks belisk, this is good (and bad) to know. Good because I love the look of this dac/amp but bad because I like it AND I have a SO. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I can't complain though since she covers most of the bills now that I've made a career change.


----------



## mrbigsby

Quote: 





alwaysec said:


> realised there was a jarcar near the office, bought a digital thermometer on the way back. i will report here the final results. all the detailed monitoring data will be posted on my own thread.


 
   
   
  Just caught up on your temps thread, GREAT to hear there was no issue!!! Those temps are actually very low and roughly the same as mine here in Melbourne. How are you finding the amp?


----------



## Currawong

FYI my review with the PanAm is up: http://www.head-fi.org/t/651556/a-tale-of-two-tube-amps-the-woo-audio-wa7-and-alo-audio-panam


----------



## PleasantSounds

I have finally put my hands on the WA7 and am happy to report that it has been running for several hours without showing any signs of overheating or any other concerns.
   
  My initial impressions with the T5p are promising: the sound is very spacious, subtle and detailed. Bass is quite punchy while trebles and mids show no sign of harshness. I don't recall hearing them sound any better 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
   
  I'll stop on this, since we have already had a couple of very good reviews - thanks mrbigsby and Currawong!


----------



## alwaysec

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> Just caught up on your temps thread, GREAT to hear there was no issue!!! Those temps are actually very low and roughly the same as mine here in Melbourne. How are you finding the amp?


 
  very happy with it now, but dont have much time. will fly out to HI tomorrow and return next month.


----------



## mrbigsby

Quote: 





pleasantsounds said:


> I have finally put my hands on the WA7 and am happy to report that it has been running for several hours without showing any signs of overheating or any other concerns.
> 
> My initial impressions with the T5p are promising: the sound is very spacious, subtle and detailed. Bass is quite punchy while trebles and mids show no sign of harshness. I don't recall hearing them sound any better
> 
> ...


 
   
  Highly recommend the EH tubes. Great to hear your enjoying the amp, im still wrapped with it! Just got my hands on a new TV and the first half of my Blumenstein Audio bamboo speaker system running through my miniwatt N3 tube amp for now, and im still listening to the WA7 more! Its just a killer bit of kit- and its looks certainly dont hurt it.
   
   
  Quote: 





alwaysec said:


> very happy with it now, but dont have much time. will fly out to HI tomorrow and return next month.


 
  Sounds like a pretty demanding job!


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> Highly recommend the EH tubes. Great to hear your enjoying the amp, im still wrapped with it!


 
   
  My EH tubes are on the way - thanks for the tip.


----------



## Sylafari

Just received my amp, it sure is a beauty!


----------



## cthchung

I love the look of this amp, but I feel like I would only use it for an office setting. I would like a better performance set up for home use.


----------



## RapidPulse

So you want better performance from something you haven't heard?  OK.


----------



## Kevin Brown

Quote: 





cthchung said:


> I love the look of this amp, but I feel like I would only use it for an office setting. I would like a better performance set up for home use.


 
   
  You're implying you'd accept inferior sound at the office?
   
  I want good sound every where I listen, and I more than expect this combo will live up to that.


----------



## Sylafari

Just got mines today, it seems like the changed the tiny square cutout for the headphone jacks as it is now missing from the amplifier.


----------



## mrbigsby

Thats interesting, how do you like the sound>?


----------



## Sylafari

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> Thats interesting, how do you like the sound>?


 
   
  Definitely a step up from the Asgard and the HRT Music Streamer ii. But still need some more time to really get a feel for this amplifier. The tube sound is definitely something I enjoy though over solid state.


----------



## jckp919

sylafari said:


> Just got mines today, it seems like the changed the tiny square cutout for the headphone jacks as it is now missing from the amplifier.




Damn!! Yours look nicer without that tiny square!!


----------



## stainless824

yeah it does too


----------



## V-Duh

The tiny square is missing from the Woo site photos now too.
 Well, I'll be wearing my tiny square badge with pride.
   
  Rev 1 models could be called:

"Woo Audio WA7 'fireflies', model n or o"


----------



## CongeeBear

WOO-HOOOO!! Now MY little 'fireflies' unit is on its way -- should be arriving on my doorstep tomorrow in fact. Now I'm contemplating skipping work for its arrival, hmmm
   
  Actually, I kinda prefer the look of the [size=small]"model [/size]," it's almost like a cube-within-a-cube! Maybe it'll become a prized collector's item one day?
   
  Though I suppose the lack of a square cutout will improve upon the structural integrity around the 'phone jacks, especially with repeated unplugging...


----------



## arpaaudio

Nice looking amp


----------



## CongeeBear

And thanks guys for testing out the functionality with both IEM & full-sized cans plugged in at the same time... Would've been nice to toggle between the two, but ah well...


----------



## Sylafari

Listened to my Klipsch X10 at school with my iPhone 4S the entire day and than proceeded to try the X10s with the WA7 listening to the exact same songs and heard a huge difference in the quality of sound especially the midrange. Probably the largest difference in sound I have heard when using an amp compared to not using an amplifier on nearly every headphone or IEM I own (always felt that a better amplifier wouldn't make that much of a difference).


----------



## mrbigsby

Fantastic isnt it. Thanks for your input.
  I was the same, at first i thought "This is a LOT for me to spend on an amp- especially sight unseen, unheard and without a single review online". After hearing it and enjoying it I instantly realised the value in it. In 100% all honesty after hearing it and experiencing it in the 'flesh', I can comfortably say that i personally would have paid quite a fair bit more than this amount should I have auditioned it first. Definitely a keeper for me.


----------



## Nosgis

Quote: 





whippiedaddy said:


> I really like the HE-500.  When I first bought it back in November I did some comparing to the Baby Stax headphones (SR-003) I own.  At first I liked the Stax better, but then after burn in the HE-500 started to shine.  I found it to have more accurate midrange and certainly more substantial / accurate bass reproduction.  The highs are what the SR-003s do the best, though I'm not sure they're better than the HE-500's treble.  At this point I definitely prefer listening with the HE-500 than with the Stax.  Even last night I was marveling at how pleasurable it is to listen with them, particularly since my focus tends to be on the midrange.
> 
> I plan on keeping the HE-500 since I enjoy it so much.  I don't think my purchase of the LCD-3 is going to make me want to give up on the HE-500 - the HE-500 is just too good for it to be completely supplanted by the LCD-3.  There is therefore something that I cannot yet articulate about them relative to the LCD-3 that makes me still like them as much as I do.  And of course the reason I can't yet articulate it is because it will require further side by side comparisons. Once I can, I will certainly share it on this forum.


 
   
   
  Thank you for your impressions. I also have the HE-500, and I'm really considering buying the WA7. How would you describe the way the WA7 drives them, compared to other amps you have tried?


----------



## WhippieDaddy

Nosgis,
   
  I'm still in the process of evaluating my WA7 and it hasn't completed its burn in period yet.  But so far I really like how it sounds with the HE-500.  Bass reproduction is very impressive and the mids and highs are very smooth and the WA7 comes across as doing the job effortlessly and without any sense of strain.  Articulation and separation of instruments are very good in my opinion and I hope to see even better results when the unit is burned in.
   
  I've compared it a little to the Schitt Lyr.  Initial impressions are improved imaging with the WA7 (it seems to have more three dimensional character to me) and a hint of more bass, though again, the WA7 is still being burned in.  The WA7 sounds more natural (euphonic?) to me and is easily able to drive the HE-500s (just as the Lyr).  The Lyr seems drier (less liquid?) and almost restrained or distant by comparison, though I'm still evaluating things.
   
  I've been listening to female vocals the last few days - Linda Ronstadt, Carole King, and Roberta Flack.  But that has only been with the WA7 and not with the Lyr.  Roberta Flack's pristine, delicate voice on 192/24 sounds just about perfect on the WA7 (although I have to admit that I haven't listened to her on the Woo WES, the Liquid Lightning, or the BHSE with a pair of Stax SR-009s... ).  I'm going to listen to the three on the Lyr this weekend and will have some relative comparisons soon.
   
  I just purchased the Schitt Mjolnir and it should arrive tomorrow, so I'll have another amp to compare it with.  The audio bug has definitely bitten me.    I still haven't received my LCD-3s so I can't do the comparison with the HE-500 yet.
   
  I'm really enjoying the WA7 so far, to the extent that I've been neglecting the Lyr.  But don't get me wrong, I think the Lyr is very good and I do like it.  For about one third the price of the WA7, I think it's a tremendous bang for the buck.
   
  All the best.


----------



## WhippieDaddy

Oops, I should have said that the Lyr is a little less than half the price of the WA7, not one third the price...  I've been buying lots of equipment recently and I'm getting confused on the prices.  If only my price points could be higher (e.g. Woo WES, Liquid Lightning, or BHSE)...


----------



## atomicbob

Received my WA7. Here are initial thoughts.
  
 So far I have listened with both hifiman HE-500 and Beyerdynamic T90. Things are still changing as the stock Sovtek tubes settle in. Initial Impressions after 6 hrs:
  
 Silent background
 Solid bass with clarity, impressive transient capability
 That tube magic midrange
 Impressive clarity on the high frequencies
  
 I was on the fence about selling the HE-500. They are competent but never really sparkled on my other amps (WA3+, V200, O2, DAC-1.) They seem to have come to life on the WA7. They stay while I listen longer and evaluate this combination.
  
 As each to his own on their search for sonic utopia, I must say that if I was told I could only have the WA7 and the Beyer T90, I would indeed be happy to listen to my library, enjoying the music quite well. In fact the danger of this combination is losing oneself in the music and forgetting time. A reminder that my preferences and auditory canal resonances are such that given the Sennheiser HD600 and HD650 I would choose the HD600. YMMV.


----------



## mrbigsby

Some fantastic input! Whippiedaddy: i would love to hear your comparisons to Mjolnir too. What DAC are you using with the other gear? have you tried running them through the WA7 DAC only option?
  Atomicbob, glad to hear you are enjoying it so much. I spent the night with my WA7 and some Fischer FA011 I just purchased and reviewed, and tonight ill be spending the eveing in the same way with the Soundmagic HP100 I purchased at the same time to do the same thing. I love this amp, no fatigue!
  I urge everyone to try the gold pins when possible, iIMO its a must.


----------



## atomicbob

Enjoying the WA7 would be un understatement. There have been few instances where I have been hard pressed to tear myself away from a listening session. The WA7 is one such HP amp.


----------



## MickeyVee

Actually, to compare pricing, you have to take Lyr plus Bifrost so they're actually pretty close. Within US$100 or so if Bifrost has USB. Just got the HE500 and am considering the WA7. Liking what I've been reading so far.
  Quote: 





whippiedaddy said:


> Oops, I should have said that the Lyr is a little less than half the price of the WA7, not one third the price...  I've been buying lots of equipment recently and I'm getting confused on the prices.  If only my price points could be higher (e.g. Woo WES, Liquid Lightning, or BHSE)...


----------



## WhippieDaddy

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Actually, to compare pricing, you have to take Lyr plus Bifrost so they're actually pretty close. Within US$100 or so if Bifrost has USB. Just got the HE500 and am considering the WA7. Liking what I've been reading so far.


 
   
  Good point, I forgot about the DAC in the WA7.  It appears to me to be an excellent one (so far anyway) and I would therefore say it might even be fair to include the higher priced Gungnir for comparison.  That would put the total price above the WA7 ($849 for Gungnir with USB plus $449 for Lyr = $1298)...  Hmmmm....  The WA7 is looking better and better price-wise.  Having said that, I'm not familiar with the quality of Bifrost / Gungnir and they might match or outdo the WA7's DAC.  Hence the Bifrost + Lyr could indeed be a valid comparison.


----------



## AustinHorn

Well, I finally got my silver WA7 today.  I feel like I've been waiting for over a month.  Oh yeah, I have. Had enough time so far to install the stock tubes & use my ipod5 as a source with my HD800s.  Even brand new, it sounded very good with them.  I tend to prefer them with my OTL amps & off the top of my head I can at least say the WA7 seems a very good match.  I have yet to have time to do any real comparisons with other amps or to use my LCD2s or he500s with them. I also got the gold pins but haven't installed them yet. I wanted to establish a baseline for comparison between the two sets of tubes based on what others have said here.  I can say that Jack has built one heck of a beautiful amp this time around.  My wife has never been big fans of my various amps but she fell instantly in love with with this one & wants it set up in the livingroom. NO AMP has been allowed in there before.  In my house this is huge.  Anyway, the wait is over & I hope to have time this weekend to really get into it. Sure glad I bought it before the price went up though I can say, I would be temped anyway, knowing what I know now about the sound.
   
  I'm not sure how I feel about the lack of tube rolling options with this amp.  That has been something I really enjoyed with the Woo6 Maxx I have as well as with my other tube amps.  Guess time will tell.  Right now I don't think I'd be allowed to sell it even if I wanted to.  It really does have WAF pluses if my wife is at all typical of how most ladies will feel about this thing. 2 big thumbs up Jack for this design.


----------



## mrbigsby

Great impressions thanks man!
Would love to hear your thoughts with a computer or Cck as the source. The iPhones proprietary DAC won't allow you to experience the WA7s own 32 bit Mac native DAC- which means you unfortunately get amp only with that set up.

My wife had the same reaction! Now if we could only get jack to manufacture matching cans, speakers, hard drives, etc, we would have a full line of wife friendly man toys!

Watching this space!


----------



## atomicbob

Having listened many more hours I will say I am impressed with the WA7 versatility in driving many different cans so well. I think the lack of tube rolling opportunities may be a feature here. The stock Sovtek 6c45pi are performing very well. To paraphrase Frank Zappa, this might be a good case of Sit down, plug in, shut up, listen and enjoy.


----------



## AustinHorn

mrbigsby said:


> Great impressions thanks man!
> Would love to hear your thoughts with a computer or Cck as the source. The iPhones proprietary DAC won't allow you to experience the WA7s own 32 bit Mac native DAC- which means you unfortunately get amp only with that set up.
> 
> My wife had the same reaction! Now if we could only get jack to manufacture matching cans, speakers, hard drives, etc, we would have a full line of wife friendly man toys!
> ...




Yeah I know I'll need to get thinks rearranged to make some room around my desktop or a laptop to fully utilize the WA7 fully. My wife's insistence on having it perminantly located in the living room has kind of thrown me a curve cause I had made very different plans for how to set it up. So now other doing some weekend testing, set up as I'd planned, I'm going to have to rethink just how to use it. I need to see just how good the DAC is compared to my other options too. My WA6 maxx was one of Jack's early ones that was totally maxed out & I need to see just how the two compare. I can already tell the WA7 is more powerful but does it sound better & if so with certain cans or all of them. Then the dac comparison too is important. I need to do a lot of A/Bing this weekend. And the living room is now an issue cause there are no electronic gear at all in there now & I'm not sure the wife has thought thru the necessity for needing other stuff in addition to the "pretty little cube" in there to actually make best use of it. It will be interesting. See I'm already thinking maybe I may work this into a deal with a Mac ultra book etc added into this deal. Maybe even just a loaded macmini with a large monitor would work. Time will tell... Gotta proceed carefully...

More short term, looking forward this weekend, to hooking it up properly to see just what it can do along with all the comparisons I can think of. Wonder how much burn-in these tubes need. some one may have said that somewhere here but if so I missed it? Oh well I'll figure out everything as time allows. Da*n this thing is pretty. Hope it proves to sound as good as it looks when geared up properly. My brain is going a million miles an hour. Im now finding it hard to just focus on the short-term with the livingroon deal now in the mix.

I had a bit of an issue getting the windows driver loaded on the 1st laptop but it turned out the pc was in the middle of a series of windows7 updates too, so it just took a long time. No problem with the desktop though. Anyway, scared me there for a while while the laptop was just grinding away.
Onward through the fog...


----------



## AustinHorn

atomicbob said:


> Having listened many more hours I will say I am impressed with the WA7 versatility in driving many different cans so well. I think the lack of tube rolling opportunities may be a feature here. The stock Sovtek 6c45pi are performing very well. To paraphrase Frank Zappa, this might be a good case of Sit down, plug in, shut up, listen and enjoy.




Great point! Other than comparison testing the gold pins this weekend, this may be the one tube amp I should just treat as a SS amp & do as you say. It will certainly save me money compared with some of my other tube amps where I have spent about as much or more on tunes as I paid for the amp. This is a nice change. :rolleyes Old habits are heard to break!


----------



## atomicbob

Tube rolling fun here is with a WA3+. Soon to have a NOS 2399 to try. If you have an Ethernet and NAS you might look at a Sonos Connect. Control with a smartphone. High coolness and WAF, minimal fuss, excellent sound.


----------



## atomicbob

I should also mention that the Sonos Connect has a S/PDIF output allowing for Use of outboard DACs with S/PDIF inputs such as Benchmark DAC-1 or the excellent Violectric V800.


----------



## FxTkd

Anybody know how WA7 compares to the WA6 SE? 
  For me its a toss up between the WA6 SE and WA7 for my HD800s. I would appreciate any suggestions before I make a decision on the purchase of one of these beauties.
  Thanks


----------



## daigo

The switchable impedance and the high bit rate DAC is interesting.  Posting to follow this thread for a bit.


----------



## mrbigsby

Welcome!
   
  I wonder if the WA7 has finally caught up with shipping orders. Has anyone seen one just on the shelf in a store for demo?


----------



## AustinHorn

I spent my first weekend with the new WA7 hooked up to my desktop pc rotating my listening between my hd800, both LCD2s, & my he500.  First let me say that I found that the WA7 sounds very, very good with the Senns., as good as my crack/speedball amp - something I wasn't expecting. Also, unlike my WA6 max, it has a ton of headroom with my he500s. I no longer have the he6, but I suspect it could drive them too - though it might not be my 1st choice. With both my v1 & v2 LCD2s it sounds great.  ( I admit to being one of those who actually favors the original v1 sound to the later v2 & v2.5 versions - color me strange.) Anyway all three of the above brands of super popular audiophile grade cans are a wonderful match with the WA7. All weekend I had the gold pins in the amp & did not go back & forth between the two sets of tubes.  I also made no effort to compare the dac portion against my other dac options - something I really want to do since I admit I come into this with a bias that dac/amp combos are never quite as good separates. But in this case, time will tell.
   
  As I've said previously, my wife has decided she thinks that this WA7 will be in our living room & so I will set it up with a laptop unit in there longterm I may match it up with an Apple laptop or mini - time will tell. I'd expected this to become my bedroom rig when I bought it, replacing my current OTL setup, but for now I guess that won't change. 
   
  Anyway, one mans opinion, for what it is worth, is that the WA7 is a wonderful all-a rounder that will pretty much drive most, if not all, today's top nom-Stax type headphones. It is easily the most beautiful amp I've seen so has huge WAF upsides too. Highly recommended.
   
  As time allows I plan to do many more types of comparisons with my other dac/amp gear & more headphones & IEMs too. So far it seems Jack has outdone all my expectations. Is it the best $1000 one can spend on a dac/amp or dac & amp in the same price range, I don't know. But based on what I heard this weekend it is the best $799 I ever spent!


----------



## mrbigsby

Wow! Great impressions. I suspected it would drive just about anything based on the cans I've thrown at it thus far. It's funny that the last couple products I've bought an reviewed have ended up so damn good! I almost feel obligated to dislike something more enthusiastically about either the WA7 or HP100- I want to, I really do, but it's just not happening for me. They are my two top products of 2013 and my go to amp and cans. Both these items have taken away 95% of my gear-lust, in a way it's sad I'm no longer curious about improving my audio experience. In another way it's a landmark in what is, for now at least, a seemingly utopian oasis found on my wallet punishing audio journey. 

Well done Austin, looking forward to reading more of your discoveries.


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> I almost feel obligated to dislike something more enthusiastically about either the WA7 or HP100- I want to, I really do, but it's just not happening for me.


 
   
  Let me help you with that 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 - I do have two minor complaints:
   
  - The glass top does not lock in in any way: I'd expected that the grooves on the sides of the chassis would hold it in place, but it gets misaligned with every touch.
   
  - When the amp is switched off, wouldn't it be logical to revert to the DAC mode? I have to use two switches, conveniently located at the back, to switch between headphones and speakers.
   
  Having said that, I'd put up with more inconveniences just to enjoy it's sound.


----------



## Currawong

Quote: 





pleasantsounds said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I was a bit surprised by the glass moving, but I could easily fix it with a couple of small dobs of Blu Tack if I desired. I didn't touch it though after I put it on my desk. You may notice the plate on the top is held in place using magnets, so it is possible Jack could design a plate designed to hold the glass a bit better.
   
  Reverting modes I wouldn't want. I was using it with an external DAC a lot of the time and having it override what I set up would be downright annoying. Since I knew what each position did, it was easy to reach around the back to change the switch as desired.


----------



## atomicbob

Listening to Wycliffe Gordon's Dreams of New Orleans, Chesky Records Binaural+ through the WA7 with Beyerdynamic T90 headphones. One of the most realistic sound reproduction experiences with headphones to date to my ears. Just incredible.


----------



## daigo

That seems to be a design oversight to not have something hold the glass section in place.


----------



## mrbigsby

Good point on the glass, I didn't really notice it, like currawong I don't really need to touch it much save turning it on. Maybe some little clear rubber feet on the underside of the glass might help?


----------



## V-Duh

I was quite surprised as well.  I was burning it in, getting used to it, etc. at home for a couple weeks but never put the glass on.  I finally took it in to work, put the glass on and thought I did something wrong.  Flipped the glass over and it still wiggled around.  Definitely brought out the OCD in me -- stuff is supposed to STAY PUT.  But like the others said, once the amp is in place you don't touch the glass and you never notice the issue.  Plus, if you touch the glass, you'll put FINGER PRINTS on it.
   
  Must...find...Woo...cloth...must...clean...


----------



## RavenDog

I pulled the trigger on the WA7 plus the gold tips yesterday.  Had strongly considered buying it when it was first announced @ $799 but I thought nooooo...why not wait until it goes up to $999 and get the more expensive one.


----------



## CongeeBear

It's funny, I noticed the glass' potential for wiggle the moment I assembled the amp in all it's glory. It bugged me at first, but that glass block is just too damn beautiful-looking.
   
  So beautiful in fact that I was willing to ignore the fact that the glass block is just ever so _slightly_ wider than the aluminum case.
   
  I suspect that adding an additional design element to hold the glass in place would take away from the simplicity of the design, ruining the overall aesthetics. Especially since the glass tends to reflect and magnify everything in an awesome way.
   
  Most of the time, you'll never be touching the glass anyways, so it's a bit of a moot point. DEFINITELY not for portable use, if the weight of the thing didn't give that away already.


----------



## atomicbob

congeebear said:


> It's funny, I noticed the glass' potential for wiggle the moment I assembled the amp in all it's glory. It bugged me at first, but that glass block is just too damn beautiful-looking.
> 
> So beautiful in fact that I was willing to ignore the fact that the glass block is just ever so _slightly_ wider than the aluminum case.
> 
> ...




Well put CongeeBear. I had the same response upon receiving my WA7. The wonderful sound quality made minor quibbles seem inconsequential.


----------



## RapidPulse

Ha. I guess we are all a little OCD. I went through the same process too. But I haven't really thought about the wiggle since the first day ( until now). Just enjoying my music while bathing in the sweet glow. Nice to know that mine isn't atypical though.


----------



## AustinHorn

It really is too bad Jack or his team didn't design a lip of some sort around the glass but to be honest until the issue was mentioned I never gave it a thought. This is not a portable amp & the glass is quite heavy so once it is in place it will stay there. I have a glass topped coffee table that just sits in place too & it has no lip either. My only worry is that, though unlikely (given my particular set up), someone could bump into the amp & push the glass hard & risk damaging or breaking the tubes. A lip might prevent that.  in my case the risk is tiny, but I'm sure it could & will happen to somebody. 
   
  Heat is a zero issue for me.  I have several ss & tube amps that get hotter than the WA7. Heck, I could cook my breakfast on my Audio GD Phoenix. That is not an amp that you want to touch once it gets warmed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 up! Anyway the over-heating problem, is a non-starter, at least on my particular WA7.


----------



## AustinHorn

Quote: 





ravendog said:


> I pulled the trigger on the WA7 plus the gold tips yesterday.  Had strongly considered buying it when it was first announced @ $799 but I thought nooooo...why not wait until it goes up to $999 and get the more expensive one.


 
  I like the way you think, must be an Austin or at least Texas type of thinking! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I screwed up & bought it to early & got stuck with the cheap one. Now I'm beating myself up about it!


----------



## Sylafari

The glass drives me insane sometimes, I move it to the perfect position everyday and leave it that way and by some mystical force, it always ends up slightly lopsided sooner or later.


----------



## mrbigsby

Low profile clear rubber feet on the inner corners of the top metal work well!!

In regard to the glass moving and smashing tubes, it doesnt seem it would likely happen as the tubes have a kind of metal skirt around their bases. Like a round lip coming off the metal base plate.


----------



## CongeeBear

I wonder though if a really strong push wouldn't push that glass clear over the metal skirt and pulverize them tubes..
   
  Though I doubt anyone has the intestinal fortitude to try, lol


----------



## groovyd

Ordered my silver WA7 recently, can't wait to get it.  One question that isn't entirely clear to me.  Is the RCA as outputs a fixed line level out or does the front volume knob allow you to adjust the RCA out?  If the volume knob does not allow adjustment does the driver for a Macbook OSX allow volume control via the mac keyboard or sound preferences on the computer?
   
  I plan to hook this up to some powered speakers which don't have a convenient volume control (Paradigm MilleniaOne CT) other then a remote control which isn't very responsive and my Beyer T5p switching between them at will.  Very much hoping this allows me to toggle easily and quickly since sometimes i am listening to music through the speakers and a skype call comes in which is better to answer via headphones to prevent microphone feedback.
   
  Currently I use a Headroom Ultra Desktop Amp which has volume controlled RCA out and a front switch to turn off the speakers leaving just the headphones on.  This is nearly a perfect configuration for my use.


----------



## Currawong

The DAC output is fixed unfortunately and you can't control it with your computer either.


----------



## mrbigsby

THis track on the WA7 +HP100 just gave me *crazy goosebumps* in the BEST of ways!!!
  Inga Liljestrom - Coming Back, from Gotye album; Mixed Blood
   
  THe whole album is one of my all time favorites for high quality gear, this track in particular is recorded with some pretty innovative and primitive techniques, and is a real treat with the right gear!


----------



## belisk

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *mrbigsby* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Gotye...


 
  Gotye rocks!, nice doco here.


----------



## mrbigsby

WOW great find! His processes remind me a lot of Oliie McGills' (the genie, cat empire, etc etc)... took me back- awesome, thank you.


----------



## groovyd

nice... bought the whole album and another


----------



## ariesq

Just curious, how long is the cord of the power supply. If I use this on my desktop setup, I'm assuming the cord is long enough so that I can hide the power supply on the floor?


----------



## atomicbob

Specs on wooaudio website are 4.25 ft / 1.3 m for the DC cable.


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





ariesq said:


> Just curious, how long is the cord of the power supply. If I use this on my desktop setup, I'm assuming the cord is long enough so that I can hide the power supply on the floor?


 
   
  That's how I have it set up, still with some slack.


----------



## groovyd

Just ordered a pair of Beyer T1 to go with the tube WA7 at home whenever it gets here... the wait is killing me.  Will use my Beyer T5p with my solid state HeadRoom Ultra Desktop Amp at work.  I have never had a tube amp before and am super curious how these two combos will compare... light/leather/closed/ss/lowZ/state of the art vs. heavy/fabric/open/tube/highZ/old school both born from the same Beyer sound signature and both considered very good amps.
   
  Would love to hear peoples impressions of these combos and predictions on sound differences.  Which combo wins? Cost is pretty much the same either way...


----------



## ariesq

Anyone from Canada order a WA7 from woo audio. Can you comment on total shipping/tax/customs paid?


----------



## CongeeBear

Nice, fellow Canuck!
   
  If I remember correctly, Woo reports the item value at $399.00 USD. You get charged the HST on that, and then an additional customs fee as well.
   
  All told, I had to pay about 64 bucks to the FEDEX dude who showed up at my house (I'm based in Toronto)! I was pissed initially, though the anger subsided once I gazed upon the beauty of the WA7...


----------



## ariesq

congeebear said:


> Nice, fellow Canuck!
> 
> If I remember correctly, Woo reports the item value at $399.00 USD. You get charged the HST on that, and then an additional customs fee as well.
> 
> All told, I had to pay about 64 bucks to the FEDEX dude who showed up at my house (I'm based in Toronto)! I was pissed initially, though the anger subsided once I gazed upon the beauty of the WA7...



Thanks for the response. I'm glad that they can lower the customs value. Now the wait begins.


----------



## ariesq

Just wanted to double check. The Woo Audio site says that AC power cord is not included. Is this true for US/Canadian orders as well? Never bought an electronic unit that did not come with a power cord before.


----------



## mrbigsby

A regular kettle/printer cable is all you need. Sacrifice either tea or printing till you buy a second cord?


----------



## atomicbob

Not including the power cord helps keep the end item cost down given all the different power plugs used the world over.


----------



## daigo

Quote: 





mrbigsby said:


> A regular kettle/printer cable is all you need. Sacrifice either tea or printing till you buy a second cord?


 
  You can always keep water warm on top of the WA7's glass cube if need be!


----------



## SuPrbly

Just talked to Mr. Woo and he said mine well ship in 2 weeks. so for those how ordered theirs the end of Feb. start looking for a tracking number very soon!!


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

Out of curiosity, has anyone used the WA7 with a pair of HE-500's or Heir Audio 8.A's? I've heard good things but was wondering if anyone could illaborate on how they pair, specifically compared to a Schitt Lyr and Byfrost stack.


----------



## MickeyVee

x2. Love the look of the WA7 and always wanted Woo.  Currently running HE500 Bifrost/Lyr and would love some opinions on the WA7 with the HE500 or Senn HD700 especially comparing to the Schiit stack.
   
   
  Quote:


dougoftheabaci said:


> Out of curiosity, has anyone used the WA7 with a pair of HE-500's or Heir Audio 8.A's? I've heard good things but was wondering if anyone could illaborate on how they pair, specifically compared to a Schitt Lyr and Byfrost stack.


----------



## Dogmatrix

HE 500 + WA 7
   
   

   
  In short one of the sweetest combos around .
   
  I can't make any direct comparison to the Schiit stack mentioned.
   
  Compared to my Violectric V181 Yulong D18 combo the WA7 is a strong performer.
   
  The 181 D18 set is very powerful and accurate with a strong clean sound as you would expect from high quality solid state equipment.
   
  In comparison the WA7 while also powerful and accurate lends an element of emotion to the sound which is missing in the solid state set.
   
  Among the particular strengths of the WA7 HE500 combination are an improvement to the HE500 sound stage, very strong bass and mid range and excellent instrument separation.
   
  I think the real winner in the WA7 HE500 set is tone, the subtle variations in timbre that makes one artist average and another great are front and centre with this combo.


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

dogmatrix said:


> I think the real winner in the WA7 HE500 set is tone, the subtle variations in timbre that makes one artist average and another great are front and centre with this combo.




That's definitely in line with what I hear. I like a number of aspects about the Lyr+Bifrost stack and the thing that's really making me look hard at the WA7 is that I can conceivably use it with my 8.A's. Right now I only use them at work (where I have a little AMP/DAC I drive them with) or on the go (where they suffer my iPhone). Sometimes I'd love to be able to use them at home but, right now, I don't really have that option without either transporting extra gear (which I don't want to do) or making a purchase.

Can anyone speak to the IEM-out on the WA7?


----------



## groovyd

still waiting on my WA7 ordered Feb 24th and no word from woo


----------



## Bmac

Quote: 





groovyd said:


> Just ordered a pair of Beyer T1 to go with the tube WA7 at home whenever it gets here... the wait is killing me. I have never had a tube amp before and am super curious how these two combos will compare.
> 
> Would love to hear peoples impressions of these combos and predictions on sound differences.  Which combo wins? Cost is pretty much the same either way...


 
  I had a chance to listen to the WA7 and T1 together a few weeks ago at SSI and was blown away. I have not heard the HUDA so cannot comment on that, but I can tell you that you're in for a real treat. Of all the stuff I heard at SSI this year (speakers and headphones) that combo was very near the top of my list. I got in a few hours before the show officially opened and had the entire headphone room below to myself. There was also a separate Woo Audio room with some really nice gear as well.


----------



## mrbigsby

WOW! thanks for sharing man!!! Would have loved to be in your shoes for the day.


----------



## mat-t

man, i wish i was there too. More details please! haha. they look amazing, sounds just as good?


----------



## Currawong

Of the three of us in Japan who have had the amp -- myself, Anakchan and Shigzeo, all of us have wanted to keep the WA7.


----------



## pervysage

Any Canadians who live near the border should really look into using a US package receiving service. This is what I do and I only pay a couple bucks when I pick up my packages. The service I use is called Kinek.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## groovyd

Just got an email from Woo saying the glass is in short supply causing the hold-up and should ship within 2 weeks.


----------



## Kevin Brown

Quote: 





groovyd said:


> still waiting on my WA7 ordered Feb 24th and no word from woo


 
   
  You have even longer to wait.  I ordered Feb 4th and I still don't have mine either.


----------



## ariesq

Quote: 





kevin brown said:


> You have even longer to wait.  I ordered Feb 4th and I still don't have mine either.


 
  Did your invoice include an estimated shipping date?
   
  I ordered mid March and both Jack and my invoice states an estimated shipping date of early April. Looks like I have a long wait ahead of me =x


----------



## Kevin Brown

^^^  My est shipping date was end of March.  But I got the same impression when I emailed maybe 2 weeks ago: something's up with his supply of the glass that goes on top.


----------



## aqtaket

Wow, what a nice amp/dac!
  I Just woder about the hardware requirements for PC. I have a Fujitsu tablet with SSD, but the processor is Intel Atom and RAM is only 2Gb.
  Will the DAC be operating with no issues? I haven't found that in the manual...


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

aqtaket said:


> Wow, what a nice amp/dac!
> I Just woder about the hardware requirements for PC. I have a Fujitsu tablet with SSD, but the processor is Intel Atom and RAM is only 2Gb.
> Will the DAC be operating with no issues? I haven't found that in the manual...




Wrong question. Whether or not it will work is more likely to be a software requirement than a hardware one. For example, are you running Windows full on that or some paired down version? Do you have a full USB 2.0 port or something else? Can you install drivers and other software on your device or is it more restricted? If you have a full version of Windows on it with a proper USB 2.0 port then it's likely to work. However, we are talking a fringe case with very non-standard hardware so it's sort of up for grabs.


----------



## aqtaket

Yeah, it has a full Windows 7 Professional, but the processor is only 1.7kHz. And 2 gigs of RAM.
  It is a Fujitsu q550 tablet.
  I can install any drivers with no restrictions. It has a SSD which is more "audiophile" than a hard disc, so now I'm considering making a small (trans)portable rig.


----------



## atomicbob

I can get the WA7 to work with an Asus Netbook which uses an Atom N270 at 1.6 GHz and only has 2 gigs of RAM. The laptop / tablet isn't the limiting factor. It is how much bloatware has been added to the PC and loads at startup. Foobar2000 plays well, but to avoid dropouts it is wise to shutdown services not being used while listening. Wireless network interface drivers are particularly problematic. See this page for some suggestions:
http://www.native-instruments.com/knowledge/questions/847/Windows+7+Tuning+Tips+for+Audio+Processing


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

aqtaket said:


> It has a SSD which is more "audiophile" than a hard disc,




I don't see how? SSD or HDD, won't have any effect on sound at all and even the slowest contemporary spinning-disk drives are more than fast enough for audio playback.


----------



## jckp919

OMG..I did it!!! I know that Jack did warn us "DO NOT use tubes that are not approved by Woo Audio."... I didn't listen...i know..I am a bad boy...

 but it all started because I got the wrong confirmation that 417A could be used for WA7..

 First I did some research and realized that 417A could be used as substitute for 6C45... (coz I found that the sound of 6C45 are a bit too linear.. I was trying so hard to find substitutes....). After I spent a fortune on these NOS 417A, I realized that it couldn't be used on WA7! Then I asked my friend who is an expert in tubes and he helped me ordered the tube adapters that you see in the photos from China....

 BUT...there was another problem!!! these adapters are too big to be used in WA7....damn....what should I do?

 I took the risk..did some modification.. and the result is just AMAZING!!
   
  Enjoy the photos~~


----------



## LNCPapa

I just got my 2 week delay email from Jack as well   Oh well, maybe Audeze will sneak out the closed LCD-2 equivs soon and I can pick that up right away. Anyone have a guestimate on that can's release date?


----------



## ariesq

Quote: 





lncpapa said:


> I just got my 2 week delay email from Jack as well   Oh well, maybe Audeze will sneak out the closed LCD-2 equivs soon and I can pick that up right away. Anyone have a guestimate on that can's release date?


 
  I"m also eyeing the closed-back LCD-2. There's been no news for a while. Audeze will be at the New York Audio show this weekend, so hopefully we will be able get more news on them soon.


----------



## kazsud

Quote: 





jckp919 said:


> OMG..I did it!!! I know that Jack did warn us "DO NOT use tubes that are not approved by Woo Audio."... I didn't listen...i know..I am a bad boy...
> 
> but it all started because I got the wrong confirmation that 417A could be used for WA7..
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  How do they compare to the stock tubes?


----------



## jckp919

to me...it sounds a lot better than the 6C45. I hear a more "tube like" sound with WE417a, with smoother treble and luscious mids.. still burning in though so the sound may change..


----------



## groovyd

just got my tracking number


----------



## Audio11a

Quote: 





groovyd said:


> just got my tracking number


 
  AHHHH.... I'm still waiting on a response from Jack; I placed my order on March 5th.
  When did you place your order?
   
  I'm having cold sweats at night just wondering........................When? lol


----------



## groovyd

Feb 23rd... just glad tubes aren't going out of style anytime soon.  By now at least my new Beyer T1s are well burned in


----------



## bbbonthemoon

hi guys,
are you connecting WA7 to a mac computer via USB? Isn't this known for degrading audio signal? Not speaking of being affected by computer's load. 
Any opinions on connecting WA7 directly from mac's optical audio output using TOSLINK-to-RCA adapter?


----------



## ALRAINBOW

Mistake


----------



## groovyd

I am not aware of a degradation via usb.  as far as i know digital is digital.


----------



## bbbonthemoon

Well, USB always brings another software layer between you and the signal, when your computer is under high i/o load(copying files/rendering/compiling), and then, for example, time machine kicks in, you'll most probably notice sound artifacts.
   
  There is funny note on Schiit's website about usb connection:
*Wait. Are you saying USB is crap?*
We’re saying we put a ton of time into our USB implementation, but, to our ears, USB still doesn’t quite offer the performance of SPDIF.


----------



## desertblues

Count me in-ordered a WA7 yesterday with the upgrade tubes! The wait begins...


----------



## ariesq

Quote: 





desertblues said:


> Count me in-ordered a WA7 yesterday with the upgrade tubes! The wait begins...


 
  Nice, which headphones do you intend to pair them with? Did you get a 4 week shipping estimate?


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

bbbonthemoon said:


> Well, USB always brings another software layer between you and the signal, when your computer is under high i/o load(copying files/rendering/compiling), and then, for example, time machine kicks in, you'll most probably notice sound artifacts.
> 
> There is funny note on Schiit's website about usb connection:
> *Wait. Are you saying USB is crap?*
> ...




It's not as simple as that. In order to tax your system enough to have that problem you'd have to be doing way more than listening to music and doing a backup. And if you're listening so analytically that you'd actually hear data artifacts then I'm willing to be you're not doing much beyond those two things.

As for software, it's just drivers. Hardly a performance bottleneck.


----------



## ALRAINBOW

He is rt about the USB sound and some artifacts 
Here is what I have found. 
My office CPU is a I7 intel 16 gig ram Sid state HD 
IN OTHER WORDS its all out and when using USB it does have some clicks and pops
But when I use fire wire it's gone. Also if I use a halide USB to spidif it's gone as well. 
One more thing more the sound does improve but not with all USB dac input
Example mytek 192 no sound change but fire wire gets rid of noises
Jh3a change in sou d quality with external USB to SPIDIF halide or the audio gd 
DI - V3 with there dx power supply. So it is true but I do not claim to know why
Though. Same results with the UM Pp6 no change and aye fine with VENTURE CRAFT
go dap x. MAYBE because it is just lesser quality to begin with. 

AL D


----------



## Currawong

Quote: 





bbbonthemoon said:


> hi guys,
> are you connecting WA7 to a mac computer via USB? Isn't this known for degrading audio signal? Not speaking of being affected by computer's load.
> Any opinions on connecting WA7 directly from mac's optical audio output using TOSLINK-to-RCA adapter?


 
   
  There is no such thing. Optical out = digital. RCA = analogue. The only digital input on the WA7 is USB. I'd just use it and not stress over it. If you want better than the WA7's DAC, you'd have to buy a better DAC and use the analogue line input.


----------



## groovyd

I was under the impression this uses USB2.0 async mode which generates the reference clock on the DAC side and therefore is immune to timing issues on the host or in the driver.  Samples are buffered and clocked out jitter-free.  I guess the only negative affect I could imagine is the DC coupling of USB power if it is being used to power the DAC output and it not being an ideal power supply without proper filtering.


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





groovyd said:


> I was under the impression this uses USB2.0 async mode which generates the reference clock on the DAC side and therefore is immune to timing issues on the host or in the driver.  Samples are buffered and clocked out jitter-free.  I guess the only negative affect I could imagine is the DC coupling of USB power if it is being used to power the DAC output and it not being an ideal power supply without proper filtering.


 
   
  Buffer underruns can still happen, if there is long enough gap in data delivery. 
  The WA7 DAC is indeed powered via USB, but I never noticed any practical issues with that.


----------



## desertblues

ariesq said:


> Nice, which headphones do you intend to pair them with? Did you get a 4 week shipping estimate?
> [/qu
> 
> My main phones are Grado RS1 & PS500 - also AKG Q701. Jack estimated 3 weeks for silver w/clear glass (smoked glass was 5 weeks). Already counting the days


----------



## Kevin Brown

Quote: 





groovyd said:


> Feb 23rd... just glad tubes aren't going out of style anytime soon.  By now at least my new Beyer T1s are well burned in


 
   
  Did you get a clear glass top?  Or smoked?  I ordered beg of Feb, and still no notification of shipping.  But ... When I emailed him before, he indicated that clear glass units were shipping a little faster than smoked.
   
  ??
   
  (I got black with smoked glass.)


----------



## ALRAINBOW

Yes clear is going out faster then smoked.


----------



## reddyxm

Quote: 





kevin brown said:


> Did you get a clear glass top?  Or smoked?  I ordered beg of Feb, and still no notification of shipping.  But ... When I emailed him before, he indicated that clear glass units were shipping a little faster than smoked.
> 
> ??
> 
> (I got black with smoked glass.)


 
   
  I ordered 22nd of Feb. I ordered black with smoked glass. If I know you and groovyd are still waiting then I won't bombard Jack with an email about delivery estimates. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I also ordered LCD2 headphones from him and they arrived in last week. Got them one week after the purchase date.


----------



## ALRAINBOW

I will see jack tonight and ask him


----------



## Kevin Brown

^^^
   
  Thanks.  I suppose the good news is, when he emailed me maybe 2 weeks ago, the smoked glass tops were maybe a week behind the clear glass.  So maybe mine will ship shortly.


----------



## groovyd

I ordered silver and clear... fedex delivery attempt today ofcourse while i was at work and even though i left a signed note on the door they refused to leave it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  now i have to haggle with the system to hopefully have it on hold somewhere to pick up... not what i was hoping for after such a long wait.


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

groovyd said:


> I ordered silver and clear... fedex delivery attempt today ofcourse while i was at work and even though i left a signed note on the door they refused to leave it    now i have to haggle with the system to hopefully have it on hold somewhere to pick up... not what i was hoping for after such a long wait.




Same reason I have almost everything delivered to my office. And the same reason there's a pretty steady flow of packages each day, haha.


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> Same reason I have almost everything delivered to my office. And the same reason there's a pretty steady flow of packages each day, haha.


 
   
  Same reason my office reception refuses to accept personal deliveries any more.
  Can't say this made me popular....


----------



## stainless824

Just picked up a Sennheiser Momentum for College/University use. Straight after unboxing, stick it in the WA7 to see how it sounds. Plastic wrap still on the edges


----------



## stainless824

I laugh at the hypothetical reaction head-fi would have if I plugged in Beats by dr Dre


----------



## groovyd

yeah my office doesn't even have a reception for deliveries... trying to use a doctors appt as an excuse to take the day off and pick it up


----------



## ariesq

Just got an update e-mail from Woo Audio. They are discontinuing the smoke glass option due to manufacturing delays. All new Black WA7 will now ship with the clear glass tops. Ship dates have been pushed back by a few weeks.
   
  Order Date --> Ship Date
  Jan 28- Feb 18 --> By the end of April
  Feb 19 - Mar 20 - May 10-13
  March 20 - current - After May 17
   
  Looks like I will have to wait another month.


----------



## RavenDog

Ordered Silver WA7 on March 6th and received in home April 16th.  Haven't quit listening to it since.  For me, it's a great match for my Sennheiser HD800/s and HD580's with the HD650 replacement cord ($15) - takes the sharp edges from it and has brought in the instrumentals quite well.  Background is dead silent.  Fatigue factor reduced significantly.  You just never know about these things, until you own or try them... 
   
  Also, I'm using the standard tubes that accompanies the WA7.  I bought but haven't yet tried the upgraded tubes yet ($100) - I'm very happy with the standards.  
   
  Has anyone compared the two sets of tubes?


----------



## reddyxm

Quote: 





ravendog said:


> Ordered Silver WA7 on March 6th and received in home April 16th.  Haven't quit listening to it since.  For me, it's a great match for my Sennheiser HD800/s and HD580's with the HD650 replacement cord ($15) - takes the sharp edges from it and has brought in the instrumentals quite well.  Background is dead silent.  Fatigue factor reduced significantly.  You just never know about these things, until you own or try them...
> 
> Also, I'm using the standard tubes that accompanies the WA7.  I bought but haven't yet tried the upgraded tubes yet ($100) - I'm very happy with the standards.
> 
> Has anyone compared the two sets of tubes?


 
   
  I believe Currawong did a comparison during his review.
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/651556/a-tale-of-two-tube-amps-the-woo-audio-wa7-and-alo-audio-panam
   
  Quote: 





ariesq said:


> Just got an update e-mail from Woo Audio. They are discontinuing the smoke glass option due to manufacturing delays. All new Black WA7 will now ship with the clear glass tops. Ship dates have been pushed back by a few weeks.
> 
> Order Date --> Ship Date
> Jan 28- Feb 18 --> By the end of April
> ...


 
   
  Ditto. I feel your pain.


----------



## Kevin Brown

Methinks the smoked glass version will become a collector's item.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I suggested this to him in response to the email they sent out about the delay, but hopefully they can qualify a different vendor for the smoked glass sometime in the future.  I really like that look.
   
  I think all you'd need to do to turn the clear glass into smoked glass, is to dip it into hydrofluoric acid or something else that etches glass (quartz, silicon dioxide, etc).  Roughens up the surface.  I actually have access to that where I work.  But no, I won't try it on the only one I have.


----------



## ALRAINBOW

Well we both know u will try so order a clear glass just I case
LOL


----------



## Audio11a

That is the exact reason why I wanted Smoke on Black in the first place.
  This is starting to be painful to just wait and wait and wait only for even more bad news.
  May? This is crazy!


----------



## solserenade

kevin brown said:


> I think all you'd need to do to turn the clear glass into smoked glass, is to dip it into hydrofluoric acid or something else that etches glass (quartz, silicon dioxide, etc).  Roughens up the surface.  I actually have access to that where I work.  But no, I won't try it on the only one I have.




It would be easy to etch the surface of the glass -- no way to "smoke" it though.


----------



## ALRAINBOW

Honestly I do not know what the process is . But looking at it in person it does look as if the whole glass is tinted .


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

alrainbow said:


> Honestly I do not know what the process is . But looking at it in person it does look as if the whole glass is tinted .




You can either color the glass afterwards or mix in the minerals before hand. I imagine the latter is more expensive and difficult but provides a better product.


----------



## Kevin Brown

Tinting is different than changing it's transparency/opacity.  Etching in acid would change the latter, not the former, obviously.  See-through glass is polished.  If it's not polished, or if polished glass is roughened up, then you can't see through it any longer.  Or at least not as easily.  But ... no idea how they do it!!


----------



## ALRAINBOW

I agree with rave dog assessment it does sound good with the hd800 not so Brite 
I listen to every amp he had at the show eve. The mono blocks 
And in hearing g TAISTE only two amps sounded as to what I like
The wa7 stock tubes as I cannot say what it would sound with upgraded tubes 
But the other was the wa22. 
Though the wa22 was better in a listen at the show the wa7 is good for the headphones
And my iem, s sing with it 
Cheers enjoy


----------



## groovyd

Picked up my fireflies at the fedex today and dag-nabbit without the power cord I am stuck momentarily enjoying the DAC only out to my Paradigm MilleniaOne CT desktop speakers.  DAC sounds ok, not sure it sounds better then my HeadRoom Ultra Desktop Amp did only difficulty in it being i need to rely on the speakers remote instead of volume by knob and remember to throw the switch in the back.  I do like how it runs the DAC without the power supply.
   
  Build quality is impressive down to even the separate power supply which looks like someone really cared to design it right.
   
  Can't wait to power it up and hear the tubes.
   
   
  ... edited ...
   
  ... whoa I am half a dummy... taking apart my HeadRoom to take it to work I see it uses the same power cord 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  ... plug the T1's in and fire up the lovely warm electro gold glow 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  ... absolutely no burn in and awesome sound fill my head 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
   
  i only wish I could get the RCA out at the same time as the headphone out so I could blend the paradigm thump with the t1 lush and switch back and forth without touching anything.


----------



## mrbigsby

Quote: 





ravendog said:


> Ordered Silver WA7 on March 6th and received in home April 16th.  Haven't quit listening to it since.  For me, it's a great match for my Sennheiser HD800/s and HD580's with the HD650 replacement cord ($15) - takes the sharp edges from it and has brought in the instrumentals quite well.  Background is dead silent.  Fatigue factor reduced significantly.  You just never know about these things, until you own or try them...
> 
> Also, I'm using the standard tubes that accompanies the WA7.  I bought but haven't yet tried the upgraded tubes yet ($100) - I'm very happy with the standards.
> 
> Has anyone compared the two sets of tubes?


 
  Yep! First page of this thread- the WA7 review itself, where i not only reviewed the unit over a week or so of entries, but also reviewed its performance with 3 different sets of tubes. Im still rocking the EHX upgrades myself. Gave up on the other russians (Reflektor), they are a bit too creamy for me, although for 4/6 of my headphones and to my ears are still an improvement over stock.


----------



## ALRAINBOW

Kevin are u Shure it is glass I have not unboxed. Mine yet
And I thought jack said. Acrylic supplier
I'm not saying ur wrong I never touched it
AL D


----------



## Kevin Brown

Quote: 





alrainbow said:


> Kevin are u Shure it is glass I have not unboxed. Mine yet
> And I thought jack said. Acrylic supplier
> I'm not saying ur wrong I never touched it
> AL D


 
   
  Since I don't have mine yet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, I'm just assuming it's glass.  Maybe it's not?  That would nix the HF idea to try and "cloud" up the polished "glass" !!
   
  But if it's acrylic, that might not stand up to the heat of the tubes either ...
   
  [Added:] Looks like glass.  From his email:
   
  Quote: 





> Unfortunately, on-going problems with glass manufacture are preventing us from shipping Fireflies with smoked glass.


----------



## mrbigsby

its glass.


----------



## ALRAINBOW

Ok Ty


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

kevin brown said:


> But if it's acrylic, that might not stand up to the heat of the tubes either ...




Certain kinds of acrylic can stand up to some pretty extreme heats.


----------



## ALRAINBOW

Well someone who has it give it a tinkle


----------



## V-Duh

I didn't tinkle but, yes, it's glass.  Woo calls it "High clarity tube protection glass"
  The smoked version has an almost dark silvery mirrored look to it.  I have the black base with the smoked top and I quite like the understated dark look.


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

v-duh said:


> I didn't tinkle but, yes, it's glass.  Woo calls it "High clarity tube protection glass"
> The smoked version has an almost dark silvery mirrored look to it.  I have the black base with the smoked top and I quite like the understated dark look.




Even in pictures I see what you mean. The dark glass is truly beautiful. I think I've decided that the WA7 will eventually become mine but I do regret that I won't be able to get the dark glass. I'm sure it'll look wonderful with the clear glass but there was just something so nice about the subtle nature of the smoked glass.


----------



## atomicbob

Quote: 





ravendog said:


> Ordered Silver WA7 on March 6th and received in home April 16th.  Haven't quit listening to it since.  For me, it's a great match for my Sennheiser HD800/s and HD580's with the HD650 replacement cord ($15) - takes the sharp edges from it and has brought in the instrumentals quite well.  Background is dead silent.  Fatigue factor reduced significantly.  You just never know about these things, until you own or try them...
> 
> Also, I'm using the standard tubes that accompanies the WA7.  I bought but haven't yet tried the upgraded tubes yet ($100) - I'm very happy with the standards.
> 
> Has anyone compared the two sets of tubes?


 
   
  I have both EHX and stock and have yet to progress beyond the stock tubes. T90, HD800, HD600, HE-500. Mostly T90. Haven't spent much time on the other head amps since arrival of the WA7. Silent background with all headphones, no fatigue factor (except the weight of the HE-500.) A very interesting comparison would be the WA7 with the WA6-SE.


----------



## ALRAINBOW

I heard it at the show in the end I bought the wa7 for the office but home wa22

The wa6 was to bright and not enough bottom in fact all of the woo amps sounded the same
Except the above two and heapphones the beyers we're two Brite for me but extremly fast and detailed. The headphones I have Nd liked best at the show are the hd800
And the audezee LC 3 were not in my TAISTE either not detailed enough and not bright enough 
Gain no Insults to Anyone. It's just my TAISTE 
AL D


----------



## Dogmatrix

My spin on the Sovtek vs EH thing
   
  Straight out of the box I felt the two variants were quite separate
   
  While the Sovtek tube had quite a dark presentation the EH version seemed bright in comparison
   
  Following around 60 hours on each set I can no longer detect a difference between the two with both sets settling into a more neutral signature
   
  Preference goes to the EH set as I feel it has a slight edge in dynamics however the edge is well within what could be considered psychological or simply slightly higher gain
   
  Basically with the Sovtek tube you are getting the full WA7 experience and the EH is for those like me who can't resist shiny things


----------



## groovyd

Now with 12 hours in on it and wow it sounds amazing.  It is glass, very high quality glass.  Very happy with this amp. Thanks Woo!


----------



## Bmac

Well, I've placed my order for the WA7. After hearing it with my K701's (among others like the Beyer T1 I mentioned previously) at SSI I've been thinking that the WA7 needs to be mine, and so it shall be. Stephen Mejias of Stereophile came away from the WA7/K701 combo at the New York Audio Show this week with the same conclusion as I did at SSI: "The sweet, detailed, richly textured and colorful sound made for what might have been my very favorite listening experience of the show."
   
http://www.stereophile.com/content/woo-audio-m%E2%80%A2-recordings-and-stereolab


----------



## Kevin Brown

He did a column on the Skullcandy Aviators and Dr Dre Beats this month. We could hope that he also reviews the WA7/K701 combo !!


----------



## junepy

Quote: 





bmac said:


> Well, I've placed my order for the WA7. After hearing it with my K701's (among others like the Beyer T1 I mentioned previously) at SSI I've been thinking that the WA7 needs to be mine, and so it shall be. Stephen Mejias of Stereophile came away from the WA7/K701 combo at the New York Audio Show this week with the same conclusion as I did at SSI: "The sweet, detailed, richly textured and colorful sound made for what might have been my very favorite listening experience of the show."
> 
> http://www.stereophile.com/content/woo-audio-m%E2%80%A2-recordings-and-stereolab


 
  Have you tried different tubes to do a little comparison? K701 will be used a lot by me.


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





junepy said:


> Have you tried different tubes to do a little comparison? K701 will be used a lot by me.


 
   
  I have tried it with stock tubes and the gold pins on Q701. My impression is that the stock tubes are better for these headphones. The gold pins give slightly deeper bass which is a desirable quality, but they seem to reduce the output power - I started noticing non linear distortions just above my normal listening levels (i.e. peaks of more dynamic tracks). I can easily compensate for the lack of bass with an equalizer, but the only way to reduce the distortions is to lower the volume.


----------



## Macross

Hi all,
   
  Just got my beyer T1 running thur my Sound Blaster Zx.  Debating getting the WA7 or the WA2.  Had anyone experienced both?  Would greatly appreciate feed back.


----------



## Macross

It doesn't matter now, just pulled the trigger on the WA7.  Now, I will wait!


----------



## atomicbob

The WA7 will be well worth the wait for the Beyers. I have both WA3+ (OTL similar to but less powerful than WA2) and WA7. Beyer T90 spends more time with the WA7 for me.


----------



## hedphonz

A question for the WA7 owners 
   
  One of the reasons I am interested in the WA7 is that it is designed for IEM's also and  as I enjoy my sennheiser ie800's so much I want to start using them to listen at my desktop
   
  how do you think it will go with these ? They have a warm some say bassy sound signature so maybe thinking that a tube amp may not be the best match.
   
  If not the WA7 can anyone suggest any other amps that can drive both IEM's and headphones that could do the trick ?


----------



## ALRAINBOW

I have the wa7. 

It's not that warm , I can say I only notice the warmth on the hd800 and the tg334. But it only takes a little edge off. As for the i800. I do not own them but do own the ix10 from koss. 
 What u own is much better but a similar sound signature. It does not make them more bass heavy. Remember it's all solid state and only the drivers are tubes. Also the stock tubes are brighter than the upgrade . I have both. 

As far as another DAC amp combo. I own a mytek sterio 192 But its more money but more versatile . Also what. Is impedance of your IEM,s. remember the wa7 is 10 ohms output imp and if the i800 is about 32 it's ok but not ideal for sound quality .

Al D


----------



## hedphonz

thanks for that info
  the impedance of the ie800 is 16 ohm's, I assume the closer it is to the impedance of the amp the better ? Not too sure on how all this impedance stuff works and how it affects the SQ. I did try to follow the topic in the AK100 thread but it all got a bit dramatic for me.


----------



## ALRAINBOW

No is the oppiset u need amp ro be lower at least 4 times lower . 
Do a search on imp and affects on headphones


----------



## ALRAINBOW

It is a ratio of at least 4 to 1. Meaming if u have N amps output imp of 10 ohms
A 40 ohm iem or headphone is ok not perfect but ok some IEMS. D headphones are affected more than others a d need more of a ratio 5 or 6. I have read threads that say 8 times is perfection. That is tough to do with iem s that Are 16 ohms. It would need to be 2 ohms for perfection. 
Ok hope it helps u 
AL D


----------



## RapidPulse

Quote: 





alrainbow said:


> Also what. Is impedance of your IEM,s. remember the *wa7 is 10 ohms output imp* and if the i800 is about 32 it's ok but not ideal for sound quality .


 
   
  I don't remember seeing the output impedance of the WA7 published anywhere.  Where did you get this info? Thanks.


----------



## atomicbob

Measured information on the WA7 can be found here:
   
http://kenrockwell.com/audio/woo/wa7.htm
   
  It appears the output impedance is approx. 23 ohms for the 1/8" jack, approx. 36 ohms for the 1/4" jack lo-Z and approx. 110 ohms hi-z.


----------



## ALRAINBOW

Not sure where but I'm sure of it
I can look to see where 
I
Might of asked jack Wu himself


----------



## ariesq

Quote: 





ariesq said:


> Just got an update e-mail from Woo Audio. They are discontinuing the smoke glass option due to manufacturing delays. All new Black WA7 will now ship with the clear glass tops. Ship dates have been pushed back by a few weeks.
> 
> Order Date --> Ship Date
> Jan 28- Feb 18 --> By the end of April
> ...


 
  Looks like they are shipping out ahead of schedule.
   
  Just got a shipping notice from Woo Audio. I should receive it by next monday =D


----------



## LNCPapa

Just got my tracking info from FedEx as well!!!!!


----------



## hedphonz

Quote: 





alrainbow said:


> It is a ratio of at least 4 to 1. Meaming if u have N amps output imp of 10 ohms
> A 40 ohm iem or headphone is ok not perfect but ok some IEMS. D headphones are affected more than others a d need more of a ratio 5 or 6. I have read threads that say 8 times is perfection. That is tough to do with iem s that Are 16 ohms. It would need to be 2 ohms for perfection.
> Ok hope it helps u
> AL D


 
  im guessing that 2 ohms is only really available in the portable amps - 2 ohms seems very low for a desktop
   
   
   
   
  Quote: 





atomicbob said:


> Measured information on the WA7 can be found here:
> 
> http://kenrockwell.com/audio/woo/wa7.htm
> 
> It appears the output impedance is approx. 23 ohms for the 1/8" jack, approx. 36 ohms for the 1/4" jack lo-Z and approx. 110 ohms hi-z.


 
  so perhaps the WA7 is great for my HD800's but not the ie800;s - maybe i should rethink my desire to listen with the ie's at my desktop


----------



## RapidPulse

Quote: 





hedphonz said:


> so perhaps the WA7 is great for my HD800's but not the ie800;s - maybe i should rethink my desire to listen with the ie's at my desktop


 
   
  Yes..I saw those measurements and they were higher than I was expecting.  Woo Audio specs says WA7 is suitable for 8-600 ohm headphones. I haven't used all my IEMs with it yet...but I can tell you that my Etymotics have never sounded better.


----------



## ALRAINBOW

I spoke to jack today regarding the output imp of the wa7. He recommended 
To use the 1/4 jack for lower imp IEM S. I agree all my IEM S Sound very good from 50 ohm down to 16 ohm jh16. I must say it sounds as good as it looks. 
AL D


----------



## desertblues

On what has been a pretty miserable day (spent in my dentists' office), I just got home to find my tracking info email. I'll soon be in WA7 land! Ordered April 16 - not bad at all.


----------



## ALRAINBOW

Cool 
It will make you happy


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

Pretty solidly on the fence right now. There's a number of things the WA7 would do that my current setup doesn't that makes me rather interested...

OK, gents, honest opinions needed. I have a pair of HE-500's running through a Schiit Lyr and Bifrost with stock tubes and a Norn 2 cable. I've been told the WA7 would be a step up but how much of one are we talking about? Most of my audio is lossless but there's a good 15% or so that's still 256+ AAC or MP3.

My current system also doesn't have anything for my 8.A's. One thing I do currently do with my Lyr is run my desktop speakers form it. They have their own volume control and it sounds like that wouldn't be a problem with the WA7, right?

So is it worth it? How much better would it be? Or would it be better?


----------



## MickeyVee

Wow Doug.. pretty much the same setup as I have but I'm using Amperex Orange Globe tubes.
  I'm really considering the WA7 but don't want to drop a grand without hearing or really researching.  
  So, same questions for me...
  Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> Pretty solidly on the fence right now.
> OK, gents, honest opinions needed. I have a pair of HE-500's running through a Schiit Lyr and Bifrost with stock tubes and a Norn 2 cable.
> So is it worth it? How much better would it be? Or would it be better?


----------



## olegausany

I don't have Lyr but currently own WA7 with stock tubes at this time (but already sent money to Jack an have to wait 2-3 weeks for upgrade tubes) and enjoying it with my D7000 after falling in love with WA7 after trying it with my D7000 as well as T90, T1, and $2000 Fostex at the recent NYC meet and they all sounded great when using built-in DAC with USB input. I personally didn't try HD800 since I prefer T1 over HD800 but those who did really liked it. Also remember you can use different DAC if you want to and you can connect any AMP you have using RCA jacks and compare which one you like best but for me the whole idea was to get compact desktop DAC/Amp in one with DAC capable of 24bit 192 kHz with Asynchronous USB input and tube Amp


----------



## Macross

I've ordered my WA7 a few days back along with the upgrade tubes.  While waiting for it, I am searching for a USB cable to go with it.  Any suggestion?


----------



## reddyxm

Quote: 





macross said:


> I've ordered my WA7 a few days back along with the upgrade tubes.  While waiting for it, I am searching for a USB cable to go with it.  Any suggestion?


 
   
  AH! Thanks for inadvertently reminding me to grab a USB cable. I hope the one I have is long enough and I don't have to buy a new one. Now I just gotta find it somewhere in my house. Stealing the cable from an old printer. I received my tracking info yesterday. I would have gone crazy if I received my unit next week and realized I had to waste time to go out to buy a USB cable.


----------



## RapidPulse

Also remember that you will need a power cable


----------



## reddyxm

Quote: 





rapidpulse said:


> Also remember that you will need a power cable


 
   
  Yep. Have that covered.


----------



## shigzeo

Ken is a beast! He's got the photo world bottled up with excellent SEO and now the audio world, too. Well done. Anyway, I'm a little less excited than he is, though I think the WA7 is a very good amp/DAC combo. My review is up.


----------



## hedphonz

quite a thorough review above - has the first negative comments i heard regarding build quality and interesting to hear your observations regarding it being best suited for 80 ohm + headphones
   
  BTW - ohmage 6 and porridge 3 - what score is that out of  ? 6 or 10 ?


----------



## olegausany

Quote: 





macross said:


> I've ordered my WA7 a few days back along with the upgrade tubes.  While waiting for it, I am searching for a USB cable to go with it.  Any suggestion?


 

 I got several USB cables from The Cable Co library plus one from Best Buy. Tried 2 out of 5 so far and out of those 2 I prefer DH Labs SilverSonic USB. Will update this post if anyone interested


----------



## shigzeo

Quote: 





hedphonz said:


> quite a thorough review above - has the first negative comments i heard regarding build quality and interesting to hear your observations regarding it being best suited for 80 ohm + headphones
> 
> BTW - ohmage 6 and porridge 3 - what score is that out of  ? 6 or 10 ?


 
  Hello hedphonz,
   
  The porridge and ohmage aren't out of anything. Where I decide to apply marks, I apply them. Porridge is something I like to eat, but I recognise that it isn't everyone's favourite. Therefore, it is a negative. 'ohmage' on the other hands, is a positive. If I decide to make points at twenty places, then it is out of 20. 3+6, otherwise, equals nine. I'm trying to keep ohm image out of the full marks review sites and interested in highlighting the product and its most important features. I hope it isn't too confusing.


----------



## hedphonz

Quote: 





shigzeo said:


> Hello hedphonz,
> 
> The porridge and ohmage aren't out of anything. Where I decide to apply marks, I apply them. Porridge is something I like to eat, but I recognise that it isn't everyone's favourite. Therefore, it is a negative. 'ohmage' on the other hands, is a positive. If I decide to make points at twenty places, then it is out of 20. 3+6, otherwise, equals nine. I'm trying to keep ohm image out of the full marks review sites and interested in highlighting the product and its most important features. I hope it isn't too confusing.


 
  Ohm I see 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  points are always so subjective anyway - i take little notice of them when it comes to music reviews or i would have bought a truckload of crap by now.


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





shigzeo said:


> [..]  My review is up.


 
   
  Quote from the review: 





> Fireflies sports coaxial SPDIF inputs as well as this decade's Ubiq, USB.


 
   
  Hmm - I looked and then looked again, but the coax S/PDIF input must be really well hidden. Even the WA7 manual doesn't seem to know about it...
  That's a porridge from me for otherwise fine review.


----------



## shigzeo

Quote: 





pleasantsounds said:


> Hmm - I looked and then looked again, but the coax S/PDIF input must be really well hidden. Even the WA7 manual doesn't seem to know about it...
> That's a porridge from me for otherwise fine review.


 
  Porridge indeed. Fixed and thank you.


----------



## Macross

Quote: 





olegausany said:


> I got several USB cables from The Cable Co library plus one from Best Buy. Tried 2 out of 5 so far and out of those 2 I prefer DH Labs SilverSonic USB. Will update this post if anyone interested


 

 This should be interesting. I was thinking about DH Labs or the Blue Dragon from Moon since their price range is similar and not too expensive.  Kimber Kable Ag seems nice, but out of my budget.


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

Outside of better shielding... One USB cable will deliver audio identically to any other USB cable. Sorry, but anything beyond that is aesthetics and wishful thinking. Just get a medium price cable from Amazon and be done with it.


----------



## atomicbob

Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> Outside of better shielding... One USB cable will deliver audio identically to any other USB cable. Sorry, but anything beyond that is aesthetics and wishful thinking. Just get a medium price cable from Amazon and be done with it.


 
  +1  Unless the cable is incompetent, there will be no effect. There are performance standards for these cables and a maximum length imposed given the operational digital frequencies.


----------



## mrbigsby

Much more noticable results from a good power cable than from a USB. Im 32 so my hearing wont be as good as a 16-21 Y-O, but its still pretty good as i dont crank my cans too much. That being said i cant notice any remarkable difference between my "fancy" usb cable i bought (starlight), and the $700 equivalent in the same brand. Power cords i do notice. They dont change the whole game up, but they can provide a noticeable "clean-up" of sorts. Just when you think you have a black background and dynamic sound- change to a quality power cord and you realise there was still slight room for improvement. 
   
  This isnt all to say that a $1000 cord is better than a $250. I cant make that judgement as i havent done enough research and comparison with a control rig. I suspect a good cord is a good cord, as apposed to the differences in say differently priced headphones and amps where there would be far greater variables in every aspect than mere materials, braid, and shielding. Again just an assumption though. What i do know for a fact is that a decent power cord will sound better than a printer cable. 
   
  Theres a fantastic blind test that gets linked around these forums quite a bit over the years. It shows that majority of blind testers didnt notice a wiz bang audio cable or results in the best cases can easily be assumed chance, nor a USB, but power cords showed an obvious spike in the results. This blind test report is what made me first try a good power cord. I bought one, never bought a second though as i never use more than one device at a time.


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

mrbigsby said:


> Theres a fantastic blind test that gets linked around these forums quite a bit over the years. It shows that majority of blind testers didnt notice a wiz bang audio cable or results in the best cases can easily be assumed chance, nor a USB, but power cords showed an obvious spike in the results. This blind test report is what made me first try a good power cord. I bought one, never bought a second though as i never use more than one device at a time.




I'm a bit dubious about to what degree a power cable would effect the sound, but I can believe that far more than a USB cable. Do you happen to have the link you mentioned available? Also curious what cable you went for, if it was something special or just a standard copper cable with some solid shielding.


----------



## LNCPapa

Got my WA7 in today - all set up and listening already.


----------



## desertblues

Congrats! Mine is due tomorrow, can't wait to hear it.


----------



## Ranma13

I just got mine today and I've been listening to it, but I noticed that the impedance switch on the back doesn't seem to increase or decrease the volume as expected, at least nothing like how the Pico Headamp's impedance switch does. Anyone else experience the same thing?


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





ranma13 said:


> I just got mine today and I've been listening to it, but I noticed that the impedance switch on the back doesn't seem to increase or decrease the volume as expected, at least nothing like how the Pico Headamp's impedance switch does. Anyone else experience the same thing?


 
   
  The volume level change is quite subtle. But it does the job, as the headphones sound different.


----------



## reddyxm

Good to hear people are receiving their units. I got mine yesterday!


----------



## desertblues

Got my WA7 yesterday, too late to do anymore than setup and give it a cursory listen (it is truly a drop-dead cool looking amp). I now have a bit over 3 hours on it with Q701 and Grado RS1i. It is amazing how good the Grados sound! I have not heard bass like this with them using any other amp, including my Bellari tube amp which I love! I'm not ready to give a detailed review yet but I can already tell this is a keeper.


----------



## samsie

Mine flew to Hong Kong almost one month ago.  I was too busy playing with my DIY amp (a cloned EAR+ HD super) and the 47 lab  model 0147.  Please do not comment on my DIY skill, I almost started  fire on both amp in different ways.  
   
  A few brief listening sections with the WA7 only, I found myself prefer the original tubes rather than the upgrade EH tubes.  What is the comment on those tube?  I use Grado phones (magnum mod SR325 and RS1) only.  Any review on the two different tubes?


----------



## desertblues

samsie said:


> Mine flew to Hong Kong almost one month ago.  I was too busy playing with my DIY amp (a cloned EAR+ HD super) and the 47 lab  model 0147.  Please do not comment on my DIY skill, I almost started  fire on both amp in different ways.
> 
> A few brief listening sections with the WA7 only, I found myself prefer the original tubes rather than the upgrade EH tubes.  What is the comment on those tube?  I use Grado phones (magnum mod SR325 and RS1) only.  Any review on the two different tubes?




I am also wondering about the upgrade tubes-I ordered a pair with the amp but have not received them yet (currently on backorder).


----------



## mrbigsby

check out the original post on this thread. I reviewed all the tubes i could find and afford at the time for this amp (3 sets). To my ears the EH tubes were best via a range if fischer audio headphones, DT770, t50rp, and HP100.


----------



## LNCPapa

I've had my WA7 for a few days now.  Today I listened to the SACD release of Miles Davis' Someday My Prince Will Come (Teo) paired with my Q701 and my heart felt like it skipped a beat.  I can't wait to let my friends hear this.


----------



## desertblues

mrbigsby said:


> check out the original post on this thread. I reviewed all the tubes i could find and afford at the time for this amp (3 sets). To my ears the EH tubes were best via a range if fischer audio headphones, DT770, t50rp, and HP100.




After reading your review (and others) on the stock & upgrade tubes I'm even more anxious to try 'em. Thanks!



lncpapa said:


> I've had my WA7 for a few days now.  Today I listened to the SACD release of Miles Davis' Someday My Prince Will Come (Teo) paired with my Q701 and my heart felt like it skipped a beat.  I can't wait to let my friends hear this.




I've been listening to some of my favorite small group jazz also - this amp makes my Grados sing like never before!


----------



## groovyd

Well burned in and sounding like a champ!  Really adds warmth and emotion to music relative to my HeadRoom solid state amp. Very happy!


----------



## olegausany

Sorry for off topic but i want to know if anyone was successful in using WA7 with OS X 10.8.3 within VMWare virtual machine?


----------



## Cheebamaster

Anyone paired the WA7 with Sennheiser hd800? Considering buying a pair but the hd800 is finicky with amps and I'd love some input.


----------



## Currawong

The slight mellowness of the stock tubes will be most pleasant with brighter cans, so the match with Grado is no surprise. The upgrade tubes I liked with my LCD-3s as they are less mellow. 
   
  Regarding USB by the way: The DAC is bus-powered, so rather than worrying about cables, consider one of the many high-quality USB power supplies instead (Aurorasound, iFi, Vaunix or others). That will make an unquestionable difference. A well-shielded cable made to spec isn't a bad idea though, but Belkin Gold should do for that (and yes, I have fancy USB cables here).


----------



## atomicbob

Listening right now to HD800 on WA7. The HD800 aren't finicky, they are ruthlessly accurate. They reveal all upstream for better or worse. WA7 is close to uncolored but with that tube midrange magic. For my ears the HD800 pairs well with the WA7. If I was restricted to only this combination I could live with it very well and be happy, thank-you. I tend to like the HD800 a little better on a WA3+ with a Tung-Sol 5998 power tube. That is a magical experience all its own. I also spend more time with a T90 paired with the WA7, one of the best combinations for recreational listening to my ears. Violectric V800 DAC upstream completes the system for me. I think the stock 6c45pi tubes perform well with both the HD800 and T90.


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





cheebamaster said:


> Anyone paired the WA7 with Sennheiser hd800? Considering buying a pair but the hd800 is finicky with amps and I'd love some input.


 
   
  I'm sure the HD800 can rise to greater heights with some much more expensive gear, but the WA7 is certainly capable of driving them very well. I haven't heard headphones that sound better with this amp.


----------



## Ganda

I owned this amp for few months, and I only realized that this amp is totally unpaired with Q701. I am not a big fan with classical music, and I think the human sound in pop music is just terrible. 1 month ago I purchased the Electro Harmonix 6C45 Gold Plated Pinsmatched pair tubes. The sound is better than the original tubes, but still ,the human sound is drowned in other sounds although it sounds warmer and a little closer to ear. Overall, This is a great amp for classical music, but I will never use this amp to listen any songs other than classical music.


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

currawong said:


> Regarding USB by the way: The DAC is bus-powered, so rather than worrying about cables, consider one of the many high-quality USB power supplies instead (Aurorasound, iFi, Vaunix or others). That will make an unquestionable difference.




Because most computers don't have enough output to power the DAC? System noise shouldn't be a factor here.


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> Because most computers don't have enough output to power the DAC? System noise shouldn't be a factor here.


 
   
  It's not about the quantity but quality. PC power supplies are built for powering digital circuits which are quite tolerant of all sorts of distortions. Analog circuits require "clean" power to operate. Since the output stage of a DAC is analog, it will benefit from higher quality power supply.


----------



## Frank I

I will be submitting my review this week and hopefully it will be published some time  early next week. I enjoyed my time with the WA7


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

pleasantsounds said:


> It's not about the quantity but quality. PC power supplies are built for powering digital circuits which are quite tolerant of all sorts of distortions. Analog circuits require "clean" power to operate. Since the output stage of a DAC is analog, it will benefit from higher quality power supply.




Can you go into specifics? 'Higher quality' doesn't tell me much.


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> Can you go into specifics? 'Higher quality' doesn't tell me much.


 
   
  As linear as possible: no dips, no spikes, no ripples, no voltage drops under load.


----------



## hedphonz

Quote: 





frank i said:


> I will be submitting my review this week and hopefully it will be published some time  early next week. I enjoyed my time with the WA7


 
  Geez Frank - your one lucky guy - having the WA7 as well as the HDVD800 to review
   
  With saying that - its probably quite a bit of work and responsibility to do these reviews properly !


----------



## got2

Just got my set in today!  Amazing!
   
  Quick question.  Are you guys using the ASIO4all driver for CMedia or ASIO4all v2?  When I use the Cmedia asio driver it starts crackling and stuttering.  Anybody else experience this?
   
  Thanks,
  H


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

pleasantsounds said:


> dougoftheabaci said:
> 
> 
> > Can you go into specifics? 'Higher quality' doesn't tell me much.
> ...




Which is important because...?


----------



## atomicbob

@got2: look here for information to optimize windows for audio:
   
https://www.steinberg.net/en/support/knowledgebase_new/show_details/kb_show/optimizing-windows-for-daws.html
   
  get the dpc tool from Thesycon and look to see what is hogging the processor during delayed procedure calls in the kernel. It is most likely a network or wireless communications driver. You might also try increasing the playback buffer size.


----------



## got2

Quote: 





atomicbob said:


> @got2: look here for information to optimize windows for audio:
> 
> https://www.steinberg.net/en/support/knowledgebase_new/show_details/kb_show/optimizing-windows-for-daws.html
> 
> get the dpc tool from Thesycon and look to see what is hogging the processor during delayed procedure calls in the kernel. It is most likely a network or wireless communications driver. You might also try increasing the playback buffer size.


 
   
  Thanks much Bob!  Will definitely give that a try.  I did already try and increase the buffer size to no avail.  I'm wondering though, does it make any difference in quality to use the generic ASIO driver vs the Cmedia specific one?
   
  thanks again,
  H


----------



## desertblues

The WA7 is stunning with the Grado PS500! I love the way my RS1i sounds with this amp/dac, but it is off the charts with the PS500. I listened to a wide-ranging variety of music for several hours this morning and came away greatly impressed with this combo, by far the best I've heard these phones sound. The bass is extended and more defined, the whole presentation is improved. I've got about 12 hours on the WA7 and it only gets better. I'm an old school analog "vinyl is better" type guy-digital audio is not supposed to sound this good! The setup: iMac>alac files>WA7 usb input (low imp.)>PS500>nirvana! Three cheers for Woo...


----------



## olegausany

I currently use WA7 with C-Media ASIO with foobar 1.26 and buffer on minimum without any problems instead of WASAPI (push) on Win 7 64bit


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> Which is important because...?


 
   
  Analog signal is constructed by modulating a reference level voltage, which is derived from the DC power supply. If the power level fluctuates, so will your reference level and consequently the signal will be affected.


----------



## Currawong

dougoftheabaci said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Because noise from the USB power ultimately affects the output of the DAC itself. At the very worst, in my experience, you can actually hear noises from the computer with some USB-powered DACs. That is why more expensive DACs tend to be larger, because you are paying for a larger, better-built power supply with a cleaner output (as well as other things).
   
  Some graphs of USB power noise at the Aqvox site: http://www.aqvox.de/usb-power_en.html


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

pleasantsounds said:


> Analog signal is constructed by modulating a reference level voltage, which is derived from the DC power supply. If the power level fluctuates, so will your reference level and consequently the signal will be affected.







currawong said:


> Because noise from the USB power ultimately affects the output of the DAC itself. At the very worst, in my experience, you can actually hear noises from the computer with some USB-powered DACs. That is why more expensive DACs tend to be larger, because you are paying for a larger, better-built power supply with a cleaner output (as well as other things).
> 
> Some graphs of USB power noise at the Aqvox site: http://www.aqvox.de/usb-power_en.html




Ooo. OK, now I get it. So how big of a problem is it with the WA7? Or is that determined more by the computer and if so short lot listening how can you tell if it will be an issue? I would rather know ill have to buy another device with the WA7 before I purchase if it comes to that.


----------



## atomicbob

@DougofTheAbaci: At a local head-fi meet I had the WA7 connected to an ASUS Ultrabook using the ASUS power adapter and a standard, no-frills but shielded USB cable. Zero noise. None. Also using JRiver Media Center. No dropouts either. Just very clean sound.
   
  The fellow next to me running a Mjolnir and W4S DAC-2 connected to a Macbook Pro was experiencing digital hash at approx 40~45 dB SPL below the playback. It added an edgy harshness to the sound. If there had been more setup time we might have been able to sort it out. With the proper power both are quite capable of great sound. The AC mains was not a clean source of power. Lots of computers in the room.


----------



## MickeyVee

Hey Frank, have a pair of HD800 on order and am considering the WA7 to replace my Schiit stack amd simplify things. Any comments on the synergy or will that be in the review?
   
  Quote:


frank i said:


> I will be submitting my review this week and hopefully it will be published some time  early next week. I enjoyed my time with the WA7


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


>


 
  The synergy is good with the hd800.  I covered most of it in the review which has been submitted and is being worked on.. As soon as Jack Wu  fact checks it will be published. i will keep you posted.


----------



## MickeyVee

Awesome, thanks. Looking forward to it!
  Quote:


frank i said:


> The synergy is good with the hd800.  I covered most of it in the review which has been submitted and is being worked on.. As soon as Jack Wu  fact checks it will be published. i will keep you posted.


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> Ooo. OK, now I get it. So how big of a problem is it with the WA7? Or is that determined more by the computer and if so short lot listening how can you tell if it will be an issue? I would rather know ill have to buy another device with the WA7 before I purchase if it comes to that.


 
   
  I don't think there's an easy way to predict how significant impact it will have. I suppose WA7 does some sort of power filtering to ensure no major hiccups, and I haven't seen any reports of people hearing the artifacts. I'd say you would be unlucky to notice it in your setup. For most users this is one of the things to squeeze out the last 3% of performance, after you found your perfect tubes, but perhaps before you start spending similar amounts of money on cables.


----------



## ambon

Never mind, a pure rookie Homer moment - I must have bumped the selector switch on the back of the amp by accident and moved it off of USB. All is well and amp is sounding as nice as ever with the ipad and CCK. :rolleyes:


----------



## groovyd

Just ordered that Aqvox power supply, looks quite interesting.  But I was then just wondering why the WA7 doesn't separate the bus power out and provide the DAC with a clean 5v from it's own power supply, or does it?  Seems like he could be doing the same supply separation inside the WA7?
   
  I am also just curious if anyone has any shots of the internals of a WA7?  Curious how everything is laid out inside.


----------



## olegausany

So after using WA7 with my Win 7 64bit system I was curious is there a USB DAC which will work properly with foobar's WASAPI output so I ordered from Music Direct well prised Micromega MyDAC and got it this afternoon. So I switched it to USB 2.0 mode , installed older version 1.22 driver and switched WA7 to RCA mode and connected them using Wireworld Luna 6 cable. Then I started foobar version 1.26 and chose WASAPI event as output and music was playing without problem but I heard NO any sound quality difference comparing to WA7 with USB DAC and WASAPI push mode since as we know WA7's DAC doesn't work with event mode selected. I also tried it with ASIO output and it was working too with NO sound quality difference but there was very short silence with one of the test track   The unit I got came with old firmware so I upgraded it to the new one and then upgraded the driver to latest version and than repeated the testing steps and found no any difference so MyDAC will be returned back. 
  As I said in one of my previous post I have 5 different USB cables with price ranges between $80 and $200. So after almost 3 weeks of trying them I only noticed that with 3 of them, Voodoo Magic Bus, AudioQuest Carbon and Cardas Clear Serial Buss music had a little bit more sparkle and air, the difference was small but still noticeable while compared to 2 other cables DH Labs SilverSonic and Futuretech GT-2. So if you want darker cable I would recommend DH Labs since it is cheaper than Futuretech (heard no any difference between them) but if you want more sparkle get AudioQuest since it's cheaper than Voodoo (heard no difference between them but they were slightly but noticeable better than Cardas whose price is close to AudioQuest). I'm keeping and currently using AudioQuest Carbon while foobar's output is C-Media ASIO with 32 bit depth and 6ms latency (default is 10 and smallest value is 2ms but I didn't try it)


----------



## Frank I

For anyone interested my WA7 review is Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies DAC Headphone Amplifier Review


----------



## atomicbob

Nice review! Thanks for pointers to additional music for me to add to my library.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





atomicbob said:


> Nice review! Thanks for pointers to additional music for me to add to my library.


 
  Thank you. Glad you liked it and the music is well recorded and fantastic to listen too.


----------



## olegausany

Excellent review Frank and I completely agree with you especially when you say that for many it will be the last unit they have. My only wish is that DAC would be able to handle DSD.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





olegausany said:


> Excellent review Frank and I completely agree with you especially when you say that for many it will be the last unit they have. My only wish is that DAC would be able to handle DSD.


 
  Thank you for the kind words. I guess at the 1K price range some choices had to be made for DSD.


----------



## Mambosenior

olegausany said:


> ...when you say that for many it will be the last unit they have.




Considering the clientele here, I'll put big money that this will happen when cows begin to bark!

An excellent write-up, nevertheless. Thank you.


----------



## Currawong

Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Not so much when I compared going straight out of my MacBook Pro to using the Aurorasound Bus Power. The latter resulted in a nicer and less grainy sound, but not dramatically so. The DAC is probably at about the Dragonfly/Explorer kind of level (probably closer to the latter given the same DAC being present). I just got the WA7 back from doing the rounds around the Japanese crew here and my impression is that it is a bit grainier than my main rig, so the finer points of the sound of the DAC seem less significant, if that makes any sense.


----------



## desertblues

Thanks for the review-your impressions of the WA7 are spot on Imho. This amp has a synergy with the Grado PS500 very much like the T90 you described.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





desertblues said:


> Thanks for the review-your impressions of the WA7 are spot on Imho. This amp has a synergy with the Grado PS500 very much like the T90 you described.


 
  Thank you an glad you liked the review. I have yet to hear those grado's and glad they work well for you.


----------



## MickeyVee

Thanks Frank for the review.  I really want to keep my system simple and good sounding. The WA7 is next up on my list and I'll run it parallel with my Schiit stack. One will be my main and the other will move to the living room.  Looking forward to hearing it on my own.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





mickeyvee said:


> Thanks Frank for the review.  I really want to keep my system simple and good sounding. The WA7 is next up on my list and I'll run it parallel with my Schiit stack. One will be my main and the other will move to the living room.  Looking forward to hearing it on my own.


 
  Thanks Mickey and look forward to you impressions with the WA7


----------



## aamefford

Quote: 





frank i said:


> For anyone interested my WA7 review is Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies DAC Headphone Amplifier Review


 
  Frank, nice review, except for the part where I start thinking I'd like to have one of these...  Sounds like a heck of an amp / dec combo


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





aamefford said:


> Frank, nice review, except for the part where I start thinking I'd like to have one of these...  Sounds like a heck of an amp / dec combo


 
  LOL. Guess what? It plays the Mad Dogs very well also.


----------



## olegausany

Quote: 





frank i said:


> LOL. Guess what? It plays the Mad Dogs very well also.


 
  +1


----------



## aamefford

Quote: 





frank i said:


> LOL. Guess what? It plays the Mad Dogs very well also.


 
  Figures.....


----------



## reddyxm

Great review Frank!
   
  The WA7 is my very first amp and I paired it up with the LCD2s. I came from using Grado SR80s and my PC onboard audio. I didn't know what to expect with my first listen on a high end system. I prepared myself by not setting my expectations too high but at the same time I was hoping to hear a night a day difference.
   
  Excuse me if I don't use these hifi terms correctly. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 First difference I could hear was the bass. It was not muddy or completely lost in the background. I could finally hear the bass clearly. I could hear extension in the treble. The sound stage opened up a little. I'm so used to the in your face Grados that the LCDs I guess were mellow. I think that's what people mean when they say "dark"?
   
  Honestly, I don't know I can justify these purchases because it was not a night and day difference to me. Perhaps its because my ears are untrained and I don't know what I should be looking out for? Most of the time I'm listening to music while working on my computer so I won't notice every detail unless I'm concentrating only on the music. From lurking around these forums, I've learned that sound is subjective from person to person. I wish sound was as blatant has computer graphics settings low, medium and high. But one thing for sure I can say is that I definitely like open headphones over closed. I've had a pair of high end gaming closed headphones before and I hate the way the sound echos.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





reddyxm said:


> Great review Frank!
> 
> The WA7 is my very first amp and I paired it up with the LCD2s.


 
  Thank you and glad you like the review and i liked the lcd2 with the WA7


----------



## Silent One

Quote: 





frank i said:


> For anyone interested my WA7 review is Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies DAC Headphone Amplifier Review


 
   
  Thanks for sharing. The review left me informed and delighted. The WA7 bedside, would offer a nice finish to a work night during the week.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





silent one said:


> Thanks for sharing. The review left me informed and delighted. The WA7 bedside, would offer a nice finish to a work night during the week.


 
  glad you like it and it  is a great little amp.


----------



## utdeep

Frank, I loved your review. What did you think of the synergy between the HD700 and the WA7?


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





utdeep said:


> Frank, I loved your review. What did you think of the synergy between the HD700 and the WA7?


 
  The Woo WA7  diid excellent with all the headphone I tried it with including the hd700 I have here for review.  The T90 was very special with the WA7.  Glad you liked the review.


----------



## Currawong

Quote: 





reddyxm said:


> Honestly, I don't know I can justify these purchases because it was not a night and day difference to me. Perhaps its because my ears are untrained and I don't know what I should be looking out for? Most of the time I'm listening to music while working on my computer so I won't notice every detail unless I'm concentrating only on the music. From lurking around these forums, I've learned that sound is subjective from person to person. I wish sound was as blatant has computer graphics settings low, medium and high. But one thing for sure I can say is that I definitely like open headphones over closed. I've had a pair of high end gaming closed headphones before and I hate the way the sound echos.


 
   
  Listen for a week or two then switch back to what you had before. That can sometimes be more dramatic. Another thing, which was one of my first experiences with higher-quality hi-fi than what I was used to is that the better clarity isn't a dramatic experience. If anything it can be an anti-climax. It's not the same as going from cheap IEMs to ones with great, thumping bass, which is very noticeable. Some people buy different or better headphones or gear for the greater _thump_ in the bass, others (like myself) for clarity (and maybe a bit of an extra kick in the bass too sometimes). Better gear will not have any harshness that makes listening for long periods irritating, which some cheaper gear has. Good gear makes you stop thinking about the gear and notice the music.


----------



## atomicbob

Quote: 





currawong said:


> Listen for a week or two then switch back to what you had before. That can sometimes be more dramatic. Another thing, which was one of my first experiences with higher-quality hi-fi than what I was used to is that the better clarity isn't a dramatic experience. If anything it can be an anti-climax. It's not the same as going from cheap IEMs to ones with great, thumping bass, which is very noticeable. Some people buy different or better headphones or gear for the greater _thump_ in the bass, others (like myself) for clarity (and maybe a bit of an extra kick in the bass too sometimes). Better gear will not have any harshness that makes listening for long periods irritating, which some cheaper gear has. Good gear makes you stop thinking about the gear and notice the music.


 
   
  That is an excellent description that my own experience mirrors. Greater clarity, lower distortion, reduced or eliminated listening fatigue. Then listen to lesser gear and the loss of those attributes is more dramatic. I have been spending much more time recreationally listening to my library since putting together the WA7 and T90 combination. Alternate for me is WA3+ with 2399/5998 tube and either T90 or HD800. So much music, so little time. I record and edit voice as part of my day job and spend a lot of time working using Benchmark DAC1, Violectric V800 and V200 with various headphones. Very sensitized to listening fatigue. Until the last couple of years and the dramatic improvement in headphones and amps, I could not listen recreationally after ten hours of audio work day.


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

currawong said:


> reddyxm said:
> 
> 
> > Honestly, I don't know I can justify these purchases because it was not a night and day difference to me. Perhaps its because my ears are untrained and I don't know what I should be looking out for? Most of the time I'm listening to music while working on my computer so I won't notice every detail unless I'm concentrating only on the music. From lurking around these forums, I've learned that sound is subjective from person to person. I wish sound was as blatant has computer graphics settings low, medium and high. But one thing for sure I can say is that I definitely like open headphones over closed. I've had a pair of high end gaming closed headphones before and I hate the way the sound echos.
> ...




The trick for testing gear comes down to understanding the flaws inherent in what you're trying to do. For a start, you can't just flip a switch and go from A to B instantly so you can't do a comparison between the two directly. As such you are left comparing mental impressions which is extremely difficult. Make your job easier by choosing a set of songs you're familiar with, preferably with instruments that you are familiar with, and then listen to that playlist for a few hours. Make notes about where it's harsh, where it's flat, where you hear things just on the edges. Write down your impressions but also let yourself just feel the music. Then do it again with the new components. Listen to the same songs, do you hear those fringe instruments and sounds? Are they more or less pronounced? Should they be?

When I got my first set of really nice headphones I was listening to a track that I was used to being quite harsh at one point. I got there but instead of harsh it was just clear and smooth. No pain. It was beautiful. Then, later, in another song I heard an oboe in the background that I'd never known was there. This from a song I'd heard hundreds of times before.

Of course, the down side was that all my bad audio sounded equally worse as the good stuff sounded better. Which is why almost all of my audio is now lossless, some of it is high res and none of it is below 256 kbps.

And I'm still looking to improve.


----------



## Kevin Brown

^^^  This is a great way of comparing.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  I have 2 ways that I compare both headphones, headphone amps, DACs, etc, as well as different CD versions (masterings).  I do try and do quick A/B testing when it's possible.  Have to remember to try and normalize the volume between headphones as much as possible.  (The louder one will usually sound "better".)  But after quick A/B tests, I just "live" with each component over longer time periods.  Is everything balanced?  Anything sticking out too much?  Too bright?  Too muffled?  Too much low end?  Too fatiguing?  Etc.
   
  The funny thing is that I've been listening to the WA7/O2 DAC/RS2i combo for about 3 weeks now.  I was supposed to switch a while back to the Q701, but I'm just having so much fun with this combo that I haven't bothered switching yet.  Haven't even tried the WA7's DAC ...


----------



## Silent One

When possible, I like to give changes at least 21 days to a month and living with it.


----------



## groovyd

Aqvox arrived with a rattling 220-110 transformer with some broken plastic somewhere inside.  Is a bit of a wanky setup actually needing a cable to the transformer to another cable to the power supply.  The usb connector is not a tight fit either.  Thinking a high quality usb hub might have been the better option.


----------



## Macross

Hi all,
   
  Just got my WA7 for about a week now.  I am pairing it with my T1.  I have been hearing some static on and off which I didn't hear with my sound blaster ZX before.  Anyone here has experience similar situation?


----------



## smellyfungus

Ordered my black WA7 last week and it shipped earlier today. No 2-3 week wait, awesome.
   
  Also ordered the TH600 to go along with it. Seeing if anyone can comment if the stock tubes or the upgrade EH tubes would go better.
   
  Doesn't seem like there's many detailed impressions between the tubes out their outside of mrbigsby's review.
   
  Don't want to miss out on any gains but also ok with not blowing $100 if the improvement is subtle.


----------



## teddybro

Hello, i would like to ask what the expected life time of the gold tubes are? i'm going to order a WA7, but since i live in Europe i have to order a lot of tubes with it to avoid shipping costs!.


----------



## ariesq

Quote: 





teddybro said:


> Hello, i would like to ask what the expected life time of the gold tubes are? i'm going to order a WA7, but since i live in Europe i have to order a lot of tubes with it to avoid shipping costs!.


 
  From Woo Audio FAQ:
   
  How long do vacuum tubes last?
   
  Vacuum tubes used in our products last between 5000-9000 hours. Driver tubes (smaller tubes) generally last up to 9000 hours.


----------



## DougofTheAbaci

smellyfungus said:


> Don't want to miss out on any gains but also ok with not blowing $100 if the improvement is subtle.




From what I read in a few reviews it sounds like the upgraded tubes do improve the sound but it's not revolutionary, just a slight refinement.


----------



## groovyd

Quote: 





ariesq said:


> From Woo Audio FAQ:
> 
> How long do vacuum tubes last?
> 
> Vacuum tubes used in our products last between 5000-9000 hours. Driver tubes (smaller tubes) generally last up to 9000 hours.


 
   
  good question... I was just about to ask the same


----------



## mojolo

Quote: 





smellyfungus said:


> Ordered my black WA7 last week and it shipped earlier today. No 2-3 week wait, awesome.
> 
> Also ordered the TH600 to go along with it. Seeing if anyone can comment if the stock tubes or the upgrade EH tubes would go better.
> 
> ...


 
   
  I've had this combo for the past couple days. Personally, I find EH gold tubes to provide a much more neutral & detailed listening experience (if not a tad bright with the TH600s at times). I only tried the stock Sovteks for about a half an hour and in that short listening session, they felt somewhat dull to me. They do add a bit of warmth and smoothness to the overall signature, which I enjoy... but I think I prefer the qualities of the EH golds. I'm dac-less at the moment too so I've just been listening via USB (Neo Oyaide Class S cable) into the WA7 dac. It'll be a couple weeks until I get my dacs back, and I expect that the sound of the EH golds will be a bit smoother with them. Need to do some more listening with different types of music, but IMHO, the EH golds provide a noticeable difference and are worth the $100 if not to at least be able to try how they each match with different cans. Keep in mind, most of my listening was done with various types of electronica so the experience may be different with jazz or heavy vocals. My gear isn't quite broken in yet either.
   
  I also want to try the WA7 with the LCD-2 when I get the chance. I'm pretty sure I'm going to prefer the EH golds with the LCD-2.3s since they're a bit on the darker, full bodied side already.


----------



## smellyfungus

Quote: 





mojolo said:


> I've had this combo for the past couple days. Personally, I find EH gold tubes to provide a much more neutral & detailed listening experience (if not a tad bright with the TH600s at times). I only tried the stock Sovteks for about a half an hour and in that short listening session, they felt somewhat dull to me. They do add a bit of warmth and smoothness to the overall signature, which I enjoy... but I think I prefer the qualities of the EH golds. I'm dac-less at the moment too so I've just been listening via USB (Neo Oyaide Class S cable) into the WA7 dac. It'll be a couple weeks until I get my dacs back, and I expect that the sound of the EH golds will be a bit smoother with them. Need to do some more listening with different types of music, but IMHO, the EH golds provide a noticeable difference and are worth the $100 if not to at least be able to try how they each match with different cans. Keep in mind, most of my listening was done with various types of electronica so the experience may be different with jazz or heavy vocals. My gear isn't quite broken in yet either.
> 
> I also want to try the WA7 with the LCD-2 when I get the chance. I'm pretty sure I'm going to prefer the EH golds with the LCD-2.3s since they're a bit on the darker, full bodied side already.


 
  thanks for the impressions, will be interested to hear more. the EH seems like it would be suited for the LCD-2's sig.
   
  decided to order it. never tube rolled and this is basically the only opportunity for this amp. best to see myself how much i can gain. at worst ill have a backup pair of tubes.


----------



## teddybro

ariesq said:


> From Woo Audio FAQ:
> 
> How long do vacuum tubes last?
> 
> Vacuum tubes used in our products last between 5000-9000 hours. Driver tubes (smaller tubes) generally last up to 9000 hours.



thanks for your reply! very helpfull!


----------



## olegausany

Got my Electro Harmonic tubes today and have 3 hours on them by now and wondering if i will hear any difference after longer burn-in time?  Cause at this moment i prefer stock tubes which have about 100 hours on them


----------



## 282432

Has anyone paired these up with the Denon AH-D7000 ?


----------



## zackzack

What is the output voltage like compared to WA2 or WA6? I plan to use this to drive Beyer 600 Ohm phones


----------



## wes008

Quote: 





smellyfungus said:


> Ordered my black WA7 last week and it shipped earlier today. No 2-3 week wait, awesome.
> 
> Also ordered the TH600 to go along with it. Seeing if anyone can comment if the stock tubes or the upgrade EH tubes would go better.
> 
> ...


 
  Dang, baby Schiits and a K702 all the way to a $1000 amp/dac and a $1300 pair of headphones?? What have we at Head-Fi done to you!?!?


----------



## zackzack

I wish Woo Audio would build a pure amp without DAC as I already own a DAC. Probably cost less, less complication on circuitry, better signal paths, yes? I love the minimalist block design, very Zen


----------



## smellyfungus

Quote: 





zackzack said:


> What is the output voltage like compared to WA2 or WA6? I plan to use this to drive Beyer 600 Ohm phones


 
   
   http://wooaudio.com/docs/wooaudio_amplifier_comparisons.pdf is a chart that compares all their offerings.
   
  Quote:


wes008 said:


> Dang, baby Schiits and a K702 all the way to a $1000 amp/dac and a $1300 pair of headphones?? What have we at Head-Fi done to you!?!?


 
   
  Head-Fi is the devil. Ordered the TH-600 for a bit under $800 shipped direct from Japan. Gonna do my best to only follow the threads of items I own cause Head-Fi makes me want to buy every shiny new thing =/.


----------



## Kevin Brown

Quote: 





zackzack said:


> I wish Woo Audio would build a pure amp without DAC as I already own a DAC. Probably cost less, less complication on circuitry, better signal paths, yes? I love the minimalist block design, very Zen


 
   
  Sometime back, I heard that they will do an amp-only model eventually.  If you email Jack, I'm sure he could tell you if that is still the plan.


----------



## AnakChan

Quote: 





zackzack said:


> I wish Woo Audio would *build a pure amp without DAC* as I already own a DAC. Probably cost less, less complication on circuitry, better signal paths, yes? I love the minimalist block design, very Zen


 
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/643838/the-all-new-wa7-fireflies-from-woo-audio/15#post_9012971


----------



## olegausany

tjcheong said:


> Has anyone paired these up with the Denon AH-D7000 ?




Yes that's why I originally bought it for but after trying HD650 (just out of curiosity) I prefer them over D7000 with best sounding fast tight deep punchy well controlled bass I ever herd. And tried them with many different setups 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


----------



## utdeep

Just got the EH tubes and I'm not a fan at all.  Using LCD3s, I feel the sound is much brighter.  Yuck!


----------



## olegausany

Give them some burn-in time and see if it will change. For me they were too neutral at the beginning but after 18 hours I finally getting tighter punchier bass with my HD650

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


----------



## 282432

olegausany said:


> Yes that's why I originally bought it for but after trying HD650 (just out of curiosity) I prefer them over D7000 with best sounding fast tight deep punchy well controlled bass I ever herd. And tried them with many different setups
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2



Thanks for your input. Do you mind elaborating how's the SQ of the D7000 when paired with the WA7 ?


----------



## utdeep

EH Tubes have not gotten any better for me after 48 hours of burn in.  Trying to return them.  The stock tubes put me in my happy place.


----------



## olegausany

Quote: 





tjcheong said:


> Thanks for your input. Do you mind elaborating how's the SQ of the D7000 when paired with the WA7 ?


 

 Sound quality is very very good with D7000 otherwise I would never bought one since this is how I was planning to use them until I discovered accidently that HD650 have tighter deeper punchier bass than D7000 but I didn't try D7000 with upgrade EH tubes but agree that with HD650 EH tubes are brighter than stock but will see if anything will change with more usage time


----------



## olegausany

Quote: 





utdeep said:


> EH Tubes have not gotten any better for me after 48 hours of burn in.  Trying to return them.  The stock tubes put me in my happy place.


 

 Please report the result cause honestly I wish I could do it too cause except more brightness on some recordings I hear no any other difference and no extra details i read about and was hoping for


----------



## smellyfungus

I was gonna give the stock tubes around 50 hrs before switching but after the last few negative post on the eh tubes I had to try it. 

these are my limited impressions using my k702-65, I'll post again once I get my th-600 sometime this week. 

although most people said give the tubes some time to establish their sound its hard to have my wa7 on without listening to it. 

stock tubes have around 10 hrs on em. first listening after around 5 hrs I thought the wa7 sounded ok. very smooth sound nothing lacking but not a significant jump from the magni and lesser than the soloist I had previously. the soloist has noticeably better bass and overall slightly better sound overall but is too laid back.
I feel the wa7 is a good middle ground of not being too laid back or in your face. overall I was happy with the wa7 but mainly for looks otherwise I did slightly like the soloist better. 

switched to the eh tubes and started listening with only maybe 1-2hrs on em. I felt a very immediate difference. best way to describe it would be a looking thru a dirty window vs a clean one. everything had a little more pop. I wouldn't necessarily say its brighter as much as I'd say more detailed so highs are more noticeable. 

one thing that I can't tell is if bass has changed. now with five hours on the tubes I think its a smidgeon tighter but depth seems the same. the smoothness of the stock tubes are gone and replaced with a much livelier sound. 

overall I like the eh tubes much more. it helped put the wa7 above the soloist for me and I'm very much satisfied with it. I don't want to exagerrate and say its a night and day difference but I feel like if it was possible to blind test I'd easily be able to tell the difference. at least with my akg702-65

I'll have to see if its the same story when the th600 gets here.


----------



## meltan

Any idea if wa7 is a good match for HD800? I listen mainly to jazz, vocals and some classical


----------



## atomicbob

Quote: 





smellyfungus said:


> although most people said give the tubes some time to establish their sound its hard to have my wa7 on without listening to it.


 
  And there in a nutshell is what the wa7 is all about.
   
  I want to compare and contrast my T90, HD800 and HE-500 but once I pick one and plug in, I tend to forget all about comparisons and just enjoy the music with the sonic signature the selected headphones present. It is similar to having one camera body and several lenses. The wa7 is one extraordinary amp allowing each headphone to deliver its full potential.


----------



## utdeep

Further proof that everyone hears differently.  I'm not certain if there was any more detail for me on the EH tubes with my LCD3 or FitEar 334.  However, I definitely found the sound bright and fatiguing enough to get a headache.
   
  I found that the stock tubes let me enjoy the music.  I haven't heard back from Woo on a return for the EH tubes but there website shows a 15% restocking fee.  I would be out at least $25 (restocking + shipping both ways) on the experiment so I've put the EH tubes on the For Sale forum and see if someone else can benefit:
   
FS: EH Tubes for WA7


----------



## olegausany

I already have over 30 hours on my EH tubes and I can say that with HD650 (still didn't try D7000 yet) but for me sound is as good as with stock tubes except a little treble distortion on a few recordings (not bright) but still can't get more clear and refined sound people talking about but still I'm enjoying my music regardless of genre but think jazz is best and as I said before this is best setup for HD650 regarding bass quality, details, clarity and balance. But I'm still planning to try stock tubes to hear if there is any difference. I heard TH-900 at the recent NYC meet in april on WA7 with stock tubes and they sounded great actually being best sounded cans I have tried.
  UPDATE: Just now trying again recording I heard some treble distortion before but right now it's smooth and clear.


----------



## utdeep

I listen to Classical, Jazz, and lots of Vocals with the WA7/HD800 pairing and found it amazing.  I'm sure most people would say that this isn't the best amp for the HD800 but I haven't heard anything better.


----------



## BDM-Fi

I see a lot of references to jazz and classical being beautifully rendered by the WA7. Do owners believe it's also a good choice for fast-paced, multi-layered and more compressed material (e.g. progressive/technical metal) when paired with neutral/bright headphones, e.g. DT880? Or should one go SS for that? 
   
  On connectivity I was wondering, given the lack of SPDIF support; what are the options when one would prefer using CDs for playback but through the WA7s internal DAC. Is it possible to connect a CD player with USB out directly to the WA7?


----------



## olegausany

While using HD650 I really enjoying not only jazz or classical but rock and metal (listening to latest Black Sabbath album as I'm writing this).
  And no you can't connect any digital source to WA7's DAC for conversion but you can connect your player's analog output to WA7's RCA jacks to be used as input to amplify received signal and send to headphones.


----------



## atomicbob

While I spend most of my listening time with jazz on the T90+wa7 combo, I am currently listening to Distance - My Demons and Explosions in the Sky (thanks 
migasson.) The depth and complexities are amazing as presented on this pair.


----------



## BDM-Fi

Thanks that's great to hear. Too bad I can't audition this amp in Belgium/Netherlands; a bit risky to spend this  kind of money on an amp without hearing it, but in the end ... I might .


----------



## mediumraresteak

How does this pair with the Beyer DT990/600s?


----------



## Kevin Brown

Quote: 





atomicbob said:


> And there in a nutshell is what the wa7 is all about.
> 
> I want to compare and contrast my T90, HD800 and HE-500 but once I pick one and plug in, I tend to forget all about comparisons and just enjoy the music with the sonic signature the selected headphones present. It is similar to having one camera body and several lenses. The wa7 is one extraordinary amp allowing each headphone to deliver its full potential.


 
   
  Bam.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





   I used my RS2i's for the 1st 3 weeks or so.  I just late last week switched to the Q701's.  And I still have maybe 4 more pair of headphones I'll switch to over the next little while.  But the WA7 is just so _listenable._  Very inviting.


----------



## Currawong

Kevin, that's a good description I reckon. I'm listening with a borrowed pair of 1plus2s from the IEM port and enjoying the result very much. I have better power on the USB as well as the amp too though. I still reckon the law of diminishing returns kicks in hard going from this amp to a better system.


----------



## Kevin Brown

Quote: 





currawong said:


> I still reckon the law of diminishing returns kicks in hard going from this amp to a better system.


----------



## Frank I

Quote: 





currawong said:


> I  . I still reckon the law of diminishing returns kicks in hard going from this amp to a better system.


 
  That was exactly what I thought when I reviewed it.  Jack did a terrific job with the WA7.


----------



## mojolo

Quote: 





utdeep said:


> Just got the EH tubes and I'm not a fan at all.  Using LCD3s, I feel the sound is much brighter.  Yuck!


 
  The EH tubes are pretty neutral and transparent. Through my limited experimentation, the flavor of your DAC will have a fairly significant effect on your impressions. I too find the EHs bright when using the WA7 built-in DAC (via USB) - even with LCD-2.3s. When I switch to an audio-gd DI v3 (usb converter) -> CIAudio VDA-2 (dac) -> WA7, the sound is much warmer, smoother... more analog sounding. I sense no brightness or harshess with this set-up. I'm still deciding if this DAC is the best fit for the LCD-2, as I do miss some vibrance that a brighter DAC will bring to the LCD-2... nonetheless, the dac change has made quite a noticeable difference.
   
  EDIT: actually after more concentrated listening, the VDA-2 is indeed quite a bit more engaging than the WA7 built-in dac. I'm hearing more ambient sounds, the sound is fuller & smoother, bass a bit more prevalent. I keep anticipating a harsh peak or a wall of muddled sound, but they never come with the VDA-2.


----------



## Apprentice

Hello everyone -
  I'm probably doing many things wrong, but I just got my WA7 and I can't seem to be able to set up my output on my Macbook Pro's Audio MIDI Setup to 24-bit Integer. It is stuck on 16 bit and is not selectable. The WA7 is simply plugged into my computer via USB. I read through the thread but couldn't find any similar issues so it's most likely my fault, feel free to point it out 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
_Edit: In case it matters, the USB cable I am using is this one_
   
_Edit #2: Never mind, it was the USB port. I'm leaving the post in case anyone has the same problem!_


----------



## desertblues

Quote: 





apprentice said:


> Hello everyone -
> I'm probably doing many things wrong, but I just got my WA7 and I can't seem to be able to set up my output on my Macbook Pro's Audio MIDI Setup to 24-bit Integer. It is stuck on 16 bit and is not selectable. The WA7 is simply plugged into my computer via USB. I read through the thread but couldn't find any similar issues so it's most likely my fault, feel free to point it out
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  I had the same issue a couple of times - simply unplugging the usb cable and connecting it again has fixed it on my iMac.


----------



## groovyd

Does it hurt the sound quality to set the midi on a mac to a higher bit resolution or sample rate?  My music library is all 16 bit 44khz music or iTunes match, AAC


----------



## olegausany

It shouldn't, I currently use my win 7 setup as 32 bit with 6ms latency without any problems 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4 Beta


----------



## ozz007

Quote: 





olegausany said:


> It shouldn't, I currently use my win 7 setup as 32 bit with 6ms latency without any problems
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 4 Beta


 
  how did you get the 32bit to show up? on my audio dev. Only shows up to 24/192. 
   
  Do I have to have some type of special software to see the 32bit?


----------



## olegausany

it's within foobar2000. YOU go to preferences and in the output select C-Media USB. Than in ASIO double click ASIO for C-Media USB device to get control panel and select 32/32bit


----------



## ozz007

Quote: 





ozz007 said:


> how did you get the 32bit to show up? on my audio dev. Only shows up to 24/192.
> 
> Do I have to have some type of special software to see the 32bit?


 
  I had to download the Asio for all right? in order to make this work ?  
http://www.asio4all.com/
   
  then i do what you said?


----------



## olegausany

Quote: 





ozz007 said:


> I had to download the Asio for all right? in order to make this work ?
> http://www.asio4all.com/
> 
> then i do what you said?


 

 I'm using ASIO plugin for Foobar2000 from the components page, no ASIO4ALL


----------



## ozz007

Quote: 





olegausany said:


> I'm using ASIO plugin for Foobar2000 from the components page, no ASIO4ALL


 
  Got it, setup and ready, but how you stop the stutering on the music?
   
  mm It went away lol


----------



## meltan

Any idea if the wa7 dac will work with an ipad?


----------



## atomicbob

If you use the camera connection kit USB interface to a powered hub such as a Belkin F5U234 with external power supply the WA7 should work with an iPad. The WA7 DAC needs power from the USB interface and by itself the iPad doesn't supply USB power.

Update:

I tried it as described above and locked up the iPad both times tried, requiring a reboot each time. It appears the answer is no.
:frown:


----------



## qbroid

Quote: 





meltan said:


> Any idea if the wa7 dac will work with an ipad?


 
  I doubt since their website provides driver for windows. It is said that you need to purchase a spceial license from Apple to get external DAC works for apple device


----------



## qbroid

Quote: 





dougoftheabaci said:


> Out of curiosity, has anyone used the WA7 with a pair of HE-500's or Heir Audio 8.A's? I've heard good things but was wondering if anyone could illaborate on how they pair, specifically compared to a Schitt Lyr and Byfrost stack.


 
   


 I am also looking for any comparision review on how WA7 or bifrost/lyr works for  Q701


----------



## teddybro

does anyone have any issue with crosstalk using the Wa7?


----------



## groovyd

no issue with crosstalk... one interesting thing i noticed the other day however is after powering off the WA7 it continues to play at volume for a good 30 seconds.  Definitely no shortage of reserve power in those supply caps.  Is this normal for a tube amp?


----------



## ariesq

Anyone still waiting for their upgraded tubes to ship? I ordered over 3 months ago. It went out of stock for a while, but they confirmed multiple times that they received stock and they will ship soon. They haven't replied to my e-mails asking for an update. Will call soon, but slightly irritated.


----------



## atomicbob

Quote: 





groovyd said:


> no issue with crosstalk... one interesting thing i noticed the other day however is after powering off the WA7 it continues to play at volume for a good 30 seconds.  Definitely no shortage of reserve power in those supply caps.  Is this normal for a tube amp?


 
  Yes, it is an interesting property that tube amps are capable of running until the storage caps are depleted or the tubes cool below a useful operating temp, which ever occurs first.


----------



## Stoney

I've found it to be normal of my tube equipment.  I wonder about solid state... there might be some?


----------



## Stoney

Quote: 





qbroid said:


> I doubt since their website provides driver for windows. It is said that you need to purchase a spceial license from Apple to get external DAC works for apple device


 
   
  It is indeed possible to run an external amp that draws significant power with an iPad (dock and lightning versions), at least with some modifications.  I'm not the expert, but there are threads on this site..  I'll post if I can locate. 
   
  The trick is to use an Apple Camera Adapter. There may be other ways that are non-Apple.  
   
  But you have to break the power line so that the iPad is not powering it. Then supply power externally to the amp by other means. A self-powered hub has been mentioned for this. 
   
  (Some products like FiiO E17 have an option to set if it will "charge through USB."  But this setting didn't make it work right on my friend's setup, Yet the E7 works).  
   
  The iPhone is a different matter.  It is hobbled deliberately by Apple. That is where expensive licensing seems to be a roadblock.


----------



## Stoney

Here is one thread with early info on an iPad working with DACs, some requiring USB hubs.  
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/634555/ipad-mini-camera-connection-kit-dac/15#post_9015327
  Scroll downward from this post on. One revelation is that some DACs work even if the hub is unpowered.  The E17 might be one.  The reason seems to be that two conditions must be met: the power drawn by the DAC must be below a certain threshold (NOT true of the WA7), and the reported power draw (from the device flash) must be below a certain threshold (this is why the E17 won't work, but an intervening hub will... the E17 reports more power than it actually requires, but the hub doesn't).  
   
  Here is an early setup with powering details.  Not a WA7 though. 
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/587912/fiio-e17-alpen-first-impression-final-thought/990#post_8108286
   
  I am sure there are later threads, probably which address the WA7. 
   
  Try browsing from this post onward: 
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/507559/list-of-dacs-that-work-with-ipad/675#post_9439494


----------



## teb1013

stoney said:


> Here is one thread with early info on an iPad working with DACs, some requiring USB hubs.
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/634555/ipad-mini-camera-connection-kit-dac/15#post_9015327
> Scroll downward from this post on. One revelation is that some DACs work even if the hub is unpowered.  The E17 might be one.  The reason seems to be that two conditions must be met: the power drawn by the DAC must be below a certain threshold (NOT true of the WA7), and the reported power draw (from the device flash) must be below a certain threshold (this is why the E17 won't work, but an intervening hub will... the E17 reports more power than it actually requires, but the hub doesn't).
> 
> ...




I am longing for a WA7 and HD 650 as an "upgrade" from the Aune T1 and HD558 I'm currently using, but I play almost everything from an iPad 3, so I need this question answered. The Aune also gives a "low power" reading if you connect the USB cable directly from the CCK to the DAC. I added a cheap Belkin powered USB hub between the CCK and the USB input of the Aune and it works with no problem. If anyone knows for sure if this will work with the WA7 Please post!


----------



## stainless824

Is the jailbreak package for the iphone to make the CCK work possibly a remedy?


----------



## Stoney

Not needed for the iPad.  Power draw is a real consideration and jailbreaking won't help fool the hardware.


----------



## ozz007

Quote: 





ariesq said:


> Anyone still waiting for their upgraded tubes to ship? I ordered over 3 months ago. It went out of stock for a while, but they confirmed multiple times that they received stock and they will ship soon. They haven't replied to my e-mails asking for an update. Will call soon, but slightly irritated.


 
  I found this online, I believe they are the same, I order a pair and so far they sound very nice.
   
http://www.cryoset.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=10&products_id=280&osCsid=714a5b133caa4007bcfdfa0eb4de7e37
   
  Hope it helps.


----------



## ozz007

Quote: 





teb1013 said:


> I am longing for a WA7 and HD 650 as an "upgrade" from the Aune T1 and HD558 I'm currently using, but I play almost everything from an iPad 3, so I need this question answered. The Aune also gives a "low power" reading if you connect the USB cable directly from the CCK to the DAC. I added a cheap Belkin powered USB hub between the CCK and the USB input of the Aune and it works with no problem. If anyone knows for sure if this will work with the WA7 Please post!


 
  You can also use the analog input in the WA7, getting a Y cable to run from the Ipad headphone jack out to the RCA analog to the WA7, Its not digital but it will work, at least until you get all of the items you need to try to make it digital. 
   
  Its an option..


----------



## wingtsun

> Originally Posted by *qbroid*
> 
> 
> 
> I doubt since their website provides driver for windows. It is said that you need to purchase a spceial license from Apple to get external DAC works for apple device


 
   
  Some DACs will run just fine in this config:
   
  http://www.head-fi.org/t/670662/this-apple-usb-hub-will-work-with-ipad-4-with-cck-dac


----------



## teb1013

ozz007 said:


> You can also use the analog input in the WA7, getting a Y cable to run from the Ipad headphone jack out to the RCA analog to the WA7, Its not digital but it will work, at least until you get all of the items you need to try to make it digital.
> 
> Its an option..




I really want the DAC function of the WA7. Otherwise I could use a line out connector which would avoid "double amping" which I think using the headphone out would result in. Technically I guess could use the Aune (which works with the CCK) as a tube DAC bypass the Aune SS amp, and get a WA2 or something like that as a tube amp, but the simple elegant WA7 is what I want!


----------



## Stoney

With the iPad 3, I'm rather satisfied with the built-in DAC. However, that is with modest portable amps.  With the WA7, and no longer trying a portable setup, I too would try to get digital out from the iPad yet bypass the feature that balks if the DAC draws too much current (using the Camera Connection Kit and some modification or hub to insert power).


----------



## Kevin Brown

Quote: 





stoney said:


> I've found it to be normal of my tube equipment.  I wonder about solid state... there might be some?


 
   
  The ss amps I use for my HT do this.  Same cause: big caps as part of the power supply.  I would suppose one function is to supply dynamic power for transients.


----------



## Viper2005

Should the impedance switch be in the High or Low position for the LCD-2?


----------



## stainless824

I find using low gain gives a finer more refined and resolving sound. The high gain is more powerful and punchy but sacrifices the fidelity of the sound a bit and sounds a bit rougher. I use it on low gain all the time these days


----------



## ozz007

Quote: 





stainless824 said:


> I find using low gain gives a finer more refined and resolving sound. The high gain is more powerful and punchy but sacrifices the fidelity of the sound a bit and sounds a bit rougher. I use it on low gain all the time these days


 
  when i go back and fort between the lo and hi gain, its very settle, cant tell any difference at low volume, when its max volume, thats when i can tell the difference, Bass has more distortion, and it sounds muddy, Max volume and low setting, bass still hits hard there is not distortion and more clear. 
   
  my .02 cents.


----------



## stainless824

my findings exactly. thanks for clarifying


----------



## mediumraresteak

Depends on the headphone you're using.  Jack has said that Lo-Z should be used for 70ohm and under I believe while Hi-Z is mainly for high impedance hps.


----------



## atomicbob

One minor clarification in terminology - the switch labeled Lo-Z / Hi-Z changes the output impedance matching with the headphones.


----------



## Stoney

I think the observations above sound reasonable, with the exception about impedance matching. Technically, matching is not the correct word. More than likely, that Terminology is really a way of saying low and high gain. The reason you can also say low and high impedance is that high impedance cans need high gain output. 

This would be worth asking about however. In my mind, high gain usually means low loop feedback, which implies lower damping factor. It also implies higher distortion levels, but at lower harmonics, which will make the bass sound bloated etc. And, it relates to the impedance of the cans, at least if they are low Impedance.


----------



## atomicbob

Impedance matching maximizes power transfer from source to load while minimizing loss due to reflections:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impedance_matching


----------



## mediumraresteak

Just got my tracking info woooooooooo!! Going to pair it with my DT990/600ohm headphones and eventually the T1 later this year.


----------



## StormClaw

Guys, this DAC is unbalanced. Does it matter in any way?
   
  I have no idea about the difference of balanced/unbalanced inputs.


----------



## olegausany

It sounds great with different cans with EH upgrade tubes


----------



## atomicbob

@StormClaw - balanced vs unbalanced DAC in WA7:
   
I work in the pro-audio world and we use balanced equipment and cable to minimize trouble with ground loops and residual noise. We are constantly changing connections between equipment and mics. Unbalanced connections between a few devices as is common in the consumer world can be just as good with a little care. Unbalanced outputs on my Violectric V800 to WA7 sound very good. But so do the balanced outputs on the V800 to V200 SS headphone amp. Two different amps and sonic signatures. One DAC. Have been enjoying the WA7 with Beyerdynamic T90 headphones for many months now. My goto combination for recreational listening (as opposed to work listening for which I get paid.)


----------



## Currawong

Quote: 





stormclaw said:


> Guys, this DAC is unbalanced. Does it matter in any way?
> 
> I have no idea about the difference of balanced/unbalanced inputs.


 
   
  Balanced equipment was mainly for pro-audio equipment to minimise interference in long cable runs and isn't much of an issue with most audio gear. The use of balanced circuits with headphones is more of a design choice on how to deliver more power to headphones while maintaining low distortion. It is rather a complex subject and very off-topic for this thread, but basically I wouldn't worry about it.


----------



## PleasantSounds

Quote: 





stormclaw said:


> Guys, this DAC is unbalanced. Does it matter in any way?
> 
> I have no idea about the difference of balanced/unbalanced inputs.


 
   
  The DAC is not balanced because the amp is not balanced. It would make very little sense to build in a balanced DAC to drive an unbalanced amp. And if you want a balanced amp then  the WA7 is not for you.
  Regarding the difference, I'm sure your wallet would notice it before your ears. Some people swear by it, but it's a little like solid state vs. tubes - a lot is down to personal preferences. Balanced systems bring in a lot of complexity for a little benefit, and while they address some issues they introduce others.


----------



## koiloco

Quote: 





currawong said:


> Balanced equipment was mainly for pro-audio equipment to minimise interference in long cable runs and isn't much of an issue with most audio gear. The use of balanced circuits with headphones is more of a design choice on how to deliver more power to headphones while maintaining low distortion. It is rather a complex subject and very off-topic for this thread, but basically I wouldn't worry about it.


 

 +1000.  Dead on answer.


----------



## StormClaw

Quote: 





pleasantsounds said:


> The DAC is not balanced because the amp is not balanced. It would make very little sense to build in a balanced DAC to drive an unbalanced amp. And if you want a balanced amp then  the WA7 is not for you.
> Regarding the difference, I'm sure your wallet would notice it before your ears. Some people swear by it, but it's a little like solid state vs. tubes - a lot is down to personal preferences. Balanced systems bring in a lot of complexity for a little benefit, and while they address some issues they introduce others.


 
  Would you say WA7 is a great DAC? Does it have all the modern features to output great sound signal?  If i spend $1k on it, I can't afford it to be just mediocre.
   
  I'm looking into WA7 mainly because i need a good DAC to pair with my ADAM A5X. I know there are probably cheaper alternatives but I just cant pass up on that design / look.
  Headphones amp is a secondary feature for me, although I got a pair of HD650''s that i'd use from time to time.


----------



## Currawong

StormClaw: It's about on the level of an Audioquest Dragonfly, Centrance DACport or Meridian Explorer IMO, which is still pretty good. For good active monitors I recommend a good DAC/Pre, eg: from Audio-gd, Anedio, April Music or the like, but they are more expensive.


----------



## StormClaw

Quote: 





currawong said:


> StormClaw: It's about on the level of an Audioquest Dragonfly, Centrance DACport or Meridian Explorer IMO, which is still pretty good. For good active monitors I recommend a good DAC/Pre, eg: from Audio-gd, Anedio, April Music or the like, but they are more expensive.


 
  Curra, thank you for your answer, but I still fail to see what those expensive DACs can do that WA7 can't.
   
  WA7 has a sampling rate up to 32-Bit, 192kHz 
  What else would I need to good quality audio signal?
   
  Am i missing something?


----------



## koiloco

Quote: 





stormclaw said:


> Curra, thank you for your answer, *but I still fail to see what those expensive DACs can do that WA7 can't.*
> 
> WA7 has a sampling rate up to 32-Bit, 192kHz
> What else would I need to good quality audio signal?
> ...


 
  That's a pretty loaded question that will get you very subjective answers.  Try out different DACs for yourself and know when it satisfies you enough for the $ and if you can even tell the differences/improvements after certain price points.  I am also eyeing the WA7.


----------



## stainless824

The 32/384 refers to the highest bit/sample rate the DAC can decode natively. It does not neccessarily correlate with sound quality by any means. I'm not even sure if you can find 32/384 files outside a mixing environment, much less available as a music downloads.
   
  Down to it though, I do believe that some 16/44.1 file sound as good or even better than their 24/96 counterparts - though this is mainly due to the mastering of said files.
   
  The main things that determine the quality of the DAC is the circuit design and the power delivery. Its maximum decoding capabilities should not be your main concern provided it can do at least 24/192


----------



## Currawong

Quote: 





stormclaw said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  There's not a short answer to this. More expensive DACs usually have lower overall distortion. It isn't to do with what kind of signal they can process. Nowadays though even fairly inexpensive DACs are excellent. With high-quality equipment and excellent recordings, the more expensive ones can give you experiences like hearing exactly where on a cymbal it was hit and how hard, the detail of the harmonics between the strings of a piano, the detail of the sounds of the valves opening and closing on brass instruments, the sounds showing how players are shifting in their seats and the sounds of their clothes as they move, exactly how the performers are breathing, the patterns of the echos of the instruments off concert walls, the size and layout of the studio used to record in and more. For me at least, it makes the music more "real" to hear these ultra subtleties. A lot of music I listen to doesn't require all that though. A great many people I'm sure would be happy with the WA7 as it is. You'll just need to use the volume control on your speakers with it.


----------



## olegausany

currawong said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



When using WA7 with EH tubes and HD650 I'm getting most of what you described and very happy with current setup but still interested if T1 or TH-600 are way to go since I will have noticeable improvement. I don't expect day and night difference I got by switching from D7000 to HD650


----------



## atomicbob

Quote: 





stormclaw said:


> Curra, thank you for your answer, but I still fail to see what those expensive DACs can do that WA7 can't.
> 
> WA7 has a sampling rate up to 32-Bit, 192kHz
> What else would I need to good quality audio signal?
> ...


 
  While most DAC chipsets can take high sample rates and large bit depths, achieving the translation to analog varies, depending on implementation. It is fairly easy to achieve 98 dB dynamic range and THD of less than 0.05% on the analog output, as an example. Better dynamic range, lower noise floor, lower distortion require much more effort in the choice of analog components, circuit topology and layout, power and grounding in the design, and very often overlooked, the power supply. An enlightening exercise would be to visit a studio with Benchmark, Lavry, Violectric, Weiss, etc. DACs and compare with something in the inexpensive Behringer class. The lower distortion, less smearing of cymbals, better sounding reverb tails, better audio "black" (lack of residual noise), harmonics from the triangle, and the dreaded jangly key test will be quite audible.

 That said, the onboard DAC for the WA7 is quite good. But there is room for improvement and why I have both Benchmark and Violectric DACs. When listening for recreation I have no problems listening to the WA7 DAC. It would probably be fine for mixing as well on your ADAMs. I use ADAM S3a myself. For critical listening when mastering, I want the better properties described above of the better DACs.


----------



## MickeyVee

Here's a pic of my new WA7 setup..  post #15005
 What the heck.. here's the pic


----------



## PleasantSounds

Are these the stock tubes? If so, I'd recommend upgrading to the EH goldpins - with the HD800 they really make a difference.


----------



## MickeyVee

Yup, stock in the picture.  Just breaking in the EH's right now. The WA7 sounds more like a SS amp than a tube amp.. even more so with the EH's but only have about 4 hours on them.  Hopefully they turn out to be great.  Right now, meh.. cant listen to them for more than 5-10 minutes at a time.. something about the treble is grating on me but will continue until I have at least 50 hours on them.
  
 Update: A Day Later:  Added another 10 hours or so on the EH's.  The treble harshness seems to be gone and there is good extension on both ends.  They seem to be coming around nicely.
  
 Quote:


pleasantsounds said:


> Are these the stock tubes? If so, I'd recommend upgrading to the EH goldpins - with the HD800 they really make a difference.


----------



## olegausany

Less than hour ago I installed Russian 6N1P tubes into my Lyr and they sound as good as as WA7 followed by Amperex Orange Globes  but I don't think I will keep Schiit stack after discovering that they created stand alone DSD DAC costing $149 instead of adding DSD support to Bifrost first instead.


----------



## desertblues

mickeyvee said:


>


 
  
 I wasn't sure about the EH's until I had about 35-40 hours on them, then went back to try the Sovteks again and then I knew the EH's were the way to go. Great detail with that touch of tube warmth is what I hear (extended bass too) - but mostly I'm no longer thinking about the tubes very much, just the music! My phones: Grado RS1i & PS500, and AKG Q701.


----------



## deanorthk

Anyone tried it with the grado PS1000 by chance?


----------



## VisceriousZERO

deanorthk said:


> Anyone tried it with the grado PS1000 by chance?




I have and they sound amazing. the PS1000s are easy to drive as well


----------



## pervysage

Any WA7 users here run the Fostex TH-900's?
  
 Been looking at this AMP/DAC for a while now.


----------



## GalaxyGuy

pervysage said:


> Any WA7 users here run the Fostex TH-900's?
> 
> Been looking at this AMP/DAC for a while now.


 
  
 I do, and I absolutely love the combo.  The bass is serious.  It's not analytical like it is with the HD800s, but it is there in spades.  I really love the presentation with the TH900s.  It's my main listening combo at home these days.  Seriously, go for it...you won't regret your decision.


----------



## pervysage

galaxyguy said:


> pervysage said:
> 
> 
> > Any WA7 users here run the Fostex TH-900's?
> ...



Sounds good.

So there is still plenty of bass impact with the WA7? I read something about tube amps making headphones sound more neutral compared to solid states.

How is the instrument separation? And also the mids and vocals? With my current budget AMP/DAC setup, it can make the TH-900 a bit fatiguing and too bright with certain songs.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4


----------



## GalaxyGuy

pervysage said:


> Sounds good.
> 
> So there is still plenty of bass impact with the WA7? I read something about tube amps making headphones sound more neutral compared to solid states.
> 
> ...


 
  
 With my T5p, certain songs are a bit too bright for me (for example, "Everybody Hurts" from R.E.M. Automatic for the People).  The same song with the TH900s is quite a different experience.  I find that the combination of the TH900/WA7 emphasizes the bass a bit while smoothing out the mids to the point where they are not too bright for me.  I do think that if you're a total bass head, this may not be the combination for you, but I feel I get plenty of bass out without having the brightness I get with the Beyers.


----------



## groovyd

The T5p has plenty of bass, especially with the WA7.  Atleast mine does.  Are you using the EH tubes?  Of course my setup is well burned in and it did seem to really open up just a few weeks ago, almost a year into using them daily.  Don't resist just cranking them up hard every now and then helps burn them in I think.


----------



## pervysage

galaxyguy said:


> With my T5p, certain songs are a bit too bright for me (for example, "Everybody Hurts" from R.E.M. Automatic for the People).  The same song with the TH900s is quite a different experience.  I find that the combination of the TH900/WA7 emphasizes the bass a bit while smoothing out the mids to the point where they are not too bright for me.  I do think that if you're a total bass head, this may not be the combination for you, but I feel I get plenty of bass out without having the brightness I get with the Beyers.


 
  
 I saw that you also have a WA22 in your sig.
  
 How does the WA7 amp portion stack up against the rest of Woo's amp only line up?
  
 As for the DAC section, I suppose for optimal results it would be best to upgrade to a better, separate DAC down the road? Although I heard the built in DAC does a pretty good job.


----------



## olegausany

pervysage said:


> galaxyguy said:
> 
> 
> > With my T5p, certain songs are a bit too bright for me (for example, "Everybody Hurts" from R.E.M. Automatic for the People).  The same song with the TH900s is quite a different experience.  I find that the combination of the TH900/WA7 emphasizes the bass a bit while smoothing out the mids to the point where they are not too bright for me.  I do think that if you're a total bass head, this may not be the combination for you, but I feel I get plenty of bass out without having the brightness I get with the Beyers.
> ...



Yes separate DACs will be better but you can skip NFB 11.32 and MyDAC, while I prefer Bifrost Uber over WA7's DAC


----------



## Shini44

Hey guys i got my eyes on WA7, i have Fostex TH600 and i like Sparkling Treble , for opamps i liked the opa627 (warm + sparkling highs)

 so which Tubes should i get to upgrade the WA7 with? 6NS7 maybe?


----------



## olegausany

Be aware that you can't use any other type of tubes. You just can use ElectroHarmonic tubes with gold plated pins instead of provided Sovtek ones but the ElectroHarmonic are made in Russia too


----------



## Shini44

olegausany said:


> Be aware that you can't use any other type of tubes. You just can use ElectroHarmonic tubes with gold plated pins instead of provided Sovtek ones but the ElectroHarmonic are made in Russia too


 
  
 Then i really need to know if the Treble/highs are better than what they are when using M-Stage (opa627)  or any other solid state amp, i mean the WA7 is worth 1000$ , spent 500$ on Yulong D100 MKII which had an amp section that is quite boring, more like the oppisite of op627, thats why i went to M-Stage + op627 where the D100 been used as a DAC.


----------



## olegausany

shini44 said:


> olegausany said:
> 
> 
> > Be aware that you can't use any other type of tubes. You just can use ElectroHarmonic tubes with gold plated pins instead of provided Sovtek ones but the ElectroHarmonic are made in Russia too
> ...



I never heard TH600 but I heard TH900 and they sound great even with stock tubes but I really recommend getting EH tubes but give them at least 30 hours before you start judging them


----------



## pervysage

Will probably end up getting the WA7 soon.
  
 One thing I was wondering about... can I expect the DAC portion of the WA7 to at least be a significant upgrade over my current Fiio E17 DAC?


----------



## olegausany

Yes you should , I think it's on par with Bifrost Uber but I still prefer Bifrost over WA7


----------



## pervysage

olegausany said:


> Yes you should , I think it's on par with Bifrost Uber but I still prefer Bifrost over WA7


 
  
 I see a lot of people talking about getting an amp that is suitable for your headphones (impedance wise). Would their be any issues with the WA7 and the TH900? Apparently the TH900 are 25-30 ohms?


----------



## Currawong

No problem. The WA7 covers everything, literally!


----------



## 282432

currawong said:


> No problem. The WA7 covers everything, literally!


 
  
 +1


----------



## pervysage

currawong said:


> No problem. The WA7 covers everything, literally!


 
  
 Currawong, did you try out the WA7 with the TH900 specifically?
  
 If so, how was it?


----------



## olegausany

I tried TH900 at the NYC meet in April and where I got my WA7 and they were best sounded among those I tried before buying


----------



## pervysage

Welp... 
  
 Just put my order in for the WA7. Ended up ordering the upgrade Gold Pin tubes as well to go with it.
  
 Hopefully I'm not disappointed 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Can't wait till it gets here.


----------



## Currawong

Anakchan borrowed mine and tried it with the TH900s, so it'd be better to ask him.


----------



## AnakChan

currawong said:


> Anakchan borrowed mine and tried it with the TH900s, so it'd be better to ask him.


 
  
 And I just asked someone to reach out to you cos you owned the WA7 .
  
 Unfortunately it's been some time since I've heard the combo (and I have a bad memory), but I did find an old post I made about the WA7 & TH-900....but it was a -very brief- snippet.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/651556/a-tale-of-two-tube-amps-the-woo-audio-wa7-and-alo-audio-panam/75#post_9420889


----------



## mohdkhamsya

Hey there! Im using my he-500s with an audio gd nfb 11.32 right now. I love the combination. But I think the bass is a little flat. Its very well extended but I'd like a little more body. I have an opportunity to get a second hand wa7 for 799. Would it be a significant upgrade to the wa7? Would it be worth a $500 upgrade? Thank you guys!
  
 PS: Looking for an all in one unit. I have a small table.


----------



## samsie

It depends on whether you like a bit of tube sound or not.  I tried other Audio-gd products before.  I found them to be too "un-colored"  "plain".
  
 Audio-gd is good but I am not running a studio, I want my gear to add a bit of energy or excitement to music.  I think WA7 is very good in this aspect, it does add a small amount of tube sound but retains the dynamic nature of music
  
 BTW, A second hand WA7 for 799 is not a bargain when you consider the introductory offer a few months back.  
  
 WA7 is a good all in one unit and it occupies small area of your desk.  Please note  that it does generate heat like other tube equipment.  
  
 Certainly I do not like to use this amp without air-conditioning during summer.  (I guess  there is a long summer in Singapore)


----------



## pervysage

samsie said:


> It depends on whether you like a bit of tube sound or not.  I tried other Audio-gd products before.  I found them to be too "un-colored"  "plain".
> 
> Audio-gd is good but I am not running a studio, I want my gear to add a bit of energy or excitement to music.  I think WA7 is very good in this aspect, it does add a small amount of tube sound but retains the dynamic nature of music
> 
> ...


 
  
 I guess the WA7 will serve as my personal bedroom heater through this upcoming Fall/Winter season 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Got an estimated shipping time of Mid-October. Hope it doesn't take too long to ship out.


----------



## mohdkhamsya

Oooh. It isn't a good bargain then. Damn. But to be fair the local distributor is selling it for sgd1500. So usd799 is roughly sgd1k which would equate to a 33.33% discount. I've never heard a tube amp before. I should audition one I guess. I don't mind my music being slightly coloured but not at the expense of resolution and neutrality. I guess my little microstreamer is slightly coloured. But I enjoy it immensely.


----------



## atomicbob

mohdkhamsya said:


> Oooh. It isn't a good bargain then. Damn. But to be fair the local distributor is selling it for sgd1500. So usd799 is roughly sgd1k which would equate to a 33.33% discount. I've never heard a tube amp before. I should audition one I guess. I don't mind my music being slightly coloured but not at the expense of resolution and neutrality. I guess my little microstreamer is slightly coloured. But I enjoy it immensely.


 
  
 The introductory price was just that. Once passed, the current price stands. From that point of view, you are getting a deal, since you missed the introduction. My opinion is that the WA7 is worth more than the current price and is really an amazing amp at any price. It will drive any headphone or IEM you have; your westones and HD650 will both sound great on it. I have westone UM2 myself. The amp is quiet, relatively transparent but has positive euphonic qualities that a tube / transformer output amp has to offer. I listen to a WA7 + Beyerdynamic T90 at least five evenings per week. For work I use an HD600 + Violectric V200 on headphone mix checks. The latter is very transparent, no euphonics, which is a necessary condition for mix checks. Euphonics are for recreational listening.


----------



## koiloco

mohdkhamsya said:


> Hey there! Im using my he-500s with an audio gd nfb 11.32 right now. I love the combination. But I think the bass is a little flat. Its very well extended but I'd like a little more body. I have an opportunity to get a second hand wa7 for 799. Would it be a significant upgrade to the wa7? Would it be worth a $500 upgrade? Thank you guys!
> 
> PS: Looking for an all in one unit. I have a small table.


IMO, u r not going to gain more bass from wa7. Maybe, clearer, more texture in the low would be somewhat realistic expectation. To me, not worth $500 upgrade for what u r after. If u plan to have other hp later on, then wa7 would serve u very well (assuming no per hungry orthos here)


----------



## koiloco

pervysage said:


> I guess the WA7 will serve as my personal bedroom heater through this upcoming Fall/Winter season
> 
> 
> Got an estimated shipping time of Mid-October. Hope it doesn't take too long to ship out.



The tubes won't be hot enough but u certainly can put the power supply under your blanket. The size and the output heat amount fit the "hot brick" description 100%.


----------



## stainless824

koiloco said:


> IMO, u r not going to gain more bass from wa7. Maybe, clearer, more texture in the low would be somewhat realistic expectation. To me, not worth $500 upgrade for what u r after. If u plan to have other hp later on, then wa7 would serve u very well (assuming no per hungry orthos here)


 
  
 for that get a mjolnir.


----------



## DNT

Hey guys,
  
 After reading this thread and obsessing over this amp I finally landed one today. Looks good sounds good as described but I have a little perk hopefully someone can shed some light on. Almost everybody claims this amp runs dead quiet, but it is quite different for me. At around 4 o'clock with music off I can hear some noise and past 12 o'clock I detect a lot of noise/static. I suspect the crappy USB cable that I robbed from a printer is the culprit but I have no other USB cable to test. Does anyone experience this and what was your solution. I'm on high gain running HD650 if that matters. Thanks.


----------



## Dogmatrix

It is not a gain switch it is high/low impedance selector , I find either works fine with my HD650 no noise btw
 Is the noise equal out of both channels if not try cleaning the tube pins / sockets


----------



## mohdkhamsya

koiloco said:


> IMO, u r not going to gain more bass from wa7. Maybe, clearer, more texture in the low would be somewhat realistic expectation. To me, not worth $500 upgrade for what u r after. If u plan to have other hp later on, then wa7 would serve u very well (assuming no per hungry orthos here)


 
  
 Aaaah. That's disappointing. I always thought that tube amps would lend a little more bass to my he500s. Slightly more body. Sometimes I find that the 11.32+he500 pairing to be rather conservative when it comes to bass, too controlled and tight. It is technically brilliant. Still textured, deep and rumbly. Fantastic for something hat costs $299. But sometimes I'd like for the bass to punch through the other frequencies just a wee bit more. Seems that the WA7s would add to the tone more than anything else.
  


atomicbob said:


> The introductory price was just that. Once passed, the current price stands. From that point of view, you are getting a deal, since you missed the introduction. My opinion is that the WA7 is worth more than the current price and is really an amazing amp at any price. It will drive any headphone or IEM you have; your westones and HD650 will both sound great on it. I have westone UM2 myself. The amp is quiet, relatively transparent but has positive euphonic qualities that a tube / transformer output amp has to offer. I listen to a WA7 + Beyerdynamic T90 at least five evenings per week. For work I use an HD600 + Violectric V200 on headphone mix checks. The latter is very transparent, no euphonics, which is a necessary condition for mix checks. Euphonics are for recreational listening.


 
  
 Alright then. I really really love my he-500s and I'm guessing that they're here to stay for a while. The only other headphones that I've tried and liked are the hd650's which I've sold and the LCD2s. But I prefer orthos because they're generally faster and it suits the type of music I listen to (Rock, acoustic, electronic, vocal mostly). I might get the LCDs in the future. Thing is I'm quite worried that the WA7 won't be able to feed the he500 or LCD2 properly. But I'll go ahead and try them with my cans this weekend.


----------



## atomicbob

dnt said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> After reading this thread and obsessing over this amp I finally landed one today. Looks good sounds good as described but I have a little perk hopefully someone can shed some light on. Almost everybody claims this amp runs dead quiet, but it is quite different for me. At around 4 o'clock with music off I can hear some noise and past 12 o'clock I detect a lot of noise/static. I suspect the crappy USB cable that I robbed from a printer is the culprit but I have no other USB cable to test. Does anyone experience this and what was your solution. I'm on high gain running HD650 if that matters. Thanks.


 
  
 Disconnect the USB cable and switch the input selector to RCA. Do you still have noise? As dogmatrix queried, one channel or both? Equal in both?


----------



## atomicbob

mohdkhamsya said:


> Aaaah. That's disappointing. I always thought that tube amps would lend a little more bass to my he500s. Slightly more body. Sometimes I find that the 11.32+he500 pairing to be rather conservative when it comes to bass, too controlled and tight. It is technically brilliant. Still textured, deep and rumbly. Fantastic for something hat costs $299. But sometimes I'd like for the bass to punch through the other frequencies just a wee bit more. Seems that the WA7s would add to the tone more than anything else.
> 
> 
> Alright then. I really really love my he-500s and I'm guessing that they're here to stay for a while. The only other headphones that I've tried and liked are the hd650's which I've sold and the LCD2s. But I prefer orthos because they're generally faster and it suits the type of music I listen to (Rock, acoustic, electronic, vocal mostly). I might get the LCDs in the future. Thing is I'm quite worried that the WA7 won't be able to feed the he500 or LCD2 properly. But I'll go ahead and try them with my cans this weekend.


 
  
 I've got some HE-500 and the WA7. I'll listen to the pairing tonight. When I get to recreational listening time, I typically just plug in the T90 and disappear into the music. HE-500 being a bit more cumbersome and heavy don't let me forget they are on my head.


----------



## DNT

atomicbob said:


> Disconnect the USB cable and switch the input selector to RCA. Do you still have noise? As dogmatrix queried, one channel or both? Equal in both?


 
  
 No noise with the RCA. Noise is equal on both channel with the USB though, so does that mean the USB cable has problems? I shall try to do some clean up like dogmatrix adviced tomorrow.


----------



## atomicbob

dnt said:


> No noise with the RCA. Noise is equal on both channel with the USB though, so does that mean the USB cable has problems? I shall try to do some clean up like dogmatrix adviced tomorrow.


 
  
 Sounds like you are on the right track. USB cable may be your culprit. Or it may be conducted power or digital noise from the laptop or desktop computer.


----------



## pervysage

atomicbob said:


> Sounds like you are on the right track. USB cable may be your culprit. Or it may be conducted power or digital noise from the laptop or desktop computer.


 
  
 I hope I don't have any noise coming from my computer using the USB DAC on the WA7 when I get mine in. That was one of my concerns. 
  
 Don't see why it doesn't have an Toslink Optical or Coaxial connector at this price point.


----------



## GalaxyGuy

pervysage said:


> I hope I don't have any noise coming from my computer using the USB DAC on the WA7 when I get mine in. That was one of my concerns.
> 
> 
> Don't see why it doesn't have an Toslink Optical or Coaxial connector at this price point.


 
  
 With no music playing, my WA7 is dead quiet at every volume with every HP I've tried.  I wish I could say the same about my WA22!
  
 As for your second point, I believe that Jack puts his effort into a high quality amp with a decent, albeit not terribly flexible, DAC.  I think the amp side surpasses everything that I've heard at this price point and I am deliriously happy with the choice.  If you want a better or more flexible DAC, you can always get an outboard one.  If you want a better amp, you're going to have to spend quite a bit of money to surpass what Jack has produced with this little gem.


----------



## mohdkhamsya

atomicbob said:


> I've got some HE-500 and the WA7. I'll listen to the pairing tonight. When I get to recreational listening time, I typically just plug in the T90 and disappear into the music. HE-500 being a bit more cumbersome and heavy don't let me forget they are on my head.


 
  
  
 Oh right. Look forward to hear what you have to say about the wa7 n he500 pairing. :-D


----------



## koiloco

galaxyguy said:


> With no music playing, my WA7 is dead quiet at every volume with every HP I've tried.  I wish I could say the same about my WA22!
> 
> As for your second point, I believe that Jack puts his effort into a high quality amp with a decent, albeit not terribly flexible, DAC.  I think the amp side surpasses everything that I've heard at this price point and I am deliriously happy with the choice.  *If you want a better or more flexible DAC, you can always get an outboard one.  If you want a better amp, you're going to have to spend quite a bit of money to surpass what Jack has produced with this little gem.*


 
 +1.  Agreed.


----------



## atomicbob

+2. It takes a Violectric V800 for me to hear an improvement over the built-in DAC Jack provides.


----------



## atomicbob

mohdkhamsya said:


> Oh right. Look forward to hear what you have to say about the wa7 n he500 pairing. :-D



Ok, spent some time listening to HE-500 and T90 in A/B comparison on the WA7.
First, my biases. I have a love/hate relationship with my HE-500. I enjoy the tight and extended bass, the transparent mids. Highs are accurate but a little recessed for me. Separation is wonderful but soundstage more 2-D than 3-D on my head. My neck fatigues from the weight on extended (>2Hr) sessions. The T90 work well for me, are more 3-D in presentation and have a clarity I appreciate. So overall, I spend more time with the T90 than HE-500. There are some rock, trance, electronica where I enjoy a better experience with the HE-500.

The WA7 brings out the best in any headphone in my collection and the HE-500 is much happier on the WA7 than other amps with which I have tried it. Violectric V200 will drive it well for a more transparent result but I like the mid-range magic the WA7 brings to the party. As always, YMMV.


----------



## pervysage

galaxyguy said:


> With no music playing, my WA7 is dead quiet at every volume with every HP I've tried.  I wish I could say the same about my WA22!
> 
> As for your second point, I believe that Jack puts his effort into a high quality amp with a decent, albeit not terribly flexible, DAC.  I think the amp side surpasses everything that I've heard at this price point and I am deliriously happy with the choice.  If you want a better or more flexible DAC, you can always get an outboard one.  If you want a better amp, you're going to have to spend quite a bit of money to surpass what Jack has produced with this little gem.


 
  
 I'm sure I will be super happy with both the AMP and DAC section on the WA7 as it will be a big step up from my beginner setup.
  
 Counting the days until that bad boy ships out. Curious to see how much the sound will differ as I've never heard a tube amp before.


----------



## moriez

olegausany said:


> while I prefer Bifrost Uber over WA7's DAC


 
  
 I'm kind of considering ''The Fly'' so it would be helpful if you can elaborate a bit on the above please.


----------



## olegausany

moriez said:


> olegausany said:
> 
> 
> > while I prefer Bifrost Uber over WA7's DAC
> ...



I getting a little bit more clarity on highs when I use Schiit stack. As already was said too many times everyone hears differently so your preference could different.


----------



## Shini44

Guys i bought WA7 + upgraded Tubes and will use it with TH600  hope the treble will sound super!! i am a treble head >=) now time to save for TH900 XD


----------



## MickeyVee

I'm tending to agree with you O.. As much as I love the WA7, I'm finding more and more the DAC lacking.  Although I don't have the Schiit Stack anymore, I remeber/felt that the Bifrost Uber provided more airy sound with greater detail.  Pretty evident with Patricia Barber and Eva Cassidy. Even noticing it with Deadmou5, Enigma and Morgan Page. This is with the HD800 and I'm not so sure that it would be as noticeable with another set of HP's.  
 If Woo ever comes out with an amp only version of the WA7, I'd be really tempted to get it and pair it with at least the Bifrost Uber or something better.  I love the simplicity of the WA7 but am seriously considering picking up another DAC.  Maybe the Bifrost Uber again, the Bel Canto DAC 1.5 or the PS Audio NuWave. I think I'm going to pull my PS Audio DL III out of my main AV system and giving it a go with the WA7.
  
 Just a sidenote.. running my Black Momentum's out of the WA7 right now.. sound s pretty awesome! Really can expect much more out of a $350 headphone.
  
 Quote:


olegausany said:


> I getting a little bit more clarity on highs when I use Schiit stack. As already was said too many times everyone hears differently so your preference could different.


----------



## moriez

Thanks olegausany and MV for that addition. I realise the YMMV factor but this seems pretty valuable info to me.


----------



## olegausany

mickeyvee said:


>


 
 While i like HD800, I got chance to try with my gear, when driven by WA7 over HD700, I still prefer them with Bifrost Uber /Crack Speedball combo. Yes I want simplicity too but clarity of details is more important since I want to create end of the game setup
 Update: Just tried Bifrost Uber instead of WA7's DAC and it sounds much better so I would recommend this pairing to anyone who wants to improve sound quality without loosing simplicity.


----------



## Shini44

Guys i am enjoying the M-Stage(opa627)'s treble :3 and my WA7 + upgraded tubes will be here in two weeks, i really hope that the WA7 + Upgraded tubes will be able to top that, someone tell me so i stop getting worried over the next two weeks, using TH600 btw.


----------



## MickeyVee

It's a rainy Sunday so what else is there to do? I pulled my PSAudio DL III from my main system, hooked it up to my MacMini (iTunes and Audirvana Plus) via optical, connected it to the WA7, set it to RCA and started listening.. Holy Cr@p!!
  
 I have a playlist specifically for testing.. the detail and imaging are amazing. I know its a cliche, but I'm hearing things that I haven't heard with the WA7 DAC. Back is the super soundstage, almost holographic, and placement of instruments. Bass and extension are about the same but it's cleaner across the spectrum (micro distortions are much, much lower) and that toe-tapping enjoyment is there.  Smooth as silk with great detail.
 Enigma, Frank S, Patricia Barber, Deadmou5, Eva Cassidy, Eagles and I can go on an on sound great out of this combo no matter if it's an iTunes download, a CD lossless rip or and HD track HiRez.
  
 As much as I'd hate to say it, It gives me the feeling that I had with the Schiit Stack (Bifrost Uber and Lyr / Ameprex Orange Globes) with my HD700 but with tighter and more extended bass and smoother highs. I really want to crank this (WA7 / DL III) setup.
  
 At the same/similar price point, the Schiit Stack is pretty awesome and it runs neck and neck with the WA7 with the WA7 amp being a cut above and the DAC section being a cut below.  Throw in a more resolving DAC and the WA7 surpasses it.  I don't recall having the same reaction with the DL III and the Lyr/Amperex OG.  
  
 My only conclusion can be that the WA7 amp section is a hair/step above the Lyr and what everyone else is saying, the DAC section is about equivalent to the Dragonfly, which isn't so bad, but not to HD800 level.
  
 A couple of other comments.. The WA7 really looks silly sitting on top the of the DL III.. as much as I'd love a one box solution with the HD800, it doesn't seem to exist. The Bifrost Uber is an awesome DAC and very close to the DL III with a better USB implementation. 
  
 So.. next steps.. external DAC with the WA7 or a downgrade in phones.. maybe the LCD 2.2.. or.. both.. add an awesome external DAC and get the LCD2.2 just for fun!


----------



## Currawong

Maybe we need to suggest that to Jack: A DAC that sits neatly under the WA7? 
  
 Quote:


pervysage said:


> Don't see why it doesn't have an Toslink Optical or Coaxial connector at this price point.


 
  
 I can't remember who asked, but I gather that there is room left inside the chassis.
  


atomicbob said:


> First, my biases. I have a love/hate relationship with my HE-500. I enjoy the tight and extended bass, the transparent mids. Highs are accurate but a little recessed for me. Separation is wonderful but soundstage more 2-D than 3-D on my head. My neck fatigues from the weight on extended (>2Hr) sessions. The T90 work well for me, are more 3-D in presentation and have a clarity I appreciate. So overall, I spend more time with the T90 than HE-500. There are some rock, trance, electronica where I enjoy a better experience with the HE-500.


 
  
 Have you tried changing the position of the headphones on your head? That will affect the frequency response.
  
 My set-up at the moment is the WA7 with upgrade tubes fed by the Audio-gd NOS-1704 DAC and modded/damped HD-800s. VERY easy listening without being mushy.


----------



## Dogmatrix

To throw my hat in the ring on the Wa7 dac thing
 Very happy with the Woo as is
 Have Yulong's Sabre D18 very close to the Woo , only need to pull the leads from the LaFigaro
 Never felt the need , perhaps I am too lazy


----------



## MickeyVee

Yeah, I hear ya   I'm lazy too.. I really love the convenience of my setup and I think it really depends on the headphones.  With the HD800, I think that a higher quality DAC is important as the HD800 are pretty revealing. It's hard going back after a superior DAC has been put into the mix.  YMMV.
  
  
 Quote:


dogmatrix said:


> To throw my hat in the ring on the Wa7 dac thing
> Very happy with the Woo as is
> Have Yulong's Sabre D18 very close to the Woo , only need to pull the leads from the LaFigaro
> Never felt the need , perhaps I am too lazy


----------



## olegausany

mickeyvee said:


>


 
 After trying HD800 with 4 different setups plus different tubes and combinations I would rather get external DAC (Bifrost Uber is proven to be a good match) than downgrade headphones. For those who insist on downgrade I would choose HD650


----------



## pervysage

Hmm... so there is a lot of talk about an external DAC benefiting HD800 users specifically.
  
 But does that apply to other headphones as well such as the TH900?


----------



## AnakChan

pervysage said:


> Hmm... so there is a lot of talk about an external DAC benefiting HD800 users specifically.
> 
> But does that apply to other headphones as well such as the TH900?


 
  
 When I borrowed Currawong's WA7, I personally preferred running it off my HP-A8C's DAC with the TH-900 and TH-600. I did write a mail to Jack cc-ing Currawong and Shigzeo about my thoughts of the WA7's DAC. However for myself, bearing in mind the price of the WA7, it was great value for money. i.e. if Jack were to put a different higher quality DAC in there, the price could be considerably different.


----------



## MickeyVee

Been there, done that. LCD2.2 is next.  Definitely going to add a DAC.  In fact, almost pulled the trigger on the Bifrost Uber tonight.  The Toronto Audio/Video show is on November 1-3 so I'll decide after that.
 Quote:


olegausany said:


> After trying HD800 with 4 different setups plus different tubes and combinations I would rather get external DAC (Bifrost Uber is proven to be a good match) than downgrade headphones. For those who insist on downgrade I would choose HD650


 
  
  
 Agreed.. it's a great bang for the buck.  The other option would be for a DAC-less WA7 and bring your own DAC which would bring the price down or Jack could up the ante on the amp for the same price.
   
 Quote:


anakchan said:


> When I borrowed Currawong's WA7, I personally preferred running it off my HP-A8C's DAC with the TH-900 and TH-600. I did write a mail to Jack cc-ing Currawong and Shigzeo about my thoughts of the WA7's DAC. However for myself, bearing in mind the price of the WA7, it was great value for money. i.e. if Jack were to put a different higher quality DAC in there, the price could be considerably different.


----------



## AnakChan

mickeyvee said:


> Agreed.. it's a great bang for the buck.  The other option would be for a DAC-less WA7 and bring your own DAC which would bring the price down or Jack could up the ante on the amp for the same price.


 
  
 In the other WA7 thread (http://www.head-fi.org/t/643838/the-all-new-wa7-fireflies-from-woo-audio/15#post_9012971), Jack did hint on coming up with a DAC-less WA7. But this was back in January. No idea what happened to that :-
  


wooaudio said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Thank you for your feedback so far.
> 
> ...


----------



## olegausany

I tried LCD2 with different setups at the meets but can't find anything special so would rather get T1 instead


----------



## smellyfungus

shini44 said:


> Guys i am enjoying the M-Stage(opa627)'s treble :3 and my WA7 + upgraded tubes will be here in two weeks, i really hope that the WA7 + Upgraded tubes will be able to top that, someone tell me so i stop getting worried over the next two weeks, using TH600 btw.


 
  
 can't give you any comparisons between the two but i do want to reiterate that the EH tubes do need some time to settle in. i hated it at first with my TH600, preferring stock tubes but after some unknown amount of hours it has now finally started sounding quite good. quite happy with the combo.


----------



## Shini44

smellyfungus said:


> can't give you any comparisons between the two but i do want to reiterate that the EH tubes do need some time to settle in. i hated it at first with my TH600, preferring stock tubes but after some unknown amount of hours it has now finally started sounding quite good. quite happy with the combo.


 
  
 Thanks :3


----------



## groovyd

anakchan said:


> In the other WA7 thread (http://www.head-fi.org/t/643838/the-all-new-wa7-fireflies-from-woo-audio/15#post_9012971), Jack did hint on coming up with a DAC-less WA7. But this was back in January. No idea what happened to that :-


 
  
 ... or just make a WA8 with a kick ass DAC and charge the same since the delta cost of dacs is maybe $10. 
  
 Has anyone opened up the WA7 yet and gotten any internal shots?  Perhaps one of our EEs around here could figure out a way to upgrade the DAC inside the WA7 easily?  I am sure it is on it's own separate pcb, might just need to swap it out.  Lots of DACs share the same footprint and interface pinout.


----------



## atomicbob

currawong said:


> Have you tried changing the position of the headphones on your head? That will affect the frequency response.
> 
> My set-up at the moment is the WA7 with upgrade tubes fed by the Audio-gd NOS-1704 DAC and modded/damped HD-800s. VERY easy listening without being mushy.



Good point. I do move the HE-500 around and achieve the change in frequency response. Still, I note a particular synergy between the WA7 and T90 headphones, and no neck fatigue. With a Violectric V800 upstream and this is a seriously capable sound system.


----------



## pervysage

Bahh, this wait is killing me lol. I want the Fireflies to get here now!


----------



## MickeyVee

How long have ou been waiting? It took about 3 weeks form mine to get to Toronto.



pervysage said:


> Bahh, this wait is killing me lol. I want the Fireflies to get here now!


----------



## pervysage

mickeyvee said:


> How long have ou been waiting? It took about 3 weeks form mine to get to Toronto.[quote name="pervysage" url="/t/649097/woo-hoooo-wa7-fireflies/570#post_9875978"]Bahh, this wait is killing me lol. I want the Fireflies to get here now!


[/quote]


Not that long lol. Ordered on the 2nd so it might still be a little longer. I got a shipping estimate of Mid October.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4


----------



## womenyiqi

For referencing actual enjoyment, use a WA7 with Electro Harmonix 6C45Pi.


----------



## MickeyVee

Did anyone else catch this from the CanJam thread:
  
post #75
 Woo WA7 with the new WA7 optional $300.00 power supply that uses 12Au7 to fine tune the sound. The transparency stepped up a huge notch with the additional tube regulated power supply.


----------



## pervysage

mickeyvee said:


> Did anyone else catch this from the CanJam thread:
> 
> post #75
> Woo WA7 with the new WA7 optional $300.00 power supply that uses 12Au7 to fine tune the sound. The transparency stepped up a huge notch with the additional tube regulated power supply.


 
  
 Finally some info on this. I saw a couple of posts about some new tube power supply and even a power supply-less WA7, but there was never any additional information after that.
  
 Now we have a price and some details.
  
 But I'm still wondering... is this new power supply built into a new version of the WA7 or is it simply a new separate power supply you can buy?
  
 The $300 price tag suggests it's just a separate supply that current WA7 owners will be able to buy?
  
 Don't why that one guy said it was a WA7 that no longer has a external power supply.


----------



## samsie

pervysage said:


> Finally some info on this. I saw a couple of posts about some new tube power supply and even a power supply-less WA7, but there was never any additional information after that.
> 
> Now we have a price and some details.
> 
> ...


 
 I do not think the power supply can squeeze in the tiny body of the amp
  
 Sam


----------



## pervysage

samsie said:


> I do not think the power supply can squeeze in the tiny body of the amp
> 
> Sam


 
  
 I got an email back from Jack.
  
 The new tube power supply will simply be an upgrade option just like the EH gold pin tubes are. The solid state power supply will still remain as an option as well.


----------



## smellyfungus

pervysage said:


> I got an email back from Jack.
> 
> The new tube power supply will simply be an upgrade option just like the EH gold pin tubes are. The solid state power supply will still remain as an option as well.


 

 Fun. More money for me to spend. Happy it is an upgrade rather than a whole new unit, wonder how long til its ready for the masses.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Mine will arrive on Monday.  Yay!!!  with upgraded tubes too.


----------



## pervysage

hifiguy528 said:


> Mine will arrive on Monday.  Yay!!!  with upgraded tubes too.


 
  
 Lucky.
  
 Still patiently waiting for that "your order has shipped" email


----------



## groovyd

anyone else buying a WA7 now please order it without power supply so I can sell you my power supply and upgrade to the tube version


----------



## mediumraresteak

Any rumors on the new power supply's price?


----------



## wolfetan44

mediumraresteak said:


> Any rumors on the new power supply's price?


 
 Around $300.


----------



## samsie

I doubt we need another power supply as the original one looks quite heavy duty to me.
  
 Of course, we can never be sure until we try the new power supply,  Please post a review after you guys try it.


----------



## wolfetan44

samsie said:


> I doubt we need another power supply as the original one looks quite heavy duty to me.
> 
> Of course, we can never be sure until we try the new power supply,  Please post a review after you guys try it.


 
 People that heard it at RMAF said it improved the WA7 significantly.


----------



## 282432

Are there any pictures of the new power supply ?


----------



## wolfetan44

tjcheong said:


> Are there any pictures of the new power supply ?


 
 Looks the same as the WA7 except no 1/8 or 1/4 inputs on the front. Not sure about the back of it. It takes 12AU7 tubes(I think its that one), a very common tube. So tube rollers unite!


----------



## 282432

wolfetan44 said:


> Looks the same as the WA7 except no 1/8 or 1/4 inputs on the front. Not sure about the back of it. It takes 12AU7 tubes(I think its that one), a very common tube. So tube rollers unite!



Thanks for the info. Can't wait to check 'em out


----------



## wolfetan44

Source: http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/show-report-canjam-at-rocky-mountain-audio-fest-2013-part-2/?page=9
  
 Was right


----------



## pervysage

wolfetan44 said:


> Source: http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/show-report-canjam-at-rocky-mountain-audio-fest-2013-part-2/?page=9
> 
> Was right


 
  
 That's interesting. So it's going to have a similar design to the WA7?
  
 I thought it would have looked like the power brick with some tubes lol.


----------



## wolfetan44

pervysage said:


> wolfetan44 said:
> 
> 
> > Source: http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/show-report-canjam-at-rocky-mountain-audio-fest-2013-part-2/?page=9
> ...


 
 Same exact look. No volume pot, 1/8, or 1/4 inputs though(assumption).


----------



## HiFiGuy528

that PSU was a prototype and they have not finalized the exterior look yet.  We look forward to seeing the final production.


----------



## Shini44

guys my WA7 is here yet seems like USPS got it damaged :< 

http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/5470/4lzg.jpg
  
 this one is hardly flipable yet still damaged

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/7905/vgsu.jpg
  
 and this one is not flipable what so ever :<

 didn't try to do anything nor power it on, came here for help ><; should i open it and adjust the button? or?

 Update: seems like i will have to ship it from UAE to USA, 100$ to send it and i have to pay for shipping the unit back -.-'' contacted the dude who sold it to me in Ebay and he should pay for all of that... i mean it was dead when i got it...


----------



## MonolithNZ

Ouch man. That sucks!


----------



## Shini44

he will check with USPS because the item was insured for 1100$ so i think i will be able to get 220$ so i send it to forward and back :3 i really hope things go will and i get good news :< seems like my TH900 will have to wait :< will get it next week :/


----------



## samsie

they are twins. they are interesting!!
  
 Sam


----------



## groovyd

think i would prefer the power supply in the same sort of enclosure as the current one and out of sight, otherwise i would prefer it to be stackable under the WA7 and without another glass cube.


----------



## pervysage

groovyd said:


> think i would prefer the power supply in the same sort of enclosure as the current one and out of sight, otherwise i would prefer it to be stackable under the WA7 and without another glass cube.


 
  
 Yeah same here. I prefer PSU's to be out of sight.


----------



## desertblues

groovyd said:


> think i would prefer the power supply in the same sort of enclosure as the current one and out of sight, otherwise i would prefer it to be stackable under the WA7 and without another glass cube.




Absolutely agree-I like my desktop uncrowded and love the small footprint of my WA7.


----------



## zackzack

How is their shipping & handling? Anyone receives faulty unit or umm, broken pieces?


----------



## Dogmatrix

zackzack said:


> How is their shipping & handling? Anyone receives faulty unit or umm, broken pieces?


 
 Mine was good
 It is very well packed tight in a box with shaped foam pieces so nothing can move.
 However the switches are quite delicate and would be vulnerable to very rough handling.


----------



## Shini44

so after waiting 15 days i got dead WA7 (switches) and sent it back to USA which did cost 107$ :/ now going to wait 7-8 days for it to arrive and 3-5 days for it to get fixed and 7-8 days for it to come back -.-'' by then my TH900 will be here and sadly will hock it to M-Strage (opa627)

 jack was nice and said i don't need to pay for the fixing, only shipping back and forward :/  btw bought the WA7 from Ebay for 904$ and got EH Tubes too :3


----------



## AnakChan

shini44 said:


> so after waiting 15 days i got dead WA7 (switches) and sent it back to USA which did cost 107$ :/ now going to wait 7-8 days for it to arrive and 3-5 days for it to get fixed and 7-8 days for it to come back -.-'' by then my TH900 will be here and sadly will hock it to M-Strage (opa627)
> 
> jack was nice and said i don't need to pay for the fixing, only shipping back and forward :/  btw bought the WA7 from Ebay for 904$ and got EH Tubes too :3


 
  
 Lesson learnt, buy straight from Jack .
  
 However I thought there was lotsa protection when purchased from eBay? I assume arrived not as advertised?


----------



## Shini44

anakchan said:


> Lesson learnt, buy straight from Jack .
> 
> However I thought there was lotsa protection when purchased from eBay? I assume arrived not as advertised?


 
 the package got lost in USA for like 6-7 days where i think it got damaged, everything is fine even the tubes, just the switches, contacted the seller since i had 1100$ insurance , he is still struggling with USPS.... he should pay me then go deal with USPS....

 what do you think though? i wait a little then open a case? i don't like the idea of me paying 904$ getting dead item and not getting $$ back although i got 1100$ insurance.....


----------



## ariesq

shini44 said:


> the package got lost in USA for like 6-7 days where i think it got damaged, everything is fine even the tubes, just the switches, contacted the seller since i had 1100$ insurance , he is still struggling with USPS.... he should pay me then go deal with USPS....
> 
> what do you think though? i wait a little then open a case? i don't like the idea of me paying 904$ getting dead item and not getting $$ back although i got 1100$ insurance.....


 
  
 Are you 100% sure the seller insured the package for $1100? Did you have to pay taxes on the $1100 when you received the package? There should be a shipping form attached to the box that shows how much the seller declared the package for.


----------



## Shini44

ariesq said:


> Are you 100% sure the seller insured the package for $1100? Did you have to pay taxes on the $1100 when you received the package? There should be a shipping form attached to the box that shows how much the seller declared the package for.


 
 yes says tacked & insured on the box, and even on Ebay item's description.


----------



## pervysage

WOO-hoo! Got my shipping notice today


----------



## wolfetan44

Ordered a black one the other day


----------



## atomicbob

@ Shini44: I hope you do get the switches fixed and reimbursed appropriately as the WA7 is really a fine transformer output headphone amp.
 @ wolfetan44: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 congratulations and many hours of great listening ahead.


----------



## Shini44

atomicbob said:


> @ Shini44: I hope you do get the switches fixed and reimbursed appropriately as the WA7 is really a fine transformer output headphone amp.
> @ wolfetan44:
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks ^^ just got 220$ refund from the seller, he is really a nice one!! he opened a case with USPS, i will try to get jack to give me a report after he fix it, so we can send it to USPS as a proof etc.


----------



## wolfetan44

Thanks man! 


atomicbob said:


> @ Shini44: I hope you do get the switches fixed and reimbursed appropriately as the WA7 is really a fine transformer output headphone amp.
> @ wolfetan44:   congratulations and many hours of great listening ahead.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Unboxing video if anyone is interested.


----------



## wolfetan44

hifiguy528 said:


> Unboxing video if anyone is interested.




 Great unboxing, Mike!


----------



## Shini44

my WA7 will be with jack for service in few hours or tomorrow in case Jack wasn't around atm   took 3 days to reach USA  send it from Dubai   hope it get fixed in 2-3 days max so i send  it back using fedex.


----------



## MH01

Damn, I'm so tempted to get one.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

mh01 said:


> Damn, I'm so tempted to get one.




Please join us in the playground. We have cool toys.


----------



## MH01

hifiguy528 said:


> Please join us in the playground. We have cool toys.




I think I'm stuck at the stage of deciding between the silver and black. Both look awesome.....


----------



## atomicbob

Silver sounds better! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Silver doesn't show dust as much as black. Silver matched our decor better. So look at where you intend to place the WA7. Which would look better with the intended surroundings?


----------



## ariesq

atomicbob said:


> Silver sounds better!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 How does your WA7 compare against your EC Zana Deux SE? Always wondered how well the WA7 compared against much more expensive amps.


----------



## MH01

atomicbob said:


> Silver sounds better! :veryevil:
> 
> Silver doesn't show dust as much as black. Silver matched our decor better. So look at where you intend to place the WA7. Which would look better with the intended surroundings?




To be honest it will be sitting on my desk next to the iMac , so silver would really work better in that regard, and probably be hooked up to HD800, so silver again .


----------



## atomicbob

ariesq said:


> How does your WA7 compare against your EC Zana Deux SE? Always wondered how well the WA7 compared against much more expensive amps.


 
 I'm still getting my head around (inside) the ZDSE. Stock Russian Tung-Sol 6SL7 driver still. Tubes only have approx 60 hours on them. Keep in mind this is comparing a transformer output 6c45pi design against an OTL 6c33c-b design with serious drive and low impedance capability. The ZDSE offers more air around the instruments and in the room, the first thing I have noticed. Being an OTL fan, so far it appears to have the OTL magic on steroids. I have yet to get beyond the T90 and HD800 for listening so I don't have anything to say about the HE-500 or D5000 in my collection. But last night I spent the evening listening to the WA7 + T90 for several hours. I won't be parting with the WA7 anytime soon, probably never. One point to note about both the WA7 and ZDSE. Both present music from a silent background. No noise; no hum, no hiss, no microphonics, no extraneous noise in either. This is similar to how black a flat screen display will get from which to contrast the visual presentation. The silent background is very important to me for the auditory contrast. My listening environment can get down to 25 dBA, 35 dBC +/- a few dB.


----------



## groovyd

Have had the WA7 with EH tubes for maybe 6 months now.  Turned it one today and the left channel was silent.  Never before had I noticed any channel imbalance but today it was nearly absent.  Turning it up a bit I could still hear it but it distorted badly.  Removed the tubes and reversed left and right and sure enough the right channel went silent.  Must be the tubes I thought with the 'bad' tube looking silently darker inside.  Bummer.  never had a tube amp before, is this how fast they go bad and so abruptly?  Anyway left it playing for an hour and when I came back the channel is operating mostly normally now albeit slightly lower in volume then the good tube.  I never needed any tube warm-up before to get perfectly balanced channels, is this how they age?
  
 I use the amp weekdays from 10-5 most every weekday.  Is this a normal aging or is there something wrong with these tubes?  Is this something that Jack would warrant against? like I said I have had them around 6 mos. and one channel is louder then the other even after fully warm.


----------



## groovyd

... also is there a way to measure and check the voltages and biases given to the tubes to assure they aren't being over/under driven out of spec before I damage a second set of tubes?  Perhaps the heater is too hot or cool or something isn't balanced?


----------



## atomicbob

groovyd said:


> Have had the WA7 with EH tubes for maybe 6 months now.  Turned it one today and the left channel was silent.  Never before had I noticed any channel imbalance but today it was nearly absent.  Turning it up a bit I could still hear it but it distorted badly.  Removed the tubes and reversed left and right and sure enough the right channel went silent.  Must be the tubes I thought with the 'bad' tube looking silently darker inside.  Bummer.  never had a tube amp before, is this how fast they go bad and so abruptly?  Anyway left it playing for an hour and when I came back the channel is operating mostly normally now albeit slightly lower in volume then the good tube.  I never needed any tube warm-up before to get perfectly balanced channels, is this how they age?
> 
> I use the amp weekdays from 10-5 most every weekday.  Is this a normal aging or is there something wrong with these tubes?  Is this something that Jack would warrant against? like I said I have had them around 6 mos. and one channel is louder then the other even after fully warm.


 
 When you look at the tubes, you say one looks slightly darker than the other. Are you describing the condition of the tube when off, or the filament brightness when on?
  
 Without other information, I'd say you have one tube that probably had a manufacturing defect. Welcome to the wonderful world of tubes. I bought 4 NOS Chatham 2399 tubes for my WA3. Two sounded pretty good, with a little residual noise, one sounded very good, and one had a manufacturing defect that caused it to arc over, causing the connected headphones to make a VERY LOUD POP as if someone had fired a .22 caliber revolver. My rule is to test unknown tubes with an inexpensive and disposable headphone before connecting the really good ones. All had tested good by the seller.


----------



## M76NYC

Hey everyone.  "Woo-hoooo" is right!  Love the WA7 with my new HD650s and it has only been a few hours!  Received my WA7 a week earlier than I expected (ordered 10/15, delivered 10/29, ETA was first week of November).  Now a quick question to get the best sound out of my setup.
  
 I am using my year-old Samsung laptop (Windows7) with Foobar 2000 to play my FLAC files, which are 16-24bit/44-192kHz, through the USB 2.0 port with the Kimber Kable.  I have installed the Foobar WASAPI output support component version 3.2.3 and the USB driver from Woo Audio.
  
 1.)  The WA7 manual says to use ASIO output, but I read that WASAPI (event) is better.  When I change the output setting in Foobar from "DS Speakers: (USB 2.0 High-Speed True HD Audio)" to "WASAPI (event): Speakers: (USB 2.0 High-Speed True HD Audio)" and restart Foobar, I receive the following error >>> "Unrecoverable playback error: Invalid argument".  This happens with all settings (16-bit, 24-bit, even 32-bit).  However, "WASAPI (push)" works, but is it as good as "WASAPI (event)"?  Anyone else do a workaround for this?  Perhaps use J.River Media Center, or is this a limitation in my setup?
  
 2.)  Which bit-rate should I leave my output setting set to?  Most of my files are 16-bit, but is there any harm in leaving it at 24?
  
 3.)  Any other "must-do" settings in Foobar to get the most out of my setup?  Anything I should be turning off/on as a rule of thumb?  I know it can be customized to our hearts content, but are there any things I just MUST change from the standard setup?
  
 Thanks in advance for any insight.  Looking forward to burning in my HD650s and perhaps getting a pair of the EH Gold tubes.  I should have ordered them with the amp...lots of good feedback on those in this forum.  ('Upgraditis' has already set in and it's been one day!)
  
 -M76NYC


----------



## M76NYC

One more thing...I am using the high-impedance setting on the WA7 with the HD650.  The volume at 11-12 o'clock is good for me with this setting.  At low-impedance I need to go to 1 o'clock.  Is either one better to use? 
  
 Thanks!
  
 -M76NYC


----------



## olegausany

Use high impedance with HD650. Also in order for WASP I event to work go to School website and download their driver instead. During installation you will need to remove old driver first than install the new one


----------



## M76NYC

Thanks Olegausany for the input.  For the website, did u mean to write the "Schiit" website and use the Schiit Unified USB drivers?  If so, I guess I can remove the Woo Audio-provided driver and install the Schiit USB 2.0 driver, but the WA7 uses the C-Media 6631 USB chip and I'm not sure which USB chip the Schiit line uses.
  
 Has anyone else had luck with this setup?
  
 -M76NYC


----------



## PleasantSounds

m76nyc said:


> Thanks Olegausany for the input.  For the website, did u mean to write the "Schiit" website and use the Schiit Unified USB drivers?  If so, I guess I can remove the Woo Audio-provided driver and install the Schiit USB 2.0 driver, but the WA7 uses the C-Media 6631 USB chip and I'm not sure which USB chip the Schiit line uses.
> 
> Has anyone else had luck with this setup?
> 
> -M76NYC


 
  
 I'm also using the Schiit driver and got no problems with WASAPI Event mode. They use the same USB controller.


----------



## M76NYC

Thanks for the confirmation PleasantSounds.  I will change the driver, see if it works for me and see if I hear any change.
  
 -M76NYC


----------



## pandaonslaught

Oh man. My fireflies arrived on tuesday, it's the best amp i've ever had. I have a Swans M50W connected via RCA. I just flip a switch in the back and switch from speakers to headphone. also, having 0 noise at almost all volumes on the headphones is massive. My last two amp setups(schiit Lyr + Bifrost, hifiman he5) had alot of noise. Listened with Shure SE535-CL and LCD-2's so far and it drives both nicely.


----------



## DNT

pandaonslaught said:


> Oh man. My fireflies arrived on tuesday, it's the best amp i've ever had. I have a Swans M50W connected via RCA. I just flip a switch in the back and switch from speakers to headphone. also, having 0 noise at almost all volumes on the headphones is massive. My last two amp setups(schiit Lyr + Bifrost, hifiman he5) had alot of noise. Listened with Shure SE535-CL and LCD-2's so far and it drives both nicely.


 
 Congrats. Mine is very quiet too.
  
 How would you compare WA7 to Lyr+Bifrost combo?


----------



## pandaonslaught

dnt said:


> Congrats. Mine is very quiet too.
> 
> How would you compare WA7 to Lyr+Bifrost combo?


 
 The only noticeable difference from a memory standpoint is sometimes the Lyr made my LCD-2s trebles sound harsher than it does with the WA7 and comparable volumes. I honestly can't tell the difference in the sound quality(besides how quiet it is) because I sold the Lyr +Bifrost before the WA7 came in. So no side by side comparison for me. I switched because besides my LCD-2s I'm becoming more of an IEM guy and you couldn't listen to IEMs with the Lyr at all, even turned all the way down.


----------



## groovyd

atomicbob said:


> When you look at the tubes, you say one looks slightly darker than the other. Are you describing the condition of the tube when off, or the filament brightness when on?
> 
> Without other information, I'd say you have one tube that probably had a manufacturing defect. Welcome to the wonderful world of tubes. I bought 4 NOS Chatham 2399 tubes for my WA3. Two sounded pretty good, with a little residual noise, one sounded very good, and one had a manufacturing defect that caused it to arc over, causing the connected headphones to make a VERY LOUD POP as if someone had fired a .22 caliber revolver. My rule is to test unknown tubes with an inexpensive and disposable headphone before connecting the really good ones. All had tested good by the seller.


 
 The quieter tube was darker when off inside, a darker color not as shiney the metal plates etc.  When turned on the darker tube actually is brighter glowing with about twice the glow of the other.  It has always had more glow.


----------



## atomicbob

groovyd said:


> The quieter tube was darker when off inside, a darker color not as shiney the metal plates etc.  When turned on the darker tube actually is brighter glowing with about twice the glow of the other.  It has always had more glow.


 
 If you switch the tubes between channels, does the one with more glow stay with the tube or the channel? If the darkened glass tube has more glow in the other channel, then I think you have a tube that will fail prematurely. It happens. If the other tube (normal looking glass, not darkened) becomes brighter when the switched between channels, then that channel may be putting out a high filament voltage.


----------



## groovyd

good idea!  will check tomorrow and then assuming it is just the tube swap out with a new set i had bought for emergencies (is making me feel clever now) otherwise I should talk to Woo first so I don't damage another set.  I should assume if the amp is putting a high voltage to the tube that would cause this premature death he would cover fixing that and replacing the tubes seems reasonable?


----------



## pervysage

My WA7 is being delivered on Monday. Can't wait!


----------



## groovyd

Checked and it is the tube which is brighter, not the socket causing the tube to be brighter.  Swapped in the spare set of Cryoset tubes I bought and it is back to sounding great again... even better then the original EH tubes Woo sent me.  Could be my reaction to slowly losing quality on those tubes or perhaps the Cryoset really do just sound better. So I guess the question becomes are the original EH tubes purchased through Woo warranteed at all? They expired unusually fast and were pretty costly so I am hoping there is something to be recovered here. They were clearly defective as these sound much better then those ever did.


----------



## pervysage

WA7 came in today. Man this thing is built like a tank lol, didn't expect it to be as heavy as it is. Set up went fairly smoothly... the tubes were a bit a pain to get in (I was afraid I would break them if I applied too much force). The DAC portion didn't show up initially but the user manual pointed me to the USB drivers on the Woo website. Installed that and all is well 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Starting to listen now


----------



## atomicbob

groovyd said:


> Checked and it is the tube which is brighter, not the socket causing the tube to be brighter.  Swapped in the spare set of Cryoset tubes I bought and it is back to sounding great again... even better then the original EH tubes Woo sent me.  Could be my reaction to slowly losing quality on those tubes or perhaps the Cryoset really do just sound better. So I guess the question becomes are the original EH tubes purchased through Woo warranteed at all? They expired unusually fast and were pretty costly so I am hoping there is something to be recovered here. They were clearly defective as these sound much better then those ever did.



The good news is nothing wrong with the WA7. Tubes are not very far removed from incandescent light bulbs. Happy listening!


----------



## AnakChan

shini44 said:


> my WA7 will be with jack for service in few hours or tomorrow in case Jack wasn't around atm   took 3 days to reach USA  send it from Dubai   hope it get fixed in 2-3 days max so i send  it back using fedex.


 
  
 So wassup Shini44? It's been almost a week. All fixed?


----------



## wolfetan44

WA7 coming today!


----------



## Shini44

anakchan said:


> So wassup Shini44? It's been almost a week. All fixed?


 
 it is on the way!! Fedex!!! :3 , and the TH900 will be here on Saturday or Sunday.  1st i will try it with M-Stage since i was using the TH600 with it  so i see how better the TH900 on the same amp.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

BTW, the WA7 with stock tubes is magic on Mad Dog and Alpha Dog.


----------



## wolfetan44

hifiguy528 said:


> BTW, the WA7 with stock tubes is magic on Mad Dog and Alpha Dog.


 
 That means it'll be magical with my Paradox!(most likely)


----------



## pervysage

Just some initial notes:
  
 - Very nice full sound 
 - Vocals sound good and the WA7 takes away any harshness I experienced on warm tracks with the Fostex TH-900's.
  
 Definitely has some "gooch-wrenching" bass, however I'm finding it kind of problematic on bass heavy hip-hop tracks. The bass is sometimes boomy. Hopefully that goes away as it breaks in.
  
 Ran the upgrade EH tubes straight out of the box so I still plan on switching them out eventually just so I can try the stock tubes and compare. Anyone know how the two pairs of tubes compare bass-wise?
  
 Love the build quality on the WA7. Volume pot is super nice and smooth, no issues with channel imbalance or anything like that when adjusting volume.
  
 The amp is dead silent when connected to the USB DAC from my PC. I can max out the volume pot and hear nothing... nice black background.


----------



## olegausany

Give the tubes at least 30 hours before switching or comparison


----------



## SamHeadFi

leaning towards the Wa7 over the Wa2 for my Beyerdynamic T1's...mostly for listening and gaming with a macbook and a pc...any suggestions on what else I would need? I need another DAC? power supply? cables? av surge protector?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

I'm using the stock tubes and will be for a few more weeks before going to the EH. I have the EH on hand so the swap will be easy.


----------



## Shini44

hifiguy528 said:


> I'm using the stock tubes and will be for a few more weeks before going to the EH. I have the EH on hand so the swap will be easy.


 
 i am going to use the EH tubes most of the time, will switch to stock when i wana enjoy the luch sweet mids of the vocals, depend on the mood though.
  
 unless the EH tubes won't make the TH900's mids sound receded it is another story,  so far i don't know cause my WA7 is on the way.


----------



## groovyd

hifiguy528 said:


> BTW, the WA7 with stock tubes is magic on Mad Dog and Alpha Dog.


 
 True... I got a chance to try Matt's AD and it blew me away.  Definitely on my bucket list to order some soon.


----------



## groovyd

samheadfi said:


> leaning towards the Wa7 over the Wa2 for my Beyerdynamic T1's...mostly for listening and gaming with a macbook and a pc...any suggestions on what else I would need? I need another DAC? power supply? cables? av surge protector?


 
 nope, just plug and play... this is the fundamental beauty of the WA7, sounding great as is.


----------



## groovyd

Highly recommending the matched EH tubes from Cryoset.  Very nice sound, even better then the EH from Woo.


----------



## V-Duh

groovyd said:


> Highly recommending the matched EH tubes from Cryoset.  Very nice sound, even better then the EH from Woo.


 
 I believe Cryoset has not had the cryo EH 6C45PI gold pins for quite some time.  I contacted them to find out when they would get more and they replied that they were no longer able to get them from their supplier.  I don't know the full impact of that statement...


----------



## groovyd

got mine a few months ago


----------



## SamHeadFi

groovyd said:


> nope, just plug and play... this is the fundamental beauty of the WA7, sounding great as is.


 
  
 repped, thanks. If that's the case, what should my progression be for things i need...
 possibly upgrade tubes and add PSU
 usb cables/dac? if so, what dac would be ideal? Seems like people have mixed feelings on the wa7 dac


----------



## wolfetan44

samheadfi said:


> groovyd said:
> 
> 
> > nope, just plug and play... this is the fundamental beauty of the WA7, sounding great as is.
> ...


 
 You will must likely have to download the drivers for the DAC to work, or atleast I had to.


----------



## olegausany

If you want to use WASAPI event you should use Schiit drivers instead


----------



## pervysage

wolfetan44 said:


> You will must likely have to download the drivers for the DAC to work, or atleast I had to.


 
  
 For Windows you do... Mac is plug n play I believe.


----------



## SamHeadFi

ok thanks for all the help. I've also been suggested the Schiit Bifrost or Audiogd dac to supplement the wa7, but I think I might just buy the Wa7/tubes upgrade, and an av friendly surge protector.


----------



## olegausany

I would recommend Furman PST-8D it cost a little over $100 from Amazom


----------



## MickeyVee

Honestly, just live with the stock unit for a month or two.  Get to know its sound and nuances with your favorite music and then decide if there is anything lacking.
 - A decent USB cable is nice but you don't have to go nuts.  I use an AudioQuest Cinnamon USB cable.
 - Tubes: Most say they prefer the EH Gold Pins - in my system, I personally prefer the sock tubes
 - DAC - Yes, the internal DAC is probably not up to par relative to the amp - I've tried a few but stayed with the internal DAC - YMMV
 What headphones will you be using?  Anyway, enjoy the journey. The WA7 is a really nice unit.
  
 Quote:


samheadfi said:


> repped, thanks. If that's the case, what should my progression be for things i need...
> possibly upgrade tubes and add PSU
> usb cables/dac? if so, what dac would be ideal? Seems like people have mixed feelings on the wa7 dac


----------



## SamHeadFi

mickeyvee said:


>


 

 Using a Beyerdynamic T1, have ultrasone 2900 and audio technica m50 but i might get rid of them and add a hifiman he500 or hd800 down the line


----------



## atomicbob

Well said, MickeyVee. I bought the EH tubes so as not to miss the limited supply. Now with hundreds of hours on the stock Sovteks and I have yet to roll in the EH. T90, HD800, HE-500 all have performed well on the WA7. Using an external Violectric V800 DAC. When taking the WA7 for location listening, the internal DAC is quite satisfactory.


----------



## atomicbob

olegausany said:


> I would recommend Furman PST-8D it cost a little over $100 from Amazom



+1. Furman makes excellent power conditioning distribution boxes.


----------



## wolfetan44




----------



## olegausany

mickeyvee said:


>


 

 Just curious if you tried Bifrost Uber DacMagic Plus


----------



## MickeyVee

The BF Uber is definitely a better DAC but eventually sold it off / traded off for a simpler system. Wish I still had it. 
 Never tried the DM Plus.
  
 Quote:


olegausany said:


> Just curious if you tried Bifrost Uber DacMagic Plus


----------



## groovyd

samheadfi said:


> repped, thanks. If that's the case, what should my progression be for things i need...
> possibly upgrade tubes and add PSU
> usb cables/dac? if so, what dac would be ideal? Seems like people have mixed feelings on the wa7 dac


 
 I hear no flaw in the DAC and the PSU is more then adequate as is though I hear he is planning a tube based PSU I wouldn't worry at all to be honest.  One thing I found to be beneficial is to get a usb power isolator like one from hifimediy which works very well and is very reasonable and out of the way.  A 'decent' usb cable plus the conditioner is all I would recommend.  Def. get a couple sets of the EH tubes incase one burns out.  Cryoset was less expensive then through Woo but someone here mentioned they were out of stock.


----------



## olegausany

mickeyvee said:


>


 

 If I would be you I would get it back or would try DacMagic Plus while it's on sale till end of the year


----------



## jbarrentine

What's with the dac needing drivers in Windows? Does this dac not work in OSX or Linux?


----------



## teb1013

jbarrentine said:


> What's with the dac needing drivers in Windows? Does this dac not work in OSX or Linux?



OSX works without the necessity of drivers. I don't know about Linux.


----------



## olegausany

DAC works with OS X without problems, just make sure to switch your output from built-n speakers to the Dac.


----------



## ariesq

I know its been confirmed that the WA7 can work with iPad via CCK with iOS 6. Can anyone confirm if iPad/iPhone with ios7 and CCK still work with the WA7?


----------



## teb1013

ariesq said:


> I know its been confirmed that the WA7 can work with iPad via CCK with iOS 6. Can anyone confirm if iPad/iPhone with ios7 and CCK still work with the WA7?




Yes, iOS 7 works fine with the CCK. In fact I it also works with an iPhone, while iOS 6 did not you might need to use a powered to avoid a "low power" dialog.


----------



## SamHeadFi

So I guess I'm getting in addition to the WA7 for my T1 an outlet (Furman) cable (Audioquest Cinnamon) and USB isolator (hifimediy) and the EH tubes...I'm assuming I should wait for black friday? those seem to be within my budget...can anyone recommend any other brands I should look at/sales?


----------



## Shini44

my WA7 is here!! i got the TH900 yesterday and didn't burn it nor the WA7 yet, still i feel like it is one of a hell nice amp! dead silence! i can't wait till i am do with the burn in phase


----------



## V-Duh

shini44 said:


> my WA7 is here!! i got the TH900 yesterday and didn't burn it nor the WA7 yet, still i feel like it is one of a hell nice amp! dead silence! i can't wait till i am do with the burn in phase



Glad you finally received it!
Are you getting the sparkling treble you prefer?


----------



## Shini44

v-duh said:


> Glad you finally received it!
> Are you getting the sparkling treble you prefer?


 
 not yet :/ still burning the TH900 and the WA7 ( EH golden pins), even the TH600 had more bass and treble! since i got it burned  need to wait 1-2 weeks at least :< really hate the burning in phase -.-''

 Update: gave it 6 hours! the mids are way nicer on the WA7's EH tubes! (note: skipped the stock tubes since i am not a fan of the n shape sound sig), the Treble and bass started to break in and its nice , the treble sounded better on the M-Stage since i already burned that amp in, yet the mids isnt the same on the M-Stage!! the WA7 make it more U shaped than the M-Stage!! 

 now need to burn the WA7 more so later it does tremble the bass/treble of the M-Stage >=)


----------



## Angelbelow

Posted this in the sponsor thread but perhaps its better to ask here:
  
  What do you guys think of the Wa7 and the HE500 pairing? Have the WA7 on the way but that was before I heard the HE6s. Eying the 500s as my next pair of headphones so just wondering if anyone here had any wisdom to share.
  
 Also, what does the rumored new powersupply upgrade improve on?


----------



## Dogmatrix

The Wa7 HE500 is my favorite combo at the moment its just dreamy
 Compared to my violectric it is less detailed and the treble is slightly weaker but the overall character and timbre is much more pleasant, less analytical
 Don't know anything about the new PS other than it is still in early prototype stage


----------



## wolfetan44

dogmatrix said:


> The Wa7 HE500 is my favorite combo at the moment its just dreamy
> Compared to my violectric it is less detailed and the treble is slightly weaker but the overall character and timbre is much more pleasant, less analytical
> Don't know anything about the new PS other than it is still in early prototype stage


 
 I wonder, is WA7 just pure magic with ortho's? Because with my Paradox(T50RP mod) its also magical.


----------



## Dogmatrix

I don't think I can recall a negative review of the Wa7 with anything it seems to be "magic" all round.


----------



## wolfetan44

dogmatrix said:


> I don't think I can recall a negative review of the Wa7 with anything it seems to be "magic" all round.


 
 I wouldn't say its magical with my HD650. Its a good combo, but nowhere near the combo of the WA7/Paradox.


----------



## Angelbelow

dogmatrix said:


> The Wa7 HE500 is my favorite combo at the moment its just dreamy
> Compared to my violectric it is less detailed and the treble is slightly weaker but the overall character and timbre is much more pleasant, less analytical
> Don't know anything about the new PS other than it is still in early prototype stage


 
  
 Good to know, I think I will give this combo a shot and order the HE500s. 
  
 Some concerns, I am more of a treble guy and I enjoy listening to fast paced music. Maybe the eq will help a bit here?


----------



## Dogmatrix

wolfetan44 said:


> I wouldn't say its magical with my HD650. Its a good combo, but nowhere near the combo of the WA7/Paradox.


 

 Agree, personally I prefer the HD650 out of an OTL
 Great as the HD650 is, it is a long way behind the HE500 with the Woo
 What I find most interesting is the apparent myth-busting nature of the Wa7 in terms of synergy with the HE500, on paper the power is a little to low and the output impedance is way too high


----------



## Dogmatrix

angelbelow said:


> Good to know, I think I will give this combo a shot and order the HE500s.
> 
> Some concerns, I am more of a treble guy and I enjoy listening to fast paced music. Maybe the eq will help a bit here?


 

 The treble is good just a little weaker than the Violectric which is very strong in that area


----------



## Shini44

dogmatrix said:


> The treble is good just a little weaker than the Violectric which is very strong in that area


 
 you are talking about the upgraded tubes or the stock tubes?


----------



## Dogmatrix

shini44 said:


> you are talking about the upgraded tubes or the stock tubes?


 

 This is true for both sets although I found the Sovtek tubes strongest in terms of treble but weaker in bass
 Pre burn in the Sovtek and EH are quite different , I found the Sovtek to favor the treble end of the spectrum and the EH more towards the bass end. After burn in the two tubes were almost identical still leaning to there preferred ends but only slightly


----------



## Shini44

dogmatrix said:


> This is true for both sets although I found the Sovtek tubes strongest in terms of treble but weaker in bass
> Pre burn in the Sovtek and EH are quite different , I found the Sovtek to favor the treble end of the spectrum and the EH more towards the bass end. After burn in the two tubes were almost identical still leaning to there preferred ends but only slightly


 
 how long does it take to burn the EH tubes? i am on my 3rd day on the TH900 and 2nd day on the WA7, the Treble so far isn't as sparkle as it should be nor the bass :<  

 really hate how boring is the burning phase -.-'' specially on J-pop and Electronic music.


----------



## Dogmatrix

shini44 said:


> how long does it take to burn the EH tubes? i am on my 3rd day on the TH900 and 2nd day on the WA7, the Treble so far isn't as sparkle as it should be nor the bass :<
> 
> really hate how boring is the burning phase -.-'' specially on J-pop and Electronic music.


 

 Around 30 hours would be a good minimum for tubes to settle, after that I don't think the signature will change much
 At a guess I would say the dynamic drivers in the TH900 will take longer to settle than the tubes


----------



## Angelbelow

dogmatrix said:


> The treble is good just a little weaker than the Violectric which is very strong in that area


 

 Ahh I see. I'm coming from the Grados sr325i so I might find the treble a little bit weaker at first from the HE500 + wa7 pairing.


----------



## Shini44

dogmatrix said:


> Around 30 hours would be a good minimum for tubes to settle, after that I don't think the signature will change much
> At a guess I would say the dynamic drivers in the TH900 will take longer to settle than the tubes


 
 yes i was afraid so, the TH600 took longer than the HD650 to get burned in, i can say double the time too!!!


----------



## pervysage

Hmm... was listening to some tracks I am familiar with today and noticed that some of the details in the background sounded kind of smoothed over (less able to hear the separation of details from the track).

Is that just a characteristic of tube sound (I came from a solid state FiiO E9K with E17 DAC).... or maybe it's just the DAC in the WA7 that kind of smooths over the sound a bit?

Or maybe I'm just imagining things. Will have to do some A-Bing when I get the time.


----------



## alpha421

The WA7 along with the Alpha Dogs shall be my next significant purchase.


----------



## Shini44

now the WA7 (EH golden tubes) started to sound awesome with the TH900, been like 6 days where i spend 3-5 hours each day on both, yesterday i had fun with it, today when i switched to the M-Stage opa627 i wasn't happy with the music, i though i got board or something, went back to the WA7 and i got what i missed from yesterday :3


----------



## Angelbelow

Just got my WA7s today. Where do you guys have your volume knob for the HE500s. I have mine at the 12 oclock and its just pleasant, not too loud. Mess with the "preamp" eq setting on winamp improves the volume but not sure if that is affecting my sound quality just yet.


----------



## Dogmatrix

12 is about right I am normally around 11 to 1 depending on the recording
 How are you finding it so far
 Is the treble energy  to you're taste


----------



## Angelbelow

dogmatrix said:


> 12 is about right I am normally around 11 to 1 depending on the recording
> How are you finding it so far
> Is the treble energy  to you're taste


 
 Good point on the recording. Some of my vinyl rips are dialed back in volume. So now I'm adjusting between 12 and 1 ish.
  
 I tried the Grados with the WA7 after a couple days with the HE500; now and I finally understand the "fatiguing highs" description with the 325s. I just don't have the same level of tolerance after a few days with the HE500s haha.
  
 I'm definitely getting warmth and soul from the WA7. Right out of the box, that tube sound was largely missing. Left for work feeling unimpressed (about 1 hour of listening.) My 2nd go around is much different, and much better. I'm really getting engulfed by the atmospheric presentation of the sound. Its going to be a great night.


----------



## Shini44

WA7 + TH900 = Magic :3 fixed the power problem, the adapter were LQ and were the source of the hissing and bzzzz-ing -.-'' right now the sound is so clean!!


----------



## GalaxyGuy

shini44 said:


> *WA7 + TH900 = Magic* :3 fixed the power problem, the adapter were LQ and were the source of the hissing and bzzzz-ing -.-'' right now the sound is so clean!!


 
 +1 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 From last night's session:


----------



## Angelbelow

So i noticed that the driver.zip file had a folder called Program and a few .exe and application files. Do we need to install these?
  
 Just to specify, I have Windows 7 and have already installed the drivers needed for the DAC. I'm just referring to a separate folder called Program. Contains an exe file called CmEnhance. For some reason it doesn't load for me.


----------



## Dogmatrix

I installed everything when I did mine
 Just had a look and I would say some of the files probably are not in use with the Wa7 but I would not know which ones
 They are small files and I don't think they do any harm if they are redundant so I think I will just leave it alone
 If it aint broke don't fix it


----------



## groovyd

New tubes started up today with crackling for the first 30 min of listening and with uneven levels... The crackling only occurs during otherwise silence and when audio is playing it sort of mutes the crackle.  Is this a normal tube issue?  Could this be related to the colder temperature and longer warmup?  I heard absolutely none of these issues at all when I got my WA7 and here I am with these issues plaguing 2 sets of tubes within the past month.  What is the start-up sensitivity to cold and how does it normally sound?  Just wondering if there is really something wrong with the WA7 now. No crackling after 1 hour.


----------



## Dogmatrix

Sounds like dust or other contaminants in the tube sockets


----------



## Shini44

Just ordered IFI iUSB to use it with my WA7's DAC, for some odd reason it was refusing to be used with the Yulong D100 MKII, the WA7 were fine alone yet when paired with the Yulong i started to get bzzzzing etc,

 the iUSB is to provide the DAC section of the WA7 with clean power.


----------



## atomicbob

groovyd said:


> New tubes started up today with crackling for the first 30 min of listening and with uneven levels... The crackling only occurs during otherwise silence and when audio is playing it sort of mutes the crackle.  Is this a normal tube issue?  Could this be related to the colder temperature and longer warmup?  I heard absolutely none of these issues at all when I got my WA7 and here I am with these issues plaguing 2 sets of tubes within the past month.  What is the start-up sensitivity to cold and how does it normally sound?  Just wondering if there is really something wrong with the WA7 now. No crackling after 1 hour.



With the WA7 off and tubes cold, try unplugging and reinserting the tubes. There may be a little oxidation on either the tube or socket pins and this will wipe the oxidation. This very phenomena happened to me with my Zana Deux SE. It was the driver tube, a 6SL7 that had a little oxidation.


----------



## bigx333

I'm actually having a "similar" issue with my 3 days old WA7, today I turned it on and it was doing a really high hissing on the right side, I swapped the tubes around and it went to the left side. Anything I can try before assuming I got a faulty tube?


----------



## LNCPapa

You are letting them warm up before trying to listen, right?


----------



## bigx333

lncpapa said:


> You are letting them warm up before trying to listen, right?


 
  
 For about 10 minutes, actually when I just turn on the AMP the hiss is much less, it seems that it gets higher the warmer it is.


----------



## groovyd

You using the EH tubes?  Wondering if they have quality issues.  Would be good to know when people report tube issues which tubes they are using.  Both of my problems so far were using different sets of EH tubes. Don't want to continue spending a fortune on EH tubes if they are problem prone.  Doesn't sound like anyone is willing to cover the tubes they sell for more then a week or two.


----------



## bigx333

Stock Sovtek tubes


----------



## V-Duh

groovyd said:


> You using the EH tubes?  Wondering if they have quality issues.  Would be good to know when people report tube issues which tubes they are using.  Both of my problems so far were using different sets of EH tubes. Don't want to continue spending a fortune on EH tubes if they are problem prone.  Doesn't sound like anyone is willing to cover the tubes they sell for more then a week or two.


 
 My first pair of EH tubes only lasted 4 months before a major channel imbalance.  However, my current pair is about the same age with no problems.  I use my WA7 most of the day every work day.  I hope these EH tubes last as I'm not very fond of the stock Sovteks.


----------



## atomicbob

On the other hand, I have yet to put in the EH tubes I bought. The Sovteks are sounding very good in my system.


----------



## groovyd

v-duh said:


> My first pair of EH tubes only lasted 4 months before a major channel imbalance.  However, my current pair is about the same age with no problems.  I use my WA7 most of the day every work day.  I hope these EH tubes last as I'm not very fond of the stock Sovteks.


 
 Mine also lasted only 4 months before the major imbalance.  Hopefully this isn't the lifespan of them.  I heard somewhere that gold pin tubes do die a lot sooner then non gold pin tubes.  Not sure what the reasoning was but to me 4 months just won't do for $99 tubes. IMHO at that price they should be guaranteed for at least a year as the insurance policy was definitely paid for.


----------



## GalaxyGuy

groovyd said:


> Mine also lasted only 4 months before the major imbalance.  Hopefully this isn't the lifespan of them.  I heard somewhere that gold pin tubes do die a lot sooner then non gold pin tubes.  Not sure what the reasoning was but to me 4 months just won't do for $99 tubes. IMHO at that price they should be guaranteed for at least a year as the insurance policy was definitely paid for.


 
 I've had my EH tubes going pretty much every day for a few hours since March, with no sign of any degradation in the sound quality.
  
 Speaking of wishing for insurance...I have a pair of Shuguang CV181 TII tubes that are only 6 months old and one of them recently died.  Those tubes cost $290/pair.


----------



## PleasantSounds

groovyd said:


> Mine also lasted only 4 months before the major imbalance.  Hopefully this isn't the lifespan of them.  I heard somewhere that gold pin tubes do die a lot sooner then non gold pin tubes.  Not sure what the reasoning was but to me 4 months just won't do for $99 tubes. IMHO at that price they should be guaranteed for at least a year as the insurance policy was definitely paid for.


 
  
 I remember reading on some Russian site that these tubes were notoriously difficult to make, and apparently the QC was very basic. As far as I know they are not being manufactured any more - if that's really the case then only a merchant could provide such guarantee. But many sellers advertise 5000 hours lifecycle so maybe that is something to call on.


----------



## SamHeadFi

Any thoughts on this with the HiFiMan he 500's?


----------



## Dogmatrix

samheadfi said:


> Any thoughts on this with the HiFiMan he 500's?


 

 Yes its good
 Type He 500 into the "Search This Thread" feature at the top of the page there are a couple of pages of references


----------



## atomicbob

dogmatrix said:


> Yes its good
> Type He 500 into the "Search This Thread" feature at the top of the page there are a couple of pages of references



+1 thank-you.


----------



## Angelbelow

I have the wa7 and recently tried out my friends he500 and let's just say my next pair of headphones will definitely be the he500. I can see why a more powerful amp would be more ideal but no complains so far. Love the sound. 



samheadfi said:


> Any thoughts on this with the HiFiMan he 500's?


----------



## Shini44

wow the WA7 is the real deal!! swapped the old IE4 after two days on M-Stage and it was so different! i was able to increase the vol even higher lol and the IE4 way better!! :3 

 my UM Miracle will be here in less than three weeks, can't wait to test it with the WA7, oh i always use the EH golden pins tubes, not a fan of the stock tubes


----------



## pervysage

After having used the EH Gold Pins since I got the WA7, I decided to pop in the stock Sovtek tubes just to see the difference.
  
 Definitely not up to par compared to the upgrade tubes. I found quite a difference in the bass. The stock tubes seem to have sucked all the bass away! No kidding.
  
 The gold pins had a more rich and full sound overall.
  
 Should I even bother burning in the stock tubes? They've been used for about 6+ hours now. Already tempted to go back to the EH gold pins 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 P.S. here's a pic of the WA7 in action.


----------



## Shini44

pervysage said:


> After having used the EH Gold Pins since I got the WA7, I decided to pop in the stock Sovtek tubes just to see the difference.
> 
> Definitely not up to par compared to the upgrade tubes. I found quite a difference in the bass. The stock tubes seem to have sucked all the bass away! No kidding.
> 
> ...


 
 EH golden pins Tubes are U shaped and the Sock are n shaped, thats all as far as i know.

 btw  guys i got the iFi-iUSB and it made my WA7 100% better, since i was using the WA7's DAC which is powered through the PC directly,  

 the PC's power got a lot of distortion!! not like the non PC powered DACs, maybe due the PSU, mine is corsair and do provide dirty power...

 iUSB fixed that for me.  i did A/B with Yulong D100 MKii so i make sure the iUSB did something or not.

 check my review on the iUSB for more info ^^


----------



## Shini44

hey guys there is one thing i don't understand, why does the EH golden pins tube make the receded mids forward? or slightly forward? like with TH900, is it because this is a Tube amp and the upgraded tubes are more like tube/solidstate hybrid?


----------



## hydesg

I just received my WA7 today, what headphones do you think I should pair it with?
 Currently, I have the Beyer DT880 and the MTH50.
  
 I listen to a wide genre of music, Jazz, guitar instruments, heavy rock and some metal.
  
 I am considering the following headphones, LCD2r2, LCD3, HD800 and TH900.
  
 Any advise, please?
  
 ps: Was previously using the Xonar STX. The WA7 sounds thicker, and somehow the voice of norah jones now sounds up close and sweeter. There is less background noise also.
 Overall very happy. But am looking to upgrade my phones to a better one. 
  
 Thanks!


----------



## Shini44

hydesg said:


> I just received my WA7 today, what headphones do you think I should pair it with?
> Currently, I have the Beyer DT880 and the MTH50.
> 
> I listen to a wide genre of music, Jazz, guitar instruments, heavy rock and some metal.
> ...


 
 make sure you get the upgraded tube unless your main goal is to make the sound shape more like "n" using the stock tubes, the upgraded one are like U shaped yet the mids are even better than most of solid state amps, even the TH900's mids isn't as receded on it.


----------



## PleasantSounds

hydesg said:


> I just received my WA7 today, what headphones do you think I should pair it with?
> Currently, I have the Beyer DT880 and the MTH50.
> 
> I listen to a wide genre of music, Jazz, guitar instruments, heavy rock and some metal.
> ...


 
  
 I have examined all of the above and ended up with HD800, which to me work together with the WA7 extremely well. Didn't like the LCDs with this amp at all. The TH900 was somewhere in between.
 As far as the tubes go, I'd recommend the EH goldpins, the cryo treated version if you can find them.


----------



## hydesg

pleasantsounds said:


> I have examined all of the above and ended up with HD800, which to me work together with the WA7 extremely well. Didn't like the LCDs with this amp at all. The TH900 was somewhere in between.
> As far as the tubes go, I'd recommend the EH goldpins, the cryo treated version if you can find them.


 
  
 Nice, PleasantSounds, what kind of music do you listen to? I listen to mostly rock, fast paced guitar instrumentals also...I wonder if the HD800 works well in this situation paired with the WA7.
 I am using the gold pin EH tubes though.. listening to it for the past 4 hours or so.. so it might need some burn-in.
 For fast paced music with lots of mids, I find that the DT880 (about 40hrs on them) blurry in the mid range. I wonder if this was the case of burn-in issue also...
  
 I am listening to all FLAC version of the music, and connected to my 10year old USB cable (I wonder if I should replace it with a better quality one like belkin?)
  
  
  


shini44 said:


> make sure you get the upgraded tube unless your main goal is to make the sound shape more like "n" using the stock tubes, the upgraded one are like U shaped yet the mids are even better than most of solid state amps, even the TH900's mids isn't as receded on it.


----------



## PleasantSounds

hydesg said:


> Nice, PleasantSounds, what kind of music do you listen to? I listen to mostly rock, fast paced guitar instrumentals also...I wonder if the HD800 works well in this situation paired with the WA7.
> I am using the gold pin EH tubes though.. listening to it for the past 4 hours or so.. so it might need some burn-in.
> For fast paced music with lots of mids, I find that the DT880 (about 40hrs on them) blurry in the mid range. I wonder if this was the case of burn-in issue also...
> 
> I am listening to all FLAC version of the music, and connected to my 10year old USB cable (I wonder if I should replace it with a better quality one like belkin?)


 
  
 I listen to pretty much everything, but mostly rock and jazz. So far I haven't found a genre that the HD800 / WA7 combo would not handle to my satisfaction. The sound is spacious, detailed, with pretty good positioning and layering. Enough slam in the bottom range, and rendering of mids which to me seems addictive. 
 Burn in may help, but don't go overboard with it - the changes will be subtle, and in the end the tubes have limited life span.
 Regarding the USB cable, to me the only differentiating factor is the ferrite choke that some cables have. It may help filtering out some noise from the power supply, but it must be pretty bad to be noticeable. Other than that you could perhaps color match the cable with the rest of your setup, and that'd be the biggest benefit of the upgrade.


----------



## olegausany

I don't want to start the war but I have tried 5 different USB cable priced from $80 to $200 and while difference is little but noticeable I found 2 cables DH Labs and Furutech which gave me highs with no sparkle on highhats or guitars , on Cardas it was barely noticeable and only Audioquest Carbon and Magic Bus had the sound was after so since Carbon is cheaper and I heard no difference whatsoever between Carbon and Magic Bus I'm using well regarded Carbon


----------



## LNCPapa

I actually really enjoy the WA7 + LCD2.2 for jazz... it's my fav in fact but I haven't listened to many higher end kits.  I listen to a lot of Dizzy, Miles, Coltrane, Hancock and they all sound amazing with this setup to me.  
  
 None of my friends who live near me are as into audio as I am (some are still budding) and I've never had the pleasure of attending one of our Head-fi meets.


----------



## PleasantSounds

lncpapa said:


> I actually really enjoy the WA7 + LCD2.2 for jazz... it's my fav in fact but I haven't listened to many higher end kits.  I listen to a lot of Dizzy, Miles, Coltrane, Hancock and they all sound amazing with this setup to me.


 
  
 In my case it's probably the general dislike of the LCD presentation: it feels like my head is in a vise and the sound is pumped into it under pressure. I had the LCD-3 for several days and really wanted to like it, but I guess it's not for me. 
  
 Many people enjoy these headphones and I respect that. When you get above $1000 price mark, most of the headphones are technically very good and the choice is down to preferences. What I have noticed though, there's quite a few people around this forum who have traded their LCDs for HD800, but hardly any going the other way. And, again in my opinion, the LCDs work much better on a powerful and transparent solid state amp. The LCD-3 / WA7 sound is very "intimate": dark, soft and small. I had much better results (i.e. spacious, transparent) on the audio-gd NFB-5 and on the balanced beta-22, but still the way they deliver the sound was not my style...


----------



## PleasantSounds

olegausany said:


> I don't want to start the war but I have tried 5 different USB cable priced from $80 to $200 and while difference is little but noticeable I found 2 cables DH Labs and Furutech which gave me highs with no sparkle on highhats or guitars , on Cardas it was barely noticeable and only Audioquest Carbon and Magic Bus had the sound was after so since Carbon is cheaper and I heard no difference whatsoever between Carbon and Magic Bus I'm using well regarded Carbon


 
  
 I'm not into fighting - we are just expressing our opinions. Maybe I'm reading the science forum too much, but whatever differences I seem to detect in cables, I tend to blame it on the placebo effect, as my brain refuses to accept that digital data can be interpreted differently depending on the media.
 The thing with cables is that some are outrageously expensive and in my view the benefit does not justify the cost. In most cases you can get much bigger improvement by investing the same money somewhere else. The time to upgrade cables is when your system is otherwise close to perfection.
 In case of the WA7 I'd recommend getting a good powered USB hub before considering a $200 cable. The benefit would be a much cleaner power source for the DAC, and that may convert to audible sonic improvements.


----------



## olegausany

Completely agree that cost of a lot of cables can't justify benefits but FOR ME cost of Carbon would justify it cause it costs less than that powered hub


----------



## olegausany

Also cable I can use with any DAC while hub will not be needed if I get DAC which has it's own power supply as I use now


----------



## pervysage

shini44 said:


> EH golden pins Tubes are U shaped and the Sock are n shaped, thats all as far as i know.
> 
> btw  guys i got the iFi-iUSB and it made my WA7 100% better, since i was using the WA7's DAC which is powered through the PC directly,
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'm thinking of getting the ifi iUSB as well for my WA7. Pretty curious about how much of a difference it would make.
  
 Where is the best place to buy one?


----------



## Shini44

pervysage said:


> I'm thinking of getting the ifi iUSB as well for my WA7. Pretty curious about how much of a difference it would make.
> 
> Where is the best place to buy one?


 
http://www.tweekgeek.com/brands/iFi.html
  
 and Fedex free shipping too! i will get both of the Gemini cables later, check my review on iUSB for more info, and on noble ifi.


----------



## GalaxyGuy

I've tried most summit-fi headphones with the WA7 and have come to a somewhat different conclusion than some of the those stated above.  I prefer the TH900s over the HD800s for both jazz and rock.  For me, it's only with classical that I start preferring the HD800s.  I find the sub bass with the Fostex cans to be simply amazing and, at least to my ears, I don't find the mids to be as recessed as some have reported.  Maybe I'm a closet bass head! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Regardless, I think you can't go wrong with either of those cans with that amp.  Just get a decent pair of headphones are start enjoying the music!


----------



## MickeyVee

I see that you're in Vacouver.. try Headphone Bar.
  
 On another note, I'm going a more radical approach, have a Rega DAC incoming. Will report back on that afetr I have it up and running. It was absolutely stunning when I auditioned it with the Vali & HD800.  End goal setup will be to mate it with the WA7.
  
 Quote:


pervysage said:


> I'm thinking of getting the ifi iUSB as well for my WA7. Pretty curious about how much of a difference it would make.
> 
> Where is the best place to buy one?


----------



## Jodet

When is the outboard tube power supply coming out? 
  
 Haven't heard a peep about that lately.


----------



## pervysage

Do you guys have your WA7's connected to a surge protector? I just decided to unplug mine from the surge protector and plug directly to the wall and from what I can tell, it improved the sound. Bass is more extended and sound is cleaner... as though the surge protector was choking the sound.


----------



## Shini44

pervysage said:


> Do you guys have your WA7's connected to a surge protector? I just decided to unplug mine from the surge protector and plug directly to the wall and from what I can tell, it improved the sound. Bass is more extended and sound is cleaner... as though the surge protector was choking the sound.


 
 thats why you need an iUSB, it will make the sound cleaner than what you are getting now, i bought it twice!! you are still getting the DAC powered by the PC so the thing that got cleaner was just the amp, yet the DAC is getting a "not so clean" power, sadly i am in Dubai else dude would been able to lent you my iUSB ^^


----------



## pervysage

shini44 said:


> thats why you need an iUSB, it will make the sound cleaner than what you are getting now, i bought it twice!! you are still getting the DAC powered by the PC so the thing that got cleaner was just the amp, yet the DAC is getting a "not so clean" power, sadly i am in Dubai else dude would been able to lent you my iUSB ^^


 
  
 Yeah, I plan on picking up the iUSB as well.
  
 But no kidding, I'm listening to some tracks right now after connecting directly to the wall and it's blowing my mind. It just never occurred to me that the surge protector I had (which isn't a very expensive one) would be choking the sound. Should of done it this way from the beginning.


----------



## Shini44

for me the iUSB made the biggest difference in my old setup, like 70% difference yes 70% i am not joking thats why i want all to be aware of the dirty power problems cause we are paying a lot of $$$ on the headphone/dac/amp,
  
 before it the sound wasn't as good as it should be for the price and i was mad,cause i even though it was the CIEM cable so went through a lot!! till i got my hand on the iUSB, then i was super shocked by the difference!!


 if you are listening to the music from a desktop and your dac is powered by it then you will benefit for than a person using a laptop (not charging). 



 btw for the people that are using a non PC powered DAC the iUSB isn't for you at all, its better for desktop users mostly who got PC powered dac.



 ps: btw people sorry about talking about this again and again, i just want the people who paid over 2000$ to enjoy their setup the way it should really be.


----------



## pervysage

shini44 said:


> for me the iUSB made the biggest difference in my old setup, like 70% difference yes 70% i am not joking thats why i want all to be aware of the dirty power problems cause we are paying a lot of $$$ on the headphone/dac/amp,
> 
> before it the sound wasn't as good as it should be for the price and i was mad,cause i even though it was the CIEM cable so went through a lot!! till i got my hand on the iUSB, then i was super shocked by the difference!!
> 
> ...




Yeah I run my WA7 DAC from my desktops USB port from an Asrock motherboard and a Corsair PSU.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4


----------



## Shini44

same PSU as mine, corsair is keep pushing a lot of power to provide gamers with what they need, thats why i think its one of the worse PSUs for an Audiophile :<


----------



## pervysage

Holy, listening to some Tiesto right now and the bass I'm hearing right now is great 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I'm able to turn up the volume on the WA7 more than I was able to before. Anything after 9 o clock was fatiguing before. Now I can get it to about 10 o clock or a little past that and the bass is just thumping! Awesome lol.
  
 Anyone running their WA7 on a surge protector should try running straight to the wall and see if you notice a difference as well.


----------



## SamHeadFi

Buying this for my WA7, will compare to with it plugged into this, my standard surge protection, and the wall (I'm wary about the wall since the power source/building is very very old)
  
 http://www.amazon.com/Furman-Advanced-Conditioning-Aluminum-Protection/dp/B0009GI7NC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386725952&sr=8-1&keywords=furman+8d


----------



## olegausany

I use this right now with my current setup and it definitely better than using UPS I'm using for my computer


----------



## groovyd

I have not tried the iUSB but a very very reasonable alternative I bought 2 of is the HiFiMeDIY USB isolator.
  
 http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=122
  
 It is a passive isolator with power filtering so not quite the same as the iUSB but it does not need separate power and is a lot cheaper and sounds great.  I would love to see some electrical performance specs comparing the two but for the price and convenience and compactness it is definitely worth it.
  
 They sell a Async Sabre DAC too with also includes a USB->optical converter which I have a couple of is also very nice.  Great sound from the DAC.  I use one at work for the DAC to drive the WA7 and the other at home for the optical to drive my HeadRoom Ultra Amp.
  
 http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=123
  
 Hard to beat the price on either unit.


----------



## Shini44

seems to be a cheaper alternative :3 i will recommend it to new audiophile friends who don't wana spend a lot at the start


----------



## Shini44

samheadfi said:


> Buying this for my WA7, will compare to with it plugged into this, my standard surge protection, and the wall (I'm wary about the wall since the power source/building is very very old)
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Furman-Advanced-Conditioning-Aluminum-Protection/dp/B0009GI7NC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386725952&sr=8-1&keywords=furman+8d


 
 waiting for your review :3 , also where can i get a UK/US socket HQ power srg, as good as this one. amazon UK got limited options :<


----------



## Shini44

​ ​  ​ The UM Miracle + WA7 (Golden Pins) is just super!! the Treble and Bass is there where the mids which usually few people called dry just went super mids!!! really nice <3 WA7 can fix anything :3​  ​


----------



## stainless824

*Balanced PSU.*
  
 http://www.airlinktransformers.com/balanced_power_supply/standard_balanced_power_supplies/BPS1500/
  
 Everything cleans up


----------



## hydesg

anyone tried mixing the tubes?
 1 sovtek and 1 EH gold? I wonder if this would make it more warm yet balanced.


----------



## Shini44

hydesg said:


> anyone tried mixing the tubes?
> 1 sovtek and 1 EH gold? I wonder if this would make it more warm yet balanced.


 
 sound crazy O-o!! usually identical tubes what people should go for right? unless there is few amps that got a certain mix etc, this is my 1st tube amp so i don't know.


----------



## hydesg

hydesg said:


> anyone tried mixing the tubes?
> 1 sovtek and 1 EH gold? I wonder if this would make it more warm yet balanced.


 
  
 omg, you guys should try this!
 I just mixed the tubes, EH gold on the left and sovtek on the right.
  
 It now has huge deep bass yet clear extended highs and soundstage.
 tremendous!


----------



## Shini44

hydesg said:


> omg, you guys should try this!
> I just mixed the tubes, EH gold on the left and sovtek on the right.
> 
> It now has huge deep bass yet clear extended highs and soundstage.
> tremendous!


 
 i dont want the bass to be deep, i like it to be tight, for the highs i like it to be extended to the max yes, yet i assume you gained more mids right?  

 but how come the Treble still extended although you took out one EH tube? cause two x EH is extended, but are you saying it was the same?


----------



## MickeyVee

So, if it's one tube per channel, wouldn't the sound be unbalanced?​


----------



## Shini44

lets wait for Hydesg's updates maybe


----------



## Angelbelow

I remember reading about this too.. Wondering the same thing. What would be some of the benefits of a new power supply? 



jodet said:


> When is the outboard tube power supply coming out?
> 
> Haven't heard a peep about that lately.


----------



## hydesg

shini44 said:


> lets wait for Hydesg's updates maybe


 
 oh my, take back what i have said. 
 tried listening to L and R channels with one ear and they sounded different haha.


----------



## Shini44

hydesg said:


> oh my, take back what i have said.
> tried listening to L and R channels with one ear and they sounded different haha.


 
 i saw this coming but was hoping that you discover something , like the senn IE80 Tape mod.


----------



## hydesg

shini44 said:


> i saw this coming but was hoping that you discover something , like the senn IE80 Tape mod.


 

 gonna buy the HD800 and LCD3 later this afternoon. 
 Shall see if they are any different from my DT880.
  
 anyone tried toxic silver poison for the HD800?


----------



## pervysage

I asked Jack whether a external USB power supply like the Ifi iUSB Power would be beneficial to the sound quality and this was the answer I got:
  
 "The power supply of the WA7’s USB DAC is regulated and filtered. An eternal USB power supply might not be beneficial. We have not tried the iFi on the amp so cannot comment much  on it."
  
Hmmmm...


----------



## Shini44

pervysage said:


> I asked Jack whether a external USB power supply like the Ifi iUSB Power would be beneficial to the sound quality and this was the answer I got:
> 
> "The power supply of the WA7’s USB DAC is regulated and filtered. An eternal USB power supply might not be beneficial. We have not tried the iFi on the amp so cannot comment much  on it."
> 
> Hmmmm...


 
 and i say trust your ears and other head-fiers  for me the benefits where too obvious!! thats all what i can help you with ^^ and i stated before who can benefit from it more than the other , laptops & desktops etc.


----------



## Angelbelow

hydesg said:


> anyone tried toxic silver poison for the HD800?


 
  
 Nope, but I am curious like you, I wonder if upgrading to toxic silver would be beneficial for the HE500s since they already come with Silver cables.


----------



## groovyd

pervysage said:


> I asked Jack whether a external USB power supply like the Ifi iUSB Power would be beneficial to the sound quality and this was the answer I got:
> 
> "The power supply of the WA7’s USB DAC is regulated and filtered. An eternal USB power supply might not be beneficial. We have not tried the iFi on the amp so cannot comment much  on it."
> 
> Hmmmm...


 
  


pervysage said:


> I asked Jack whether a external USB power supply like the Ifi iUSB Power would be beneficial to the sound quality and this was the answer I got:
> 
> "The power supply of the WA7’s USB DAC is regulated and filtered. An eternal USB power supply might not be beneficial. We have not tried the iFi on the amp so cannot comment much  on it."
> 
> Hmmmm...


 
 I would agree with Woo here, as an electrical engineer.  We should assume he did due diligence and designed in appropriate power filtering as the DAC power reference is the most important thing to good sound.  It doesn't hurt however to do additional passive filtering for the price was my opinion which is why i went with the simpler econo option and it sounds great so no harm no foul.


----------



## MickeyVee

As much as I enjoy the WA7, it's probably going up for sale to fund an upgrade. The Rega DAC took the WA7 up a notch but I want more. Darn those HD800, they really do scale up.  The plan is to supersize my DAC (the Rega went to my main A/V system), get a Naim DAC-V1 and then add a WA2 or the Ray Samuels Raptor.
  
 Listening to the WA7 with the internal DAC as I write this and it's really nice. Decision, decisions. The Naim will have to blow me away tomorrow when I go back for a second audition. At least Jude likes it with the HD800 (as per the Winter Gift Guide).


----------



## Shini44

i am also using the WA7's DAC its good and i don't feel like upgrading, else i will end up with a setup that is so revealing!! and thats not so good with j-pop since a lot of them are recorded badly :<


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

I am using the WA7 coupled with Exasound's e20 MkIII DAC. Love the sound! I wanted a DSD-capable DAC which the built-in WA7 DAC doesn't support. I listen to this setup with LCD-3's and I think it's all pretty awesome.


----------



## MickeyVee

Awesome, yes! Endgame for an HD800 or LCD-3, probably not


----------



## olegausany

For me WA7 isn't enough for HD800 but DacMagic Plus / S.E.X. used with speakers taps is


----------



## olegausany

Naim Dac-V1 should be end game DAC since it costs as much as WA7


----------



## Shini44

and i though that the WA7 is enough for the hungry HD800!! GOD!! people have to spend a fortune that worth the HD800 10 times just to be able to enjoy it!!  its a big joke tbh..... i think there is better options....


----------



## money4me247

shini44 said:


> lets wait for Hydesg's updates maybe


 
 be careful of the placebo effect boys & girls lol


----------



## Shini44

money4me247 said:


> be careful of the placebo effect boys & girls lol


 
 nah only using the EH Tubes, mixing these wont make the sound better


----------



## hydesg

this game is too expensive.
 Am going to order the silver widow cable (not sure if it will improve the phones further).
 Surprisingly, my new HD800 does not sound as trebly as described in other threads, bass is deep and mids are full.
  
 Anyone paired the WA7 with a Schiit Gungnir? Heck, I might even just buy the ALO studio 6 / WA22 next week.


----------



## Shini44

deep bass with the stock tube? wasn't the stock tube with tight bass? or was it flat? how was the upgraded tubes with these cans?


----------



## hydesg

im using it with the EH gold pins currently.
  
 The HD800 is fresh out of the box.bass is tight and deep.
  
 Besides, the HD800 comes with a free ifi iCAN headphone amp (dont know what to do with it)


----------



## olegausany

Just sell it


----------



## MickeyVee

Ummm.. Cost is 2x WA7 plus add WA2 in the future. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Quote:


olegausany said:


> Naim Dac-V1 should be end game DAC since it costs as much as WA7


----------



## stainless824

SOTM usb card. Benefits all usb based DACS from my experience.


----------



## olegausany

mickeyvee said:


> Ummm.. Cost is 2x WA7 plus add WA2 in the future.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's why I'm saying it better be end game DAC for such money. I just happy with my current setup which cost me as much as WA7 while I'm curious if Meridian Director can beat DacMagic Plus


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

mickeyvee said:


> Awesome, yes! Endgame for an HD800 or LCD-3, probably not


 

 You've listened to the WA7/e20 combo then?


----------



## hydesg

is it crazy to have both LCD2 and HD800 for the WA7?
 Just placed an order from headamp.


----------



## MickeyVee

Nothing is crazy in the world of HeadFi 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Quote:


hydesg said:


> is it crazy to have both LCD2 and HD800 for the WA7?
> Just placed an order from headamp.


----------



## Jodet

shini44 said:


> and i though that the WA7 is enough for the hungry HD800!! GOD!! people have to spend a fortune that worth the HD800 10 times just to be able to enjoy it!!  its a big joke tbh..... i think there is better options....


 
  
 My WA7 sounds fine on my HD800's. 
  
 Particularly with the upgraded tubes (which I tried last night).


----------



## MickeyVee

You don't have to spend a fortune.  The thing to note is that the HD800 scale way, way up.  Stop when you're happy. I've enjoyed the HD800 with Bifrost Uber/Lyr, to the WA7 and now have moved to the Naim DAC-V1.  I also have the Schiit Vali which is fabulous with the HD800.  Pick your poison and enjoy!


----------



## Jodet

Tube life? 
  
 How many hours should we be looking at for the tubes in this puppy?


----------



## PleasantSounds

jodet said:


> Tube life?
> 
> How many hours should we be looking at for the tubes in this puppy?


 
  
 The specs are claiming 5,000 hours lifespan. That means about 7 months non-stop use, or 3.5 years using it 4 hours a day.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

pleasantsounds said:


> The specs are claiming 5,000 hours lifespan. That means about 7 months non-stop use, or 3.5 years using it 4 hours a day.




Ok, so my curiosity begs the question then.....should I order a second pair of EH gold pins to replace my current pair in 4-5 years time? Or will they always be available? I love my current WA7 setup and I would like to ensure longevity in listening pleasure. 

Note that this is my first-ever tube amp and I'm somewhat of a newbie here


----------



## money4me247

edmontoncanuck said:


> Ok, so my curiosity begs the question than.....should I order a second pair of EH gold pins to replace my current pair in 4-5 years time? Or will they always be available? I love my current WA7 setup and I would like to ensure longevity in listening pleasure.
> 
> Note that this is my first-ever tube amp and I'm somewhat of a newbie here


 
 must buy more NOWW!!!! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 heh
  
 you can always unload/trade em out?


----------



## PleasantSounds

edmontoncanuck said:


> Ok, so my curiosity begs the question than.....should I order a second pair of EH gold pins to replace my current pair in 4-5 years time? Or will they always be available? I love my current WA7 setup and I would like to ensure longevity in listening pleasure.
> 
> Note that this is my first-ever tube amp and I'm somewhat of a newbie here


 
  
 Considering that these tubes are no longer in production (someone correct me please if I'm wrong, I quietly hope that I am), the answer should be rather obvious. One thing seems certain: they're not getting any cheaper...


----------



## groovyd

do tubes go bad or expire unused?


----------



## PleasantSounds

groovyd said:


> do tubes go bad or expire unused?


 
  
 A lot of the tubes available on the market have been made in the '80s and are still fine, so I wouldn't worry about them expiring. Warranty may expire if you're lucky enough to get any with your purchase in the first place.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

pleasantsounds said:


> Considering that these tubes are no longer in production (someone correct me please if I'm wrong, I quietly hope that I am), the answer should be rather obvious. One thing seems certain: they're not getting any cheaper...


 
  
 All right. Done. Second pair of EH tubes ordered. I'll keep them nice and safe in my ruggedized LCD-3 case for when I need them in several years time. I figure that in 10-15 years time my 65-70 year old ears won't hear much of anything anymore and if need be I'll just switch to the unused stock tubes that originally came with my WA7 LOL.


----------



## groovyd

Just got my 2nd WA7 with EH tubes. First was for use at work and I was so impressed I bought a second for home at a huge $300 discount which I cannot say about here   Now I just need to remember to pick up a power cord.  Really wish it came with one and a USB cable for better out of the box experience.


----------



## groovyd

Interesting details about the EH tubes... and why they are so good and so hard to make and have quality issues (and expensive)...
  
http://www.jacmusic.com/ehx/


----------



## smellyfungus

groovyd said:


> Just got my 2nd WA7 with EH tubes. First was for use at work and I was so impressed I bought a second for home at a huge $300 discount which I cannot say about here   Now I just need to remember to pick up a power cord.  Really wish it came with one and a USB cable for better out of the box experience.


 
  
  


groovyd said:


> Interesting details about the EH tubes... and why they are so good and so hard to make and have quality issues (and expensive)...
> 
> http://www.jacmusic.com/ehx/


 
  
 that was an interesting read. unsure if i want to have $100 sitting around as a backup pair of tubes though.
  
 as for the $300 discount. that's something i _really_ wanna read about.


----------



## Frank I

Has anyone tried th eWA7 using an iPhone 5 yet. Please let me know if it works properly  as I am trying to finish my comparison project and need to knowmif it will work with the iPhone 5. Thanks


----------



## ariesq

frank i said:


> Has anyone tried th eWA7 using an iPhone 5 yet. Please let me know if it works properly  as I am trying to finish my comparison project and need to knowmif it will work with the iPhone 5. Thanks


 
  
 Hey Frank,
  
 I can confirm that that WA7 works perfectly with the iPhone 5 via CCK.


----------



## Frank I

Ariesq thanks so much and its great to know that.


----------



## Shini44

hey guys does the WA7 (upgraded tubes) have less Treble sparkle compared to a solid state amp? i am using the UM mircale with it and the Treble isn't this fun , decided to get a silver cable and will see what will happen, will be here in 2-3 days.


----------



## Frank I

the treble on the Wa7 is not harsh and has proper shimmer.  i really not sure what you of you question but it smooth and extended and neve rharsh and sounds excellent


----------



## groovyd

```
[color=rgb(51, 51, 51)] "There are no more stocks of the 6C45Pi EH Gold Pin available. There should not be a difference in the sound signature. The Sovtek 6C45Pi has the same specifications as the gold pin version. The EH Gold Pin version are actually Sovtek 6C45Pi that had the pins gold plated."[/color]
```
  
  
 That is the email I got from the maker of EH and Sovtek tubes in Russia.  Take it for what it is worth but if anyone knows the difference should be him.  Apparently the two tubes are identical except the pins are plated expecting no difference in sound signature.  Placebo effect?  Anyway I ordered 6 backup pairs of the EH from Woo just incase as I have scoured every resource I could find to hoard the EH tubes for my own future listening pleasure. Having that tube failure opened my eyes to what might happen if I don't hoard them. Seems Woo is the only one who has them left in the world perhaps.  Was this by accident?


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

groovyd said:


> ```
> [color=rgb(51, 51, 51)] "There are no more stocks of the 6C45Pi EH Gold Pin available. There should not be a difference in the sound signature. The Sovtek 6C45Pi has the same specifications as the gold pin version. The EH Gold Pin version are actually Sovtek 6C45Pi that had the pins gold plated."[/color]
> ```
> 
> ...


 

 It would be interesting to send that email to Jack at Woo Audio and ask him for his comments. If you do, please post his response here 
  
 How would one go about testing this, anyway? Is there some piece of equipment that can test the stock vs. gold pin tubes and see a measured difference?


----------



## MickeyVee

Well fellow WA7'ers. I am of the club no more.  My HD800 were just asking for more.
 Anyway, sold my WA7 today and delivered it to the buyer's home and set it up.  Had a chance to listen to it with the AT-1000's and the HE500 and both sounded fabulous!  If I had a lesser headphone, it probably would have been a keeper. I will probably join the Woo club again sometime in 2014 (WA2 or WA22) 
 You haven't lost a happy WA7'er, just transferred to someone else 
 Happy Listening! M


----------



## Shini44

i am sure you wish that the HD800 were more derivable like most of the Tier 1 headphones   GL with finding the right amp for the HD800 , this always been a hard task.


----------



## olegausany

HD sound great with Crack and S.E.X. and right now I'm not planning to upgrade from S.E.X.


----------



## hydesg

mickeyvee said:


> Well fellow WA7'ers. I am of the club no more.  My HD800 were just asking for more.
> Anyway, sold my WA7 today and delivered it to the buyer's home and set it up.  Had a chance to listen to it with the AT-1000's and the HE500 and both sounded fabulous!  If I had a lesser headphone, it probably would have been a keeper. I will probably join the Woo club again sometime in 2014 (WA2 or WA22)
> You haven't lost a happy WA7'er, just transferred to someone else
> Happy Listening! M


 
 May I know what amp are you pairing with the HD800 now?
 I just got the Pan Am, and with my HD800, it sounded smoother without the treble peak and pronounced simbliance with the WA7, though there is some lost in soundstage and airiness, I find that I can listen longer...


----------



## MickeyVee

I got something very different for HeadFi.. the Naim DAC-V1. It's in Jude's Holiday Gift Guide in the desktop DAC and Amplifiers section. 
 It has a decent HP amplifier in it though the DAC is killer.  It's silky smooth, lots of body, vocals to die for, superb tight low bass that's in balance with the rest of the spectrum, detail galore and a great soundstage.  My regular listening level is in the 50-60 range (out of 100) and it certainly rocks in the 70's. It's an end-game DAC for me.  So far, I find absolutely nothing lacking.. it's a very _compelling_ listen and really hard to walk away from. I'll give it a while before I decide even if I need a dedicated amplifier.
  
 Quote:


hydesg said:


> May I know what amp are you pairing with the HD800 now?


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

mickeyvee said:


>


 

 The NAIM from what I hear is a nice DAC but it doesn't do native DSD so it was a non-starter for me (I have over 1000 SACD albums ripped to native DSD format).
  
 The Exasound e20 MkIII was a perfect fit for me.


----------



## Shini44

too bad that we can only use WA7 8 hours max  a day :< i might buy a pico slim to enjoy my UM Miracle later, 60 hour long, nice treble but sadly the mids are behind the bass/treble, in case the mids on it are better than the uha6mkii then i am lucky :3 

 M-Stage sucks with volume controlling even on 0db...


----------



## pervysage

Hey guys, if you want to use ASIO output from Foobar, you only need the ASIO plugin for Foobar right? Since the WA7 DAC actually supports ASIO, there is no need to download the ASIO4ALL driver and use that with Foobar, correct?


----------



## Angelbelow

mickeyvee said:


> Well fellow WA7'ers. I am of the club no more.  My HD800 were just asking for more.
> Anyway, sold my WA7 today and delivered it to the buyer's home and set it up.  Had a chance to listen to it with the AT-1000's and the HE500 and both sounded fabulous!  If I had a lesser headphone, it probably would have been a keeper. I will probably join the Woo club again sometime in 2014 (WA2 or WA22)
> You haven't lost a happy WA7'er, just transferred to someone else
> Happy Listening! M


 
  
 I'm looking to upgrade as well.. looking at the WA22 too!


----------



## olegausany

pervysage said:


> Hey guys, if you want to use ASIO output from Foobar, you only need the ASIO plugin for Foobar right? Since the WA7 DAC actually supports ASIO, there is no need to download the ASIO4ALL driver and use that with Foobar, correct?


 

 Yes it's correct


----------



## Shini44

i feel like the EH golden tubes have a smaller soundstage than the stock tubes, why? using it with UM Miracle which got a nice stage that usually being compared to the HD800's soundstage.


----------



## pervysage

Ordered a iFi iUSB power supply today. Will see if I notice a difference using it with the WA7's USB DAC.


----------



## Shini44

i ordered a Gemini Cable for the iUSB :3 i wana see a further changes again xD, human is sure greedy ha?


----------



## pervysage

shini44 said:


> i ordered a Gemini Cable for the iUSB :3 i wana see a further changes again xD, human is sure greedy ha?


 
  
 Let me know how that goes. If I like the iUSB, the Gemini cable will probably be next on my list to get.


----------



## akhyar

pervysage said:


> Ordered a iFi iUSB power supply today. Will see if I notice a difference using it with the WA7's USB DAC.


 
  
  


shini44 said:


> i ordered a Gemini Cable for the iUSB :3 i wana see a further changes again xD, human is sure greedy ha?


 
  
 Please share both your impressions here.
 I'm still undecided whether to get an "audiophile" USB cable or go for the iUSB.
 Gemini cable will be in the pipeline should I decide to get the iUSB.
  
 Now still tube rolling between the Sovtek and EH.
 Also just ordered a pair of Reflector tubes from eBay


----------



## Shini44

akhyar said:


> Please share both your impressions here.
> I'm still undecided whether to get an "audiophile" USB cable or go for the iUSB.
> Gemini cable will be in the pipeline should I decide to get the iUSB.
> 
> ...


 
 i did post my impression about the iUSB + WA7 in this thread  just use the search button in the thread and type iUSB, or read my review about it ^^


----------



## akhyar

shini44 said:


> i did post my impression about the iUSB + WA7 in this thread  just use the search button in the thread and type iUSB, or read my review about it ^^


 
  
 Got it.
 Thanks and have a great weekend


----------



## sarahkho

Hello -,
  
 I am thinking about buying WOO QA7 for the following use; I thought to get some input from current owners based their experience before doing so.
  

Is it a good match with LCD-2 and MacBook pro as source?
I am mainly listening to classical, soundtracks, melodies, vocals, Bluz, rock and pop (in the order given, so very few rock and pop and lots of classical and soundtracks). Although it is mostly the headphone that can affect the listening experience on different genre but I guess the DAC/AMP has effects too.
Can WA7 be used to drive desktop active speakers or it is not designed for those kind of use at all? 
  
 Thank you.


----------



## olegausany

You can drive active speakers but you going to use amp built into speakers instead of WA7


----------



## hydesg

I have both LCD2 and HD800.
 Also the WA7 and the Pan Am.
  
 Bass is really deep tight and weighty compared to the Pan Am.
 Sound stage is wider too.
  
 and the DAC is more detailed than the one in the Pan Am.
 Also using it as a DAC to drive my Adam A8Xs.
  
 Splendid combo!
  
  
 Quote:


sarahkho said:


> Hello -,
> 
> I am thinking about buying WOO QA7 for the following use; I thought to get some input from current owners based their experience before doing so.
> 
> ...


----------



## akhyar

sarahkho said:


> Hello -,
> 
> I am thinking about buying WOO QA7 for the following use; I thought to get some input from current owners based their experience before doing so.
> 
> ...




The RCA plugs at the rear can be switched to line-out, i.e the signal from your MBP is converted by the WA7 DAC and then the signal is send to you active speakers through RCA cables.
Hope that helps


----------



## pervysage

shini44 said:


> i did post my impression about the iUSB + WA7 in this thread  just use the search button in the thread and type iUSB, or read my review about it ^^


 
  
 Shini, when are you receiving your Gemini cable?
  
 Also, just curious, what headphones are you running with your WA7?


----------



## Shini44

pervysage said:


> Shini, when are you receiving your Gemini cable?
> 
> Also, just curious, what headphones are you running with your WA7?


 
 sadly there was so many delaying on my cable :< will get it on saturday, also i am using a UM Miracle + pure silver 6N cable from Bocur audio, did burn it in for like 100 hours, will see how smoother the sound will be with the Gemini cable. 

 might switch the Miracle to the stock cable for few hours then go back to the silver cable that i really doubt its quality atm, for some reason the Treble with it seems muddy in few tracks, something is wrong with it and i don't know i feel the treble is extended yet not as clean/clear/smooth depend on the track. 

 getting silver widow cable this month though.


----------



## Shini44

the Gemini cable is here, the sound is cleaner!!, how did i notice? i can turn the volume higher without getting annoyed with harshness, even more than before although i was fine with the iUSB alone yet i wanted to squeeze it even more, i might buy the other Gemini , the one from the PC to the iUSB itself, there is another Gemini Version. 

 the cable might be pricey from the benefit that i got, i mean 179$ yes a lot, but if you got a good dac/amp/headphone/cable then the ifi usb cables are the last things you should get.
  
 unless you are using PC powered DAC then i say the iUSB is a must here, the Gemini comes after finding a good amp or after market cable for the iem/headphone.


 was cleaning the WA7's dac with ifi products worth it? YES!! i can't use the WA7's DAC alone again and i won't!!! 



 Used Miracle with stock cable and the WA7 was with the upgraded tubes,  will post few updates once my gold/silver hybrid cable is here next week, it will make the headphone cleaner and then i will see how clean the system without the headphone stock cable getting in the way.


----------



## Frank I

The Wall Street Journal listed the WA7 as one of the years best listening devices
Wall Street Journal Tech recommends the WA7 Fireflies as the best gear for listening to hi-res audio http://on.wsj.com/1e0taUT

​


----------



## Frank I

The new website is almost operational. please check out the 234mono.com min site which is now live. The new website will be operational in 4-6 weeks .  The 234mono.com site is now operational.


----------



## sarahkho

Have you compared Woo WA7 with any other dac/amp of the same price range to for use with LCD-2? If so, any comment of recommendation?
 Thanks.


----------



## money4me247

frank i said:


> The new website is almost operational. please check out the 234mono.com min site which is now live. The new website will be operational in 4-6 weeks .  The 234mono.com site is now operational.


 
 just curious why you guys choose the PCM5102A dac chip for the WA7?


----------



## Frank I

After many different chip were tried Jack felt the one we implemented provided the sound we were looking for  with the Wa7


----------



## groovyd

Took a close look at the EH aside the Sovtek tubes today and infact it looks completely true what the russian EH/Sovtek tube maker employee told me, that they are indeed identical tubes just with the EH having the pins plated.  The internals are exact duplicates clearly fabricated on the same machines in the same factory with the same specs.  They should have identical sound characteristics within normal production variation.


----------



## bobjane

groovyd said:


> ```
> [color=rgb(51, 51, 51)] "There are no more stocks of the 6C45Pi EH Gold Pin available. There should not be a difference in the sound signature. The Sovtek 6C45Pi has the same specifications as the gold pin version. The EH Gold Pin version are actually Sovtek 6C45Pi that had the pins gold plated."[/color]
> ```
> 
> ...


 
  
  


groovyd said:


> Took a close look at the EH aside the Sovtek tubes today and infact it looks completely true what the russian EH/Sovtek tube maker employee told me, that they are indeed identical tubes just with the EH having the pins plated.  The internals are exact duplicates clearly fabricated on the same machines in the same factory with the same specs.  They should have identical sound characteristics within normal production variation.


 
  
 I was told the same thing by a tube dealer when inquiring about the availability of EH 6C45Pi. Having it confirmed by the manufacturer makes me lose some confidence in Woo Audio for marketing them as an upgrade. Although to be fair I don't think they actually say anywhere that it's an upgrade in sound.
  
 It's pretty funny though how just about every review/owner claimed the Sovtek and EH sounded different, sometimes with night and day differences!


----------



## atomicbob

groovyd said:


> Took a close look at the EH aside the Sovtek tubes today and infact it looks completely true what the russian EH/Sovtek tube maker employee told me, that they are indeed identical tubes just with the EH having the pins plated.  The internals are exact duplicates clearly fabricated on the same machines in the same factory with the same specs.  They should have identical sound characteristics within normal production variation.


 
 It could be that the EH were measured on a tube curve tracer and sorted for a tighter quality control. But I think if that were the case it would be touted as a feature, other than the gold pins, which are useful to avoid oxidation in areas such as mine where sea air does have some effect.


----------



## groovyd

atomicbob said:


> It could be that the EH were measured on a tube curve tracer and sorted for a tighter quality control. But I think if that were the case it would be touted as a feature, other than the gold pins, which are useful to avoid oxidation in areas such as mine where sea air does have some effect.


 
 True, but that means they would have to plate the pins after the tube is assembled which might be possible but seems unlikely.  Well I bought them so at least I could make believe there is a difference   At least they will be well connected to the amp, even though the tube sockets are so tight already it might not even matter.
  
 In any case those who love their WA7 should probably consider picking up as many of either the EH or Sovtek tubes as they can get their hands on now since they are both being phased out of production according to the guy.


----------



## pervysage

groovyd said:


> True, but that means they would have to plate the pins after the tube is assembled which might be possible but seems unlikely.  Well I bought them so at least I could make believe there is a difference   At least they will be well connected to the amp, even though the tube sockets are so tight already it might not even matter.
> 
> In any case those who love their WA7 should probably consider picking up as many of either the EH or Sovtek tubes as they can get their hands on now since they are both being phased out of production according to the guy.


 
  
 I noticed quite a difference between the Sovteks and the EH Gold Pins, but I guess that might be because I didn't really burn the Sovteks in like I did the EH's. Only popped them in and gave them a listen for a day before switching back to EH.


----------



## sarahkho

Anyone using WA7 with an android tablet or phone? Is it even possible?
 Thanks.


----------



## pervysage

Frank posted some updates for the upcoming Tube Power Supply on the Sponsor Announcements thread for the WA7... might want to keep your eyes on it.
  


frank i said:


> The WA7 power supply is slated for a February release. We will make some announcement soon.


 
  
  


frank i said:


> The biggest difference is much more transparency. The soundstage becomes much wider and deeper and there is more air around instruments. The differences are not small in my opinion and well worth the additional money plus there are so many tube rolling options with the 12Au7 for people interested in doing that.


 
  
  


frank i said:


> The final design will be with the same casing as the WA7 to match.   There will  more information coming shortly.


 
  
 Sounds exciting! Especially for people who wanted a more transparent sound.


----------



## atomicbob

groovyd said:


> True, but that means they would have to plate the pins after the tube is assembled which might be possible but seems unlikely.  Well I bought them so at least I could make believe there is a difference   At least they will be well connected to the amp, even though the tube sockets are so tight already it might not even matter.
> 
> In any case those who love their WA7 should probably consider picking up as many of either the EH or Sovtek tubes as they can get their hands on now since they are both being phased out of production according to the guy.



Thanks groovyd for the heads up. Figures, just after discovering how good a 6c45pi sounds and it goes out of production.


----------



## akhyar

Online I can only find 6C45 Sovtek and EH at Woo Audio website. I've ordered a pair of NOS Reflector tubes from eBay as spare.


----------



## PleasantSounds

akhyar said:


> Online I can only find 6C45 Sovtek and EH at Woo Audio website. I've ordered a pair of NOS Reflector tubes from eBay as spare.


 
  
 tubeman.com has the cryo-treated version which is much better than the standard tubes. I just have ordered a set, following a quick email exchange with Ken who stated that they can match a pair for free if you request it in the order. They're about $80 a pair.


----------



## akhyar

pleasantsounds said:


> tubeman.com has the cryo-treated version which is much better than the standard tubes. I just have ordered a set, following a quick email exchange with Ken who stated that they can match a pair for free if you request it in the order. They're about $80 a pair.


 
  
 Thanks for the link.
 I noticed the cyro-treated and the standard tubes are NOS made by Reflector, the same brands as sold by some in eBay.
 Do update us on how you find the sound compared to the stock Sovtek and EH tubes once you have the chance.
 Cheers mate


----------



## Shini44

akhyar said:


> Thanks for the link.
> I noticed the cyro-treated and the standard tubes are NOS made by Reflector, the same brands as sold by some in eBay.
> Do update us on how you find the sound compared to the stock Sovtek and EH tubes once you have the chance.
> Cheers mate


 
  


pleasantsounds said:


> tubeman.com has the cryo-treated version which is much better than the standard tubes. I just have ordered a set, following a quick email exchange with Ken who stated that they can match a pair for free if you request it in the order. They're about $80 a pair.


 
 +1 , do so plz  waiting for you review, also what is a higher quality tube that offer the same sound as the EH golden pin tubes?


----------



## Frank I

sarahkho said:


> Anyone using WA7 with an android tablet or phone? Is it even possible?
> Thanks.


 
  The WA7 can be hooked up to the android tablets and phones.  I will post some more update information on how to do this later today. Exciting for Android users


----------



## Shini44

btw wanted to know, the WA7 with EH golden pins tubes, is Neutral, yet can we call it slightly bright? or its just Neutral? how do you feel about it guys?


----------



## groovyd

pleasantsounds said:


> tubeman.com has the cryo-treated version which is much better than the standard tubes. I just have ordered a set, following a quick email exchange with Ken who stated that they can match a pair for free if you request it in the order. They're about $80 a pair.


 
 Which tube are you talking about, the EH or the Sovtek?  I didn't find any EH anywhere except Woo.


----------



## groovyd

ordered 5 more pair should be enough with the 6 pair of EH and the 3 pair of sovtek i already have   curious about these old stock reflektors claimed to be of better quality then sovtek.  what is the right way to store tubes long term, in the freezer?


----------



## PleasantSounds

groovyd said:


> Which tube are you talking about, the EH or the Sovtek?  I didn't find any EH anywhere except Woo.


 
  
 Tubeman.com has the Reflektor variety of cryo-treated 6c45pi. I have no experience with these yet, but I do have a set of EH gold pins that are also cryo-treated. The biggest difference is in detail and smoothness of mids, and that translates to less sibilance and better precision in sound source placement. YMMV depending on your headphones (I'm using HD800) and your hearing sensitivity, but to me the difference is so big and obvious that I never want to listen to the Sovtek tubes again.
 From what I read about the cryo treatment, it changes the physical structure of the metals used, resulting in better performance and longevity. Another thing is that usually there's some selection process of the tubes before they undergo the cryo treatment, so that gives some hope of better quality in terms of sticking to the specifications.


----------



## Frank I

I have been watching the debate about the gold pin EH tubes and Sovtek stock tubes  and figured I would set the record straight The Gold pin tubes are a higher grade of the Sovtek.  The gold pin tubes in general provide better connection in the tube socket and most people who have heard and tried both tubes have heard a different sound with the EH tubes. 
  
 As with all tube rolling some people will like one over the other as I have found in my 30 years of tube rolling.  The Gold pins tubes are a higher quality tube and better selected tubes.  hope this clears up some of the confusion. Most of the Russsian tubes under all different labels are manufactured by New Sensor in Russia.
  
  
 I personally have used the Sovtek 6922,EH 6922 gold pin and the Genelex 6922 and all three sound very different with my favorite being the Genelex 6922 gold pins and they were twice the price of the Sovtek and all made in the same  factory by the same company. I am also using Genelex 12Ax7 which are twice the cost of NOS 12XAX7 in one of my amps and love them as well.


----------



## groovyd

Well there you have it. One opinion by a Woo sponsor and one by the tube maker. You decide. I bought a heap of both just incase.


----------



## SamHeadFi

Looking for a power cord/cable for the wa7, is there a noticeable difference between a standard monoprice cable versus something like the Volex 17604? http://www.amazon.com/VOLEX-17604-POWER-NEMA5-15P-BLACK/dp/B00DK2BB6M/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1389299998&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=volex+17604
  
 Don't really want to spend too much money on it right now as i still need to buy a usb cable and perhaps an isolator


----------



## Shini44

so any one else got iUSB with WA7 or?


----------



## baax

Can anyone help me troubleshoot the WA7,
 I have downloaded the drivers and set the USB output, also using JRiver and set audio output to ASIO, there seems to be sound coming out of the WA7 when I turn the volume all the way up it's extremely faint but there. I know the unit works perfectly because it was previously set up with a cd player. Any help much appreciated!


----------



## akhyar

Can't really help you as I don't use Jriver.
How about if you try using Foobar as it is also free player?


----------



## Frank I

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0114/woo_audio_wtp_1_wds_1.htm


----------



## PleasantSounds

baax said:


> Can anyone help me troubleshoot the WA7,
> I have downloaded the drivers and set the USB output, also using JRiver and set audio output to ASIO, there seems to be sound coming out of the WA7 when I turn the volume all the way up it's extremely faint but there. I know the unit works perfectly because it was previously set up with a cd player. Any help much appreciated!


 
  
 Just to make sure, have you switched the input to USB?


----------



## pervysage

Received the ifi iUSB Power and been using it with my WA7. Unfortunately, the iUSB arrived with a broken IsoEarth switch, so I haven't been able to use that feature (it's stuck in the off position). According to people around the net, the IsoEarth doesn't make a noticeable difference in SQ for them so I still went ahead and tested the iUSB out anyways.
  
 After a bit of testing, I don't really agree that it's a HUGE difference and night and day between the WA7 alone and WA7 with the iUSB. From what I can tell so far, the sound IS a bit different when adding the iUSB. It makes the sound a tad cleaner I suppose, but I'm still going through the process of A-Bing on various tracks to see which sound I prefer more.
  
 Sucks that I received an iUSB with a defective switch for the IsoEarth feature. If I end up deciding it is worth the 200 bucks, I will exchange for a new one. If I feel it's not a big enough difference to justify the price tag, I will probably just return it and leave it at that.
  
 So far, it's not the night and day difference that I've been hearing about. Gotta do some more testing. A/B testing is a bit of a pain as you have to unplug and switch around the USB cables before replaying songs. But if it was a truly night and day difference, I'm sure I would have noticed by now.


----------



## Shini44

pervysage said:


> Received the ifi iUSB Power and been using it with my WA7. Unfortunately, the iUSB arrived with a broken IsoEarth switch, so I haven't been able to use that feature (it's stuck in the off position). According to people around the net, the IsoEarth doesn't make a noticeable difference in SQ for them so I still went ahead and tested the iUSB out anyways.
> 
> After a bit of testing, I don't really agree that it's a HUGE difference and night and day between the WA7 alone and WA7 with the iUSB. From what I can tell so far, the sound IS a bit different when adding the iUSB. It makes the sound a tad cleaner I suppose, but I'm still going through the process of A-Bing on various tracks to see which sound I prefer more.
> 
> ...


 
 i disagree the iso earth mode did a difference for me, and with out it the SQ will be harsh and so fatiguing for me, try to replace then test it again, here we have 240 volt , maybe thats why i see more distortion that the iUSB cleaned for me, you guys have 120v., also my PSU is corsair with 800wat.


----------



## groovyd

pervysage said:


> Received the ifi iUSB Power and been using it with my WA7. Unfortunately, the iUSB arrived with a broken IsoEarth switch, so I haven't been able to use that feature (it's stuck in the off position). According to people around the net, the IsoEarth doesn't make a noticeable difference in SQ for them so I still went ahead and tested the iUSB out anyways.
> 
> After a bit of testing, I don't really agree that it's a HUGE difference and night and day between the WA7 alone and WA7 with the iUSB. From what I can tell so far, the sound IS a bit different when adding the iUSB. It makes the sound a tad cleaner I suppose, but I'm still going through the process of A-Bing on various tracks to see which sound I prefer more.
> 
> ...


 
 Is why I recommended the compact and cost effective solution of the passive isolator.  Pretty sure for the most part Woo did due diligence in assuring the DAC reference is clean internally. Still curious as to if it isn't isolated internally or if the new power supply might provide a discrete DAC reference power rail.  Anyone know the power supply cable pinout?  Has anyone yet opened up their WA7 and taken a look inside?  Would love to see what's inside.  Could be some opportunity for upgrades.


----------



## desertblues

groovyd said:


> Is why I recommended the compact and cost effective solution of the passive isolator.  Pretty sure for the most part Woo did due diligence in assuring the DAC reference is clean internally. Still curious as to if it isn't isolated internally or if the new power supply might provide a discrete DAC reference power rail.  Anyone know the power supply cable pinout?  Has anyone yet opened up their WA7 and taken a look inside?  Would love to see what's inside.  Could be some opportunity for upgrades.




I am not sure about this, but if I open the unit and attempt any upgrades wouldn't any warranties be void? At this point the only upgrade I'm contemplating is the upcoming tube power supply.


----------



## ariesq

frank i said:


> I have been watching the debate about the gold pin EH tubes and Sovtek stock tubes  and figured I would set the record straight The Gold pin tubes are a higher grade of the Sovtek.  The gold pin tubes in general provide better connection in the tube socket and most people who have heard and tried both tubes have heard a different sound with the EH tubes.
> 
> As with all tube rolling some people will like one over the other as I have found in my 30 years of tube rolling.  The Gold pins tubes are a higher quality tube and better selected tubes.  hope this clears up some of the confusion. Most of the Russsian tubes under all different labels are manufactured by New Sensor in Russia.
> 
> ...


 
 Hey Frank,
  
 Can you comment on how the Genelex 6922 Gold Pins differ sonically compared to the stock Sovtek and upgraded EH 6922 that Woo sells?
  
 Also, I believe you may be the only other person currently with the WA7 and LCD-XC on hand. Do you find the WA7 overall a bright(er) amp? I have nothing to compare it against so I"m just curious as you have experience with many amps. I'm still hearing slight harshness in treble with the LCD-XC.
  
 Last question may be very dumb. You mentioned the upgraded power supply will allow us to roll tubes. Would certain tubes be able to possibly "warm-up" the overall sound?
  
 Sorry, soo many questions.
  
 Thanks!


----------



## groovyd

ariesq said:


> ... Also, I believe you may be the only other person currently with the WA7 and LCD-XC on hand.


 
  
 Just pulled the trigger on both the LCD-X and XC should be here tuesday or so.  Will post impressions with both using the WA7.


----------



## Frank I

I think you will be very happy playing them on the WA7. I been using the X for the past two weeks with the WA7 and love the sound. The XC work well with the Wa7 also.  Great cans.


----------



## Frank I

ariesq said:


> Hey Frank,
> 
> Can you comment on how the Genelex 6922 Gold Pins differ sonically compared to the stock Sovtek and upgraded EH 6922 that Woo sells?
> 
> ...


 
 Please note that you cannot USE 6922 IN THE WA7 but The Genelex 6922 are designed after the old Genelex tubes.  In my opinion the Genelex is the best current production 6922 built to higher standards than the EH 6922.    The Genelex has  a very extend sparkly treble. If you looking for warmer tubes for 6922 the Matsusita  area nice option as well as NOS Mullard 2492. The Mullard has the magical midrange Mullard was so well know for.  
  
 Brighter in compared to what amplifier?What amp are yousuing the 6922 ?  The WA7 is limited to the stock and upgrade tubes we offer.


----------



## smellyfungus

i was under the impression there was only a few tube options. havent heard anyone mention other tubes til now. do all those 6922 tubes work in the wa7?
 i hope not, my curiosity will kill my wallet.


----------



## Frank I

You cannot use 6922 in the WA7 but there was question regarding  the differences in the 6922. Thanks and I edited that above thread to make note that his question was referring to the 6922 tubes for another amp.


----------



## smellyfungus

frank i said:


> You cannot use 6922 in the WA7 but there was question regarding  the differences in the 6922. Thanks and I edited that above thread to make note that his question was referring to the 6922 tubes for another amp.


 

 thanks for clarifying. the tubes looked similar so i didn't know.


----------



## Frank I

smellyfungus said:


> thanks for clarifying. the tubes looked similar so i didn't know.


 
 No problem and thanks for the heads-up so there was no confusion. I appreciate it.
  
 Frank


----------



## driggs

Has anyone compared the Burson Conductor to the WA7 when paired with the HD800?  I am interested in getting the WA7 as well (already have the Conductor) but dont want to if it is step down ('different' is ok...).  I have read some saying the Conductor "kills" the WA7 and others saying that they are comparable but know one seems to have provided any details....  Of course, there is a price difference between the two but surely they can (should?) be compared....


----------



## EricBaum

Greetings folks. This is my first post here. I recently purchased the WA7 and am thoroughly enjoying it paired with my Sennheiser HD800 phones.
  
 I have discovered one quirk, however. Each time I power up, the highest sampling rate listed in my Mac Pro's Audio/MIDI Setup is only 48k. Usually once I reconnect the USB cable (while the unit is on) the list expands to include the full range up to 192k. It's not a big deal, just a slight annoyance. Has anybody else encountered this?


----------



## groovyd

ericbaum said:


> Greetings folks. This is my first post here. I recently purchased the WA7 and am thoroughly enjoying it paired with my Sennheiser HD800 phones.
> 
> I have discovered one quirk, however. Each time I power up, the highest sampling rate listed in my Mac Pro's Audio/MIDI Setup is only 48k. Usually once I reconnect the USB cable (while the unit is on) the list expands to include the full range up to 192k. It's not a big deal, just a slight annoyance. Has anybody else encountered this?


 
 Mine only shows up to 48k as well... never tried unplugging it while on.  i was wondering about this too actually since i am setting up a multi device with another dac i have and wanted to assure both are at the same rated sample rate. setting the multi device to include another dac and syncing the rate to that dac at 96 does seem to work with the WA7 though so not sure what the real rate is.


----------



## driggs

driggs said:


> Has anyone compared the Burson Conductor to the WA7 when paired with the HD800?  I am interested in getting the WA7 as well (already have the Conductor) but dont want to if it is step down ('different' is ok...).  I have read some saying the Conductor "kills" the WA7 and others saying that they are comparable but know one seems to have provided any details....  Of course, there is a price difference between the two but surely they can (should?) be compared....


 

 No-one has any experience with the Conductor vs WA7 and the Senn HD800's?


----------



## smellyfungus

driggs said:


> No-one has any experience with the Conductor vs WA7 and the Senn HD800's?


 
 don't remember seeing many if any with conductor on this thread, plus specifically the hd800s.
  
 i did have the soloist (the amp portion of the conductor) in combo with the gungnir for a little while but that was with the akg702-65.
  
 so my insight wont help to your exact inquiry but ill give my impressions with that combo, though its not fair cause the gungnirs a good amount better than the wa7's dac.
  
 as far as sound quality i would say soloist >= wa7 w/ eh tubes > > wa7 w/ stock tubes. im assuming the soloist sounded better cause of the gungnir.
  
 i can't recall the signature sounding much different, the wa7 has been described as ss sounding.
  
 i would say they're fairly equal (if its with the eh tubes), don't think you'll really gain anything. but thats only for the akg702-65. since the hd800s have a different sig i can't say for sure.
  
 if you're trying to get a smoother sound the stock tubes would work well with them but you'll lose some transparency and bass (quality and impact). eh tubes might make the treble and bit too sparkly/harsh unless thats your thing.
  
 hopefully someone with that exact combo appears to help you though.


----------



## groovyd

Received the LCD-XC & X and have first unpacked the XC at work to listen through the WA7 and even with no burn-in there are literally tears from my eyes listening to pretty much anything.  It is overwhelmingly beautiful sound.  This definately trumps the Beyer T5p.


----------



## groovyd

There isn't much of a sound signature difference to be honest between the XC and X.  They are both very emotional and grooving yet flat at the same time.  The best of both worlds?  No wonder they are marketing these in between the studio professional and the audiophile.  They are both acoustically accurate and passionate.
  
 interestingly they are both more efficient then the T5p even which is impressive in it's own right. super amp not at all required.


----------



## roguegeek

I'm really turned on by the fact that I keep reading the WA7 is one of the most un-tubey sounding tube amps on the market. I don't really like warming up a signature too much because I tend to like cans that are next to neutral and/or somewhat on the bright side. There's a couple of things that are keeping me from purchasing the WA7. Maybe you guys can help me look at it from a different perspective because I would really like to be excited about buying it.
  
 The biggest thing is the fact that it's an amp/DAC combo. I like the idea of dedicated equipment so you can tinker with finding the perfect combination yourself. When you want to replace your DAC with something better, you can, but now you're only using a portion of your $1000 purchase. That's a turn off for me. I thought maybe the WA6 was a DAC-less WA7, but I don't think that's the case.
  
 The other thing I'm worried about is that the tech in DACs change much faster than the tech in a tube amp. If I purchase a DAC, I would like upgradeable options on there. When new tech becomes available in the future, will I be able to change out a USB card or an analog converter component on the WA7?
  
 Another thing. I don't like power bricks. I get that it makes the desktop footprint smaller on the WA7, but I already think the thing is way too small. This one isn't so important. Just something that bugs me. "Oh that little thing in the corner, that was $1000." Bah. Give me some heft.
  
 Alright, so the third thing was pretty superficial, so don't even bother commenting on it because that's just me being picky. The first two, though, I think they are valid issues I have to get by. Thoughts?


----------



## RapidPulse

Let me help you out: Don't think of it as a combo. You are buying a great amp.  
  
 It happens to have a decent DAC that you can choose to use...or not. I rarely use the DAC on the WA7... but I am glad it is there.  It makes my setup so much more flexible.  And it's nice to know that I have backup in case something happens with my primary DAC.
  
 See what a difference a little change in perspective makes?


----------



## Angelbelow

rapidpulse said:


> Let me help you out: Don't think of it as a combo. You are buying a great amp.
> 
> It happens to have a decent DAC that you can choose to use...or not. I rarely use the DAC on the WA7... but I am glad it is there.  It makes my setup so much more flexible.  And it's nice to know that I have backup in case something happens with my primary DAC.
> 
> See what a difference a little change in perspective makes?


 
  
 Definitely a nice way of seeing things. I ended up upgrading the dac portion of to the yulong DA8. Definitely keeps things flexible.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

angelbelow said:


> Definitely a nice way of seeing things. I ended up upgrading the dac portion of to the yulong DA8. Definitely keeps things flexible.




+1

I'm not using the WA7's DAC either, but rather have it mated to the exaSound e20 MkIII. A fantastic sounding combination with my LCD-3's!!


----------



## roguegeek

So then, is the DAC upgradable like, say, a Bifrost? Also, is there any standalone amp in Woo's lineup that sounds like a WA7?


----------



## Shini44

hey guys i am using the WA7's DAC , what DAC should i got for if i wanted some nice upgrade, also how will it change the sound??


----------



## alex8337

Isn't it worrying that tube amps in comparison to solid state are less energy efficient? So its a tube amp that doesn't sound 'tubey' that is less efficient than a SS amp...

 Each to their own. I still like the look of this amp/dac. Its beautiful.


----------



## hydesg

Just wondering hows the yulong and wa7 combo ?



angelbelow said:


> Definitely a nice way of seeing things. I ended up upgrading the dac portion of to the yulong DA8. Definitely keeps things flexible.


----------



## mediumraresteak

Has anyone tried the LCD-X/XC with the WA7?  I'm most likely going to get one or the other if the combo is as good as it gets.  Also, is there any way to use the DAC only with a desktop set-up?  I'd like to not use the tubes at all times.
  
 Thanks in advance.


----------



## Shini44

i was thinking about Resonessence lab's CONCERO as a DAC for the WA7, will i get a noticeable difference? or i will end up wasting 600$ ??


----------



## ariesq

shini44 said:


> i was thinking about Resonessence lab's CONCERO as a DAC for the WA7, will i get a noticeable difference? or i will end up wasting 600$ ??


 
 Shini, I'm eyeing the same DAC. You pull the trigger first lol.


----------



## Shini44

ariesq said:


> Shini, I'm eyeing the same DAC. You pull the trigger first lol.


 
 i won't till someone tell me this is a good upgrade, and an upgrade is something that will make a noticeable difference, else why would i pay 600$ for a subtle change? thats why i need a clear answer..... yet seems like no answer yet.....   yet i assume its a nice DAC, its powered through the PC too!! so i can use my iUSB and Gemini cable with it     

 i wish it can make a noticeable difference, lets wait for some answers bro


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

shini44 said:


> i won't till someone tell me this is a good upgrade, and an upgrade is something that will make a noticeable difference, else why would i pay 600$ for a subtle change? thats why i need a clear answer..... yet seems like no answer yet.....   yet i assume its a nice DAC, its powered through the PC too!! so i can use my iUSB and Gemini cable with it
> 
> i wish it can make a noticeable difference, lets wait for some answers bro


 
  
 Depends on what you mean by "upgrade" DAC. My exaSound e20 is a superb sounding DAC (native DSD compatible, 32-bit 384khz DXD, awesome sound) but then again it's $3K and probably not exactly what you mean by "upgrade", so some more parameters need to be specified.


----------



## Shini44

edmontoncanuck said:


> Depends on what you mean by "upgrade" DAC. My exaSound e20 is a superb sounding DAC (native DSD compatible, 32-bit 384khz DXD, awesome sound) but then again it's $3K and probably not exactly what you mean by "upgrade", so some more parameters need to be specified.


 
 call me a noob but i don't know how does a better DAC change the sound or do we need it?  for me i know how does an amp change the sound cause i moved from Uha MK II to Mavrik D2 to Yulong D100 MK II to WA7 atm, so i can tell the difference, but didn't ever bought a DAC alone so totally got no exp with that :< needed help here etc to learn more about DACs.


----------



## driggs

smellyfungus said:


> don't remember seeing many if any with conductor on this thread, plus specifically the hd800s.
> 
> i did have the soloist (the amp portion of the conductor) in combo with the gungnir for a little while but that was with the akg702-65.
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks!


----------



## desertblues

groovyd said:


> Mine only shows up to 48k as well... never tried unplugging it while on.  i was wondering about this too actually since i am setting up a multi device with another dac i have and wanted to assure both are at the same rated sample rate. setting the multi device to include another dac and syncing the rate to that dac at 96 does seem to work with the WA7 though so not sure what the real rate is.




I have encountered this with my iMac too - just unplug your usb cable and plug it back in and it's fixed.


----------



## fightmyass

Haven't read this topic. But. Just have to ask. Why the F(pardon my French) you made the glass w/o strong conjuction? Srsly must make ppl nervous putting it back after every time they move it for few mm accidently  touching it.


----------



## wolfetan44

fightmyass said:


> Haven't read this topic. But. Just have to ask. Why the F(pardon my French) you made the glass w/o strong conjuction? Srsly must make ppl nervous putting it back after every time they move it for few mm accidently  touching it.


 
 It stays on there pretty well, and trust me, this thing will not move, if I remember correctly, its 13 pounds..


----------



## groovyd

I think at the least they should have affixed those little clear triangle rubber feet to the amp.  Kind of a hassle those things and easy to lose.
  
 Got the TubMan tubes and they are awesome!  NOS Cryo-treated, very nice.  Sound better then the EH IMHO.


----------



## roguegeek

roguegeek said:


> So then, is the DAC upgradable like, say, a Bifrost? Also, is there any standalone amp in Woo's lineup that sounds like a WA7?




Anyone?


----------



## olegausany

No but you can use any DAC you want by connecting it using RCA cable and switching the switch on the back


----------



## groovyd

Still wishing someone would show the WA7 internals... perhaps there is a DAC upgrade option in terms of pin compatible chip. Also would like to know how the DAC ref rails are or aren't isolated from the usb power.


----------



## desertblues

groovyd said:


> I think at the least they should have affixed those little clear triangle rubber feet to the amp.  Kind of a hassle those things and easy to lose.
> 
> Got the TubMan tubes and they are awesome!  NOS Cryo-treated, very nice.  Sound better then the EH IMHO.




I ordered the nos cryo tubes also and right out of the box they are way better than the Sovteks. Glad I got them - thanks for the heads up!


----------



## PretentiousGeek

I finally bit the bullet and got the Fireflies. Now I'm on the hunt for cans to pair this with. 

I know that this is very subjective. 

Any suggestions on what pair to get? 
Hd800
Hifiman 6
Audeze lcd-x
Audeze lcd-x3

I prefer the hd800. Just not sure if the wa7 will really give it justice. 



Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


----------



## akhyar

HD800 is a good choice.
To me, WA7 managed to tame down the 800 treble that can be fatiguing for longer listening session and add some weight to the bass.
If you think the HD800 deserves better, you can always aim for WA7 bigger brothers like the WA2 or 22 in the future when you think you have outgrown the WA7.... lol!
The planars are not for me as my treshold for their discomfort level is quite low.
I can only listen to the LCD2/3 for 20-30 minutes as I can't take the weight and it's clamping force


----------



## hydesg

Ive got the hd800 and wa7. The bleeding highs and siblance are still there.... maybe because im using silver cables.... but I think I have outgrown the wa7... just ordered 2 x questyle cma800r and a yulong da8 to be my end game setup


----------



## PretentiousGeek

Thanks for the info akhyar. 
Was looking at the WA2 but chose this because of the higher missus approval rating factor. 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


----------



## Frank I

Check out the stellar review http://www.audio360.org/amps-dacs_a0018_review_woo_audio_wa7_fireflies.php.


----------



## PretentiousGeek

There are a lot better amplifiers in terms of performance... but you'll be hard-pressed to find one that looks this good.


----------



## Angelbelow

roguegeek said:


> Anyone?


 
  
 There was a topic regarding this a few months back. I think the conclusion was that the DAC in the WA7 was slightly better than the bifrost. If you look up "how good is the wa7 dac?" or something along those lines you will find the thread. Started by Sonido.


----------



## Shini44

ariesq said:


> Shini, I'm eyeing the same DAC. You pull the trigger first lol.


 
 getting it next Wednesday, will be shipped using UPS express , so lets hope i will see it in less than 7 days.


----------



## Angelbelow

hydesg said:


> Just wondering hows the yulong and wa7 combo ?




Didn't see this until now. 

Lovely combo. Yulong brings out a certain sense of naturalness. Details are noticeably enhanced. I sold my wa7 so I didn't have amp opportunity to test it out.


----------



## atomicbob

rapidpulse said:


> Let me help you out: Don't think of it as a combo. You are buying a great amp.
> 
> It happens to have a decent DAC that you can choose to use...or not. I rarely use the DAC on the WA7... but I am glad it is there.  It makes my setup so much more flexible.  And it's nice to know that I have backup in case something happens with my primary DAC.
> 
> See what a difference a little change in perspective makes?


 
 Shared perspective. When taking the WA7 mobile I can get by quite well thank-you with the internal DAC. Back in the stationary listening room often a Violectric V800 bridges between the network streamer and the WA7. It is a great amp. One very special attribute is the lack of hum or residual noise. Similar to the blackness on visual displays. Sound appears from a silent background which I find very appealing.


----------



## vinylkid

i'm using a WA7 with a M2Tech Young DAC and a heavy-tweaked out Wright Sound WLA12A line-stage, with the TH-900's and i'm pretty stoked at results. i have a thing for Fostex gear (especially their full-range speaker drivers in back-loaded horns) so i was thinking about partnering the TH-900s with the HP-A8C (the remote and DSD capabilities would be handy), but the WA7 is doing just fine.
  
 the WA7's DAC is fine if you have nothing to compare it to, but the Young DAC is much better at extracting information from a recording and drives the music forward. the WA7's DAC tends to sound a bit too smooth and more laid-back.


----------



## smellyfungus

desertblues said:


> I ordered the nos cryo tubes also and right out of the box they are way better than the Sovteks. Glad I got them - thanks for the heads up!


 
 i just ordered after groovyd's quick "its better!" good you like em too.
  
 ill chime in too once i try em.


----------



## pervysage

desertblues said:


> I ordered the nos cryo tubes also and right out of the box they are way better than the Sovteks. Glad I got them - thanks for the heads up!


 
  
  


smellyfungus said:


> i just ordered after groovyd's quick "its better!" good you like em too.
> 
> ill chime in too once i try em.


 
  
 I'm interested in if the cryo tubes are better than the EH gold pins?
  
 I've already read enough and heard for myself that the EH are far better than the stock Sovtek's. But could there be a tube out there that tops the EH?


----------



## desertblues

pervysage said:


> I'm interested in if the cryo tubes are better than the EH gold pins?
> 
> I've already read enough and heard for myself that the EH are far better than the stock Sovtek's. But could there be a tube out there that tops the EH?




The EH are definitely superior to the stock Sovtek to my ears, and the nos cryo-treated tubes from Tubeman are also better sounding. Even though I have only about 5 hours on the cryos, they sound very nice with my main headphones, the Grado RS1i and PS500. I am not ready to say they are better than the EH at this point but it's nice to have another option for tubes!


----------



## PleasantSounds

pervysage said:


> I'm interested in if the cryo tubes are better than the EH gold pins?
> 
> I've already read enough and heard for myself that the EH are far better than the stock Sovtek's. But could there be a tube out there that tops the EH?


 
  
 The cream of the crop may be the cryo treated EH gold pins. I managed to get hold of a pair of these some time ago and they are more dynamic, have better detail retrieval and lower noise floor than the standard EH gold. Recently I have tried to stock up on these - unfortunately I can't find them any more.
 But the Sovtek cryo variety are still available. I have ordered these and will try to compare them when they arrive.


----------



## roguegeek

Do any of Woo Audio's standalone amp compare to the amp in the WA7? Would WA6 be close?


----------



## atomicbob

roguegeek said:


> Do any of Woo Audio's standalone amp compare to the amp in the WA7? Would WA6 be close?



The WA6 will offer more tube rolling possibilities. I chose a WA3 for an OTL topology to contrast with the WA7. They are complimentary amps. WA7 can drive almost any headphone and bring out the best in it. For high impedance headphones the WA3 has a euphonic quality that makes for very enjoyable listening sessions, sort of rose colored glasses for the ears, if you will, with the appropriate tubes. Last night I spent the evening listening to a GEC A1834 with CBS Hytron 12AU7. Tonight it's the WA7 with stock Sovteks. Different auditory flavors.


----------



## MaKa13

I am facing a weird issue with my WA7 which I thought someone in the forum may have some insight or suggestions on how to solve it or what might be the workaround for it.
 I have a mid 2012 macbook pro which I want to use as source, the macbook is running 10.9.1 version of OSX (latest version). After I received the WA7, it worked (was being shown in *Preferences>Sound>Output*) for coupled of days (I could just use it for one hour per day) but starting two days ago when I came back from work and connected it to my MacBook it is not being shown in Preferences>Sound>Output anymore. I restarted the laptop, disconnected the power cord and reconnected, etc and none of these helped with macbook detecting my WA7 box. I switched the cord, the usb slot, etc and none of these helped.

 I asked a friend and we used his laptop (Windows 7) and it is being detected on Windows after installing the driver. (We used the same cable as I was using with MacBook so the cable is ok).
 Is there any known workaround or possible issues that can cause this so that I know what to do next?

 On my Mac, the WA7 is not being shown under *Audio MIDI setup* app nor in the *Preferences>Sound>Output* while it works on Windows (The USB cable and the USB slots are fine on the MacBook, I tried them with other devices to be sure it is not the slots). 

 Any insight and help is greatly appreciated.

 Thanks.


----------



## pervysage

So I received my replacement iFi iUSB Power. Music Direct was great to deal with in getting my replacement. They even shipped out the replacement before receiving the faulty unit back so it wasn't a long wait.
  
 My experience with the iUSB has been better than the first time around. After unboxing the new one, I'm starting to think the first one I received was a used unit or something. Even though it was sealed in plastic, after opening the box, there was no rubber stops on each corner to keep the device secure in the box. The inner packaging itself was kind of messed up. Replacement unit was boxed perfectly, had rubber stoppers on the corners so that the device didn't move around while shipping (which I'm guessing damaged the first unit because the IsoEarth switch arrived broken).
  
 Anyways, I have noticed a boost in SQ while using the iUSB now. The biggest difference IMO is that instruments sound more realistic with the iUSB hooked up and the sound is just overall more fuller and cleaner sounding. The bass is nice and punchy.
  
 It's still not a night and day difference, but it does give you a little boost in SQ. If I had to throw out a number, I'd say it gave me about a 10-15% SQ boost. I will be keeping the unit because after listening to it and hearing an improvement, I don't really want to go back to an "inferior" sound (even though the WA7 DAC alone already sounded good without it). Some reported that the iUSB gave their setup a bigger boost but I guess that goes to show you that the WA7 DAC does a good job at filtering the power and data on it's own already. I'm running the device out of my PC rigs USB port (Corsair 750W power supply, Asrock P67 Pro motherboard) so I guess it also depends on just how noisy someones source is in the first place.
  
 Considering that it gave me about a 10% boost, I'm thinking the iUSB is a tad overpriced at the $200 level, and would be a better deal if it cost around $100 instead.
  
 I'd say the best improvement would be just getting a more high-end dedicated DAC as that would give the most gains in SQ. Will probably upgrade to a new DAC in the future, but I can say I am really content with the sound I am getting at the moment and see no reason to rush into getting a new DAC just yet.


----------



## Shini44

pervysage said:


> Some reported that the iUSB gave their setup a bigger boost but I guess that goes to show you that the WA7 DAC does a good job at filtering the power and data on it's own already. I'm running the device out of my PC rigs USB port (Corsair 750W power supply, Asrock P67 Pro motherboard) so I guess it also depends on just how noisy someones source is in the first place.
> 
> Will probably upgrade to a new DAC in the future, but I can say I am really content with the sound I am getting at the moment and see no reason to rush into getting a new DAC just yet.


 
 yes i know i was screaming the iUSB is greet for the last couple of months  anyway i am gland that another one saw how good this device is, also i think it is the Corsair after all, all the dirty power is gathered in it as if its doing the spirit bomb lol.

 for the DAC i am getting the Respnessence Labs Concero , 600$ (CAD) but i saw so many people getting crazy about and i don't think it a hype or something, will post about it soon, it will make my WA7 even cooler :3


----------



## WooAudio

maka13 said:


> I am facing a weird issue with my WA7 which I thought someone in the forum may have some insight or suggestions on how to solve it or what might be the workaround for it.
> I have a mid 2012 macbook pro which I want to use as source, the macbook is running 10.9.1 version of OSX (latest version). After I received the WA7, it worked (was being shown in *Preferences>Sound>Output*) for coupled of days (I could just use it for one hour per day) but starting two days ago when I came back from work and connected it to my MacBook it is not being shown in Preferences>Sound>Output anymore. I restarted the laptop, disconnected the power cord and reconnected, etc and none of these helped with macbook detecting my WA7 box. I switched the cord, the usb slot, etc and none of these helped.
> 
> I asked a friend and we used his laptop (Windows 7) and it is being detected on Windows after installing the driver. (We used the same cable as I was using with MacBook so the cable is ok).
> ...


 
  
  
 We are currently working on it. Our initial suspect is compatibility issue with the latest Mac OSX Version 10.9: "Mavericks". Will other users report the issue on Mac OSX version?
  
 Thanks,
 Jack


----------



## WooAudio

wooaudio said:


> We are currently working on it. Our initial suspect is compatibility issue with the latest Mac OSX Version 10.9: "Mavericks". Will other users report the issue on Mac OSX version?
> 
> Thanks,
> Jack


 
  
 HI All,
  
 It seems this a general problem with Mac OSX 10.9 Mavericks across all USB devices. 
  
 There are 2 solutions that you can try.
  
 1. Remove all USB devices then restart the computer. Next, connect the Fireflies back to the Mac. 
 https://discussions.apple.com/message/24212134#24212134
  
 2. Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
 http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964
  
 Hope that helps.
 Jack


----------



## roguegeek

Oh man. I need to see this ironed out. I wasn't too far away from picking up a WA7 and it will be connected to my home rig which is currently using 10.9.1. I've used a couple different DACs with it and haven't experienced that problem at all, so I'm not so sure it isn't specific to the WA7.


----------



## desertblues

FWIW, my WA7 is working just fine on my iMac with 10.9.1 installed. Shows as "speaker" in audio midi setup same as before.


----------



## Frank I

I am listening on the Imac now with the WA7 and the same Maverick OP an its working fine.I will try my macbook. Its sporadic on some it works and some have been having some issues fortunately I have been able to resolve. But we are looking into it to find the culprit but its the new OP . I lost it last week on the imac and pulled out the USB cable and out an put it back and had it back working again and been working since. I will keep the board posted as we find out more. One other suggestion is to use USB 2.0 or better cable of decent quality and also make sure they are inserted snugly into the USB port of your mackbook or Imac


----------



## Currawong

I've had problems on my iMac with some USB audio devices that work fine on my 2012 Air, so it could be a combination of problems.


----------



## Frank I

Amos any idea what it  could be . I know you have extensive mac experience.


----------



## daveyston23

wooaudio said:


> We are currently working on it. Our initial suspect is compatibility issue with the latest Mac OSX Version 10.9: "Mavericks". Will other users report the issue on Mac OSX version?
> 
> Thanks,
> Jack


 
  
  
 I've never had any problems with WA7 and 10.8.5
  
 I haven't tried 10.9 though


----------



## groovyd

i have had sporadic usb issues since upgrading to mavericks too.


----------



## Shini44

groovyd said:


> i have had sporadic usb issues since upgrading to mavericks too.


 
 maverick? the 300$ DAC + integrated amp? i say avoid a DAC + amp 300$ , and go for ONLY DAC :3 so you make sure every 1$ will go into a DAC , don't hock the nice WA7 with a bad DAC :< tahts a crime XD


----------



## groovyd

mavericks the version of osx for the mac.  that is the name of their latest os.


----------



## RapidPulse

For what it is worth, I have had zero issues with both the WA7 and the HRT microStreamer in OSX 10.9.1 (Mavericks).


----------



## jwhit3367

Is the WA7 compatible with thunderbolt? Would the higher data rates make a difference?


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

jwhit3367 said:


> Is the WA7 compatible with thunderbolt? Would the higher data rates make a difference?




Hmmm. Let me Google that for you: http://wooaudio.com/products/wa7fireflies.html

USB or RCA ONLY.


----------



## MaKa13

wooaudio said:


> HI All,
> 
> It seems this a general problem with Mac OSX 10.9 Mavericks across all USB devices.
> 
> ...


 
 Hi Jack,
  
 Thank you for looking into it and it is quite nice to see a vendor monitoring forums at this level. So far I haven't been able to get it to work with my Macbook pro. Reset the cache as well as SMC with no luck. Will keep the forum posted if I get to know what has happened and how can it be remedied.
  
 Masoud.


----------



## MaKa13

Morning fireflies owners...
  
 Has anyone tested WA7 with any tablet? If so which tablet and whether it works out of the box or need some moding? In first few pages I saw one model of iPad which seems to be working, anything other that?
  
  
 Thank you.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

maka13 said:


> Morning fireflies owners...
> 
> Has anyone tested WA7 with any tablet? If so which tablet and whether it works out of the box or need some moding? In first few pages I saw one model of iPad which seems to be working, anything other that?
> 
> ...


 

 I can't speak to Android tablets as I don't own any, but iOS-based devices (iPhone, iPad) work perfectly fine by using Apple's Camera Connection Kit dongle to allow the device to connect to the WA7 via USB.


----------



## Shini44

for how long can i keep the WA7 on? 8 hours max? or more? what is the limit that should be avoided?


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

shini44 said:


> for how long can i keep the WA7 on? 8 hours max? or more? what is the limit that should be avoided?


 

 Page 12 of the User Manual that came with your WA7 suggests "... a maximum of 8 hours of
 continuous use, allowing the tubes time to cool before using again"


----------



## Shini44

thanks  sometimes i use it for like four hours, then come back again after 3-4 hours and give it a nice 8 hours :3


----------



## Haggendal

Looking for two new cans to pair this gorgeous with and would love to get some recommendations!
  
 1. ~$500-1000. Want them to sound fairly neutral but I'm fine with them having some extra sparkle. Going to primarily use these for classical and slow-to-mid paced electronic tracks. Genres like downtempo and ambient needs to be at their best so a great soundstage is a must while still delivering adequately on the bass to match the liquid dubstep and the more intense of the downtempo tracks. Examples of albums I want to shine would be Orgship by Solar Quest, When The Silence Is Speaking by Koan, Safe In The Steep Cliffs by Emancipator and Efflorescence by Androcell.
  
 2. About the same price range. Slightly on the darker side of the scale to complement the other pair. These should be more laid-back, have more emphasis on vocals and bass and be versatile enough for everything from Led Zeppelin, Rush and Pink Floyd to Jedi Mind Tricks to Coltrane to intense EDM.
  
 I'm willing to pay more if necessary, but keep in mind that it is difficult for me to try high-end cans out in person where I live and headphones like the LCD3, HD800, TH900 or even T1 would be a bit much unless someone can convince me that they clearly have a superior sound on the WA7 (with EH tubes) compared to, say the T90 and LCD2.
  
 Thanks


----------



## Shini44

edmontoncanuck said:


> Page 12 of the User Manual that came with your WA7 suggests "... a maximum of 8 hours of
> continuous use, allowing the tubes time to cool before using again"


 
 so how long should i wait before using it again? 3 hours is good? less?


----------



## PleasantSounds

haggendal said:


> Looking for two new cans to pair this gorgeous with and would love to get some recommendations!
> 
> 1. ~$500-1000. Want them to sound fairly neutral but I'm fine with them having some extra sparkle. Going to primarily use these for classical and slow-to-mid paced electronic tracks. Genres like downtempo and ambient needs to be at their best so a great soundstage is a must while still delivering adequately on the bass to match the liquid dubstep and the more intense of the downtempo tracks. Examples of albums I want to shine would be Orgship by Solar Quest, When The Silence Is Speaking by Koan, Safe In The Steep Cliffs by Emancipator and Efflorescence by Androcell.
> 
> ...


 
  
 You already seem to know the range of headphones you really would like to have. Is another voice or two really going to sway you into buying one or two of these flagships, if you think they're too expensive to risk it?
 For what it's worth, I can confirm that IMO the HD800 fits very well your #1 requirement. I use it for similar purposes (with the WA7) and couldn't be happier. Another candidate could be the Q701: of course it's not as sublime as the HD800, but also provides a massive soundstage, and with the bass port mod sonically is not far behind. It's not as smooth and precise as the HD800, but considering the price difference it may be worth looking at. 
 Regarding #2 I'd also consider the LCD-X (here you can spend what you have saved with the Qs). To me the LCD2 and 3 sound too dark on the WA7. I had only a brief opportunity to try the LCD-X with my WA7, but that was a much more enjoyable experience, in line with what you're looking for. They are now on my shopping list for this year.


----------



## PleasantSounds

shini44 said:


> so how long should i wait before using it again? 3 hours is good? less?


 
  
 Whatever it takes to cool the amp down. An hour should be more than enough.
 If you're planning a longer listening session you may take the glass top off - that should help the tubes remain a bit cooler for longer.


----------



## Shini44

pleasantsounds said:


> Whatever it takes to cool the amp down. An hour should be more than enough.
> If you're planning a longer listening session you may take the glass top off - that should help the tubes remain a bit cooler for longer.


 
 thanks for the info ^^


----------



## Shini44

Gave the Concero DAC like nearly 6-7 hours , this DAC is Billions times cleaner than the WA7 DAC and both were on the iUSB as you can see, the Bass from the WA7 did hurt my ear sometimes on few notes and few tracks my ears avoided its harshness on few notes are just normal now! WOW!! 

 this DAC made a Huge difference for real O-o and i am on the default filter that people don't use hehe, they said it does look boring in front of the others filters, but i need a remote for it.. 


 oh i am using UM Mentor for the headphone if you wanted to know, i didn't have a problem with the WA7 as a DAC, but this new DAC did show me where was i standing lol!!


----------



## Frank I

Just so everyone know my consulting Gig with Woo ended this  weekend and wanted to wish everyone the best


----------



## MickeyVee

Hey Frank, hope all went well and you got accomplished what you wanted.  Really looking forward to seeing the comparison pages.  Thank you so much for your expertise on Woo and hope it continues!
 Quote:


frank i said:


> Just so everyone know my consulting Gig with Woo ended this  weekend and wanted to wish everyone the best


----------



## Frank I

Hi Mickey. They have all the work I did with the comparison but not sure how long it will take for the website to be live they need to get that going. I also did a headphone comparison plus rewrote the descriptions and started the 234 manual.


----------



## Haggendal

pleasantsounds said:


> You already seem to know the range of headphones you really would like to have. Is another voice or two really going to sway you into buying one or two of these flagships, if you think they're too expensive to risk it?
> For what it's worth, I can confirm that IMO the HD800 fits very well your #1 requirement. I use it for similar purposes (with the WA7) and couldn't be happier. Another candidate could be the Q701: of course it's not as sublime as the HD800, but also provides a massive soundstage, and with the bass port mod sonically is not far behind. It's not as smooth and precise as the HD800, but considering the price difference it may be worth looking at.
> Regarding #2 I'd also consider the LCD-X (here you can spend what you have saved with the Qs). To me the LCD2 and 3 sound too dark on the WA7. I had only a brief opportunity to try the LCD-X with my WA7, but that was a much more enjoyable experience, in line with what you're looking for. They are now on my shopping list for this year.


 
  
 Yes, if I can't find the opportunity to try the other cans out myself then I will probably go with something modest in price, such as T90, which I already know match up quite well with my needs. I will definitely take your suggestions into considerations however and attempt to get my hands on both HD800 and the LCDs to see how they team up with the WA7, even if the latter are almost impossible to find in the wilds here in Sweden. 
 Getting a real flagship headphone that will scale well with my future amp upgrades would perhaps be a sensible investment, but I'm honestly worried that it would be held back too much by my current gear and imperfect music files to even sound better than the lower budget models to begin with. Huge thanks for the answer in any case!


----------



## MaKa13

edmontoncanuck said:


> I can't speak to Android tablets as I don't own any, but iOS-based devices (iPhone, iPad) work perfectly fine by using Apple's Camera Connection Kit dongle to allow the device to connect to the WA7 via USB.


 
 Thank you for confirming it. Anyone here had chance to use FireFlies with android devices?
  
 Thank you.


----------



## smellyfungus

pervysage said:


> I'm interested in if the cryo tubes are better than the EH gold pins?
> 
> I've already read enough and heard for myself that the EH are far better than the stock Sovtek's. But could there be a tube out there that tops the EH?


 
 got a chance to spend a couple hours with the cryo reflektors w/ my th600. can't give any definitive since the sound may change but early impressions are as follows.
  
 if the stocks are mid centric and the eh are more u shaped i would put the cryo reflektors somewhere between. they are smoother than the EH but more detailed than stock.
 for specifically the th600's sig i think its the best of the three. sometimes the EH can be fatiguing for me with its hyper detail. the cryo reflektors give a good in between for easy long listening sessions.
  
 EH has more wow factor and better with instrumental music/active listening, cryos for a smooth session.
  
 will report if that changes.


----------



## desertblues

smellyfungus said:


> got a chance to spend a couple hours with the cryo reflektors w/ my th600. can't give any definitive since the sound may change but early impressions are as follows.
> 
> if the stocks are mid centric and the eh are more u shaped i would put the cryo reflektors somewhere between. they are smoother than the EH but more detailed than stock.
> for specifically the th600's sig i think its the best of the three. sometimes the EH can be fatiguing for me with its hyper detail. the cryo reflektors give a good in between for easy long listening sessions.
> ...




The cryo Reflektors just keep getting better. I've got about 10 hours on them and what I notice is extended and tighter bass and deeper soundstage. I seem to be listening at lower volume on some tracks with no loss in sq. They are slightly less transparent than the EH, mostly on the high end. These tubes are a very nice change of pace - and I agree they are less fatiguing!


----------



## Frank I

Reflektor made some nice tubes.  Are they gold pins?


----------



## groovyd

Anyone else using a WA7 with X/XC please to pipe up regarding which position do you keep the impedance switch in low or high.


----------



## ariesq

groovyd said:


> Anyone else using a WA7 with X/XC please to pipe up regarding which position do you keep the impedance switch in low or high.


 
 Using WA7 with LCD-XC. I tried comparing both positions a few times now and can't really hear any difference. I keep it on high though.


----------



## groovyd

personally i notice a slightly higher gain and more dynamic sound on low impedance which is why I ask.  The headphones themselves are relatively low impedance (<50 ohms) and purely resistive and considered easy to drive.  Was just wondering what the consensus was.


----------



## Hordsak

I just ordered a WA7 from a Canadian vendor.  How necessary is it to purchase a good USB cable?  What about an upgraded power cord? And if I should purchase them, does anyone know of a Canadian vendor?  USA is ok, but I'd rather get it faster if in fact I should get them.
  
 Thanks!


----------



## groovyd

hordsak said:


> I just ordered a WA7 from a Canadian vendor.  How necessary is it to purchase a good USB cable?  What about an upgraded power cord? And if I should purchase them, does anyone know of a Canadian vendor?  USA is ok, but I'd rather get it faster if in fact I should get them.
> 
> Thanks!


 
 Not at all necessary... 99.9 to 100 you will never hear the difference.


----------



## Hordsak

groovyd said:


> Not at all necessary... 99.9 to 100 you will never hear the difference.


 
 Thank you.  I was worried because I read a few threads where people were saying a simple upgraded USB cord made a huge difference.  From what I understand the DAC is powered from the USB that will be coming from the PC, so not sure how "dirty" the power from the USB is. I'll take your word for it!


----------



## JoelT

First post...just joined the WA7 club.
  
 A bit of back story. Mid way through last year, largely due to glowing reviews on head-fi, I made the fateful plunge and purchased the Sennheiser HD600 along with a Maverick Audio TubeMagic D1 amp/dac. At the moment of purchase, it seemed like utter madness. However, I had recently moved in to an apartment where I could not longer use my loudspeakers and I was really missing my music. Desperate times. As many of you have experienced, the purchase proved to be more of a revelation than a mere frivolity. 
  
Initially, I was very happy with the combo, as it was significantly ahead of any previous headphone setup I'd heard. There were some weaknesses that were immediately apparent however. Perhaps most notably was a lack of weight in the lower frequencies. I assumed this was largely part of the sound signature of the headphone and that there wasn't much I could do about it. After all, the Maverick Audio amp _seemed _to have more than enough power to drive the headphones, and the signal came across as very clean. Like many who probably browse these forums, my first impulse to was to investigate a new headphone purchase. I began reading various headphone threads like a mad fool, learning about the various sound signatures available and considering where I should turn next. It quickly became apparent that half of the discussion surrounded which amps matched well with each particular headphone. 
  
So, while it seemed like it'd be less "fun", I decided to tackle my amp/dac situation first. Pairing a 4 figure headphone with a cheap amp just didn't make a whole lot of sense. Unfortunately, I had to make another blind purchase which is rather nerve-racking. The WA7 caught my attention for a number of reasons. First, it seemed to pair fairly well with a wide variety of headphones. Second, it seemed to have enough power (as well as flexibility) to address pretty much anything I'd probably buy in the near future. Third, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive and folks seemed to perceive it as a solid value.
  
My unit arrived three days ago and I've been glued to my headphones getting to know the amp. Based on the comments in this thread, I've been using the Electro Harmonix tubes. To be blunt, I'm absolutely blown away by the difference in sound quality. I'd read about the "scalability" of the HD6xx series (perhaps the 650 more than the 600), but wasn't entirely sure what that would translate to in this case. Verdict: It's almost like having a different headphone. 
  
The overall tonality is significantly smoother and transparent with less grain, and there is no longer any harshness in the treble (something I had attributed to the headphone initially). Although it seems a bit contradictory to the "smooth" descriptor, there also is a _significantly _heightened sense of dynamics throughout the entire sonic palette - really beautiful. The soundstage has both widened, increased in depth and gained a sense of air, creating a far more cohesive image. The bass is weightier, and more textured while still effortlessly flowing in to the midrange (I'd still like better extension for some electronica, but it's way better than it was).  
  
All in all, I am just stoked. I feel that it's been money very well spent and it's far exceeded my expectations. Truly awesome. As far as headphones go, I am now rediscovering the HD600 but plan to also add an ortho to the mix very soon. Thanks Woo and thanks to all of the folks in this thread for providing quality impressions/information!


----------



## groovyd

hordsak said:


> Thank you.  I was worried because I read a few threads where people were saying a simple upgraded USB cord made a huge difference.  From what I understand the DAC is powered from the USB that will be coming from the PC, so not sure how "dirty" the power from the USB is. I'll take your word for it!


 
 in any case a better usb power cord will still carry the laptop noise, maybe even better   Jack of Woo indicated they do not expect a noticeable improvement using usb power filters which I took to mean they already did due diligence in isolating and filtering the DAC reference but if you are looking for piece of mind a cost effective solution for better power isolation and filtering is http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=122. I use one and it seems to work well though I cannot say I notice an improvement for me it is just piece of mind.


----------



## groovyd

@JoelT  LCD-X here you come!


----------



## JoelT

groovyd said:


> @JoelT  LCD-X here you come!


 
 Ironic you mention it, as that's what I've been increasingly leaning towards. I'm a bit worried that the LCD-2 & 3 might be a bit too warm with this amp. Perhaps I'm completely wrong though, as I don't have any way to directly compare them.


----------



## saer

mickeyvee said:


> Did anyone else catch this from the CanJam thread:
> 
> post #75
> Woo WA7 with the new WA7 optional $300.00 power supply that uses 12Au7 to fine tune the sound. The transparency stepped up a huge notch with the additional tube regulated power supply.


 
  
 Any update on this ? I want to purchase a WA7 but would like to wait until this new power supply is available.


----------



## mediumraresteak

I'm in a bit of a pickle.. my friend recently purchased his first tube amp (WA7) with the Beyer DT990/600 ohm and says he's not sure what the fuss is all about for high end audio gear.  Now of course I'm a bit gobsmacked at his reaction but according to his ears, he can't hear a difference between his laptop sound card, the WA7 dac (D/A), and the amp (through usb setting).  I gave him links of several reviews but to no avail.  Is it his ears or possibly an error in setting up his rig?  He's also listening to music through MOG which I believe are 320 bitrate quality.


----------



## Dogmatrix

mediumraresteak said:


> I'm in a bit of a pickle.. my friend recently purchased his first tube amp (WA7) with the Beyer DT990/600 ohm and says he's not sure what the fuss is all about for high end audio gear.  Now of course I'm a bit gobsmacked at his reaction but according to his ears, he can't hear a difference between his laptop sound card, the WA7 dac (D/A), and the amp (through usb setting).  I gave him links of several reviews but to no avail.  Is it his ears or possibly an error in setting up his rig?  He's also listening to music through MOG which I believe are 320 bitrate quality.


 

 Head fires are enthusiastic people they love their gear and like to talk about it . Enthusiasm leads to a magnification in this case the effectiveness  of an amplifier .
 When one reads a review one gets the impression that the virtues of the equipment in question are clear and profound . Under the light of the outside world these same virtues are seen to be in fact quite subtle .
 Have you're friend listen exclusively to the WA7 set up for a week or two then switch back to the sound card , if he still can't hear a lift in sound quality he can sell the amp and preach to the world about the myth of high end audio .


----------



## Angelbelow

dogmatrix said:


> Head fires are enthusiastic people they love their gear and like to talk about it . Enthusiasm leads to a magnification in this case the effectiveness  of an amplifier .
> When one reads a review one gets the impression that the virtues of the equipment in question are clear and profound . Under the light of the outside world these same virtues are seen to be in fact quite subtle .
> Have you're friend listen exclusively to the WA7 set up for a week or two then switch back to the sound card , if he still can't hear a lift in sound quality he can sell the amp and preach to the world about the myth of high end audio .




Good advice.


----------



## atomicbob

mediumraresteak said:


> I'm in a bit of a pickle.. my friend recently purchased his first tube amp (WA7) with the Beyer DT990/600 ohm and says he's not sure what the fuss is all about for high end audio gear.  Now of course I'm a bit gobsmacked at his reaction but according to his ears, he can't hear a difference between his laptop sound card, the WA7 dac (D/A), and the amp (through usb setting).  I gave him links of several reviews but to no avail.  Is it his ears or possibly an error in setting up his rig?  He's also listening to music through MOG which I believe are 320 bitrate quality.


 
 There are several factors that may be involved. First there is level of attention:
 1. Casual listening - the music is background, in the open space offices it serves to mask conversations of others, at home it may be a secondary stimulation or comfort sound
 2. Moderately engaged listening - listening more intently but still distracted by other stimulus such as answering forum questions while listening to music
 3. Critical listening - attention is focused on listening with distractions eliminated
  
 Second we have training. Some of us have been through programs and apprenticeships where we learned to hear specific details in sound. One course available to all is Dave Moulton's Golden Ears Training.
  
 Third is experience. Exposure to many different systems with varying characteristics, especially at meets where the differences may be experienced A/B, will expand the individual reference. 
  
 Moving from a lesser performing component to one with better characteristics may not always provide an immediate and profound enhanced experience. A/B over time will help. The source material also has a considerable effect on ability to discern differences. While 320 Kbits/S is very good for lossy compression, it may be a limiting factor. Interesting sounds to hear in loss-less, high resolution format are the upper registers of a well tuned, well designed grand piano, bells, triangle, vibraphone, cymbals. Listening for purity of the sounds and lack of smear in space (especially cymbals). Then there are transient sounds of which the snare drum on a rock or jazz kit provides an example. Listen for attack and definition. And then bass, both quantity and quality. I have four excerpts I use for bass alone, they comprise upright bass, electric bass, acoustic bass drum in a large space, and TR808/TR909 synthesized sounds.
  
 Hope that helps. - AB


----------



## Shini44

he guys how does the Shcit Bifrost sound with the WA7 (upgraded tubes)? fun? sparkly treble? does it even count as an upgrade?

 i am done testing the Concero + WA7 , it was smooth, clean yes but wasn't fun what so ever, i enjoyed both of the female vocal and the treble on the WA7's DAC, the concero was like the Yulong D100 MKII but not as warm, yet boring for Mad Dog 3.2 fans, no coloration of fun.

 so what DAC should i go for? i think a new DAC will get me cleaner sound ofc same with concero but i am hoping for something similar to WA7's DAC where i can enjoy the J-pop more. 

 how is the Schit gungnir?


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

I'm afraid you'll have to tell us how much you're willing to spend to get meaningful recommendations.


----------



## Frank I

shini44 said:


> he guys how does the Shcit Bifrost sound with the WA7 (upgraded tubes)? fun? sparkly treble? does it even count as an upgrade?
> 
> i am done testing the Concero + WA7 , it was smooth, clean yes but wasn't fun what so ever, i enjoyed both of the female vocal and the treble on the WA7's DAC, the concero was like the Yulong D100 MKII but not as warm, yet boring for Mad Dog 3.2 fans, no coloration of fun.
> 
> ...


 
 Bryston new dac


----------



## Shini44

frank i said:


> Bryston new dac


 
 the BDA-1 or 2? also i think they will be higher priced than the gungnir  which is 970$ with shipping to Dubai using Fedex :/ i will go for one next month, for now i will collect info, but thanks for the help Frank ^^
  


edmontoncanuck said:


> I'm afraid you'll have to tell us how much you're willing to spend to get meaningful recommendations.


 
 i am don't regret getting anything before, all is part of learning more about the sound etc  and to make my recommendation for others even better :3 

 right now i wana know about the gungnir, i think its not like these Yulong/Sabre kind of dac, the concero was like them but not as warm , still smooth and boring.


----------



## Frank I

shini44 said:


> the BDA-1 or 2? also i think they will be higher priced than the gungnir  which is 970$ with shipping to Dubai using Fedex :/ i will go for one next month, for now i will collect info, but thanks for the help Frank ^^
> 
> i am don't regret getting anything before, all is part of learning more about the sound etc  and to make my recommendation for others even better :3
> 
> right now i wana know about the gungnir, i think its not like these Yulong/Sabre kind of dac, the concero was like them but not as warm , still smooth and boring.


 
  more for sure but it worth the money. The 2 is what I heard in Denver and liked very much


----------



## Shini44

frank i said:


> more for sure but it worth the money. The 2 is what I heard in Denver and liked very much


 
 lol can't add more $$ i am a student after all  i really hope the gungnir will be nice anyway :3


----------



## Frank I

shini44 said:


> lol can't add more $$ i am a student after all  i really hope the gungnir will be nice anyway :3


 
 I hear ya. Work toward it but the Schiit should work for you.


----------



## MaKa13

Some updates on my WA 7 use...
  
 I got it to work with 10.9.1 and I believe I works fine with other versions as well. There seems to be something off with mac os 10.9 and USB devices (I just had not so good experience with creative sound blaster and WA 7 combined with Macbook pro mid 2012 running Maverics).
  
 Now, how it worked for me (for both creative and WA 7).
  
 - Connected my Ultrasharp u2412m to powered USB hub, USB hub goes to macbook pro.
 - Connected both WA 7 and Creative Sound Blaster to the LCD and all work fine. I have no idea why none of them work if connected to the USB hub or directly to the macbook but that is what it is.
  
 I am very happy with WA 7 + LCD 2 so far.


----------



## MaKa13

Android and WA 7, here is a little update on it.
  
 So far I successfully tested Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 edition) with WA 7, work like a charm.
  
 How to:
  

Connected an OTG to Samsung tablet 
Connected the USB type B to USB to the OTG
Tablet sound out changed to the WA 7
  
 Will post about quality comparison (if I get the time) when connected to macbook (via USB) or the tablet (via USB).
  
 Will try Nexus 4 sometime during weekend and post back the result.


----------



## Shini44

hey guys did anyone compare the Treble sparkle on WA7 EH tubes with any SS amp? does the SS amp win in this area?? i really need to know before i end up buying an amp to test myself -.-'' save my WA7 people XD


----------



## olegausany

shini44 said:


> hey guys did anyone compare the Treble sparkle on WA7 EH tubes with any SS amp? does the SS amp win in this area?? i really need to know before i end up buying an amp to test myself -.-'' save my WA7 people XD



Is there anything you don't like with your current setup? I personally have no interest in SS amp. Yes I'm still curious if NAD D1050 can beat DACMagic Plus or can TH900 beat HD800 but have no interest in SS amp


----------



## Zojokkeli

Would this be the all-in-one solution for someone with HD 650's and Momentums? I have Schiit Modi/Vali stack at the moment, but in the future I might want to upgrade and this package seems to have it all: quality, versability, correct price range, simplicity and looks. 
Btw, can you order the WA7 with europlug and appropriate voltage options straight from the manufacturer without hassle?


----------



## olegausany

zojokkeli said:


> Would this be the all-in-one solution for someone with HD 650's and Momentums? I have Schiit Modi/Vali stack at the moment, but in the future I might want to upgrade and this package seems to have it all: quality, versability, correct price range, simplicity and looks.
> Btw, can you order the WA7 with europlug and appropriate voltage options straight from the manufacturer without hassle?



Never heard Momentum but for HD650 it's excellent even with stock tubes


----------



## akhyar

zojokkeli said:


> Would this be the all-in-one solution for someone with HD 650's and Momentums? I have Schiit Modi/Vali stack at the moment, but in the future I might want to upgrade and this package seems to have it all: quality, versability, correct price range, simplicity and looks.
> Btw, can you order the WA7 with europlug and appropriate voltage options straight from the manufacturer without hassle?




On your last questions, they don't come with any power cord and USB cable, so you have to purchase them yourself. It is clearly stated in their website.
As for the appropriate voltage, there is a switch at the bottom of the power supply unit that let you select 115 or 230V, so it is very staright forward.
Can't answer you on the pairing with HD650 and Momentum as I never tried the WA7 with the 2 cans


----------



## olegausany

akhyar said:


> zojokkeli said:
> 
> 
> > Would this be the all-in-one solution for someone with HD 650's and Momentums? I have Schiit Modi/Vali stack at the moment, but in the future I might want to upgrade and this package seems to have it all: quality, versability, correct price range, simplicity and looks.
> ...



Sorry to be repetitive but you will never regret pairing WA7 with HD650


----------



## MickeyVee

I really wasn't impressed with the WA7 and the Momentum. There didn't seem to be any synergy and it sounded better with the Dragonfly.


----------



## Dionysus

Mickey did you dig the WA7 when you owned the HD700?


----------



## olegausany

For me HD700 sound way better than HD650 with WA7, that's why I bought HD700 and sold HD650 right after that


----------



## MickeyVee

Didn't have them at the same time.  Went through a lot of changes in the late summer and pretty much replaced everything. (being the irresponsible HeadFi'er that I am).  Liked the HD700 with the Lyr/Bifrost and I'm sure that I would have liked them with the WA7.
 Now that I've got my end-game DAC.. I'm getting the itch to get the WA7  again (this time in black) and call it a day. Just wish they made an AMP only version.
  
 Quote:


dionysus said:


> Mickey did you dig the WA7 when you owned the HD700?


----------



## moz

Agree with the sentiment above, I do wish there was an AMP-only variant of this device. The DAC is commendable, but not outstanding. Other than that, it's a beautiful piece of hardware.


----------



## Dionysus

mickeyvee said:


>


 

 Thank you


----------



## MickeyVee

Right now, my cheap WA7 amp only replacement is the Schiit Vali until I can go Woo again, either the WA7 or WA6 - gotta have Woo tubes!
  
 Quote:


moz said:


>


----------



## Frank I

mickeyvee said:


>


 
 LOL Misisng the tubes eh Mick


----------



## MickeyVee

The Vali is a tube amp 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Pretty nice in fact for the low $ - missing the beauty of the Woo tubes
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 Quote:


frank i said:


>


----------



## Frank I

I am losing most of the Woo amps except my WA5 which I own. Jack getting his all back next week.  I have that one and that is all I really need for the main listening room and upstairs I will  review units for a while until i like something strong enough to buy it.


----------



## hydesg

when will the tube power supply be released?


----------



## Frank I

You need to send Jack an email on that. last time I asked him it the first quarter. I finished my consulting gig there.


----------



## tl13m

Today I'm sudden noticed the right side is louder. To determine the problem was HE-500 or WA7, I have tested with Icon HDP and used the USB mode of WA7 ==> the problem is WA7 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I did swap the tubes to see if the left will louder because my WA7 have one tube brigher than other ==> same result, the right side still louder.
  
 I also try to test with some IEMs, the problem present with IEM slightly less than full can.
  
 Have anyone experience this issue with WA7 or other amp? Is it normal or I should return for warranty?
  
 Current I have to change the soundcard balance setting to 100 for the Left and 80 for the Right
  
 Thanks


----------



## akhyar

tl13m said:


> Today I'm sudden noticed the right side is louder. To determine the problem was HE-500 or WA7, I have tested with Icon HDP and used the USB mode of WA7 ==> the problem is WA7
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 It's not normal.
 Once the tubes have cool down, do switch the tubes and check whether the left side now become louder or still the right side louder.
 If the left side now louder, could be one of your tube is failing.
  
 If still the right side louder, maybe send them back for warranty purpose if your still can't trouble-shoot the problem


----------



## tl13m

Thanks, I did swap the tubes, still have same problem


----------



## groovyd

same thing happened to me about 2 months after buying the WA7 turns out the EH tube went bad.  no warrantee by Woo so I went a little nuts and bought out as many other tubes as I could find to hopefully last me forever.  stock up since this tube type is end of life.  it is actually a very special tube and the history and properties of it are impressive.  very difficult to make apparently with low yield.  i think the more recent productions of it were of very low quality.


----------



## akhyar

groovyd said:


> same thing happened to me about 2 months after buying the WA7 turns out the EH tube went bad.  no warrantee by Woo so I went a little nuts and bought out as many other tubes as I could find to hopefully last me forever.  stock up since this tube type is end of life.  it is actually a very special tube and the history and properties of it are impressive.  very difficult to make apparently with low yield.  i think the more recent productions of it were of very low quality.


 
  
 That's a bummer...
 The only place that I know that is still selling the EH tubes is Woo Audio.
 Other 6c45 tubes that I can find online are either the NOS Reflector or cryo-treated Reflector which cost a bomb.
 Even the stock Sovtek are also getting difficult to find online.


----------



## PleasantSounds

akhyar said:


> That's a bummer...
> The only place that I know that is still selling the EH tubes is Woo Audio.
> Other 6c45 tubes that I can find online are either the NOS Reflector or cryo-treated Reflector which cost a bomb.
> Even the stock Sovtek are also getting difficult to find online.


 
  
 I got a pair of the cryo-treated Reflektors from tubeman.com for $80, which is cheaper than getting EH from Woo. They sell them individually but if you ask in the order they can match them at no extra charge. 
  
 Regarding the channel imbalance discussed earlier: looks like the unit is faulty, but there's a few more tests to do:
 - What if you use the WA7 as amp only? 
 - Use the WA7 DAC output to another amp 
 - Try flicking the input selector switch a few times
 - Check if it happens on both low and high gain


----------



## Dionysus

I email woo audio regarding the upgraded power supply as I have been interested in buying the WA7, and received the following response from Jack. 


The new PSU is delayed. It may be available in late March.

Thanks,
Jack


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

dionysus said:


> I email woo audio regarding the upgraded power supply as I have been interested in buying the WA7, and received the following response from Jack.
> 
> 
> The new PSU is delayed. It may be available in late March.
> ...




Although I've heard the upgrade price is $300 for the new PSU, I haven't heard what the difference in price would be to buy the WA7 now and upgrade later vs waiting for the PSU to be released. Perhaps it might be worth it to just jump in now rather than wait. Perhaps in the end it would amount to the same cost and you're waiting needlessly?


----------



## JoelT

dionysus said:


> I email woo audio regarding the upgraded power supply as I have been interested in buying the WA7, and received the following response from Jack.
> 
> 
> The new PSU is delayed. It may be available in late March.
> ...


 
  
 Pity. Though I can't say I find the WA7 to be lacking as-is. Still, I'm looking forward to the new PSU. My wallet probably doesn't mind a break.


----------



## tl13m

pleasantsounds said:


> I got a pair of the cryo-treated Reflektors from tubeman.com for $80, which is cheaper than getting EH from Woo. They sell them individually but if you ask in the order they can match them at no extra charge.
> 
> Regarding the channel imbalance discussed earlier: looks like the unit is faulty, but there's a few more tests to do:
> - What if you use the WA7 as amp only?
> ...


 
  
 I did try these tests but no luck 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Thanks


----------



## tl13m

tl13m said:


> Today I'm sudden noticed the right side is louder. To determine the problem was HE-500 or WA7, I have tested with Icon HDP and used the USB mode of WA7 ==> the problem is WA7
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'v returned my WA7 to the shop this morning for checkup, surprisedly, the sound is balanced 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. But when I came home, the sound went to imbalance again 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
  
 I suspect the power cable may be the problem? so I swap with the Icon HDP cable ==> still have the problem.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Is it possible other interference? What should I do now?


----------



## PleasantSounds

tl13m said:


> I'v returned my WA7 to the shop this morning for checkup, surprisedly, the sound is balanced
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Can you try another source of signal? Looks like this could be your problem.


----------



## tl13m

pleasantsounds said:


> Can you try another source of signal? Looks like this could be your problem.


 
 I did try with other RCA and USB mode (test with 1 stock cable and 1 cable $25), these things work fine with my Icon HDP 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Thanks


----------



## groovyd

Looks like you are going to have to tear the WA7 open and take some pictures so we can sort this out properly


----------



## Crashem

Are the Western Electric WE-437A usable as well?  If so, has anyone tried them.  One of the tube retailers said that Sovtek 6C45PI was the same as the WE-437A.


----------



## PleasantSounds

crashem said:


> Are the Western Electric WE-437A usable as well?  If so, has anyone tried them.  One of the tube retailers said that Sovtek 6C45PI was the same as the WE-437A.


 
  
 Based on what I was able to establish, they are compatible and should work, but may not be as good as 6C45p.


----------



## mediumraresteak

What do you fellow head-fiers put for the headphone setting on Windows (if it matters) or watching a movie: 2.0 Stereo or 5.1/7.1 Surround Sound?  Or what's your file preference if given a choice of a FLAC in Stereo or 5.1?


----------



## tl13m

mediumraresteak said:


> What do you fellow head-fiers put for the headphone setting on Windows (if it matters) or watching a movie: 2.0 Stereo or 5.1/7.1 Surround Sound?


 
 IMO,  only 2 modes work best for headphone is 2.0 or Headphone mode ==> I prefer 2.0 mode as the sound more dynamic.
  
I only use 5.1/ 7.1 mode with compatible headphone (gaming headphone support 5.1/7.1, use direct from sound card)
  
 Under 2.0 or Headphone mode, you can enable 3D function for movie & game, however, the surround sound is not good as a true 5.1/7.1 compatible headphone.
  
 Cheers


----------



## mikroski

Need some opinion from WA7 owners. Does any one try WA7 with Audio Technica woodies?
  
 I'm using X3 DAP for my ATH-W1000 and ATH-ESW11LTD now. Just order ATH-W5000, so I'm looking for an addition amp. WA7 has a very good reviews, and most important thing, its look has highest WAF.
  
 I listen to female vocal and jazz mostly, may be only 10% on classical. I love the lush sound of my rig now but want some more details. Do you think WA7 and AT is a good match?
  
 Thanks


----------



## 282432

mikroski said:


> Need some opinion from WA7 owners. Does any one try WA7 with Audio Technica woodies?
> 
> I'm using X3 DAP for my ATH-W1000 and ATH-ESW11LTD now. Just order ATH-W5000, so I'm looking for an addition amp. WA7 has a very good reviews, and most important thing, its look has highest WAF.
> 
> ...



I'm rocking the W3000ANV with the WA7 and i would say the pairing is heavenly.


----------



## mikroski

tjcheong said:


> I'm rocking the W3000ANV with the WA7 and i would say the pairing is heavenly.


 

 Thanks for comment. I hope that WA7 and W5000 will produce a good female vocal. I will check with dealer, whether they have any demo  unit or not.


----------



## Shini44

hey guys i really need to know, is the WA7's DAC what should we call Neutral/Bright/Slightly bright? which one? so i know which DAC to go for atm, i can go for the Schit gungnir

 but i am afraid taht the WA7's dac is slightly bright then i will end up getting something different :< but in case its neutral then i guess i will be fine. 

 so how do we describe the WA7's DAC? and thanks people ^^


----------



## Frank I

I would not describe the WA7 as bright more toward neutral and musical.  Not overly warm


----------



## Shini44

frank i said:


> I would not describe the WA7 as bright more toward neutral and musical.  Not overly warm


 
 wow nice, atm i am enjoying my UM Mentor CIEM's treble/mids, the mids sound warm and nice and the Treble is extended and fun, 

 so going for a Schit gungnir won't be a bad idea after all? and thanks for the help, i am located in Dubai and can't demo anything :<


----------



## mikroski

Went to shop today, since my W5000 still in shipping process. I can only try WA7 with my ATH-ESW11LTD.
  
 First thing in my mind after listen WA7 is that, this is a very interesting amp. It doesn't has mellow and warm sound like the ordinary good tube amp. I has Cary tube amp in my two channels for some times, Cary has a typical tube amp sound but not WA7.
  
 I spend three hours with this amp today.
  
 WA7 is not that mellow sound, when listen to contemporary jazz, or album like "Friday Night Live in San Francisco", speed is very good and have fun factor. Bass is very good, tight and deep. High is also superb, sparkle from vibraphone of "jazz at the pawnshop" and details from piano of Oscar Peterson, Gene Harris album make me stunt for the good details but not harsh at all.
  
 The most special thing from this amp is at female vocal. The singer just in the front of the band clearly, very well match with my woodies.
  
 this is not a typical tube amp. There's some thing about WA7 that I would like all music lover have a chance to try it.
  
 Result from my audition today?
  
 During I typing this post, I'm listening to Celtic Woman album on my sofa from ....


----------



## SuPrbly

WOOHOOO!! Just got confirmation my WA7 shipped!! I've been breaking in my new HD800 getting ready for this.


----------



## eelton

I'll be curious to hear your impressions.  I also have HD800s and a WA7 on the way.
  
  
 Quote:


suprbly said:


> WOOHOOO!! Just got confirmation my WA7 shipped!! I've been breaking in my new HD800 getting ready for this.


----------



## groovyd

Holy Jesus almighty the LCD-X sounds ridiculously amazing via the McIntosh D100 -> WA7 combo.  Almost surreal.


----------



## akhyar

groovyd said:


> Holy Jesus almighty the LCD-X sounds ridiculously amazing via the McIntosh D100 -> WA7 combo.  Almost surreal.


 
  
 Isn't the McIntosh D100 almost cost the same as the WA7 and LCD-X combined?


----------



## SuPrbly

eelton said:


>


 
 Will do!


----------



## SuPrbly

Just got the WA7 in, however I am kinda disappointed, because they forgot to send me the EH tubes which I payed for.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I have an email into woo hopefully they will get back with me soon. In the mean time here we go stock tubes!!


----------



## SuPrbly

For everyone that is thinking of getting the WA7, the EH upgrade tubes are on backorder. Mr. woo told me that it will be around April when they receive them.


----------



## olegausany

Still have for sale WA7 with stock as well as EH tubes


----------



## groovyd

question is where is he getting them from?  Unless they are re-running a batch at the Sovtek factory in Russia they are out of production and out of stock everywhere I looked and I looked pretty hard.  The only difference between the EH and the still in production Sovteks is the pins are gold plated though.  This was told to me by the guy in the factory who actually makes them, believe it if you will.


----------



## SuPrbly

Don't get me wrong it still sounds great , and I've only had it running for about 4 hours. But I would like to get ever once of audiophile goodness out of it! 
  
@groovyd I have no idea where he is getting them, Someone posted earlier in this thread that there is a good alternative.


----------



## SuPrbly




----------



## groovyd

nice setup Suprbly, sure you are going get some love out of the WA7 once you get the tubes burned in good.  Just order more Sovteks or better yet some NOS cryos.


----------



## SuPrbly

groovyd said:


> nice setup Suprbly, sure you are going get some love out of the WA7 once you get the tubes burned in good.  Just order more Sovteks or better yet some NOS cryos.


 
 Whats the web site for the NOS cyros?


----------



## smellyfungus

suprbly said:


> Whats the web site for the NOS cyros?


 
 http://tubeman.com/item452.htm
  
 dont forget to asked for a matched pair.
  
 i will say that after giving them a good amount of the time then going back to the EH, i think i prefer the EH. the clarity is hard to beat.
  
 the cryo is good for a very smooth listen but the EH is more dynamic.
  
 if anyone wants to buy my cryos off me shoot me an offer. they were around $85 shipped.


----------



## mikroski

I consider to buy upgrade tube. But I already enjoy the silky smooth sound from WA7 with my Audio Technica woodies.
  
 If I change to upgrade tube, will it still have smooth and lush sound? Or it will sound more detail and clarity like high end audiophile gear?
  
 Please kindly give me some recommendation
  
 Thanks


----------



## Dogmatrix

I have run my WA7 on the EH , Sovtek and Reflektor tubes currently running 1978 Reflektor
 Although I have noticed some differences in the character of new tubes once the tubes have settled I can no longer detect a difference


----------



## Crashem

Any ideas on current delivery times? How long did it take people to get their wa7s recently?


----------



## SuPrbly

@smellyfungus Would you say the cryos are better than the stock tubes?
  
@Crashem I got mine in about 2 weeks.


----------



## smellyfungus

suprbly said:


> @smellyfungus Would you say the cryos are better than the stock tubes?
> 
> @Crashem I got mine in about 2 weeks.


 
  
 I think it really depends on what you pair it with. If I were being simple about it EH>Cryos>>Stock but I only have one headphone to compare.

 Cryos are in between the EH and stock in terms of clarity/detail vs smoothness. Bass is controlled best with the EH, stock is boomy for me, and cryos in between.
  
 So yeah the sig of yours cans and the sound you're looking for would decide what's best.

 The change between stock to cryo isn't as big as either to the EH though.


----------



## eelton

I got my WA7 today, with the EH tubes (I bought it used).  It's certainly a beautiful, well-constructed device.
  
 I came into this a skeptic with respect to the tube vs. solid state issue, and I'm also a newbie when it comes to the high-end headphone hobby, so take this with a grain of salt...
  
 I currently have both the WA7 and my Schiit Asgard 2 set up side by side, and I've been switching back and forth using my Sennheiser HD800s.  I don't think I can tell a definite difference between the two amps.  Maybe I can try to talk myself into thinking the WA7 is a tad less harsh with sibilant songs, but if it's really any different, it's subtle.  The WA7 certainly sounds great in absolute terms, but I'm just not sure it's *better.*
  
 Obviously, I need to give this more time before drawing any real conclusions.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

eelton said:


> I got my WA7 today, with the EH tubes (I bought it used).  It's certainly a beautiful, well-constructed device.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


Congrats! WA7 is a great amp.


----------



## mikroski

Woodies love Wooooooooooo
  
 My WA7 already pass 70 hours, I think it stable now. Sound very smooth with a little lush, so I can listen for very long time.


----------



## shultzee

Has anyone bought a wa7 from Audio Advisor?   I see they are a Woo authorized dealer and also keep the wa7 in stock.


----------



## Blueshound24

I was considering getting the WA7 from AudioAdvisor as well


----------



## Blueshound24

However I have the HE-500 and was also considering the Lyr, Burson 1793, EF-5 and Violectic V200 Can't make up my mind


----------



## George Chronis

shultzee said:


> Has anyone bought a wa7 from Audio Advisor?   I see they are a Woo authorized dealer and also keep the wa7 in stock.


 
 They don't have the best reviews on reseller ratings, but they're not too bad either: http://www.resellerratings.com/store/Audio_Advisor


----------



## Frank I

Audio Advisor is a great dealer. I been buying from them since the early 90's. Free shipping and a 30 day no restock fee charge.. Cant go wrong with that .


----------



## genpatton7

Really looking forward to receiving the WA7 soon. I just have a question for those pairing low impedance headphones with the WA7, such as the 25 ohm D7000 and TH900: which jack/output do you use? 

I've read the 1/8 "IEM" jack has an output impedance of 23 ohms, so I'm assuming that suits low impedance headphones better than the 36 ohm output of the 1/4. But, I'd prefer to ditch the 1/8 adapter and hook up my D7000 directly to the 1/4 jack.


----------



## jaboki

Where are most of you guys purchasing the wa7? I'm in the market


----------



## akhyar

genpatton7 said:


> Really looking forward to receiving the WA7 soon. I just have a question for those pairing low impedance headphones with the WA7, such as the 25 ohm D7000 and TH900: which jack/output do you use?
> 
> I've read the 1/8 "IEM" jack has an output impedance of 23 ohms, so I'm assuming that suits low impedance headphones better than the 36 ohm output of the 1/4. But, I'd prefer to ditch the 1/8 adapter and hook up my D7000 directly to the 1/4 jack.


 
  
 For my TH600, I'm still using the 1/4" jack but I change the rear impedance switch to LO-Z
 I've never done A-B comparison, but if I plug-in the TH600 to 1/8" jack, I ended up have to crank volume knob more


----------



## SuPrbly

I've got about 80 hours now on the WA7 with the stock tubes, I have to say it keeps getting better and better. The sound through my HD800 were fatiguing at first, but now the soundstage is bigger the separation is better and yesterday I wore the HD800 for 5hrs, no fatigue what so ever!! 
  
@genpatton7 I would probably use the 1/4", however I have used the UE900's which are IEM's and it drove them beautifully through the 1/8" output! Just FYI!!


----------



## Shini44

suprbly said:


> I've got about 80 hours now on the WA7 with the stock tubes, I have to say it keeps getting better and better. The sound through my HD800 were fatiguing at first, but now the soundstage is bigger the separation is better and yesterday I wore the HD800 for 5hrs, no fatigue what so ever!!
> 
> @genpatton7 I would probably use the 1/4", however I have used the UE900's which are IEM's and it drove them beautifully through the 1/8" output! Just FYI!!


 
 mate the EH tubes are billion times better than the stock tubes, unless you are after a warm musical sound sig with less details/dynamic/micro epicness,


----------



## SuPrbly

They are on backorder


----------



## shultzee

blueshound24 said:


> I was considering getting the WA7 from AudioAdvisor as well


 
 Well I ordered a WA7 from AudioAdvisor this am at 10:00 and got a shipping confirmation at 2:30.  Said they had both black and silver in stock.  Seems crazy to wait two weeks from WOO.  Hope I don't jinx myself lol.  Anyway , they seem like a reputable company and they are a authorized Woo dealer.


----------



## George Chronis

That's good to know. I got mine used today as well from another forum member here. I would have bought new from AudioAdvisor, but I wanted the EH tubes. AudioAdvisor is not stocking those, are they?


----------



## shultzee

george chronis said:


> That's good to know. I got mine used today as well from another forum member here. I would have bought new from AudioAdvisor, but I wanted the EH tubes. AudioAdvisor is not stocking those, are they?


 
 No just the stock tubes.  I did order a set of Sovtek 6c45 cryo matched pair from tubeman.com.  Will try those until Woo gets the EH's back in.  Congrats on your purchase.


----------



## George Chronis

shultzee said:


> No just the stock tubes.  I did order a set of Sovtek 6c45 cryo matched pair from tubeman.com.  Will try those until Woo gets the EH's back in.  Congrats on your purchase.


 
 And same to you. Can't wait to plug in the X's and do a comparison with the new Mjolnir


----------



## olegausany

Silver with both stock and EH tubes still available


----------



## George Chronis

olegausany said:


> Silver with both stock and EH tubes still available


 
 I believe what this guy is offering is a pretty good deal as well. It's similar to what I got. You'll get it quick, save a couple of hundred $, and won't have to wait until at least April for the EH tubes. I contacted Jack directly and he said the EH tubes will be in stock again in April. Plus the WA7 will be broken in and if you don't like it, you can resell without losing much. I am actually considering buying another one for the bedroom, but I want to see what it sounds like first and sell my WA6.


----------



## daveyston23

Just wondering if anybody could offer a comparison between T1 and T90 with WA7?
  
 Thanks in advance for any input!


----------



## HiFiGuy528

mikroski said:


> Woodies love Wooooooooooo
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


Nice collection of AT cans. Beautiful shot BTW. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

blueshound24 said:


> I was considering getting the WA7 from AudioAdvisor as well



 


I've purchased many items from Audio Advisor throughout the years. First Class seller!


----------



## daveyston23

daveyston23 said:


> Just wondering if anybody could offer a comparison between T1 and T90 with WA7?
> 
> Thanks in advance for any input!


 
  
 .


----------



## shultzee

Well ordered my WA7 from Audioadvisor.com Monday morning and got it today.  The salesman said to just go with free shipping and I would probably get in in two days and I did,  Amazing.    Am loving this amp with my HD700's.  Time to start breaking this puppy in .


----------



## George Chronis

shultzee said:


> Well ordered my WA7 from Audioadvisor.com Monday morning and got it today.  The salesman said to just go with free shipping and I would probably get in in two days and I did,  Amazing.    Am loving this amp with my HD700's.  Time to start breaking this puppy in .


 
 Enjoy...


----------



## shultzee

Thanks George.  let me know what you think when you get yours.   I am very impressed with the wa7.


----------



## Crashem

Now I am depressed I ordered mine from woo direct. 2 weeks and now shipped out on Tuesday. Won't arrive to California until Tuesday next week. Thanks!


----------



## Dionysus

shultzee said:


> Well ordered my WA7 from Audioadvisor.com Monday morning and got it today.  The salesman said to just go with free shipping and I would probably get in in two days and I did,  Amazing.    Am loving this amp with my HD700's.  Time to start breaking this puppy in .




Great to hear, by chance did you order the upgraded tubes? And where they in stock? Additionally was the price negotiable or did you pay the same price as the Woo site. Thx in advance.


----------



## shultzee

Same price as the woo site.  They don't stock the EH upgraded tubes but Woo is also out till April.  I will say the stock tubes sound pretty amazing though.


----------



## Dionysus

shultzee said:


> Same price as the woo site.  They don't stock the EH upgraded tubes but Woo is also out till April.  I will say the stock tubes sound pretty amazing though.




Great to hear that the stock tubes sound good. Thx for the quick response, enjoy.


----------



## akhyar

dionysus said:


> Great to hear that the stock tubes sound good. Thx for the quick response, enjoy.




If you want to tube rolling while waiting for the EH from Woo audio, can also order NOS Reflector from eBay. Should cost you less than $40/pair with shipping from Russia or Ukraine


----------



## George Chronis

crashem said:


> Now I am depressed I ordered mine from woo direct. 2 weeks and now shipped out on Tuesday. Won't arrive to California until Tuesday next week. Thanks!



Yeah, but yours is more fresh


----------



## Crashem

george chronis said:


> Yeah, but yours is more fresh




Too bad "fresh" isn't necessarily a good thing when it comes to equipment that likes time to beak in. Enjoy your wa7. I'm going to listen to mine on lcd-x as well. B interested in comparing notes.


----------



## SuPrbly

Im hoping to get some of my impressions of the WA7 with HD800  and the HE500 some time this weekend. This horse is probably been beaten to death, but maybe its a "for what its worth" kinda of thing!!


----------



## Frank I

suprbly said:


> Im hoping to get some of my impressions of the WA7 with HD800  and the HE500 some time this weekend. This horse is probably been beaten to death, but maybe its a "for what its worth" kinda of thing!!


 
 its a cow


----------



## George Chronis

Someone (in this thread I believe) had asked about the insides of WA7. Well, there's something tiny rattling inside the one I just had delivered today, so I'm about to crack it open. Jack is using security torx screws and it seems like a T20. I have a T25 and T30, so I'm going to the store in a bit. Since I will open it up to see what that thing is, are you still interested in pictures? And do you know that there is any rule against posting pictures of the inside of an amp that I own?


----------



## akhyar

george chronis said:


> Someone (in this thread I believe) had asked about the insides of WA7. Well, there's something tiny rattling inside the one I just had delivered today, so I'm about to crack it open. Jack is using security torx screws and it seems like a T20. I have a T25 and T30, so I'm going to the store in a bit. Since I will open it up to see what that thing is, are you still interested in pictures? And do you know that there is any rule against posting pictures of the inside of an amp that I own?


 
  
 Do post some pictures of the innards.
 The rattling sounds could also be the square plate on top of the amp, which is secured to the amp using some magnets.


----------



## groovyd

Good pictures from all angles or it never happened 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Macro settings on all circuitry


----------



## George Chronis

Hahaha. Ok, ok. Haven't gotten to it, yet. Will do in a bit...


----------



## groovyd

if you get good enough shots of the DAC card up close i got a world class hardware engineer who might be able to work out a DAC upgrade...  i am also curious about removing the gain reduction on the 3.5 plug if possible.  trying to run Ety ER4s from it and they need more power then the mini jack is giving.


----------



## George Chronis

Ok, I'll do my best. Still wrapping up work here...


----------



## George Chronis

Hm... that's not a normal security torx, folks. None of the bits work. I looked closer and torx is a 6 star. The ones Jack has on there are 7 star. I'm thinking he probably had those manufactured along with the case and he's got a special key made to unscrew them. Now I really want to get into it. What's the big secret? I have a friend in a CNC facility and we'll make a key, I guess.
  
 Anyway, the rattling thing is not the top. I took the magnetic top off and it's still rattling. It sounds like something tiny and I'm sure it's fine. I just want to get it out. If it's metal, I don't want it shorting anything. I'd send it to Woo, but I don't want to pay shipping both ways and wait for days. I'll get this thing figured out and then take some pictures.
  
 If anyone knows if this is a standard security screw, please let me know.


----------



## groovyd

sounds like the same screw apple uses in their products... think iFixit has the driver for it.


----------



## groovyd

https://www.newelectronx.com/join-email-list.php?letter_id=7+Point+Star+CATV+Security+Access+Tool+SLTT2LC1&lettertype=HTML&pageaction=browse


----------



## George Chronis

groovyd said:


> https://www.newelectronx.com/join-email-list.php?letter_id=7+Point+Star+CATV+Security+Access+Tool+SLTT2LC1&lettertype=HTML&pageaction=browse



Thanks for this. Ordering now


----------



## George Chronis

groovyd said:


> sounds like the same screw apple uses in their products... think iFixit has the driver for it.



I'm pretty sure apple uses the 6 star security torx. I have this here already


----------



## George Chronis

This is what was inside. Seems like a piece of glue or something. No big deal. Probably got knocked off during transport. I ordered this other key, but I doubt it's the right one. It doesn't look like it matches exactly. Anyway, we shall see when it comes in. If it works, I'm getting in! I'm also missing 3 out of 4 slip pads. I emailed Jack to buy some more. Hopefully I can. If anyone is not using theirs, I'll buy them. I'll do some comparisons with the Mjolnir and the WA6 tomorrow. I'll try the LCD-X, HD650 and K701 on it.


----------



## bobjane

I'm also interested in seeing the insides. Looking forward to your photos!


----------



## George Chronis

Yeah, no wonder nobody has posted these, yet. This 7 point torx is apparently made by one company and used for CATV boxes. I think I'll find golden coins inside the WA7.


----------



## atomicbob

daveyston23 said:


> Just wondering if anybody could offer a comparison between T1 and T90 with WA7?
> 
> Thanks in advance for any input!


 
 There are comparisons of the T1 and T90 in the T90 thread.
 I have both and the WA7. The T1 has a somewhat better sound stage, is a little more refined in presentation, a little less prominent on the highs. I am keeping both as they each have their respective sonic signatures which I appreciate. If I was forced to keep only one, it would be the T90. The T90 works well with my ears and spends a lot of time on my head, with the HD800 a close second behind it. Then the T1 and occasionally the HE-500. But that is for my ears. Others would rank differently. Your best bet is to hear candidate cans at a meet if possible and decide for yourself.


----------



## mikroski

Hi,
  
 I connect notebook to WA7, there are a lot of output options in Jriver
  
 1. ASIO for C-Media USB Device, it play the song but show 24/96 input to 16/96 output
  
 2. TUSB Audio ASIO Driver, not play song, show error message "Play back could not be started on output ASIO using the format 96kHz-2ch"
  
 3.WASAPI, not play, show same error text
  
 4. Direct Sound, play song with correct input/output details (in = 24/96, out = 24/96)
  
 5. USB 2.0 High Speed True HD Stereo (Direct Sound), play song but some time show (in = 24/96, out = 24/96), some time show (in = 24/96, out =32/96).
  
 Please kindly suggest which option will have the best sound. My notebook use Windows 8.1. My Headphones are ATH-W1000, ATH-W5000 and ATH-ESW11LTD
  
 Thanks


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Woo Audio just posted a picture of their upcoming WA7 PSU on their Facebook page.


----------



## daveyston23

atomicbob said:


> There are comparisons of the T1 and T90 in the T90 thread.
> I have both and the WA7. The T1 has a somewhat better sound stage, is a little more refined in presentation, a little less prominent on the highs. I am keeping both as they each have their respective sonic signatures which I appreciate. If I was forced to keep only one, it would be the T90. The T90 works well with my ears and spends a lot of time on my head, with the HD800 a close second behind it. Then the T1 and occasionally the HE-500. But that is for my ears. Others would rank differently. Your best bet is to hear candidate cans at a meet if possible and decide for yourself.


 
  
 Thanks for the advice atomicbob. Unfortunately (or fortunately), impatience got the better of me, and I've acquired the T1 since that original post. I have to say that my noob audiophile ears hear differently to yours. I favour the T1s on the WA7 quite alot more than the T90. To my ears, the T1+WA7 combo is better in nearly all aspects, so much so that I can't go back to the T90+WA7 anymore. The only areas where I think the T90+WA7 bests the T1+WA7 is in bass slam and airiness.


----------



## Dionysus

hifiguy528 said:


> Woo Audio just posted a picture of their upcoming WA7 PSU on their Facebook page.


 
 So what is expected or the benefit of this new PSU with regards to WA7?


----------



## akhyar

^ interested to know too


----------



## atomicbob

daveyston23 said:


> Thanks for the advice atomicbob. Unfortunately (or fortunately), impatience got the better of me, and I've acquired the T1 since that original post. I have to say that my noob audiophile ears hear differently to yours. I favour the T1s on the WA7 quite alot more than the T90. To my ears, the T1+WA7 combo is better in nearly all aspects, so much so that I can't go back to the T90+WA7 anymore. The only areas where I think the T90+WA7 bests the T1+WA7 is in bass slam and airiness.


Well there you go. Exactly why all the writings and descriptions are only somewhat useful as a guide, but it is so important to hear for oneself. Personal preference combined with how different are our ears (Human Auditory System) will result in different experiences with any particular headphone.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

dionysus said:


> So what is expected or the benefit of this new PSU with regards to WA7?


 
  
 Haven't heard it yet so I can't say.  It's just a pic they posted on FB.


----------



## saer

dionysus said:


> So what is expected or the benefit of this new PSU with regards to WA7?


 
  
 http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/show-report-canjam-at-rocky-mountain-audio-fest-2013-part-2/?page=9
  
 Also found this mentioned on another thread here from canjam:
  
_"The power supply is all tube regulated. It had 2 12AU7 in there and they were stock tubes. The sound quality when I AB the stock solid state supply and the Tube were like when  Simon switched from the solid state to the Tube supply. The sound stage expanded vboth in front and back and side to side wothh. More air and seperation in instruments and the transparency if you can believe, stepped up another class. I highly recommend ordering the supply for 300.00, it is well worth the money and imagine the tube rolling you can do. I for one would use RCA clear tops which ar elike 25.00 each. "_


----------



## Shini44

i wish someone can comment on the EH tubes with the new PSU.


----------



## mikroski

One Question,
  
 Which one has a warmer sound EH tube or stock tube?


----------



## Shini44

mikroski said:


> One Question,
> 
> Which one has a warmer sound EH tube or stock tube?


 
 stock ofc, way warmer too...


----------



## smellyfungus

dionysus said:


> So what is expected or the benefit of this new PSU with regards to WA7?


 
 blowing a ton of cash on tube rolling is what i expect.
  
 hope there's a preorder special like the wa7 had.


----------



## mikroski

shini44 said:


> stock ofc, way warmer too...


 

 Thanks, so I think I will keep using stock tube


----------



## Shini44

smellyfungus said:


> blowing a ton of cash on tube rolling is what i expect.
> 
> hope there's a preorder special like the wa7 had.


 
 you mean we will be able to use more tube options? like the Orange tube with more Treble, forgot the name   or these good DJ8 something

 or did i just misunderstand u? XD


----------



## Frank I

The difference is more transparency and liquidity6 with the 12Au7 power supply. I head it in Denver and did the AB comparisons and it was a step up and gives oyu many tube rolling options for an inexpensive and readily available tube


----------



## Hordsak

My cat seems to like my new WA7 lol!
  
 http://imgur.com/YcIApgr


----------



## akhyar

^ your cat shares your good taste


----------



## atomicbob

hordsak said:


> My cat seems to like my new WA7 lol!
> 
> http://imgur.com/YcIApgr


Great picture! My cat enjoys sitting in my lap while I listen to music with my WA7 and T90.


----------



## saer

hordsak said:


> My cat seems to like my new WA7 lol!
> 
> http://imgur.com/YcIApgr


 
 Cute cat!
  
 It really is too bad they don't offer the smoked glass anymore, would really love to have a black unit with smoked glass


----------



## akhyar

^ agreed.
If they still offer the smoked glass, I would have ordered the black WA7, instead of silver WA7 that I'm using now


----------



## V-Duh

I agree as well.  I was lucky enough to get a black unit with smoked glass.  However, as the new PSU's will not have the smoked glass the combo will look a bit disjointed.
 Ho hum...


----------



## mediumraresteak

Is the new PSU an addon external to the WA7 or is it being incorporated into the unit?  I was hoping to buy the PSU separately without any serious modding for my current unit.


----------



## Dionysus

mediumraresteak said:


> Is the new PSU an addon external to the WA7 or is it being incorporated into the unit?  I was hoping to buy the PSU separately without any serious modding for my current unit.


 

 Its an external power supply.....
 pictured here.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/649097/woo-hoooo-wa7-fireflies/1095#post_10317287


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Warren said Woo may have the PSU at his table at the L.A. meet.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/694899/official-2014-socal-head-fi-meet-march-22-2014-westin-south-coast-plaza


----------



## Crashem

Just got my wa7. Put in the cryogenic 6c45pi first. Any reason to roll the stock tubes? Or is cryo better all around?

Doing some comparisons between wa7 dac and chord hugo dac as well as direct comparison between hugo and wa7 and combos.


----------



## akhyar

crashem said:


> Just got my wa7. Put in the cryogenic 6c45pi first. Any reason to roll the stock tubes? Or is cryo better all around?
> 
> Doing some comparisons between wa7 dac and chord hugo dac as well as direct comparison between hugo and wa7 and combos.


 
  
 Congrats!
 From impressions by some of the users, seem like SQ wise:
 EH Gold pins > Cryo > Stock = NOS Reflector (in descending order).


----------



## Crashem

akhyar said:


> Congrats!
> From impressions by some of the users, seem like SQ wise:
> EH Gold pins > Cryo > Stock = NOS Reflector (in descending order).




Think it's worth trying to get my hands on we437?


----------



## akhyar

crashem said:


> Think it's worth trying to get my hands on we437?


 
  
 I haven't come across any review or user impression on we437.
 Most of us here stick to 6c45 tubes


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

Why does that recently posted pic of the tube power supply have a volume knob? There isn't going to be a volume knob on the PSU is there?


----------



## JoelT

edmontoncanuck said:


> Why does that recently posted pic of the tube power supply have a volume knob? There isn't going to be a volume knob on the PSU is there?


 
 My guess is that it will be a rotating on/off switch, such as with the WA6-SE:
  
http://www.wooaudio.com/images/fullsize/wa6se-2.jpg


----------



## shultzee

Got the matched 6c45 cryo treated tubes from tubeman.com .    Very nice.  To me they have a wider soundstage and the sound is crisper.  Not sure how else to describe them.  I definetly think they are worth it over the stock tubes. I did like the stock tubes as well but these take things up a notch.


----------



## mikroski

mikroski said:


> Hi,
> 
> I connect notebook to WA7, there are a lot of output options in Jriver
> 
> ...


 

 Just want to share with anyone that have same problem. To make it short
  
 My problem is, playing from Jriver, output always 16 bit (ASIO mode), every album, 24/96, 24/192, 32/192 are all out at 16.

 I'm try to find the answer from Jriver web board, but most of answer there are "your DAC is not have enough capacity to support bit rate"

 I just found the solution yesterday, WA7 driver has default setting at 16 bit in JRiver. I change to 32 bit and problem solved.

 Tools -> Option -> Device Settings -> Device Control Panel -> set to 32 bit.


----------



## Hordsak

Ok, I just picked up a used (absolutely MINT condition) set of HD650's.  I'm enjoying these a lot more than I thought I would.  I got them for a steal, so I couldn't resist.  I was really enjoying my DT880 600ohm, but these seem to take it up to a completely new level.  Now, having said that I have an order in for the EH goldpin tubes.  Will my grin increase even more once I get them?


----------



## 282432

I have the same question as you. My HD 600 is currently on its way to me.


----------



## Shini44

hordsak said:


> Ok, I just picked up a used (absolutely MINT condition) set of HD650's.  I'm enjoying these a lot more than I thought I would.  I got them for a steal, so I couldn't resist.  I was really enjoying my DT880 600ohm, but these seem to take it up to a completely new level.  Now, having said that I have an order in for the EH goldpin tubes.  Will my grin increase even more once I get them?


 
 if you did read the thread, i am sure you would had the answer, there is a search button  type EH Tube.

 anyway the Treble is rolled of on the stock tube, the sound is warm and mellow, where the EH tubes will give you more kind of a sound that is near the solid state amps but not same sparkle in the treble region, the pico amps still sparkle even more, but the difference between the EH and Stock is really big, and will make you grin even more

 that being said, i don't know what does make you grin? it is warm lush mellow sound sig? or More Detail and fun in the sound with avoiding treble/bass lost?  chose the EH or Stock depending and what make you grin ^^ 

 hope that i helped you.


----------



## mikroski

I spend two days compare the sound of using this program http://www.windowsxlive.net/fidelizer-5-0-released-major-update-with-windows-88-1-fully-compatible/
  
 I think I'm happy with this freeware, it make music file especially my 16/44.1 own EAC ripped files sound less digital, more smooth. It's worth to try, If you don't like it just delete it.


----------



## pervysage

*sigh*
  
 Now they are releasing a version of the WA7 with optical included. Why not have done that from the beginning... that was the one thing I wanted when I looked at the WA7 for the first time. Kind of pissed.


----------



## Shini44

pervysage said:


> *sigh*
> 
> Now they are releasing a version of the WA7 with optical included. Why not have done that from the beginning... that was the one thing I wanted when I looked at the WA7 for the first time. Kind of pissed.


 
 tell me about!! that would solve my PS3 switching problems!! LOOL!!


----------



## pandaonslaught

shini44 said:


> tell me about!! that would solve my PS3 switching problems!! LOOL!!


 
 Yes exactly! I have the HDMI sound going to my monitor, then out the 1/8" jack on the monitor, then to a 1/8" to RCA splitter into the back on my WA7. the noise floor is so bad through the monitor. theres a consistent buzzing sound that i stopped trying that setup and have it going through my swans m50w so that i can't hear the buzzing as bad.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

pervysage said:


> *sigh*
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 


Maybe they will offer a reduced intro price on the new unit. You can sell yours and get the new model? I have the original as well BTW. I just bought it a month ago.


----------



## groovyd

hear the new units also have sabre's best DAC in them and some fat usb isolation caps...


----------



## planet

Change in the internals wasn't documented.  I just *placed* an order for a WA7, but they're backordered.  Wondering if it's worth changing or waiting for the new model now.


----------



## olegausany

mikroski said:


> I spend two days compare the sound of using this program http://www.windowsxlive.net/fidelizer-5-0-released-major-update-with-windows-88-1-fully-compatible/
> 
> I think I'm happy with this freeware, it make music file especially my 16/44.1 own EAC ripped files sound less digital, more smooth. It's worth to try, If you don't like it just delete it.



Don't forget to make system disk image or restore point before trying unless you want a lot of problems


----------



## akhyar

planet said:


> Change in the internals wasn't documented.  I just *placed* an order for a WA7, but they're backordered.  Wondering if it's worth changing or waiting for the new model now.




If you're not in a hurry for the amp, and the optical input is usefull for you, why not? If you want to sell it, I'm sure the resale value will be somewhat higher than the current model.
But Woo Audio has not released the RRP for the new WA7d right?


----------



## planet

akhyar said:


> If you're not in a hurry for the amp, and the optical input is usefull for you, why not? If you want to sell it, I'm sure the resale value will be somewhat higher than the current model.
> But Woo Audio has not released the RRP for the new WA7d right?


 
  
 In an email exchange with Jack this evening, he said the WA7d would have the "exact same" audio quality, and would retail for about $200 more.  No word on release dates.


----------



## groovyd

Clearly, his style is very apple-esk.


----------



## akhyar

planet said:


> In an email exchange with Jack this evening, he said the WA7d would have the "exact same" audio quality, and would retail for $200 more.  No word on release dates.




Ouch! So if you really need the optical input, maybe it's worth to fork out another $200.
If not, just stick to your current order and hope you'll receive soon.


----------



## mikroski

olegausany said:


> mikroski said:
> 
> 
> > I spend two days compare the sound of using this program http://www.windowsxlive.net/fidelizer-5-0-released-major-update-with-windows-88-1-fully-compatible/
> ...


 

 Thank you very much for your caution. I have a very very limit in computer knowledge, actually I use only Microsoft Office for my work.
  
 Will this software be dangerous for my notebook? I saw many people use it since 2.0 version, but I have no idea what this software was about. Until 5.0 launched, and many users comment that this is good.


----------



## olegausany

mikroski said:


> olegausany said:
> 
> 
> > mikroski said:
> ...



It's not dangerous as malware or virus but it will make changes to your operating system services and after you restart your computer you will loose network connection and access to internet


----------



## mikroski

olegausany said:


> It's not dangerous as malware or virus but it will make changes to your operating system services and after you restart your computer you will loose network connection and access to internet


 
 Ahh, ok, thank you very much. I will beware of that. But I do love its sound from JRiver


----------



## olegausany

I didn't notice much difference using foobar


----------



## PleasantSounds

Using ASIO or WASAPI there shouldn't be ANY difference. The bit perfect playback cannot be made any more perfect.
 Fidelizer may help with things like pops and clicks if you have them, but if the playback is smooth then keep it out of your system.


----------



## pragu

Has anybody been able to get a virtual surround sound program to work nicely with the WA7 drivers? This thing sounds amazing for pure music listening, but it's a little weak for gaming, and I know at least razer surround makes the sound freak, cutting in and out.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

March is almost over. Any news on the new PSU? I'm itching to get out my credit card and order one


----------



## JoelT

edmontoncanuck said:


> March is almost over. Any news on the new PSU? I'm itching to get out my credit card and order one


 
 That makes two of us. I check every day...not that I can really fault the WA7 as-is. Regardless, another set of glowing tubes would look great on my desk!


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

I wish it was only *once* a day that I was checking....sigh....I have no life LOL.
  
 Agree with the extra set of glowing tubes  I've got mine setup in my living room on a nice side table next to a very comfy couch. I ordered a nice new cable to replace my stock cable for my LCD-3's from Norne Audio. When I get the new PSU alongside my WA7 I'll post a pic of my setup. I can hardly wait


----------



## WooAudio

Hang tight. We hope to have the final version of the tube PSU for Montreal Audio Show end of the month. It won't be long!


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

Can I pre-order? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 LOL


----------



## JoelT

edmontoncanuck said:


> I wish it was only *once* a day that I was checking....sigh....I have no life LOL.
> 
> Agree with the extra set of glowing tubes  I've got mine setup in my living room on a nice side table next to a very comfy couch. I ordered a nice new cable to replace my stock cable for my LCD-3's from Norne Audio. When I get the new PSU alongside my WA7 I'll post a pic of my setup. I can hardly wait


 
 How do you like the LCD-3 with the WA7? I'm running a current LCD-2 with a Moon Audio Silver Dragon and it's pretty glorious with the WA7 (EHG upgraded). I'm not sure how the amp would fair with an even more revealing set of cans though. My initial thought was that I'd be better off upgrading amps if I go to a flagship headphone, but perhaps that's off base. Just curious of your impressions.
  
 Enjoy the cable. Replacing the stock Audeze cable was a very, _very _good move for my LCD's.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

joelt said:


> How do you like the LCD-3 with the WA7? I'm running a current LCD-2 with a Moon Audio Silver Dragon and it's pretty glorious with the WA7 (EHG upgraded). I'm not sure how the amp would fair with an even more revealing set of cans though. My initial thought was that I'd be better off upgrading amps if I go to a flagship headphone, but perhaps that's off base. Just curious of your impressions.
> 
> Enjoy the cable. Replacing the stock Audeze cable was a very, _very _good move for my LCD's.


 

 I have to be honest with you....I'm a noob with this head-fi thing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  When I decided to get into it I tried to do some research and it's the WA7/LCD-3 combo that I decided on (I'm also running with the EH gold pins). I've never listened to anything else, so I can't comment really on how other setups might sound. I read up on other equipment combos but really took a leap of faith on the LCD-3's/WA7 from the various reviews that I read.
  
 I could wax ecstatic on how much I like how my setup sounds. I'm blown away by it. I have a large collection of digital DSD (SACD) files that I listen to (well over 1400 albums) and every listening session I swear I sit there with those LCD-3's on my head and a huge grin on my face. I've read a lot of reviews from the Sennheiser HD800 guys (which I also considered) who say that they find the Audeze too "dark" but I just find the WA7/LCD-3 combo so "warm" and inviting and satisfying.
  
 I don't think I'm the kind of guy that will own various high-end cans for all the different types of music out there...I just wanted one well-rounded pair and even though I can't say that there isn't something nicer out there (because I haven't listened to it)  I'm so satisfied that I've resolved to be content with my choice.
  
 As for the upgraded cable, this is also an experiment for me. I have to admit to being in the "how can a cable make a sonic difference?" camp. Call me a skeptic....I'm fully aware of the "expectation bias" that can come from spending $$$ on upgraded cables. I still lean to the "snake oil" side of the equation, but who knows, I might be surprised (the upgraded cable is being delivered in the next week or so).  I'm trying to keep an open mind. I opted to purchase the Norne Audio Skoll cable for purely aesthetic reasons....I think it's beautiful and will complement my LCD-3/WA7 setup perfectly. After all, in addition to how great I find the WA7 sounds, I also find it to be an audio work of art, and want to enhance the visual setup further by replacing the rather plain-Jane (read "ugly") stock LCD-3 cable with the Norne.


----------



## shultzee

You certainly jumped in with very nice setup.  Congrats.  I tried various amps and phones until I ended up with LCD-2 and wa7 (also a pair of HD700).  I , like you smile every time I cue it up.


----------



## JoelT

Thanks for your thoughts.
  
 I can definitely relate to what you're saying...pretty much in the same proverbial boat here (i.e. had a large amount of music and felt that that my current music investment warranted a means to experience it in a much deeper and fuller way). Revisiting albums I haven't listened to in years has been an amazing experience.
  
 I see you're not running the internal WA7 DAC (I am...no complaints), which I'm sure has some impact on the sound as well. I was _really _skeptical in regards to "upgrading" my cable too. However, the differences were easily and immediately apparent. It certainly didn't change the character of the headphone (that would be very bad), but it did noticeably improve my LCD-2 in terms of technicalities (imaging, dynamics, detail retrieval, "air"). That said, it sounds like a win-win if your primary goal is to enhance the aesthetics of the setup, agreed that the stock cable is ugly and lackluster in terms of build.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

I'm not running with the internal WA7 DAC because of my large collection of DSD files. I wanted to use a DSD-capable DAC so that I could bitstream my music (via JRiver) directly to the DAC without having to convert it to PCM first. I'm very happy with my setup. I'm not knocking the WA7 DAC at all, I'm just recognizing that it doesn't support native DSD out of the box. I find the WA7/Exasound MkIII DAC awesome!


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

wooaudio said:


> Hang tight. We hope to have the final version of the tube PSU for Montreal Audio Show end of the month. It won't be long!


 
  
 Right country, wrong province  I wish I was near Montreal, but alas, I'm 1,850 miles away! Looking forward to the official reviews!


----------



## JoelT

Yeah, I don't own any DSD files or SACD's, so it wasn't part of my equation. It does seem pretty widely acknowledged that the internal DAC is an upgrade point, so I suspect you benefit. Thankfully, I'm happy with the internal and certainly have no desire for more detail retrieval. Recording issues are already so apparent that I have no desire to push it further at the moment.
  
 That new PSU on the the other hand 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




....


----------



## AnakChan

edmontoncanuck said:


> I'm not running with the internal WA7 DAC because of my large collection of DSD files. I wanted to use a DSD-capable DAC so that I could bitstream my music (via JRiver) directly to the DAC without having to convert it to PCM first. I'm very happy with my setup. I'm not knocking the WA7 DAC at all, I'm just recognizing that it doesn't support native DSD out of the box. I find the WA7/Exasound MkIII DAC awesome!


Last year after demo-ing Currawong' WA7, I sent my feedback to Jack Wu of my thoughts & incorporating DSD support into future WA7 (or their successors) but I never received a response from him.

I paired up my then HP-A8 as the DAC into the WA7 as the amp and it was a very fulfilling combo for the TH-900. I do hope Jack would consider DSD support for future WA7 successors though.


----------



## PRaT

wooaudio said:


> Hang tight. We hope to have the final version of the tube PSU for Montreal Audio Show end of the month. It won't be long!


 
  
 Just back from SSI in Montreal. True to his word, Jack did bring his new WA7 with separate tube PSU. Hooked up to a pair of Audeze LCD-X, it sounded absolutely fabulous.


----------



## JoelT

prat said:


> Just back from SSI in Montreal. True to his word, Jack did bring his new WA7 with separate tube PSU. Hooked up to a pair of Audeze LCD-X, it sounded absolutely fabulous.


 
  
 Any further impressions as to how it compares to the stock PSU?


----------



## groovyd

Needs a minimum length power cable between the two to give no more then an inch of 2 of placement between them.  Last thing I want is excess wire bulked up between the two.  As it is with the PSU completely out of sight the WA7 is a very zen like experience which I want to maintain.


----------



## phobos0411

Wow... I didn't realize the separate tube based power supply would take the form of the actual wa7 amp itself. As a new owner of the wa7 (which arrived 3 days ago) I have only spent about 12-14 hours listening on the stock sovteks and I am already thoroughly impressed. My previous amp/dac was in the form of my xonar stx so the Woo was a bit leap for me but after seeing the pictures and reading the plethora of positive reviews I had to have one. What first struck me was just how much prettier it is to behold for real. The photos just don't do it justice! I'm awaiting the EH gold pin tubes as well so I'm looking forward to hearing those. But honestly this beautiful unit has far exceeded my expectations and I've still got so much more music to listen to. I'll be watching out for impressions and pricing on the new power supply though as it really does look the business  here's to many more hours of listening pleasure! Once I've tidied my mess of a setup I'll definitely be taking some pics of the woo, its just so photogenic!


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

prat said:


> Just back from SSI in Montreal. True to his word, Jack did bring his new WA7 with separate tube PSU. Hooked up to a pair of Audeze LCD-X, it sounded absolutely fabulous.


 
 OK, so any word on availability?


----------



## reddyxm

Wow. That's cool. New power suppling looking like the WA7. Can't wait for more information.


----------



## Currawong

Thanks to Warrenpchi, this was my hotel room rig in LA. Suffice to say, the sound quality was excellent.


----------



## Firminator

Anyone who uses the HD800, do you find HI or LO gain to be more suitable?


----------



## PleasantSounds

firminator said:


> Anyone who uses the HD800, do you find HI or LO gain to be more suitable?


 
  
 That's actually an impedance switch, not gain. Changes are rather subtle, mostly in the low frequencies. Hi-Z sounds more natural with the HD800 - the bass is fuller, with somewhat longer decay.


----------



## Firminator

pleasantsounds said:


> That's actually an impedance switch, not gain. Changes are rather subtle, mostly in the low frequencies. Hi-Z sounds more natural with the HD800 - the bass is fuller, with somewhat longer decay.


 
  
 Ah yes impedance (no idea why I said gain). Yes I've noticed with HI-Z it sounds less 'veiled' than Lo-z


----------



## Shini44

how is the treble change? on the low/high impedance, subtle? ofc with the EH Tubes.


----------



## PleasantSounds

shini44 said:


> how is the treble change? on the low/high impedance, subtle? ofc with the EH Tubes.


 
  
 This is harder to tell as when you switch impedance there's also a slight volume change. Overall the HD800 sound on Hi-Z is more extended. Highs on Lo-Z are muffled, but not to extent that would make it unlistenable. 
 Using EH cryo tubes atm.


----------



## kugino

So what's the word on this tube power supply. Vaporware? Actually going to ship before Armageddon?


----------



## Otheronek

kugino said:


> So what's the word on this tube power supply. Vaporware? Actually going to ship before Armageddon?


 

 I talked with Jack Woo this Saturday in Babylon.....  Told me he is still working on it but its close to production... He told me the additional cost will be around the 350$ range.  Also the optical option will be around a 200$ish option.


----------



## olegausany

I heard it at Babylon yesterday with stock and Sylvania 8514A tubes and bass became deeper with 8514s


----------



## shultzee

Anyone with a lot of time on both the stock tubes and the EH 6c45 Gold plated pins?  Do the upgraded tubes make much of a difference?
 I have a pair of cryo treated Sovteks from Tubeman I use and like.  I have read mixed feelings on the EH gold pins.


----------



## olegausany

I had over 300 hours on EH tubes and really enjoyed them , never looked back to stock ones


----------



## desertblues

shultzee said:


> Anyone with a lot of time on both the stock tubes and the EH 6c45 Gold plated pins?  Do the upgraded tubes make much of a difference?
> I have a pair of cryo treated Sovteks from Tubeman I use and like.  I have read mixed feelings on the EH gold pins.




I have 100+ hours on the EH and have been using the cryo's from tubeman for a couple of months. I really like the cryo's - deeper bass and a bit smoother than EH. That said, the EH is a bit more detailed and also a great choice. Both of these beat the stock Sovtek imho.


----------



## shultzee

desertblues said:


> I have 100+ hours on the EH and have been using the cryo's from tubeman for a couple of months. I really like the cryo's - deeper bass and a bit smoother than EH. That said, the EH is a bit more detailed and also a great choice. Both of these beat the stock Sovtek imho.


 
  
  
 Thanks for the answer.  Going to stick to the cryo's for awhile.


----------



## smellyfungus

hmm woo posted the tube power supply on twitter. officially calling it the WA7tp.
  
 was hoping for more details but that looks like its it for now.
  
 https://twitter.com/WooAudio/status/453243678962638848
  
 at the socal meet the prototype was a push button to turn it on and off. i was hoping it'd be a turn knob to switch on and off but based on the pic, it'll be a push button still.


----------



## kugino

smellyfungus said:


> hmm woo posted the tube power supply on twitter. officially calling it the WA7tp.
> 
> was hoping for more details but that looks like its it for now.
> 
> ...


With the tube power supply and upgraded tubes, the WA7 will be around $1500. What other tube based amp/DAC combos are there in this price range?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

from Woo Audio Facebook page:


----------



## comzee

I bought a WA7 a week ago. In the mean time waiting for it, I have been reading this thread. My question is about tubes. I bought the HE gold pins from Woo with the amp. That gives me two matched pair sets. I've read that theses 6c45 can last up to 9000 hours ? Someone in this thread had bought like 7-8 sets, the reasoning being that these tubes are out of production, and are going to be hard to find?
  
 Am I safe with two sets of tubes, or should I really buy now instead of waiting a year?
 If I even take the short end of the lifespan, 5000 hours, two pairs gives me 10,000 hours of listening. Let's say I listen to 4 hours a day on average, just these two pairs would last me 6.8 years.
  
 Also, I have heard multiple people talk in this thread about NOS cryo treated tubes from tubeman.com http://tubeman.com/item452.htm, if I was to get a third pair of tubes (purely for longevity use of the WA7) would these be a good third pair to get? Or should I just stick with buying another pair of HE gold pins from Woo, (assuming I do even need another pair)? If I do end up buying another pair, am I safe to wait 1yr before buying (low on cash right now), or is the price difference in one year, to get 6c45's, really going to bite me in the arse?
  
 Another note, I read another tid bit that tubes have a half life. So even if my tubes lasted 5000hr for example, are they going to be so weak after 2500hr of use, that I just would want to throw them away?
  
 Thanks,
 Sam


----------



## Hordsak

I have a weird one for you guys.  I've had the WA7 (stock tubes) paired up with my HD650 for over 2 months now, listening exclusively to this setup with the built in DAC.  Today (out of boredom) I decided to try listening the the amp running off of my Asus Xonar STX line out RCA's into the Amp.  I was very pleasantly surprised.  The soundstage increase dramatically.  I must say I like the sound quite a bit more, however the bass is a little muddier, but I'll take that for the soundstage that my ears seem to be hearing.  Am I crazy?  Could the DAC in the STX be comparable or even better than the built in DAC in the WA7?  I do not use cheap components in my PC, so wether or not this could eliminate electrical interference from the PC I'm not sure.  I do use ASIO and Foobar 2k for all playback.  I ordered the EH gold tubes from Wooaudio over a month ago, but they're still on back order.


----------



## olegausany

To get more from your amp get ready to buy new power supply with tubes and do some tube rolling


----------



## deanorthk

Would the WA7 work with a PS1000, by chance?
 Not that I can't afford a WA2 or WA6SE, but since the amp is going to SIT in my living room, the better looking it is, the less my wife will hate me (and it's an important factor)


----------



## JoelT

hordsak said:


> I have a weird one for you guys.  I've had the WA7 (stock tubes) paired up with my HD650 for over 2 months now, listening exclusively to this setup with the built in DAC.  Today (out of boredom) I decided to try listening the the amp running off of my Asus Xonar STX line out RCA's into the Amp.  I was very pleasantly surprised.  The soundstage increase dramatically.  I must say I like the sound quite a bit more, however the bass is a little muddier, but I'll take that for the soundstage that my ears seem to be hearing.  Am I crazy?  Could the DAC in the STX be comparable or even better than the built in DAC in the WA7?  I do not use cheap components in my PC, so wether or not this could eliminate electrical interference from the PC I'm not sure.  I do use ASIO and Foobar 2k for all playback.  I ordered the EH gold tubes from Wooaudio over a month ago, but they're still on back order.


 
 There is no definitive right or wrong; if you prefer the sound, go for it. It seems fairly accepted that the onboard DAC, while not "bad", is a potential upgrade point for the amp. As mentioned, the soon to be released tube PSU should be a solid upgrade as well. Experimenting is part of the fun, enjoy the ride.


----------



## pragu

> It seems fairly accepted that the onboard DAC, while not "bad", is a potential upgrade point for the amp.


 
 Of what quality is the DAC? Would it benefit from a Modi, or is it just not as good as the amp portion would suggest?


----------



## olegausany

pragu said:


> > It seems fairly accepted that the onboard DAC, while not "bad", is a potential upgrade point for the amp.
> 
> 
> 
> Of what quality is the DAC? Would it benefit from a Modi, or is it just not as good as the amp portion would suggest?



If you want small but noticeable difference which will be just a personal preference you could go with Bifrost Uber or DacMagic Plus but if you want to go higher level you would go with Arcam irDac, for example


----------



## JoelT

pragu said:


> Of what quality is the DAC? Would it benefit from a Modi, or is it just not as good as the amp portion would suggest?


 
Without digging too deep, Amos Barnett (Currawong) made some good observations about it here (about half way down the page): http://www.audio360.org/amps-dacs_a0018_review_woo_audio_wa7_fireflies.php  
Having never owned or spent time with Schiit products, I can't comment on what level of DAC it would compare to. The only comparison I seem to recall is that it's about on par with an Audioquest Dragonfly (once again, other people's conclusion, not my own). Based on the comments of others who are more knowledgeable than myself, the general consensus seems to be that the WA7 is a great amp that happens to have a solid (but not amazing) internal DAC. That said, I've never felt that I personally wanted more microdetail, but perhaps ignorance is bliss. I plan to get the tube PSU and perhaps try different DAC down the road for kicks. One tweak at a time for me.


----------



## shultzee

I am completely satisfied with the Dac in the Wa7.   I have previously owned a Uber Bitfrost, ALO Pan Am, and Audioengine D3 (surprisingly good) so thats what I am comparing it to.  Maybe down the road I will try another dac with it but for now its pretty darn good.


----------



## olegausany

shultzee said:


> I am completely satisfied with the Dac in the Wa7.   I have previously owned a Uber Bitfrost, ALO Pan Am, and Audioengine D3 (surprisingly good) so thats what I am comparing it to.  Maybe down the road I will try another dac with it but for now its pretty darn good.



Strange because for most people Bifrost Uber is better


----------



## shultzee

olegausany said:


> Strange because for most people Bifrost Uber is better


 
 Not strange at all lol.  I am in love with the sound of the wa7.  Totally satisfied.  Maybe spec wise the Bitfrost has it beat.


----------



## JoelT

shultzee said:


> Maybe down the road I will try another dac with it but for now its pretty darn good.


 
 This is about where I'm at as well. I have no doubts that "better" exists, but I'm in no huge rush to discover it at the moment. It's a very satisfying setup as-shipped.


----------



## olegausany

But new power supply with tubes can make it even better


----------



## shultzee

I will probably have to have one of those new power supplies, grrr.   Are we going to be limited to the same tubes as we use with the wa7?


----------



## kugino

shultzee said:


> I will probably have to have one of those new power supplies, grrr.   Are we going to be limited to the same tubes as we use with the wa7?


From the pics it looks like the same tubes...


----------



## olegausany

Power supply uses 12AU7 tubes so their direct replacements shouldn't be a problem. I tried Jan Sylvania 5814A and PM-1 had THAT bass depth and extension so i want them now while I no longer own WA7


----------



## JoelT

olegausany said:


> But new power supply with tubes can make it even better


  







 Indeed. The initial reports have certainly been very positive. Can't wait to try it out.


----------



## JoelT

olegausany said:


> Power supply uses 12AU7 tubes so their direct replacements shouldn't be a problem. I tried Jan Sylvania 5814A and PM-1 had THAT bass depth and extension so i want them now while I no longer own WA7


 
 Has there Woo commented on what they'll offer directly as "upgrade" tubes for the WA7tp? Or will it just be offered with a single tube option?


----------



## olegausany

I didn't ask that question because 12AU7s and their replacements could be easily found online including cables and tweaks sale forum here


----------



## JoelT

Thanks, makes sense. Just was curious if anything was said at one of the meets. Should be interesting.


----------



## Maxx134

shultzee said:


> I am completely satisfied with the Dac in the Wa7.   I have previously owned a Uber Bitfrost, ALO Pan Am, and Audioengine D3 (surprisingly good) so thats what I am comparing it to.  Maybe down the road I will try another dac with it but for now its pretty darn good.


 I found the internal DAC to be aggressively edgy on the trebles.

Edit:
To put in perspective, in was at a micro level, but once I focused and listening for extended periods it was nagging me, but not of an irritable nature,, more of an aggressive nature..

Although it had more life and details than my odac, I preferred the odac smoother and grander presentation.
I now have the irdac which to me is flawless clarity with not only detail but palpable sense of space.


----------



## Shini44

if anyone loved the WA7 DAC a lot! just like me, then X-Sabre is the right upgrade, same sound, musical on the mids, more treble energy, and 100 times smoother , bifrost , concero these are warmer with less treble energy than the WA7 not Neutral at all compared to WA7 and X-Sabre, 

 the WA7 compared to the X-Sabre is no as smooth, less treble energy but so far i got 10-20 hours on the X-Sabre and the WA7 feels slightly more musical on the female vacols, don't get me wrong the X-Sabre still does everything way better but both on the same sound sig, best DAC ever!! 
  
 for the testing i used Pico Power amp, its very neutral <3 and its energy is super! my favorite portable amp lol in fact i am using it with my WA7 as amp depend on the mood.


----------



## olegausany

I have X-Sabre and really great Dac very neutral


----------



## Maxx134

shini44 said:


> if anyone loved the WA7 DAC a lot! just like me, then X-Sabre is the right upgrade, same sound, musical on the mids, more treble energy, and 100 times smoother ...



From that post I might assume the x-sabre having more trebles as I don't recall the irdac having any attributes to point out.. Just the depth


----------



## Maxx134

I hope the PCU has a website link up soon I herd the difference and I was surprised. 
I noticed more power in music dynamic range and bass depth..
Is their any info on it?
I believe that using the tubes for rectifiers gives the added bonus of smoother filtering and stored extra power.
You know how when you turn off a tube amp it still plays..
There is stored power in form of heat to keep those electrons going..

That's my speculation anyway..


----------



## JoelT

maxx134 said:


> I noticed more power in music dynamic range and bass depth..


 
 Could you expand on what you mean by "bass depth"? Are you referring to perceived extension, control and a greater sense of dynamics? I assume you're not simply talking about bass _quantity_.


----------



## Maxx134

joelt said:


> Could you expand on what you mean by "bass depth"? Are you referring to perceived extension, control and a greater sense of dynamics? I assume you're not simply talking about bass _quantity_.


 Correct it was not quantity it was the same musical piece with a greater sense of authority in size and those other attributes..


----------



## comzee

I know this is old news. I just want to give me 2 cents of input here, in case anyone is on the fence about WA7 + Upgraded Tubes + HD800. I can't speak for the changes Cryo tubes make for other high end headphones like HiFiMan or Audeze, but I can definitively say the change is very noticeable on the HD800. The stock Sovtek run the HD800 bright, which gets fatiguing for certain genres. Now I say the Sovtek "run" the HD800 bright, what I really should be saying is, the Sovtek is the closest you're going to get the WA7 to sound like a solid state amp. The HD800 are naturally bright on amps with perfectly level frequency response (which a good solid state will give). The personal difference for me is game changing.
  
 Now I am REALLY excited to get my Gold Pins, because the reviews say they have the same extensions the Cryos have, just better .
  
 Who knows if I will ever find the mythical Cryo Gold Pins =/
  
 https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3712/13899776103_595957defc_o.jpg


----------



## pragu

> https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3712/13899776103_595957defc_o.jpg


 
 Do any of you keep your WA7 without the glass block on regularly? It looks great both ways and I'm curious.


----------



## groovyd

comzee said:


> I know this is old news. I just want to give me 2 cents of input here, in case anyone is on the fence about WA7 + Upgraded Tubes + HD800. I can't speak for the changes Cryo tubes make for other high end headphones like HiFiMan or Audeze, but I can definitively say the change is very noticeable on the HD800. The stock Sovtek run the HD800 bright, which gets fatiguing for certain genres. Now I say the Sovtek "run" the HD800 bright, what I really should be saying is, the Sovtek is the closest you're going to get the WA7 to sound like a solid state amp. The HD800 are naturally bright on amps with perfectly level frequency response (which a good solid state will give). The personal difference for me is game changing.
> 
> Now I am REALLY excited to get my Gold Pins, because the reviews say they have the same extensions the Cryos have, just better .
> 
> ...


 
  
 got the cryo gold pins in my amp at work and they sound the same as the stock sovteks...


----------



## comzee

groovyd said:


> got the cryo gold pins in my amp at work and they sound the same as the stock sovteks...


 

 Do you use them with HD800's or other headphones? I have read from more than one source, that the different tubes don't make much difference on Audeze and other types of headphones. Admittedly most people highlighted the bass boost from the cyro/gold pins, but the biggest differerance for me was the removal of the piercing treble. Not to say I have super human ears by any standard, but I am 22 and have never had any major ear problem in my life (like infections and what not). So the "bright" side of the HD800 annoyed me greatly (fatiguing).
  


pragu said:


> Do any of you keep your WA7 without the glass block on regularly? It looks great both ways and I'm curious.


 

 I think it does look better with the glass on, but it literally sits on top of the metal, the plastic/rubber corner tabs do almost nothing to keep it from sliding when the unit is moved. I have been bringing the amp around places to essentially show it off, so I take the glass off.


----------



## JoelT

comzee said:


> Do you use them with HD800's or other headphones? I have read from more than one source, that the different tubes don't make much difference on Audeze and other types of headphones. Admittedly most people highlighted the bass boost from the cyro/gold pins, but the biggest differerance for me was the removal of the piercing treble.


 
 The EH gold pins are very smooth with my HD600 and took the treble edge off of them compared to the cheaper solid state amp I was using before. I have yet to hear the HD800 through the amp, please let us know your impressions once you receive the tubes and have them burned in a bit. This combination interests me as well.


----------



## shultzee

Waiting for the gold pins myself.  anyone know when they are going to be back in?  Only answer I get from Woo is April, and they don't have any yet.  I do like the cryo tubes and I don't feel they sound like the stock Sovtek's.


----------



## groovyd

comzee said:


> Do you use them with HD800's or other headphones? I have read from more than one source, that the different tubes don't make much difference on Audeze and other types of headphones. Admittedly most people highlighted the bass boost from the cyro/gold pins, but the biggest differerance for me was the removal of the piercing treble. Not to say I have super human ears by any standard, but I am 22 and have never had any major ear problem in my life (like infections and what not). So the "bright" side of the HD800 annoyed me greatly (fatiguing).
> 
> 
> I think it does look better with the glass on, but it literally sits on top of the metal, the plastic/rubber corner tabs do almost nothing to keep it from sliding when the unit is moved. I have been bringing the amp around places to essentially show it off, so I take the glass off.


 
 Used it with Sony 7520, Beyer T1 & T5p, and LCD-X & XC... no difference on any of them.


----------



## PleasantSounds

I have four different sets of tubes and with the HD800 the differences between them are not too hard to notice, even though my ears are not that young. With the T5p I can still pick the gold pin cryos, but probably would fail a blind test among the other 3. With Q701 I'd struggle to tell any of them apart, but these are not very sensitive cans.
  
 The gold pin cryos do have the smoothest treble presentation and the best detail recovery. What could make it hard to notice the differences is the fact that they are the most obvious once the tubes are properly warmed up, and that takes good 15 minutes. By that time our sound memory can be easily fooled.
  
 Actually thinking about it gave me the idea to record the sound of all the tubes so that it would be possible to simulate switching between them instantly. Using the Y splitter I can use the actual headphones as the load, so that would be like eavesdropping on them. Sounds like a fun little project for Easter 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





. I'll report back with the results.


----------



## Dogmatrix

groovyd said:


> Used it with Sony 7520, Beyer T1 & T5p, and LCD-X & XC... no difference on any of them.


 

 Also , use HD800 , HD650 , ATH-AD1000x , K545 , MS2i , HE500 , SE215 , ER4S , IM70
 With Sovtek , Reflector , EH gold pin , Eh gold pin cryo
 No Difference


----------



## akhyar

I have the WA7 with both the EH gold pins and stock Sovtek since last Xmas.
I do notice that on HD800 and Fostex TH600, the EH gives smoother treble, yet sounds more detail and extended. The Sovtek sounds brighter and harsher, giving the impressions that it has more treble energy.
Using warmer sounding cans like Sennheiser Momentum or ATH-ESW9, I can't notice the difference anymore.
Bear in mind that the EH has probably morr than 500 hours of usage while the Sovtek most probably only has about 100-200 hours of usage


----------



## AnakBaru

currawong said:


> Thanks to Warrenpchi, this was my hotel room rig in LA. Suffice to say, the sound quality was excellent.


 
 Hi Currawong,
 May I know what kind of RCA cable that you use in this setup to connect your AK240 to the WA7 please ? Its look very nice, also is it connected to the balance or to the mini output ? Pardon my stupid question, I'm very new to this hobby.
 Just order a WA7 and have no RCA cable to go with it to use with my AK240.
 Many thanks.


----------



## Currawong

@AnakBaru It was from WyWires, along with the headphone cable. Given the Audeze cans and the WA7 are more warm-sounding, the AK240 neutral/clear and the cables open/clear the rig had good synergy IMO.


----------



## AnakBaru

currawong said:


> @AnakBaru It was from WyWires, along with the headphone cable. Given the Audeze cans and the WA7 are more warm-sounding, the AK240 neutral/clear and the cables open/clear the rig had good synergy IMO.


 
 Thanks Currawong...on my way


----------



## warrenpchi

prat said:


> Just back from SSI in Montreal. True to his word, Jack did bring his new WA7 with separate tube PSU. Hooked up to a pair of Audeze LCD-X, it sounded absolutely fabulous.


 
  
 We had that exact same rig at the SoCal meet.  Thanks to Jack for lending it out to us!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


phobos0411 said:


> Wow... I didn't realize the separate tube based power supply would take the form of the actual wa7 amp itself.


 
  
 That's the best part!  I joke that it makes us look like crazies trying to monoblock headphones with WA7s.
  


currawong said:


> Thanks to Warrenpchi, this was my hotel room rig in LA. Suffice to say, the sound quality was excellent.


 
  
 It was my pleasure!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


kugino said:


> So what's the word on this tube power supply. Vaporware? Actually going to ship before Armageddon?


 
  
 I'm receiving mine next week.
  


anakbaru said:


> > Originally Posted by *Currawong* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> >
> >
> >
> ...


 
  
 Anak, I actually have that cable here.  It's a 3.5mm TRS running from the AK240's headphone out to the WA7's RCA inputs.


----------



## kugino

warrenpchi said:


> I'm receiving mine next week.


 
 nice. but when will we plebians be allowed to get one?


----------



## JoelT

kugino said:


> nice. but when will we plebians be allowed to get one?


 
  
 +1  
  
 Review sample I assume?


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

I've already ordered mine by contacting Jack directly. He said shipment date should be near the end of May.


----------



## JoelT

Well played!
  
 Hmm. I think I'd rather wait until it's officially available. Not sure that I want to bother Jack. Maybe I'll crack before then...


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

I just emailed the general WooAudio account asking when it might be available for order and Jack responded that I could order it now if I wanted so I took him up on his offer


----------



## kugino

edmontoncanuck said:


> I just emailed the general WooAudio account asking when it might be available for order and Jack responded that I could order it now if I wanted so I took him up on his offer


Price?


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

kugino said:


> Price?


 

 $350 USD + $50 shipping -> $400 USD total


----------



## warrenpchi

> warrenpchi said:
> 
> 
> > I'm receiving mine next week.
> ...


 
  
 Lol, no seriously, they're almost ready.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  I will be reviewing it of course, but no it's not a review sample.  It is MINE! 
  
 As soon as I heard the first public prototype six months and 9 days ago, I claimed the first one coming off the line.  I can still remember the moment I placed the order.  Jack, Jude and I were having drinks, and I said I wanted the first one (in silver of course to match my WA7).  Then I looked at Jude and remembered how much he likes his WA7, so I asked him if he wanted the first one instead.  As he began to chuckle and say no it's okay, I yelled MINE!  And thus, my order was placed.
   


joelt said:


> Hmm. I think I'd rather wait until it's officially available. Not sure that I want to bother Jack. Maybe I'll crack before then...


 

  
 No, seriously, don't wait.  Once impressions start coming out, I expect there to be a mad dash for these.  So if you wait, you'll just end up dealing with the resulting backlog in orders. IMO, the improvement in SQ was not trivial.  Here's what I had to say in our CanJam 2013 show report about the early prototype:
  
_*W. Chi:  *The WA7's basic signature remained largely unchanged in terms of frequency response. However I was able to enjoy a very pleasant improvement in transparency, soundstage and separation with the new PSU. And while I can't recall my personal WA7 ever sounding congested, it was very clear that the new PSU revealed a new level of detail, depth and dynamics. I was impressed enough that I reserved the first production unit off the line._
  


edmontoncanuck said:


> kugino said:
> 
> 
> > Price?
> ...


 
  
 That's a good score!  Whenever anyone asks me about the WA7's price, I tell them that it's a fantastic $1,499 amp because I consider the EH Gold Pins and WA7TP to be mandatory upgrades.  I can hardly wait to get it all here, and to match it up against @third_eye's vaunted DNA.  I think he'll be pleasantly surprised at the performance I get for only half the price of his DNA Stratus.


----------



## warrenpchi

Since it seems like a few of us are going to be getting the WA7TP soon enough, I've gone ahead and set up an impressions thread for it:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/715375/woo-audio-wa7tp-tube-power-supply-impressions-thread


----------



## zniper2984

.so this is how a desktop rig sounds like!!!im new on this hobby.my first rig was x3+beyer cop then x3+cb5+whiplAsh hybrid 8cndctorinterconnect+cop/ba200 after that i purchase ak120titan paired with c5+whiplash+cop/ba200 and now i jump to this wa7 craze,i didnt beleive there is much differnce between my rig before and desktop rig.i say now im a BELEIVER!!at first i use it with my titan i was blown away.and then use it as an amp/dac(there is no usb included but i was to curious so i borrowed usb from my brother even if his using it.have to ask him then bribe him that i will buy his lunch tomorrow..lol)it brought my cans to anthor level.i didnt remember my beyer cop sound this good!!.its hard to go back to my oldrig..if this thing doesnt weight 5kilos i could have brought it with me at work..good thing a friend of mine says the pico power share the same sound sig as the fireflies..almost 7hrs that im using it now,its gettin late im saying to my self one more song then another one..sorry for the long post im to 
enthusiastic..


----------



## JoelT

warrenpchi said:


> No, seriously, don't wait.  Once impressions start coming out, I expect there to be a mad dash for these.  So if you wait, you'll just end up dealing with the resulting backlog in orders. IMO, the improvement in SQ was not trivial.


 
 Advice taken. I dropped an email a few minutes ago. Sounds like a fantastic upgrade. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




​


----------



## kugino

zniper2984 said:


> .so this is how a desktop rig sounds like!!!im new on this hobby.my first rig was x3+beyer cop then x3+cb5+whiplAsh hybrid 8cndctorinterconnect+cop/ba200 after that i purchase ak120titan paired with c5+whiplash+cop/ba200 and now i jump to this wa7 craze,i didnt beleive there is much differnce between my rig before and desktop rig.i say now im a BELEIVER!!at first i use it with my titan i was blown away.and then use it as an amp/dac(there is no usb included but i was to curious so i borrowed usb from my brother even if his using it.have to ask him then bribe him that i will buy his lunch tomorrow..lol)it brought my cans to anthor level.i didnt remember my beyer cop sound this good!!.its hard to go back to my oldrig..if this thing doesnt weight 5kilos i could have brought it with me at work..good thing a friend of mine says the pico power share the same sound sig as the fireflies..almost 7hrs that im using it now,its gettin late im saying to my self one more song then another one..sorry for the long post im to
> enthusiastic..


Glad you're excited, my friend. But spaces and punctuation are your friends.


----------



## zniper2984

> Glad you're excited, my friend. But spaces and punctuation are your friends.


sorry for the crappy post.


----------



## warrenpchi

zniper2984 said:


> and now i jump to this wa7 craze,i didnt beleive there is much differnce between my rig before and desktop rig.i say now im a BELEIVER!!at first i use it with my titan i was blown away.and then use it as an amp/dac(there is no usb included but i was to curious so i borrowed usb from my brother even if his using it.have to ask him then bribe him that i will buy his lunch tomorrow..lol)it brought my cans to anthor level.i didnt remember my beyer cop sound this good!!.its hard to go back to my oldrig..if this thing doesnt weight 5kilos i could have brought it with me at work..good thing a friend of mine says the pico power share the same sound sig as the fireflies..almost 7hrs that im using it now,its gettin late im saying to my self one more song then another one..sorry for the long post im to
> enthusiastic..


 
  
 zniper, welcome to the club!  Your reaction seems perfectly normal to me.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Are you running the stock Sovtek tubes or the Electro Harmonix Gold Pin upgrades?
  
 Also, Currawong runs a Pico Power amp (or did before he got his AK240).  He also has a WA7.  Might want to ask him for a compari between the two.
  


joelt said:


> warrenpchi said:
> 
> 
> > No, seriously, don't wait.  Once impressions start coming out, I expect there to be a mad dash for these.  So if you wait, you'll just end up dealing with the resulting backlog in orders. IMO, the improvement in SQ was not trivial.
> ...


 
  
 Smart man!  I've been bugging Jack on and off for like six months already.  Glad it's finally here as this totally saves me from a severe case of upgraditis whereby I'd be getting a whole new rig.  Might upgrade my DAC though... running a Mytek DSD into the WA7 right now... getting a little bored with it.


----------



## phobos0411

joelt said:


> Advice taken. I dropped an email a few minutes ago. Sounds like a fantastic upgrade.  ​




Yes indeed. I too second acting on that advice! Now its a waiting game  though I might end up pissing off woo as I sent them a message earlier in the day regarding when the EH tubes are coming. I can't wait to try them.


----------



## warrenpchi

phobos0411 said:


> Yes indeed. I too second acting on that advice! Now its a waiting game
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Lol, damn us customers always bugging them!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Well now we have a new person to bug...
  

  
 Also, just an update, my WA7TP is scheduled to arrive on 4/24.  Also arriving that day is my WA7D review unit.  Happy happy joy joy!


----------



## zniper2984

warrenpchi said:


> zniper, welcome to the club!  Your reaction seems perfectly normal to me.     Are you running the stock Sovtek tubes or the Electro Harmonix Gold Pin upgrades?
> 
> Also, Currawong runs a Pico Power amp (or did before he got his AK240).  He also has a WA7.  Might want to ask him for a compari between the two.



Thanks!im using eh tubes forgive my crappy post im to excited.right now im enjoying it so much that i forgat the time.i appriciate the advice to a newbie like me on this
Hobby..


----------



## shultzee

I didn't think the backordered eh gold pins were in yet?


----------



## JoelT

warrenpchi said:


> Smart man!  I've been bugging Jack on and off for like six months already.  Glad it's finally here as this totally saves me from a severe case of upgraditis whereby I'd be getting a whole new rig.  Might upgrade my DAC though... running a Mytek DSD into the WA7 right now... getting a little bored with it.


 
  
 The only issue now is that I keep refreshing my email constantly.
  
 Well, I'm glad someone put a fire under him! I've been looking forward to the new PSU for some time. Pretty amazing that the WA7 is worthy of having such a nice DAC running in to it, though I had to laugh re: getting "bored" with it. Most of us would be pretty stoked to own that DAC.


----------



## warrenpchi

joelt said:


> The only issue now is that I keep refreshing my email constantly.


 
  
 Lol, it's Easter dude.  Save your strength for tomorrow during business hours.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


joelt said:


> Well, I'm glad someone put a fire under him! I've been looking forward to the new PSU for some time. Pretty amazing that the WA7 is worthy of having such a nice DAC running in to it, though I had to laugh re: getting "bored" with it. Most of us would be pretty stoked to own that DAC.


 
  
 Oh, lol, not saying it's bad or anything... just, well, everything gets old someday.
  
 It's actually an interesting pairing.  The Mytek is detail, detail, detail... like a well toasted English muffin with all those nooks and crannies.  Then the WA7 comes along like buttah, smoothing out any chance of fatigue.  The music is the jam.


----------



## JoelT

warrenpchi said:


> Lol, it's Easter dude.  Save your strength for tomorrow during business hours.


 
  
 Haha. Some of us have "problems" man. 
  
  
 Quote:


warrenpchi said:


> Oh, lol, not saying it's bad or anything... just, well, everything gets old someday.
> 
> It's actually an interesting pairing.  The Mytek is detail, detail, detail... like a well toasted English muffin with all those nooks and crannies.  Then the WA7 comes along like buttah, smoothing out any chance of fatigue.  The music is the jam.


 
 Mmmm. Sounds awfully tasty.


----------



## zniper2984

I feel 





warrenpchi said:


> Lol, it's Easter dude.  Save your strength for tomorrow during business hours.
> 
> 
> Oh, lol, not saying it's bad or anything... just, well, everything gets old someday.
> ...


i feel you man,same thing happen to me with my old rig hard to get back to it after listening wa7..


----------



## Currawong

Audirvana with up-sampling -> Audiophilleo 1+PP -> Audio-gd NOS1704 -> WA7 -> HD-800s with jazz = Who needs DSD?


----------



## atomicbob

Try HiRes -> JRiver -> RefLink -> Concero HD -> WA7 -> HD800. Prepare to be amazed. Especially for Binaural+ jazz. -AB


----------



## HiFiGuy528

joelt said:


> The only issue now is that I keep refreshing my email constantly.
> 
> Well, I'm glad someone put a fire under him! I've been looking forward to the new PSU for some time. Pretty amazing that the WA7 is worthy of having such a nice DAC running in to it, though I had to laugh re: getting "bored" with it. Most of us would be pretty stoked to own that DAC.


 
  
 Hi JoeIT,
  
 We are getting the details finalized and will have full pricing and availability on 4/21.  I will post it here as soon as I get the thumbs up.  Thank you for your patience.


----------



## warrenpchi

hifiguy528 said:


> We are getting the details finalized and will have full pricing and availability on 4/21.


 
  
 Um, that's like today.


----------



## phobos0411

Just got up. Yes... I know its the afternoon but I'm off work at the moment so why not listen to the wa7 till 5 in the morning lol. And the first thing I do besides make a cup of coffee is visit this thread


----------



## warrenpchi

phobos0411 said:


> Just got up. Yes... I know its the afternoon but I'm off work at the moment so why not listen to the wa7 till 5 in the morning lol. And the first thing I do besides make a cup of coffee is visit this thread


 
  
 This time of year, I have to stay up late to talk to China, so I'm doing the graveyard shift thing as well.  Still, you picked a good day to visit the thread... looks like there's an announcement coming.  Speaking of...
  
 HiFiGuy528, where are you?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Sorry for the delay guys.
  
 Announcement thread is now live.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/715526/woo-audio-new-wa7tp-tube-psu-early-bird-offer


----------



## Jodet

Order placed.   
  
 Or as they say on the internet, 'first'.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Orders placed today will receive an email confirmation tomorrow.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

**** UPDATE ****
  
We have "SOLD OUT" our first batch. THANK YOU for your fast response everyone. We truly appreciate your support.
  
**** subsequent orders will be filled on or around end of May **** Pricing will not change **** Only the ship date is affected ****


----------



## Jodet

Sold out already?  WOW.   That was fast.   I'd love to know how many were sold.   Ten?  Five? Sixty?


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

I am sooooo glad I decided to contact Woo a couple of weeks ago and was able to place an order then. I was out for the day today and would have missed out on getting in an order before they sold out.
  
 Early bird indeed


----------



## Jodet

edmontoncanuck said:


> I am sooooo glad I decided to contact Woo a couple of weeks ago and was able to place an order then. I was out for the day today and would have missed out on getting in an order before they sold out.
> 
> Early bird indeed


 
  
 An email confirmation tomorrow will be nice - I hope it has a tracking number with it!


----------



## warrenpchi

edmontoncanuck said:


> I am sooooo glad I decided to contact Woo a couple of weeks ago and was able to place an order then. I was out for the day today and would have missed out on getting in an order before they sold out.
> 
> Early bird indeed


 
  
 Lol, right on!  I claimed mine on Oct. 11th, 2013.  You know, just wanted to be safe.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Just want to be clear.
  
**** subsequent orders will be filled on or around end of May **** Pricing does not change **** Only the ship date is affected ****


----------



## groovyd

hifiguy528 said:


> Just want to be clear.
> 
> **** subsequent orders will be filled on or around end of May **** Pricing does not change **** Only the ship date is affected ****


 
 fire up your soldering irons... looks like you are going to need all of them hot.


----------



## Maxx134

I am hoping I was in time of the pre-order because I herd what it can do, 
Especially with tube rolled, and it transformed the w7 into an "elite class" sounding amp.
Main reason I think so is because I herd it at NY meet alongside many other setups. 
This PSU plus my external irdac = end game material for me.
(For now lol)


----------



## groovyd

hifi is like a game of chess... except the board is always changing


----------



## TeskR

groovyd said:


> hifi is like a game of chess... except the board is always changing




And the pieces are made of money.


----------



## groovyd

teskr said:


> And the pieces are made of money.


 
 +1 lol


----------



## Firminator

Hmmm one my LED's don't work half the time. Guess I'll have to get it replaced under warranty.


----------



## audiophile_007

Hey guys, just a quick question.
 would an 8542/417 to 6c45 adaptor work on the WA7, or would this just break the amp XD
  
 http://www.ebay.nl/itm/1x-5842-417-to-6C45-Vacuum-tube-adapter-socket-converter-/291002448607?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item43c118fadf&_uhb=1


----------



## smellyfungus

was coming here to report I found the mythical cryo'd 6c45 gold eh tubes on cryoset.com but I guess I bought the last pair cause they took down the page. I got a shipped notification already.


----------



## Maxx134

smellyfungus said:


> was coming here to report I found the mythical cryo'd 6c45 gold eh tubes on cryoset.com but I guess I bought the last pair cause they took down the page. I got a shipped notification already.



Ooo nice.
So will you have the first batch PSU?

I will be getting mine as well and attained the Sylvania 5814A 12AUs matched pair to swap once I get it.
These were the tubes that gave more bottom oomph when I listened at the NYmeet..


----------



## smellyfungus

maxx134 said:


> Ooo nice.
> So will you have the first batch PSU?
> 
> I will be getting mine as well and attained the Sylvania 5814A 12AUs matched pair to swap once I get it.
> These were the tubes that gave more bottom oomph when I listened at the NYmeet..




didn't make the first batch unfortunately. did order some 1960s mullard 12au7 already though.


----------



## groovyd

... got some 1820's gold funkengroovin tubes on the way ftw...


----------



## groovyd

Recabled my LCD-X, XC, & T1 with Norne Audio Skoll cables terminated with 1/4" Furutech Rhodium plugs only to find that the plugs do not fit into the WA7 input without having to reshape the tip.  Anyone considering using Furutech plugs with a WA7 beware!


----------



## olegausany

I used Moon Audio cable with Furutech FP704 plug without problem with WA7 and others amps so far


----------



## bobjane

groovyd said:


> Recabled my LCD-X, XC, & T1 with Norne Audio Skoll cables terminated with 1/4" Furutech Rhodium plugs only to find that the plugs do not fit into the WA7 input without having to reshape the tip.  Anyone considering using Furutech plugs with a WA7 beware!


 
 Are you sure it's not just a tight fit?
  
 Both my stock HD650 and Oyaide 1/4" plugs were very tight fits into the WA7.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

I went with the Cardas plug for my LCD-3's from Norne and thankfully haven't had any problems .


----------



## comzee

Just an art picture for appreciation of WA7 
  
 http://i.imgur.com/9HwfvRJ.jpg


----------



## JoelT

olegausany said:


> I used Moon Audio cable with Furutech FP704 plug without problem with WA7 and others amps so far


 
 +1


----------



## Dogmatrix

groovyd said:


> Recabled my LCD-X, XC, & T1 with Norne Audio Skoll cables terminated with 1/4" Furutech Rhodium plugs only to find that the plugs do not fit into the WA7 input without having to reshape the tip.  Anyone considering using Furutech plugs with a WA7 beware!


 

 I have the FP-704 which is gold plated and fits all my amps no problem
 Also have the FT-763 (R) which is rhodium plated and is indeed a tight fit but will work
 Also have the FT-735 (R) rhodium plated 1/8 this one refuses to go into a particular switchcraft jack I have its not even close


----------



## groovyd

bobjane said:


> Are you sure it's not just a tight fit?
> 
> Both my stock HD650 and Oyaide 1/4" plugs were very tight fits into the WA7.


 
  
 I actually got 4 Furutech Rhodium FT-763R connectors brand new straight from japan in package and all 4 do not fit either of my 2 WA7 at all.  Not even pushing with enough force to damage the amp.  I had to file the point of the tip ever so slightly sharper.  The disadvantage being now there is no Rhodium on the tip and the color is brassy.  It isn't a big deal but for $50 per connector you just kind of expect it to work since every other connector in my closet works fine without modification.
  
 This is not about the gold plated versions.


----------



## groovyd

olegausany said:


> I used Moon Audio cable with Furutech FP704 plug without problem with WA7 and others amps so far


 
 Wrong plug.  I am talking about the rhodium FT-763R


----------



## olegausany

I would contact Jack and ask why it's not compatible 

Sent from my LG-V500 using Tapatalk


----------



## groovyd

olegausany said:


> I would contact Jack and ask why it's not compatible
> 
> Sent from my LG-V500 using Tapatalk


 
 sounds good... let me know what he says.  there are a few more amps on the market which it does not fit as well so it is not really a Woo thing.  The connector is clearly not to standards spec. and there is no real reason to blunt the tip of the connector as much as they have.  It is visually about twice as blunt as any other connector I have.


----------



## zniper2984

Thus the wa7 and the alo panam share the same size of tubes?


----------



## olegausany

Same type you should say. There are many 9 pin tubes but not all of them will work


----------



## ImmaLizard

Really liking my WA7 and TH-600 combo lately.  Might have to get in on that upgraded power supply.


----------



## shultzee

olegausany said:


> Same type you should say. There are many 9 pin tubes but not all of them will work


 
  
  
 Which tubes will work besides the 6c45?  I thought that was it.  I do know the EH , Sovtek and Reflectors work.  Thanks.


----------



## olegausany

For the amp only those. I thought he was talking about power supply, sorry


----------



## zniper2984

olegausany said:


> Same type you should say. There are many 9 pin tubes but not all of them will work



How about the mullard 5654?that works on the panam thus it wors on the wa7 too?


----------



## Dogmatrix

zniper2984 said:


> How about the mullard 5654?that works on the panam thus it wors on the wa7 too?


 

 No ,
 The Wa7 has no similarity to the Pan Am other than they both have two tubes


----------



## zniper2984

dogmatrix said:


> No ,
> The Wa7 has no similarity to the Pan Am other than they both have two tubes


Aah ok..thanks.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

We have good news on the upgrade EH tubes!  We just received our shipment and we'll get them tested and boxed for shipment next week.  Thank you everyone for your patience.  We're glad it arrived sooner than last expected.


----------



## atomicbob

That is a beautiful sight!


----------



## warrenpchi

atomicbob said:


> That is a beautiful sight!


 
  
 So is this...


----------



## shultzee

hifiguy528 said:


> We have good news on the upgrade EH tubes!  We just received our shipment and we'll get them tested and boxed for shipment next week.  Thank you everyone for your patience.  We're glad it arrived sooner than last expected.


 
  
  
 When do you think they might ship?  I ordered a pair the day you posted this.   Thanks     That is a beautiful sight by the way.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

shultzee said:


> When do you think they might ship?  I ordered a pair the day you posted this.   Thanks     That is a beautiful sight by the way.


 
  
 Please email your order number or the email address you used on the order to info@wooaudio.com and we will look into it.
  
 Thank you!
  
   ~ Mike Liang
  
*Like* us on Facebook *Follow* us on Twitter
*Join* us on Instagram


*Share* with us your #WooAudioStories


----------



## shultzee

hifiguy528 said:


> Please email your order number or the email address you used on the order to info@wooaudio.com and we will look into it.
> 
> Thank you!
> 
> ...


 
 Just sent a inquiry.  Thanks, Mike.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

We are relatively responsive when it's not during a trade show or a Head-Fi meet.  Please feel free to reach out to us anytime at info@wooaudio.com.  We look forward to hearing from you.


----------



## groovyd

still waiting on a resolution to my WA7 / WA7tp mismatch issue...


----------



## CongeeBear

HiFiGuy528, I posted in another thread and haven't heard a response yet -- but will there be special pricing for WA7 owners to upgrade to a WA7d?
  
 That optical input is likely gonna be useless for my purposes, but hey, you never know!
  
 Thanks!


----------



## JoelT

Has anyone tried the Schiit Gungnir with the WA7 by chance?


----------



## olegausany

joelt said:


> Has anyone tried the Schiit Gungnir with the WA7 by chance?



Why do you want to use such expensive Dac with WA7?


----------



## JoelT

Not sure that I would call the Gungnir expensive in the scope of what you can pay for a DAC. Mid-tier maybe? Regardless, I'm curious as to how much difference there is vs. the internal DAC. Furthermore, if I would get a stand alone DAC, I'd like it to be a clear upgrade, and something I'd be happy to use with another amp down the road.


----------



## olegausany

If you want clear upgrade get Arcam irDac for just $700 without paying extra for USB or paying for useless in case of Gungnir XLR outputs


----------



## pragu

joelt said:


> Not sure that I would call the Gungnir expensive in the scope of what you can pay for a DAC. Mid-tier maybe? Regardless, I'm curious as to how much difference there is vs. the internal DAC. Furthermore, if I would get a stand alone DAC, I'd like it to be a clear upgrade, and something I'd be happy to use with another amp down the road.


 
 I would love to know what DACs people use with their WA7s. I read somewhere that the internal DAC is on par with the Dragonfly, but I find that hard to believe. I imagine that the Gungnir would be a pretty attractive choice, especially with a pair of silver wa7 + wa7tp sitting on top.


----------



## groovyd

I use a McIntosh D100.  Amazing DAC, mediocre headphone amp.  It does have both fixed and variable balanced and unbalanced outputs and is internally balanced throughout.  The only negative so far being the volume control tries to debounce your input sometimes when you pause in changing the volume for a second and then try to raise or lower it again it will ignore the second change in volume until it resets it's display which takes about 3 or 4 seconds.  Same thing happens following hitting the mute button, that you cannot change the volume for a few seconds while it updates it's display.  Wrote the engineer about this and their response was this is operating as designed... lol... kinda an expensive excuse at the price and cache of McIntosh if you ask me.


----------



## shultzee

pragu said:


> I would love to know what DACs people use with their WA7s. I read somewhere that the internal DAC is on par with the Dragonfly, but I find that hard to believe. I imagine that the Gungnir would be a pretty attractive choice, especially with a pair of silver wa7 + wa7tp sitting on top.


 
  
  
 I just got a X-sabre to go with my Wa7.   I am really thrilled with the combo.  If it gets any better with burn in I'm not going to be able to take it lol.


----------



## JoelT

groovyd said:


> I use a McIntosh D100.


 
 Well, No one can accuse you of lowballing your DAC purchase. Wow. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  


shultzee said:


> I just got a X-sabre to go with my Wa7.   I am really thrilled with the combo.  If it gets any better with burn in I'm not going to be able to take it lol.


 
 I have the X-Sabre on my short list as well, but it I'm a bit concerned about the treble quality based on reviews I've read thus far. I really wish I could demo these DAC's. Bleh.


----------



## groovyd

haha, yeah well I had plans to get one of their block amps for a nice set of speakers as well and my setup requires both balanced and unbalanced variable and fixed outputs to drive desktop speakers, and a couple different headphones together.  the D100 was the swiss army knife for me.  only wish they fixed the firmware and doubled (or quadrupled) the output drive of the headphone amp.  it sounds good just lacks a bit of punch.  the pre-amp outputs are all top notch though, impressive sound.


----------



## JoelT

Gripes aside (actually, your comment reminded me of the software volume issues you talked about a while back), I have yet to read anything negative about how the McIntosh D100 sounds. Most of us mere mortals only can dream of such equipment. Not that there should be any negatives at the price point. So I take it the WA7 is really just a temporary stop-gap amp until you're ready to make the plunge in to something more "summit-fi"?


----------



## shultzee

joelt said:


> Well, No one can accuse you of lowballing your DAC purchase. Wow.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 To me the x-sabre is just in another league from the dacs I have previously owned which consisted of Audioengine d-3, Pan-Am, Uber Bitfrost and the wa7.  I don't have a reference above that.  I can say that the x-sabre/wa7 combo is pretty amazing.


----------



## olegausany

I currently use X-Sabre with my amps and completely agree that it's great dac, but even irDac is much better than Bifrost Uber


----------



## groovyd

joelt said:


> Gripes aside (actually, your comment reminded me of the software volume issues you talked about a while back), I have yet to read anything negative about how the McIntosh D100 sounds. Most of us mere mortals only can dream of such equipment. Not that there should be any negatives at the price point. So I take it the WA7 is really just a temporary stop-gap amp until you're ready to make the plunge in to something more "summit-fi"?


 
  
 I had humored the idea of adding in a SR-009 and WES but to be honest the WA7 + WA7tp and my LCD-X are pretty much end game quality for me.  I don't see anything at all about the WA7 I would improve sound-wise, especially now that it has doubled down with the WA7tp.  I don't even find myself thinking about amp upgrades anymore.  There is still a chance I might get to the stax kit but you know what, what I have is also very nice and makes me perfectly happy.
  
 I have to say though the D100 was also a step up in terms of sound as opposed to the onboard DAC or my ol' HeadRoom Ultra Desktop Amp I used to drive it with.  Plus it also affords the way to a better speaker setup since McIntosh power amps are pretty much top shelf product.
  
 I am an embedded engineer who has done both software and hardware design (as well as a bit of mechanical) so no doubt I will always have 'something' to gripe about.  As engineers, it is in our nature. Of course if I sat down to take on a project like designing an amp or whatnot it would be absolutely perfect


----------



## JoelT

groovyd said:


> I had humored the idea of adding in a SR-009 and WES but to be honest the WA7 + WA7tp and my LCD-X are pretty much end game quality for me.  I don't see anything at all about the WA7 I would improve sound-wise, especially now that it has doubled down with the WA7tp.  I don't even find myself thinking about amp upgrades anymore.  There is still a chance I might get to the stax kit but you know what, what I have is also very nice and makes me perfectly happy.
> 
> I have to say though the D100 was also a step up in terms of sound as opposed to the onboard DAC or my ol' HeadRoom Ultra Desktop Amp I used to drive it with.  Plus it also affords the way to a better speaker setup since McIntosh power amps are pretty much top shelf product.


 
 Your current setup is about where I'd like to end up truthfully (with the exception of the uber-dac). For me, a better DAC and probably a future headphone upgrade are still on the table. I'm finding the WA7+WA7tp to be quite satisfying at the moment. I'll probably wait a year or two on the headphones, as the current version of the LCD-2 with the fazor is actually very, very good...not to mention that I'm always interested in checking out whatever new and improved products are on the horizon. A proper Stax setup is beyond my reach, though I'd like to listen to one at some point just to get a taste of what the SR-009 sounds like.
  
 All this said, there's a lot to be said for a setup that makes you "perfectly happy". Recognizing this is probably as important as anything, truth be told.   
  


groovyd said:


> I am an embedded engineer who has done both software and hardware design (as well as a bit of mechanical) so no doubt I will always have 'something' to gripe about.  As engineers, it is in our nature. Of course if I sat down to take on a project like designing an amp or whatnot it would be absolutely perfect


 
 Haha. Right. It's all those _other _engineers who are hacks/idiots. I'm not sure why they can't get things right.


----------



## atomicbob

pragu said:


> I would love to know what DACs people use with their WA7s. I read somewhere that the internal DAC is on par with the Dragonfly, but I find that hard to believe. I imagine that the Gungnir would be a pretty attractive choice, especially with a pair of silver wa7 + wa7tp sitting on top.


 
 I find a Concero HD with the Apodizing filter engaged produces a very enjoyable result for WA7 + HD800 / T90 / T1.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

pragu said:


> joelt said:
> 
> 
> > Not sure that I would call the Gungnir expensive in the scope of what you can pay for a DAC. Mid-tier maybe? Regardless, I'm curious as to how much difference there is vs. the internal DAC. Furthermore, if I would get a stand alone DAC, I'd like it to be a clear upgrade, and something I'd be happy to use with another amp down the road.
> ...




I'm using the exaSound DAC. Definitely an upper-tier DAC, and one I'm proud to say is Canadian (go Habs!!!! Lol). 

If you're interested in learning a little bit more about it, I just watched this interesting interview given during Axpona 2014 with exaSounds's George Klissarov:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Xjck1ZuhHg





Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


----------



## WraithApe

atomicbob said:


> I find a Concero HD with the Apodizing filter engaged produces a very enjoyable result for WA7 + HD800 / T90 / T1.


 
 I second that - Concero HD + WA7 is a nice combo. I'm currently running the WA7 with a Chord QuteEX DAC and to my ears, it's a big step up from the WA7's internal DAC.


----------



## groovyd

joelt said:


> Your current setup is about where I'd like to end up truthfully (with the exception of the uber-dac). For me, a better DAC and probably a future headphone upgrade are still on the table. I'm finding the WA7+WA7tp to be quite satisfying at the moment. I'll probably wait a year or two on the headphones, as the current version of the LCD-2 with the fazor is actually very, very good...not to mention that I'm always interested in checking out whatever new and improved products are on the horizon. A proper Stax setup is beyond my reach, though I'd like to listen to one at some point just to get a taste of what the SR-009 sounds like.
> 
> All this said, there's a lot to be said for a setup that makes you "perfectly happy". Recognizing this is probably as important as anything, truth be told.
> 
> Haha. Right. It's all those _other _engineers who are hacks/idiots. I'm not sure why they can't get things right.


 
  
 true... worked all day on a handful of bugs programmed in by some of those other guys we never get to meet but who had their dirty hands all over what we are focused on...


----------



## ochlupin

Hi,
  
 I just bought the AK240 and trying to set it up as the DAC connected to the WA7 acting as the amp and using LCD-X phones connected to the front panel jack on the WA7.
  
 Using Jriver Media Center on Mac I can't get the system to output any sound though  is there some setting I am missing?
  
 Any help would be appreciated thanks!


----------



## shultzee

ochlupin said:


> Hi,
> 
> I just bought the AK240 and trying to set it up as the DAC connected to the WA7 acting as the amp and using LCD-X phones connected to the front panel jack on the WA7.
> 
> ...


 
 How are you connecting the AK240 to the wa7?     Make sure you change the switch on the back of your wa7 depending on the input.


----------



## WraithApe

shultzee said:


> How are you connecting the AK240 to the wa7?     Make sure you change the switch on the back of your wa7 depending on the input.


 
 Yeah, it's kinda hard to tell from the way you've described it but it sounds like you're trying to use the small jack on the front panel as an input for the AK240. The front panel jacks are just for output - you need to connect the AK240 via the RCA connectors on the back and set the switch to RCA.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

ochlupin said:


> Hi,
> 
> I just bought the AK240 and trying to set it up as the DAC connected to the WA7 acting as the amp and using LCD-X phones connected to the front panel jack on the WA7.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Are you connecting the AK240 with analog cables to WA7's RCA input on the back? Do you have USB from Mac to AK240?
  
 You may have to set the AK240’s volume to MAX as AK240 does not feature a Line Out via its headphones jack.
  
 Note: this may not sound better than the WA7’s internal DAC, but let us know what you think.


----------



## pragu

Just wondering - has anyone plugged a WA7 or WA7 + tp pair into a kill-a-watt meter to see the power draw? I want to burn in my tp's new tubes, but not if it's going to cost me more than the tubes themselves.
  
 As far as tubes go, Mike, you said in the WA7tp thread that Woo & friends were testing tubes for a possible upgrade to the psu. Have you made any progress in finding any solid matches? Gold Lions? Sylvanias?


----------



## Shini44

Am i the only one who had the WA7 (EH tubes) + X-Sabre DAC and the Concero? seems like it.
  
 Let me tell you people, i would pick the X-Sabre over the Concero any time!!! the X-Sabre sound like the improved version of the WA7's DAC, more details yet WAY smoother, while maintaining the details and dynamics.
  
 X-Sabre is the best Neutral DAC i ever had <3


----------



## olegausany

shini44 said:


> X-Sabre is the best Neutral DAC i ever had <3



+1
It also sounds very analog


----------



## shultzee

shini44 said:


> Am i the only one who had the WA7 (EH tubes) + X-Sabre DAC and the Concero? seems like it.
> 
> Let me tell you people, i would pick the X-Sabre over the Concero any time!!! the X-Sabre sound like the improved version of the WA7's DAC, more details yet WAY smoother, while maintaining the details and dynamics.
> 
> ...






I have to agree on the quality of the x-sabre sound. Never heard the Concero tho.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

pragu said:


> Just wondering - has anyone plugged a WA7 or WA7 + tp pair into a kill-a-watt meter to see the power draw? I want to burn in my tp's new tubes, but not if it's going to cost me more than the tubes themselves.
> 
> As far as tubes go, Mike, you said in the WA7tp thread that Woo & friends were testing tubes for a possible upgrade to the psu. Have you made any progress in finding any solid matches? Gold Lions? Sylvanias?


 
  
 No offerings yet.  It's a bit more involved than picking the best sounding tube and offer it our customers.  We will definitely announce it here and on social media when that time comes.
  
 The option to DAC roll was why we included an Analog Input on WA7 and WA7d.


----------



## Carmantom

I'm needing help with my new wa7 (soon wa79 tube ps). I bought the Audeze lcd 2 headphones. I have run both in 200 hrs +. I am using stock cables with upgraded EH tubes from Woo. I am about ready to sell these. They are glaringly bright, no sense of musicality, no soundstage regarding depth. Every instrument is simply directly over my head. 

Sounds like I'm already talked myself out of them. I would appreciate any recommendations for headphones to have synergy with this amp. My budget is $1000 - $1500 Thanks


----------



## shultzee

carmantom said:


> I'm needing help with my new wa7 (soon wa79 tube ps). I bought the Audeze lcd 2 headphones. I have run both in 200 hrs +. I am using stock cables with upgraded EH tubes from Woo. I am about ready to sell these. They are glaringly bright, no sense of musicality, no soundstage regarding depth. Every instrument is simply directly over my head.
> 
> Sounds like I'm already talked myself out of them. I would appreciate any recommendations for headphones to have synergy with this amp. My budget is $1000 - $1500 Thanks


 
  
 Lcd-x / wa7 is a incredibly good combo both to me and everyone that has heard it.     Be forewarned however that I had a lcd-2 with wa7 and thought it sounded very good.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

carmantom said:


> I'm needing help with my new wa7 (soon wa79 tube ps). I bought the Audeze lcd 2 headphones. I have run both in 200 hrs +. I am using stock cables with upgraded EH tubes from Woo. I am about ready to sell these. They are glaringly bright, no sense of musicality, no soundstage regarding depth. Every instrument is simply directly over my head.
> 
> Sounds like I'm already talked myself out of them. I would appreciate any recommendations for headphones to have synergy with this amp. My budget is $1000 - $1500 Thanks


 
  
 If you found the LCD2 bright, you may want to stay away from LCDx as it is more neutral than LCD2.  That said, I also like LCDx and WA7 pairing, but I prefer that type of sound.  
  
 The new Oppo PM-1, MrSpeakers Alpha Dog and Sennheiser HD650 are good ones to audition.  Oppo PM-2 is coming, but I have not heard it on WA7 yet.


----------



## Carmantom

HD650 are good ones to audition

Interesting you mentioned the 650. Although they were not as refined as the lcd2 they were much more musical. When I say bright I mean razor bright. I was too tense in my stomach. Don't get me wrong they certainly have their strengths. I enjoyed them somewhat with classical music. I also heard too much reverb. As always, it is subjective. Thank for insights including pas.


----------



## olegausany

HD650 are great with WA7


----------



## JoelT

I find it really hard to relate to hearing the LCD-2 as being bright. I would actually describe the current fazor model as being slightly dark. And yes, my experience is running them through the WA7, both with the stock PSU and the tube PSU. I would note that I find the internal DAC to be a bit edgy, not extreme, but it's certainly not the smoothest. This may be contributing to this perception. All this said, I think the key is to identify what sound signature you're ultimately after, and then move in that direction. There's no definitive right or wrong per say, just preferences. Thankfully the WA7 pairs pretty well with quite a few headphones, so it's not like you're locked in to working with only a specific "flavor" of transducer per say.


----------



## mithrandir38

does anyone know if you can use the Telefunken EC8020 as a direct substitute for the 6C45/WE437?  I'd love to get some NOS tubes in mine.


----------



## fengwei007

Just joined the club 
  
 Bought a WA7 w/ a pair of extra EH 6C45Pi tubes today, paired with HE560 and RS1i, the sound is amazing, especially with the HE560. The synergy, the details , the sound stage and the bass, or man especially the bass are all improved from my current setup. Really happy with this amp. It's my first tube amp, I think I finally found the amp I've been looking for.
  
 Haven't tried the built-in DAC yet, but I'm pretty happy with my HP-A4 as DAC before, I'm still very happy with it now when hooked up with the WA7.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

fengwei007 said:


> Just joined the club
> 
> Bought a WA7 w/ a pair of extra EH 6C45Pi tubes today, paired with HE560 and RS1i, the sound is amazing, especially with the HE560. The synergy, the details , the sound stage and the bass, or man especially the bass are all improved from my current setup. Really happy with this amp. It's my first tube amp, I think I finally found the amp I've been looking for.
> 
> Haven't tried the built-in DAC yet, but I'm pretty happy with my HP-A4 as DAC before, I'm still very happy with it now when hooked up with the WA7.


 
  
 Congratulations!  We would love to see some pics.


----------



## akhyar

Congrats @fengwei007

For a 1-box solution with small footprint, hard to beat the WA7.
Most users agree that the built-in DAC could be better, but you can always use the RCA inputs to bypass the DAC.

I'm waiting for my Oppo HA-1 to arrive and will A-B it with the WA-7 and will most probably keep only 1 amp


----------



## fengwei007

hifiguy528 said:


> Congratulations!  We would love to see some pics.


 
  
 Thanks. Will try to take some photos over the weekend during day time. The light condition isn't ideal when I'm back home from work. 
  


akhyar said:


> Congrats @fengwei007
> 
> For a 1-box solution with small footprint, hard to beat the WA7.
> Most users agree that the built-in DAC could be better, but you can always use the RCA inputs to bypass the DAC.
> ...


  
 Thanks. I know it's a 1-box solution, but I've got quite some DSD files which I've been listening to for a while, that's why I still keep the HP-A4 as a DAC (and it's a pretty good one). Might get a better one later on, but for now I'm very happy


----------



## fengwei007

As promised, here are two quick photos I took just now:
  

  

  
 The WA7 amp drives these two headphones beautifully, They are great to look at too.


----------



## mediumraresteak

I've been listening to the WA7 (EH tubes) + HD800 for a few months now.  It's been a great experience but I was thinking of buying a new DAC as I want even more detail retrieval.  I'm not even sure if that's possible but budget would be ~$500-$900.  I haven't seen too many comparisons on the new PSU so I may upgrade to that if it's a better option.
  
 Edit - I read the X-Sabre pairs well with the HD800s, though X-Sabre + WA7 is a different matter.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

fengwei007 said:


> As promised, here are two quick photos I took just now:
> 
> The WA7 amp drives these two headphones beautifully, They are great to look at too.


 
  
 Beautiful pics!  Thank you for sharing.


----------



## groovyd

mediumraresteak said:


> I've been listening to the WA7 (EH tubes) + HD800 for a few months now.  It's been a great experience but I was thinking of buying a new DAC as I want even more detail retrieval.  I'm not even sure if that's possible but budget would be ~$500-$900.  I haven't seen too many comparisons on the new PSU so I may upgrade to that if it's a better option.
> 
> Edit - I read the X-Sabre pairs well with the HD800s, though X-Sabre + WA7 is a different matter.


 
  
 Bang for your buck dictates the WA7tp upgrade first before the DAC... just saying.  You might however be better off just selling your WA7 and getting the new WA7d already paired to the tp since the optical input will most likely also give you the detail boost you are looking for, the pair will come properly matched, and ofcourse you get the much more open sound of the tp.
  
 I see you have a very early WA7 with the wider beveled glass top and flat finish as well as lower base height.  It will definitely not match side by side with the latest generation WA7tp.


----------



## shultzee

mediumraresteak said:


> I've been listening to the WA7 (EH tubes) + HD800 for a few months now.  It's been a great experience but I was thinking of buying a new DAC as I want even more detail retrieval.  I'm not even sure if that's possible but budget would be ~$500-$900.  I haven't seen too many comparisons on the new PSU so I may upgrade to that if it's a better option.
> 
> Edit - I read the X-Sabre pairs well with the HD800s, though X-Sabre + WA7 is a different matter.


 
 I added the x-sabre to the wa7 and it is pretty amazing actually.


----------



## olegausany

Of course X-Sabre, which I still have for sale by the way, is really great, neutral, musical and very analog sounding Dac. The only cheaper Dac which is close to it i heard and owned at the same time so was able to compare is Arcam IrDac


----------



## mediumraresteak

shultzee said:


> I added the x-sabre to the wa7 and it is pretty amazing actually.


 
 Good to hear!  I'm focused on instrument separation than anything so if the X-Sabre is worth it, I'll definitely look to purchase one soon.


----------



## hunter9002

Hey Guys, Looking for your impressions on using the AKG K812 with the WA7... Looking for that perfect flagship phone for my fireflies that caters to my large-soundstage and slightly treble-favoring preferences. Current phones are the K701s and I love the combo, but I know I can do better. Thanks!


----------



## PleasantSounds

hunter9002 said:


> Hey Guys, Looking for your impressions on using the AKG K812 with the WA7... Looking for that perfect flagship phone for my fireflies that caters to my large-soundstage and slightly treble-favoring preferences. Current phones are the K701s and I love the combo, but I know I can do better. Thanks!


 
  
 Why not the HD800? Seems to fit what you're looking for. Pairs very well with the WA7 too.


----------



## hunter9002

pleasantsounds said:


> Why not the HD800? Seems to fit what you're looking for. Pairs very well with the WA7 too.




It's definitely on my list, as is the TH900. I just want to hear impressions of all these pairings before jumping, and I can't find much on the K812 combo. I also have a slight interest in staying loyal to AKG since I love the K701 so much and naively assume the K812 might be my favorite flagship, even if it isn't everyone else's.


----------



## LNCPapa

K812 sounds nothing like the 701.  When I first listened to the 812 I couldn't even believe it was from AKG.  It has a much heavier bottom end than any AKG I've listened to and is a little more V shaped in its sound.  I really like them (from what I remember listening to Sonido's pair) but I don't think I could pay more than $1k for them.  I still prefer my LCD2 over the 812 but it would be a great complimentary set of headphones.


----------



## groovyd

hunter9002 said:


> Hey Guys, Looking for your impressions on using the AKG K812 with the WA7... Looking for that perfect flagship phone for my fireflies that caters to my large-soundstage and slightly treble-favoring preferences. Current phones are the K701s and I love the combo, but I know I can do better. Thanks!


 
 Beyer T1... is also on sale right now


----------



## JoelT

pleasantsounds said:


> Why not the HD800? Seems to fit what you're looking for. Pairs very well with the WA7 too.


 
  
 +1
  
 Especially with the WA7tp and swapped tubes.


----------



## PleasantSounds

I'm considering getting the tube PSU as an upgrade, and would like to get some opinions from those who have already done that:
  
 What differences should I expect? Is tube rolling on the PSU noticeable at all?
  
 If that matters, I'm using primarily HD800 headphones and an external high end DAC.


----------



## Dogmatrix

pleasantsounds said:


> I'm considering getting the tube PSU as an upgrade, and would like to get some opinions from those who have already done that:
> 
> What differences should I expect? Is tube rolling on the PSU noticeable at all?
> 
> If that matters, I'm using primarily HD800 headphones and an external high end DAC.


 

 I am enjoying the tube PSU in combination with the HD800 very much
 Compared to WA7 alone the sound is stronger , more opaque without loosing the WA7 character
 Mixed results with tube rolling , one threw an arc on start so that pair was discarded , one pair made the treble too harsh with the HD800
 Many were recommending the Sylvania 5814a and I found these gave increased bass and a more euphonic mid-range I have stuck with them since
 Rolling is far more effective than I had anticipated , although I have only tried a couple of sets there were clear winners an losers
 On the other hand stock tubes are very good and although I am enjoying the Sylvania tubes I was also happy with the stock unit


----------



## JoelT

pleasantsounds said:


> I'm considering getting the tube PSU as an upgrade, and would like to get some opinions from those who have already done that:
> 
> What differences should I expect? Is tube rolling on the PSU noticeable at all?
> 
> If that matters, I'm using primarily HD800 headphones and an external high end DAC.


 
  
 Benefits of the WA7tp:

 -Expanded Soundstage depth/width
 -Tighter and more textured bass
 -Greater separation and sense of air
 -Greater sense of tonal clarity/purity
 -Improved transparency
 -Tube swapping  on the PSU to further customize your sound
  
  
 A highly resolving headphone such as the HD800 will _absolutely _benefit from the WA7tp. In fact, it's a wonderful combination that I've been enjoying lately myself. Comparatively, the solid state PSU sounds slightly muddy and congested. The difference is very noticeable and well worth the asking price. I will also add that the solid state PSU has a slightly greater perceived bass quantity compared to the stock tubed WA7tp (though you will notice, if you make the switch, that some of that "bass" body on the solid state PSU is actually a bit of lower-mid range bleed). A number of the early adopters (myself included), have been using the Sylvania JAN 5814A's with the TP, which increases the bass body a touch and are a bit more "forward". I find them to be a good match with the HD800.


----------



## JoelT

dogmatrix said:


> Mixed results with tube rolling , one threw an arc on start so that pair was discarded , one pair made the treble too harsh with the HD800


 
 Just out of curiosity, which tubes had the harsh treble?


----------



## PleasantSounds

@ Dogmatrix & JoelT:  Thanks for your impressions guys. From what you're saying it is a worthwhile upgrade.
  
 I'm still tossing between this and getting a fully balanced amp, since my DAC is balanced. Probably I'll do both, just need to decide in what order.
 Cheers


----------



## Dogmatrix

joelt said:


> Just out of curiosity, which tubes had the harsh treble?


 

 GE JG5814a 2mica, grey plate, solid disc getter
 Odd thing, with the HE 500 it was a boomy one note bass monster then with the HD800 shrieking treble


----------



## Carmantom

Has anyone found a way to add DSD to the WA7?  I spoke to the guys at Schiit audio and they said the Loki (stand alone device) would not work since  it  didn't look like the WA7 does not have line out.


----------



## PleasantSounds

carmantom said:


> Has anyone found a way to add DSD to the WA7?  I spoke to the guys at Schiit audio and they said the Loki (stand alone device) would not work since  it  didn't look like the WA7 didn't have  he WA7 does not have line out.


 
  
 No direct experience with Loki, but IMO there's no reason why it shouldn't work with the WA7. You'll just have to wire it a bit differently than Schiit intended and forget about the switching function - switching would be performed on the WA7.

 On the left side you see the intended connection scheme with switching in Loki. That's daft if your source for both DSD and PCM is the same player - you have to switch the output device anyway.
  
 On the right side is the scheme that should work with the WA7.


----------



## JoelT

I assume you are using the WA7's internal DAC? The WA7 will accept the RCA line-in from the Loki, but it won't be able to use the Loki's pass-through function with the WA7's internal DAC (due to the WA7 using the same RCA posts for both input and output, selected via the black input/output switch on the back). So would the Loki work? I believe so, but it would require you to change sound drivers in software (from the WA7 to the Loki), change the input/output switch on the WA7 from USB to RCA every time you wanted to listen to DSD. Of course, then you'd have to switch everything back if you wanted to listen to a standard PCM source! Certainly not convenient/seamless.
  
 The owner's manual's for both describe how they are designed regarding inputs/outputs:  
  
http://schiit.com/public/upload/PDF/loki-manual.pdf
  
http://www.wooaudio.com/manuals/WA7_Fireflies_Owners_Manual.pdf
  
 The easiest solution would be to get a different, standalone DAC that supports DSD (Quite a few WA7 owners seem to like the Matrix X-Sabre for example). You'll get the added benefit of improved DAC performance/sound. Honestly, the WA7's internal DAC is mediocre and a good external DAC will be a clear upgrade. My $0.02.


----------



## shultzee

joelt said:


> I assume you are using the WA7's internal DAC? The WA7 will accept the RCA line-in from the Loki, but it won't be able to use the Loki's pass-through function with the WA7's internal DAC (due to the WA7 using the same RCA posts for both input and output, selected via the black input/output switch on the back). So would the Loki work? I believe so, but it would require you to change sound drivers in software (from the WA7 to the Loki), change the input/output switch on the WA7 from USB to RCA every time you wanted to listen to DSD. Of course, then you'd have to switch everything back if you wanted to listen to a standard PCM source! Certainly not convenient/seamless.
> 
> The owner's manual's for both describe how they are designed regarding inputs/outputs:
> 
> ...


 
  
 The Matrix X-Sabre definitely sounds very nice with the Wa7


----------



## Shini44

shultzee said:


> The Matrix X-Sabre definitely sounds very nice with the Wa7


 
 +1


----------



## olegausany

Sorry for off topic but i still have X-Sabre for sale


----------



## audiophile_007

Hey guys I need your help!
  
 I've been loving my wa7 + wa7tp for a few months now but yesterday I tried to turn it on via the big button on the tp (i always have the switch on the wa7 up) and it went on for a sec before it died.
 thirst thing i thought was going on was that a fuse popped (happened before) so i switched out the fuse to a working one and still no life in my wa7 and wa7tp.
  
 after that i tried to connect my solid state psu to my wa7 instead of my wa7tp and still, no life to be seen.
 The orange light on the solid state psu wouldnt even turn on.
  
 does anyone have any idea whats wrong? or do i need to send on or both in for repairs? 
  
 thnx in advance guys.


----------



## Carmantom

shultzee said:


> The Matrix X-Sabre definitely sounds very nice with the Wa7





X2


----------



## HiFiGuy528

audiophile_007 said:


> Hey guys I need your help!
> 
> I've been loving my wa7 + wa7tp for a few months now but yesterday I tried to turn it on via the big button on the tp (i always have the switch on the wa7 up) and it went on for a sec before it died.
> thirst thing i thought was going on was that a fuse popped (happened before) so i switched out the fuse to a working one and still no life in my wa7 and wa7tp.
> ...


 
  
 Hi @audiophile_007 ,
  
 Sent you an email to help sort this out.  Look forward to hearing from you and get the system back up singing again.


----------



## petezjunior

is it possible to purchase the wa7tp after just getting the wa7? can't afford the 1398 yet...


----------



## olegausany

Shouldn't be a problem but be aware that you not going to get the best out of it


----------



## petezjunior

so if i buy the tube power supply later on it won't be as good?


----------



## olegausany

It will be as good sure


----------



## dlnwntchld

I just started getting crackle noise and severe distortion 2.5 - 3hours into my listening sessions with my now 1 year old WA7 running EH tubes. The bad part is that the crackling returns even with the Sovteks so it's not the tubes in my case. Neither pair has any oxidation or other physical issue that i can detect.The issues seems temperature related - simply put if i let it cool off it works just fine, when it gets warm again it starts to make my music sound crackly. At first it's just noticable in teh bass freq's and then quickly distorts all of the music.
 I am in touch with Mike at Woo and I'll let you guys know what i find out.
  
 A few side notes:

The WA7 PSU is always used with a UPS system - never straight out the wall. This my MO for all electronics.I have tried different outlets and UPSs but the problem persists.
I use a regular Monoprice cable with ferite bead and gold ends. Please no comments about super-duper USB cables vs mono-price. Cable is fine. The unit would give me issue consistently hot or cold with a bad cable.
normally i give the amp a few minutes to warm up - i turn it on then unbox my 'phone and select my music on my PC before i play anything.
I have never run the unit more than 10 hours under load - i once left it on for about 9 hours, but Mike assures me he run's these units much harder than that at shows.
Tried switching sources - no bueno.


----------



## petezjunior

So, is it possible to purchase the vacuum power supply after buying the solid state?


----------



## olegausany

Yes


----------



## petezjunior

Thought on the wa7 vs wa6-se for the he560


----------



## shultzee

I had the wa7 and now the wa6se but with a lcd-x.  Of course you know that with the wa6se you will need to have a dac where the wa7 has it built in.  More tube options for the wa6se ,and to me it has more punch.   Both are very good amps.  Good luck.


----------



## petezjunior

I have a decent dac already just need to make a decision on the wa7 or wa6se I really like the look of the wa7 but I can't make a decision based on aesthetics


----------



## olegausany

But it is better to use external Dac instead of built in one with WA7


----------



## petezjunior

Seems like the wa6 has the better sound. Can I purchase the vacuum power supply after I get the solid supply? Don't have the cash yet for the vacuum power supply yet


----------



## olegausany

Sorry didn't see the post about having better Dac but then I don't see a reason to spend so much money and use just an amp. You can get many separate good amps for those money


----------



## olegausany

Vacuum power supply works only with WA7


----------



## shultzee

petezjunior said:


> Seems like the wa6 has the better sound. Can I purchase the vacuum power supply after I get the solid supply? Don't have the cash yet for the vacuum power supply yet


 
  
  
 From my experience having both go for the the wa6se.  More options for you down the road rolling tubes.   Also like olegausany says above you can improve on the wa7 dac.  But you can do that with the wa7 as well.  Imho the wa6se is a pretty good step up but either unit is good stuff.


----------



## petezjunior

Yeah I'm just trying to figure out if you can buy the vacuum power supply after you buy the solid state because it's four hundred dollars more. There's no indication you can cop the vacuum supply later on when you visit the site


----------



## shultzee

Yes you can buy the tube power supply later on.  You just don't get anything back for the std. power supply, which by the way is very good.


----------



## olegausany

This shouldn't be a problem doing this, that's what people did who already own WA7 before new power supply was introduced


----------



## petezjunior

Cool I don't see anything on the site. Do you just email them and I am the four hundred or so for the vacuum supply? Also what's the adapter you have to buy again? Is it the ac adapter?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

dlnwntchld said:


> I just started getting crackle noise and severe distortion 2.5 - 3hours into my listening sessions with my now 1 year old WA7 running EH tubes. The bad part is that the crackling returns even with the Sovteks so it's not the tubes in my case. Neither pair has any oxidation or other physical issue that i can detect.The issues seems temperature related - simply put if i let it cool off it works just fine, when it gets warm again it starts to make my music sound crackly. At first it's just noticable in teh bass freq's and then quickly distorts all of the music.
> I am in touch with Mike at Woo and I'll let you guys know what i find out.
> 
> A few side notes:
> ...


 
  
 I've forward your concerns to Jack for his opinion before asking you to send the unit to us for inspection.  
  
 I leave my personal WA7 ON or playing music all day.  At shows, systems are ON all day, sometimes over night to keep the tubes warmed.  At Capital Audio Fest, Dan (MrSpeakers) left his WA7d + WA7tp system powered ON all three days of the show (day & night).  We don't recommend to do that because it does shortens the life of the tubes, but you can if you choose.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

petezjunior said:


> Yeah I'm just trying to figure out if you can buy the vacuum power supply after you buy the solid state because it's four hundred dollars more. There's no indication you can cop the vacuum supply later on when you visit the site


 
  
 We recommend to purchase the combo together to save money.  Buying the WA7tp at a later date will cost $649.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

olegausany said:


> But it is better to use external Dac instead of built in one with WA7


 
  
 I've compared the WA7's internal DAC to others costing between $1k - $2K, you get more bang for the buck going with EH 6C45 upgrade tubes and WA7tp (with stock tubes).


----------



## mithrandir38

petezjunior said:


> Cool I don't see anything on the site. Do you just email them and I am the four hundred or so for the vacuum supply? Also what's the adapter you have to buy again? Is it the ac adapter?


Audio advisor sells them for $399.00


----------



## mithrandir38

Correction, they're now 650.00


----------



## petezjunior

Looks like the fuse burning is a problem. How common is this and how easy is it to fix?


----------



## mattelka

I had a problem with the fuse getting blown. Eventually I found out that as long as I did not power off the main power source (AC supply) there were no issues with blown fuses.


----------



## petezjunior

As long as you didn't? You kept your power supply on all day and didn't get a blown fuse?


----------



## Dogmatrix

I think there was a bad batch of fuses in the first few production units but the problem was solved


----------



## mattelka

@petezjunior 
  
 The WA7's On/Off switch is left perpetually "On". The WA7tp's On/Off knob is used to toggle the units "On/Off". The main power socket is left perpertually "On" but not the WA7/WA7tp combo.
  
 Cannot explain why it works this way but it just does.


----------



## desertblues

shultzee said:


> Yes you can buy the tube power supply later on.  You just don't get anything back for the std. power supply, which by the way is very good.




As much as I love the tube psu, I have to agree the std power supply is high quality also! It's just that the tube one gives me more versatility - I think of the 12au7 as my "eq tubes".


----------



## fengwei007

hifiguy528 said:


> I've forward your concerns to Jack for his opinion before asking you to send the unit to us for inspection.
> 
> I leave my personal WA7 ON or playing music all day.  At shows, systems are ON all day, sometimes over night to keep the tubes warmed.  At Capital Audio Fest, Dan (MrSpeakers) left his WA7d + WA7tp system powered ON all three days of the show (day & night).  We don't recommend to do that because it does shortens the life of the tubes, but you can if you choose.


 
 Since there is no power switch on the stock (solid state linear) power supply of WA7, do we need to turn it (I mean the power supply) off when not using them?
  
 Normally I just turn off the main WA7 unit (by toggle the switch at the back) but leave the stock power supply connected to power without switching off all the time. Since the power supply is pretty cool when the WA7 is off, I assume it's okay to keep the WA7 power supply hooked up but not turned off (on the main power socket)?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

fengwei007 said:


> Since there is no power switch on the stock (solid state linear) power supply of WA7, do we need to turn it (I mean the power supply) off when not using them?
> 
> Normally I just turn off the main WA7 unit (by toggle the switch at the back) but leave the stock power supply connected to power without switching off all the time. Since the power supply is pretty cool when the WA7 is off, I assume it's okay to keep the WA7 power supply hooked up but not turned off (on the main power socket)?


 
  
 You are using the WA7 with solid state power supply correctly.  
  
 Users with WA7tp (tube power supply), use the Power ON/OFF *button* on the front of tube power supply.  Think of this button as a Standby feature.  The flip switch on the back of the amplifier the main power switch.  Only need to flip the switch to OFF position if you are not using the system for an extended period of time or on holiday.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

mithrandir38 said:


> Audio advisor sells them for $399.00


 
  
 They were notified not to because it is not a standalone product.


----------



## fengwei007

hifiguy528 said:


> You are using the WA7 with solid state power supply correctly.
> 
> Users with WA7tp (tube power supply), use the Power ON/OFF *button* on the front of tube power supply.  Think of this button as a Standby feature.  The flip switch on the back of the amplifier the main power switch.  Only need to flip the switch to OFF position if you are not using the system for an extended period of time or on holiday.




Great! Thanks for the confirmation. Love the amp.


----------



## Lutrty

Hi akhyar, did you manage to do the "comparison between hugo and wa7 and combos". Really curious. Thanks!


----------



## HemiSam

I am really pleased with my WA7...great investment!  I was so happy with the stock tubes I left them alone for a month and a half of A LOT of listening.  Finally got myself to roll and have had the gold tipped Electro Harmonix's in long enough that they've burned in nicely.  To my humble ears, they are more analytical...reference like.  They make the WA7 more like a solid state amp.  I need to go back to the stockers to confirm my thoughts.  I tend towards a warmer signature so I might very well go back to the stockers, although the EH's make a nice combination with my AT M50x's.
  
 I had some questions for Woo Audio and Mike was EXTREMELY responsive...exceptional customer service.  
  
 Thank you for making a great product for our community and being a stand-up vendor, Mike!
  
  





  
 HS


----------



## HiFiGuy528

hemisam said:


> I am really pleased with my WA7...great investment!  I was so happy with the stock tubes I left them alone for a month and a half of A LOT of listening.  Finally got myself to roll and have had the gold tipped Electro Harmonix's in long enough that they've burned in nicely.  To my humble ears, they are more analytical...reference like.  They make the WA7 more like a solid state amp.  I need to go back to the stockers to confirm my thoughts.  I tend towards a warmer signature so I might very well go back to the stockers, although the EH's make a nice combination with my AT M50x's.
> 
> I had some questions for Woo Audio and Mike was EXTREMELY responsive...exceptional customer service.
> 
> ...


 
  
 That's the fun part about tube rolling.  It's a rather small investment to get a different sound to suit your taste or type of music.   With solid state systems, one has to upgrade the system to get a different sound.
  
 Thank you for the kind words.   We try our best to answer questions or address concerns with the same expectations we have if we were the customer.


----------



## Lutrty

Agreed - Woo Audio's customer support is absolutely TOP - fast, professional, dedicated(!) and extremely polite. They just want to provide the best service, and they do.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

lutrty said:


> Agreed - Woo Audio's customer support is absolutely TOP - fast, professional, dedicated(!) and extremely polite. They just want to provide the best service, and they do.


 
  
 THANK YOU!!!  We try our best.


----------



## mikoss

Hey guys, just picked up the WA7 and WA7tp second hand from another head-fier. So far, sounds very nic
  
 I haven't read through all of the forums for WA7 tube rolling, but I was wondering if anyone has some experience and could recommend some tubes...
  
 I have experience with rolling 6dj8's and I really love the sound of NOS Amperex 7308's. They have wonderful, rich, luscious mids, and graceful sounding highs. Not quite as extended/airy as the highs from Siemens E88CC tubes, and not quite as forceful bass.
  
 I was looking for some tubes for my new WA7/WA7tp that would match the sound signature of the Amperex tubes... respectfully tight bass, beautiful mids, and as warm/airy highs as possible.
  
  
 Welcome your thoughts and looking forward to a long relationship with the WA7.


----------



## groovyd

mikoss said:


> Hey guys, just picked up the WA7 and WA7tp second hand from another head-fier. So far, sounds very nic
> 
> I haven't read through all of the forums for WA7 tube rolling, but I was wondering if anyone has some experience and could recommend some tubes...
> 
> ...


 

 not many options for the WA7 but the tp has many more... I have tried a bunch of options all in and have settled on the cryo-treated gold pins for the WA7 and NOS Mullards for the tp which together gives a very tight reference sound with good respect in all areas without emphasizing one over the other.  Extended highs that are crystal clear and good bass punch without being over-bearing or boomy.
  
 If you are more into punchier bass or using headphones that appreciate more bass (or need more) then the JANs are the way to go for the tp and if you like something a little more T1 sounding with a bit of high emphasis then try the rca cleartops.  Stock is also perfectly acceptable on both units for great balanced sound.  Rolling the tubes can add quite a bit to the cost and there is no guarantee you would prefer either signature over the other without first giving them a hear and depending on your headphones the synergy may change.  
  
 I recommend you listen to them as are for some time and give the whole setup time to burn in and get all your other adjustments in before then deciding you are lacking something that perhaps a different pair of tubes would be tailored to achieving.  Get your brain baseline first and come back with conviction as to what you feel is the lacking quality. basically using the stock setup as your baseline and describing the deltas from there.


----------



## Ultrainferno

The Headfonia review is finally out for those interested
  
 http://www.headfonia.com/woo-audio-wa7-fireflies/


----------



## HemiSam

Thanks for posting the link.  Interesting read.
  
 HS


----------



## BirdManOfCT

ultrainferno said:


> The Headfonia review is finally out for those interested
> 
> http://www.headfonia.com/woo-audio-wa7-fireflies/


 

 Thanks! I got the WA7 with stock tubes, considering the EH tubes.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

Using WA7 with HD800, stock tubes. Debating EH tubes. Have heard a variety of opinions on EH tubes with HD800. Any updates?


----------



## BirdManOfCT

For the EH tubes, some have said it extends the bass (lower frequencies, but not emphasized) while others say the bass is boosted (not deeper, but emphasized). I don't think I've seen both, LOL. Anyone seen a bass boost? I'd rather see a flat extension to deeper bass.


----------



## olegausany

Had EH tubes with HD800 and regular power supply and never heard emphasized bass. For best results get tube power supply with Sylvania 5814


----------



## BirdManOfCT

dougoftheabaci said:


> The trick for testing gear comes down to understanding the flaws inherent in what you're trying to do. For a start, you can't just flip a switch and go from A to B instantly so you can't do a comparison between the two directly. As such you are left comparing mental impressions which is extremely difficult. Make your job easier by choosing a set of songs you're familiar with, preferably with instruments that you are familiar with, and then listen to that playlist for a few hours. Make notes about where it's harsh, where it's flat, where you hear things just on the edges. Write down your impressions but also let yourself just feel the music. Then do it again with the new components. Listen to the same songs, do you hear those fringe instruments and sounds? Are they more or less pronounced? Should they be?
> 
> When I got my first set of really nice headphones I was listening to a track that I was used to being quite harsh at one point. I got there but instead of harsh it was just clear and smooth. No pain. It was beautiful. Then, later, in another song I heard an oboe in the background that I'd never known was there. This from a song I'd heard hundreds of times before.
> 
> ...


 

 It's cool to find those passages never heard before.


----------



## groovyd

olegausany said:


> Had EH tubes with HD800 and regular power supply and never heard emphasized bass. For best results get tube power supply with Sylvania 5814


 

 tube power is better with Mullards imho but the sylvania def give a fist pump sound if you are into that.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

desertblues said:


> Absolutely agree-I like my desktop uncrowded and love the small footprint of my WA7.


 

 Same here. I've had my WA7 a couple weeks and liking it more all the time. I've had the upgrade itch (DAC), but having second thoughts about that. I did order the EH upgrade tubes, but that might be it. I'm listening to all my music again. So much of it sounds new!


----------



## BirdManOfCT

mh01 said:


> To be honest it will be sitting on my desk next to the iMac , so silver would really work better in that regard, and probably be hooked up to HD800, so silver again .


 

 Same here (silver next to iMac). Looks very nice. Especially when the tubes are glowing when dark out.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

groovyd said:


> Interesting details about the EH tubes... and why they are so good and so hard to make and have quality issues (and expensive)...
> 
> http://www.jacmusic.com/ehx/


 

 Thanks for the link!


----------



## BirdManOfCT

ericbaum said:


> Greetings folks. This is my first post here. I recently purchased the WA7 and am thoroughly enjoying it paired with my Sennheiser HD800 phones.
> 
> I have discovered one quirk, however. Each time I power up, the highest sampling rate listed in my Mac Pro's Audio/MIDI Setup is only 48k. Usually once I reconnect the USB cable (while the unit is on) the list expands to include the full range up to 192k. It's not a big deal, just a slight annoyance. Has anybody else encountered this?


 

 I have this, too. Now that you mention re-connecting, I might have seen that once or twice. But, I just tried it and no difference. Have you found any solution to this?


----------



## BirdManOfCT

groovyd said:


> Still wishing someone would show the WA7 internals... perhaps there is a DAC upgrade option in terms of pin compatible chip. Also would like to know how the DAC ref rails are or aren't isolated from the usb power.


 

 I haven't seen WA7 internals, either. Did you spot any since then?


----------



## BirdManOfCT

eelton said:


> I got my WA7 today, with the EH tubes (I bought it used).  It's certainly a beautiful, well-constructed device.
> 
> I came into this a skeptic with respect to the tube vs. solid state issue, and I'm also a newbie when it comes to the high-end headphone hobby, so take this with a grain of salt...
> 
> ...


 

 Have you changed your mind since then? Either way, thanks!


----------



## eelton

birdmanofct said:


> Have you changed your mind since then? Either way, thanks!


 
  
 I'm very happy with the WA7.  As to whether I hear any sonic difference vs. my solid state amp?  I don't think so.


----------



## groovyd

nope still haven't seen anything... would love to.


----------



## EricBaum

birdmanofct said:


> I have this, too. Now that you mention re-connecting, I might have seen that once or twice. But, I just tried it and no difference. Have you found any solution to this?


 

 No, I still need to re-connect the USB cable to get all sampling options. A minor inconvenience but it always works.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

ericbaum said:


> No, I still need to re-connect the USB cable to get all sampling options. A minor inconvenience but it always works.


 

 This time, the re-connecting took. This will be frustrating. Seems like there should be a fix for it.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

birdmanofct said:


> This time, the re-connecting took. This will be frustrating. Seems like there should be a fix for it.


 
  
 What platform are you on and OS version?  Do you have third-party apps e.g. Skype, PureMusic, or DAW taking the audio devices priority?  Please email us at info@wooaudio.com for additional troubleshooting.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

hifiguy528 said:


> What platform are you on and OS version?  Do you have third-party apps e.g. Skype, PureMusic, or DAW taking the audio devices priority?  Please email us at info@wooaudio.com for additional troubleshooting.


 

 I'll send an email, too. I had it on both Mac: Mavericks (I forget the exact version number, but the latest) and now on Yosemite (v10.10). No other audio things running that I know of.


----------



## jurnaza

birdmanofct said:


> I'll send an email, too. I had it on both Mac: Mavericks (I forget the exact version number, but the latest) and now on Yosemite (v10.10). No other audio things running that I know of.


 

 I have had the same issue with 10.8, 10.9 & 10.10.  As everyone else has stated, usually unplug/plug the USB cable fixes it.  But on occasions mine has gotten completely stuck at 48.  I found the following steps help resolve this..
  
 Unplug WA7 USB --> Set Audirvana preferred audio device to MacBook built-in output ---> Plug-in WA7 USB back in --> Set WA7 to Audirvana preferred device again


----------



## HiFiGuy528

often times third-party audio apps (Audirvana, PureMusic, BitPerfect, Amarra, etc.) or VOIP apps wants to take priority in your system's sound.  Can't blame them... they want everyone to use their app exclusively.    Another issue is DACs that requires drivers.  Those drivers often pushes everything else to the side and hog the priority.  I won't mention any names here but that's my experience when testing DACs.  
  
 Do check the Preferences setting in those apps to ensure audio devices are routed correctly.


----------



## jurnaza

Noted, I just use Audirvana to resolve the problem when it happens... for some strange reason doing that in Audirvana get's it un-stuck in the OS, but prior to doing that in Audirvana, Mac OS X with nothing else loaded would only detect at 48.


----------



## groovyd

After a ton of similar issues with Audirvana I have switched to JRiver and it seems to be much better all around.  There are still little issues here and there compared to say iTunes but the sound quality is excellent and the interface is pretty decent too.  It now also supports movie playback as well so if that matters to you...


----------



## HemiSam

groovyd said:


> After a ton of similar issues with Audirvana I have switched to JRiver and it seems to be much better all around.  There are still little issues here and there compared to say iTunes but the sound quality is excellent and the interface is pretty decent too.  It now also supports movie playback as well so if that matters to you...


 
  
 Do you have better sound quality from the same audio files with JRiver vs iTunes?  Trying to get my head around this.  
  
 Thanks.
  
 HS


----------



## HiFiGuy528

We use Amarra at shows and on my personal system.  No issues...


----------



## groovyd

hemisam said:


> Do you have better sound quality from the same audio files with JRiver vs iTunes?  Trying to get my head around this.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> HS


 
 yes, better sound same files.


----------



## HemiSam

groovyd said:


> yes, better sound same files.


 
  
 Interesting.  I'm simply running iTunes and have not explored alternative music software for my Apple transports.  I prefer simplicity, but I'm afraid I may be getting further and further away from it going down this audiophile rabbit hole...
  
  
 HS


----------



## BirdManOfCT

hemisam said:


> Interesting.  I'm simply running iTunes and have not explored alternative music software for my Apple transports.  I prefer simplicity, but I'm afraid I may be getting further and further away from it going down this audiophile rabbit hole...
> 
> 
> HS


 

 The red pill or the blue pill. Choices....


----------



## Dogmatrix

birdmanofct said:


> The red pill or the blue pill. Choices....


 
 I just do what the smiley cat says


----------



## HemiSam

birdmanofct said:


> The red pill or the blue pill. Choices....


 
  
  
 ^^^^this
  
  




  
 HS


----------



## groovyd

AB the JRiver and iTunes and you will find the JRiver to be much less siblant, smoother highs.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

We are thrilled to announce a partnership with Sennheiser to end 2014 with the BEST audiophile giveaway of EVER.  Enter today and share with friends and family.  *U.S. only
  
http://en-us.sennheiser.com/wooaudio


----------



## LNCPapa

Reactivated my Twitter account just for this!


----------



## BirdManOfCT

Don't use Twitter anymore.


----------



## groovyd

never did...


----------



## HemiSam

groovyd said:


> AB the JRiver and iTunes and you will find the JRiver to be much less siblant, smoother highs.


 
  
  
 You, sir, are correct...big thanks!  Setup wasn't too painful and I'm listening to some Paul Simon right now via JRiver 30-day trial on my Mac Air> USB > Beresford Caiman MKII > Woo WA7 amp > Z7.  Very tasty 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Sooooo....do I keep it simple or do I need to play with the settings?  I've gone through the DSP player and Audio Output and messed about a bit but have basically left things in default.  That's my inclination but as with most things, a rookie is prob missing a turn or two.
  
 Cheers
  
 HS


----------



## HiFiGuy528

lncpapa said:


> Reactivated my Twitter account just for this!


 
  
 You ROCK!
  
 Quote:


birdmanofct said:


> Don't use Twitter anymore.


 
  
 you can use Facebook or Instagram for the extra points.


----------



## incursore61

help me...my mac book air can't see my woo audio 7.....usb is ok.......wat's happened ?


----------



## HemiSam

incursore61 said:


> help me...my mac book air can't see my woo audio 7.....usb is ok.......wat's happened ?


 
  
  
 I use a MacAir (it's not running Yos. OSX yet) without issue.  Have you gone into Audio Midi to signal to the Mac that the output should be to your USB (suggest you have your USB plugged in before you do this so it can "see" it and offer you the option on the left hand side).  Be sure you're in the output pick/tab.
  
 Good luck...I've had no issues.  It's clear Woo's gone to lengths to make compatibility a no brainer with the Apple products.  Even had my iPad mini working without the dreaded insufficient power message.  Couldn't say that about my Beresford DAC.  I had to use the Camera Connection Kit to get it to work.
  
 HS


----------



## groovyd

hemisam said:


> You, sir, are correct...big thanks!  Setup wasn't too painful and I'm listening to some Paul Simon right now via JRiver 30-day trial on my Mac Air> USB > Beresford Caiman MKII > Woo WA7 amp > Z7.  Very tasty
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I left defaults but turned on only Crossfeed (normal) for headphones doesn't do much but makes headphones sound a bit more like speakers instead of all inside your head.  I turned off output format so it doesn't try resampling which is going to my D100 which can handle any sample rate and bit depth.  I also turned on volume leveling but that is it.  with leveling turned on you have to up the amp volume about 30% higher since it cuts everything back to avoid clipping in software.
  
 Those are my only adjustments, it works very well as is.  I do not turn on any of the real tricks like integer mode or exclusive access etc as they interfere with the regular system sounds and things like watching web videos.  If you turn on those things it basically takes full ownership of the audio output which I don't need.  I don't think integer mode or exclusive mode actually offer any better sound the few times i tried it.
  
 Set both itunes and JRiver up side by side at the same relative volume and the same exact track at the same location in the song then pause both.  Then play one and listen closely for 10 sec and then pause it and immediately play the other same 10 sec.  you will immediately hear the difference mostly in the highs being much less sharp on jriver.  itunes seems to create siblance.


----------



## groovyd

plus of all the aftermarket players for mac JRiver is the only one that does a decent job of managing a library and presenting a reasonable UI.  Doesn't crash and stutter like alot of the other players do.  plus it has the hooks for dsp like crossfeed which is really nice which itunes doesn't do a good job of without hacking in soundflower and aulab etc.


----------



## HemiSam

groovyd said:


> plus of all the aftermarket players for mac JRiver is the only one that does a decent job of managing a library and presenting a reasonable UI.  Doesn't crash and stutter like alot of the other players do.  plus it has the hooks for dsp like crossfeed which is really nice which itunes doesn't do a good job of without hacking in soundflower and aulab etc.


 
  
 I'm sold....owe you a beer.  I was surprised with the improvement I heard on the first shot.  I had to go back to iTunes to confirm it wasn't just in my head.
  
 The only issue I've found is that when I switch back to iTunes or try to say play a video on YouTube, the audio output is to the Mac's speakers and not the USB output (aka my cans).  So I have to go back into MIDI and Sound Preferences, and then shut down and restart the software to get it to push the iTunes audio to the USB.  Doesn't like going between the two automatically to the USB output so I can easily A/B. 
  
 I tried using the Core option in Audio Output and that didn't get me any sound out of the USB so I went with the S/PDIF option that populated and that worked, although perhaps that's causing part of my issue.  Tried the Core option twice without joy.
  
 HS


----------



## incursore61

hemisam said:


> I use a MacAir (it's not running Yos. OSX yet) without issue.  Have you gone into Audio Midi to signal to the Mac that the output should be to your USB (suggest you have your USB plugged in before you do this so it can "see" it and offer you the option on the left hand side).  Be sure you're in the output pick/tab.
> 
> Good luck...I've had no issues.  It's clear Woo's gone to lengths to make compatibility a no brainer with the Apple products.  Even had my iPad mini working without the dreaded insufficient power message.  Couldn't say that about my Beresford DAC.  I had to use the Camera Connection Kit to get it to work.
> 
> HS


 
 hanks for your advice, but the problem is that the sound is not woo veins detected by the mac book air, is not seen just as if I had nothing connected.
 I changed the USB port and USB cable, I found that on an older iMac running fine, I finally heard the Apple support told me that there may be a problem with the port of 2.0 W7 that it interacts properly with the doors 3.0 mac air, it is true that they are backwards compatible, but there may be discrepancies with the sound card.
 hope someone can help me Woo Audio, this product is not imported into Italy and it cost me a lot get it specially from the United States.
 thanks


----------



## HemiSam

incursore61 said:


> hanks for your advice, but the problem is that the sound is not woo veins detected by the mac book air, is not seen just as if I had nothing connected.
> I changed the USB port and USB cable, I found that on an older iMac running fine, I finally heard the Apple support told me that there may be a problem with the port of 2.0 W7 that it interacts properly with the doors 3.0 mac air, it is true that they are backwards compatible, but there may be discrepancies with the sound card.
> hope someone can help me Woo Audio, this product is not imported into Italy and it cost me a lot get it specially from the United States.
> thanks


 
  
 That's interesting.  My Mac Air (mid 2012 model running the last OSX before Yosemite) will detect my USB cable even with nothing connected to it.  You might check Audio Midi can detect the cable itself.  I'll check again tonight when I get home to confirm my recollection.
  
 I hope you work it out.  I absolutely love my Woo.
  
 HS


----------



## groovyd

hemisam said:


> I'm sold....owe you a beer.  I was surprised with the improvement I heard on the first shot.  I had to go back to iTunes to confirm it wasn't just in my head.
> 
> The only issue I've found is that when I switch back to iTunes or try to say play a video on YouTube, the audio output is to the Mac's speakers and not the USB output (aka my cans).  So I have to go back into MIDI and Sound Preferences, and then shut down and restart the software to get it to push the iTunes audio to the USB.  Doesn't like going between the two automatically to the USB output so I can easily A/B.
> 
> ...


 

 I use Core Audio and turn off the 'integer mode and off the sxclusive mode which i think are both off by default, but not sure.  Remember you have to select which device you are outputting to in preferences as well.  my guess is that wasn't set right is why you might have gotten nothing out of usb.  also once you get it set right and save the settings then exit JRiver and turn off your dac and reboot your mac just to let it get situated fresh.  this isn't something you need to do every time but i have noticed sometimes when you switch devices and modes etc it needs a restart.


----------



## HemiSam

groovyd said:


> I use Core Audio and turn off the 'integer mode and off the sxclusive mode which i think are both off by default, but not sure.  Remember you have to select which device you are outputting to in preferences as well.  my guess is that wasn't set right is why you might have gotten nothing out of usb.  also once you get it set right and save the settings then exit JRiver and turn off your dac and reboot your mac just to let it get situated fresh.  this isn't something you need to do every time but i have noticed sometimes when you switch devices and modes etc it needs a restart.


 
  
 Ya kinda lost me.  So I'm home and saw your kind response.  Grabbed the MacAir and tethered in via USB to the DAC to the Amp to the cans.  JRiver was open and I hit play, DAC recognized the output straight away and I'm playing.  In JRiver under Playback Options I can see the following for my Audio Device:  TE7022 Audio w/ SPDIF [Core Audio].  So it's working good w/ JRiver.
  
 If I go to iTunes, it sends the music to my MacAir speakers.  
  
 In Audio MIDI, it reads as if the music is being sent to Built in Output which I'm assuming is my external speakers.  it won't let me change that and I think what it wants is for me to close JRiver and iTunes then I can change it...I played with it some last night like that to get what I want.
  
 Where is the "integer mode and the exclusive mode" you mention...in JRiver?  I'm wondering if we're running different versions.  I'm on Media Center 20.0.14
  
 Thanks for being patient with me...
  
 HS


----------



## groovyd

hemisam said:


> Ya kinda lost me.  So I'm home and saw your kind response.  Grabbed the MacAir and tethered in via USB to the DAC to the Amp to the cans.  JRiver was open and I hit play, DAC recognized the output straight away and I'm playing.  In JRiver under Playback Options I can see the following for my Audio Device:  TE7022 Audio w/ SPDIF [Core Audio].  So it's working good w/ JRiver.
> 
> If I go to iTunes, it sends the music to my MacAir speakers.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Player -> Playback Options -> Audio ->Audio Device -> Device Settings...
  
 Yeah their settings are all over the place and hard to find for sure.  Interface could use a little cleanup and re-organization I think but that is the only flaw I have found so far.  Good thing is once you get it setup 
  
 your done.


----------



## HemiSam

groovyd said:


> Player -> Playback Options -> Audio ->Audio Device -> Device Settings...
> 
> Yeah their settings are all over the place and hard to find for sure.  Interface could use a little cleanup and re-organization I think but that is the only flaw I have found so far.  Good thing is once you get it setup
> 
> your done.


 
  
 Thanks again, G.  I'll look at that when I get home to see if it makes a difference.
  
 What I had concluded before seeing your lastest post is that iTunes and JRiver don't play well together.  I can get one toggle between the two (i.e. a single A/B session with music pumped out of the Mac via the USB to my DAC) and then iTunes gets kicked to the MacAir speakers upon the next switch between the two players.  If I only have one player running, there's no issue....they each send the signal to the USB.  
  
 Regardless, I'm digging the JRiver.  Only thing I found beside this is that upon import of my lossless library, it took all of my Best of compilations and anything that had Various Artists and dumped it all into one location.  It did not recognize say my Best of Macy Gray CD as a single album/cd.  The EQ option is a nice to have although I tend to leave well enough alone given all the coloring I'm bringing into my chain using the Beresford, the Woo WA7 and then the Z7's or HD650's...that's enough color for even the most jaded listener...
  
  





  
 HS


----------



## groovyd

hemisam said:


> Thanks again, G.  I'll look at that when I get home to see if it makes a difference.
> 
> What I had concluded before seeing your lastest post is that iTunes and JRiver don't play well together.  I can get one toggle between the two (i.e. a single A/B session with music pumped out of the Mac via the USB to my DAC) and then iTunes gets kicked to the MacAir speakers upon the next switch between the two players.  If I only have one player running, there's no issue....they each send the signal to the USB.
> 
> ...


 
  
 if one conflicts the other then it must be set wrong in terms of exclusive or integer mode.  this sort of exclusion only happens for me if i enable either of those options.
  
 JRiver has a forum where people can get good answers from the developers on. check it out.
  
 no idea why it moved any file on import.  my guess is the default setting is to move files?  mine never did that.  but when i ran the import i selected the advanced options and set it up not to move files.


----------



## HemiSam

groovyd said:


> if one conflicts the other then it must be set wrong in terms of exclusive or integer mode.  this sort of exclusion only happens for me if i enable either of those options.
> 
> JRiver has a forum where people can get good answers from the developers on. check it out.
> 
> no idea why it moved any file on import.  my guess is the default setting is to move files?  mine never did that.  but when i ran the import i selected the advanced options and set it up not to move files.


 
  
 You were way ahead of me.  I grabbed my lossless file in my Mac that had everything broken out by artist and then by CD under the artist and I used the default settings in JRiver.  Too impatient I guess although I can undo the work if need be.
  
 I'll play with it again tonight when I get home....would be great to get them to play nice together.
  
 Thanks again.
  
 HS


----------



## HemiSam

groovyd said:


> if one conflicts the other then it must be set wrong in terms of exclusive or integer mode.  this sort of exclusion only happens for me if i enable either of those options.
> 
> JRiver has a forum where people can get good answers from the developers on. check it out.
> 
> no idea why it moved any file on import.  my guess is the default setting is to move files?  mine never did that.  but when i ran the import i selected the advanced options and set it up not to move files.


 
  
 You're the man.  Exclusive mode was indeed a default.  Un-checked it, restarted the two players and...BAM  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I'm working on how to import Best of CD's and such and maintaining there grouping.  Haven't cracked that nut yet.  I see Import option under Tools but haven't found advanced yet for import.  I'm getting there....thanks!
  
 HS


----------



## groovyd

hemisam said:


> You're the man.  Exclusive mode was indeed a default.  Un-checked it, restarted the two players and...BAM
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 glad you got it fixed... really they need to make non exclusive mode the default for most users this is the better option especially since there is honestly no difference in sound as far as i can tell it just makes sense to assume the user wants it to play nicely with other system sounds and music players.  this probably causes a lot of confusion for users.  also the default import should not be moving files, that is a bad idea as well.  
  
 Crazy how these software developers can be so smart to make all of this software and somehow doof up the default settings like someone with no common sense at all.  If they just fixed the defaults and reorganized the menus and settings they would get a lot more market attention.


----------



## Topspin70

Does anyone have opinions about how the WA7 sound through the GS1000i? Been scoring this thread but have yet to come across anyone who owns the GS. I gather not many Grado fans here. (Something about their cans I don't know?)


----------



## HiFiGuy528

topspin70 said:


> Does anyone have opinions about how the WA7 sound through the GS1000i? Been scoring this thread but have yet to come across anyone who owns the GS. I gather not many Grado fans here. (Something about their cans I don't know?)


 
  
 I would say that GS1000i and RS1i are the best Grado models.  Pairs well with WA7.


----------



## HemiSam

hifiguy528 said:


> I would say that GS1000i and RS1i are the best Grado models.  Pairs well with WA7.


 
  
 I would think those would be GREAT pairings.
  
 HS


----------



## Topspin70

That's awesome. I see so few gs being used for reviews I was started to wonder anyone still owns them. 

I'm using a tiny Bravo Ocean connected to a HRT MS2+ and things sound pretty detailed and musical, but it's leaning on the thin side. I'm hoping the WA7 will be a huge step up in terms of adding depth and body to the mids. And maybe darken things a little too without losing details. Will it work you think? Or would the WA6 or WA3 be a better choice?


----------



## desertblues

hifiguy528 said:


> I would say that GS1000i and RS1i are the best Grado models.  Pairs well with WA7.




The RS1i does indeed pair well with WA7, but you should also include the PS500. Amazing synergy imo!


----------



## moryoga

Tried the Firefiles with upgraded power supply at home on demo from Audio Advisor with Audeze LCD 3's and found it pretty lame. I figured it needed burn in time, I didn't have the right cables, it didn't play well with Amarra etc..
  
 I then went to the NY Area Meet in Stanford CT, and got to listen to the same setup, figuring Woo would be making it sound as good as it can. Maybe they were having an off day but for my ears it was still lame. For a $3400 setup it was tinny on one end, washed out, dull and muddy on the other end. My 20 year old Senn. 560's with a $200 V-can (Ver1) sounds way better. I really wanted to like it, but, just one man's opinion, for better sound look elsewhere.


----------



## HemiSam

One man with a strong opinion...LOL.  The amp section is super black / quiet and powerful.  You can mix up the DAC as it's tough to be exceptional at both, and the tubes can be rolled...it's a tube amp and power supply.  I don't run the separate power supply so cannot comment on it.  
  
 I've been extremely pleased with the value for money...especially with the amp side, footprint and the design / manufacturing quality for the money.  It's too bad you don't have one to sell as I'm sure it'd go quick.
  
  





  
 HS


----------



## moryoga

Yes, "lame" is definitely an unfair descriptive. All I can say for sure is that it wasn't for me and based on other matings I heard at the show, well, ya know 
  
 Not sure if anyone checked out the MrSpeakers AlphaPrimes with Spritzer amp, coming in at about half the cost of the LCD3/WA7 combo. That was pretty awesome. What a great time for this great hobby, with so much excellent gear out there to experience and torment each other over


----------



## HiFiGuy528

moryoga said:


> Tried the Firefiles with upgraded power supply at home on demo from Audio Advisor with Audeze LCD 3's and found it pretty lame. I figured it needed burn in time, I didn't have the right cables, it didn't play well with Amarra etc..
> 
> I then went to the NY Area Meet in Stanford CT, and got to listen to the same setup, figuring Woo would be making it sound as good as it can. Maybe they were having an off day but for my ears it was still lame. For a $3400 setup it was tinny on one end, washed out, dull and muddy on the other end. My 20 year old Senn. 560's with a $200 V-can (Ver1) sounds way better. I really wanted to like it, but, just one man's opinion, for better sound look elsewhere.


 
  
 Audeze are planar magnetic so they sound different from dynamic driver headphones that you may be accustomed to.  Give the system some time for your ears to adjust.  
  
 Also, try your HD560 on WA7 and see if you like that more. 
  


moryoga said:


> Yes, "lame" is definitely an unfair descriptive. All I can say for sure is that it wasn't for me and based on other matings I heard at the show, well, ya know
> 
> Not sure if anyone checked out the MrSpeakers AlphaPrimes with Spritzer amp, coming in at about half the cost of the LCD3/WA7 combo. That was pretty awesome. What a great time for this great hobby, with so much excellent gear out there to experience and torment each other over


 
  
 Dan aka MrSpeakers bought WA7 + WA7tp for personal use and to demo his headphones.  If that saids anything about WA7's performance.  
  
 ~ Mike


----------



## Dogmatrix

WA7 +Tp is my favorite set with the HE500 second only to my HD800 on a custom S.E.T with $600 worth of tubes
 There are quite a few reports of disappointed listeners with the WA7 in combination with planar cans particularly from shows . Personally I found it a very pleasant combination from day one but I had already owned the HE500 for a year so was accustomed to the planar sound . Judging by posts in other threads people seem to prefer planar cans driven with over powered amps , I think the resulting boosted dynamic compensates for the delicate nature of some planar cans . My experience is this destroys the fine detail planar cans do so well . For my money the WA7 +Tp gives enough dynamic and retains detail and accuracy can't fault it really


----------



## rschoi75

I love the WA7d + WAtp combo with Alpha Dogs. It's just fantastic. I haven't had the pleasure of listening to any planar headphones yet, but dynamics sound great on this combo. Unfortunately my amp blew a tube last night (or so I think), so I'll be without for a few days...


----------



## groovyd

Aren't Alpha Dogs planars?


----------



## desertblues

hifiguy528 said:


> Audeze are planar magnetic so they sound different from dynamic driver headphones that you may be accustomed to.  Give the system some time for your ears to adjust.
> 
> Also, try your HD560 on WA7 and see if you like that more.
> 
> ...


----------



## rschoi75

groovyd said:


> Aren't Alpha Dogs planars?


 
 Yes, yes they are. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm going to chaulk this one up to it being monday morning...


----------



## sirmasterboy

So I've had my WA7 for a little over a year and it seems to have developed a cosmetic problem.
  
 I was wondering if anyone else has seen anything like this or has any suggestions.
  
 Basically what happens is about 10-15 minutes after powering on my WA7, the left LED (that's under the tube and makes it glow) goes out.  Then after about 1 hour of the WA7 being on, the LED turns back on again and stays on seemingly forever (many hours at least).
  
 This happens every single time after I go through long periods of the WA7 being off. Basically I can turn it on when I get home from work, the LED works for 10-15min and then turns off, later it turns back on after an hour and stays on for the 3-5 hours I might have the WA7 on.
  
 As I said, this only seems to be a cosmetic issue as it seems to be performing normal for sound otherwise.
  
 Anyone got any ideas or suggestions about this?


----------



## groovyd

LED?!  Isn't that the tube heater coil?  You mean the orange glow in one of the tubes?  I know of no LEDs on the WA7 or tp.


----------



## sirmasterboy

groovyd said:


> LED?!  Isn't that the tube heater coil?  You mean the orange glow in one of the tubes?  I know of no LEDs on the WA7 or tp.


 
  
 I'm not sure what a tube heater coil is.  Sorry I am a noob with tubes.
  
 https://www.google.com/search?btnG=1&pws=0&q=wa7+led+enhanced+tube+glow
  
 From what I can tell, my WA7 has an orange LED directly at the base of each tube socket which is what is responsible for 99% of the orange glow.  There is only a tiny orange filament in the top of the tube that produces any light as well.
  
 As I said, there is no affect to the sound when the light is on or off.  I even swapped the tubes and the light goes out on the left side either way.
  
 I can take better pictures when I get home if you want to see, but here is a cell phone pic.
 http://i.imgur.com/ePmhFf9.jpg
  
 As I said, it doesn't matter if I swap the tubes, the light on that side is always the ones that goes in and out and if I look closely it seems to be coming from an orange LED thats in the WA7's socket between all the pins.  I don't dare power on the WA7 without the tubes installed so I can't really get a clearer shot.


----------



## rschoi75

groovyd said:


> LED?!  Isn't that the tube heater coil?  You mean the orange glow in one of the tubes?  I know of no LEDs on the WA7 or tp.


 
  
 There's two in each base. One each at the center of each tube socket.


----------



## HemiSam

Has anyone opened up one of these yet and posted pics?  I don't recall seeing them.
  
 HS


----------



## sirmasterboy

Well, If I wasn't a Woo Audio customer for life before I am now!
  
 Mike Liang of Woo just informed me that they will be repairing my LED free of charge despite that my warranty is just over 2 months past.  He said they want my WA7 to look gorgeous when in use.
  
 Now I will order some EH tubes to show my continued support   You guys convinced me that they are awesome with the HD800s.
  
 Maybe there is even a WA7tp in my future sometime too


----------



## groovyd

Interesting... never even knew there was an LED in there... In some of my tubes it doesn't come on instantly when you press the front button but comes on slowly and others it comes on in a bright flash and then dims back down.


----------



## sirmasterboy

groovyd said:


> Interesting... never even knew there was an LED in there... In some of my tubes it doesn't come on instantly when you press the front button but comes on slowly and others it comes on in a bright flash and then dims back down.


 
  
 I didn't either, until it went out...  Obviously it's good aesthetic design if people can't really tell.


----------



## groovyd

guess i always wondered how McIntosh amps for example have tubes that glow green instead.  i had assumed a different filament or gas in the tube.


----------



## HemiSam

The lit up tubes are a must aestetically...love things that make the functional look good.
  
 And another vote for Woo's customer service...impeccable for this camper
  
  
  





  
 HS


----------



## Dogmatrix

Some tubes light up , some don't so much it depends how much of the heater is showing and one is always brighter than the other
 Woo's solution with the leds is very well done the effect is beautiful and the color is perfect
 I am sure many Wa7 owners don't realize they are there


----------



## groovyd

dogmatrix said:


> Some tubes light up , some don't so much it depends how much of the heater is showing and one is always brighter than the other
> Woo's solution with the leds is very well done the effect is beautiful and the color is perfect
> I am sure many Wa7 owners don't realize they are there


 
 wonder if it taps off the heater coil power in other words to show that indeed the tube is getting power on one of it's pins? sort of an indicator for diagnostics but not very reliable if the indicator itself can die. LEDs are usually ridiculously reliable unless they are overdriven or perhaps burnout as a result of the tube heat being in close proximity?


----------



## sirmasterboy

groovyd said:


> LEDs are usually ridiculously reliable unless they are overdriven or perhaps burnout as a result of the tube heat being in close proximity?


 
  
 I don't know if that really describes my problem though.  The LED definitely still works.  It always work for about 10 minutes then goes out for about an hour and then comes back on and stays on.  Every single time I go to use the WA7 this happens exactly like this.
  
 I really do wonder what can explain that, but I am not an EE.


----------



## Dogmatrix

sirmasterboy said:


> I really do wonder what can explain that, but I am not an EE.


 
 I would guess that it is a solder joint that has come apart and as the unit heats up it moves slightly coming in and out of contact


----------



## groovyd

dogmatrix said:


> I would guess that it is a solder joint that has come apart and as the unit heats up it moves slightly coming in and out of contact


 
 +1 sounds right


----------



## HiFiGuy528

sirmasterboy said:


> Well, If I wasn't a Woo Audio customer for life before I am now!
> 
> Mike Liang of Woo just informed me that they will be repairing my LED free of charge despite that my warranty is just over 2 months past.  He said they want my WA7 to look gorgeous when in use.
> 
> ...


 
  
We appreciate your support in our products and we want your WA7 to look great for many years to come.  Send us a note when it ships so we can keep an eye on the movements.  We'll take care of your WA7 without delay.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

What USB cables have you guys found to be best with the WA7 in the $100, $300, and $600 range?
  
 Anyone using Wyrd in their setup?


----------



## PleasantSounds

birdmanofct said:


> What USB cables have you guys found to be best with the WA7 in the $100, $300, and $600 range?
> 
> Anyone using Wyrd in their setup?


 
  
 If you have several hundred dollars to spend then in my view you'd be better off getting a separate DAC.
  
 Wyrd would be a better choice than a $100 cable too.


----------



## BirdManOfCT

pleasantsounds said:


> If you have several hundred dollars to spend then in my view you'd be better off getting a separate DAC.
> 
> Wyrd would be a better choice than a $100 cable too.


 

 I hear that about a DAC, but my upgrade for that may be a ways off. And I can carry the USB cable forward.
  
 I'm considering the Wyrd. Do you have one?


----------



## PleasantSounds

birdmanofct said:


> I hear that about a DAC, but my upgrade for that may be a ways off. And I can carry the USB cable forward.
> 
> I'm considering the Wyrd. Do you have one?


 

 I do, but not with the WA7 - I sold it a couple of months ago. I always used it with external DAC.
 Wyrd sits in front of Modi and Vali in my daughter's setup and does a great job.
  
 Regarding it's impact on WA7 it's just a speculation, but it's not entirely unfunded: the WA7 DAC is powered through USB and Wyrd provides really clean power. Data reclocking impact is probably harder to evaluate, but I guess it won't hurt.
  
 As far as USB cables are concerned, I doubt you'll get any sonic benefits from going above Belkin Gold which is about $10.


----------



## maricius

Can anyone comment on the bass, midrange, and overall warmth of the WA7 with the Alpha Dogs?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

maricius said:


> Can anyone comment on the bass, midrange, and overall warmth of the WA7 with the Alpha Dogs?


 
  
 it's an excellent pairing.  Dan uses WA7 at his booth at trade shows.
  
 From MrSpeakers FB page:


----------



## maricius

hifiguy528 said:


> it's an excellent pairing.  Dan uses WA7 at his booth at trade shows.


 
  
 Also in the link is the Alpha Dog with the Woo WA6SE. Would that give me a better sound than the WA7 setup? I don't really the WA7's DAC but I am looking for a nice tube or hybrid amp with good punchy bass and midrange warmth without sacrificing clarity.


----------



## rage3324

A bit of an odd comparison, but has anyone compared this to a little dot i+ and/or DACMini with Grados? I am thinking about purchasing a WA7 to be my main amp for my AKGs K7xx, Beyerdynamics 770 Premiums (600 ohms) and Grado sr325i if it is a good match.


----------



## HemiSam

I can only speak to using the WA7 as an amp for AKG K702's and that was a good combination.  Also works very well with HD 650's, HD 700's and the new Sony Z7's.
  
 Happy hunting...
  
 HS


----------



## Dogmatrix

I had a Little Dot MkIII and the Wa7 is better in every way by a large margin
 Also run the Alessandro MS2i a close cousin of the 325 on the Wa7 and the synergy is very good no screechy treble


----------



## BirdManOfCT

Any experience using the WA7 as amp with Matrix X-Sabre as DAC?


----------



## rage3324

dogmatrix said:


> I had a Little Dot MkIII and the Wa7 is better in every way by a large margin
> Also run the Alessandro MS2i a close cousin of the 325 on the Wa7 and the synergy is very good no screechy treble


 

 Thanks for the info. I would probably keep my little dot i+, but I would definitely sell my MK III after purchasing the WA7. As much as I want to try a solid state amp, the DACMini on Massdrop is super tempting. 
  
 Can anyone speak to how the WA7 dac stacks up against the DACMini's dac?


----------



## Jeb Listens

Does anyone have any further impressions of the WA7 with the audeze LCD2(f)  -  I've read through a lot of the information here on these threads and the opinion on the sound from this pairing seems to range from  sublime, to excruciatingly bright, to incredibly dark!  
  
 Even accounting for differences in peoples ears and preferences it's hard for a newcomer to reconcile these kinds of extremes into an overall picture! :-D
  
  
 I'm just not able to audition before buying and would really welcome any suggestions/ experience.  The WA7 is recommended for the LCD2s on the woo website. 
  
 I'd love to make the purchase before Christmas so any help would be much appreciated. 
  
 Jeb


----------



## HemiSam

jeb listens said:


> *Does anyone have any further impressions of the WA7 with the audeze LCD2(f)  -  I've read through a lot of the information here on these threads and the opinion on the sound from this pairing seems to range from  sublime, to excruciatingly bright, to incredibly dark!  *
> 
> Even accounting for differences in peoples ears and preferences it's hard for a newcomer to reconcile these kinds of extremes into an overall picture! :-D
> 
> ...


 
  
 LOL...I have had similar experiences on the forum.  It just goes to show that different people experience and recall things differently.  Also, the nature of not only the state of their hearing, biological make-up, but also their musical tastes affect the responses.  I won't even get into the whole forum lemmings angle.
  
 I'll offer this in the hope that it's of some use, knowing it won't fully address your question.  The amp section of the Woo WA7 is very good IMO.  It's pitch black quiet and sufficiently powerful to drive most cans fully.  The tubes selection is limited so unless you're also playing with the upgraded power supply and tubes there, there's not a huge variable based on the stock tubes vs the gold tipped elctro's available...some but not huge.  The amp is a cross between a SS and tubey in its signature from my experience...not gooey warm at all.  So I'd argue it's kind of neutral.  The DAC is OK...gets the job done nicely but not out of this world.  It's not clinical/harsh/siblant nor does it result in much roll off at the ends in my experience.  I'd call it fairly middle of the road or kinda neutral.  So then take that and apply it to however you expect the cans in question to be tuned (much bigger variable I'd argue).  Now if you're looking for a significant change (e.g. my HD 650's are pretty darned warm), I don't think the Woo is going to change them materially.  It will power them well and bring out the the details / nuances, but it's not going to color them such that the mids are now forward.
  
 I hope that's of some use.  I'm a fan of my Woo WA7.  I've only been playing with DACs and cans since the purchase of the Woo if that helps any...great product, super well made and beautiful to look at during night time listening sessions when everyone else is asleep in the house.  
  
 HS


----------



## Jeb Listens

That is a tremendous help, HemiSam, thank you.  You have confirmed what I was thinking - namely that I would not be able to go too far wrong with an amp from Woo.  I'm glad to hear you are enjoying the WA7 so much - i've been lusting after it for quite some time now.  
  
 In the end its come down to a choice between the WA7 + WA7tp  vs the WA6-SE - both described as neutral and well matched with Audezes.   Aesthetically speaking I find them each to be quite beautiful in their own way.  
  
 It's always a tricky decision not being able to audition the amp first -  I live in England so unfortunately I'll be paying an extra 400 dollars or so in shipping, customs duty and VAT, so keen to try and make the "right" decision (whatever that means...). 
  
 Finally, I think i've _more or less_ decided on the WA6-SE -  no disrespect to the WA7 (I'm sure I would be happy with either),  there just seem to be slightly more favourable reviews of this pairing with the LCD-2, especially with the right tubes.  
  
 I guess, in the end, the lure of the Sophia Princess was just too strong.
  
 Thanks again for your help and taking the time to write.  Much appreciated. 
  
 Jeb.


----------



## olegausany

While I'm not big fan of LCD headphones but at the recent NYC meet I heard LCD-3 driven by WA7 as Dac/Amp with tube power supply with upgrade RCA 12AU7 tubes and they sounded really good with so affordable tubes


----------



## AirDave

WA7 + Beyerdynamic T1 is a great combo IMO. 
 It reduce sibilance in some, generally lower quality, recordings


----------



## rogerthatmand

I am about to buy the Sennheiser HD650 or the HD800 (Haven't decided yet).
 And I'm looking for a good amp and DAC too. Until now I was sure I'm going for the Schiit Valhalla 2 + Schiit Bifrost... But I'm not sure anymore. 
 Is the WA7 really that good for the HD650/HD800? Is it better than the Schiit Combo?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

WA7 + WA7tp and HiFiMan HE560 has great synergy too.


----------



## HemiSam

rogerthatmand said:


> I am about to buy the Sennheiser HD650 or the HD800 (Haven't decided yet).
> And I'm looking for a good amp and DAC too. Until now I was sure I'm going for the Schiit Valhalla 2 + Schiit Bifrost... But I'm not sure anymore.
> Is the WA7 really that good for the HD650/HD800? Is it better than the Schiit Combo?


 
  
  
 I've enjoyed the WA7 with my HD 650 very much.  Can't speak to the HD 800 and I doubt I ever will as I believe it would be way too bright for me.
  
 The DAC in the WA7 is good, and I'd bet as good as the Schitt (oh boy...hopefully not getting anyone too excited), but I'm not exploring external DAC's...it's an addiction 
  
 HS


----------



## olegausany

While HD650 and WA7 with stock power supply is a great pairing I would still recommend to get Bifrost Uber and use WA7 as amp only and yes I've owned both at the same time. But to get the best possible sound i would recommend to get tubes power supply too


----------



## maricius

Guys, http://www.head-fi.org/t/746257/woo-audio-wa6se-or-wa7-wa7tp#post_11125918
  
 My poll. 
  
 "I won't be using the DAC section of the WA7 so I'll be looking purely at amplifier quality. The headphones these would be driving are mainly the MrSpeakers Alpha Dog and the Philips Fidelio L2 (not as much a priority). I understand tubes and everything change the sound signature but I'm specifically looking for a warmer/bassier sound though with midrange intimacy and clarity. Basically, a warmer sound that add quality to vocals and smoothen upper mids and treble. Which would be warmer and bassier in stock form and would most likely have that sound signature with the possible tube replacements that Woo Audio offers. Other aspects to consider in comparing would be synergy with the Alpha Dog, soundstage, instrument separation, power to drive planars. Thanks all."


----------



## rschoi75

olegausany said:


> While HD650 and WA7 with stock power supply is a great pairing I would still recommend to get Bifrost Uber and use WA7 as amp only and yes I've owned both at the same time. But to get the best possible sound i would recommend to get tubes power supply too


 
  
 I'd agree. The WA7tp is amazing. It definitely makes tube rolling a lot easier.


----------



## RonP

I recieved my HD 650's a few weeks ago and have been patiently waiting for my WA7d which will be here sometime this week. I got the standard power supply with the Electro-Harmonics upgrade. This will be my first tube amp. I was considering the Bitfrost and a the Lyr 2 but thought the WA7d was a better option. Not having any experience with tube amps, I am curious as to just how much of a difference there really is in the sound with a SS power supply versus a tube. The way I see it, as long as the amp is getting clean power, the amp should dictate the sound quality not the power supply. Is my thinking wrong? My curiosity might see me getting the tube power supply at some point in the future. I think the only way you can really tell is to hear the combo first hand in an A/B test.


----------



## olegausany

You are right that A/B testing is the way to find out but it took me just couple of minutes during the meet to hear the difference but if you have money and your order wasn't shipped yet I would recommend you to get tube power supply instead


----------



## RonP

My order has been shipped. I live in Canada and ordered the WA7d through the Gramophone in Edmonton. I was concerned with broker fees and they quoted me a price that was close to what the exchange rate was. I will get the tube supply at some point next year.


----------



## olegausany

Great, enjoy it meantime


----------



## BirdManOfCT

Using HD800 and WA7 as amp, preferences between Resonessence Concero HD and Matrix X-Sabre?


----------



## Shini44

birdmanofct said:


> Using HD800 and WA7 as amp, preferences between Resonessence Concero HD and Matrix X-Sabre?


 
 i had the Concero but not the HD version, i find it less fun/dynamic when in the Treble/Bass/micro details when compared to the X-Sabre,
  
 ofc this is how i hear it, don't know about the others, but i wasn't happy with the Concero at all, the X-Sabre is way better for the value
  
 and once again this is based on my experience and ear on both DACs 
  
 oh my WA7 were always used with the EH tubes, i find the stock tubes to be boring and with less dynamic and details, more mellow like, but hey its a matter of preference, i am not bashing anything.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

ronp said:


> My order has been shipped. I live in Canada and ordered the WA7d through the Gramophone in Edmonton. I was concerned with broker fees and they quoted me a price that was close to what the exchange rate was. I will get the tube supply at some point next year.


 
  
 Congratulations!  We look forward to hearing your listening impressions after a good burn-in (50-100hrs).


----------



## Skyeriding

Sorry if I have to be "that annoying guy" since I know its been asked before, but I'll try..
  
 Has any good Samaritan taken internal/disassembled photos of the WA7? I'm really curious to see the internals. Thanks!


----------



## George Chronis

I have tried and tried. I bought all kinds of drivers, because I could hear something rattling in there and wanted to get it out. I don't believe it's possible to open one of these without damaging them. Jack has created his own tooling for a screw and has a key driver. It's not any of the standard security torx bits. Fortunately I managed to get the rattling piece out of the tube socket by shaking it. It was a piece of glue. Then, I quit trying to open it.


----------



## HemiSam

Mine's built like a tank.  Fort Knox....
  

  
  




  
 HS


----------



## Jeb Listens

LOL!
  
  
 I know this has been answered before but for some fresh impressions, do those of you who added the WA7tp feel like it was a worthwhile addition?


----------



## abvolt

I have owned my WA7d + WA7tp for about 2 weeks now and feel that it is a small price to pay for such a nice upgrade and imo it is worth getting. My ps500's,he500's & t1's have never sounded so good..


----------



## Jeb Listens

great, thank you! sounds like a winner. 
  
 Any more users using LCD-2s or any other Audeze headphone with the WA7tp.  Eager to hear fresh impressions. 
  
 :-D


----------



## BirdManOfCT

george chronis said:


> I have tried and tried. I bought all kinds of drivers, because I could hear something rattling in there and wanted to get it out. I don't believe it's possible to open one of these without damaging them. Jack has created his own tooling for a screw and has a key driver. It's not any of the standard security torx bits. Fortunately I managed to get the rattling piece out of the tube socket by shaking it. It was a piece of glue. Then, I quit trying to open it.


 

 LOL. Hey, thanks for trying, though. I've wanted to, but not going to chance it. Mine will remain a "black box" that's silver.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

I've been using my WA7 with my LCD-3's for a little over a year now, and I LOVE it. I added the WA7tp when it became available in the spring and it only improved the sound in my opinion. For my money, this was a winning combination.


----------



## Skyeriding

george chronis said:


> I have tried and tried. I bought all kinds of drivers, because I could hear something rattling in there and wanted to get it out. I don't believe it's possible to open one of these without damaging them. Jack has created his own tooling for a screw and has a key driver. It's not any of the standard security torx bits. Fortunately I managed to get the rattling piece out of the tube socket by shaking it. It was a piece of glue. Then, I quit trying to open it.


 
 Ah, thank you brave soul for the noble attempt! Now I'm even more curious..(all I'm imagining is some wiring to the tubes, a PCB for resistors/caps, and a small output transformer. And of course, the DAC board)


----------



## abvolt

george chronis said:


> I have tried and tried. I bought all kinds of drivers, because I could hear something rattling in there and wanted to get it out. I don't believe it's possible to open one of these without damaging them. Jack has created his own tooling for a screw and has a key driver. It's not any of the standard security torx bits. Fortunately I managed to get the rattling piece out of the tube socket by shaking it. It was a piece of glue. Then, I quit trying to open it.


 
 It's hard to believe they use glue of any kind in one of woo audio's products, That's really weird dude, good you were able to get it out. Maybe someone from woo audio might want to clarify why glue would even be used.. I just spent like 1600 on one of these..


----------



## George Chronis

Well, it was a tiny piece of plastic, like a small half broken bead. It looked like a broken up piece of glue that could have been used to hold cables together. I don't believe it would hold anything structural together, probably just to organize wires and keep them out of the way. It could have been some other plastic piece as well; I just assumed it was glue. I believe I took a closeup picture of it. If I find it, I'll post it. The amp has been working fine, so I'm not too worried about it.


----------



## menagon

I wonder how well this amp can do, pairing with w3000anv.


----------



## abvolt

Thanks for the reply George that explains it much better..


----------



## dL.

Quick question for you Mac users. When you use the WA7 unit as an USB DAC to your Mac, does the Mac volume still work or is it disabled?
  
 dL


----------



## groovyd

dl. said:


> Quick question for you Mac users. When you use the WA7 unit as an USB DAC to your Mac, does the Mac volume still work or is it disabled?
> 
> dL


 
 think i remember it being disabled via iTunes and JRiver


----------



## HiFiGuy528

dl. said:


> Quick question for you Mac users. When you use the WA7 unit as an USB DAC to your Mac, does the Mac volume still work or is it disabled?
> 
> dL


 
  
 The OS (system) output and music app's volume should be set at maximum to ensure bit perfect transmission.
  
 iTunes would drop bits if volume is not set to MAX.


----------



## dL.

hifiguy528 said:


> The OS (system) output and music app's volume should be set at maximum to ensure bit perfect transmission.


 
  
 Based on what you said, it is still possible to change volume on the Mac system volume control, but it is recommended to have it set as maximum? In other words, I can press F10 and F11 on the Mac keyboard to toggle volume up and down with this DAC unit? Also, I am assuming it will be compatible with the latest Yosemite (10.10) OS?
  
 By the way, Mike, I sent you a PM and hopefully you can help me out with that so I can place my order right away 
  
 Thanks,
  
 dL


----------



## groovyd

dl. said:


> Based on what you said, it is still possible to change volume on the Mac system volume control, but it is recommended to have it set as maximum? In other words, I can press F10 and F11 on the Mac keyboard to toggle volume up and down with this DAC unit? Also, I am assuming it will be compatible with the latest Yosemite (10.10) OS?
> 
> By the way, Mike, I sent you a PM and hopefully you can help me out with that so I can place my order right away
> 
> ...


 

 no, the volume is locked to max by the default driver. some DACs do this some don't on a Mac depending on the driver used.  My D100 doesn't lock this control but my WA7 DAC does.


----------



## George Chronis

groovyd said:


> no, the volume is locked to max by the default driver. some DACs do this some don't on a Mac depending on the driver used.  My D100 doesn't lock this control but my WA7 DAC does.




What he said. Apogee duet doesn't lock it either, but WA7 does. And yes, it works with Yosemite.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

dl. said:


> Based on what you said, it is still possible to change volume on the Mac system volume control, but it is recommended to have it set as maximum? In other words, I can press F10 and F11 on the Mac keyboard to toggle volume up and down with this DAC unit? Also, I am assuming it will be compatible with the latest Yosemite (10.10) OS?
> 
> By the way, Mike, I sent you a PM and hopefully you can help me out with that so I can place my order right away
> 
> ...


 
  
 I just checked the WA7d currently on my work desk.  Volume in OS X 10.10 is locked.   I recalled my original WA7 had adjustable volume control in OS X 10.9, but that could be my bad memory.  I prefer it to be locked so there's no risk of non-bit perfect operations which satisfies my OCD. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  

  
 Here's a shot at my current work desk.  Please excuse the mess.


----------



## groovyd

hifiguy528 said:


> I just checked the WA7d currently on my work desk.  Volume in OS X 10.10 is locked.   I recalled my original WA7 had adjustable volume control in OS X 10.9, but that could be my bad memory.  I prefer it to be locked so there's no risk of non-bit perfect operations which satisfies my OCD.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I'm a WA7+tp + D100 man as well... Very nice setup with an LCD-X hanging off the WA7 and a T1 off the D100


----------



## dL.

Placed my order for WA7 + WA7TP with the upgraded tube (ALL IN). Superb support and service so far from Mike. Can't believe anyone would spend that much time educating and helping me out. 

I can't wait to receive mine and share my impression and experience, especially after the sour experience I had with Schiit.

Thanks a lot Mike. You were amazing!

dL


----------



## HiFiGuy528

dl. said:


> Placed my order for WA7 + WA7TP with the upgraded tube (ALL IN). Superb support and service so far from Mike. Can't believe anyone would spend that much time educating and helping me out.
> 
> I can't wait to receive mine and share my impression and experience, especially after the sour experience I had with Schiit.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thank you for the kind words.  We look forward to hearing your thoughts on the system.   Please don’t hesitate to call or email us if you have questions or concerns with your Woo Audio product.  We’re here to help.  
  
 Mike


----------



## HiFiGuy528

groovyd said:


> I'm a WA7+tp + D100 man as well... Very nice setup with an LCD-X hanging off the WA7 and a T1 off the D100


 
  
 That's a serious combo if you can swing it.  D100's DAC is no joke.... but it's $2500.  LOL....
  
 Doing a variety of DACs comparison against WA7d internal DAC.  I won't mention the names of those DACs, but the internal DAC is no slouch.


----------



## groovyd

I got the D100 second hand for half price... i never thought the internal dac was a slouch but the D100 has more sparkle and is very smooth.  has a bit more 'space' around the instruments larger soundstage and more crystalline overall.  I am actually hoping to see a tube based amp without DAC from McIntosh that compliments the D100 someday.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

groovyd said:


> I got the D100 second hand for half price... i never thought the internal dac was a slouch but the D100 has more sparkle and is very smooth.  has a bit more 'space' around the instruments larger soundstage and more crystalline overall.  I am actually hoping to see a tube based amp without DAC from McIntosh that compliments the D100 someday.


 
  
 That's a great deal!  D100 is my personal reference DAC to feed amps.


----------



## groovyd

If the D100 headphone amp was 1W out or even just twice as strong  it would be all I need...


----------



## Jeb Listens

if I pop in a pair of _unmatched_ NOS 6C45s can anything bad happen or would the worst thing be that I would hear some kind of bad channel imbalance?
  
  
 Regards
  
 Jeb


----------



## abvolt

woo only sells them with matched pairs, that's the only way I buy them also. I would say stick to matched pairs..


----------



## Dogmatrix

jeb listens said:


> if I pop in a pair of _unmatched_ NOS 6C45s can anything bad happen or would the worst thing be that I would hear some kind of bad channel imbalance?
> 
> 
> Regards
> ...


 

 Won't cause any damage but likely degrade performance


----------



## HemiSam

The matching is a nice to have...refinement.  If they are the proper tubes for the amp, you won't have any drama.
  
 I went with the upgraded gold tips the Woo offers and they have worked nicely for me.  They did need some burn in to do their magic.
  
 Best of luck and happy listening...
  
  





  
 HS


----------



## George Chronis

Has anyone tried the B&O H6 or the Beyer T5p on the WA7?


----------



## HemiSam

george chronis said:


> Has anyone tried the B&O H6 or the Beyer T5p on the WA7?


 
  
  
 Only the H6.  Arguably the most comfortable cans I have owned.  
  
 HS


----------



## George Chronis

hemisam said:


> Only the H6.  Arguably the most comfortable cans I have owned.
> 
> HS




And in your opinion is the WA7 a good match to the H6? Does it bring some more bass into the H6 that some people say is missing? I don't own the H6, but I do have a WA7 and I am trying to find a good headphone for office use (closed). I own a DT770 and trying to see if I can do any better.


----------



## groovyd

george chronis said:


> Has anyone tried the B&O H6 or the Beyer T5p on the WA7?


 

 I have the T5p and WA7+tp combo.  The T5p are very impressive on their own from an iPod but are of course taken to a while new level with the WA7.  Excellent combo.


----------



## George Chronis

groovyd said:


> I have the T5p and WA7+tp combo.  The T5p are very impressive on their own from an iPod but are of course taken to a while new level with the WA7.  Excellent combo.


 

 Thanks for this information as well. Now it remains to be seen how much better the T5p is than the H6 on the WA7+tp. Maybe I'll start with the cheaper option (H6) and go from there. Something tells me I'm looking at buying both...


----------



## groovyd

I wouldn't waste your time or money on the H6, just go T5p full steam ahead.


----------



## George Chronis

groovyd said:


> I wouldn't waste your time or money on the H6, just go T5p full steam ahead.




I guess I can consider this as a "savings" of $399, eh?


----------



## HemiSam

I agree with the advice you have received, GC.  The build quality of the H6 is very nice and they're brutally comfortable.  They have a nice sound up top and arguably into the mids for the price point.  They did not work for me due to them being too thin down low.  I would suggest a different closed can.  I have not owned Beyers thus far due to much of what I read about their sound signature.
  
 For the price point, and depending on what quality of music you listen to, you might consider the Sony Z7 as a good starting point.  They're certainly not perfect, but they have a pretty good sound signature with plenty of bass (not the tightest but there's plenty), the construction is exceptional, and they are very comfortable albeit they're not smallish like the H6's...then again, neither are the Beyers.  The one thing I would point out, though, is they have these bass ports and they are not a great seal for sound coming in so I would consider how noisy your environment is and how comfortable you are with someone sitting directly next to you hearing a little bit of sound...not a lot but dependent on your listening level.
  
 I own the Z7's and they pair well with the Woo WA7.  They are a little bit picky about the source file (e.g. not as forgiving as say a Senn HD650).  They're not my favorite cans but given their price point now, they're good value for money in a closed format if you don't feel like jumping into a close to $1000 pair of cans.  If you don't mind that, then I'd take a good look at the Fostex TH900's...they've been selling for close to $1100 on sale now and again and they look to be a real beaut....just do a bit of reading about the sound signature to make sure it suits you.
  
 HS


----------



## George Chronis

hemisam said:


> I agree with the advice you have received, GC.  The build quality of the H6 is very nice and they're brutally comfortable.  They have a nice sound up top and arguably into the mids for the price point.  They did not work for me due to them being too thin down low.  I would suggest a different closed can.  I have not owned Beyers thus far due to much of what I read about their sound signature.
> 
> For the price point, and depending on what quality of music you listen to, you might consider the Sony Z7 as a good starting point.  They're certainly not perfect, but they have a pretty good sound signature with plenty of bass (not the tightest but there's plenty), the construction is exceptional, and they are very comfortable albeit they're not smallish like the H6's...then again, neither are the Beyers.  The one thing I would point out, though, is they have these bass ports and they are not a great seal for sound coming in so I would consider how noisy your environment is and how comfortable you are with someone sitting directly next to you hearing a little bit of sound...not a lot but dependent on your listening level.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks for the advice. Here are some more details about my situation:
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/748871/office-setup-advice
  
 I can get some cans up to $1500, no problem, if it indeed makes a difference. I'm trying to figure out what I'm gaining by going from the DT770 that I already own to the H6 to the T5p or the TH900 you are suggesting (let's eliminate the Z7, if the TH900 is "better" than the Z7), if connected to the WA7+tp. So, given my situation in the thread above, seems like good options are T5p and TH900 and I should look at these two, correct?


----------



## HemiSam

GC,
  
 Your post about wanting an office setup for noisy days caught my attention.  How much noise sealing are you looking for?  The TH900's are not exceptional in that regard.  Also, and I expect you've picked up on this, the TH900's are a beautifully built set of cans with a special lacquer that drives a good bit of the costs of manufacturing IMO.  Is that environment of yours suitable to gentle treatment of those beauties?  The TH600's aren't quite as good as the 900's but they might serve you better if you're taking off the cans and laying them down on say a desk.  You can also get into them more reasonably than the 900's and to your point, why spend money you don't need to for an office rig?
  
 I also noticed you found the 770's a bit boomy on the bass side (not your words but I think that was the gist).  Any chance you can take your WA7 gear to a shop and demo the Fostex's?  They have a bit of a V signature and I'd hate for you to spend that kind of change on a set of cans and not love them.  Also, perhaps you can A/B the 600's vs the 900's and the Beyers and see what your heart tells you.
  
 HS


----------



## George Chronis

hemisam said:


> GC,
> 
> Your post about wanting an office setup for noisy days caught my attention.  How much noise sealing are you looking for?  The TH900's are not exceptional in that regard.  Also, and I expect you've picked up on this, the TH900's are a beautifully built set of cans with a special lacquer that drives a good bit of the costs of manufacturing IMO.  Is that environment of yours suitable to gentle treatment of those beauties?  The TH600's aren't quite as good as the 900's but they might serve you better if you're taking off the cans and laying them down on say a desk.  You can also get into them more reasonably than the 900's and to your point, why spend money you don't need to for an office rig?
> 
> ...


 

 My room is about 80 sq ft and I have the door closed. Nobody else is in there. I doubt a small leak will be a problem for the people outside. As far as sealing the outside world to my ears, that's not a problem either. I'd actually like to hear about what's going on a bit.
  
 I haven't looked into the TH900's yet, but I will tonight. My office is locked. We have a healthcare company. Very clean environment. I don't see any problems with treatment of the TH900's. I will have a Woo stand for the cans when they're off. That said, I'll look at the TH600's as well. Haven't considered Fostex yet (no particular reason).
  
 Correct about the DT770's being boomy to my ears with my music.
  
 I will try to get the WA7 to a shop, if I find one here that sells the Fostex's (doubtful, but worth a shot).
  
 AB'ing would be best, but pretty impossible here. For that there's always Amazon, though. If I can't make up my mind out of what people are saying here about all these cans, I'll grab the 2-3 that top the list and try them all, then return what I don't like (but probably keep them all as usual).
  
 Thanks a lot for the insight in the TH900's. I'll go get some reading done...


----------



## groovyd

A few good things about the T5p vs any of the others is they are driven to good volume and easily with an iPod, so if you have any interest in using them outside of the office and don't want to hassle with a portable amp to get top-shelf sound they are winner-winner-chicken-dinner.  They come standard with a 5' 1/8" cord that is hardwired in, so they are really all about being on the go.  As well they are very light weight and comfortable and can be thrown down on a desk or into a bag without worrying about scuffing some finish or something.  Come with a nice travel case suitable for that purpose.  I would say if I could only have one headphone to do it all the T5p would be it.
  
 Otherwise, if you just want the best sound and don't mind a little more heft and using a light touch then kick in a few more bens for the LCD-X or XC.  The X is considerably lighter and relatively good at isolating outside noise considering it is an 'open' design.  The XC has more toe tapping and more isolation but is heavier. They both sound absolutely dreamy on a WA7+tp.


----------



## George Chronis

groovyd said:


> A few good things about the T5p vs any of the others is they are driven to good volume and easily with an iPod, so if you have any interest in using them outside of the office and don't want to hassle with a portable amp to get top-shelf sound they are winner-winner-chicken-dinner.  They come standard with a 5' 1/8" cord that is hardwired in, so they are really all about being on the go.  As well they are very light weight and comfortable and can be thrown down on a desk or into a bag without worrying about scuffing some finish or something.  Come with a nice travel case suitable for that purpose.  I would say if I could only have one headphone to do it all the T5p would be it.
> 
> Otherwise, if you just want the best sound and don't mind a little more heft and using a light touch then kick in a few more bens for the LCD-X or XC.  The X is considerably lighter and relatively good at isolating outside noise considering it is an 'open' design.  The XC has more toe tapping and more isolation but is heavier. They both sound absolutely dreamy on a WA7+tp.


 

 I have the X already. I can't use that in the office. Too loud for others. I also don't feel like transporting it from home to office every day and I think even head-fi members would think it's ridiculous for me to buy the same headset twice (at that price especially) so that I don't carry it back and forth! I do agree that I really really like the X with the WA7 (tp on the way). I can't say the X is the most comfortable can I've used, though, but I'm not complaining.
  
 Now, the T5p's portable property is indeed a good thing to have, and the H6 is that way as well (can play fairly well from an iPhone without an amp) from what I read and just by looking at impedance numbers. So, both the T5p and H6 were under consideration. I don't put too much weight on probability, but all else being equal, I'd go for a more portable headphone, so it does double duty.


----------



## HemiSam

Good deal.  Then I'd definitely have a look at the Fostex's and the Beyer.  Like you said, Amazon Prime FTW.  I don't take nearly as much advantage of that option as I should.  
  
 If you're into beautiful things (perhaps one of the things that drew you to the WA7), I think you'll be floored by the TH900's.  The cups and craftsmanship are ridiculously nice.  And to groovyd's point, they're also easy to drive.
  
 Best of luck.
  
 HS


----------



## abvolt

Hi guys I have a question about the tubes in the WA7, I've owned mine for about 3 weeks now and have been listening with the stock tubes and it sounds great.
  
 I just installed the upgraded 6C45 Electro Harmonix Gold-pin tubes and the sound is way different it sounds like i've reduced the volume a little, nothing bad with the sound it's very clear & clean better then the stock just the lower volume with these tubes.
  
 Is it because the tubes have not had any burn in time on them  or just my old ears ? Thanks.


----------



## Dogmatrix

abvolt said:


> Hi guys I have a question about the tubes in the WA7, I've owned mine for about 3 weeks now and have been listening with the stock tubes and it sounds great.
> 
> I just installed the upgraded 6C45 Electro Harmonix Gold-pin tubes and the sound is way different it sounds like i've reduced the volume a little, nothing bad with the sound it's very clear & clean better then the stock just the lower volume with these tubes.
> 
> Is it because the tubes have not had any burn in time on them  or just my old ears ? Thanks.


 

 One of the reasons the 6c45 is not in common use is it can vary quite widely in gain from tube to tube and batch to batch
 As long as the pair are matched it won't be a problem but gain will vary from set to set


----------



## HemiSam

Building on DM's good input, don't be shy about burning them in.  I found mine to be a bit harsh at first and they really came around with some play time.  I have not reloaded the stockers at this point.
  
 Enjoy....
  
  





  
 HS


----------



## abvolt

Thanks I did notice that the stock tubes sounded better after about 10 - 14 days..


----------



## HemiSam

Then I would argue that the stockers are more to your liking/sound signature.  Sell the gold tipped Electro's...shouldn't be difficult if they do nothing for you.  Mine sounded great after about a 50-100 hours and I think it's not only dependent on your tastes but your chain (e.g. cans and music you lean towards).
  
 Best of luck.
  
 HS


----------



## dL.

The day has come! I just received the WA7 + WA7TP, but I have one small concern.

For those with WA7TP, is your top plate (that has the 2 tube cutout) loose? When I put on the glass and align it, the top plate would have quite a bit of play / movement. Contrast to the WA7 and it's solid without any movement. Is that normal?

Burning in at the moment and will give my impression soon. All I can say so far is, even before burning in, it already sounded better than the Schiit stack I once had (Bifrost Uber + Lyr2), paired with my HD700. I can't wait to give my final impression after I give it a good burn in for a few days.

dL


----------



## groovyd

both plates the same on both of my wa7+tp setups.


----------



## dL.

Thanks for letting me know groovyd.
  
 dL


----------



## Turtle1631991

Hello.
 I am pretty much decided to get Woo Audio WA7 to go with my AKG 701. I also strongly considered Mytek Digital Stereo 192 DSD-DAC but tube is tube and it won in the end for me. My question is. Do you think extra 300 bucks ofr tube power supply isntead of solid state one  (370 with tax and customs) for power supply is worh it? Is the improvement over solid state big enough to justify the prize? Thank you for any opinions.


----------



## olegausany

Of course it's worth it especially since it will let you to do tube rolling


----------



## abvolt

Congrats you're going to love the sound I know I sure do, about your top plate being loose not sure mine isn't you might want to drop Woo Audio an email and ask them..


----------



## terrapin57

I have the akg's 701 with the wa7. you'll love it thou I do play with the bass in jriver to bring it up. nice sound.
 waiting on a set of nobel k10's to pair with my wa7.


----------



## mikoss

Sorry if this was brought up before, but how much of an effect does tube rolling have on the WA7tp tube power supply? Do the tubes change much of the sound, considering they're only part of the power supply?
  
 The reason I ask is because I've always used the WA7tp and one of my stock tubes died shortly after I received it, so I've been using NOS Philips Miniwatt ECC82's. Just wondering if it's worthwhile to try rolling different tubes.
  
 Thanks guys


----------



## abvolt

That is a good question I'd also like to know the answer also, I've read on this board people using the woo wa6-se  say it makes a big difference..


----------



## Dogmatrix

abvolt said:


> That is a good question I'd also like to know the answer also, I've read on this board people using the woo wa6-se  say it makes a big difference..


 

 You may have more luck here
http://www.head-fi.org/t/715375/woo-audio-wa7tp-tube-power-supply-impressions-thread
  


mikoss said:


> Sorry if this was brought up before, but how much of an effect does tube rolling have on the WA7tp tube power supply? Do the tubes change much of the sound, considering they're only part of the power supply?
> 
> The reason I ask is because I've always used the WA7tp and one of my stock tubes died shortly after I received it, so I've been using NOS Philips Miniwatt ECC82's. Just wondering if it's worthwhile to try rolling different tubes.
> 
> Thanks guys


 

 I have been running Miniwatt tubes in my Wa7tp and they are one of the better options but very similar to the stock Woo Select tubes
 For a bigger difference try a 5814a type


----------



## groovyd

go straight for the Mullard NOS and don't look back


----------



## HiFiGuy528

I've been using my work WA7d + WA7tp in black since WA7tp was released last year, but now I finally own a set in silver for my personal collection.  Wife thinks I'm crazy to buy gear I get to use for work.  To me, it's the ownership part that matters more.  

Current headphone is new Sony MDR-Z7. System wired with Nordost Heilmdall 2 USB cable to my MacBook Pro with Retina display and Nordost Heimdall2 power cord.  Analog input on WA7 connected to my Sony HAP-Z1es music server.  Simply amazing system!


----------



## mikoss

groovyd said:


> go straight for the Mullard NOS and don't look back



Long plates, short plates? Any particular year? Just wondering as there are a lot of NOS choices.


----------



## comzee

Question, the WA7 is the only amp I've owned for headphones, been using it for about 8 months now.
 I just got a FiiO e12 for portability, and it appears to drive the headphones more then the WA7. Specifically all I'm basing this off is that it makes the headphones go louder when set to max volume. 
  
 (Using a JVC HA-SZ2000 for this)
  
 Is this odd? 
  
 I normally use my WA7 with my HD800's, but I'm lending them to a friend right now. So I haven't tested those on my FiiO e12 yet.
  
  
 The HD800 are 300ohm, while the JVC are 32ohm, if that makes any difference in why the FiiO can drive the JVC at a louder volume.
  
 EDIT:
  
 It does appear that the WA7 have more power too, from the manual: http://www.wooaudio.com/manuals/WA7_Fireflies_Owners_Manual.pdf
 Max Output: Approx. 1 watt @ 32 ohms 
  
 While FiiO E12: http://www.fiio.net/en/products/16
 Output Power: 880mW @ 32 ohms
  
 Not that much of a difference, only 120mW, but the FiiO e12 definitely drive my JVC WAAY louder right now then my WA7. (Just to be clear, both amps at max volume are too loud to listen to enjoyably.)


----------



## dL.

hifiguy528 said:


> I've been using my work WA7d + WA7tp in black since WA7tp was released last year, but now I finally own a set in silver for my personal collection.  Wife thinks I'm crazy to buy gear I get to use for work.  To me, it's the ownership part that matters more.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Mike, how do you find the Z7 with the WA7? And how does it compare with the HD700 with the WA7?
  
 dL


----------



## groovyd

hifiguy528 said:


> I've been using my work WA7d + WA7tp in black since WA7tp was released last year, but now I finally own a set in silver for my personal collection.  Wife thinks I'm crazy to buy gear I get to use for work.  To me, it's the ownership part that matters more.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Same exact system as me assuming modded T1 connected to the D100 and LCD-X to the Woo, and at work it is same but with a T5p and an XC.


----------



## HemiSam

comzee said:


> Question, the WA7 is the only amp I've owned for headphones, been using it for about 8 months now.
> I just got a FiiO e12 for portability, and it appears to drive the headphones more then the WA7. Specifically all I'm basing this off is that it makes the headphones go louder when set to max volume.
> 
> (Using a JVC HA-SZ2000 for this)
> ...


 
  
 Check the switch at the back of the WA7 and see if you have it set to low gain or high gain for starters.
  
 HS


----------



## comzee

hemisam said:


> Check the switch at the back of the WA7 and see if you have it set to low gain or high gain for starters.
> 
> HS


 
 Yea, I have the FiiO gain boost on, the high-z on the WA7 too (when I did the comparison). The WA7 at full volume makes my eyes squint and I can only listen for a few seconds. The FiiO although is like hearing damage level, I don't even want to max it because I don't want my drivers to blow.


----------



## HemiSam

comzee said:


> Yea, I have the FiiO gain boost on, the high-z on the WA7 too (when I did the comparison). The WA7 at full volume makes my eyes squint and I can only listen for a few seconds. The FiiO although is like hearing damage level, I don't even want to max it because I don't want my drivers to blow.


 
  
 I currently own and previously owned several sets of cans since owning the WA7.  I have no clue how you managed to get the volume anywhere near max levels, and I mean this in all sincerity.  My K702's were the hardest to drive and I couldn't get anywhere near that listening level and I'm no young puppy....enjoy R&R as much as the next guy.   My HD 650's are currently my hardest to drive outside of e-stats.
  
 Something does not seem right.  I'm wondering if your equipment is functioning properly.
  
 Best of luck.
  
 HS


----------



## groovyd

hemisam said:


> I currently own and previously owned several sets of cans since owning the WA7.  I have no clue how you managed to get the volume anywhere near max levels, and I mean this in all sincerity.  My K702's were the hardest to drive and I couldn't get anywhere near that listening level and I'm no young puppy....enjoy R&R as much as the next guy.   My HD 650's are currently my hardest to drive outside of e-stats.
> 
> Something does not seem right.  I'm wondering if your equipment is functioning properly.
> 
> ...


 

 1/8 or 1/4 output?  1/8 is cut back quite a bit for iems.  if you use 1/8 and want more drive get an 1/8 to 1/4 adapter and plug into the 1/4 instead.  could also be the input volume (line level on the rca).  What audio program do you use and what are the settings?


----------



## HemiSam

groovyd said:


> 1/8 or 1/4 output?  1/8 is cut back quite a bit for iems.  if you use 1/8 and want more drive get an 1/8 to 1/4 adapter and plug into the 1/4 instead.  could also be the input volume (line level on the rca).  What audio program do you use and what are the settings?


 
  
 That's a fine point, g.  I didn't pay any attention to what he was using to listen with.  The 1/8 output is most definitely configured for IEM's.
  
 HS


----------



## comzee

groovyd said:


> 1/8 or 1/4 output?  1/8 is cut back quite a bit for iems.  if you use 1/8 and want more drive get an 1/8 to 1/4 adapter and plug into the 1/4 instead.  could also be the input volume (line level on the rca).  What audio program do you use and what are the settings?


 
 I use a 3.5mm to 1/4 adapter, to get the higher output. I use google music, volume on pc is maxed. 
 I mean, regarding what HemiSam said, I never listen to my WA7 even close to max volume, probably never over 40%, 100% is extremely painful to listen to, and as I said I can only handle that pain threshold for a few seconds. 
  
 I've never had any volume or perceived gain issues with my WA7, seems to easily drive my HD800s (with them I still only have my WA7 40% max at any given point). 
  
 It was just a surprise to me that the FiiO e12 seems to put out so much more power, as I said I didn't even want to max the FiiO in fears of blowing my drivers. I'm thinking maybe, since I have an analogue source (Phone) with max volume already set, feeding into the FiiO, which is in a sense double amping the headphones, maybe that's the reason the FiiO is seeming to put out more power?


----------



## groovyd

you sure they deliver more volume?  clean power is not as 'loud' as distorted power.  Are you using the WA7 DAC or RCA?  I'm guessing it is a line level issue or not outputting at full scale to the DAC.  There is a good chance the WA7 analog inputs are less aggressive ranging their input voltages to prevent clipping.


----------



## comzee

groovyd said:


> you sure they deliver more volume?  clean power is not as 'loud' as distorted power.  Are you using the WA7 DAC or RCA?  I'm guessing it is a line level issue or not outputting at full scale to the DAC.  There is a good chance the WA7 analog inputs are less aggressive ranging their input voltages to prevent clipping.


 
 Yea that might be it. I use the DAC with the WA7, but it does only deliver "clean" power, even at max volume. The FiiO just blows out the headphones at anything above 75%.


----------



## groovyd

The WA7 is a conservatively rated unit meaning 1 watt of clean power.  1/2 watt of dirty power can very easily sound louder in my experience.  Try comparing them at the point where both units are still not distorting the sound at all.  On the WA7 that will be full volume as you mentioned but on the FiiO if you set that to the 75% you indicated then what is the comparison?  The WA7 does hold back though even at the top because the goal is not ridiculously loud so much as distortion free from input through to output.  Every stage of amplification has been set conservatively in that spirit.


----------



## comzee

groovyd said:


> The WA7 is a conservatively rated unit meaning 1 watt of clean power.  1/2 watt of dirty power can very easily sound louder in my experience.  Try comparing them at the point where both units are still not distorting the sound at all.  On the WA7 that will be full volume as you mentioned but on the FiiO if you set that to the 75% you indicated then what is the comparison?  The WA7 does hold back though even at the top because the goal is not ridiculously loud so much as distortion free from input through to output.  Every stage of amplification has been set conservatively in that spirit.


 
 Yea that was it. The WA7 is actually louder when talking about clean power. The FiiO (especially when set to high gain) just vomits power past a point and completely distorts the sounds and the drivers rattle.


----------



## groovyd

yep... that is the fundamental difference between regular consumer grade stuff and the stuff they push us crazy head-fi fools to pay kidneys for.


----------



## abvolt

Yeah I agree the WA7 is an awesome little amp, I've been using some Siemans 5814A's has made a huge difference over the stock 12AU7's from Woo. The detail and resolution are way better, Next on my list will be the Mullard NOS CV4003's..


----------



## HiFiGuy528

comzee said:


> It does appear that the WA7 have more power too, from the manual: http://www.wooaudio.com/manuals/WA7_Fireflies_Owners_Manual.pdf
> Max Output: Approx. 1 watt @ 32 ohms
> 
> While FiiO E12: http://www.fiio.net/en/products/16
> ...


 
  
 Numbers doesn't tell the entire story.  Don't be confused with gain vs. real power when it comes to output levels.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

dl. said:


> Mike, how do you find the Z7 with the WA7? And how does it compare with the HD700 with the WA7?
> 
> dL


 
  
 Z7 pairs very well with WA7 + WA7tp.  I am warming up to this headphone.  It's not as resolving as other high-end headphones like Denon D7000, but there are a lot about the Z7 I do like and outweighs the less than ideal sound.  e.g. build quality, design, comfort, looks, and bass.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

comzee said:


> Yea, I have the FiiO gain boost on, the high-z on the WA7 too (when I did the comparison). The WA7 at full volume makes my eyes squint and I can only listen for a few seconds. The FiiO although is like hearing damage level, I don't even want to max it because I don't want my drivers to blow.


 
  
 check the output level in software.  Perhaps it's set lower when using WA7.  Do note that it's not about how loud an amp can output, it's about how well it reproduce music.  Easy to make a loud amp, not so easy to make a musical sounding amp.


----------



## Jeb Listens

Hi Mike,
  
 Quick question:  I saw your nice looking WA7 set up + cables :  I need to get a UK power cord for my new WA7+TP - when choosing the length just wondered if there is any advantage to getting a longer one so it can reach directly to the wall socket vs going into the surge-protected power-strip with all the other computer gear. 
  
 I only ask because I got an integrated amp a few months ago and the manufacturers recommendations are _not_ to use surge protection strips with it since the amps internals are quite capable of coping with spikes and fluctuations in voltage unless they are so severe that small-scale surge protection wouldn't help anyway (e.g. Lightning strike).  I know that some people feel that surge protection can be detrimental to the sound quality, as well as it being preferable to keep amp power away from other electrical equipment if at all possible. 
  
 Just wondered if you or Jack would know if this also applies to the woo amps - if so i'll add a couple of metres to the power cord so as to reach the wall directly.   
  
 Jeb. 
  
 ​


----------



## HiFiGuy528

jeb listens said:


> Hi Mike,
> 
> Quick question:  I saw your nice looking WA7 set up + cables :  I need to get a UK power cord for my new WA7+TP - when choosing the length just wondered if there is any advantage to getting a longer one so it can reach directly to the wall socket vs going into the surge-protected power-strip with all the other computer gear.
> 
> ...


 
  
 From Nordost site:
  
 http://www.nordost.com/faqs.php
  
The minimum recommended lengths of Nordost cables are as follows:
Power cables – 2 meters
Analog interconnects – 1 meter
Digital interconnects – 1.5 meters
Tonearm cables – 1.25 meters 
Loudspeaker cables – 2 meters
  
Reality is that nothing can protect your system from a lightening strike.  The bigger concern for most of us is power surge and brown outs.  Our products are protected, but it doesn't harm to apply a layer of protection prior to hitting the amp.  
  
​We recommend a good quality power cable as the first upgrade.  This is why we do not include a generic AC cord.


----------



## Jeb Listens

hifiguy528 said:


> From Nordost site:
> 
> http://www.nordost.com/faqs.php
> 
> ...
 

 Thanks Mike that's very helpful.  
  
 I don't have any experience with power-cords and the affect they may have so I'm just going to start with a  cable from MCRU here in the UK - its just a length of Belden 19364 with some good quality silver-plated connectors.   Have a great weekend! 
  
 Jeb.


----------



## HemiSam

abvolt said:


> Yeah I agree the WA7 is an awesome little amp, I've been using some Siemans 5814A's has made a huge difference over the stock 12AU7's from Woo. The detail and resolution are way better, Next on my list will be the Mullard NOS CV4003's..


 
  
 Is this what you're referring to?
  
 http://tubeworldexpress.com/products/5814a-siemens-pearl-cryo-valve-long-plates-and-triple-mica-nos-1962-single
  
  
 HS


----------



## RonP

Hi everyone,
  
 I've had my WA7d for about 3 weeks now and am very impressed!
  
 My HD650's came in just before X-mas. After 3 weeks now, I believe that I have passed the 100 hr break in period.
 I haven't really noticed any difference in the sound quality since the first listening session. The sound has pretty much remain constant.
  
 I've listened to a variety of music from rock and pop to jazz and classical. The sound quality is awesome. Crisp, tight bass clear and open mids. I listened to Hed Kandi's Summer Of Sax which really gave the WA7 and the 650's a work-out. Some of the lows, you could really feel the drivers move. The sound was clean and powerful at all volume levels.
  
 I am feeding the WA7 from a Mac Mini via the optical output and am using Vox as the music player. I have also connected my iPad to it via the usb and camera connector with equally good results.
 My WA7 is running the Electro Harmonics tubes. I have read reports that the WA7 generates a lot of heat from the tubes and I have seen a lot pictures that show the tubes a lot brighter than my EH's. I'm wondering if the heat and brightness are determined by the tubes that are being used?
  
 My music preferences have me listening to the WA7 at volume levels between 1 and 5 o'clock on the volume dial.
  
 This is my first headphone amp so I can't really compare it to others. My other headphones are the Fostex TP-20's which I've had since the 90's and Sennheiser's CX-300 IE's. My 650's are night and day better compared to them.
  
 Well done Woo Audio!!!!


----------



## Dogmatrix

ronp said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I've had my WA7d for about 3 weeks now and am very impressed!
> 
> ...


 
 Most of the "glow" comes from LED s in the tube sockets so should be no different
 Wa7 should run warm to the touch (never touch the tubes) depends on ambient temp
 You seem to be running at a high volume for the HD650 , are you using the 1/4 jack and high Z setting ?


----------



## RonP

I am using the 1/4 jack on high gain.
  
 I have found that some of the music I listen to is brighter and louder than others. My older music that was mixed in analog generally requires more volume but certain older stuff have exceptions to this.
  
 Since I started listening to the WA7 & the 650's, I've really only been listening to flac files in an attempt to have the purest sound.
 That Hed Kandi I had to listen at the 1 o'clock postition, any louder would be uncomfortable.
  
 If I've read correctly the WA7 has an max output of 300mw with a 300 ohm load and the 650's are rated at about 200-250.
  
 Yes, I do play it loud but I am not noticing any distortion or strain from the 650's.
  
 I am also curious as to why the instructions for the WA7 state that is should only be used for 8 hrs at a time?
  
 As for the brightness, maybe the pictures I've seen have their color levels modified or were taken using filters.
 I've never touched the tubes, just put my hand over them.


----------



## Dogmatrix

ronp said:


> I am using the 1/4 jack on high gain.
> 
> I have found that some of the music I listen to is brighter and louder than others. My older music that was mixed in analog generally requires more volume but certain older stuff have exceptions to this.
> 
> ...


 

 That all sounds perfectly normal 1 o'çlock is where I max out with the 650 as well excepting older low level recordings as you say
 I think the 8 hrs recommendation is just for safety you should never leave a tube amp running unattended there is always a possibility (very small) of catastrophic tube failure and fire


----------



## abvolt

hemisam said:


> Is this what you're referring to?
> 
> http://tubeworldexpress.com/products/5814a-siemens-pearl-cryo-valve-long-plates-and-triple-mica-nos-1962-single
> 
> ...


 
 Those look great would love to try them, this is what I got --> https://tubedepot.com/products/5814a-12au7-siemens


----------



## HemiSam

abvolt said:


> Those look great would love to try them, this is what I got --> https://tubedepot.com/products/5814a-12au7-siemens


 
  
  
 Thanks.  You ever compare them to the EH gold tips?
  
 HS


----------



## abvolt

If you mean the upgraded tubes that Woo offers then yes I'm using them right now very nice so far, but it's only been about a week of use not too much time on them..


----------



## HemiSam

abvolt said:


> If you mean the upgraded tubes that Woo offers then yes I'm using them right now very nice so far, but it's only been about a week of use not too much time on them..


 
  
 Yes.  That is what I am using.  Would be interested to see how you think they compare to the Siemens once you've had some time with them.  They required burn in for me....to bright/raw until they had some time on them and then they came around very nicely.
  
 HS


----------



## abvolt

I will do that, Also you should take a look at the  Mullard NOS CV4003 the ones made In Great Britain some were made in Russia they seen to run in price around 80-90 range, everyone that uses them says they are the best sounding of any tube for the WA7tp. I'll be getting some next week..


----------



## dL.

abvolt said:


> I will do that, Also you should take a look at the  Mullard NOS CV4003 the ones made In Great Britain some were made in India they seen to run in price around 80-90 range, everyone that uses them says they are the best sounding of any tube for the WA7tp. I'll be getting some next week..


 

 Is this where you bought it from? http://www.upscaleaudio.com/mullard-cv4003-12au7-vintage-new-old-stock/
  
 And did you get the Platinum grade?
  
 dL


----------



## abvolt

Yes that's the place I also get stuff from TubeDepot, TubeWorld, TubeExpress. On their site  it looks like they list that option  for some really high end amps & preamps maybe those units are very picky on what grade tubes to use..


----------



## dL.

abvolt said:


> Yes that's the place I also get stuff from TubeDepot, TubeWorld, TubeExpress


 

 Did you go for CJ tested? Cyro? How would you define the sound signature difference from the stock to these Mullard?
  
 dL


----------



## abvolt

dl. said:


> Did you go for CJ tested? Cyro? How would you define the sound signature difference from the stock to these Mullard?
> 
> dL


 
 I went for the Platinum grade tubes as far as the cryo option they offer not too sure about that I've read on other boards that people who bought that option didn't like the sound compared to the non-cryo. I don't really know which is the best option to go for so I went for the cheaper non-cryo. I have not had enough time yet to tell how well they sound maybe in the next couple of weeks or so. I'll post some results


----------



## HemiSam

abvolt said:


> I will do that, Also you should take a look at the  Mullard NOS CV4003 the ones made In Great Britain some were made in Russia they seen to run in price around 80-90 range, everyone that uses them says they are the best sounding of any tube for the WA7tp. I'll be getting some next week..


 
  
 Thanks but I didn't go for the tubed power supply.  I just use a simple conditioner and the big block that came with the WA7.  Call me a rebel 
  
 HS


----------



## abvolt

Lol maybe someday you'll give it a try imo it's a very worthy upgrade..


----------



## groovyd

IMHO the tubed power supply is as important to the sound of the WA7 as the unit itself.  Was night and day for me.  An absolutely essential upgrade.


----------



## Igor01

I also loved the difference a tube power supply made, everything is seemingly more dynamic, decay is faster and overall the playback is more effortless and alive.  Before I hooked up the tube power supply I remember reading in one of the reviews that WA7 sounded like a "warmed up death" with the stock solid state power supply compared to the tube one and thinking to myself - wow, I have no idea what the person is talking about, this sounds awesome!  Then, having tired the amp with tube power unit I realized how spot-on that comment was...


----------



## abvolt

groovyd said:


> IMHO the tubed power supply is as important to the sound of the WA7 as the unit itself.  Was night and day for me.  An absolutely essential upgrade.


 
 I agree absolutely..


----------



## comzee

abvolt said:


> I agree absolutely..


 
 I only own the base WA7, to my understanding the tubes it uses are dual purpose. The tubes power the DAC, and they also amplify the headphones. Essentially the tube power supply, powers the tubes that are already in the WA7 powering the dac/amp, how is this making a significant different?


----------



## abvolt

comzee said:


> I only own the base WA7, to my understanding the tubes it uses are dual purpose. The tubes power the DAC, and they also amplify the headphones. Essentially the tube power supply, powers the tubes that are already in the WA7 powering the dac/amp, how is this making a significant different?


 
 First off I am in no way an audiophile just a noob who loves music, As I understand it solid-state power supplies & tube power supplies should yield identical results. But to my ears and many others the difference is quite noticeable.
  
  
 The tube amp power supply of the WA7tp  yields a warmer, more musical tone and more musical-sound over all. There really is a very big difference in the two, plus one has many options with different tubes which can change the sound of the amp quite a bit. All I can say is try it and see for your self I'm sure you'll love what you hear..


----------



## groovyd

The WA7 tubes amplify the music assuming they themselves are provided clean stable power.  They function as the audio 'amplifier' persay whereas the job of the power supply is to provide them with this clean and stable power.  In essence audio amplification really requires two amplifiers; one for the power itself and one that consumes the power to drive the music.  In this spirit it is a two-stage process that requires one stage to be doing it's job to provide sufficient power for the other to consume.  
  
 This is where solid state and tube-based power supplies fundamentally differ.  The different technologies respond differently to the specific characteristics of dynamic power demand.  A good power supply maintains it's output voltage and power potential no matter what the demand whereas a poorer supply will collapse under demand and cause the music to suffer.  Presumably tubes are better suited for weathering these sonic storms


----------



## comzee

abvolt said:


> First off I am in no way an audiophile just a noob who loves music, As I understand it solid-state power supplies & tube power supplies should yield identical results. But to my ears and many others the difference is quite noticeable.
> 
> 
> The tube amp power supply of the WA7tp  yields a warmer, more musical tone and more musical-sound over all. There really is a very big difference in the two, plus one has many options with different tubes which can change the sound of the amp quite a bit. All I can say is try it and see for your self I'm sure you'll love what you hear..


 
  
 Yea, I mean I could buy it right now, I'm just trying to see if it's rhetoric or not. The whole flac craze, I literally cannot tell the different between 320kpbs and any flac I've ever tried (using asio and all that), I consider that whole thing rhetoric. For example, I work in Cisco Voice, and Cisco did a blind study on audio codecs, letting people listen to lower / higher bitrates, 9 out of 10 people couldn't accurately tell the difference for anything over 256kpbs in the study. The way I see it, the stock power supply/conditioner supplies extremely clean power to the WA7 already, so I doubt it has anything to do with that. 
  
 The only thing I can guess is that instead of making the audio more clear, it's more like an analogue equalizer that changes the tone of the music.


----------



## mikoss

comzee said:


> Yea, I mean I could buy it right now, I'm just trying to see if it's rhetoric or not. The whole flac craze, I literally cannot tell the different between 320kpbs and any flac I've ever tried (using asio and all that), I consider that whole thing rhetoric. For example, I work in Cisco Voice, and Cisco did a blind study on audio codecs, letting people listen to lower / higher bitrates, 9 out of 10 people couldn't accurately tell the difference for anything over 256kpbs in the study. The way I see it, the stock power supply/conditioner supplies extremely clean power to the WA7 already, so I doubt it has anything to do with that.
> 
> The only thing I can guess is that instead of making the audio more clear, it's more like an analogue equalizer that changes the tone of the music.


 
 Agree on 320kbps mp3's vs FLAC for the most part, however this is entirely dependent on how well the encoder masks all the losses... LAME has come a long way, however there are certain tracks that have glaring audible imperfections vs their lossless originals. Personally, given the opportunity, I will always download the losslesss versions, to ensure I never come across tracks like these. A/B'ing blind gets "easier" with higher quality audio gear sometimes as well... playing them on a crappy DAC vs a good one would make it easier to A/B them. There are actually some threads on headfi that identify these tracks with lossy imperfections as well, if you're interested in hearing them.
  
 In the case of the tube power supply. I've only ever heard my WA7 with the tube supply, but I can say that I hear great dynamic "ability" (for lack of a better explanation)... the bass doesn't come across as strained or anemic... it reminds me of the power behind the WA2 with Tung Sol 5998 tubes. I may try the SS power supply and do a comparison... I was also planning on rolling in some Mullard tubes whenever they arrive in the mail. I would guess that instead of being an equalizer/tone change, it would be more of a "power support" ability change. I'm thinking dynamics, decay, ability of the bass to hit deep and hard yet remain controlled. I will give impressions either way!


----------



## comzee

mikoss said:


> I will give impressions either way!


 
  
 Yes I would be interested in a side by side comparison. I can see the tube power supply increasing things like bass impact and depth possibly. I mean the important part to remember is that in a normal tube amp, the interchangeable tube part is amping the headphones directly, thus having direct input on the headphones. In the WA7's instance it's only powering tubes, which are then powering the amp/dac. It's really a completely different concept then most tube amps. 
  
 Outlet -> rollable tubes -> non rollable tubes -> DAC -> AMP -> Headphones
  
 Outlet -> SS -> non rollable tubes - > DAC -> AMP -> Headphones
  
 The way I see it, is that the WA7s 6C45s might be inheriting the sonic power properties of the WA7tp tubes, like tube power pass-through essentially ?


----------



## olegausany

mikoss said:


> comzee said:
> 
> 
> > Yea, I mean I could buy it right now, I'm just trying to see if it's rhetoric or not. The whole flac craze, I literally cannot tell the different between 320kpbs and any flac I've ever tried (using asio and all that), I consider that whole thing rhetoric. For example, I work in Cisco Voice, and Cisco did a blind study on audio codecs, letting people listen to lower / higher bitrates, 9 out of 10 people couldn't accurately tell the difference for anything over 256kpbs in the study. The way I see it, the stock power supply/conditioner supplies extremely clean power to the WA7 already, so I doubt it has anything to do with that.
> ...



The tubes in the power supply act as recertifier tube in some other amps


----------



## HemiSam

olegausany said:


> The tubes in the power supply act as recertifier tube in some other amps


 
  
  
 I believe you mean rectifier tube.
  
 HS


----------



## olegausany

Yes of course


----------



## comzee

hemisam said:


> I believe you mean rectifier tube.
> 
> HS


 
  
 I didn't realize that was the technical term. Which leads to think there might be thread somewhere on head-fi discussing the differences between rolling rectifier v.s. main tubes, and the impacts that has on audio.


----------



## Dogmatrix

comzee said:


> I didn't realize that was the technical term. Which leads to think there might be thread somewhere on head-fi discussing the differences between rolling rectifier v.s. main tubes, and the impacts that has on audio.


 
 This one is good
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/694525/dubstep-girls-massive-5ar4-5r4-5u4g-rectifier-review-comparison-rectifer-tube-rolling-thread
  
 However 12au7 in a roll as rectifier is unique to the WA7tp so specific info is scarce
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/715375/woo-audio-wa7tp-tube-power-supply-impressions-thread
  
 A google search for tube rectifier will probably yield some useful background info as well


----------



## Dogmatrix

Further on the WA7tp
 I purchased one of the first WA7 off the line and ran with the SS power supply for almost a year before switching to the Tube ps
 I was surprised and delighted at the improvement the tube ps brought to an amp I was already very happy with
 All of the great points in the WA7 character were lifted an extra notch
 On top of all that I have been further surprised at the amount of tweaking that can be accomplished by rolling tubes in the ps


----------



## abvolt

I've been listening to my WA7 with a pair of vintage mullards cv4003 and almost right out of the box it made a noticeable improvement, Voices became more natural,more details in the music,almost a 3d sound really smooth with better bass. These tubes made a big difference to my ears. I would highly recommend them..


----------



## HiFiGuy528




----------



## dL.

hifiguy528 said:


>


 
  
 Give us your impression on what you think pairs well with the WA7+TP combo!
  
 Boy... you're gonna make me spend again Mike 
  
 dL


----------



## incursore61

Hello friends, I have recovered these two tube NOS... you say that I can mount them on my fabulous WA7 ... ???


----------



## rage3324

FYI - This has dropped on Massdrop with the lowest price being $799.99. There is an option for the Tube powersupply for an additional $320
  
 https://www.massdrop.com/buy/woo-audio-wa7


----------



## dL.

rage3324 said:


> FYI - This has dropped on Massdrop with the lowest price being $799.99. There is an option for the Tube powersupply for an additional $320
> 
> https://www.massdrop.com/buy/woo-audio-wa7


 
  
 Yeah I saw and I am pretty choked about it for buying it at full price not too long ago.
  
 dL


----------



## abvolt

incursore61 said:


> Hello friends, I have recovered these two tube NOS... you say that I can mount them on my fabulous WA7 ... ???


 
 I can't see what tubes you have there, If you only have the WA7 without the WA7tp the tubes won't work. The tubes I use are only for the WA7tp.. Unless there some variant of a 6C45


----------



## abvolt

rage3324 said:


> FYI - This has dropped on Massdrop with the lowest price being $799.99. There is an option for the Tube powersupply for an additional $320
> 
> https://www.massdrop.com/buy/woo-audio-wa7


 
 What an awesome price, I'll have to check & see if they have any deals on the wa6se that would be very cool...


----------



## money4me247

hiii... i am considering purchasing this amplifier. i was wondering if anyone here ever compared the sonic performance of the WA7 vs the Schiit Lyr 2 + Bifrost Uber combo. I was also hoping someone could describe the sonic differences between the solid state vs tube power supply. thank you!


----------



## dL.

money4me247 said:


> hiii... i am considering purchasing this amplifier. i was wondering if anyone here ever compared the sonic performance of the WA7 vs the Schiit Lyr 2 + Bifrost Uber combo. I was also hoping someone could describe the sonic differences between the solid state vs tube power supply. thank you!




I've had a chance to test both and I personally prefer the Woo Audio setup. It's the most musical amp I have ever listened to. On top of that, the build quality and service is far better than Schiit. The Woo Audio does not feel like something that costs $1000, let alone the Massdrop group buy going on right now. Plus, Jack and Mike ensures every customer is properly taken care of. It's a no brainer to me. 

Make sure to get the TP version as well!

dL


----------



## aluren

The mass drop price is very tempting for me. Quick question, how do I connect my iPhone 6 to this dac/amp? I also have a Cypher Labs CLAS-R which has a coaxial input...


----------



## dL.

I heard you can use the camera connection kit and plug it to the USB. Alternatively, I know you can get a 3.5 to RCA cable and plug it to the RCA input at the back.
  
 dL


----------



## incursore61

abvolt said:


> I can't see what tubes you have there, If you only have the WA7 without the WA7tp the tubes won't work. The tubes I use are only for the WA7tp.. Unless there some variant of a 6C45


 

 Tank's. I have only WA7.....Ciao


----------



## HiFiGuy528

incursore61 said:


> Tank's. I have only WA7.....Ciao


 
  
 Only use 6C45 tubes in WA7 amp.
  
  
 Quote:


aluren said:


> The mass drop price is very tempting for me. Quick question, how do I connect my iPhone 6 to this dac/amp? I also have a Cypher Labs CLAS-R which has a coaxial input...


 
  
 We designed WA7 to be fully compatible with Apple iOS devices with the use of Apple's Lightening to USB adaptor.  This means all iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch running iOS 7 and above are compatible.  Analog from headphone jack to RCA works, but not ideal.  Digital output from iOS devices via the Lightening to USB adaptor provides the best sound quality.  Here are links to what you’ll need to run your iPad with WA7.
  
 There are a lot of counterfeit Apple adaptors on the web so it’s important to buy from Apple ONLY.
  
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD821ZM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter?fnode=3a
  
 Good quality USB cable:
  
http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-F3U133V-06-GLD-Series-6-Foot-Hi-Speed/dp/B000621N26/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1410617278&sr=8-3&keywords=belkin+usb+cable


----------



## hennezzy

anyone pair the fireflies with the beyer t1


----------



## groovyd

some time back i posted a notice regarding a massdrop deal and it was immediately removed and i was scolded for it.  has the policy changed since?


----------



## money4me247

groovyd said:


> some time back i posted a notice regarding a massdrop deal and it was immediately removed and i was scolded for it.  has the policy changed since?


 
 nope, you shld be able to post abt massdrop nowadays. was it a mod that scolded you?


----------



## HemiSam

Yes, groovyd.  Currawong has indicated that the world is OK with massdrop now so post away.
  
 I've made several purchase from them.  Mixed bag.  Some things go very smoothly.  Some things not so much.
  
 HS


----------



## groovyd

hemisam said:


> Yes, groovyd.  Currawong has indicated that the world is OK with massdrop now so post away.
> 
> I've made several purchase from them.  Mixed bag.  Some things go very smoothly.  Some things not so much.
> 
> HS


 

 ah nice!  Yeah I had nothing but smooth seas from them.  Bought one of my WA7 through them over a year ago, too bad the tp wasn't part of it at that time, also got a pair of T1 that I still have not opened the box on.  
  
 An aside... what is everyone doing with their solid state power supplies since getting the tp?


----------



## rage3324

How does the dac of the WA7 compare to the dac of the dac mini?


----------



## Solarium

The massdrop deal looks insanely good, I've always wanted a tube amp and needed a DAC upgrade. Bought a crack + SB awhile back but sold it because it was too big for my desk. This would be the perfect upgrade, albeit a bit expensive. I was wondering for those who own WA7:
  
 1. How is the WA7 compare to the Crack+SB for the 650 or the 700?
  
 2. I was previously planning for Lyr 2 + Uberfrost, how does the WA7 compare to the Schiit offerings?


----------



## money4me247

solarium said:


> The massdrop deal looks insanely good, I've always wanted a tube amp and needed a DAC upgrade. Bought a crack + SB awhile back but sold it because it was too big for my desk. This would be the perfect upgrade, albeit a bit expensive. I was wondering for those who own WA7:
> 
> 1. How is the WA7 compare to the Crack+SB for the 650 or the 700?
> 
> 2. I was previously planning for Lyr 2 + Uberfrost, how does the WA7 compare to the Schiit offerings?


 
 i am also curious if the wa7 is an upgrade from the lyr 2 + uberfrost stack.


----------



## olegausany

money4me247 said:


> solarium said:
> 
> 
> > The massdrop deal looks insanely good, I've always wanted a tube amp and needed a DAC upgrade. Bought a crack + SB awhile back but sold it because it was too big for my desk. This would be the perfect upgrade, albeit a bit expensive. I was wondering for those who own WA7:
> ...



I don't think it's an upgrade it's a sound signature preference. But even if buying WA7 I would recommend also getting tubes power supply and Bifrost for best results


----------



## abvolt

Sorry this is just my 2 cents and I have no comparisons to give you, The sound of the Woo wa7 is very fine to say the least & believe a person would be hard-pressed to find better at this price point..


----------



## olegausany

abvolt said:


> Sorry this is just my 2 cents and I have no comparisons to give you, The sound of the Woo wa7 is very fine to say the least & believe a person would be hard-pressed to find better at this price point..



Some people would prefer Bifrost uber plus Crack with Speedball


----------



## Solarium

From what I've read so far, the WA7's has a good amp but mediocre DAC. I already have a good DAC from the STX II, and doubt that anything below a uberfrost would be an upgrade for me. So I'm pretty much spending $800-$1100 for a good amp, which is a lot more than what I intended to shell out. I think if I'm eventually getting the uberfrost, the Lyr 2 or the Valhalla 2 would be more in line of what I should be upgrading next.
  
 For anyone with the WA7 and also own/owned the Lyr 2 or Valhalla 2, can you share your experience comparing them? In theory, the best bang for the buck for me is the Crack + SB, but I bought it before and it's so damn ugly and I have no desktop room for it, so I ended up selling it.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

solarium said:


> From what I've read so far, the WA7's has a good amp but mediocre DAC. I already have a good DAC from the STX II, and doubt that anything below a uberfrost would be an upgrade for me. So I'm pretty much spending $800-$1100 for a good amp, which is a lot more than what I intended to shell out. I think if I'm eventually getting the uberfrost, the Lyr 2 or the Valhalla 2 would be more in line of what I should be upgrading next.
> 
> For anyone with the WA7 and also own/owned the Lyr 2 or Valhalla 2, can you share your experience comparing them? In theory, the best bang for the buck for me is the Crack + SB, but I bought it before and it's so damn ugly and I have no desktop room for it, so I ended up selling it.


 
  
 Perhaps @dL. can chime in a bit or we can just wait for his review.
  
post #1575


----------



## dL.

[CONTENTEMBED=/t/649097/woo-hoooo-wa7-fireflies/1650#post_11259626 layout=inline]


solarium said:


> From what I've read so far, the WA7's has a good amp but mediocre DAC. I already have a good DAC from the STX II, and doubt that anything below a uberfrost would be an upgrade for me. So I'm pretty much spending $800-$1100 for a good amp, which is a lot more than what I intended to shell out. I think if I'm eventually getting the uberfrost, the Lyr 2 or the Valhalla 2 would be more in line of what I should be upgrading next.
> 
> For anyone with the WA7 and also own/owned the Lyr 2 or Valhalla 2, can you share your experience comparing them? In theory, the best bang for the buck for me is the Crack + SB, but I bought it before and it's so damn ugly and I have no desktop room for it, so I ended up selling it.




The intent of the WA7 by Woo Audio is to produce the best sound in such a beautiful device, at a price that nobody can beat for the precision, detail, musicality and build quality of this cube. And when they mean "best sound", it means building a complete package. The best analogy is Apple. Apple never uses the best quality parts, but the combination of the parts chosen, along with their custom engineering allows them to produce a product that is u. The WA7 is intended to be used with headphones, with the best output being the 1/4". Sure the 1/8" works for IEM, and sure the RCA works for speakers, but that was not their focus.

What Woo Audio have done with the WA7 is truly the most magical and musical experience ever. I swear I have never listened to music as engaging and addicting until now. The funny thing about the WA7 is that it's not the most detailed, nor the most powerful punchy. Magic happens when everything harmoniously blend together so you can't really pick out what's so great about it, because the entire package is great. It's hard to describe this feeling because it's really hard to find something like this out there. 

The Bifrost Uber + Lyr 2 sounds phenomenal with the Audioengine A5+, but for a simple reason. The sound output for the preamp RCA at the back is coloured, because it is driven by the amplification from the hybrid design, which means you are using the tubes. Yes, that means you have to turn on the Lyr 2, using the life of the tube, just to power the speakers.

The WA7 is different. At first, I was kind of uncertain when HiFiGuy528 mentioned that the DAC to RCA output does not go through the tubes. Why would they want to amplify just the 1/4 and 1/8 but not the RCA? However, upon further thinking, I can see why they have designed it this way. And it's quite simple. One of the usage for the WA7 is to use it with a computer system (via USB). Woo Audio knows that everyone's going to have some form of speakers with their computer system. They also know that most people will use the speakers by default for casual listening, watching TV, playing games, or watching Youtube or Facebook videos. Remember, we are talking in a computer room environment.

That's why they engineered the WA7 the way it is so it does not require turning on the amp and draining the lifespan of the tube, when you are listening to the speakers. In fact, the unit doesn't even use any power because it's USB-powered directly to the DAC. You can unplug the power cable and the DAC would still work!

When it's time for critical listening with the headphone, then you simply turn on the unit. And they also have this thought out as well. Tubes take time to warm up right? Well that's fine. You can turn it on in advance, while continue to enjoy your content with the speakers. After a good 5-10 minutes (best if 20), then you simply reach to the back and switch to the headphone source. 

There's a reason why the WA7 is a DAC/AMP combined together, because it's meant to be used as a whole. If you enjoy the unit as its intended (best via 1/4"), then you will understand the thought process behind this masterpiece.

To ensure I've answered your question:

- The Bifrost Uber / Lyr 2 will sound better with the speakers (via RCA), but only because the Schiit is using the tubes to power it. While I haven't tried this, but if you want an upgraded sound for your speakers, then simply plug it to the front 1/8" or the 1/4" of the WA7.
- The Bifrost Uber / Lyr 2 is powerful, punchy and detailed. It excels in giving an impression of that, but unfortunately I was unable to be immersed in an engaging listening experience.
- The DAC is alright. It's an upgrade from the Fiio E17 but it's definitely not a monumental upgrade.
- The DAC with the AMP is truly the most musical and magical listening experience I've ever had with the 1/4" output, as it's intended to be used together as a combo. You don't buy a Mac just to play hardcore games. Thus, you shouldn't get the WA7 just to upgrade the speaker sound (via RCA).

And to top it off, I haven't even talked about the build quality, and the design of this thing compared with the Schiit and other competitors. It's getting late and I think I'm going to reserve my other impression at a later time when I write my official review. I'll end it off with this. To my knowledge, I haven't encounter something that sounds as good as it looks.



hifiguy528 said:


> Perhaps <a data-huddler-embed="href" href="/u/142459/dL" style="display:inline-block;">@dL.</a>
> can chime in a bit or we can just wait for his review.
> 
> post #1575




I guess the above is a sneak peak of my review? Haha I promise I will write a review when I can find some time. Sorry!

dL
[/CONTENTEMBED]


----------



## mikoss

olegausany said:


> I don't think it's an upgrade it's a sound signature preference. But even if buying WA7 I would recommend also getting tubes power supply and Bifrost for best results




+1. I completely agree! I use the HD-650s and comparing the WA7 to the WA2, I can definitely tell the WA7 has some technical superiority. It's faster, goes very deep, and definitely brings some tight attack to the sound. Personally, I just wrote a review with a bit of a comparison, and I prefer the WA2 simply because I find it slower, warmer and for the ability to tube roll so many different tubes. I personally find the HD-650s to be bested technically by a lot of the newer "summit-fi" phones, which if I preferred using, I would probably also prefer driving with the WA7. For the 650s, I prefer the rich, harmonic WA2.


----------



## money4me247

@HiFiGuy528
  
 do you know the rated power specs for the wa7 in rms/channel at 50 ohms? thanks


----------



## groovyd

Woo should sell a DAC-less version of the WA7 in my opinion.  Either trim a couple hundred off the price or put fatter caps inside or higher quality components, not that I know if the ones it uses aren't high quality but I am just guessing with the extra space from removing the DAC you could probably squeeze in a bit better whatever it is.


----------



## Solarium

Would I be better off spending that $1000 upgrading my HP to the HD800 and getting the Lyr 2/Valhalla 2, or to get the WA7TP?
  
 I have some reservations about the WA7. I mean the WA7TP sounds incredibly awesome, it's small (a huge factor in buying amps for me since I am moving in 5 months), looks amazing and has a beautiful sound. I just don't know whether I can justify spending $1000 on an amp on my current $500 headphone (I just got a used HD700) though. I was planning on trying out a Lyr 2 or a Valhalla 2 for my HD700, but this massdrop deal is too good to pass up. I will eventually upgrade to a HD800 when I really get tired of the HD700, and I know the WA7TP is a great long term investment, but how much better do you think the WA7TP is to the Lyr 2 + Uberfrost? I also want to use the amp as a pre-amp for my speakers, and if I end up upgrading the DAC and connect to the WA7, I won't be able to use the RCA's for preouts. I was hoping that you guys can convince me to get it


----------



## dL.

Very strange that my previous post didn't appear properly earlier.
  


solarium said:


> From what I've read so far, the WA7's has a good amp but mediocre DAC. I already have a good DAC from the STX II, and doubt that anything below a uberfrost would be an upgrade for me. So I'm pretty much spending $800-$1100 for a good amp, which is a lot more than what I intended to shell out. I think if I'm eventually getting the uberfrost, the Lyr 2 or the Valhalla 2 would be more in line of what I should be upgrading next.
> 
> For anyone with the WA7 and also own/owned the Lyr 2 or Valhalla 2, can you share your experience comparing them? In theory, the best bang for the buck for me is the Crack + SB, but I bought it before and it's so damn ugly and I have no desktop room for it, so I ended up selling it.


 
  
 The intent of the WA7 by Woo Audio is to produce the best sound in such a beautiful device, at a price that nobody can beat for the precision, detail, musicality and build quality of this cube. And when they mean "best sound", it means building a complete package. The best analogy is Apple. Apple never uses the best quality parts, but the combination of the parts chosen, along with their custom engineering allows them to produce a product that is u. The WA7 is intended to be used with headphones, with the best output being the 1/4". Sure the 1/8" works for IEM, and sure the RCA works for speakers, but that was not their focus.
  
 What Woo Audio have done with the WA7 is truly the most magical and musical experience ever. I swear I have never listened to music as engaging and addicting until now. The funny thing about the WA7 is that it's not the most detailed, nor the most powerful punchy. Magic happens when everything harmoniously blend together so you can't really pick out what's so great about it, because the entire package is great. It's hard to describe this feeling because it's really hard to find something like this out there. 
  
 The Bifrost Uber + Lyr 2 sounds phenomenal with the Audioengine A5+, but for a simple reason. The sound output for the preamp RCA at the back is coloured, because it is driven by the amplification from the hybrid design, which means you are using the tubes. Yes, that means you have to turn on the Lyr 2, using the life of the tube, just to power the speakers.
  
 The WA7 is different. At first, I was kind of uncertain when HiFiGuy528 mentioned that the DAC to RCA output does not go through the tubes. Why would they want to amplify just the 1/4 and 1/8 but not the RCA? However, upon further thinking, I can see why they have designed it this way. And it's quite simple. One of the usage for the WA7 is to use it with a computer system (via USB). Woo Audio knows that everyone's going to have some form of speakers with their computer system. They also know that most people will use the speakers by default for casual listening, watching TV, playing games, or watching Youtube or Facebook videos. Remember, we are talking in a computer room environment.
  
 That's why they engineered the WA7 the way it is so it does not require turning on the amp and draining the lifespan of the tube, when you are listening to the speakers. In fact, the unit doesn't even use any power because it's USB-powered directly to the DAC. You can unplug the power cable and the DAC would still work!
  
 When it's time for critical listening with the headphone, then you simply turn on the unit. And they also have this thought out as well. Tubes take time to warm up right? Well that's fine. You can turn it on in advance, while continue to enjoy your content with the speakers. After a good 5-10 minutes (best if 20), then you simply reach to the back and switch to the headphone source. 
 There's a reason why the WA7 is a DAC/AMP combined together, because it's meant to be used as a whole. If you enjoy the unit as its intended (best via 1/4"), then you will understand the thought process behind this masterpiece.
 To ensure I've answered your question:
  
 - The Bifrost Uber / Lyr 2 will sound better with the speakers (via RCA), but only because the Schiit is using the tubes to power it. While I haven't tried this, but if you want an upgraded sound for your speakers, then simply plug it to the front 1/8" or the 1/4" of the WA7.
 - The Bifrost Uber / Lyr 2 is powerful, punchy and detailed. It excels in giving an impression of that, but unfortunately I was unable to be immersed in an engaging listening experience.
 - The DAC is alright. It's an upgrade from the Fiio E17 but it's definitely not a monumental upgrade.
 - The DAC with the AMP is truly the most musical and magical listening experience I've ever had with the 1/4" output, as it's intended to be used together as a combo. You don't buy a Mac just to play hardcore games. Thus, you shouldn't get the WA7 just to upgrade the speaker sound (via RCA).
 And to top it off, I haven't even talked about the build quality, and the design of this thing compared with the Schiit and other competitors. It's getting late and I think I'm going to reserve my other impression at a later time when I write my official review. I'll end it off with this. To my knowledge, I haven't encounter something that sounds as good as it looks.
  


hifiguy528 said:


> Perhaps @dL. can chime in a bit or we can just wait for his review.
> 
> post #1575


 
  
 I guess the above is a sneak peak of my review? Haha I promise I will write a review when I can find some time. Sorry!
  


groovyd said:


> Woo should sell a DAC-less version of the WA7 in my opinion.  Either trim a couple hundred off the price or put fatter caps inside or higher quality components, not that I know if the ones it uses aren't high quality but I am just guessing with the extra space from removing the DAC you could probably squeeze in a bit better whatever it is.


 
  
 Or they should sell a version with a better DAC 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 and still trim a couple hundred off the price 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 dL


----------



## dL.

solarium said:


> Would I be better off spending that $1000 upgrading my HP to the HD800 and getting the Lyr 2/Valhalla 2, or to get the WA7TP?
> 
> I have some reservations about the WA7. I mean the WA7TP sounds incredibly awesome, it's small (a huge factor in buying amps for me since I am moving in 5 months), looks amazing and has a beautiful sound. I just don't know whether I can justify spending $1000 on an amp on my current $500 headphone (I just got a used HD700) though. I was planning on trying out a Lyr 2 or a Valhalla 2 for my HD700, but this massdrop deal is too good to pass up. I will eventually upgrade to a HD800 when I really get tired of the HD700, and I know the WA7TP is a great long term investment, but how much better do you think the WA7TP is to the Lyr 2 + Uberfrost? I also want to use the amp as a pre-amp for my speakers, and if I end up upgrading the DAC and connect to the WA7, I won't be able to use the RCA's for preouts. I was hoping that you guys can convince me to get it


 

 I much rather get the Sony MDR-Z7 instead 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 unless your priority is soundstage and treble.
  
 Back to your topic, I think that the Massdrop deal is really too good to pass. I know you haven't tried the 7+7TP, but I have now, and if I had a chance to jump on this Massdrop, I would do it in a heartbeat, unless you also found a deal that you couldn't pass on the HD800.
  
 I've tried A-B'ing the 700 (which I own) vs 800 (in the shop) and to be honest, there wasn't much of a difference. Sure, the soundstage is wider, and there's a bit more detail on the HD800, but it wasn't night-and-day difference and for some reason I could never get accustomed to the sound of the 800's. It just sounds like it's trying too hard to be detailed and overly-wide. Have you considered looking to get another brand to compliment your Sennheiser instead of upgrading?
  
 To me, there's more difference going from the Schiit stack to the Woo Audio than the 700 to the 800. But the difference is in the musicality and the way the WA7 presents the music. No, it's not going to give you a lot more punch or a lot more detail, but it just does it in a way that is so musical. I think it's probably the difference between a full tube design (Woo) vs Hybrid design with tube + solid state (Schiit).
  
 dL


----------



## HemiSam

I'm glad this wasn't in the HD800 threads.  That would be colorful...LOL.  I own the HD 650 and the 700.  I listen to the 650 alot and the 700 not so much...simply my preference of the two.  I also own some other cans as well like the Sony Z7 and the Koss ESP-950's (really like the e-stats).
  
 Love my WA7.  I've used it as a single component (AMP/DAC) for a good while.  It does the job nicely.  I prefer using an external DAC these days despite having to add another footprint and cables.  The DAC in the WA7 is good but not great and I don't believe it needs to be used to achieve synergy.
  
 HS


----------



## money4me247

up to you what you want to spend you money on but always remember this rule.

greatest impact on sound quality is source >>> headphones >>> amp/dac >>> other


----------



## Hififox

Hi all, I just joined in Massdrop wa7 drop. My cans are HD600 and K701, could anyone share the experience about wa7 drives these two cans?
  
 Thanks.


----------



## rage3324

How would you compare the dac of the DACMini to the DAC of the WA7? I have an unopened DACMini and I can't decide if it is worth keeping to act as an upgrade to the DAC of the WA7. My cans would be AKG K7xx, Beyerdynamic DT770 Premium (600 ohms) and Grado SR325i.


----------



## HemiSam

I have the HD 650's, HD 700's and had the K702's.  WA7 pairs well with all of them.
  
 HS


----------



## Vinnces

I just joined the drop on Massdrop and am still deciding if I want the WA7TP with it.  All the reviews I have looked up say it does make a difference but is it really that much of a difference?  Though I gotta say aesthetically it looks quite nice when they are together and that's a nice plus.  Basically it's get it now and be on instant noodles for 2 weeks or get it later down the road and spend $100+ more.


----------



## olegausany

If you want best sound plus ability to change sound signature using different tubes then get power supply while it still part of the deal


----------



## abvolt

olegausany said:


> If you want best sound plus ability to change sound signature using different tubes then get power supply while it still part of the deal


 
 +1
 I agree that's the only way to go..


----------



## the-kraken

vinnces said:


> I just joined the drop on Massdrop and am still deciding if I want the WA7TP with it.... *Basically it's get it now and be on instant noodles for 2 weeks* or get it later down the road...




Winning! you belong here, man!


----------



## the-kraken

On topic: I'd love to see a wa7 with an upgraded DAC... maybe an AKM?


----------



## abvolt

Just took a look wow what a price..


----------



## HiFiGuy528

dl. said:


> I much rather get the Sony MDR-Z7 instead
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 HD700 is more forgiving with lessor quality recordings so I enjoy it more than HD800.  I own both, but only one of each.    Next purchase is Fostex TH500rp and TH600.


----------



## BDM-Fi

Not sure if this has been linked here already; here's a recent review of the WA7 : 
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0115/Woo_Audio_WA7d_Fireflies_Review.htm


----------



## HiFiGuy528

bdm-fi said:


> Not sure if this has been linked here already; here's a recent review of the WA7 :
> http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0115/Woo_Audio_WA7d_Fireflies_Review.htm


 
  
 Tom really enjoyed the system.  Thank you for sharing the link.


----------



## Solarium

Is the optical input or output? Is it possible to connect opical out from my soundcard (STX II) to the WA7, then the RCA from WA7 to my speakers?
  
 Also, how does the WA7 amp compare to the Bottlehead Crack + Speedball?


----------



## Hififox

Hi, I just joined the drop from Massdrop but I'm still considering between wa7+wa7tp, OPPO ha-1, burson conductor and Marantz HD-dac1. They are all around 1000 USD(burson conductor has a discount on Amazon). Did anyone compare these amplifiers? I like a little warm sound and my cans are hd600 and K701.
  
 Thanks.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

dl. said:


> You can do that already. Just plug in an external DAC to the RCA and switch the toggle to RCA so it bypasses the internal DAC.
> 
> Mike, have you tried plugging an external DAC that is within $1000 to the WA7 and A/B? If so, which ones have you tried and what were your impressions?
> 
> dL


 
  
 I've tried and current own a lot of DACs.  I don't want to mention the brands here to respect those manufacturers.  I am confident that a standalone DACs costing as much as WA7 is not more musical or have significantly better sound than the internal DAC on WA7.   We're talking about sound alone, not all the bells and whistles standalone DACs have.  
  


solarium said:


> Is the optical input or output? Is it possible to connect opical out from my soundcard (STX II) to the WA7, then the RCA from WA7 to my speakers?
> 
> Also, how does the WA7 amp compare to the Bottlehead Crack + Speedball?


 
  
 WA7d feature optical (TOSLINK) input so out from your sound card would work.  The RCA jacks are input on WA7d so no output to your speakers.  If you need to to act as a DAC, please choose WA7, not WA7d.
  


hififox said:


> Hi, I just joined the drop from Massdrop but I'm still considering between wa7+wa7tp, OPPO ha-1, burson conductor and Marantz HD-dac1. They are all around 1000 USD(burson conductor has a discount on Amazon). Did anyone compare these amplifiers? I like a little warm sound and my cans are hd600 and K701.
> 
> Thanks.


 
  
 Here's a recent review where the reviewer compared WA7 against those you mentioned.
  
 http://hometheaterreview.com/woo-audio-wa7-fireflies-headphone-amplifierdac-reviewed/
  
 Here's another from Head-Fi member @keanex 
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/749631/review-woo-audio-wa7-a-very-unscientific-review


----------



## abvolt

I just did a small comparison with the stock tubes that came with my WA7tp (stock Woo 12AU7 & my vintage mullards CV4003/12AU7). I was going to listen to 3 albums today that I'm very familiar with. I started with the stock woo tubes and could really only bring my self to listening to 3 songs one from each album, and it's because I'd become accustomed to the sound of the mullards.
  
  
 The stock woo tubes are good but to me unpleasantly harsh with a small sound stage, and I noticed that the bass was very recessed. Whereas the vintage mullards have a large sound stage very smooth with great bass. I was so impressed with this small test I ordered another matched pair just in case. So I guess in conclusion any of you guys who own the Woo WA7tp and are looking for an upgraded tube try the vintage mullards they are really worth your time & money..


----------



## HiFiGuy528

abvolt said:


> I just did a small comparison with the stock tubes that came with my WA7tp (stock Woo 12AU7 & my vintage mullards CV4003/12AU7). I was going to listen to 3 albums today that I'm very familiar with. I started with the stock woo tubes and could really only bring my self to listening to 3 songs one from each album, and it's because I'd become accustomed to the sound of the mullards.
> 
> 
> The stock woo tubes are good but to me unpleasantly harsh with a small sound stage, and I noticed that the bass was very recessed. Whereas the vintage mullards have a large sound stage very smooth with great bass. I was so impressed with this small test I ordered another matched pair just in case. So I guess in conclusion any of you guys who own the Woo WA7tp and are looking for an upgraded tube try the vintage mullards they are really worth your time & money..


 
  
 Great feedback.  Where do you find NOS Mullard CV4003?


----------



## abvolt

I got mine from Upscale Audio here's a look --> http://www.upscaleaudio.com/mullard-cv4003-12au7-vintage-new-old-stock/


----------



## comzee

abvolt said:


> I got mine from Upscale Audio here's a look --> http://www.upscaleaudio.com/mullard-cv4003-12au7-vintage-new-old-stock/


 
 In your opinion are these the best tubes for the WA7tp? Is there info somewhere with comparisons?


----------



## rage3324

abvolt said:


> I got mine from Upscale Audio here's a look --> http://www.upscaleaudio.com/mullard-cv4003-12au7-vintage-new-old-stock/


 
  
 Are you guys using matching Tubes for the WA7 and WA7tp when tube rolling? Which makes the most impact on the sound.. rolling the WA7tp tubes or the WA7 tubes?


----------



## abvolt

comzee said:


> In your opinion are these the best tubes for the WA7tp? Is there info somewhere with comparisons?


 
  
 I like  these the best I also like to use a pair of vintage Siemans 5814A's very clean sound, and the bass is in a word awesome really worth trying..
  


rage3324 said:


> Are you guys using matching Tubes for the WA7 and WA7tp when tube rolling? Which makes the most impact on the sound.. rolling the WA7tp tubes or the WA7 tubes?


 
  
 I only use matched pairs..


----------



## rage3324

abvolt said:


> I like  these the best I also like to use a pair of vintage Siemans 5814A's very clean sound, and the bass is in a word awesome really worth trying..
> 
> 
> I only use matched pairs..


 
  
 Do you mean you are using the same tubes for the WA7tp and WA7?


----------



## abvolt

No the amp (WA7) uses different tubes then the power supply (WA7tp). The amp by choice from Woo uses a 6C45 tube, There are variants of this tube but they are very rare and very costly.
  
 You can take a look at this read for more info -->http://www.diy-audio-guide.com/6c45.html
  
 Never swap tubes from amp to ps..


----------



## malla1ml

abvolt said:


> No the amp (WA7) uses different tubes then the power supply (WA7tp). The amp by choice from Woo uses a 6C45 tube, There are variants of this tube but they are very rare and very costly.
> 
> You can take a look at this read for more info -->http://www.diy-audio-guide.com/6c45.html
> 
> Never swap tubes from amp to ps..


 
 Hey abvolt, have you ever tried any of the variants mentioned in the article?  Thanks btw, I was looking for this the other day and couldn't find it.
  


> There are several brands now for this tube, Reflektor, Sovtek and Electro Harmonix. There are similar substitute tubes out in the market, like the EC8020, EC8010, 3A167M, 437A, 417A/5842 and etc that could be used but they will give you different output power and gain. 6C45 is one of the cheapest among all mentioned above. So, this is a good tube to start with, and if one wishes for more exotic brand and maybe unique brand sound, they can try the above varieties.


----------



## abvolt

malla1ml said:


> Hey abvolt, have you ever tried any of the variants mentioned in the article?  Thanks btw, I was looking for this the other day and couldn't find it.


 
  
 I was thinking of trying a pair of these -->https://www.tubedepot.com/t/tubes/preamp-tubes/417a-5842
 Not the 175. ea tubes a little too rich for me. 
  
 edit; I've looked on getting a pair but can only find 1 vintage rca


----------



## malla1ml

abvolt said:


> I was thinking of trying a pair of these -->https://www.tubedepot.com/t/tubes/preamp-tubes/417a-5842
> Not the 175. ea tubes a little too rich for me.
> 
> edit; I've looked on getting a pair but can only find 1 vintage rca


 
 Yeah, looks like there are some pairs on eBay.  I might follow the search and see if I can't get a decent deal on a pair eventually.  I'll do some digging and see if I can't find some impressions on them. I assume based on the price, they must do fairly well (or at least I'd hope lol).


----------



## rage3324

Thanks for the information about tubes. I ordered the WA7 and WA7tp to replace my little dot i+ and maybe my dacmini (undecided if I will use that as a dac for my WA7 or not). I am going to wait a few months before I start rolling tubes ( I already know how addictive it can be ) and instead focus on upgrading my headphones 
  
 Does anyone have experience with Grado RS1 or 325i (currently own) with the WA7? I am also trying to find a large soundstage can to pair with the WA7 to compliment my Grados. Something that still has good mid and vocal presence and sharp highs. The AKG K7xx did not come close to what I was looking for.


----------



## olegausany

rage3324 said:


> Thanks for the information about tubes. I ordered the WA7 and WA7tp to replace my little dot i+ and maybe my dacmini (undecided if I will use that as a dac for my WA7 or not). I am going to wait a few months before I start rolling tubes ( I already know how addictive it can be ) and instead focus on upgrading my headphones
> 
> Does anyone have experience with Grado RS1 or 325i (currently own) with the WA7? I am also trying to find a large soundstage can to pair with the WA7 to compliment my Grados. Something that still has good mid and vocal presence and sharp highs. The AKG K7xx did not come close to what I was looking for.



Not sure about sharp highs but you should try HD650 and HD700 to start from


----------



## abvolt

rage3324 said:


> Thanks for the information about tubes. I ordered the WA7 and WA7tp to replace my little dot i+ and maybe my dacmini (undecided if I will use that as a dac for my WA7 or not). I am going to wait a few months before I start rolling tubes ( I already know how addictive it can be ) and instead focus on upgrading my headphones
> 
> Does anyone have experience with Grado RS1 or 325i (currently own) with the WA7? I am also trying to find a large soundstage can to pair with the WA7 to compliment my Grados. Something that still has good mid and vocal presence and sharp highs. The AKG K7xx did not come close to what I was looking for.


 
  
 That good news you'll love the Woo, I don't have the RS1,s but my ps500's sound really good I'm sure your RS1,s will be just as good. Most of the music I like is jazz but for my classical collection the Grado's are my favorites.


----------



## dL.

abvolt said:


> I got mine from Upscale Audio here's a look --> http://www.upscaleaudio.com/mullard-cv4003-12au7-vintage-new-old-stock/


 

 What's the difference between this one and http://www.upscaleaudio.com/mullard-ecc82-12au7-vintage-new-old-stock ?
  
 One is CV4003 and the other is ECC82. Are both compatible?
  
 dL


----------



## malla1ml

dl. said:


> What's the difference between this one and http://www.upscaleaudio.com/mullard-ecc82-12au7-vintage-new-old-stock ?
> 
> One is CV4003 and the other is ECC82. Are both compatible?
> 
> dL


 
 If you look at the description, the first link's tubes were manufactured in the UK.  The second link were manufactured in India.  Both are supposed to be great.  I also picked up a pair from the first link.


----------



## dL.

Ah got it. Just want to clarify, you need to choose quantity "2" to get a pair on that Upscale Audio website?
  
 dL


----------



## abvolt

dl. said:


> What's the difference between this one and http://www.upscaleaudio.com/mullard-ecc82-12au7-vintage-new-old-stock ?
> 
> One is CV4003 and the other is ECC82. Are both compatible?
> 
> dL


 
  
 The CV4003 is only a military inventory number it also denotes there grade type. Mullards CV4003/12AU7 are made in England and the CV4003 were sold to the military, they needed to be a very heavy grade tube the best they could get for there applications.
  

 The ECC82/12AU7 is a more standard tube it was also made in India (if your talking mullards) not to the same high standards the military required as with the CV4003, they are made by many makers including mullard.
  
 You can use either of these great variants..


----------



## abvolt

malla1ml said:


> Yeah, looks like there are some pairs on eBay.  I might follow the search and see if I can't get a decent deal on a pair eventually.  I'll do some digging and see if I can't find some impressions on them. I assume based on the price, they must do fairly well (or at least I'd hope lol).


 
  
 Yeah that info would be nice, let us know what you find out. heres some  history on the mullards --> http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Mullard


----------



## desertblues

I am currently running a matched pair of the Mullard ECC82 - they were made in Britain in 1964 at the Blackburn factory. They are awesome in the WA7tp! I would think a similar tube from India was most likely made under license from Mullard and may differ in quality. I paid $140 for a matched pair from Brent Jessee who is very reputable in my experience.


----------



## abvolt

desertblues said:


> I am currently running a matched pair of the Mullard ECC82 - they were made in Britain in 1964 at the Blackburn factory. They are awesome in the WA7tp! I would think a similar tube from India was most likely made under license from Mullard and may differ in quality. I paid $140 for a matched pair from Brent Jessee who is very reputable in my experience.


 
  
 That's good to hear, everything I've read says tube was actually manufactured in the Mullard factory in India, But as you say it could just be some licensing thing or even only  certain years they were manufactured there, I have also read they were of lesser quality..


----------



## Mattyhew

Hi, 
  
 Sorry if this has been asked before, 

 Im already quite pleased with my current DAC, with that in mind is there a stand alone amp that compares to the WA7?
  
 Cheers


----------



## Solarium

Regarding the DAC:
  
 According to http://wooaudio.com/manuals/WA7_Fireflies_Owners_Manual.pdf the WA7 uses the TI PCM5102A DAC (SNR 112dB, 32-bit): http://www.ti.com/product/pcm5102A
  
 My Asus Essence STX II 7.1 sound card uses the TI PCM1792A DAC (SNR 127dB, 24-bit): http://www.ti.com/product/pcm1792a
  
 Will WA7's DAC will be a downgrade for me (SNR 127dB 24-bit to 112dB 32-bit)?


----------



## money4me247

solarium said:


> Regarding the DAC:
> 
> According to http://wooaudio.com/manuals/WA7_Fireflies_Owners_Manual.pdf the WA7 uses the TI PCM5102A DAC (SNR 112dB, 32-bit): http://www.ti.com/product/pcm5102A
> 
> ...


 
 Hard to say whether the same DAC in a different system will be an upgrade/sidegrade/downgrade. Only way to tell is if someone has both units to do a side-by-side objective comparison (preferably blinded).
  
 You can find the same PCM1792A dac in the budget entry $59 stoner acoustic ud110v2 dac. It is obviously not a super expensive dac chip, but people around here say the exact dac chip is not as important as the implementation (whatever that means). lol.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

solarium said:


> Regarding the DAC:
> 
> According to http://wooaudio.com/manuals/WA7_Fireflies_Owners_Manual.pdf the WA7 uses the TI PCM5102A DAC (SNR 112dB, 32-bit): http://www.ti.com/product/pcm5102A
> 
> ...


 
  
 the chip is only one piece of a BIG puzzle.
  


mattyhew said:


> Hi,
> 
> Sorry if this has been asked before,
> 
> ...


 
  
 I may be a little bias.  NO there isn't


----------



## abvolt

solarium said:


> Regarding the DAC:
> 
> According to http://wooaudio.com/manuals/WA7_Fireflies_Owners_Manual.pdf the WA7 uses the TI PCM5102A DAC (SNR 112dB, 32-bit): http://www.ti.com/product/pcm5102A
> 
> ...


 
  
 I have the asus stx 1 and I can say that the Woo WA7 is nothing like the asus, it's much warmer not overly-tuby, The highs, mids, lows are very well balanced. And if your like me you'll love the big bass slam and extension that is immediately noticeable with this amp. I can tell you this that the bass punch is even bigger than a lot of well known solid states.
  
 Plus you'll have the option of trading tubes to quickly tailor the taste of your music to your liking. This is a really fun amp to listen to even for long periods as I do most of the time..


----------



## Mattyhew

hifiguy528 said:


> the chip is only one piece of a BIG puzzle.
> 
> 
> I may be a little bias.  NO there isn't


 
  
 Not even another Woo offering? Shame really, as much as i hear great things about the WA7 it feels like somewhat bad value to pay for a DAC section i dont plan on using.
  
 :'(
  
 Luckily the amp might be that good its worth it anyway ^^


----------



## Jeb Listens

mattyhew said:


> Not even another Woo offering? Shame really, as much as i hear great things about the WA7 it feels like somewhat bad value to pay for a DAC section i dont plan on using.
> 
> :'(
> 
> Luckily the amp might be that good its worth it anyway ^^


 

 Hi Mattyhew - that's understandable if you have a great quality DAC already that you love and would like to continue to use.  
  
 I'm sure many of the Woo offerings would give great results for you - depending on your budget, of course.  I think finding the best synergy with your current/future headphones would be key - and that would be best discussed with Mike or researched on the other Woo threads.  
  
 But If you are looking at around the cost of the WA7 & WA7TP with plenty of power for a wide range of headphones,  then the WA6-SE could be one to look at  I think it's equally as beautiful as the WA7, just in a different way.
  
 When I was choosing which amp to go for it came down to a choice between these two and in the end since I wanted a simple all in one solution with a small footprint on the desk the WA7 was the best choice for me.   If I already had an expensive DAC, which I loved, and desk-space wasn't an issue, then I think the WA6-SE might have been better for me.
  
 One thing to bear in mind is  (if like me you like to squeeze the very best out of all your equipment) acquiring the best-regarded tubes (and adapters etc) for the other woo amps could get quite expensive - for example, the USAF 596 or Mullard GZ34 rectifiers for the WA6-SE can go for $200+ each whereas $100 for the WA7 tubes and $80 for the WA7tp's and you're probably close to the summit for what the amp can achieve. 
  
 Best of luck! 
  
 Jeb.


----------



## Mattyhew

jeb listens said:


> Hi Mattyhew - that's understandable if you have a great quality DAC already that you love and would like to continue to use.
> 
> I'm sure many of the Woo offerings would give great results for you - depending on your budget, of course.  I think finding the best synergy with your current/future headphones would be key - and that would be best discussed with Mike or researched on the other Woo threads.
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Thank you for the sage advice, the WA7 comes highly regarded as match for the Fostex TH900, which i have come to realise are possibly my perfect headphone so im trying to build a setup around it. 
  
 My worry with the other Woo amps is that they may all be a bit too powerful for the sensitive TH900s, but hopefully i will have chance to try a WA6SE @ the Cambridge meetup which will inform my decision 
  
 Cheers,
  
 -Matt


----------



## coinmaster

Hi!
 I have 2 questions.
  
 1. I have the TH900s and I will soon have the HD800s, I currently own the O2+Odac combo. I planned on getting the WA7 and then I came across this video
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89pjq1mGstA  
 Which leaves me concerned. He states that the WA7 is a waste of money and they sound the same as the O2+Odac? Any truth to this? 
  
 2. I really like my mids. I've heard that the TH900s recessed mids issue goes away with tube amps. Is this true with the WA7?
  
 Thanks


----------



## rage3324

coinmaster said:


> Hi!
> I have 2 questions.
> 
> 1. I have the TH900s and I will soon have the HD800s, I currently own the O2+Odac combo. I planned on getting the WA7 and then I came across this video
> ...


 
  
 It sounds like he was paid off. Read the full description on how this review came to be. Also he is comparing a SS amp with a Tube amp.. soo yea there is that.. and his headphone choices for the review..


----------



## abvolt

In my opinion I wouldn't take stock in what that guy has to say. His whole youtube channel seems like a joke. He does mention in his first video of the WA7 that he has no audio gear experience.


----------



## coinmaster

rage3324 said:


> It sounds like he was paid off. Read the full description on how this review came to be. Also he is comparing a SS amp with a Tube amp.. soo yea there is that.. and his headphone choices for the review..


 
 Yeah that's what I was thinking.
 He does claim to own HD800s and that he has tested it with them. So I'm thinking what hes saying is either true or hes just lying.
 However, I would like to get my facts straight before I drop $1400. I have 0 experience in amps beyond the O2+Odac.


----------



## Mattyhew

coinmaster said:


> Yeah that's what I was thinking.
> He does claim to own HD800s and that he has tested it with them. So I'm thinking what hes saying is either true or hes just lying.
> However, I would like to get my facts straight before I drop $1400. I have 0 experience in amps beyond the O2+Odac.


 
  
 It begs the question why he didnt use them during the test and why he appears to be using the sound from Battlefield to test a thousand dollar amp :/
  
 Also doesnt seem to realise that power =/= volume


----------



## coinmaster

Aside from the question whether the WA7 is an upgrade to my O2+Odac. 
 Will the WA7 fix the "recessed mids" issue with the TH900? That's the main issue I have with them.


----------



## olegausany

Never tried TH900 but if you get tube power supply which uses tubes for rectifier duties you will be able to control sound signature using tubes rolling


----------



## mediumraresteak

Hello,
  
 So I tried plugging in my desktop speakers for the first time into the WA7 and I can't get much volume out of them.  Is this normal?  They're two small desktop speakers.  I maxed the volume settings on my computer.

 Setup is: PC > WA7 (usb) > Speakers into RCA jacks


----------



## money4me247

mediumraresteak said:


> Hello,
> 
> So I tried plugging in my desktop speakers for the first time into the WA7 and I can't get much volume out of them.  Is this normal?  They're two small desktop speakers.  I maxed the volume settings on my computer.
> 
> Setup is: PC > WA7 (usb) > Speakers into RCA jacks


 
 yes that is normal. the woo wa7 is HEADPHONE amplifiers, so they will not provide enough power out to speakers that require more power. some amplifiers have pre-amp outs for external speakers or more power and that would be better suited for that specific need.
  
 the woo wa7 only has a max power output of 1 watt at 32ohms (not the same number as the root means square power RMS power which demonstrates real-life average continuous electrical power). maximum power is simply the highest power that that the amplifier may reach.


----------



## mediumraresteak

money4me247 said:


> yes that is normal. the woo wa7 is HEADPHONE amplifiers, so they will not provide enough power out to speakers that require more power. some amplifiers have pre-amp outs for external speakers or more power and that would be better suited for that specific need.
> 
> the woo wa7 only has a max power output of 1 watt at 32ohms (not the same number has the root means square power which demonstrates real-life average continuous electrical power). maximum power is simply the highest power that that the amplifier may reach.


 
 Thanks.  That's what I figured but just wanted confirmation.


----------



## abvolt

money4me247 is right the WA7 was not designed as preamp you would need something like the WA2 for that feature and a pair of powered monitors..


----------



## HiFiGuy528

mediumraresteak said:


> Hello,
> 
> So I tried plugging in my desktop speakers for the first time into the WA7 and I can't get much volume out of them.  Is this normal?  They're two small desktop speakers.  I maxed the volume settings on my computer.
> 
> Setup is: PC > WA7 (usb) > Speakers into RCA jacks


 
  
 WA7 is a headphone amplifier, not recommended to drive speakers.  You can however use WA7 as a DAC via the RCA output to a powered speaker.  This output is a Fixed Line Out so the volume control is handled by the powered speakers.


----------



## abvolt

Anyone try some vintage Brimar's CV4003 yet I've been trying to locate some no luck yet..


----------



## Adamora

I purchased this work of art 4 days ago, and so far It's been great, except, the sound is too laid back, I don't know if its because I haven't burned them in long enough but it's killing my love for the amplifier =[.
  
 Will the Electro harmonix liven up the amplifiers sound signature =3?


----------



## Igor01

The EH tubes made the sound a lot more dynamic and lively for me.  The WA7tp power supply improved it even more.  The difference is quite dramatic and well worth the additional investment in my opinion.


----------



## Solarium

If I bypass my internal sound card's DAC using the WA7 DAC, will I lose the 3D effects in games? My sound card is in my signature (STX II) and I typically use 8 channel surround with my headphone (using its  headphone amplifier jack).


----------



## Mattyhew

solarium said:


> If I bypass my internal sound card's DAC using the WA7 DAC, will I lose the 3D effects in games? My sound card is in my signature (STX II) and I typically use 8 channel surround with my headphone (using its  headphone amplifier jack).


 
  
 Yes, it appears as a separate audio device in control panel.
  
 Some advice however, dont use any of the Virtual 3D effects, unless your a really top tier CS player or something and even then only when playing CS (aka swap devices during gameplay). They all have a horrible effect on sound quality and make everything congested, a waste of the HD700s potential.

 Additionally HD650/700 are 2 channel headphones 8 channels will just cause you to miss parts of the audio.


----------



## Solarium

mattyhew said:


> Yes, it appears as a separate audio device in control panel.
> 
> Some advice however, dont use any of the Virtual 3D effects, unless your a really top tier CS player or something and even then only when playing CS (aka swap devices during gameplay). They all have a horrible effect on sound quality and make everything congested, a waste of the HD700s potential.
> 
> Additionally HD650/700 are 2 channel headphones 8 channels will just cause you to miss parts of the audio.


 
 I didn't use any virtual 3D effects from the STX II, and was able to get all 8 channels working with a headphone setting. The imaging is incredible with the HD 700, much better than anything I've used before, even better than K712. I'm guessing it will bypass all the STX internal software settings when using the USB DAC?


----------



## money4me247

solarium said:


> If I bypass my internal sound card's DAC using the WA7 DAC, will I lose the 3D effects in games? My sound card is in my signature (STX II) and I typically use 8 channel surround with my headphone (using its  headphone amplifier jack).


 
 headphones only have two channels, so there isn't really any additional benefit using 8 channel surround sound. any 3d effects would be just software processing. you can achieve similar results using free software like razer surround.
  
 it is true that surround processing can detrimentally effect sound quality for pure music playback, so it is advised that you turn it off for music.


----------



## Mattyhew

solarium said:


> I didn't use any virtual 3D effects from the STX II, and was able to get all 8 channels working with a headphone setting. The imaging is incredible with the HD 700, much better than anything I've used before, even better than K712. I'm guessing it will bypass all the STX internal software settings when using the USB DAC?


 
  
 Yes, if you use USB from your PC, not sure how it would work if you go optical from Soundcard > WA7 (if it has optical cant remember).


----------



## dL.

adamora said:


> I purchased this work of art 4 days ago, and so far It's been great, except, the sound is too laid back, I don't know if its because I haven't burned them in long enough but it's killing my love for the amplifier =[.
> 
> Will the Electro harmonix liven up the amplifiers sound signature =3?




Congrats on the purchase! Do give it some time to burn in and it should open up. 

dL


----------



## rage3324

Is there a USB cable that you guys recommend or do most fit the bill? I have an extra HP printer cable that I could use but figure that might be not up to the task


----------



## money4me247

rage3324 said:


> Is there a USB cable that you guys recommend or do most fit the bill? I have an extra HP printer cable that I could use but figure that might be not up to the task


 
 I have found that printer usb cables make the background sound blacker & the overall sound signature a bit darker. I would almost describe the sound as inky.
  
 I would recommend using hard drive usb cables. you can really hear the extra detail & spaciousness. even better if the usb was burned used through usage connected to a really large hard drive prior. the sound stage becomes much larger.


----------



## rschoi75

If you don't want to spend money on an audiophile usb cable, then just get a Belkin gold usb cable and call it a day.


----------



## rage3324

rschoi75 said:


> If you don't want to spend money on an audiophile usb cable, then just get a Belkin gold usb cable and call it a day.


 
 Any alternatives? I'd prefer a 3-4ft cable and it appears Belkin does not make less than 6ft


----------



## money4me247

rage3324 said:


> Any alternatives? I'd prefer a 3-4ft cable and it appears Belkin does not make less than 6ft


 
 monoprice or amazon cables.


----------



## abvolt

rage3324 said:


> Any alternatives? I'd prefer a 3-4ft cable and it appears Belkin does not make less than 6ft


 
  
 I was using a run of the mill 10.00 cable off amazon. I want ahead and got me a pangea 4% silver usb 2.0 cable not all that much money like 50.00 And I noticed immediately a improvement in my sound quality, The bass was way better. I was sold from then on it's worth it imo..


----------



## money4me247

abvolt said:


> I was using a run of the mill 10.00 cable off amazon. I want ahead and got me a pangea 4% silver usb 2.0 cable not all that much money like 50.00 And I noticed immediately a improvement in my sound quality, The bass was way better. I was sold from then on it's worth it imo..


 
  
 lol... usb cables don't work like that. either the data gets transmitted perfectly or not. it's a digital connection. there has never ever been a measurable performance difference between two non-defective usb cables.
  
 http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/rowe-s-and-columns/4421042/Can-You-Hear-the-Difference-
 http://archimago.blogspot.ca/2013/04/measurements-usb-cables-for-dacs.html
 http://sound.westhost.com/cables.htm


----------



## rage3324

money4me247 said:


> lol... usb cables don't work like that. either the data gets transmitted perfectly or not. it's a digital connection. there has never ever been a measurable performance difference between two non-defective usb cables.
> 
> http://www.edn.com/electronics-blogs/rowe-s-and-columns/4421042/Can-You-Hear-the-Difference-
> http://archimago.blogspot.ca/2013/04/measurements-usb-cables-for-dacs.html
> http://sound.westhost.com/cables.htm


 
 I would have to agree. Where I am concerned, is grounding.


----------



## abvolt

You both may be right and it makes sense that it would be that way. But that cable really did make a very big difference. I'm not one that goes out and buys expensive cables just better then the stock cheapo's..


----------



## malla1ml

While I can't argue that a $600 USB cable is going to have night and day differences, there is more to consider than purely 1 and 0's. I don't believe that I can link to other forums, but a USB's ability to shield outside interference as well as interference from the 5v line can affect sound quality.  It's more about the dac chip and it's ability to handle and correct issues caused by the interference that can make it's way into the analog signal.  If you feel your system is at a point where the noise floor is exceptionally low, or if you can hear the difference, have fun with trying cables.  If you're in the camp that it's purely 1 and 0's, get a decent cable that isn't going to fall apart and put the money to use in other parts of your system.


----------



## abvolt

malla1ml said:


> While I can't argue that a $600 USB cable is going to have night and day differences, there is more to consider than purely 1 and 0's. I don't believe that I can link to other forums, but a USB's ability to shield outside interference as well as interference from the 5v line can affect sound quality.  It's more about the dac chip and it's ability to handle and correct issues caused by the interference that can make it's way into the analog signal.  If you feel your system is at a point where the noise floor is exceptionally low, or if you can hear the difference, have fun with trying cables.  If you're in the camp that it's purely 1 and 0's, get a decent cable that isn't going to fall apart and put the money to use in other parts of your system.


 
  
 The cables ability to  shield outside interference very true I hadn't thought of that thanks man..


----------



## rage3324

Does the WA7 pair well with the Sennheiser HD800?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

rage3324 said:


> Does the WA7 pair well with the Sennheiser HD800?


 
  
 Yes. Even better when you add the upgrade tube power supply.


----------



## rage3324

hifiguy528 said:


> Yes. Even better when you add the upgrade tube power supply.


 
  
 Perfect! Because I have on order your exact WA7 set up and color  Next is deciding between the HD800 and PS1000.


----------



## dL.

hifiguy528 said:


> Yes. Even better when you add the upgrade tube power supply.




Then Mike will say even better with a Nordost cable. 

dL


----------



## groovyd

then someone else will say even better with Mullard tubes   it never ends the pursuit of perfection, does it?


----------



## abvolt

Lol  how true that is..


----------



## asintado08

I replaced my broken Burson HA 160D with a WA7. It seems to me that the WA7 is brighter than the Burson 160D. I prefer the warm vocals of HA 160D. I'm not sure if it is just the built in DAC of WA7. Aside from the less warm vocals, everything is better with this amp.


----------



## olegausany

For best results get tube power supply for WA7 and get external DAC, Bifrost Uber to start with


----------



## abvolt

asintado08 said:


> I replaced my broken Burson HA 160D with a WA7. It seems to me that the WA7 is brighter than the Burson 160D. I prefer the warm vocals of HA 160D. I'm not sure if it is just the built in DAC of WA7. Aside from the less warm vocals, everything is better with this amp.


 
  
 I would agree that the WA7tp would make a big difference, But spending an additional 5 to 6 hunderd for a dac no way stick with the one you already have in the WA7 it's fine. Also if you choose not to upgrade to the WA7tp the upgraded electro harmonix 6C45 gold plated pins tubes are much warmer sounding well worth the price..


----------



## asintado08

olegausany said:


> For best results get tube power supply for WA7 and get external DAC, Bifrost Uber to start with


 
 I will get a better DAC. When I audition this WA7, I liked it more compare to the Burson Conductor. We are using an iDSD as a DAC during that time. 
  


abvolt said:


> I would agree that the WA7tp would make a big difference, But spending an additional 5 to 6 hunderd for a dac no way stick with the one you already have in the WA7 it's fine. Also if you choose not to upgrade to the WA7tp the upgraded electro harmonix 6C45 gold plated pins tubes are much warmer sounding well worth the price..


 
  
 There is no available WA7tp when I auditioned it. I will check with the store if they have the tubes with gold plated pins. The tubes are much cheaper than a new DAC or WA7tp.


----------



## abvolt

asintado08 said:


> I will get a better DAC. When I audition this WA7, I liked it more compare to the Burson Conductor. We are using an iDSD as a DAC during that time.
> 
> 
> There is no available WA7tp when I auditioned it. I will check with the store if they have the tubes with gold plated pins. The tubes are much cheaper than a new DAC or WA7tp.


 
  
 You will have to get the electro harmonix 6C45 gold plated pins tubes from Woo Audio, I have never been able to find them anywhere else..


----------



## mikemercer

I haven't posted in here yet - 
 BUT - having missed the big WA7 Fireflies wave (including our six-way writer review at *Audio360.org*) - but being a big fan - I just couldn't afford another headphone amp/DAC at the time...
  
 I'm SO psyched I made the jump!
 I should have the tube power-supply soon for review w/ my buddy @warrenpchi for Audio360.
  
 I've heard it, and that combo ranks amongst some of my TOP reference desktop amps -
 some FAR more expensive!
  
 Also:
 I agree whole-heartedly w/ Warren when he said in the 360 review that you should just consider the extra 150 bucks (or whatever it is) for the up-graded tubes part of the initial purchase. They really do make quite a difference: With everything from soundstage width and depth to micro and macro-dynamic detail retrieval, and overall gestalt of the music through the WA7. The presence and immediacy of the sound is greatly enhanced (BUT - not-too aggressively so).
  
 Actually, given its only two 6C45 tubes - I'd say that single tube-roll may have produced one of the greatest sonic impacts I've heard! - with regard to tube-rolling in general.
  
 Last night (and soon - as I'm using them w/ some portable gear right now, and threw em at my larger reference amps earlier) I had an absolute BLAST using the brand-new production-run Audeze EL-8 open-backs w/ my WA7 + Mytek Stereo-192 DAC!!
 It was glorious.

  
 Though I also think the on-board DAC of the WA7 is its weak-point, I think its just fine. Of course, when I wanna squeeze more musical performance outta the WA7 I use other DACs - but I've used it w/ its own DAC plenty of times with less-expensive cans. When I don't use one of my uber-revealing top reference cans the DAC works splendidly - like with the Sennheiser Urbanites, Momentums, Polk Audio UltraFocus 8000s, Grado 325is, and some others...
  
 But I'm psyched to be a part of this Thread as a fellow WA7 owner!
  
 Some of my favorite headphone pairings w/ the WA7 Fireflies:

  

  

 MrSpeakers Mad Dog Pro (not original MDs)


----------



## abvolt

Very cool welcome love the headphones you've got..


----------



## mikemercer

abvolt said:


> Very cool welcome love the headphones you've got..


 
 ThanX!!
 and LOVE that rig!!


----------



## zeloutre

Long-time lurker here.
 Just got my new setup running:

  
 WA7d amp with Electro Harmonix 6C45 Gold Plated tubes
 WA7tp power supply with Mullard CV4003 tubes
  
 My first tube setup. The sound is absolutely brilliant. New dimension, new approach to music compared to my Burson Conductor.
  
 Thanks for all the advice guys. I don't post often but this thread really helped me make the tube jump.
 Will post impressions of the WA7 with different cans if some are interested.
  
 Also, some mentioned that the DAC of the WA7 might not be the best on the planet, would I hear a difference if I feed this unit through the DAC of the Conductor?


----------



## mikemercer

zeloutre said:


> Long-time lurker here.
> Just got my new setup running:
> 
> 
> ...


 
 The original Conductor?
 You could try it. I loved the original Burson Conductor - but had some issues w/ the DAC. But give it a shot!
  
 GREAT desktop rig BTW!!!!
  
 I highly recommend (and its affordable - and the performance is Top-Notch as always) the HRT MusicStreamer HD!
 I've used it w/ my WA7 to great effect!

  
 Also the iFi Micro iDSD makes for a KILLER DAC ahead of the WA7 too!


----------



## Jeb Listens

mikemercer said:


> I haven't posted in here yet -
> BUT - having missed the big WA7 Fireflies wave (including our six-way writer review at *Audio360.org*) - but being a big fan - I just couldn't afford another headphone amp/DAC at the time...
> 
> I'm SO psyched I made the jump!
> ...




Hi Mike, after following your continuing journey with the EL8s I'm really looking forward to your review of the WA7tp. Like you I missed the first wave of WA7 love here so I am joining the SECOND WAVE when I set up the gear this week. 

Quick couple of questions/requests- Will you be covering tube rolling for the power supply ? Based on the great experimentation of all the fellow owners it seems as though all roads eventually lead to Mullard CV4003.

Would you be able to describe a little how the IFI dac improves the listening experience?

It's great to see so many new pictures from everyone.


All the best & happy listening.

Jeb.


----------



## groovyd

abvolt said:


> You will have to get the electro harmonix 6C45 gold plated pins tubes from Woo Audio, I have never been able to find them anywhere else..


 

 I got a ton of extra sets of new gold pin tubes incase mine burn out and would be glad to sell you a set if you need them, pm me.


----------



## zeloutre

@mikemercer : yes the original Conductor! The built-in DAC is supposed to be very good and integration flawless as always with Burson, I shall try out of curiosity...But for the moment I am still in the early progress of getting acquainted with the WA7...
  
 I think one has to post some impressions, so here goes, with a bit of background first. Sorry for the length, but I feel that in order to describe what I feel with the WA7, I must highlight where I come from, sonically speaking...
  
 I am pretty new to this hobby. I discovered the head-fi world in 2012 with the Shure SRH440 at the time, then SRH1840, then I decided to make the real jump and got the LCD-3 (original non-Fazored).
 In parallel I slowly moved the ladder of sound card / amp / DAC, and got for some reason on the way interested in the electrostatic sound. All of which that leads me today to be the happy owner of one Conductor, one Soloist, one Stax SRM-323s amp and the corresponding LCD-3, LCD-XC, and SR-507 cans.
  
 All of these are amazing products that generate exquisite music, with my special personal preference going for the LCD-3. But I was also mesmerized by the ghostly, aerial presentation of the Stax. Dreaming of a phone that could have some, if not all, of the qualities of an electrostat and a planar in one package, I was pretty excited to read about such a combination of sound being mentioned in reviews for the HE-560. A week later, while shopping for something totally unrelated in an audio store, I stumbled upon said HE-560, and impulse-bought it. My flawless logic then led me to be deeply convinced that, since I was again burning money on head-fi, I might as well finish the job properly and finally welcome tubes in my sound life.
  
 A week of head-fi reading later, I had my sights locked on the WA7d + tp duo, mainly because of its looks. No: almost exclusively because of it looks. Sure, it had pretty good reviews, but I honestly didn't really read them. I mean: it was from Woo Audio, and it was, if not expensive in hi-fi terms, at least un-cheap. These two guarantees were the only backing I needed to cave in, given the overwhelming power of the fact that these are maybe the cutest pieces of Hi-Fi I have ever seen. Correlated bonus: extremely high WAF.
  
 In the process of reading about the WA7 on head-fi, I learned about the concept of tube rolling, decided it was the bomb, and in utter - and a bit stupid - blindness ordered Gold Plated tubes for the amp, and those RAF Mullards for the power supply, which seemed to be - at least for several days - the endgame for the tp.
  
 But I had to wait for the Woo for at least a week to begin my tube voyage, so I had a bit of time to play with my impulsively acquired HE-560. I still had after all some good old solid-state sound amping at my disposal. And after trying them out, I was really pleased with their sound when fed by my Conductor. They perform brilliantly, and, to my infinite satisfaction, exactly as expected. This combination is not the point of this write-up (what is?...) but the HE-560 with the Burson offers what I can describe as electrostatic-like precision and speed, coupled with the tactility of a planar. Since the phones were fed by three amps from the same source, I kept switching live between SR-507, LCD-3 and HE-560, and after some semi-serious listening, decided to sonically position Chinese as an almost perfect trade-off between Japanese and American. 
  
 So... all this long introduction to basically say that I had already dreamt about, and a probably a bit conceptualized, the sound of the HE-560 on an upgraded WA7d/tp setup. I was for me some kind of tube-lushy electroplanar heaven.
  
 Then the Woo pair finally arrived at my place, got eagerly setup by my trembling hands, and saw the replacement tubes plugged in immediately, without the stock ones being given more than a glance. At last my dream setup was ready to bestow to my ears the truth.
  
 One little hour proved enough to make it painfully obvious: the WA7d/tp + HE-560 combo was...OK.
  
 Pains me to say it, but to my ears, it was OK. Of course, here, OK means already pretty incredible relative to anything other than at least "summit mid-fi". But still, given the reviews of the WA7, of the HE-560, given the raving about these British Royal Air Force tubes, given, given... It was just OK. I was under the utterly horrible and as utterly immediate impression of disappointment. It didn't live to my expectations, and I knew - _knew - _that no, in time, it never will. I don't believe in burn-in anyway.
  
 It was just a less than optimal pairing. Instead of an expected just right amount of vitality added to the spectral electrostatic-like sound in the upper medium and treble regions of the HE-560, alongside - of course - a killer bass giving both impact and depth, and all coming together magically to bring me to audio heaven, I obtained what I can describe as a fast but dry, analytical and even at times aggressive sound. The HE-560 kicks and beats and transients and sparkles in all the right spots, but it all seems a bit too digitalized. The sound was still enjoyable, just not at the level I had imaged it would reside. Maybe it was the tube combination, but it just didn't feel right to my ears.
  
 My glorious but useless plan having been, in the course of one listening hour, thrown out of the window, I had to improvise. Preferably fast: buyer's remorse could strike me at any moment. Luckily, the thought process didn't take long: I got up and went for my LCD-3.
  
 Utterly ignorant of what to expect, I plugged the Audeze in the Woo, fired up the Very Best of Supertramp in FLAC, and listened.
  
 Three hours from this moment I can now safely say that I wasn't prepared for this.
  
 I must have heard the Supertramp compilation at least 40 times, and tend to think I know the songs by heart. This, given the relative musical richness of Supertramp, makes for a good comparison point.
  
 But in all honesty I don't think there is much comparison. As much as I love the rest of my gear, I seriously am at a loss of words to describe the increase in overall realism offered by the Woo setup to the LCD-3. As I said I didn't try the stock tubes (both for the amp and the power supply) but I will certainly at some point, in order to determine the impact of the EH / Mullard tubes, i.e. how much do they bring compared to the "basic" WA7d + WA7tp setup. However, in their upgraded state, the Woo boxes send to the LCD what I can only describe as a fuller, more coherent, more natural version of basically every song of Supertramp I ever heard, and probably every other musical piece that I know of.
  
 Incidentally, detail retrieval its stepped up a notch, which in all honesty I find strange, given what I thought I knew about tube amps in general and the DAC part of the WA7 in particular. I _do _get more detail when using my LCD-3 with this setup than with the Conductor as DAC / amp. It's a run-down cliché but in these really, really familiar songs of Supertramp, I heard details I never knew were there. However, as much as this comment is to be expected when moving from say a Macbook jack port to a any successful $300 DAC / amp, I was truly astonished to realize it with a highly regarded $2000 setup as reference.
  
 I said the sound was more natural, this is also a cliché but again - cannot find another word. Everything is just more defined, precise, has its place, its natural space. Soundstage is not only wide but seems also "realistically populated". Voice sing, I mean _sing_, there do not seem like signals trying, even if with great skill, to pass as voices. The general consistency of the sound was a shock to me. The crazily accurate mids, the intricately detailed highs, and the simply unreal bass...everything has just gone up a notch in terms of realism. A big, big notch. The sound coming from the LCD-3 was for the first time not the result of some really, really good digital-then-analogue reproduction of music, but just music. This step is for me enormous.
  
 I seriously don't know what happens with this particular setup. For the sake of it, I tried the LCD-XC on the WA7 and it wasn't really the same. It was still excellent, but not quite the same. Unfortunately, don't have the X or the 3F to try them out too...
  
 All in all, this long story closes to an end, with what I see as an unexplainable yet dramatically obvious conclusion: there is magic going on with a WA7tp with some Mullard tubes in it connected to a WA7d with some EH Gold tubes in it connected to a LCD-3 classic. I seriously cannot stress that point enough.
  
 And I would be more than delighted to hear others' impressions with this setup, because I think it might be losing it a bit here...


----------



## abvolt

zeloutre said:


> Long-time lurker here.
> Just got my new setup running:
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Congrats on your new Woo looks just beautiful..
  


groovyd said:


> I got a ton of extra sets of new gold pin tubes incase mine burn out and would be glad to sell you a set if you need them, pm me.


 
  
 Thank you..


----------



## abvolt

zeloutre said:


> @mikemercer : yes the original Conductor! The built-in DAC is supposed to be very good and integration flawless as always with Burson, I shall try out of curiosity...But for the moment I am still in the early progress of getting acquainted with the WA7...
> 
> I think one has to post some impressions, so here goes, with a bit of background first. Sorry for the length, but I feel that in order to describe what I feel with the WA7, I must highlight where I come from, sonically speaking...
> 
> ...


 
  
 I really enjoyed your impressions on the WA7 very nice detail to your words, I also like the Woo with my lcd cans they match nicely thanks for the post..


----------



## LNCPapa

Pairing my LCD 2.2 nf with my WA7 made me stop spending for the last year+.  I listened to 2.2 fazors on the WA7 and didn't like it quite as much, though it was very, very good but I just felt like the bass was less extended on the fazors even though the top end was a bit cleaner sounding.  I wish I could get my hands on some non-fazor LCD-3 so I can have a listen with my WA7 but those are hard to find now and I don't know anyone in my area who has a pair.


----------



## money4me247

a bit disappointing to hear the he560 + wa7 combo was not to ur satisfaction as that wld be my primary pairing. not totally unsurprising though based on the wa7 power specs i have seen. guess i will need to wait & see


----------



## BDM-Fi

FWIW, I did a short (+- 1.5 hours) audition with HE-560 and WA7 (stock, no TP), and didn't came away particularly impressed either. Especially the high-end bothered me on that combo (too aggressive). Caveat : a) Didn't know about the pad differences at that time, focus-A pads can probably mitigate, I don't know which pads where used b) They only had a couple of hours on them c) This was after getting acquainted with LCD-X/3.  
  
 @zeloutre: I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the LCD3 conductor setup vs WA7. I have my reservations on the WA7 - LCD3F pairing at the moment, especially after hearing them driven by a Ragnarok and a Leben CS300 (different price range of course!). Main reservations are w.r.t. extent of soundstage, bass slam and extension, and the WA7 combo being too laid back (for me). I can't comment on value/money as I don't have enough experience with other amps, just that there is room for improvement as far as I am concerned.


----------



## olegausany

bdm-fi said:


> FWIW, I did a short (+- 1.5 hours) audition with HE-560 and WA7 (stock, no TP), and didn't came away particularly impressed either. Especially the high-end bothered me on that combo (too aggressive). Caveat : a) Didn't know about the pad differences at that time, focus-A pads can probably mitigate, I don't know which pads where used b) They only had a couple of hours on them c) This was after getting acquainted with LCD-X/3.
> 
> @zeloutre: I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the LCD3 conductor setup vs WA7. I have my reservations on the WA7 - LCD3F pairing at the moment, especially after hearing them driven by a Ragnarok and a Leben CS300 (different price range of course!). Main reservations are w.r.t. extent of soundstage, bass slam and extension, and the WA7 combo being too laid back (for me). I can't comment on value/money as I don't have enough experience with other amps, just that there is room for improvement as far as I am concerned.



First give both headphones and amp's tubes at least 100 hours of burn in then judge what you hear


----------



## BDM-Fi

olegausany said:


> First give both headphones and amp's tubes at least 100 hours of burn in then judge what you hear


 

 Amp tubes had multiples of that on them, no option to audition a HE-560 with that many hours hence the FWIW and caveats .


----------



## HiFiGuy528

@Mercer  sorry for the delay on your WA7tp order.   Should be able to ship yours next week.
  


dl. said:


> Then Mike will say even better with a Nordost cable.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
@dL. I recommend you to give the Nordost cable a try.  A word of warning though.  You can't unhear it.  My first taste of Nordost was with @Mercer.  He leant me his Heimdall2 RCA cable and said just try these for a week.  Mind you, I was using MIT cable which are not cheap stuff.  Changed life.....  I blame Mercer for getting me hooked.


----------



## abvolt

I agree the Nordost cables are very fine indeed and i'm tempted on getting some for my lcd's..


----------



## mikemercer

abvolt said:


> I agree the Nordost cables are very fine indeed and i'm tempted on getting some for my lcd's..


 
 they are fantastic w/ my LCDs!!
 The ONLY cables I currently prefer to the Heimdall 2s on my LCDs are:
  
 Double Helix Comp4
 Double Helix Molecule Xtreme
  

 my good friend Rebekah (she LOVES Audeze cans) also dug the Heimdall 2s w/ em
 and she's got a terrific ear for this stuff...
  

 The DHC Comp4 is just a GRAND pairing w/ the Audezes and WA7!!
  

 and the Double Helix Molecule Xtreme - WHOAH!!!


----------



## abvolt

Lol that looks good got to give them a shot for myself..


----------



## Jeb Listens

Beautiful looking cables - Wow that Nordost Heimdall cable costs almost as much as the LCD-2.   I'm yet to hear an aftermarket cable for the LCD-2s but I am very interested to after the excellent reviews.  I'm wondering how dramatic the sound difference would be vs putting that $800 towards upgrading to the LCD-3s  or to a new DAC for the WA7?
  
 Jeb.


----------



## olegausany

First make sure you happy with amp and dac and only then look for cables but cables do make difference while it's very small


----------



## abvolt

Here's a site with cables a lot more affordable  --> http://www.norneaudio.com/litzheim/ 
 They have some very cool designs..


----------



## rage3324

Need some advice -- Before I sell my unopened Dacmini CX (which I do not want to open unless it is worth it), do you think the dac is enough of an upgrade over the WA7 dac to warrant keeping? My other option on the table is a magni 2 uber which would allow me get some cash for the Dacmini but I would only go that route if that magni is a better dac than the WA7.
  
 The idea is to sell some gear to put towards HD800/T1 but I will keep the dacmini (or purchase a different cheaper dac) if it makes sense.
  
 I would be using the WA7 with Grado RS1i, DT770 600 Ohms, and HD800 or T1 (undecided).
  
 Thoughts?


----------



## rschoi75

I received a set of Noble K10 customs last week, and have been listening to them with my WA7d + WA7tp combo for at least an hour every day since I received them. To compare the WA7d + WA7tp combo, I've been flipping in between my iphone 6 and AK100ii; admittedly favoring the AK100ii, because that's what I use for the majority of the day at work. After about a week of jumping around, I realized two major things: 
  
 1) I owe the people here a big thank you, so "Thank you to all the people here on Head-fi for the reviews, sharing of knowledge, and personal experiences with head-fi related products"! You guys & gals lead me to some pretty kick-a** products. Especially the fireflies.  
 2) The iphone 6 is shockingly good for being a smart phone. Color me impressed. 
  
 Now, with regard to the WA7... the K10 sounds incredibly rich, while still having superior clarity and imaging. The jump in sound quality with the noble K10 + WA7d + WA7tp combo compared to anything else I own is akin to the first time I tried audiophile quality headphones vs cheap panasonic earbuds. When compared to the both the iphone 6 and AK100ii, the WA7d + WA7tp combo is warmer, and more musical. The bass is easily deeper and more rich, yet still fast and tight. The mid's are just gorgeous, and the highs are never fatiguing. I'm also surprised about how low the noise floor is on this little guy. I have to turn the dial to more than 25% to finally hear the gentle hum (when plugged into the 3.5mm iem jack). 
  
 Bravo to Woo Audio for a job well done. I can listen to every/any headphone or iem that I own, and the Fireflies drives all of them beautifully. It's powerful when it needs to be, and gentle when situation requires a lighter touch.


----------



## abvolt

Your Noble customs look great and I couldn't agree more with you the WA7 is spot on..


----------



## Paspasero

Has anyone ever opened their WA7? Anyone ever seen a picture of the internals?


----------



## abvolt

paspasero said:


> Has anyone ever opened their WA7? Anyone ever seen a picture of the internals?


 
 I've never been able to find any pics of it's innards and I won't be opening mine. If I ever have issues Woo can open mine..


----------



## Jeb Listens

The beauty of the WA7 has to be seen to be believed.

Quick question: how long does the obsessive glass polishing phase last?


----------



## Dogmatrix

jeb listens said:


> The beauty of the WA7 has to be seen to be believed.
> 
> Quick question: how long does the obsessive glass polishing phase last?


 

 It never ends
 Microfiber is a wonderful thing


----------



## Jeb Listens

dogmatrix said:


> It never ends


 
  
 Just as I feared.  Thanks.


----------



## groovyd

rschoi75 said:


> I received a set of Noble K10 customs last week, and have been listening to them with my WA7d + WA7tp combo for at least an hour every day since I received them. To compare the WA7d + WA7tp combo, I've been flipping in between my iphone 6 and AK100ii; admittedly favoring the AK100ii, because that's what I use for the majority of the day at work. After about a week of jumping around, I realized two major things:
> 
> 1) I owe the people here a big thank you, so "Thank you to all the people here on Head-fi for the reviews, sharing of knowledge, and personal experiences with head-fi related products"! You guys & gals lead me to some pretty kick-a** products. Especially the fireflies.
> 2) The iphone 6 is shockingly good for being a smart phone. Color me impressed.
> ...


 

 beautiful setup and iems... i have had my eyes on them as a replacement for my ER-4s, mostly just for comfort issues but i am sure the performance is a huge step up as well.  how well are they driven by just the iPhone itself as I mostly use iems during travel and no longer carry an amp around with me. also how is the comfort and insertion removal effort?  the ER-4s is too deep and pressures my ear canals with any normal tips and with the custom molds i have is too much trouble inserting and removing and creates a sort of suction where every jaw movement i hear.  sound of the ER-4s is good however if you get the rest situated which is the big if.
  
 regarding the WA7 showing hum at 25%, do you mean the 9 o'clock position or the 75% volume 3 o'clock position?  on my WA7 there is absolutely no noise floor or hum even at full volume, absolutely black with both 1/4" and iems.


----------



## HemiSam

I hear no hum with my UERM CIEM's out of the WA7.
  
 HS


----------



## rschoi75

groovyd said:


> beautiful setup and iems... i have had my eyes on them as a replacement for my ER-4s, mostly just for comfort issues but i am sure the performance is a huge step up as well.  how well are they driven by just the iPhone itself as I mostly use iems during travel and no longer carry an amp around with me. also how is the comfort and insertion removal effort?  the ER-4s is too deep and pressures my ear canals with any normal tips and with the custom molds i have is too much trouble inserting and removing and creates a sort of suction where every jaw movement i hear.  sound of the ER-4s is good however if you get the rest situated which is the big if.
> 
> regarding the WA7 showing hum at 25%, do you mean the 9 o'clock position or the 75% volume 3 o'clock position?  on my WA7 there is absolutely no noise floor or hum even at full volume, absolutely black with both 1/4" and iems.


 
  
 Thank you. The iphone 6 drives the iems very well. I can't go above 60%, before it gets too loud. It's a perfectly fine solution as long as you're ok with sharing battery life & storage space with other apps, camera, phone, etc... I don't really want to go into too much detail since this is the WA7 thread, but it's a perfectly good player imo. Especially since most phones can also stream spotify, tidal, or other streaming services. 
  
 The hum on the WA7 can be heard around the 9 o'clock position. It's barely audible, but you can hear it with the K10's. It's not nearly enough to bother me though, as it all but disappears when the music kicks in.


----------



## groovyd

sounds like an impedance problem.  you using low or hi Z switch setting? the 1/8 connector has a much lower output. perhaps try an inline 100 ohm resistor like they sell for the ER-4p and on ebay.  is a simple short cable with 1/8 on each end and a couple resistors in it.


----------



## mikoss

@rschoi75 any chance your power supply and wa7 are close together? I notice an audible hum when they are in close proximity to each other... moving them apart solved it for me.


----------



## rage3324

Few Questions:
  
 1. Should my mac identify the WA7 as "Speaker" in Audio Devices?
 2. Should I set the Format to 2ch-16,24, or 32 bit in Audio Devices?
  
 I am running OS Yosemite 10.10.2. I am using Audirvana Plus as my media player and some of my music 24-bit. 
  
*--Update--*
 I did some digging around and this might be normal, but just want to confirm


----------



## groovyd

yes, it is normal. i let JRiver MediaCenter set the format depending on the track automatically.  It always picks the best format for best sound.


----------



## rschoi75

mikoss said:


> @rschoi75 any chance your power supply and wa7 are close together? I notice an audible hum when they are in close proximity to each other... moving them apart solved it for me.


 
  
 Thanks for the suggestion. That seems to have done the trick.


----------



## dL.

mikoss said:


> @rschoi75 any chance your power supply and wa7 are close together? I notice an audible hum when they are in close proximity to each other... moving them apart solved it for me.


 

 That also includes the TP unit. I find if you put it at least 2 fingers apart, then it should be good. Anything less and there will be some noticeable hum.
  
 dL


----------



## Jeb Listens

​


----------



## abvolt

jeb listens said:


> ​


 
  
 Now that's a nice match you've got there Jeb, just how I like mine..


----------



## Jeb Listens

Thanks guys - bit early to share too many impressions : just some preliminary testing so far with the stock tubes but I'm very much enjoying what I'm hearing. I have plenty of other tubes to roll in, so the journey has just begun. 

LCD-2f seem like an excellent pairing - WA7 has brought quite a bit of life to the low end. Very musical and enjoyable, especially using Rega DAC as source, which also has some of those characteristics. 

Still, I plan to give the internal DAC a good shot when my Mac comes back from repair, then draw some comparisons.

Jeb.


----------



## mikemercer

hifiguy528 said:


> @Mercer  sorry for the delay on your WA7tp order.   Should be able to ship yours next week.
> 
> 
> @dL. I recommend you to give the Nordost cable a try.  A word of warning though.  You can't unhear it.  My first taste of Nordost was with @Mercer.  He leant me his Heimdall2 RCA cable and said just try these for a week.  Mind you, I was using MIT cable which are not cheap stuff.  Changed life.....  I blame Mercer for getting me hooked.


 
 And there's an important reason I didn't say anything to @HiFiGuy528! No matter what ANYBODY says to me, my opinion is that in the end this is all subjective. We're all experiencing the sound of music! That's art coming at us in sound waves. How ANYTHING be the SAME OR BEST for EVERYBODY?
  
 But, to me. there are few cables as revealing across different systems. And, believe it or not - I prefer Heimdall2 to Valhalla (much more expensive) so its not about the Benjamins to me either - but I think Mike MAY have said it better than me (ya bastid) and I've known Joe Reynolds at Nordost since 1996!!
  
 " I recommend you to give the Nordost cable a try.  A word of warning though.  You can't unhear it"
@HiFiGuy528
  
 This is one of the few products I let certain people try, and the majority get HOOKED. Because, as they're all about science making great sound at Nordost - (and w/ their non-audio client list - w/ people like NASA and the NDA - I don't need to convince anybody) AND Joe Reynolds is a music-addict (it was his old evil partner that went after Norse too BTW - and I'm happy to see the return of Norne) - the stuff just gets the music across.. IMHO...
  
 my last system configuration for my Sonic Satori Impression Sessions - Audezes Transcendant EL-8 - comin SOON at EnjoyTheMusic:

  
 my dear friend Rebekah, who used to work in the high end recording studio biz,
 and LOVES LCD-2s and 3s, won't listen w/o my Nrodost Heimdall2 cable now - I actually prefer DHC there...


----------



## rage3324

jeb listens said:


> Thanks guys - bit early to share too many impressions : just some preliminary testing so far with the stock tubes but I'm very much enjoying what I'm hearing. I have plenty of other tubes to roll in, so the journey has just begun.
> 
> LCD-2f seem like an excellent pairing - WA7 has brought quite a bit of life to the low end. Very musical and enjoyable, especially using Rega DAC as source, which also has some of those characteristics.
> 
> ...


 
 Very curious to hear your impress of the WA7 DAC vs the Rega Dac


----------



## abvolt

Thanks *mikemercer *more good to know stuff & for perking our interests a little more..


----------



## Solarium

I finally got my WA7 from the recent massdrop! Installed it and testing it with my HD700 and HD650. Holy crap, this is exhilarating!
  
 A few questions:
  
 1. Is it possible to connect both my 2.0 speaker setup, plus a subwoofer to the WA7? Normally I do this by connecting them to my STX II 7.1
  
 2. Do I use the low-z setting or high-z setting with the HD700, how about the HD650?
  
 Thanks all


----------



## abvolt

solarium said:


> I finally got my WA7 from the recent massdrop! Installed it and testing it with my HD700 and HD650. Holy crap, this is exhilarating!
> 
> A few questions:
> 
> ...


 
 Yes you can use the RCA outs as a preamp for your speakers, Also congrats on your new amp. With all my headphones I like the low impedance out, just try both see what agrees with you best..


----------



## money4me247

abvolt said:


> Yes you can use the RCA outs as a preamp for your speakers, Also congrats on your new amp. With all my headphones I like the low impedance out, just try both see what agrees with you best..


 
 no, actually you can NOT use the wa7 to power unamped speakers. it doesnt have enough power to drive unpowered speakers. it is designed as a headphone amp.


----------



## abvolt

money4me247 said:


> no, actually you can NOT use the wa7 as a preamp. it doesnt have enough power to drive unpowered speakers.


 
 You may be right on that but I just read on the Woo site that the rca's act as a preamp..


----------



## money4me247

abvolt said:


> You may be right on that but I just read on the Woo site that the rca's act as a preamp..


 
 sry i miswrote. you can use as a preamp for powered/active speakers, but they will not drive unpowered speakers.
  
 edited my previous post.


----------



## Solarium

What is this sorcery! No words can describe the emotions flowing out of me right now... the magic it imbued my HD650 with. I've never heard the HD650 in this light. I'm just completely overwhelmed. I now understand why people spend thousands of dollars on this hobby.


----------



## mikoss

solarium said:


> What is this sorcery! No words can describe the emotions flowing out of me right now... the magic it imbued my HD650 with. I've never heard the HD650 in this light. I'm just completely overwhelmed. I now understand why people spend thousands of dollars on this hobby.


 
 Yeah, the 650's respond very well to tubes. I would recommend the hi impedance output for them, since they're around 300 ohms nominal impedance... but like @abvolt said, try both and see what suits your listening pleasure.
  
 Did you also get the tube power supply? If you did, may I recommend rolling in some NOS Mullard 12au7's...


----------



## HemiSam

solarium said:


> What is this sorcery! No words can describe the emotions flowing out of me right now... the magic it imbued my HD650 with. I've never heard the HD650 in this light. I'm just completely overwhelmed. I now understand why people spend thousands of dollars on this hobby.


 
  
 The WA7 / HD650 combo is quite tasty.  Rock on.
  
 HS


----------



## HiFiGuy528

solarium said:


> What is this sorcery! No words can describe the emotions flowing out of me right now... the magic it imbued my HD650 with. I've never heard the HD650 in this light. I'm just completely overwhelmed. I now understand why people spend thousands of dollars on this hobby.


 
  
 We often say, it's easy to make a loud amplifier.  It's not so easy to make a musical sounding amplifier.  Happy to hear you're enjoying your WA7 system.


----------



## bmichels

mikemercer said:


> they are fantastic w/ my LCDs!!
> The ONLY cables I currently prefer to the Heimdall 2s on my LCD are:
> 
> Double Helix Comp4
> Double Helix Molecule Xtreme


 
  
 better than the WyWyre RED ?   (I just bought a LCD-X)


----------



## olegausany

hemisam said:


> solarium said:
> 
> 
> > What is this sorcery! No words can describe the emotions flowing out of me right now... the magic it imbued my HD650 with. I've never heard the HD650 in this light. I'm just completely overwhelmed. I now understand why people spend thousands of dollars on this hobby.
> ...



+1


----------



## Vinnces

Just got mine from Massdrop last week.  Quite happy with it but I just wanted to know how hot does it get after running it for about 5-6 hours?  My gets to the point where it feels like I'm holding a really warm to near hot cup of coffee for a lack of a better description.  I can keep my hand on it but it's not exactly comfortable to keep it there.
  
  
 Thanks for any info!


----------



## BDM-Fi

Sounds pretty normal to me. Tubes get hot, don't worry . Enjoy the coffee!


----------



## Vinnces

bdm-fi said:


> Sounds pretty normal to me. Tubes get hot, don't worry . Enjoy the coffee!


 
  
 Alright, thanks for the info!!


----------



## abvolt

It's normal for the WA7 to get very warm, enjoy your new amp..


----------



## BoomBox

Got my WA7d from Massdrop earlier this week. Currently just using it with Shure SE535's, though will be pairing it with the AKG K7XX from Massdrop also, and a pair of LCD2s or TH900's as soon as I've decided which to go for (leaning towards the latter)!
  
 It's currently sitting in use on my desk under my monitors, and will probably be staying there for the foreseeable future...


----------



## abvolt

boombox said:


> Got my WA7d from Massdrop earlier this week. Currently just using it with Shure SE535's, though will be pairing it with the AKG K7XX from Massdrop also, and a pair of LCD2s or TH900's as soon as I've decided which to go for (leaning towards the latter)!
> 
> It's currently sitting in use on my desk under my monitors, and will probably be staying there for the foreseeable future...


 
 congrats on your amp, I can tell you from my experience with the wa7 & lcd2's there a great pairing, you'll really like what your hearing..


----------



## rage3324

HD800 owners -- Are you using hi-z or lo-z when listening to the HD800?


----------



## abvolt

might be best to use the hi as the 800's have a 300 ohm impedance..


----------



## Dogmatrix

rage3324 said:


> HD800 owners -- Are you using hi-z or lo-z when listening to the HD800?


 

 I think it is better on hi-z but I run the HE500 on my Wa7 most of the time on lo-z and I am Lazy so I tend to leave it and run the HD800 on lo-z
 Perhaps that is why I prefer the HE500 on the Wa7 now that I think about it
 Really depends which sounds better to you the HD800 works either way


----------



## rick216

Do I have to switch the unit off before switching in between Hi-z and Lo-z?


----------



## HemiSam

No.  Just leave it on high Z unless you're using something that sounds great out of a phone.  No...an HD650 or HD800 do not sound good out of a phone for the potential incoming bonehead...
  
  




  
 HS


----------



## abvolt

hemisam said:


> No.  Just leave it on high Z unless you're using something that sounds great out of a phone.  No...an HD650 or HD800 do not sound good out of a phone for the potential incoming bonehead...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Lol good one..


----------



## rage3324

I use Hi-Z, but the reason I asked is because of the 1:8 ratio rule. The WA7 definitely has enough power to drive 300 ohm headphones using the lo-z setting. Anyways, judging from this review: 
  
 http://kenrockwell.com/audio/woo/wa7.htm#z
  
 The output impedance does not change much between hi-z and low-z. It is mainly the gain that changes. Based on that and the specs of the HD800, the lo-z should work just fine. Although, the HD800 does have an impedance spike around 100hz. 
  
 As for 32 ohm Grado cans, theoretically the WA7 should not be a good match (like most tube amps), but they all seem to fair just fine. 
  
 I am curious what Woo thinks.


----------



## groovyd

I get the best sound from Lo-Z using my LCD-X/XC and Hi-Z using my T1.


----------



## HemiSam

I've found the Hi-Z to be my preference on all but my CIEM's and UIEM's and I'm largely indifferent between the two on those. Further, I play them from the 3.5mm which is a different ball of wax.
  
 For reference, I've only tried the WA7 on HD650's, HD700's, ATX M50x's, Sony MDR-Z7's, Bang & Olufsen H6's, and AKG K702's.  And only two different sets of tubes in the amp (I'm running the Electro Harmonix gold tips currently).  I use an external DAC as I prefer it.
  
 For the record, I was being flippant.  It was a response simply based on my experience.  YMMV.
  
 HS


----------



## teddybro

I am sorry to tell you but changing the USB cable can not change the quality of your sound. Your DAC reads your digital code and translates it to analog. If the cable losse a piece of data the DAC Will notice and the data Will be sended again. So unless you have Some seriously highvoltage cables running next to your USB cable. Changing it shouldnt matter at all. People Please don't spend. 100s of dollars on USB cables, its better spend on tubes/headphone cables


----------



## vasunshine

teddybro said:


> I am sorry to tell you but changing the USB cable can not change the quality of your sound. Your DAC reads your digital code and translates it to analog. If the cable losse a piece of data the DAC Will notice and the data Will be sended again. So unless you have Some seriously highvoltage cables running next to your USB cable. Changing it shouldnt matter at all. People Please don't spend. 100s of dollars on USB cables, its better spend on tubes/headphone cables


 
  
 Are you serious? I heard a $100 USB cable make the night and day difference compared to a $10 one in terms of sound quality. People said it opened the sound stage, and made the treble not rolling off, and enhanced the sub-bass which was weak before now very tight and energetic. I heard it also made people hear many things they never noticed on the songs they have listened hundreds of times, not to mention changing instrument separation from feet to yards; and many said it was the USB cable that truly scaled up their headphones and make them rediscover its potential...are you saying all these are not true and only exist in the imagination to justify the $90 spent? 
  
 But I can prove you wrong. I am almost certain that you didn't realize the benefit of the cable because you only upgrade the USB cable, not the power one. If you do that, they together will tear down all the barrier between you and the music, and bring back the fond memory of your childhood when the analog sound had true soul.


----------



## abvolt

This companies audio engineers seen to be dead serious about ubs cables -->http://bmc-audio.de/index.php/pureusb1-123.html  I've never spent 400-600 on a cable but I do spend 50-60 on them and noticed a difference right away..


----------



## HemiSam

vasunshine said:


> Are you serious? I heard a $100 USB cable make the night and day difference compared to a $10 one in terms of sound quality. People said it opened the sound stage, and made the treble not rolling off, and enhanced the sub-bass which was weak before now very tight and energetic. I heard it also made people hear many things they never noticed on the songs they have listened hundreds of times, not to mention changing instrument separation from feet to yards; and many said it was the USB cable that truly scaled up their headphones and make them rediscover its potential...are you saying all these are not true and only exist in the imagination to justify the $90 spent?
> 
> But I can prove you wrong. I am almost certain that you didn't realize the benefit of the cable because you only upgrade the USB cable, not the power one. If you do that, they together will tear down all the barrier between you and the music, and bring back the fond memory of your childhood when the analog sound had true soul.


 
  
 LMAO...outstanding!
  
  





  
 HS


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

abvolt said:


> This companies audio engineers seen to be dead serious about ubs cables -->http://bmc-audio.de/index.php/pureusb1-123.html  I've never spent 400-600 on a cable but I do spend 50-60 on them and noticed a difference right away..


 
  
 From what I can tell (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong here), there are two separate issues at play in these discussions of digital cables. From a digital perspective, (yes, I'm going to say it.... wait for it.....) BITS are BITS  A $5 USB cable is just as capable as an uber-expensive cable at accurately transferring the bits to where they need to go.
  
 Where things seem to get murky for me is how a cheap USB cable can leak RF/noise over the electrical connection that may negatively impact the receiving end (DAC) and thus negatively impair sonic performance. I guess this is where galvanic isolation techniques come into play to help alleviate this problem, or some other technique (LH Labs USB cables?) that try to isolate the electrical and data lanes and boost raw IO performance.
  
 Personally, I can't hear the difference....but then again, I'm 55 years old and my ears are schiit. Honestly, this whole objective vs. subjective debate will never end in the audio world and my eyes just glaze over now when I read (re-read!) posts that talk about this stuff.


----------



## Dogmatrix

With the deepest respect for all
 The cable debate is endless and this is not the place


----------



## money4me247

dogmatrix said:


> With the deepest respect for all
> The cable debate is endless and this is not the place


 
 +1000. to everyone who wants to argue cables, go away.
  
 just ROTL at above post that cites a company's self-advertising marketing for their product.....
  
 if you understand anything about how usb cables work, you will realize how silly the whole debate is.
  
 reference links for people interested:
 http://www.geoffknagge.com/uni/elec101/essay.shtml#Ch3
 http://www.beyondlogic.org/usbnutshell/usb1.shtml


----------



## mikoss

I don't mind hearing impressions with different cables and the WA7. 

Schiit created the Wyrd for USB, so I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility that the signal could have interference. There are DAC reviews stating where the Wyrd improved the sound, and others where it didn't.

I'd be happy to hear if something like the Wyrd made any sonic difference with the WA7. I don't own any crazy expensive cables myself, and fully agree with the above posts re USB.


----------



## money4me247

mikoss said:


> I don't mind hearing impressions with different cables and the WA7.
> 
> Schiit created the Wyrd for USB, so I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility that the signal could have interference. There are DAC reviews stating where the Wyrd improved the sound, and others where it didn't.
> 
> I'd be happy to hear if something like the Wyrd made any sonic difference with the WA7. I don't own any crazy expensive cables myself, and fully agree with the above posts re USB.


 
  
 The problem that the wyrd solves relates to noise caused by the usb power hub/power management/ground loops... not the actual usb cables.
  
 if you aren't hearing issues, the wyrd does not technically make a difference... though anecdotal accounts vary greatly of course (as usual in this audio hobby where people never bother to do any actual controlled objective comparisons).
  
 lol btw did you guys hear my friend told me that he knew this guy who upgraded his usb cable for his mouse to improve gaming & his printer cable to print sharper images?!?!? tots freals yo


----------



## mikoss

Sounds good. Silly to compare printers and mice on usb to audio. They don't suffer from jitter the same way. People can be ridiculous about cables, but it's also ridiculous to compare audio to printing.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

mikoss said:


> Sounds good. Silly to compare printers and mice on usb to audio. They don't suffer from jitter the same way. People can be ridiculous about cables, but it's also ridiculous to compare audio to printing.


 

 Dude. he was being completely facetious.


----------



## malla1ml

I completely agree with @mikoss, if you don't believe in the ability of a USB cables to have an impact on what we all hear, that's fine.  It is our duty as a community to direct members to areas where they can do their own research.  However, I find it extremely unsettling that members of this community constantly degrade and make sarcastic comments about those who say that they do hear a difference.  It is healthy and natural to be a skeptic but to completely disregard the impressions and experiences of others because YOU don't not hold the same view is bad for the community.


----------



## groovyd

USB stream buffering (used by every DAC that has ever existed) is what makes jitter a non-event.


----------



## money4me247

groovyd said:


> USB stream buffering (used by every DAC that has ever existed) is what makes jitter a non-event.


 
 this. the effect of jitter and timing errors is not dependent or influenced at all by the physical usb cable.
  
 ...the way usb cables inherently work means that if the cable is not defective, there is absolutely no possible way for it to have any impact on sound quality.
  
 sorry for the silly comments, but it really is no sillier than the continued spread of wildly inaccurate claims of usb cables having any impact on sound.
  
 that is simply not how things work. i am perfectly fine with people making subjective claims on their views on other controversial subjects, but when talking specifically about USB cables, that is just ridiculous.


----------



## money4me247

from following this thread, it seems to me a lot of people here may be a bit newer to this hobby & may just be taking what other members/sales people say at face value. I would strongly urge everyone to simply look at the research & background information on some of these sales pitches for spending more money on equipment. with usb cables specifically, there is nothing that a more expensive cable does that will impact sound quality.
  
 there are other highly controversial subjects in this hobby where performance improvements are debated and does not have any clear objective data showing conclusively for those claims. I am chill with people taking a position different than my own opinion there. USB cables specifically do not fall into that category at all. It is extremely clear from how it functions that there is no impact at all.


----------



## groovyd

The only possible effect a different USB cable could have (theoretically) on sound quality is a better shielding of bus power and ground (assuming they are anywhere near clean to begin with and assuming the DAC uses some variation of it as a reference voltage).  Those are actually big assumptions as most well designed DACs will decouple all USB bus power and ground from the reference voltages.  Maybe some don't... ok then there is your problem, not the cable... you need a better DAC that is truely isolated from the USB bus and is given a clean voltage reference.


----------



## Dogmatrix

Seriously can you guys take the cable debate to the relevant sound science thread
 The last eight posts don't mention the Wa7 at all
 It really is not fair for people looking for info on their new Wa7 to have to trawl through this dribble


----------



## groovyd

... having said that the WA7 DAC is bus powered so it may very well respond to a better USB cable but you also might want to invest in a USB power isolator that will provide it with a clean bus power for reference.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

dogmatrix said:


> Seriously can you guys take the cable debate to the relevant sound science thread
> The last eight posts don't mention the Wa7 at all
> It really is not fair for people looking for info on their new Wa7 to have to trawl through this dribble


 
  
 + 1


----------



## dL.

dogmatrix said:


> Seriously can you guys take the cable debate to the relevant sound science thread
> The last eight posts don't mention the Wa7 at all
> It really is not fair for people looking for info on their new Wa7 to have to trawl through this dribble


 
  
 + 2
  
 dL


----------



## pdferguson

Okay, here's a potentially dumb question.
  
 I'm interested in the WA7, so I've been reading this thread to figure out whether it's worth upgrading to the TP option.
  
 But here's what I don't understand: WHY should a tube-based power supply make any difference over a solid state power supply? A power supply has one job--supply a steady voltage and current to the DAC/Amp. That's it. So, how are tubes supposedly "better" at creating a steady DC power source than solid state devices? I just don't get it. (Moreover, it appears that tube rolling of the power supply tubes is a big deal, which makes even less sense to me.)
  
 I don't want to start (yet another) holy war here, but I honestly do not understand why a good quality solid state power supply (as presumably Woo's are) should make any measurable--much less any audible--difference in the sound.
  
 Thanks,


----------



## money4me247

pdferguson said:


> Okay, here's a potentially dumb question.
> 
> I'm interested in the WA7, so I've been reading this thread to figure out whether it's worth upgrading to the TP option.
> 
> ...


 
 who really knows, but hey it looks cool =P lol


----------



## vasunshine

money4me247 said:


> who really knows, but hey it looks cool =P lol




Agreed. When it looks good, you feel good. When you feel good, it sounds good. And for that, the extra money is well spent


----------



## Hififox

pdferguson said:


> Okay, here's a potentially dumb question.
> 
> I'm interested in the WA7, so I've been reading this thread to figure out whether it's worth upgrading to the TP option.
> 
> ...


 
 I had the same question before, I found some threads argued by guitar amplifier owners. This one may help you: http://www.guitarplayer.com/amplifiers/1017/whats-the-big-deal-about-tube-rectifiers/23811
 In short words, the tube rectifier CAN'T change the current instantly but the solid-state rectifier can. Tubes need a short time to get back up to speed when amplifier's power request changed. That's the reason why tubes rectifier makes sound "sag", and also why changing the tubes rectifier will change the sound signature.
 In theory, solid-state rectifier makes sound clear, transparent and sharp; tube rectifier makes sound sag, warm and analog.
 That's my 2 cents, and I really hope any pros like Woo's engineer would answer this question.


----------



## Maxx134

money4me247 said:


> this. the effect of jitter and timing errors is not dependent or influenced at all by the physical usb cable.
> 
> ...the way usb cables inherently work means that if the cable is not defective, there is absolutely no possible way for it to have any impact on sound quality.
> 
> ...




Aww dam, that means I don't have to get this?:







groovyd said:


> ... having said that the WA7 DAC is bus powered so it may very well respond to a better USB cable but you also might want to invest in a USB power isolator that will provide it with a clean bus power for reference.



Sounds like a good candidate for using with the schiit wyrd..


----------



## vasunshine

maxx134 said:


> Aww dam, that means I don't have to get this?:
> 
> 
> Sounds like a good candidate for using with the schiit wyrd..




No you should not get this. Good usb cables start at $998 per foot.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

the longer the USB cable run, the higher quality you should get.


----------



## TSIG

Add another WA7 review to the mix!


----------



## money4me247

tsig said:


> Add another WA7 review to the mix!


 
  
 lol good review. just three comments:
  
 1) finding well-made tube amplifiers with black backgrounds isn't that hard anymore. The Schiit Vali, Schiit Lyr, and Project Ember are all mid-entry tube amplifiers with with silent black backgrounds on low impedance & are priced much more competitively. The only tube amplifier that may not have had as black a background in my experience was the budget sub-$100 Bravo V3 tube amplifer, and even then the noise floor was too low to be really noticeable unless the volume was very extremely high (beyond comfortable listening volumes).
  
 2) disappointing to hear that the $100 modi dac outperforms in the dac inside the Woo WA7. I actually have the Stoner Acoustic UD110v2 dac that was like sub-$60 and I couldn't identify an upgrade going to the Woo WA7 internal dac yet. would like to do more direct blind comparisons though. can hear an upgrade in the dac performance jumping to the Schiit Bifrost, but if you are already spending $1k+ on a combo unit, I don't think it really makes sense to have to purchase another mid-entry dac.
  
 3) getting a $1k amplifier for sub-$150 entry-level headphones doesn't make that much sense to me as those headphones do not really scale that much with additional components. The M50x can be easily driven without an amplifier and in my experience, additional amplification does not really boost its performance when doing a volume-matched comparison.
  
 enjoy listening to your review though!


----------



## abvolt

I also enjoyed your review video of the WA7..


----------



## dL.

Just want to share my recent experience with cables. I was never a big believer that cables can change much for the value, until I've demoed the Nordost first hand. I attended a Nordost event in Vancouver, BC yesterday and all I can say is there is definitely a NOTICEABLE difference up to a certain point. IMO their Heimdall series is the best deal. Blue Heaven is a nice improvement but not as WOW as the Heimdalls. And my untrained ears can't really appreciate anything higher than Heimdall.
  
 For those who don't believe in upgraded cables, be thankful because your wallet won't be bleeding like mine 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 As for me, I'm patiently waiting for the Heimdall 2 USB cable to arrive for my WA7 + TP. If anyone's interested, I'll be happy to share my experience with the Heimdall USB cable when it arrives.
  
 Happy listening everybody 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 dL


----------



## abvolt

dl. said:


> Just want to share my recent experience with cables. I was never a big believer that cables can change much for the value, until I've demoed the Nordost first hand. I attended a Nordost event in Vancouver, BC yesterday and all I can say is there is definitely a NOTICEABLE difference up to a certain point. IMO their Heimdall series is the best deal. Blue Heaven is a nice improvement but not as WOW as the Heimdalls. And my untrained ears can't really appreciate anything higher than Heimdall.
> 
> For those who don't believe in upgraded cables, be thankful because your wallet won't be bleeding like mine
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks for your thoughts, I also noticed a difference when I did an upgrade to my ubs cable, and yes I'd be interested in hearing more..


----------



## malla1ml

+1 I'd like to hear your thoughts about the Heimdall USB as well.


----------



## vasunshine

dl. said:


> Just want to share my recent experience with cables. I was never a big believer that cables can change much for the value, until I've demoed the Nordost first hand. I attended a Nordost event in Vancouver, BC yesterday and all I can say is there is definitely a NOTICEABLE difference up to a certain point. IMO their Heimdall series is the best deal. Blue Heaven is a nice improvement but not as WOW as the Heimdalls. And my untrained ears can't really appreciate anything higher than Heimdall.
> 
> For those who don't believe in upgraded cables, be thankful because your wallet won't be bleeding like mine   As for me, I'm patiently waiting for the Heimdall 2 USB cable to arrive for my WA7 + TP. If anyone's interested, I'll be happy to share my experience with the Heimdall USB cable when it arrives.
> 
> ...




Great! I have heard others praise the heimdall. Could you do a blind test and let us know the result?


----------



## abvolt

I see now what you mean now about your wallet bleeding, expensive cables indeed mine was only 50 bucks Lol.. But as they say you get what you pay for these days. Let us know what you think about that cable..


----------



## rage3324

I suspect the answer is one of or all of the tubes are going south but I will ask the question anyways..
  
 Yesterday the WA7tp got pretty darn hot, hotter than usual after about 2 hours of music at regular listening levels. I decided to turn the amp off to let it cool down for a few minutes. When I turned it off, I might have heard a pop.. maybe. I honestly cannot recall. After about 5 minutes, I decided tried to power it back and nothing. After unplugging the power cable from the outlet and plugging it back in, the power started to work again. Now, it feels like the amp is not as loud as it used to be. I never turned it above 11 o'clock, but now I need to turn it about 12 o'clock for normal engaging listening levels. The sound quality sounds fine overall.


----------



## Dogmatrix

rage3324 said:


> I suspect the answer is one of or all of the tubes are going south but I will ask the question anyways..
> 
> Yesterday the WA7tp got pretty darn hot, hotter than usual after about 2 hours of music at regular listening levels. I decided to turn the amp off to let it cool down for a few minutes. When I turned it off, I might have heard a pop.. maybe. I honestly cannot recall. After about 5 minutes, I decided tried to power it back and nothing. After unplugging the power cable from the outlet and plugging it back in, the power started to work again. Now, it feels like the amp is not as loud as it used to be. I never turned it above 11 o'clock, but now I need to turn it about 12 o'clock for normal engaging listening levels. The sound quality sounds fine overall.


 

 Fuse may be loose


----------



## rage3324

dogmatrix said:


> Fuse may be loose


 
 I will take a look. How can I tell if it "loose"? Should I just reseat it and test?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

rage3324 said:


> I will take a look. How can I tell if it "loose"? Should I just reseat it and test?


 
  
 Try reseating the tubes.  The fuse won't have anything to do with the sound if the system powers ON.


----------



## rage3324

hifiguy528 said:


> Try reseating the tubes.  The fuse won't have anything to do with the sound if the system powers ON.


 
 Thanks, I will give this a shot. I turned the amp back on after having it off for just over an hour and it sounds normal now. Odd


----------



## abvolt

rage3324 said:


> Thanks, I will give this a shot. I turned the amp back on after having it off for just over an hour and it sounds normal now. Odd


 
  
 Hi *rage3324*  just curious how your amps been sounding hope no issues, that popping you heard does sounds tube related, let us know how it goes..


----------



## comzee

dl. said:


> Just want to share my recent experience with cables. I was never a big believer that cables can change much for the value, until I've demoed the Nordost first hand. I attended a Nordost event in Vancouver, BC yesterday and all I can say is there is definitely a NOTICEABLE difference up to a certain point. IMO their Heimdall series is the best deal. Blue Heaven is a nice improvement but not as WOW as the Heimdalls. And my untrained ears can't really appreciate anything higher than Heimdall.


 
 Did you blind test them, having someone put two of the same pair of headphones with the different cables on your head randomly? Was the lesser comparison cable provided by Nordost? 
  
 I've researched this topic extensively, and came up with anything that has the twisted pairs correctly done, and decent shielding (any $10-15 cable) cannot be improved upon.
  
 I went to Audio Perfection (only audiophile store in MN) and tested cables myself. Tried cryo frozen cables, (analogue only) different types of digital cables (optical and USB) and I couldn't hear any difference between anything they had versus my Amazon Basics cables (USB/Toslink/RCA). 
  
 I looked up the "Heimdall 2 USB" cable on Google, is it really selling for $500? That kinda makes me want to vomit. I'm only posting this for any ill advised consumer eating up the endless rhetoric on these forums. Maybe I can save somebody $480. 
  
 EDIT: http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/speakers-when-is-good-enough-enough.2512/page-2#post-15412
 Note, this was done using analogue cables, which have a much greater tendency for interference, then digital cables (like USB).


----------



## money4me247

comzee said:


> Did you blind test them, having someone put two of the same pair of headphones with the different cables on your head randomly? Was the lesser comparison cable provided by Nordost?
> 
> I've researched this topic extensively, and came up with anything that has the twisted pairs correctly done, and decent shielding (any $10-15 cable) cannot be improved upon.
> 
> ...


 
 lol we already had that terrible cable monster discussion & I totally agree with your assessment from my personal experiences & research into the subject as well.
  
 however, the people who believe & post about cables here have already made up there mind, so no point in having this thread devolve into another cable debate. how ppl want to spend/waste their money is their own business.


----------



## Jeb Listens

Before this goes too far.....

1) Some people hear differences, some don't. 

2) Post your impressions without rubbishing others. 

3) Don't assume you know everything.

4) Bear in mind that if you invoke "science" you are inherently referring to the currently agreed upon scientific understanding of sound / human physiology NOT absolute truth.

In short, be polite and show a little respect - It's really not hard.


----------



## comzee

jeb listens said:


> Before this goes too far.....
> 
> 1) Some people hear differences, some don't.
> 
> ...


 
 Sounds like the exact same rhetoric politicians use to refute global climate change. Respect is earned, not given. Also, I didn't rubbish anyone, I just get a bit irate when I see snake oil for $500. 
  
 If someone can freely state a $500 cable is giving them a difference in audio, I can freely state that it does not. As "money4me247" states, how people want to spend their money is ultimately up to them.


----------



## Jeb Listens

Anyway.....

Getting back to the WA7. I spent my first real (2 hour +) session with the WA7 and LCDs this afternoon. I have plenty of upgrade tubes to try but I'm still just sticking with stock tubes for the moment. I know it's a bit sadistic but I just want to be able to appreciate the gains that I know will be made with tube rolling later.

All I can say is the sound is really really good to my ears - even in stock form.


----------



## abvolt

jeb listens said:


> Anyway.....
> 
> Getting back to the WA7. I spent my first real (2 hour +) session with the WA7 and LCDs this afternoon. I have plenty of upgrade tubes to try but I'm still just sticking with stock tubes for the moment. I know it's a bit sadistic but I just want to be able to appreciate the gains that I know will be made with tube rolling later.
> 
> All I can say is the sound is really really good to my ears - even in stock form.


 
  
 That's a good idea I did the same thing for the first 2 months, I became very accustom to how the stock amp sounds, then when I did make tube upgrades it was very noticeable..


----------



## Jeb Listens

abvolt said:


> That's a good idea I did the same thing for the first 2 months, I became very accustom to how the stock amp sounds, then when I did make tube upgrades it was very noticeable..






Cheers Abvolt : Yep thats the way I like to do things - make incremental changes. I'm Also in the process of getting used to having my head squeezed between two very soft suede pads while I listen to music (LCD2F). It's not necessarily uncomfortable.... Just new sensations.

Very much enjoying the WA7 and LCD2 combo though. Very clean and balanced.

Jeb


----------



## abvolt

jeb listens said:


> Cheers Abvolt : Yep thats the way I like to do things - make incremental changes. I'm Also in the process of getting used to having my head squeezed between two very soft suede pads while I listen to music (LCD2F). It's not necessarily uncomfortable.... Just new sensations.
> 
> Very much enjoying the WA7 and LCD2 combo though. Very clean and balanced.
> 
> Jeb


 
  
 I agree that's my favorite combo..


----------



## rage3324

I am doing some gear juggling and trying to figure out what can fit and what might need to go. I am waiting on a delivery of a Thorens turntable with a Maranz 2230 receiver (which has a very respectable headphone out) for my records and I am also waiting on delivery of the DNA Stratus for my HD800. That leaves my WA7 in limbo. Short of selling the WA7, how can I use it to improve the sound quality chain for my Headphones setup or Vinyl setup. 
  
*Vinyl Chain*
 Thorens TD 126 mkii -> Marantz 2230 -> Wharfedale Denton Speakers
  
*Headphone Chain*
 Macbook Air->Centrance Dacmini->DNA Stratus->HD800/PS1000
  
 I do plan on using headphones in the Vinyl Chain. So what is the best use of the WA7? Do I leverage it as a pre-amp for my headphone chain, do I introduce it to the Vinyl chain somehow, or do I keep it as a separate headphone chain for my PS1000? Any other ideas? I am not too familiar with preamp setups.


----------



## Jeb Listens

rage3324 said:


> I am doing some gear juggling and trying to figure out what can fit and what might need to go. I am waiting on a delivery of a Thorens turntable with a Maranz 2230 receiver (which has a very respectable headphone out) for my records and I am also waiting on delivery of the DNA Stratus for my HD800. That leaves my WA7 in limbo. Short of selling the WA7, how can I use it to improve the sound quality chain for my Headphones setup or Vinyl setup.
> 
> *Vinyl Chain*
> Thorens TD 126 mkii -> Marantz 2230 -> Wharfedale Denton Speakers
> ...


 

 Rage, sounds like you have some fine equipment inbound - congratulations!  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  
 However, I do wonder if you might have upgraded yourself out of a useful place for the little WA7.    Below is my understanding of it:
  
 I don't  think it would be wise to use it between the Turntable and the Marantz.  The power from the turntable is very small and needs to be corrected via a proper phono stage like your Marantz has.  Though it would be "theoretically possible" to insert it in the chain using the WA7's RCA input option > WA7 headphone socket output) its possible that the output will be too powerful for your Marantz 2230's phono-stage and could damage it.   In any case, even if you could integrate the WA7 into a preamp chain it seems like it would be quite an expensive and over-engineered solution for such a fine piece of equipment.
  
 You could, however, use the WA7 in your vinyl chain as an additional and quite fancy dedicated headphone amp connected to your Marantz 2230 (via the line out or tape-out from the Marantz) so that you would have that as an option for your Grados as well as the Marantz own headphone socket, which as you say is meant to be excellent anyway.  If you have a WA7 headphone combo you love, that is one nice way to keep it in your system. 
  
 Given that you are also going to have an excellent amp in your Macbook headphone chain, unless you want to keep it connected to your computer (or from the Dacmini)  as well as the Dacmini / DNA Stratus combo, you might find it is redundant there too. 
  
 I love my WA7 but I think if it were me and I found that the Marantz gave me everything I needed for headphones in the Vinyl chain, I would probably be sending it on it's way, recouping as much money as possible and putting it towards a KILLER Dac for your DNA Stratus.   
  
 Of course, since the WA7 is such a neat and fabulous mini all-in-one solution perhaps you have another place in your home where it might be useful - say for example on your bedside table?
  
 Either way - its a nice problem to have and you are just tweaking degrees of amazingness! 
  
 Regards
  
 Jeb.


----------



## pdferguson

comzee said:


> I looked up the "Heimdall 2 USB" cable on Google, is it really selling for $500? That kinda makes me want to vomit. I'm only posting this for any ill advised consumer eating up the endless rhetoric on these forums. Maybe I can save somebody $480.


 
 I always look at this in terms of what kind of headphones you could buy for $500. That would be such a better improvement over spending the money on a USB cable. In my opinion, outrageously expensive "audiophile" USB cables are for people who don't understand the basic concept of block data transfer.


----------



## money4me247

+1 i agree with above recomendation by Jeb Listens seems what u have things covered on both chains. maybe start a new chain somewhere else. the wa7 strength is its an allin one solution. or it seems what u need most wld nice dac for ur comp chain if looking to upgrade smtg. wld recommend other options as the wa7's primary strength is its amp, not its dac.


----------



## Jeb Listens

money4me247 said:


> +1 i agree with above rec. seems what u need most wld nice dac for ur comp chain. wld recommend other options as the wa7's primaru strength is its amp, not its dac.


 

 Yep I reckon so,  - unless he's already 100% happy with the DacMini.  But with the money recouped from the WA7 and DacMini he could get a really nice Dac.  I recently got the Rega DAC and now there's a newer one with asynchronous USB, so even better  
  
 Of course there are many great DACs out there - not least Woo's own WDS-1.  I only mention the Rega because Rage is obviously a Vinyl / Tube lover and the Rega has a nice and full analogue sound and Rega made their name selling Turntables so I guess that kind of sound is in their DNA.


----------



## rage3324

Wow, great info guys! I am definitely considering selling the WA7 and WA7tp (and dacmini) for a better dac as an option. Or perhaps moving the WA7 and WA7tp to the bedroom or living room to be used with my home theater for movies, music, and games. 
  
 Can someone describe how a pre-amp impacts sound quality? I do not think I fully understand it. If I were to hook up the WA7 to the Marantz via lineout/tape, would the Marantz be acting as a pre-amp?
  
 The dacmini dac is superb and combines very well with the WA7 especially with Grados (opens them up very nicely). Any looking?


----------



## Jeb Listens

rage3324 said:


> Wow, great info guys! I am definitely considering selling the WA7 and WA7tp (and dacmini) for a better dac as an option. Or perhaps moving the WA7 and WA7tp to the bedroom or living room to be used with my home theater for movies, music, and games.
> 
> Can someone describe how a pre-amp impacts sound quality? I do not think I fully understand it. If I were to hook up the WA7 to the Marantz via lineout/tape, would the Marantz be acting as a pre-amp?
> 
> The dacmini dac is superb and combines very well with the WA7 especially with Grados (opens them up very nicely). Any looking?


 

 Hi rage, 
  
  
 Without knowing the full ins and outs of the amp, some of this would be guessing but using the Tape-Out would generally be the way to go. 
  
 What comes out of the Tape-Out is a fixed voltage signal so if you had your WA7 hooked up to this then the volume dial on the Marantz would usually have no affect and you would just use the volume dial on the WA7.  This is great so you don't have to worry about setting two different volumes on two different amps.   
  
 Normally (e.g. if you were using a CD player connected to the Marantz) what comes out of the Amp's Tape-Out has not travelled through any pre-amp circuitry and is just looped directly from the source so its a relatively clean unaltered signal  BUT since you are using a turntable I'm pretty sure the signal will have had to pass through the (separate) pre-amp of the Marantz phono-stage  (this converts the Turntable's rather puny signal to a proper line-level signal which then comes out the Tape-Out RCAs) so there could be some change in sound character from that. Not something I would think you should worry about since its a great amp and you need a phono-stage anyway.   
  
 Pre-amps do a few things (many I don't understand)  including setting the gain (as described above) and also equalisation - but the Tape-Out bypasses the _main_ Marantz preamp, volume pot and all the  tone-controls.... 
  
 It might be a case of experimentation.  Or, even better than that, since you have delved into the world of vintage amps, there are some super-knowledgeable guys on the vintage receiver thread who would probably know the ins and outs, and it would always be best to check with them before hooking up your beloved WA7 ... you know, just in case


----------



## vasunshine

pdferguson said:


> I always look at this in terms of what kind of headphones you could buy for $500. That would be such a better improvement over spending the money on a USB cable. In my opinion, outrageously expensive "audiophile" USB cables are for people who don't understand the basic concept of block data transfer.


 
  
 Actually, it is more important to make sure after purchasing the cables, you still have $500 to get a pair of headphones. 
  
 http://www.theaudiobeat.com/equipment/nordost_odin.htm


----------



## abvolt

Hi *vasunshine* had no idea cables could cost that much wow that's insanity, at least one gets a life time warranty..Lol


----------



## vasunshine

abvolt said:


> Hi *vasunshine* had no idea cables could cost that much wow that's insanity, at least one gets a life time warranty..Lol




I am a believer that the world will be dominated by transformers in the future. I guess by then there will be rich and artistic minded transformers that will like to enjoy music, in a battle or not. In that end these cables are future proved and should suit their need.


----------



## incursore61

Hello my friends,  I still have problems with my Woo Audio, seems not to be recognized by the iMac 27 "Retina (S.O.Yosemite)  using Audirvana plus, it is referred to as" speaker "works but limited to 48 hz as you can see in the screenshot below.
 Can you help?
 Tank's


----------



## incursore61

as you can see the problem does not exist with another DAC (lector Digitube)


----------



## money4me247

vasunshine said:


> I am a believer that the world will be dominated by transformers in the future. I guess by then there will be rich and artistic minded transformers that will like to enjoy music, in a battle or not. In that end these cables are future proved and should suit their need.


 
 everyone knows that Bumblebee uses a audioquest diamond usb cables when he listens to his audiophile gear. dont even ask what optimus prime uses... his usb cable has shards of the allspark as its core


----------



## abvolt

incursore61 said:


> Hello my friends,  I still have problems with my Woo Audio, seems not to be recognized by the iMac 27 "Retina (S.O.Yosemite)  using Audirvana plus, it is referred to as" speaker "works but limited to 48 hz as you can see in the screenshot below.
> Can you help?
> Tank's
> 
> ...


----------



## Shini44

so guys is the WA7tp worth selling my WA7 (older model) for it?

 i live in Dubai, so selling the older model would be harder than selling it in US.


 what benefits do i get from WA7tp over the old model?


 or is there an option where i can buy the new Power Supply alone? that would be too helpful, but sadly didn't find this option on the site, which is kind of a bummer for the old model owners :< 
  


edmontoncanuck said:


> I've been using my WA7 with my LCD-3's for a little over a year now, and I LOVE it. I added the WA7tp when it became available in the spring and it only improved the sound in my opinion. For my money, this was a winning combination.


 
 does the WA7tp make the sound warmer? i use the EH tunes on the WA7 to make the sound more Dynamic, and i don't want it to get warmer

 unless i can change the WA7tp's tubes to suit the sound sig of the EH tubes from the main amp, if so what tubes shall i go with?


----------



## money4me247

shini44 said:


> so guys is the WA7tp worth selling my WA7 (older model) for it?
> 
> i live in Dubai, so selling the older model would be harder than selling it in US.
> 
> ...


 
 no. if you want the wa7tp just buy the separately. no need to sell your wa7 for a loss.
  
 biggest difference is that it looks cooler. if you get the wa7tp as an add-on, you can test it against the solid state psu and tell us.
  
 Just contact woo with your request: http://www.wooaudio.com/contact/


----------



## Shini44

money4me247 said:


> no. if you want the wa7tp just buy the separately. no need to sell your wa7 for a loss.
> 
> biggest difference is that it looks cooler. if you get the wa7tp as an add-on, you can test it against the solid state psu and tell us.
> 
> Just contact woo with your request: http://www.wooaudio.com/contact/


 
 so no SQ difference?


  and thanks for the help ^^


----------



## money4me247

shini44 said:


> so no SQ difference?
> 
> and thanks for the help ^^


 
 hard to say. very few people have both the solid state PSU and the tube PSU, and actually done direct comparisons.
  
 it is supposedly supposed to improve sound quality of course, but not many actual impressions from people who had both.


----------



## Dogmatrix

shini44 said:


> so guys is the WA7tp worth selling my WA7 (older model) for it?
> 
> i live in Dubai, so selling the older model would be harder than selling it in US.
> 
> ...


 

 I had the solid state PSU for around one year before switching to the WA7tp the difference is clear , the tp gives a stronger more dynamic better refined sound to the WA7
 In addition it allows more tube rolling so it is possible to tune the WA7 sound
 Again the difference between tubes is clear which did surprise me
 Some of the more popular tubes are
 Sylvania 5814a for bass boost
 RCA 12au7 clear top for top end clarity
 Mullard CV4003/M8136 "box plate" for mid range and all round performance
 There are many more , take a look here
http://www.head-fi.org/t/715375/woo-audio-wa7tp-tube-power-supply-impressions-thread


----------



## Shini44

dogmatrix said:


> I had the solid state PSU for around one year before switching to the WA7tp the difference is clear , the tp gives a stronger more dynamic better refined sound to the WA7
> In addition it allows more tube rolling so it is possible to tune the WA7 sound
> Again the difference between tubes is clear which did surprise me
> Some of the more popular tubes are
> ...


 
 if i want more Dynamic with the Treble and Bass then which Tube for the WA7tp should i go for?  i like the sparkling treble and the fast controlled punchy bass,
  
 i know the solid state is fun, but its doesn't have the epic mids from the WA7, thats why i am looking into the WA7 tp so i can improve the dynamic experience even more.
  
 and thanks for helping.


----------



## abvolt

Get your self a pair of vintage RCA 5814A black plates they sound really great almost as good as the CV4003's but at a much lower cost. If you go with the wa7tp you'll notice a difference right away in SQ I would venture to say you will be very happy the upgrade, Oh and as that dude said it does look way cooler Lol..


----------



## incursore61

abvolt said:


>


 
 tank's !!!


----------



## asintado08

I lost two of the rubber stopper of my WA7. Any idea where could I get them?


----------



## groovyd

i am working on a 3d printed shim at the moment to fill the gap between the tube collar and glass bore.  stay tuned.


----------



## abvolt

asintado08 said:


> I lost two of the rubber stopper of my WA7. Any idea where could I get them?


 
  
 Did you ask Woo Audio ?


----------



## malla1ml

I received a set of clear instead of black ones when I first got my WA7. I emailed Mike and was sent a set the next day. I'd contact support or Mike and I'm sure they'll be able to take care of you.


----------



## asintado08

abvolt said:


> Did you ask Woo Audio ?


 
  


malla1ml said:


> I received a set of clear instead of black ones when I first got my WA7. I emailed Mike and was sent a set the next day. I'd contact support or Mike and I'm sure they'll be able to take care of you.


 
  
 Thanks guys. I will email them.


----------



## abvolt

groovyd said:


> i am working on a 3d printed shim at the moment to fill the gap between the tube collar and glass bore.  stay tuned.


 
  
 Just curious *groovyd* how's you're project going ?


----------



## Hififox

Hi,
  
 I'm looking for an upgrade for my current headphones. My cans are K701 and HD600, my amp is wa7 with upgrade tubes + wa7tp with Mullard M8136. I prefer K701 more than HD600 with wa7.
  
 My interesting list are LCD-X, LCD3 and th900. I like to inquiry which one would be pair with wa7 best.
  
 Thank you!


----------



## malla1ml

hififox said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm looking for an upgrade for my current headphones. My cans are K701 and HD600, my amp is wa7 with upgrade tubes + wa7tp with Mullard M8136. I prefer K701 more than HD600 with wa7.
> 
> ...


 
 I have the LCD3 and TH900, both sound spectacular with the WA7+WA7tp. I'd go with the one that matches up with how you'll be using the headphones and any sound preferences.  The WA7+WA7tp works well with everything I've thrown at it.


----------



## Hififox

malla1ml said:


> I have the LCD3 and TH900, both sound spectacular with the WA7+WA7tp. I'd go with the one that matches up with how you'll be using the headphones and any sound preferences.  The WA7+WA7tp works well with everything I've thrown at it.


 
 Would you please compare the sound stage and sound signature between TH900 and LCD3? I like the wide sound, a little warm but not too much bass. Like K701 compare to HD600.


----------



## money4me247

hififox said:


> Would you please compare the sound stage and sound signature between TH900 and LCD3? I like the wide sound, a little warm but not too much bass. Like K701 compare to HD600.


 
 they all pretty easy enough to drive and work fine with the WA7. The LCD-3 would be the hardest to drive out of that line-up, but I've heard of people using it with the WA7 no problem.
  
 In terms of sound sig, TH-900 would be the most v-shaped version of neutral out of all of them. lcd-3 is mid-centric dark version of neutral. lcd-x is the most neutral (according to my personal tastes), but still subtly slightly darker (compared to the HD800). I think they all have more bass than the other flagships, would be more along the lines of a HD650 or HE-400 if trying to do a mid-fi sound sig comparison (imo). This is driven out of transparent solid-state amplifiers with minimal additional coloring added.
  
 My neutral would be defined as the K712 65th annies (so imagine the K701 with ~3db bass boost - may be similar to your k701+warm tube amp, i've never tried that specific combo). The K701 would be considered bright in my mind. The K701 and HD600, those I feel are more similar than different among the mid-fis. Similar flat analytical type tuning compared to some of the other options. Not warm at all IMO and a bit lacking in bass for my tastes. If pairing a 'bright' or 'neutral' pair of headphones like the k701/hd600 with the warm tube amp like the wa7, you can get a sense of warmth with your sound signature though, but that's primarily from the amplifier. The k701/hd600 would scale up into something like the K812 or HD800 respectively.
  
 Widest sound stage out of all flagships would be the HD800, but they lean towards the brighter side of neutral. The TH900 has a wide sound stage for a closed headphone (so many people comment positively on that aspect), but recessed mid-range compared to other options. Warmest sound from my experience would be the Oppo PM-1s, but they have a average sound stage for a flagship.
  
 Honestly, I think the best TOTL for you would be the AKG K812 pro as they share a similar house sound to the K701 which are your preferred, have a very wide sound stage, and are extremely easy to drive so the kinda low power output of the WA7 will not be a problem. Can see the AKG K812 pairing very well with a warm amplifier. The options you have listed might get too warm, I personally would just go solid state with them.
  
 For the options you have listed, if I were to apply a mid-fi sound signature that's closest to them, I would estimate something like TH900>Ultrasone Pro 900, LCD-3>Sony MDR-1A, LCD-X>HE-400. The hi-fi options have more refined overall sound signatures and better resolving capabilities, but just a parallel sense of their sound imo.
  
 I would recommend demoing some TOTL to get a sense of your preferences exactly, and I might be able to offer better advice.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

hififox said:


> Would you please compare the sound stage and sound signature between TH900 and LCD3? I like the wide sound, a little warm but not too much bass. Like K701 compare to HD600.


 
  
 TH900 is far from warm.  Go with LCD3.   WA7+WA7tp can drive LCD3 effortlessly.  We use this combo at trade shows.


----------



## malla1ml

money4me247 said:


> they all pretty easy enough to drive and work fine with the WA7. The LCD-3 would be the hardest to drive out of that line-up, but I've heard of people using it with the WA7 no problem.
> 
> In terms of sound sig, TH-900 would be the most v-shaped version of neutral out of all of them. lcd-3 is mid-centric dark version of neutral. lcd-x is the most neutral (according to my personal tastes), but still subtly slightly darker (compared to the HD800). I think they all have more bass than the other flagships, would be more along the lines of a HD650 or HE-400 if trying to do a mid-fi sound sig comparison (imo). This is driven out of transparent solid-state amplifiers with minimal additional coloring added.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Well said. I haven't heard the K812 so I can't comment on that particular headphone.  But my preference is definitely towards a warmer/darker tone.


malla1ml said:


> I have the LCD3 and TH900, both sound spectacular with the WA7+WA7tp. I'd go with the one that matches up with how you'll be using the headphones and any sound preferences.  The WA7+WA7tp works well with everything I've thrown at it.


 
  
 Honestly, when you start talking about TOTL headphones, most of it comes down to preference.  I use my TH900 and LCD-2.1 the most, with the HD700 slightly behind them.  The HD800, TH900, LCD-3, LCD-X, HE-560, etc, are all different flavors who excel at different things but all sound excellent.  If you can try out different headphones, I would give that a shot.  If not and you have the disposable income, you can usually pick up a pair used and turn it around if it doesn't work out.  As far as any of the options you're looking at, the WA7 will be able to drive them just fine.


----------



## Hififox

money4me247 said:


> they all pretty easy enough to drive and work fine with the WA7. The LCD-3 would be the hardest to drive out of that line-up, but I've heard of people using it with the WA7 no problem.
> 
> In terms of sound sig, TH-900 would be the most v-shaped version of neutral out of all of them. lcd-3 is mid-centric dark version of neutral. lcd-x is the most neutral (according to my personal tastes), but still subtly slightly darker (compared to the HD800). I think they all have more bass than the other flagships, would be more along the lines of a HD650 or HE-400 if trying to do a mid-fi sound sig comparison (imo). This is driven out of transparent solid-state amplifiers with minimal additional coloring added.
> 
> ...


 
 Thank you so much! That's really helpful. I think I need find a place to try K812.


----------



## desertblues

I also have the TH900 which is indeed spectacular with WA7/WA7tp. The other flagship I would recommend you try is the T1 - has amazing soundstage, accurate bass, gorgeous mids etc. And the WA7 drives them with ease.


----------



## mjock3

Not sure if I should start a new thread or not. Let me know if I should.
  
 I recently picked up on a WA7 and I do like it quite a bit. However I have experienced an issue. Wondering if anyone else has had this happen. I have it sitting in front of a Mac Mini and I get some interference I am assuming from the Mac. Perhaps RFI or EMI. I pick up noise as well as some harshness in the upper mids.
  
 I just wanted to see what others have found in regard to how close they have the WA7 to a computer.
  
 Thanks


----------



## HiFiGuy528

mjock3 said:


> Not sure if I should start a new thread or not. Let me know if I should.
> 
> I recently picked up on a WA7 and I do like it quite a bit. However I have experienced an issue. Wondering if anyone else has had this happen. I have it sitting in front of a Mac Mini and I get some interference I am assuming from the Mac. Perhaps RFI or EMI. I pick up noise as well as some harshness in the upper mids.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Hi, 
  
 Does the interference persists if you move the Mac Mini or WA7 further apart?  Is there a cellphone, MicroCell 3G tower, or WiFi router near the system?  Can you send us a picture of your system and what headphones you are using?
  
 Mike
 email:  Mike@wooaudio.com


----------



## mjock3

Before posting I had put some 3M 5100S between Mac Mini and WA7. And it helped quite a bit. After posting I decided to try moving the WA7 further away. I raised it up about a foot and off to the side a foot. (Before it was about 6 inches in front of Mac Mini)
  
 Wow, what a difference I am hearing since moving it. It is gorgeous. There is a cellphone near by. The Mac Mini is running in wifi mode because I access it via VNC. Could that be the issue?
  
 Current headphones are either HD650 or ZMF's Blackwoods, have another pair of T1's on the way.
  
 Thanks,
 Mark


----------



## abvolt

I don't believe wifi would cause the noise your getting my wa7 is only about 3 feet from my router, bad usb cables can & do cause issues..


----------



## money4me247

abvolt said:


> I don't believe wifi would cause the noise your getting my wa7 is only about 3 feet from my router, bad usb cables can & do cause issues..


 
 noise issues from bad usb cables won't be resolved by moving the location of the amplifier though. you will always have issues, mostly dropping out signals.


----------



## comzee

I just noticed you don't have to have the WA7 turned on to use it in D/A only mode. It is suggested to have the unit on in that mode? Or is it sufficient enough to have to USB power the DAC, (which is happening since the unit is off but it still works)?


----------



## BDM-Fi

comzee said:


> I just noticed you don't have to have the WA7 turned on to use it in D/A only mode. It is suggested to have the unit on in that mode? Or is it sufficient enough to have to USB power the DAC, (which is happening since the unit is off but it still works)?


 

 DAC is always USB powered, so no point in turning the unit on in D/A-only mode.


----------



## mjock3

Not sure what to think on this one. I guess it sounds just great where it is now. Pretty puzzling though.


----------



## abvolt

hello *mjock3* do you still have your noise issues intermittently ?


----------



## mjock3

No not at all. And the bite that was so annoying is long gone. The 3M helped, but moving it seems to have eliminated the issues. USB cable is WyWires Silver and has never given me any issues in the past.
  
 Mark


----------



## groovyd

abvolt said:


> Just curious *groovyd* how's you're project going ?


 

 first printing ended up .1mm too small.  didn't realize that tolerances on 3d printers are pretty bad.  will try again slightly larger sometime this week.  is my boss' printer and i have been in cuba for the past couple weeks.  finally back and will give it another shot.  would love to perhaps organize a group purchase of a precisely machined aluminum or stainless set of rings from some machine shop if the 3d printing route doesn't turn out.  machining one off is too costly but if we got a bunch of orders together i bet it wouldn't cost so much.


----------



## Hififox

Hi,
  
 I'm still looking for an upgrade headphone for my wa7+wa7tp. As I posted before, my headphones are K701 and HD600, and I like K701 much more than HD600 pair with wa7. I like little warmer sound and large sound-stage, which means I don't like the vocal is too close to my ear. I listen vocal and light music much more than classic.
  
 Now I'm considering different 2 PRICE level headphones upgrade.
 Level 1: LCD-3/LCD-X, akg k812 
 Level 2: LCD-2, Beyerdynamic T1, OPPO pm-2
  
 So I like to inquiry LCD-3 and LCD-X which one will be driven better with wa7? The LCD-X is a low impedance headphones but it requires for larger current, and I know tube amplifiers will drive high impedance headphones better for these high output impedance. But I found a deal with LCD-X with 1,299 USD which is much cheaper than LCD-3...
  
 For level 2, the pm-2 is a degraded pm-1 but only materials changed. Tyll reviewed both headphones and pointed out almost no change in sound if swap pm-2's earcup with pm-1's. And in his "Wall of Fame" pm-1 replaced LCD-2. However, I know LCD-2 is a good pair with wa7 but I can't find any information about PM-1/2 pair with wa7.
  
 I think I will not upgrade my headphone amplifier again, so I hope this upgraded headphones wa7 will not only driven "fine", but also "great". So that's why I'm considering these 2 price levels headphones.
  
 Please give me some suggestions or recommendations. Thank you.


----------



## money4me247

hififox said:


> I'm still looking for an upgrade headphone for my wa7+wa7tp. As I posted before, my headphones are K701 and HD600, and I like K701 much more than HD600 pair with wa7. I like little warmer sound and large sound-stage, which means I don't like the vocal is too close to my ear. I listen vocal and light music much more than classic.
> 
> Now I'm considering different 2 PRICE level headphones upgrade.
> Level 1: LCD-3/LCD-X, akg k812
> ...


 
  
 I have the LCD-X, works fine w/ the wa7. the LCD-X is easier to drive with a lower impedance and higher sensitivity than the LCD-3, so it should be "driven better" by the wa7, which has a kinda low power output compared to some other options out there. however, there are many people who use the lcd-3 w/ the wa7 and it really should work fine as well. don't think you really need to worry about the power requirements for those two headphones. something like the HE-6 might be a different story though.
  
 if you are interested in audeze, that deal you found from buysonic comes around every once in a while, so no need to rush. they also offer the lcd-3 at $1.6ish or maybe even less (don't remember exactly) ever once in a while as well.
  
 the akg k812 is super easy to drive, you can play it out of a smartphone. has a pretty neutral-oriented sound signature that I think a touch of warmness would sound quite nice with.
  
 really all those headphones you listed should 'work' with the wa7. the differences between which headphone choice is best for you will most likely depend on what sound signature you prefer and it is difficult for someone else to say which one is best for you if you can't demo them yourself as we all have different preferences. how well those headphones 'pair' with the wa7 also depends on your sonic preferences. the wa7 is a warm-sounding amplifier, so will make those headphones sound relatively warmer. do note that the audeze house signature is already a subtle bit darker than neutral and the oppo sound signature is a bit warmer than neutral (imo).
  
 Out of your choices, my personal favorites would be the LCD-X followed by the AKG K812. Have extensively demoed the Audeze headphones and had the PM-1s during their tour. Haven't really spend a lot of time with the T1 though. They are all great options honestly, but really depends what you are looking for specifically in terms of sound sig and sound quality strengths.


----------



## Jeb Listens

@money4me247 sorry if you've been asked this before or have already posted impressions but how do you feel your Bifrost / Lyr set up compares to the WA7 and TP ? If you posted elsewhere can you let me know where!

Jeb


----------



## money4me247

jeb listens said:


> @money4me247 sorry if you've been asked this before or have already posted impressions but how do you feel your Bifrost / Lyr set up compares to the WA7 and TP ? If you posted elsewhere can you let me know where!
> 
> Jeb


 
 hey jeb, naw I haven't formally posted anything in-depth comparing the two. i sent you a quick PM. hit me up if you have any further questions.


----------



## abvolt

groovyd said:


> first printing ended up .1mm too small.  didn't realize that tolerances on 3d printers are pretty bad.  will try again slightly larger sometime this week.  is my boss' printer and i have been in cuba for the past couple weeks.  finally back and will give it another shot.  would love to perhaps organize a group purchase of a precisely machined aluminum or stainless set of rings from some machine shop if the 3d printing route doesn't turn out.  machining one off is too costly but if we got a bunch of orders together i bet it wouldn't cost so much.


 
  
 cool am certainly interested in seeing your finished piece..


----------



## Marouanne

Hi hififox, I use wa7+wa7tp or aurender flow with my PM-1 coz i like intimate vocals. So if you don't like the vocal too close to your ears then don't use PM-1.


----------



## tunes

Has anyone connected a current generation iPad or iPOD touch to the WA7 and used the WA7's DAC?  My understanding is that you need a lightening to USB adapter?
  
 Is the sound degraded at all?
  
 What settings are needed in the midi control panel for Apple lossless files from ripped CDs??
  
 Thanks


----------



## rschoi75

tunes said:


> Has anyone connected a current generation iPad or iPOD touch to the WA7 and used the WA7's DAC?  My understanding is that you need a lightening to USB adapter?
> 
> Is the sound degraded at all?
> 
> ...


 
  
 Yes, what you heard is correct. The lightning to usb camera adapter + usb A to B cable are required. 
  
 Sound is not degraded.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

tunes said:


> Has anyone connected a current generation iPad or iPOD touch to the WA7 and used the WA7's DAC?  My understanding is that you need a lightening to USB adapter?
> 
> Is the sound degraded at all?
> 
> ...


 
  
 We use this very set up at trade shows.  A good quality USB cable is recommended for best sound.  We use Nordost.


----------



## abvolt

Thanks Mike a high grade usb cable made all the difference in SQ for me..


----------



## tunes

Is the Pangea-audio 4 % silver good enough??


----------



## HiFiGuy528

tunes said:


> Is the Pangea-audio 4 % silver good enough??


 
  
 it's best to audition it.  Trust your ears.


----------



## rschoi75

On side note to the current discussion, I've noticed that adding a schiit wyrd into the chain between the source and WA7, improves the SQ much more than just adding in an expensive usb cable alone; since the Wyrd cleans up the signal going into the WA7 usb dac. In my personal experience, a wyrd + 2 cheaper usb cables (like the schiit pyst or belkin gold) work better than 1 expensive usb cable of the same price.


----------



## abvolt

tunes said:


> Is the Pangea-audio 4 % silver good enough??


 
  
 That's the cable I use made a big difference for me..
  
  Quote:
  
  


rschoi75 said:


> On side note to the current discussion, I've noticed that adding a schiit wyrd into the chain between the source and WA7, improves the SQ much more than just adding in an expensive usb cable alone; since the Wyrd cleans up the signal going into the WA7 usb dac. In my personal experience, a wyrd + 2 cheaper usb cables (like the schiit pyst or belkin gold) work better than 1 expensive usb cable of the same price.


 
  
 Good to know I've been wanting to try the wyrd thanks..


----------



## mjock3

hifiguy528 said:


> We use this very set up at trade shows.  A good quality USB cable is recommended for best sound.  We use Nordost.


 
 Mike which Nordost do you use?
  
 Mark


----------



## HiFiGuy528

We use Nordost Blue Heaven and Heimdall2 at shows and on our personal systems.


----------



## mjock3

I own a Blue Heaven as well as a WyWires Silver. Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to hear the Heimdall2 I imagine it is quite a step up from the Blue Heaven. Not to say the Blue Heaven is bad.


----------



## money4me247

@HiFiGuy528, heya mike! how are you doing? just curious what gain setting on the WA7 do you think is appropriate for the upcoming Ether and HE1k? also curious what gain setting you normally use with the HE-560/LCD-X/K7xx. thanks!


----------



## Dogmatrix

Heads Up fellow WA7 owners
 Matched pairs Reflektor gold pin
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-pcs-NOS-matched-GOLD-pin-6S45P-E-audiophile-tube-WE437-6C45P-6C45Pi-/111667391724?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19ffe52cec
 These don't come up often so if you want something a little different be quick


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

dogmatrix said:


> Heads Up fellow WA7 owners
> Matched pairs Reflektor gold pin
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-pcs-NOS-matched-GOLD-pin-6S45P-E-audiophile-tube-WE437-6C45P-6C45Pi-/111667391724?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19ffe52cec
> These don't come up often so if you want something a little different be quick


 

 OK....I jumped on a pair. Thanks for the heads-up. Have no idea what to expect but what the heck....it's a fun hobby


----------



## abvolt

thanks I'll be taking a look..


----------



## mvital

I'm considering WA7d + WA7tp for my Sennheiser HD700, however it would be nice to try it before ordering. Do you know any place / shop in Hong Kong where I can try it?


----------



## Firminator

Hi guys, I recently picked up the Electro Harmonix tubes and it causes a hissing (that is audible when music isn't playing) which the Sovteks didn't have. The stock tubes are dead silent meanwhile. Does this eventually dissapear or are the tubes faulty?


----------



## mtkupp

hifiguy528 said:


> WA7 is a headphone amplifier, not recommended to drive speakers.  You can however use WA7 as a DAC via the RCA output to a powered speaker.  This output is a Fixed Line Out so the volume control is handled by the powered speakers.


 
  
 I just picked up a demo unit from Audio Advisors. To use as a DAC, can I run the rca out into my integrated amp (aux input) to drive my speakers? I didn't see what the output spec was over rca. I don't want to damage my integrated amp (Peachtree Nova 125).


----------



## abvolt

firminator said:


> Hi guys, I recently picked up the Electro Harmonix tubes and it causes a hissing (that is audible when music isn't playing) which the Sovteks didn't have. The stock tubes are dead silent meanwhile. Does this eventually dissapear or are the tubes faulty?


 
  
 Sure sounds like a bad tube (noisy) to me did you get them from woo ? if so send them an email maybe you can get another pair..


mtkupp said:


> I just picked up a demo unit from Audio Advisors. To use as a DAC, can I run the rca out into my integrated amp (aux input) to drive my speakers? I didn't see what the output spec was over rca. I don't want to damage my integrated amp (Peachtree Nova 125).


 
  
 You would be able to use the wa7 that way to drive your speakers..


----------



## Firminator

Yeah sent back the tubes, hopefully I'll get some new ones


----------



## HiFiGuy528

mtkupp said:


> I just picked up a demo unit from Audio Advisors. To use as a DAC, can I run the rca out into my integrated amp (aux input) to drive my speakers? I didn't see what the output spec was over rca. I don't want to damage my integrated amp (Peachtree Nova 125).


 
  
 WA7 out to AUX input is ok for D/A mode.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

money4me247 said:


> @HiFiGuy528, heya mike! how are you doing? just curious what gain setting on the WA7 do you think is appropriate for the upcoming Ether and HE1k? also curious what gain setting you normally use with the HE-560/LCD-X/K7xx. thanks!


 
  
 technically Low setting, but which ever sounds best for you.  It won't harm the amp or the hps on either setting.


----------



## mjock3

Any body thinking about updating umbilical cord? I found that Revelation Audio Labs makes some that will work on this. I am seriously thinking of doing the update, especially seeing how tube changes in the power supply have such a nice effect.


----------



## mjock3

Just ordered a _Passage_* Cryo-Silver 1/2 meter length. *


----------



## abvolt

I didn't  think of that upgrade, cool post a pic when you receive your cable..


----------



## mjock3

abvolt said:


> I didn't  think of that upgrade, cool post a pic when you receive your cable..


 
 Will do, not sure how long it takes to make. But I will try to share what it does for the sound as well. I am stoked! I am using a Triode Wire Labs power cord and it just seems wrong to have a cheap umbilical cord in between.


----------



## abvolt

I agree that make good sense, I also believe a good power cable makes a big difference in sq..


----------



## mjock3

Going to be a bit before I get the cable, hit a snag in the road. I just got a small power cord from RAL for the power wire from supply to my Mac Mini and all I can say is *WOW.* When I get the one for the Woo I will post pics.


----------



## abvolt

I just looked at those cables now I see why you hit a snag wow there pricey, the 2 meter power cable costs more then my wa7d/tp, that will always be out of my price league Lol..


----------



## mjock3

No actually the umbilical cord is reasonably priced. Ran into a snag because of the connector Woo Audio decided to use for the umbilical. I know some of RAL's cables are way out of my price range, however the ones I am talking about are not. And if the small one I am now using between my power supply and Mac Mini is any indication I think this is an outstanding upgrade for the dollar. Can't wait to get it.


----------



## abvolt

Cool be sure if you would to post some pics of that cable, i'm interested in hearing your impressions also..


----------



## mjock3

Cable arrived today, will try to post pics tomorrow.


----------



## abvolt

cool nice to hear you've got it, pics would be good..


----------



## mjock3

Here are a couple of pics. I need at least a few days of break in before any opinion. I do really like the WA7/tp very much already. I just wanted to see if I could get a bit more out of the purchase. It is probably the best sounding system I have owned. And for only 10% of the cost of my last full system.


----------



## Jeb Listens

mjock3 said:


> Here are a couple of pics. I need at least a few days of break in before any opinion. I do really like the WA7/tp very much already. I just wanted to see if I could get a bit more out of the purchase. It is probably the best sounding system I have owned. And for only 10% of the cost of my last full system.


 
  
 Congrats mjock. the WA7 is awesome indeed! - what you said makes me curious to know what your last system was that cost 10 times the WA7/tp !? 
  
 Happy Listening, 
  
 Jeb.


----------



## mjock3

Hi Jeb,
  
 The system was a Rogue Athena (then a Tortuga which gave me the transparency I wanted), a pair of Ncore mono amps, a pair of Salk HT 3's (by the way Salk makes some very nice speakers), some Wywires silver balanced and regular interconnects as well as USB and speaker wire, Triode Wire Labs power cord. A tricked out Windows Server 2012 OS, with JPlay, and Highend-AudioPC, along with a very tweaked out Buffalo III Dac.  What do you think?
  
 Mark
  
 Oops I forgot a lot of time positioning the speakers so the I got the most out of my system in addition to about $3000 retail of room treatment.


----------



## Jeb Listens

Impressive, is what I think.  I looked and those speakers look magnificent!  I hope for something like that one-day.
  
 Well your Woo & T1s certainly save on space.  You've obviously owned and heard some very fine equipment which reflects very well on the WA7.    Look forward to hearing how you get on with the new umbilical in due course. 
  
 Jeb.


----------



## mjock3

Yes the space has made for a very happy dear wife. She let me do do all the room treatment with only a few frowns. And I must say it is much more spacious now it that room.


----------



## abvolt

That's a cool looking setup you got mjock3 really like that cable, maybe after you've spent some time listening you'll let know of the improvements it's made..


----------



## mjock3

Hoping to post an update later this week. I took a while to break the new cable. Then I needed to break in a shorter Woo cable (still doing that now) so that it was an even comparison. Right now I will say RAL cable is an amazing upgrade. Highly recommended.
  
 Mark


----------



## abvolt

mjock3 said:


> Hoping to post an update later this week. I took a while to break the new cable. Then I needed to break in a shorter Woo cable (still doing that now) so that it was an even comparison. Right now I will say RAL cable is an amazing upgrade. Highly recommended.
> 
> Mark


 
  
 Cool looking forward to your impressions..


----------



## Paspasero

What's an equivalent external DAC to the one inside the WA7? What other dacs would be considered an upgrade from the stock internals?


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

paspasero said:


> What's an equivalent external DAC to the one inside the WA7? What other dacs would be considered an upgrade from the stock internals?


 

 There are many dacs that would be considered an upgrade. Considering the WA7 doesn't do DSD, a lot of DSD-capable dacs would be considered an "upgrade" in my opinion.
  
 If you're interested in a DSD dac, ted_b has a dac database up on Google docs that he's shared a link to: DSD DAC Database


----------



## comzee

I've never really used the D/A mode on my WA7. I just recently started to use it with my new Sceptre S8's + Temblor T10.
 The T10 is the sub controller, has balanced inputs. I bought a balanced DAC but it won't be here for a few weeks.
 The T10 also has RCA unbalanced inputs that I'm using from the WA7. I get a low analogue noise hum. Is this normal? I assume it is because it's not balanced, and that's the main reason to use balanced inputs. I just want a second opinion.


----------



## abvolt

do you hear the hum in both channels ?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

comzee said:


> I've never really used the D/A mode on my WA7. I just recently started to use it with my new Sceptre S8's + Temblor T10.
> The T10 is the sub controller, has balanced inputs. I bought a balanced DAC but it won't be here for a few weeks.
> The T10 also has RCA unbalanced inputs that I'm using from the WA7. I get a low analogue noise hum. Is this normal? I assume it is because it's not balanced, and that's the main reason to use balanced inputs. I just want a second opinion.


 
  
 You might have a ground-loop with the Temblor T10.  Try lifting the ground on it.  Also, be sure to use high quality RCA cables less than 3m runs.
  


edmontoncanuck said:


> There are many dacs that would be considered an upgrade. Considering the WA7 doesn't do DSD, a lot of DSD-capable dacs would be considered an "upgrade" in my opinion.
> 
> If you're interested in a DSD dac, ted_b has a dac database up on Google docs that he's shared a link to: DSD DAC Database


 
  
 We don't put non-matured features on our products.  That is why we don't need to update our products every two years to keep up with trends.  Disposable electronics are bad for the consumer and bad for the environment.


----------



## sweetsdream

mjock3 said:


> Just ordered a _[COLOR=795BA5]Passage[/COLOR]_[COLOR=795BA5]* Cryo-Silver 1/2 meter length. *[/COLOR]:wink_face:




Do you order the standard 5 pin DIn? I just ordered my WA7d with WAtp and I might add this.


----------



## mjock3

Hi sweetdreams,
  
 I did order the 5 pin, though it is best to tell them that you want to use it on a WA7. Because Woo has a specialized 5-pin setup.
  
 By the way sorry for running late on the review, I have been sick the last few days so it might be a bit before I get the update online. However this cable is outstanding in every way. Clarity, black back ground, extension. I really cannot imagine living without it. It takes the WA7 to a whole other level.
  
 Mark


----------



## HiFiGuy528

mjock3 said:


> Hi sweetdreams,
> 
> I did order the 5 pin, though it is best to tell them that you want to use it on a WA7. Because Woo has a specialized 5-pin setup.
> 
> ...


 
  
 How much is the cable, shortest?


----------



## chry5alis

tunes said:


> Has anyone connected a current generation iPad or iPOD touch to the WA7 and used the WA7's DAC?  My understanding is that you need a lightening to USB adapter?
> 
> Is the sound degraded at all?
> 
> ...


 
  
  


rschoi75 said:


> Yes, what you heard is correct. The lightning to usb camera adapter + usb A to B cable are required.
> 
> Sound is not degraded.


 
  
  
 Hello all,
  
 I'm wondering if this coupler will provide another solution, its a usb female a to male b.
  
 http://www.amazon.co.uk/kenable-Adapter-Female-Socket-Male/dp/B004HSUCCM/ref=pd_sim_sbs_23_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1JM0KJZXBHSC77VD382J
  
 This would suit me better as I'm looking to use both apple and android devices and it would save me on shelling out for both 'on the go' adapters and 'lightening to usb'.  However at that price I'm worried I'm introducing a substandard component into the system.  Any thoughts?
  
 I also read on one of many reviews that only a jailbroken ipod touch 5th gen is compatible with the wa7.  Is this true?  It sounds a bit strange to me.
  
 Keep up the good work guys, loving the thread


----------



## mjock3

hifiguy528 said:


> How much is the cable, shortest?



$239


----------



## abvolt

mjock3 said:


> Hi sweetdreams,
> 
> I did order the 5 pin, though it is best to tell them that you want to use it on a WA7. Because Woo has a specialized 5-pin setup.
> 
> ...


 
  
 That's awesome glad to hear it makes such a difference..


----------



## Jeb Listens

chry5alis said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I'm wondering if this coupler will provide another solution, its a usb female a to male b.
> 
> ...


 

 Hi there cry5alis!
  
 welcome to WA7-land. 
  
 Hopefully mike of Woo audio will pop in shortly to verify this but i'm pretty sure that the only way you're able to extract a digital audio signal from an apple device for a USB DAC like the WA7 is by using the lightning to USB camera adapter thingy  (or the 30pin to USB CCK if you're using an older iPad) then connecting with a regular USB cable. 
  
 the only exception to this rule is if the DAC in question is officially Apple certified - in which case you can just use the regular data/charging cable that comes with your iDevice.  But these DACs are in the minority due to the high price of obtaining official certification.
  
 Regarding the iPod 5th gen specifically - again that's something that will need to be confirmed but my understanding is that the crucial factor is that your i-device be running iOS-7 or above - which enables the use of USB digital audio.   iOS-7 was released in Sept 2013 so I wonder if a review questioning compatibility with apple devices and WA7 was an older one from before then. Unless the iPod touch 5th gen has specific issues. 
  
 You could definitely shoot Woo/Mike a quick email to confirm compatibility.
  
 Jeb


----------



## chry5alis

Thanks Jeb, im glad to be aboard . My wa7 + watp should be arriving in a day or two so I will know for sure then. If all else fails I can feed my laptop into it direct in the meantime.

Ive opted in for both the gold pin tubes and umbilical power cable posted earlier in the thread, thanks for the suggestions. Can't wait to try it all out!!


----------



## Jeb Listens

Exciting stuff! great choice & also nice to see another Wa7 owner this side of the Atlantic. When you're ready you could also think about some different tubes in the WA7tp too. Plenty of time for that down the line though - I hope you enjoy your new toy. It's always a pleasure unboxing a product like that!

Let us know how you get on once you're hooked up and have had a good listen.


----------



## mjock3

RAL power cord
 I wish I was a wordsmith like Jeb Listens, but alas not even close. I will try to convey what I hear as the difference between the stock umbilical cord and the RAL. For the comparison I am using the Electro Harmonix 6C45’s that Woo Audio offers as an upgrade as well as the CBS-Hytron 5814a Red Label that Jeb had given praise to. I find this as Jeb did, an exceptional tube that give a neutral presentation tonally to the music. I was tempted to use the Mullard, however I did not think it would give me an accurate picture of what the differences were. My current setup is a Mac Mini I5 running my fav HQ Player audio player. I am using PI Audio’s Battery Buss to power the Mac, along with UpTone Audio’s Mac mini DC-Conversion/ Linear Fan Controller Kit. As well as Uptone Audio’s USB Regen Amber. I use Triode Wire Labs 12 plus power cord to feed the WA7tp, and RAL’s DualConduit USB. Headphones used for this were Beyerdynamic T1’s. Music used for listening was “Reference Recordings Minnesota Orchestra Showcase (Don Juan, tone poem for orchestra, Op. 20) “
  
 First I’d like to say the Woo Audio WA7/7tp is an outstanding piece, and I am very happy I bought it. It gives me a lot of enjoyment in listening to music. The observations made between stock cord and the Revelation Audio Labs cord. (Referred to as RAL from now on)
  Black background, as always something you don’t realize until the noise is gone, the RAL provide very black background.  I find a clean, extended deeper bass, balanced, and smooth sound coming from my setup. Width is one of the first things that come to mind when inserting this cable. And each individual instrument or voice is clearly in its own space. RAL cable is smooth sounding without being too smooth. Stock cable has some bite to it at least with the T1’s listening to strings. There is some grain in stock cable, with some smearing going on.
  
 When placing the RAL in my setup it is the missing link. Everything just jells, the WA7/tp the tube upgrades, other wire and all are able to heard. I have no regrets with this purchase.
  
 As always YMMV
  
 Just a side note, in the last 7 years in this hobby I have found most any improvement to power supply and components of it to be quite rewarding. I have built quite a few power supplies and come to find the results to be very rewarding. The RAL has been quite rewarding, it has given either the best or second best improvement of any wire I have tried in my systems over the last 10 years.
  
 Cautions: the RAL UC is rather unyielding (does not bend easily), going from the stock UC which goes wherever you put it. The RAL is not that way. Breaking in the RAL is a long roller coaster ride, need to be patient. The wait is worth the end results.
  
 If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
  
 Mark


----------



## HiFiGuy528

jeb listens said:


> Hi there cry5alis!
> 
> welcome to WA7-land.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Well said 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Thank you!
  
 It is important to note that there are a LOT of counterfeit Apple adaptors on the web.  Some even has nearly identical retail packaging.  I recommend to buy Apple Lightening to USB adaptor or 30-pin camera adaptor from Apple online or retail store ONLY. 
  
 http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD821AM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter?fnode=f2219480d42b87914d9a15585f69a5d0f563cfea71214bbce70b49df31d6424cc01134e0e7eef52412a0e08e2945810f23eb234981c4916123e8c8a0891e68aefd80b84274b4d73f75126d563a60335cdca4b054d03a9b064c4a17fa4ab5350dbd10437cb9ac68fd5df5aff7beac0adb
  
 http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC531AM/A/apple-ipad-camera-connection-kit?fnode=11a135e92254aeb58d13bf08630dead046b49faf1aaa8c7f64e7bb8c752a9443b1584c9594b3b473c384166a2d21b4ea71511b0820d6663b0b63dad99093e15e2f8d91f1c009121060a2c418adbd76b90dc3adb32b960d4bcbb0aaf7cdfaad55a3c6a5a72a54b88de36e219e46c57d2f


----------



## Jeb Listens

mjock3 said:


> RAL power cord [.....]


 
  
 Good stuff Mark - nice write-up: it sounds like it's proving to be a great upgrade in your system - and you're obviously a man who knows his power tweaks.  It's nice that the WA7 is at a level that responds to tweaks and such.  Wa7 is much more than just a pretty-face!.


----------



## chry5alis

*“I’ve gathered an amp..  Its sound..  bewitches.  I’m struggling to contain.  I’ve ordered my last set of tubes.  Once they arrive, it’s power will be complete.  And all dominion will be mine.”*
  
  
 This is kinda where I am right now.  I finally sourced a wa7 to the uk.  A longish quest, which was roughly 2 months spent daily, ooh-ing and ahh-ing at wooaudio.com before some kind soul from Liverpool, (thanks minh) decided to part with his via the head-fi trader forums.   I thought my journey was over.  ­ Ha!
  
 It was merely the beginning.
  
 Cables!
 Cables!
 The woo cried out.  I ignored his voice.
  
 I need cables!  To sound the way I need to sound.  (I’m paraphrasing here).  The poster mjock on this very wonderful thread delightfully explains the benefits of a $239 power cable substitute.  I was won over, I was in.  Was it my decision or the amp’s?
  
 Tuubes!
 Tuubes!
  
 Before the amp had even arrived I could hear the sirens call echo through my mind.  
  
 I needed tubes.  No feeble Sovtek stock would do (although I’m sure they’re perfectly adequate).  Sylvania’s, Mullards, American, Russian, Pan-european – a united nations worth of glorious NOS lovely looking bioshock-style, rock and rollin tubes..  I was in heaven.  Tubes.  Tubes.  Tubes.  Seriously.  This is some good ********* schiit to get into.
  
 Source Files chry5alis.
 High quality digital source files, I heard in my sleep.
  
 It’s a shame these aren’t more widely available.  The few digital transfer flac from vinyl I managed to acquire are simply worth their weight in gold.  My music seems richer once more.  I listen to the tracks and I’m an adolescent again, skipping class, smoking d00bs under a tree, listening to Dylan on a copied cassette with tape taped over the bits..
  
 So I got some gold pins, I got a cable, I got my headphones, I got my source - only one thing was missing from my life.  I had no idea what it was, but I’m sure my woo was about to let me know.
  
 Westinghouse carbon plates 12au7, I hear the whisper.  
 What?  I do a quick google.  Apparently these are the bomb, and unless I’m mistaken theres a set staring me in the face on ebay $40 shipped.  Surely not, they must be fakes?  is my journey over?  I click on paypal and wait.  Tick tock, tick tock.  
  
 I’m still waiting.
  
 This is the best hobby ever.­


----------



## mjock3

Sounds like someone has been bitten by the audiophile bug.  Congrats, happy listening.


----------



## abvolt

chry5alis said:
			
		

>


 
  Great post glad to hear your enjoying the Woo there awesome amps no doubt..


----------



## chry5alis

Haha thanks. 

Yes, well and truly bitten!!


----------



## Jeb Listens

chry5alis -Really looking forward to hearing how you get on with the Westinghouse Carbon plate 12AU7s! After a little research sounds like you could be on to a winner with those.  
  
 Your WA7tp sounds hungry - I'm sure it will eat them up.


----------



## Shini44

mjock3 said:


> Sounds like someone has been bitten by the audiophile bug.  Congrats, happy listening.


 
  
 This bug had us all XD


----------



## Jeb Listens

"_Aliens"_


----------



## Shini44

jeb listens said:


> "_Aliens"_


 
 lol did you just make this XD


----------



## Jeb Listens

Yes - enough audiophile bugs to drain every wallet in a 10 mile radius. 
  
 My WA7 has been out of commission for a short while -  I needed to clear the decks for a Bottlehead Crack build.  I'm looking forward to getting the WA7 back in situ and making a few comparisons with the Crack using the HD650s. It will also be interesting to see if there's any consistency in the sound signature of the 12AU7s in both amps, despite it being a different application.


----------



## abvolt

That sounds cool *Jeb* I've also been thinking of getting a bottlehead crack to build love to tinker with electronic gear, let us know how your new amp sounds..
  
 Which amp are you doing ? i'm thinking of the OTL + speedball


----------



## HiFiGuy528

jeb listens said:


> "_Aliens"_


 
  
 hahaha......


----------



## Jeb Listens

abvolt said:


> That sounds cool *Jeb* I've also been thinking of getting a bottlehead crack to build love to tinker with electronic gear, let us know how your new amp sounds..
> 
> Which amp are you doing ? i'm thinking of the OTL + speedball


 

 Hi abvolt!  
  
 Yes just finished the Crack build last week and have a speedball incoming.  I had no experience at all so the Crack was the only choice for me.  It was a thoroughly enjoyable process!  
  
 To keep it on Woo topic...
  
 The great thing about the Crack will be that since you have the WA22 you prob already have a good stock of 6080/6AS7g  and might have some 12AU7s from the WA7tp too!  So it's a nice way to find another use for all those tubes! 
  
 The downside is the Crack can't drive my favourite Audezes like the WA7 can but it does have this unbelievably good synergy with the HD650s that is a pure delight.  To be honest I'm not sure it will really be able to compete with the Woo so best to think of it as a companion/fun exercise rather than a replacement.   One thing it has given me (besides a very healthy respect for electricity)  is an even greater admiration for people who design and build all these wonderful amplifiers professionally as well as how unique the WA7 aesthetic is... and also for the huge amount of clean power that the woo can put put out despite its diminutive size!


----------



## nojwe

Just got my WA7 and it pairs phenomenally with my T1s. However, I don't have the anti-slip pads. Any suggestions for something that might work while remaining fairly invisible or where I can get the pads?


----------



## Dogmatrix

nojwe said:


> Just got my WA7 and it pairs phenomenally with my T1s. However, I don't have the anti-slip pads. Any suggestions for something that might work while remaining fairly invisible or where I can get the pads?


 

 I use Glue Dots on mine , a single dot cut into quarters gives four tiny corners
 Holds well for dusting etc but still easy to lift for tube rolling


----------



## nojwe

dogmatrix said:


> I use Glue Dots on mine , a single dot cut into quarters gives four tiny corners
> Holds well for dusting etc but still easy to lift for tube rolling


 
  
  
 Good idea, thanks! I take it they're not too tacky? I'd be worried about knocking the tubes around picking the glass up.


----------



## Dogmatrix

nojwe said:


> Good idea, thanks! I take it they're not too tacky? I'd be worried about knocking the tubes around picking the glass up.


 

 Remember to buy the non permanent version or you will be stuck
 You can reduce the tack just by pressing with a finger a couple of times


----------



## nojwe

dogmatrix said:


> Remember to buy the non permanent version or you will be stuck
> You can reduce the tack just by pressing with a finger a couple of times


 
  
 Wow, glad I asked that question. I didn't know there were multiple kinds and it turns out I just have the permanent ones. That would have been bad. Thanks!!


----------



## mjock3

nojwe said:


> Just got my WA7 and it pairs phenomenally with my T1s. However, I don't have the anti-slip pads. Any suggestions for something that might work while remaining fairly invisible or where I can get the pads?


 
 Congrats nojwe, I have to agree as I also have the WA7 paired with T1's and like it very much. Hope to some day listen to an upper end Audeze on the WA7/tp. I might even pack it up and take it to an Audio Salon near me.   I swear it is a disease.


----------



## Cha Cha Cha

Hi all,
  
 About the WA7 DAC... does it up-sample incoming signal? Have a few HiRes tracks, but most of my stuff is CD resolution. My setup is Windows - JRiver Media Player.
  
 Thanks


----------



## Hififox

Did anyone compare these two kinds of 6c45 tubes? Electro Harmonix gold pin from woo, and NOS Soviet(Reflector) *gold pin* from ebay?
  
 I found some impressions about NOS reflector without the gold pins in this thread. I'm interested in the differences between the gold pin version and the normal version.
  
 Thanks.


----------



## chry5alis

I swapped over my electro harmonix for the gold pin reflectors about a week ago.  Ive probably had about 10 hour burn in since then, would have left it a little longer but tonight I rolled the tubes back to the harmonix to see how they compare.

I compared three tracks 1.Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terell Aint nothing like the real thing, 2.Pink Floyd Atom Heart Mother, and 3.Peter Gabriel Sledgehammer.

The reflectors are a nice tube.  They have sounded great so far, but on rolling back to the harmonix I now think the sound coming from them (the reflectors) is a little too harsh and bright.  Im using a pair of grados GS1000e so quite likely these are at the wrong end of the eq curve to forgive them.  I’m finding the separation of instruments far better on the harmonix and generally I feel more involved in the music.  This is possibly due to burn in though, I’m comparing a set of 60+hr tubes against 10hrs.

I’d still recommend the reflector tubes, I’ve been playing them and the harmonix with a set of Mullard cv4003s.  What they give you is another weapon in your armoury to pair with the different 12au7s around.  I’ll continue to experiment with them to see if I can find the right synergy I’m after.  

They’re staying out of my woo for now but I’m not writing them off just yet.


----------



## abvolt

When I had my wa7/tp the cv4003 mullards were among my favorites but I also really enjoyed a pair of mid 1950's tung sol's 12au7 very nice sounding and a lot less money then the mullards well worth a try..


----------



## DrawTheLine87

Has anyone with the WA7 used the DAC with Windows 10 yet? Are the 7/8 drivers compatible? 10 seems to be surprisingly compatible, but I know not every driver I've come across works in 10.


----------



## LNCPapa

I am using my WA7 on Win10 with the driver Woo released a while back.  Works fine.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

drawtheline87 said:


> Has anyone with the WA7 used the DAC with Windows 10 yet? Are the 7/8 drivers compatible? 10 seems to be surprisingly compatible, but I know not every driver I've come across works in 10.


 
  
 No problem with Win 10.  Just make sure WA7 is connected and powered ON through the entire Driver installation process then reboot PC.
  
wa-7fireflies-driver-1.01.zip


----------



## MaKa13

I have WA 7 and has been using it with my Android phones as source. Now I am thinking about switching to iPhone (6s plus) but I am not sure if the DAC is going to work with an iPhone as it used to work with Android phones. Anyone with any experience on using WA 7 with an iPhone? 
  
 Thanks.


----------



## Jeb Listens

Hi there @MaKa13  -  you should be fine with the new phone.  The requirement is that the i-device be running iOS-7 or above, which obviously won't be an issue with a new 6s plus. 
  
 You'll need one of Apple's lightning to USB camera connection adapters, then use that to connect with a regular USB cable to the WA7.  
  
 Previously Mike from Woo has mentioned that its important to use an official Apple adapter since the third-party adapters can be quite unreliable. 
  
 I imagine you'll be one of the first to use it with the new iPhone


----------



## HiFiGuy528

maka13 said:


> I have WA 7 and has been using it with my Android phones as source. Now I am thinking about switching to iPhone (6s plus) but I am not sure if the DAC is going to work with an iPhone as it used to work with Android phones. Anyone with any experience on using WA 7 with an iPhone?
> 
> Thanks.


 
  
 You'll need this and a standard high quality USB cable. Buy from Apple only. There are a LOT of counterfeits on the web.
  
 http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD821AM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter?fnode=cc52b0b500e4e8b35328b04485b22222223ab5df601d494a01de34e46d72adaca50ea1d5dd7e25e5bab7cc30a3005e14f0aa277d97afcc524bc4b601906f097e62b35dfccef633d17a11a82577216e2597bd8b6149ab891bed5cbb6351af252a


----------



## Jeb Listens

So impressed by the HD-650s.  Wow!  Really didn't like them out the box.  Now they might be my favourite cans.


----------



## DrawTheLine87

So I have an interesting question. I'll be setting up my WA7+WA7tp combo on my desk, and I'm determining where the amp and power supply should go. I'll have one unit on one side of the desk, and one unit at the opposite end. Now this gives me two options. I can have a 2m USB cable and a 1m power cord, or 1m USB cord and a 2m power cable.

So my question is, which cable would I theoretically want to be shorter? I would imagine I would want the power cable to be shorter, and the digital USB cable to be longer. What are everyone's thoughts on this? (Let's assume cable quality is equal for each cable)


----------



## HiFiGuy528

drawtheline87 said:


> So I have an interesting question. I'll be setting up my WA7+WA7tp combo on my desk, and I'm determining where the amp and power supply should go. I'll have one unit on one side of the desk, and one unit at the opposite end. Now this gives me two options. I can have a 2m USB cable and a 1m power cord, or 1m USB cord and a 2m power cable.
> 
> So my question is, which cable would I theoretically want to be shorter? I would imagine I would want the power cable to be shorter, and the digital USB cable to be longer. What are everyone's thoughts on this? (Let's assume cable quality is equal for each cable)


 
  
 Recommendations from Nordost cables.
  
 http://www.nordost.com/faqs-length.php


----------



## HiFiGuy528

jeb listens said:


> So impressed by the HD-650s.  Wow!  Really didn't like them out the box.  Now they might be my favourite cans.


 
  
 I have love for them too.


----------



## Jeb Listens

Yes, I can understand why some people still choose them even for using with seriously expensive and high-end rigs.  But they sounded exceptional out of the ~£200 Asgard/Crack too.... not to mention out the WA7, which took them a notch further.  Plenty of juice.
  
 Quite a special headphone.  Must try the HD-600 at some point and see which side of the fence I'm on in that age-old debate


----------



## DrawTheLine87

Thoroughly enjoying my new WA7


----------



## mjock3

Congrats on your new purchase. It is indeed something that is quite enjoyable. What are you pairing it with?
  
 Mark


----------



## DrawTheLine87

I'm currently using them with a pair of Grado RS1s. It's a great pairing, for sure.


----------



## JoeDoe

New member of team WA7 reporting for duty.

Got a sweet deal for the WA7, TP, and upgrade tubes!


----------



## groovyd

woot! now get the Slyvania 6350 + adpter upgrade for the tp.


----------



## chry5alis

groovyd said:


> woot! now get the Slyvania 6350 + adpter upgrade for the tp.


 sounds good.. Do you have any pics?


----------



## groovyd

too lazy to take any haha, actually i dont have a decent camera.


----------



## lnyp75

Hi guys, just got the WA7 and noticed that the left LED on the tube doesn't seem to light up... Anybody know why this might be the case?
  
 Here's what I'm talking about:
 http://i.imgur.com/1Nm1Y8j.jpg
  
 Thanks


----------



## groovyd

lnyp75 said:


> Hi guys, just got the WA7 and noticed that the left LED on the tube doesn't seem to light up... Anybody know why this might be the case?
> 
> Here's what I'm talking about:
> http://i.imgur.com/1Nm1Y8j.jpg
> ...


 

 cold solder joint on the led or cracked trace maybe


----------



## WooAudio

Please email to info@wooaudio.com to get a RMA.


----------



## Tian13

Hi,
  
 Just recently got a Wa7 and it works with my iPad 4 still running IOS 8 through the camera connection kit.  Tried using my iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 1 both with IOS 9 but neither of the worked.  Tried searching to see if this is an issue with IO9 or with the devices but wasn't able to find anything.  Hoping someone might have some input.
  
 Thanks,
  
 Christian


----------



## phobos0411

rage3324 said:


> Wow, great info guys! I am definitely considering selling the WA7 and WA7tp (and dacmini) for a better dac as an option. Or perhaps moving the WA7 and WA7tp to the bedroom or living room to be used with my home theater for movies, music, and games.
> 
> Can someone describe how a pre-amp impacts sound quality? I do not think I fully understand it. If I were to hook up the WA7 to the Marantz via lineout/tape, would the Marantz be acting as a pre-amp?
> 
> The dacmini dac is superb and combines very well with the WA7 especially with Grados (opens them up very nicely). Any looking?


 
 Thanks for the idea! I hadn't even thought of looking into running the dacmini out into the Wa7! this should be interesting  I am beginning to look for a decent DAC in the system myself, along with a umbilical power cable upgrade and some new cans when I can.


----------



## DarktoreS

I'm new member Wa7d + Electro Harmonix gold pin tubes, I love it with my Beyerdynamic 1770Pro and my T90  ... For me is very special combo , all music styles is not a problem !


----------



## abvolt

darktores said:


> I'm new member Wa7d + Electro Harmonix gold pin tubes, I love it with my Beyerdynamic 1770Pro and my T90  ... For me is very special combo , all music styles is not a problem !


 
  
 Congrats on your new amp..


----------



## DarktoreS

I reflected on the purchase of a wa7tp, but the price still seems out of step with the offer of the pack ... $ 649 while it costs only $ 399 when you buy it with a WA7! It's almost doubled, I find this rather aggressive approach, especially to extend the use of this Wa7d I absolutely love my T90 and Beyer 1770pro ...


----------



## eeagle

darktores said:


> I reflected on the purchase of a wa7tp, but the price still seems out of step with the offer of the pack ... $ 649 while it costs only $ 399 when you buy it with a WA7! It's almost doubled, I find this rather aggressive approach, especially to extend the use of this Wa7d I absolutely love my T90 and Beyer 1770pro ...


 
  
 I suspect the price difference you are seeing reflects the cost of the included WA7p linear external power supply which you would not get if you ordered the WA7 with the WA7tp instead.
  
 I am quite happy with the linear power supply and like that it can be hidden from view so haven't got the bug to upgrade to the tube PS.
  
 I'm using the Fireflies with beyerdynamic T1's and couldn't be happier!
* linear external power supply* *WA7p linear external power supply*


----------



## DarktoreS

My Wa7tp shipped I receive it Thursday, I also bought the Sylvania 12AU7 to upgrade without major investment ! I am very satisfied with the combo DT 1770 + T90, but I have no doubt made the Beyer T1 I had one year !
  
 I currently have a Rudistor Chroma MD2 that goes very well on the Wa7d ! 
  
 http://www.rudistor.com/headphones/chroma-md2


----------



## HiFiGuy528

darktores said:


> My Wa7tp shipped I receive it Thursday, I also bought the Sylvania 12AU7 to upgrade without major investment ! I am very satisfied with the combo DT 1770 + T90, but I have no doubt made the Beyer T1 I had one year !
> 
> I currently have a Rudistor Chroma MD2 that goes very well on the Wa7d !
> 
> http://www.rudistor.com/headphones/chroma-md2


 
  
 Congrats! The system should sound better with every use. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 We would love to see a pic or two of your system. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  


eeagle said:


> I suspect the price difference you are seeing reflects the cost of the included WA7p linear external power supply which you would not get if you ordered the WA7 with the WA7tp instead.
> 
> I am quite happy with the linear power supply and like that it can be hidden from view so haven't got the bug to upgrade to the tube PS.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Correct. solid state PSU costs $250 to replace someone needs one. This is a custom made PSU, not a cheap wall-wart.


----------



## DarktoreS

Two days I listen to my new PS500e I upgraded the tubes for Electro Harmonix gold pin 6C45pi and Mullard CV4003 for Wa7TP ! The PS500 is with G-cush pads, say that I'm in heaven I have not had this much fun in listening to classical music from the HD800 to a few months ago ... The result is fabulous, I Beyer thought the T90 was already high level, but with the PS500e I went again to the next level ! Jazz on the result is spectacular, I have worked the headband adjustment on PS500e comfort is good. A real final choice regardless of price !


----------



## acguitar84

Is there anyone that upgraded from the standard tubes to the electro harmonix tubes that preferred the sound of the original tubes? Is the tube power supply an improvement? Love to read some impressions!


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

acguitar84 said:


> Is there anyone that upgraded from the standard tubes to the electro harmonix tubes that preferred the sound of the original tubes? Is the tube power supply an improvement? Love to read some impressions!




There is a WA7tp thread here with many impressions. I suggest you simply search for it and read all you want to there. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


----------



## acguitar84

edmontoncanuck said:


> There is a WA7tp thread here with many impressions. I suggest you simply search for it and read all you want to there.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


 
 Thanks, I'm still kinda new here, still finding my way around I guess. I'm glad you pointed this out though, I'm reading through that thread now, so again, thanks!! It was just what I was looking for.


----------



## Fiskers

What _can't_ the WA7 power?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

fiskers said:


> What _can't_ the WA7 power?


 
  
 It can power nearly every headphones, but not as effective on power hungry models such as HIFIMAN HE-1000, HE-6, Abyss by JPS Labs, AKG K1000, etc.


----------



## Cha Cha Cha

Do you guys think we might get a amp-only WA7 someday?
  
 Have 2 RCA inputs instead!


----------



## Dogmatrix

Don't think so
 Already has rca input
 Cost of the dac section is probably a small part of the overall price so an amp only version would not be significantly cheaper


----------



## nupperoinen

Hi, I am a new member of this forum and I like to share my first impression of my WA7. In short: It´s absolutely fantastic!
 Now it is time to concentrate to the music itself


----------



## musicmac

Just received the WA7/WA7tp this morning and all I can say is that a solid state amp will never touch my headphones again!
  
 Out of the box this thing sounds great…  Makes my current solid state amp/dac seem like a shreaking banshee…  The WA7 DAC sounds pretty darn good and seems to provide enough detail…  
  
 Went with the Mullard CV4003 for the AMP side of things...
  
 This is a GREAT all-in-one package!
  
 Can't wait to see how the WA7 sounds like after it burns in 50-100 hours from now.


----------



## groovyd

musicmac said:


> Just received the WA7/WA7tp this morning and all I can say is that a solid state amp will never touch my headphones again!
> 
> Out of the box this thing sounds great…  Makes my current solid state amp/dac seem like a shreaking banshee…  The WA7 DAC sounds pretty darn good and seems to provide enough detail…
> 
> ...


 

 you mean power supply


----------



## musicmac

groovyd said:


> you mean power supply


 

 that would be correct


----------



## HiFiGuy528

musicmac said:


> Just received the WA7/WA7tp this morning and all I can say is that a solid state amp will never touch my headphones again!
> 
> Out of the box this thing sounds great…  Makes my current solid state amp/dac seem like a shreaking banshee…  The WA7 DAC sounds pretty darn good and seems to provide enough detail…
> 
> ...


 
  
 We would love to see some pics.


----------



## musicmac

hifiguy528 said:


> We would love to see some pics.


 

Here's some pics of the set up...


----------



## musicmac

Early thoughts on the WA7 internal dac vs external dacs connected via the RCA input...
  
 I'm approx. 30 hours into burning-in my new WA7 so tonight I thought I would do a little comparison of the internal dac to two other external dacs that I own, the Teac U-301 (Dual TI Burr-Brown 1795) and the Marantz HD-DAC1 (CS4398).
  
 To my ears, both external DACs exhibited a slight edgy graininess to their sound when playing through the WA7, in particular the HD-DAC1.  This edge didn't seem like extra detail to me - they both sounded just a little more digital sounding.  The Teac U-301 sounded closer to the WA7 internal dac but I expected that as both dac chips are from the TI family.  One takeaway from both external dacs is that the bass seemed to hit a little harder than the internal dac.
  
 My biggest takeaway in this comparison is that the internal dac to my ears has a smoother, more analog-like sound without any significant loss of detail than the two external dacs that I tested.  The sound of the internal dac to my ears has great synergy with the WA7/WA7tp. I won't be replacing the internal dac with an external dac in my setup anytime soon.  I think I would really need to invest in a much more expensive external dac to best the WA7/internal dac combo.  
  
 As my next step, I think I'm inclined to look at an iFi Purifier2 or Regen to see if these USB devices make any significant sound improvements as they aim to clean up the power and signal coming through the USB port.  But who knows, that may be a waste.  Who knows what electronic magic the WA7 is performing on the incoming power/signal.  If anyone has experience with these types of devices, I'd appreciate your comments and feedback.  
  
 I'm just really, really, really enjoying the WA7/WA7tp sound so far.


----------



## groovyd

I think the WA7 uses the USB power as power for the DAC directly and so expect that some form of line de-coupling or USB power filtering may make a big difference in the quality of the sound.


----------



## mjock3

musicmac said:


> Early thoughts on the WA7 internal dac vs external dacs connected via the RCA input...
> 
> I'm approx. 30 hours into burning-in my new WA7 so tonight I thought I would do a little comparison of the internal dac to two other external dacs that I own, the Teac U-301 (Dual TI Burr-Brown 1795) and the Marantz HD-DAC1 (CS4398).
> 
> ...


 
  
 I really like the Regen on my WA7/TP. It brings a significant improvement to the sound.


----------



## musicmac

Continuing my new WA7 on-boarding process and now testing the WA7 through the RCA outs as a DAC out preamp to my Definitive Technology Incline desktop speakers...
  
 The smooth, analog-like like sound I hear through the headphones carries right over to the speakers.  I never really enjoyed these speakers driven by my prior equipment - too much grain and edge to the sound, in particular the treble.  Not the case anymore. Very nice lush sound coming through the speakers now. 
  
 With the WA7/WA7tp, it appears like I've landed with a great system that I will enjoy for years to come.  I think it will be hard to beat this combo at this price point  Just going to sit back and enjoy the music for now.  Getting close to 50 hours break-in.


----------



## jeffu

Probably a dumb question, but I've searched and haven't seen this asked - can you listen to two headphones at the same time with the WA7? Can you use both the 2.5 and 3.5 at the same time?  Would they both drive 2 pair of full size headphones?
  
 Thanks!


----------



## Dogmatrix

jeffu said:


> Probably a dumb question, but I've searched and haven't seen this asked - can you listen to two headphones at the same time with the WA7? Can you use both the 2.5 and 3.5 at the same time?  Would they both drive 2 pair of full size headphones?
> 
> Thanks!


 
  
  Don't think so but not sure . Anyway they have different output impedance and gain so the levels would not match


----------



## BoomBox

jeffu said:


> Probably a dumb question, but I've searched and haven't seen this asked - can you listen to two headphones at the same time with the WA7? Can you use both the 2.5 and 3.5 at the same time?  Would they both drive 2 pair of full size headphones?
> 
> Thanks!


 
  
 Both ports can drive full sized headphones, however only one port can be used at once. The larger 1/4" (6.25mm) jack takes over if both are plugged in. If you want to drive 2 pairs of headphones you'll need a splitter.


----------



## jeffu

Hi All - another quick question, this time regarding tubes for the WA7tp - I read a lot of notes from people saying they really prefer the Mullard's, but when I do a search for Mullard 12AU7, there's a ton of variations - how do you know which ones work and what's the difference? I see them range from $20 each to several hundreds....

Thanks


----------



## musicmac

jeffu said:


> Hi All - another quick question, this time regarding tubes for the WA7tp - I read a lot of notes from people saying they really prefer the Mullard's, but when I do a search for Mullard 12AU7, there's a ton of variations - how do you know which ones work and what's the difference? I see them range from $20 each to several hundreds....
> 
> Thanks


 

 I've had my WA7/WA7tp for a few weeks now.  After reading multiple reviews, I went with these Mullard CV4003s from Upscale Audio.  Good decision in my mind (or ears) from the get go.
  
 Really liking the sound -  to my ears, the sound is a little warmer than the stock 12AU7s, more detailed in the mid-range and treble -   tightens up the bass a bit.  
  
 I haven't compared them to the other Mullards such as the NOS Mullard ECC82, NOS Mullard 8136, or re-issued, new production Mullard ECC82/12AU7.
  
 Go with the Mullards I mentioned above from Upscale Audio and I think you will really enjoy the sound.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

For those looking for a great closed-back headphone, the new beyerdynamic T5p 2.0 is exceptional with WA7. This headphone sells for $1099 with FREE headphones stand and FREE shipping within CONUS. Email us to order info@wooaudio.com


----------



## HiFiGuy528

jeffu said:


> Probably a dumb question, but I've searched and haven't seen this asked - can you listen to two headphones at the same time with the WA7? Can you use both the 2.5 and 3.5 at the same time?  Would they both drive 2 pair of full size headphones?
> 
> Thanks!


 
  
 the 3.5mm port is for ultra-sensitive IEMs (in-ear monitors). If you wish to drive two of the SAME headphones simultaneously, use the 1/4" port. Pls. note: performance would be effected when driving two hps.


----------



## musicmac

Is it experiencing a tube amp for the first time vs solid state...  or is this the magic of the WA/7WA7tp tubes...
  
 Based on my last month with the WA7/WA7tp, I am hard pressed to go back to a solid state amp....  I am just wowed with my new set up - I just can't stop listening...   so, so, so smooth and sweet!


----------



## HiFiGuy528

musicmac said:


> Is it experiencing a tube amp for the first time vs solid state...  or is this the magic of the WA/7WA7tp tubes...
> 
> Based on my last month with the WA7/WA7tp, I am hard pressed to go back to a solid state amp....  I am just wowed with my new set up - I just can't stop listening...   so, so, so smooth and sweet!


----------



## Wyversnake

Hey I'm a newbie but I plan to buy the HD800(s)with a wa7tp, is that a good combo ?


----------



## BuZzzzz

Hey, as a happy owner of a HD800 I'm trying to upgrade my amp. What's the best amp with HD800, WA7D+TP or valhalla 2 ? Thanks.


----------



## nupperoinen

My opinion is that WA7 works great with HD800. I have both WA7 and OPPO HA1 and WA7 is better with Sennheiser.


----------



## nojwe

buzzzzz said:


> Hey, as a happy owner of a HD800 I'm trying to upgrade my amp. What's the best amp with HD800, WA7D+TP or valhalla 2 ? Thanks.


 
  Both are fantastic combos in my opinion. For the money however, I think the Bifrost Multi-Bit + Valhalla 2 is the better option (I'm thinking about switching back to that combo from my WA7 + TP as my main rig)


----------



## BuZzzzz

nojwe said:


> Both are fantastic combos in my opinion. For the money however, I think the Bifrost Multi-Bit + Valhalla 2 is the better option (I'm thinking about switching back to that combo from my WA7 + TP as my main rig)


 
 Thanks for the reply, really helps me a lot. One question however, since you mention "for the money", thing is I can get for ~1150$ WA7D + TP + tubes CV4003 12AU7 SYLVANIA 1967 + CV4003 MULLARD for the WA7TP + 6C45Pi gold pin Electro Harmonix. So these options probably release the full potential of WA7D+TP combo but I'm not sure if it's worth the price difference from Val 2 + Bifrost MultiBit. By any chance, is your W7+TP used with the same options or is it the stock one ?.
  
Cheers.


----------



## nojwe

buzzzzz said:


> Thanks for the reply, really helps me a lot. One question however, since you mention "for the money", thing is I can get for ~1150$ WA7D + TP + tubes CV4003 12AU7 SYLVANIA 1967 + CV4003 MULLARD for the WA7TP + 6C45Pi gold pin Electro Harmonix. So these options probably release the full potential of WA7D+TP combo but I'm not sure if it's worth the price difference from Val 2 + Bifrost MultiBit. By any chance, is your W7+TP used with the same options or is it the stock one ?.
> 
> Cheers.


 
 That's definitely a good deal. I have the EH 6C45 Gold pins in the amp and the stock for the TP. 
  
 Given the price difference of ~$200 (Bifrost MB is $600, Valhalla 2 is $350) I'd personally call it a tossup. The Woo will be able to drive planars if you ever decide to go that route and overall I think a better amp, but the Bifrost MB is a much better dac (in my opinion) than the one in the Wa7. Schiit does offer a generous trial period (14 days for a 5% fee) so if you're able you could always try them side by side. Both hold good resale value too.


----------



## BuZzzzz

nojwe said:


> That's definitely a good deal. I have the EH 6C45 Gold pins in the amp and the stock for the TP.
> 
> Given the price difference of ~$200 (Bifrost MB is $600, Valhalla 2 is $350) I'd personally call it a tossup. The Woo will be able to drive planars if you ever decide to go that route and overall I think a better amp, but the Bifrost MB is a much better dac (in my opinion) than the one in the Wa7. Schiit does offer a generous trial period (14 days for a 5% fee) so if you're able you could always try them side by side. Both hold good resale value too.


 
 Hey. I forgot to mention that I don't plan to use the dac of the WA7d (i've read many mixed reviews about it), as I own a dacmagic version 1 from cambridge audio. I assume the dacmagic is less good than the bifrost multibit, but probably a little better than the WA7d dac. I may eventually upgrade from the dacmagic to the bifrost MB but obviously it will come a bit later if I pick the WA7d+TP. So yeah I was mainly wondering about WA7d+TP amp vs Val 2 amp, if the ~800$ difference is worth it or not in terms of performance enhancement. Thanks again nojwe, you've been very helpful, I really had huge troubles finding people who could compare the WA7d+TP to the Val 2 with a HD800 on the internet.


----------



## nojwe

buzzzzz said:


> Hey. I forgot to mention that I don't plan to use the dac of the WA7d (i've read many mixed reviews about it), as I own a dacmagic version 1 from cambridge audio. I assume the dacmagic is less good than the bifrost multibit, but probably a little better than the WA7d dac. I may eventually upgrade from the dacmagic to the bifrost MB but obviously it will come a bit later if I pick the WA7d+TP. So yeah I was mainly wondering about WA7d+TP amp vs Val 2 amp, if the ~800$ difference is worth it or not in terms of performance enhancement. Thanks again nojwe, you've been very helpful, I really had huge troubles finding people who could compare the WA7d+TP to the Val 2 with a HD800 on the internet.


 
  
 The Woo is a better amp, and everything else being equal I'd get it over the Valhalla. For the price difference though I don't think it's worth it, especially if you're planning on getting the Bifrost MB anyway. The Valhalla is really a fantastic deal.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

wyversnake said:


> Hey I'm a newbie but I plan to buy the HD800(s)with a wa7tp, is that a good combo ?


 
  
 exceptional pairing... 
  
 My personal WA7 system.


----------



## musicmac

buzzzzz said:


> Hey. I forgot to mention that I don't plan to use the dac of the WA7d (i've read many mixed reviews about it), as I own a dacmagic version 1 from cambridge audio. I assume the dacmagic is less good than the bifrost multibit, but probably a little better than the WA7d dac. I may eventually upgrade from the dacmagic to the bifrost MB but obviously it will come a bit later if I pick the WA7d+TP. So yeah I was mainly wondering about WA7d+TP amp vs Val 2 amp, if the ~800$ difference is worth it or not in terms of performance enhancement. Thanks again nojwe, you've been very helpful, I really had huge troubles finding people who could compare the WA7d+TP to the Val 2 with a HD800 on the internet.


 

 My testing experience with using external solid state DACs compared to the internal DAC is that you lose the overall "organic/analog and sweet" sound as compared to the internal DAC (tested with Teac UD-301 and Marantz HD-DAC1). To my ears and using these external DACs, I could not detect any significant amount of additional detail or width/depth of sound stage (YMMV).  The thing I could detect with my ears is more grain with the external DACs - less smooth than the internal DAC.
  
 My personal viewpoint is that you would need to pair the WA7 with an external DAC that has a tube output stage to keep that "sweet" sound that the WA7 internal DAC provides.
  
 I'd be interested in hearing from folks that are using an external DAC with a tube output stage and the WA7 to confirm.


----------



## musicmac

hifiguy528 said:


> exceptional pairing...
> 
> My personal WA7 system.


 
  
 What headphone cable are you pairing with the HD-800?


----------



## musicmac

musicmac said:


> My testing experience with using external solid state DACs compared to the internal DAC is that you lose the overall "organic/analog and sweet" sound as compared to the internal DAC (tested with Teac UD-301 and Marantz HD-DAC1). To my ears and using these external DACs, I could not detect any significant amount of additional detail or width/depth of sound stage (YMMV).  The thing I could detect with my ears is more grain with the external DACs - less smooth than the internal DAC.
> 
> My personal viewpoint is that you would need to pair the WA7 with an external DAC that has a tube output stage to keep that "sweet" sound that the WA7 internal DAC provides.
> 
> I'd be interested in hearing from folks that are using an external DAC with a tube output stage and the WA7 to confirm.


 

 Outside of an external DAC with a tube output stage, one thing I would be interested in hearing is the WA7 internal DAC using an AKM4495/4497 DAC chip  Might make a nice upgrade for the WA7 - aka WA7 MK II.
  
 I wonder if there is anything going on in the Woo Audio Labs in regards to this...


----------



## HiFiGuy528

musicmac said:


> What headphone cable are you pairing with the HD-800?


 
  
 It's a Nordost Heimdall2.
  
  http://nordost.com/norse2/heimdall2/heimdall2-headphone-cable.php


----------



## jeffu

So I'm the very happy owner of a used WA7d and WA7tp - they sound fantastic!  I searched the thread and don't see an answer for this one way or the other, but what's the best practice for powering up and plugging in?
  
 Do you recommend powering up first, then plugging in the headphones?  Or do you plug in your 'phones first then power up?  Does it matter?


----------



## chry5alis

I always, always, ALWAYS, turn my volume down as a matter of habit before turning on, plugging in. This is after an incident with a hotel cleaner mucking with the controls caused me to blow the drivers on my grados.

Also worth noting that if you power off at the watp, always let the supply power down before switching back on. If you turn it off and on in quick succession, chances are you'll blow the fuse.


----------



## mariopoli

I want to buy an iPAD PRO. I plan to use the lightning to USB connection cable to feed a digital signal into the WA7D.
  
 Can anyone confirm that this works well?
  
 Thanks


----------



## HiFiGuy528

mariopoli said:


> I want to buy an iPAD PRO. I plan to use the lightning to USB connection cable to feed a digital signal into the WA7D.
> 
> Can anyone confirm that this works well?
> 
> Thanks


 
  
 You don't need 7d. Just get WA7 with Apple Lightening to USB adapter + good quality standard USB cable.
  
 http://tinyurl.com/pp95k7m


----------



## desertblues

jeffu said:


> So I'm the very happy owner of a used WA7d and WA7tp - they sound fantastic!  I searched the thread and don't see an answer for this one way or the other, but what's the best practice for powering up and plugging in?
> 
> Do you recommend powering up first, then plugging in the headphones?  Or do you plug in your 'phones first then power up?  Does it matter?




Fwiw I have been a very happy owner of the WA7 / WA7tp since it's release; I always plug phones in before powering up. I always check the volume as well.


----------



## Uberclocked

Hey guys, I lost the rubber pads that go between the glass topper and amp.
 Any suggestions for a replacement?
 Thanks!


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

I remember reading in this forum about another member who recommended using "glue dots" ( http://www.amazon.com/Self-adhesive-Clear-Rubber-Feet-Bumpons/dp/B001JAW454) and that they worked out quite well. You can buy these almost anywhere.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

uberclocked said:


> Hey guys, I lost the rubber pads that go between the glass topper and amp.
> Any suggestions for a replacement?
> Thanks!


 
  
 Please send us an email with your shipping address and we'll send you a set.  info@wooaudio.com


----------



## Whataudiophile

shultzee said:


> Lcd-x / wa7 is a incredibly good combo both to me and everyone that has heard it.     Be forewarned however that I had a lcd-2 with wa7 and thought it sounded very good.


 

 Dude,I have LCD-X.I also bought Audeze Deckard along with it, but now I absolutely hate Deckard. Have you had any experience with Deckard? I am thinking of buying WA7.My budget is around $1000.Is it gonna be a good combo?


----------



## shultzee

whataudiophile said:


> shultzee said:
> 
> 
> > Lcd-x / wa7 is a incredibly good combo both to me and everyone that has heard it.     Be forewarned however that I had a lcd-2 with wa7 and thought it sounded very good.
> ...


 

 I have had no experience with the Deckard.   I really enjoyed the wa7 while I had it.  I ended up moving on because I wanted a better Dac.


----------



## JerseyD

Jude mentions in the CanJam preview video that Woo is coming out with Fireflies V2 with newer DAC (same one the WA8 uses) and other upgrades.


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

jerseyd said:


> Jude mentions in the CanJam preview video that Woo is coming out with Fireflies V2 with newer DAC (same one the WA8 uses) and other upgrades.


 
 Hmmm....I hope that they offer some sort of "upgrade" discount to existing WA7 users...that would be sweet.


----------



## mjock3

Mike aka HiFiguy528,
  
 What's the word, is Woo going to offer upgrades to existing user's?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Hey everyone... we're thrilled to announce 2nd generation WA7 Fireflies. Here's the official product flyer.
  
 Yes, there will be factory upgrade available for existing WA7 owners soon. Stay subscribed for details on that.


----------



## musicmac

hifiguy528 said:


> Hey everyone... we're thrilled to announce 2nd generation WA7 Fireflies. Here's the official product flyer.
> 
> Yes, there will be factory upgrade available for existing WA7 owners soon. Stay subscribed for details on that.


 
  
 A few questions...
  
 1.  Has the WA7tp stayed the same or have improvements been made to the WA7tp power supply?
 2.  Is the WA7 able to play DSD?
 3.  What are the sonic differences between 1st gen and 2nd gen?  Is the overall sound signature similar, or is it just more detail from the ESS Sabre 9018 in the 2nd gen?
  
 Thanks for any details you can provide...


----------



## mjock3

Originally Posted by *HiFiGuy528* 


  
 Hey everyone... we're thrilled to announce 2nd generation WA7 Fireflies. Here's the official product flyer.
 Yes, there will be factory upgrade available for existing WA7 owners soon. Stay subscribed for details on that. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
  
Hat's off to Woo Audio for not leaving us original owners of the WA7 high and dry. Thank you!


----------



## shultzee

Loved the original wa7 while I had it.  Biggest reason I moved on was the dac.  Hats off to them for upgrading the dac.


----------



## JoeDoe

Any word on how much the Sabre upgrade for an old WA7 will run?


----------



## Beammeup

The aesthetics of the WA7 and the sonic quality have made me a happy owner. Being able to upgrade - BONUS!!!!


----------



## Reignfire

do you guys detached the tubes after use or its perfectly fine to leave the tubes attached to the amp with its protective glass when not in used? (one can just cover the two holes to prevent the entry of dust)


----------



## Beammeup

reignfire said:


> do you guys detached the tubes after use or its perfectly fine to leave the tubes attached to the amp with its protective glass when not in used? (one can just cover the two holes to prevent the entry of dust)


 

 Leave them in.  It is best not to mess with them if you do not need to.


----------



## Reignfire

Hi guys, kindly share your recommendations and impressions with other tubes (compatible with WA7)


----------



## groovyd

reignfire said:


> Hi guys, kindly share your recommendations and impressions with other tubes (compatible with WA7)


 

 should read back on the earlier posts as there are literally hundreds of posts about this already.  everything that can be said has.


----------



## kyle1010

I've moved up to a WA22 so I'm selling off all my WA7tp power supply tubes. I have the Phillips ECC82s, NOS Mullard CV4003s, and some CBS Hytron 5814s and 12AU7s. I also have the EH gold pins for the amp section. All with minimal use. Anyone in this thread can PM me if interested instead of searching through ebay!

Edit: Aaaand they're gone.


----------



## Jeffersonian

Still no update on upgrading?  Does the "upgrade" include the Teflon tube sockets and new USB port?  I have the price is reasonable, considering how much the WA7d + WA7tp already cost.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

jeffersonian said:


> Still no update on upgrading?  Does the "upgrade" include the Teflon tube sockets and new USB port?  I have the price is reasonable, considering how much the WA7d + WA7tp already cost.


 
  
 New high-retention USB connector and entire new digital board.


----------



## Jeffersonian

Cool thanks.  Any word on price yet?


----------



## acguitar84

jeffersonian said:


> Cool thanks.  Any word on price yet?


 
 It's a bummer that there's no info on an upgrade.


----------



## kyle1010

ACTUALLY, I asked the Woo guys at T.H.E. Show Newport last weekend and they said it's looking like $499 for the upgrade. Possibly available as soon as Fall '16.


----------



## acguitar84

Sounds good. The internal DAC needs a good upgrade. I hope it's a big improvement. I'd love to run the WA7 by itself without having to plug in an outboard DAC.


----------



## groovyd

kyle1010 said:


> ACTUALLY, I asked the Woo guys at T.H.E. Show Newport last weekend and they said it's looking like $499 for the upgrade. Possibly available as soon as Fall '16.


 

 wow, that's about double what I was hoping to spend.  Plus you have to consider shipping and return shipping will add another $60 or so and a couple weeks turn around I imagine.


----------



## acguitar84

It is a lot of money. It will be nice to read some reviews of generation 2 to see if it's much of an improvement.


----------



## groovyd

acguitar84 said:


> It is a lot of money. It will be nice to read some reviews of generation 2 to see if it's much of an improvement.


 

 haha, reviews will be glowing omg amazing improvement as usual... no chance of that slowing anyone down.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

acguitar84 said:


> It is a lot of money. It will be nice to read some reviews of generation 2 to see if it's much of an improvement.


 
  
 http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/688-woo-audio-wa7-fireflies/
  
 Quote:


groovyd said:


> wow, that's about double what I was hoping to spend.  Plus you have to consider shipping and return shipping will add another $60 or so and a couple weeks turn around I imagine.


 
  
 Price is not finalized... The cost would include shipping by insured FedEx Ground (both ways) for CONUS customers with service timeframe of 24 hrs. turnaround. Right now, WA8 Eclipse orders are overwhelming our production staff. A good problem to have I guess. Once we're caught up, we'll open the upgrade option for original WA7 owners in batches.


----------



## Digital-Deviant

I have just spent my first weekend with my new WA7, I am in love!

As an engineer I really appreciate the incredible design/build of the Woo, I'm now in great danger of convincincing myself I need more, WA8, WA234...
I won't try and describe the sound, or compare it to my Mojo - it sounds wonderful to my ear, and I couldn't be happier!
I will comment on the *excelent* service however, I placed an order on 7th June and it was delivered to my home in the UK on the 10th. The packaging was superb - you may have seen unboxing videos, if not have a search of you tube.

Not much more to say really.
Happy to answer any sensible questions


----------



## HiFiGuy528

digital-deviant said:


> I have just spent my first weekend with my new WA7, I am in love!
> 
> As an engineer I really appreciate the incredible design/build of the Woo, I'm now in great danger of convincincing myself I need more, WA8, WA234...
> I won't try and describe the sound, or compare it to my Mojo - it sounds wonderful to my ear, and I couldn't be happier!
> ...


 
  
 Thank you for sharing your experience.


----------



## John Q Lin

would wa7 be able to drive the he6 to its potential?
Thanks for the help guys


----------



## Jeffersonian

hifiguy528 said:


> Price is not finalized... The cost would include shipping by insured FedEx Ground (both ways) for CONUS customers with service timeframe of 24 hrs. turnaround. Right now, WA8 Eclipse orders are overwhelming our production staff. A good problem to have I guess. Once we're caught up, we'll open the upgrade option for original WA7 owners in batches.




If the price is too high, customers are just better off buying an external DAC. I was hoping it would be more like $200 personally.


----------



## sheldaze

I have not heard the upgrade, and too am considering my options. But as I understand it, there are multiple upgrades:
  

Power supply for the DAC
The DAC itself
Improved amplifier section
  
 The last improvement would alter the entire sound of the WA7, such that you could not replicate this by simply upgrading to an external DAC.


----------



## Jeffersonian

Is the WA7d not updated?  Just noticed the webpage doesn't list new specs for it.  I have a WA7d + WA7tp.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

jeffersonian said:


> Is the WA7d not updated?  Just noticed the webpage doesn't list new specs for it.  I have a WA7d + WA7tp.


 
  
 There are no plans to update WA7d. This product will remain in our products portfolio.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

john q lin said:


> would wa7 be able to drive the he6 to its potential?
> Thanks for the help guys


 
  
 no. You need WA5-LE to drive HE-6 effectively.


----------



## Jeffersonian

hifiguy528 said:


> There are no plans to update WA7d. This product will remain in our products portfolio.




Just curious, any particular reason why? The shipping WA7 will sound better than the shipping WA7d. Slightly regretting getting the more expensive model now.


----------



## ClintonL

Hey guys, have the option to buy this as an upgrade for my bottlehead crack + speedball running upgraded tubes. Anyone know if it's going to be worth the upgrade?


----------



## groovyd

clintonl said:


> Hey guys, have the option to buy this as an upgrade for my bottlehead crack + speedball running upgraded tubes. Anyone know if it's going to be worth the upgrade?


 

 The original WA7 + tp is a pretty impressive kit so we can only assume the upgraded one will be even better.  Don't know much about the bottlehead but isn't that an OTL?  I'd say that might be better for high impedance cans like the T1 if you don't need a DAC.  Unless you are only running high impedance cans I would say the WA7 kit is going to outperform the crack and include a good DAC so it really depends on what you need.


----------



## ClintonL

I'm running hd800's and already am using a cambridge dac magic plus as a standalone dac.


----------



## eeagle

clintonl said:


> Hey guys, have the option to buy this as an upgrade for my bottlehead crack + speedball running upgraded tubes. Anyone know if it's going to be worth the upgrade?T


 
 The WA7 is really a work of art as well as a nice performer.
  
 I plan to build a bottlehead crack at some point because of what I have read about this OTL amp, and would not expect the WA7 to be an upgrade except in the looks department.


----------



## tunes

The update could be worth the money if it will increase power to drive the HE1000 to its full potential rather than having to buy a whole new amp for those of us who purchased the original WA7.


----------



## groovyd

Then you might reconsider and go for the WA2 instead giving you OTL plus no DAC but sweet sweet sound or the WA22 if you prefer balanced.


----------



## ClintonL

eeagle said:


> The WA7 is really a work of art as well as a nice performer.
> 
> I plan to build a bottlehead crack at some point because of what I have read about this OTL amp, and would not expect the WA7 to be an upgrade except in the looks department.


 
  
 Interesting so you'd say there wouldn't be much of a sonic upgrade to the crack? Also to the above post i think the 7236 has a bit better mids and also the highs aren't as harsh.


----------



## groovyd

clintonl said:


> Interesting so you'd say there wouldn't be much of a sonic upgrade to the crack? Also to the above post i think the 7236 has a bit better mids and also the highs aren't as harsh.


 

 Since you don't need the DAC Woo has better sounding options at lower price points is my recommendation.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

jeffersonian said:


> Just curious, any particular reason why? The shipping WA7 will sound better than the shipping WA7d. Slightly regretting getting the more expensive model now.


 
  
 WA7 with TI DAC have been in production since 2012 and there are many customers who prefers that sound. We keep WA7d unchanged for those customers.
  


tunes said:


> The update could be worth the money if it will increase power to drive the HE1000 to its full potential rather than having to buy a whole new amp for those of us who purchased the original WA7.


 
 We recommend HE-560 or Edition X for the ideal pairing with WA7. Synergy is more important than having the top dog.


----------



## nojwe

Removed


----------



## Priscilla Rose

Could someone please tell me how do I set my wa7 for 24 bit 384kHz? I got the second generation, but xmos interface won't let me touch anything, and Windows interface only let me put it on 192kHz.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

priscilla rose said:


> Could someone please tell me how do I set my wa7 for 24 bit 384kHz? I got the second generation, but xmos interface won't let me touch anything, and Windows interface only let me put it on 192kHz.


 
  
 Did you install the audio driver from our site?
  
 http://wooaudio.com/products/wa7fireflies.html


----------



## Priscilla Rose

Yes, the picture I show is your audio driver.


----------



## Tadamn

The update looks overrated to me, some other impressions here?


----------



## acguitar84

I'd love to read some impressions on the 2nd edition of the Wa7 myself, especially in comparison with the 1st generation.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

priscilla rose said:


> Yes, the picture I show is your audio driver.


 
  
 The audio player controls the output. Check to ensure the application is set correctly and that the music file being played is above 24/192kHz.


----------



## KillerX

Guys, need help!

 I have a WA7 and a WA7TP  around a year or so. Just awhile ago, i have heard some of my stuff through foobar and found that the sound is cracking real bad with quite a fair bit of noise and distortion. This is my first tube amp and i'm not exactly sure which tube is giving issues on which device.

 Some of the things i've observed

 1) WA7TP left tube lights up more brightly than the other tubes when first switched on.

 2) Sometimes there is only one side of the sound that is being played on my headphone, i have to adjust and move the back of the D/A / USB / RCA before i get both channels playing through my headphone. 


 I'm not exactly sure if its the tubes that is the issue or the fuse that is gone. Anyone has any idea or similar experience?


----------



## Smileyko

I just got the HE-X 4 days ago here in HK. I am a rookie here never tried tubes but ready to jump in. I am trying to decide if the WA7 or the WA8 is better for me. I am plug and play kind of guy. Won't ever roll tubes. I have the AQ RED and the Mojo. I am living now in Vietnam, HCMC. Warm all year round. I can get the WA8 in Taiwan. Which will be more trouble free? Also, the two will never leave my house. Money is not a factor. Thanks in advance.


----------



## groovyd

do you need a DAC? if not then go with the WA8 otherwise if you do then get the WA7


----------



## HiFiGuy528

smileyko said:


> I just got the HE-X 4 days ago here in HK. I am a rookie here never tried tubes but ready to jump in. I am trying to decide if the WA7 or the WA8 is better for me. I am plug and play kind of guy. Won't ever roll tubes. I have the AQ RED and the Mojo. I am living now in Vietnam, HCMC. Warm all year round. I can get the WA8 in Taiwan. Which will be more trouble free? Also, the two will never leave my house. Money is not a factor. Thanks in advance.


 
  
 For stationary use, we recommend WA7+WA7tp. 
  


groovyd said:


> do you need a DAC? if not then go with the WA8 otherwise if you do then get the WA7


 
  
 WA8 Eclipse has internal 24/384kHz ESS SABER DAC as well + 3.5mm analog input.


----------



## groovyd

hifiguy528 said:


> For stationary use, we recommend WA7+WA7tp.
> 
> 
> WA8 Eclipse has internal 24/384kHz ESS SABER DAC as well + 3.5mm analog input.


 
  
 ah sorry, i was thinking of the WA2


----------



## Smileyko

Thankful for you all's info. I will read a little more and decide which one to get this weekend. From just reading Head Fi I sure have bought a lot of gear unseen and unheard and this might be my last step and that's it for this year. This WOO is the end game.


----------



## Smileyko

Very Thankful for the info. I just found a shop here in Saigon with a WA7d. This is the older version is it not? If I want the very latest I should order the WA7 from USA? Please kindly advice.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

smileyko said:


> Very Thankful for the info. I just found a shop here in Saigon with a WA7d. This is the older version is it not? If I want the very latest I should order the WA7 from USA? Please kindly advice.


 
  
 WA7d is a currently selling model. 
  
 http://wooaudio.com/products/wa7d-fireflies.html


----------



## Smileyko

Thanks for the quick reply. I am on your website like glue. But on the site it has 2 WA7. The 7 and the 7d. How are they different to a newbie like me? I like simple plug and play ZERO tube rolling.


----------



## Smileyko

I get it. The DAC is newer on the WA7. The WA7d is the older DAC. Okok. At least I know what I am in for when I go to this shop here in HCMC. Thanks.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

smileyko said:


> I get it. The DAC is newer on the WA7. The WA7d is the older DAC. Okok. At least I know what I am in for when I go to this shop here in HCMC. Thanks.


 
  
 WA7d adds optical (TOSLINK) digital input. No D/A mode RCA out on WA7d.


----------



## LimeCoke

I have just gotten a second hand wa7d with the wa7tp yesterday and I'm noticing a little bit of "issue" that I haven't seen it reported anywhere.
  
 I realize that when I plug in my headphones to the 1/4" jack, there's a faint high frequency noise, which is more audible than a "hiss". It kind of tones down 60-70% within a few seconds but I can tell the noise is still there. If I set it to high gain, the noise becomes even more apparent. I have tried it with iems and full-size headphones as well as different cables, they all give the same result, though the noise is much more apparent on the iems. Currently having no issues with the 3.5mm jack though. 
  
 I'm primarily using the Philips Fidelio x2 as of now and I wonder if this is because the x2 are too sensitive/ low impedence for the 1/4" jack or is there a problem to the unit? Thanks in advance for any response.


----------



## SDBiotek

The X2 doesn't require much power. Just try using it out of the 3.5 mm jack and see if that helps.


----------



## groovyd

limecoke said:


> I have just gotten a second hand wa7d with the wa7tp yesterday and I'm noticing a little bit of "issue" that I haven't seen it reported anywhere.
> 
> I realize that when I plug in my headphones to the 1/4" jack, there's a faint high frequency noise, which is more audible than a "hiss". It kind of tones down 60-70% within a few seconds but I can tell the noise is still there. If I set it to high gain, the noise becomes even more apparent. I have tried it with iems and full-size headphones as well as different cables, they all give the same result, though the noise is much more apparent on the iems. Currently having no issues with the 3.5mm jack though.
> 
> I'm primarily using the Philips Fidelio x2 as of now and I wonder if this is because the x2 are too sensitive/ low impedence for the 1/4" jack or is there a problem to the unit? Thanks in advance for any response.


 

 Sounds more like an unshielded cable and some significant source of interference nearby to me...  I had a problem like this using a dimmer control plugged into the same outlet since it emits a high frequency of interference while switching the line supply on and off very quickly to provide the dimmability.  Recognize many of today's outlet switches are in fact very high frequency PWM based devices that can cause tremendous interference.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

limecoke said:


> I have just gotten a second hand wa7d with the wa7tp yesterday and I'm noticing a little bit of "issue" that I haven't seen it reported anywhere.
> 
> I realize that when I plug in my headphones to the 1/4" jack, there's a faint high frequency noise, which is more audible than a "hiss". It kind of tones down 60-70% within a few seconds but I can tell the noise is still there. If I set it to high gain, the noise becomes even more apparent. I have tried it with iems and full-size headphones as well as different cables, they all give the same result, though the noise is much more apparent on the iems. Currently having no issues with the 3.5mm jack though.
> 
> I'm primarily using the Philips Fidelio x2 as of now and I wonder if this is because the x2 are too sensitive/ low impedence for the 1/4" jack or is there a problem to the unit? Thanks in advance for any response.


 
  
 the 3.5mm output is best for IEMs. Full-size hps like the X2 should use 1/4".
  
 Try a different cable on X2. It could also be microphonics from the tubes being moved slightly when connecting the hps. This is normal and should go away in 5–10 seconds if the tubes are good quality. Try new tubes if the ringing doesn't go away.


----------



## LimeCoke

hifiguy528 said:


> the 3.5mm output is best for IEMs. Full-size hps like the X2 should use 1/4".
> 
> Try a different cable on X2. It could also be microphonics from the tubes being moved slightly when connecting the hps. This is normal and should go away in 5–10 seconds if the tubes are good quality. Try new tubes if the ringing doesn't go away.


 
  
 Thanks a lot for the info.
  
 I have tried different cables on the x2, also tried leaving a 1/4" adapter in the jack and just plug a 3.5mm cable in the 1/4" adapter. The ring was there but it does seem to go away in about 5-10 seconds as you said. I used my super sensitive iems to test with it. Just lightly tapped the amp with my fingers and I was able to reproduce the ring. So that should confirm it was the microphonics from the tubes.
  
 I also do hear a very tiny bit of hum from the fidelio x2 straight out of the 1/4" jack when I turn the amp on, which is so faint that's almost inaudible. I can't even tell if it goes away or my ears just adapt to it after awhile. I guess the hum was probably just due to the tubes not being warmed up yet.
  
 I'm glad that it's a very quiet amp after all.


----------



## Priscilla Rose

I used to get some hum when I had a wireless mouse next to it. As soon as I move it away, the amp is completely quiet to me.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

limecoke said:


> Thanks a lot for the info.
> 
> I have tried different cables on the x2, also tried leaving a 1/4" adapter in the jack and just plug a 3.5mm cable in the 1/4" adapter. The ring was there but it does seem to go away in about 5-10 seconds as you said. I used my super sensitive iems to test with it. Just lightly tapped the amp with my fingers and I was able to reproduce the ring. So that should confirm it was the microphonics from the tubes.
> 
> ...


 
  
 use high quality 1/4" adapters when ever possible. Most on the market are poorly made. Here's link to a good one from AudioQuest.
  
 http://amzn.to/2a9Spb6
  

  
  
 keep wireless devices such as cell phones, wifi routers, wireless keyboards/mouse, and hard drives a 6–10 inches away from the amp if you're getting EMI.


----------



## king78

I read this whole thread! Great info guys. Placing my WA7 order soon!!!


----------



## Priscilla Rose

I absolutely love my current setup.
 WA7(2nd Gen)+TP+HD800S. I also played around a little bit with the tubes. I'm currently on Mullard CV 4003 and Electro Harmonix Gold Pins.
  
 I almost always fall asleep with just one music no matter what genre I listen to (that's when I close my eyes and try to take a rest). I had never listened to music so sweet, warm and harmless.
 I used to like my HD800+O2. I liked the excitement it gave me though I could never listen to it for long periods because they became fatiguing easily. Now I think about it, music so fatiguing is simply harmful, I mean they hurt your wellbeing. I'm glad I got myself this setup.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

priscilla rose said:


> I absolutely love my current setup.
> WA7(2nd Gen)+TP+HD800S. I also played around a little bit with the tubes. I'm currently on Mullard CV 4003 and Electro Harmonix Gold Pins.
> 
> I almost always fall asleep with just one music no matter what genre I listen to (that's when I close my eyes and try to take a rest). I had never listened to music so sweet, warm and harmless.
> I used to like my HD800+O2. I liked the excitement it gave me though I could never listen to it for long periods because they became fatiguing easily. Now I think about it, music so fatiguing is simply harmful, I mean they hurt your wellbeing. I'm glad I got myself this setup.


 
  
 congrats on the system. They pair well together. We would love to see a pic if possible.


----------



## acguitar84

I like my WA7. I just have the first generation cube with the solid state power supply. I emailed the company a couple of times wondering what the price of the tube power supply would be and if it's possible to get mine upgraded to 2nd generation, but have gotten no response.

Anyway, earlier tonight I was listening to music and it sounded really good. I was using my Schiit modi multibit DAC plugged into the RCA inputs of the WA7 with my Grado PS1000e and it sounded great, really loved it. The fireflies really sounded and looked great with the lights off. A great listening session!


----------



## sheldaze

acguitar84 said:


> I like my WA7. I just have the first generation cube with the solid state power supply. I emailed the company a couple of times wondering what the price of the tube power supply would be and if it's possible to get mine upgraded to 2nd generation, but have gotten no response.
> 
> Anyway, earlier tonight I was listening to music and it sounded really good. I was using my Schiit modi multibit DAC plugged into the RCA inputs of the WA7 with my Grado PS1000e and it sounded great, really loved it. The fireflies really sounded and looked great with the lights off. A great listening session!


 
 Try calling during business hours.
 I think there are a couple of email addresses, some not monitored as frequently. Support has been fantastic, once I had the right contact.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

acguitar84 said:


> I like my WA7. I just have the first generation cube with the solid state power supply. I emailed the company a couple of times wondering what the price of the tube power supply would be and if it's possible to get mine upgraded to 2nd generation, but have gotten no response.
> 
> Anyway, earlier tonight I was listening to music and it sounded really good. I was using my Schiit modi multibit DAC plugged into the RCA inputs of the WA7 with my Grado PS1000e and it sounded great, really loved it. The fireflies really sounded and looked great with the lights off. A great listening session!


 
  
 That is surprising to hear. We reply to emails generally within 24 hrs. even on weekends. Please resend to info@wooaudio.com and someone will get back to you.


----------



## acguitar84

hifiguy528 said:


> That is surprising to hear. We reply to emails generally within 24 hrs. even on weekends. Please resend to info@wooaudio.com and someone will get back to you.


 
 It's cool. It could totally be something on my end. Sometimes yahoo email is glitchy. I'll try to email you again from another email account. And again, I really enjoyed the Wa7 last night. I've been thinking of upgrading my headphone amp eventually, to a wa5, or I was looking at Eddie Current stuff as well. But the way it sounded last night, I thought, maybe I should just look into the tube power supply and getting it upgraded to second generation and call it good (for now, you know how this hobby can be). Thanks again!


----------



## Priscilla Rose

I'm aware that ASIO device can only be used with one program at a time. However, there's a delay every time after I switched programs (After I have closed a program and opened another, the sound won't work straight away on the new program--- it won't work until I have closed and re-opened the program multiple times). Anyone knows a fix for this?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

priscilla rose said:


> I'm aware that ASIO device can only be used with one program at a time. However, there's a delay every time after I switched programs (After I have closed a program and opened another, the sound won't work straight away on the new program--- it won't work until I have closed and re-opened the program multiple times). Anyone knows a fix for this?


 
 What's the app? Do you have any other audio apps or plug-ins running? This sounds to be a software issue. Is this a dedicated PC for music playback?


----------



## Priscilla Rose

hifiguy528 said:


> What's the app? Do you have any other audio apps or plug-ins running? This sounds to be a software issue. Is this a dedicated PC for music playback?


Yes, I use a PC. It happens to everything I use. For example, if I want sound for YouTube from my browser, I simply close my music app (JRiver), I won’t get any sound for YouTube until I close and reopen my browser many times (or I could also wait for like a minute and do nothing). Same thing happens between my video player and browser, video player and music player. There's always a delay before the device can be used on another app.


----------



## figgyburn

Hi,i think this is i think my first post here although i am a long time reader of the forum.i have just purchased the wa7d+wa7tp from a fellow head fi'er here in the uk.First time tube headphone amp user..Now i have put in the eh gold pins in the amp and mullards in the p.s.All glow so i assume all fine there.I tried to download the w7 usb drivers from the woo site.I get most of it dowloaded but nothing shows up in the sound devices section.When investigating the i find a "usb 2.0 high speed true hd audio has failed/has a driver problem" and code 10. I'm a very basic computer guy so have no idea how to fix this problem.I have emailed woo for advice.I asked the seller but he has a mac so it was plug and play.Second problem is that i wanted to play some music on the headphone amp but i tried my cd player using both the rca in and the optical in but still no sound.Ihave checked and re checked all connections and settings with no sucess.The seller kindly said that i could have a month "trial"so i can return it but,i really want this to work.Any advice will be greatly welcome. Cheers john.


----------



## figgyburn

Just remembered another query.At the end of the driver installation it says"please disconnect+reconnect the device you wish to install+turn it on".Can someone please explain that to me in simple terms.I'm not stupid but unclear about these instructions☺


----------



## figgyburn

No joy. So sent the items back to the seller(who was most helpful).So sad as it will probably be my only chance of owning these amps.onwards and upwards.


----------



## Cardiiiii

Anyone had the chance to try the new Focal Elear on the WA7?


----------



## wordfool

Does anyone have anything _bad _to say about the Fireflies?! Glowing reviews abound (pun intended), but it's odd in the head-fi world to see so little in the way of criticism. OK, so the 1st gen DAC doesn't get as much love as it could, but even on that topic I'm not really understanding exactly what's wrong with it in terms of sound signature. Can someone elaborate, and perhaps comment on how it compares to the DAC in the 1st-gen Meridian Explorer (which I own)? I'd also be curious to read some more detail about the sonic differences (not just internal design differences) between gen 1 and 2. Thanks.
  
 Edit: realized the 1st Gen Meridian Explorer uses the same DAC chip as the 1st Gen Fireflies (Burr Brown/TI PCM5102) so not much will change for me there!


----------



## kyle1010

wordfool said:


> Does anyone have anything _bad_ to say about the Fireflies?! Glowing reviews abound (pun intended), but it's odd in the head-fi world to see so little in the way of criticism. OK, so the 1st gen DAC doesn't get as much love as it could, but even on that topic I'm not really understanding exactly what's wrong with it in terms of sound signature. Can someone elaborate, and perhaps comment on how it compares to the DAC in the 1st-gen Meridian Explorer (which I own)? I'd also be curious to read some more detail about the sonic differences (not just internal design differences) between gen 1 and 2. Thanks.




Only thing bad I can say about my 1st gen WA7tp is that to get the best sound out of it you need the best of tubes in the power supply. Period. In stock form it's still pretty smooth but not even close to the sonic heights you can reach with some of the better 12AU7 tubes. The problem is some of those tubes are very rare and hard to come by. So once you're in love with a tube combo, the clock's ticking to find more sets of the same ones. I moved up to a WA-22 with Mojo as dac(due to curiosity and better availability of tubes), and while the Mojo trounces the 1st gen WA7's dac in detail retrieval and instrument separation, I often miss the smoother overall presentation of the WA7tp. For that reason I kept it for my girlfriend instead of selling it off, and honestly I would've been just as happy had I not upgraded to the WA-22. The hype is real, WA7tp is that good.


----------



## wordfool

kyle1010 said:


> Only thing bad I can say about my 1st gen WA7tp is that to get the best sound out of it you need the best of tubes in the power supply. Period. In stock form it's still pretty smooth but not even close to the sonic heights you can reach with some of the better 12AU7 tubes. The problem is some of those tubes are very rare and hard to come by. So once you're in love with a tube combo, the clock's ticking to find more sets of the same ones. I moved up to a WA-22 with Mojo as dac(due to curiosity and better availability of tubes), and while the Mojo trounces the 1st gen WA7's dac in detail retrieval and instrument separation, I often miss the smoother overall presentation of the WA7tp. For that reason I kept it for my girlfriend instead of selling it off, and honestly I would've been just as happy had I not upgraded to the WA-22. The hype is real, WA7tp is that good.


 
  
 Thanks. I'd plan on using the WA7 with solid state power supply -- do you have any experience with that? You touch on one aspect that I guess I'm most curious about with the 1st Gen DAC -- the detail/resolution that it pulls out. I'm sure it's no slouch in that area and although it can't come close to the Mojo (what can?!) I wonder how it compares to more popular mid-fi DACs like the O-Dac and Schiit Magni/Bifrost


----------



## mjock3

Hope you don't mind if I contribute. I bought my WA7 used a couple of years ago and it had the solid state power supply. I tried to find some one who would be willing tell sell me the tp unit. I could not so I bought one from Woo. I have absolutely no regrets in doing so. As a matter of fact I think the step up that you get from the tube power supply is greater than any DAC upgrade. I compared the stock DAC to my regular DAC TP Buffalo III with many upgrades as well as my Chord Qute EX DAC and the tube power supply with some nice tubes is much nicer upgrade. I at times would like to upgrade to another setup but the WA7/tp brings me so much enjoyment I think that I would need to spend quite a bit to make it a worth while upgrade.
  
 YMMV


----------



## wordfool

Wish I had the money to go with tube power, but sadly it's out of my (already extended) budget


----------



## BarDash

Probably a question asked many times before but to revisit.... Any recommendations for tubes for the WA7tp?


----------



## Cardiiiii

wordfool said:


> Wish I had the money to go with tube power, but sadly it's out of my (already extended) budget


 
  
 Pick up a Schiit Wyred or a W4S Regen, it immediately takes the DAC up a couple of notches. An improvement you can definitely hear. Don't go for the EH 6C45 gold pin tubes just yet, they don't really provide much of an audible improvement. I've been waiting for a used 7tp to show up, but no luck yet, looks like I'll have to pony up for one.


----------



## wordfool

cardiiiii said:


> Pick up a Schiit Wyred or a W4S Regen, it immediately takes the DAC up a couple of notches. An improvement you can definitely hear. Don't go for the EH 6C45 gold pin tubes just yet, they don't really provide much of an audible improvement. I've been waiting for a used 7tp to show up, but no luck yet, looks like I'll have to pony up for one.


 
  
 The DAC is the same as in my Meridian Explorer so it should keep me happy, but good suggestion on the Wyred, too. 
  
 Doubt anyone would sell a 7tp alone, but if you can hang on a few months Woo Audio usually has a black Friday sale at the end of November.


----------



## SuperPollito

wordfool said:


> Doubt anyone would sell a 7tp alone, but if you can hang on a few months Woo Audio usually has a black Friday sale at the end of November.


 
  
 Any idea what the average discount is on the Black Friday sale? That might give me time to save up the $$$ for a pair. Thanks!


----------



## wordfool

Last year it was 10%, which is (as my dad used to say) not great but better than a kick in the teeth!


----------



## Jprod

Hello. I can chime in regarding gen 1 vs gen2. I bought gen1 in February and just bought gen 2. I moved gen 1 into my basement and will use it as an amp for my turntable set up. I immediately noticed an improvement with gen 2. The resolution and detail in the music is much better with the dac in the gen 2 unit. I frankly was expecting a minor difference but I was wrong. There is more instrument separation in gen 2 and the bass seemed better to me also.


----------



## BarDash

jprod said:


> Hello. I can chime in regarding gen 1 vs gen2. I bought gen1 in February and just bought gen 2. I moved gen 1 into my basement and will use it as an amp for my turntable set up. I immediately noticed an improvement with gen 2. The resolution and detail in the music is much better with the dac in the gen 2 unit. I frankly was expecting a minor difference but I was wrong. There is more instrument separation in gen 2 and the bass seemed better to me also.


 

 What's your opinion on the upgrade gold plated tubes for the WA7 gen 2? Some people are pretty neutral on them making a difference, but I noticed an upgrade IMO on the SQ.


----------



## Jprod

I cannot comment on the tubes as of yet as I just received them and haven't let them fully burn in yet. I may put them in my gen 1 unit to see if I detect a difference there since I have had the gen 1 a lot longer


----------



## BarDash

jprod said:


> I cannot comment on the tubes as of yet as I just received them and haven't let them fully burn in yet. I may put them in my gen 1 unit to see if I detect a difference there since I have had the gen 1 a lot longer


 

 Please post a comment/review when you do. Thanks.


----------



## Jprod

bardash said:


> Please post a comment/review when you do. Thanks.


 

 will do. I recently went on an electronics bender so to speak . I also recently purchased the ascend acoustics sierra tower speaker with RAAL tweeter and i have been playing with them.  It may take a little while before i can give you an honest assessment


----------



## wordfool

jprod said:


> Hello. I can chime in regarding gen 1 vs gen2. I bought gen1 in February and just bought gen 2. I moved gen 1 into my basement and will use it as an amp for my turntable set up. I immediately noticed an improvement with gen 2. The resolution and detail in the music is much better with the dac in the gen 2 unit. I frankly was expecting a minor difference but I was wrong. There is more instrument separation in gen 2 and the bass seemed better to me also.


 
  
 Thanks for the insight. Was there any of the so-called "digititus" that some say is a weakness of the Sabre dacs? Resolution being pushed a bit too far into harshness or agressiveness (that might not be the best match for brighter cans)?


----------



## Jprod

I'm very susceptible to sibilance and have detected no appreciable brightness/digitus with the dac. Although I'm not in the know about the internal workings of the amp and Mike would be a better person to chime in on this subject, I would bet that Woo took the brightness into consideration when they incorporated the dac into the amp.


----------



## BarDash

No worries, I'm trying to "break in" the upgraded tubes as well as a new Schiit Jotunheim. Not enough hours in a day when you work F/T and have a life.


----------



## Jprod

bardash said:


> No worries, I'm trying to "break in" the upgraded tubes as well as a new Schiit Jotunheim. Not enough hours in a day when you work F/T and have a life.


 

 Exactly. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother to drop money on this hobby when i have a demanding job and 3 kids ( 2 of which are teenagers).


----------



## HiFiGuy528

New WA7 Fireflies (2nd gen) is Mac OSX Sierra compatible. Update and enjoy!


----------



## Jprod

hifiguy528 said:


> New WA7 Fireflies (2nd gen) is Mac OSX Sierra compatible. Update and enjoy!


 

 Is the bitrate option only on the sierra?. I did not see it when i chose woo audio under el capitan


----------



## BarDash

jprod said:


> Exactly. Sometimes I wonder why I even bother to drop money on this hobby when i have a demanding job and 3 kids ( 2 of which are teenagers).




You probably do this as I do because it's a nice diversion from reality. Plus, I always have my "I didn't hear you I had the headphones on" excuse at the ready.


----------



## Cardiiiii

jprod said:


> Is the bitrate option only on the sierra?. I did not see it when i chose woo audio under el capitan




Also do you only see that if you have a Gen 2? If I remember, my Gen 1 used to show up as 'Speakers' or something.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

jprod said:


> Is the bitrate option only on the sierra?. I did not see it when i chose woo audio under el capitan


 
  
 Apple changed the look in macOS Sierra. You get a different looking dropdown in El Capitan 
  


cardiiiii said:


> Also do you only see that if you have a Gen 2? If I remember, my Gen 1 used to show up as 'Speakers' or something.


  

 2nd gen uses XMOS USB controller with branding, 1st gen is Cmedia no branding.


----------



## wordfool

bardash said:


> No worries, I'm trying to "break in" the upgraded tubes as well as a new Schiit Jotunheim. Not enough hours in a day when you work F/T and have a life.


 
  
 Would love to hear your views on how the Fireflies and Joty compare... when you have time!


----------



## Cardiiiii

hifiguy528 said:


> Apple changed the look in macOS Sierra. You get a different looking dropdown in El Capitan
> 
> 2nd gen uses XMOS USB controller with branding, 1st gen is Cmedia no branding.




So that drop down selection will apply for the Gen 1 as well?


----------



## BarDash

wordfool said:


> Would love to hear your views on how the Fireflies and Joty compare... when you have time!


 

 Okay, but first I have to disclose that by no means am I a "pro" and these are all my personal although short & sweet opinions.   
 First off I really, love the Jot. It's SQ is superb and the price is phenomenal! I bought the one with the extra 100.00 DAC and I find it more than adequate. I also like the idea that I can play balanced HP's as well as use the SE at the same time, which allows me to do some albeit uneven comparisons between my Ether C's and HD 800s's.
 But I also find myself switching back to the WA7 2nd Gen. (w/ WA7tp) when I want to hear (excuse the cliché) something a little warmer and smoother if you will... I was listening to some Miles Davis and some Grateful Dead  and I prefer the WA7's for that sort of music or for relaxing.
 The Jot to me anyway is more in your face jam out & crank up some Zep or Sabbath kind of amp for me.
 Together they make a great couple.


----------



## groovyd

Wait, did I miss the details about upgrading a gen1 WA7 to gen2 with the new DAC?  I would like to do this... what do I need to do?  At the same time one of the tube LEDs is intermittent in my unit so they might be able to also repair this at the same time. Oh and is there a discount for upgrading 2 units at the same time?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

groovyd said:


> Wait, did I miss the details about upgrading a gen1 WA7 to gen2 with the new DAC?  I would like to do this... what do I need to do?  At the same time one of the tube LEDs is intermittent in my unit so they might be able to also repair this at the same time. Oh and is there a discount for upgrading 2 units at the same time?


 
  
 Thank you for your continued support. Pls. send us an email when you're ready. We'll give you all the deets. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





info@wooaudio.com


----------



## wordfool

bardash said:


> Okay, but first I have to disclose that by no means am I a "pro" and these are all my personal although short & sweet opinions.
> First off I really, love the Jot. It's SQ is superb and the price is phenomenal! I bought the one with the extra 100.00 DAC and I find it more than adequate. I also like the idea that I can play balanced HP's as well as use the SE at the same time, which allows me to do some albeit uneven comparisons between my Ether C's and HD 800s's.
> But I also find myself switching back to the WA7 2nd Gen. (w/ WA7tp) when I want to hear (excuse the cliché) something a little warmer and smoother if you will... I was listening to some Miles Davis and some Grateful Dead  and I prefer the WA7's for that sort of music or for relaxing.
> The Jot to me anyway is more in your face jam out & crank up some Zep or Sabbath kind of amp for me.
> Together they make a great couple.


 
  
 Thanks. Would you say the Jot is a relatively "warm" SS amp overall (I've heard it said)? Something that might tame some of the worst excesses of, say, Beyer or HD800 high frequencies?


----------



## BarDash

wordfool said:


> Thanks. Would you say the Jot is a relatively "warm" SS amp overall (I've heard it said)? Something that might tame some of the worst excesses of, say, Beyer or HD800 high frequencies?


 
 IMO, I wouldn't exactly call it warm compared to the WA7. It's more neutral, natural sounding.
 Some people don't like it with the HD800 but running a balanced HD800s I'm really enjoying the sound, plus you get 15days to return it if you're not happy. Probably don't want to keep getting off topic here but I plan on keeping both the WA7 & Jot.


----------



## SashimiWu

Just curious if anyone here prefers their WA7 stock without the WA7tp?


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

sashimiwu said:


> Just curious if anyone here prefers their WA7 stock without the WA7tp?


 
  
 This seems like a strange question. If you have the WA7tp, I don't think you'd prefer the WA7 without it, as the sound is definitely improved over the stock SMPS.
  
 If you don't have the WA7tp, then it's doubtful you'd know how much better the WA7 sounds with it.
  
 Are you asking to know if the WA7tp is worth buying? If so, then I vote YES.


----------



## abvolt

yes I agree it is a big improvement with the tp, speaking as a former owner I now enjoy the wa22..


----------



## groovyd

abvolt said:


> yes I agree it is a big improvement with the tp, speaking as a former owner I now enjoy the wa22..


 
  
 I been thinking about selling one of my WA7+tp and moving toward perhaps the 22 for home use... how does it compare?  I already have a great DAC D100 so am really just lookin for the most lucious tube sound i can get for my LCD-X's.


----------



## pieman3141

I tried these today, and while excellent, the owner said that the tubes were going haywire which made the amp weaker than normal. Has anyone else had this problem?


----------



## Cardiiiii

edmontoncanuck said:


> This seems like a strange question. If you have the WA7tp, I don't think you'd prefer the WA7 without it, as the sound is definitely improved over the stock SMPS.
> 
> If you don't have the WA7tp, then it's doubtful you'd know how much better the WA7 sounds with it.
> 
> Are you asking to know if the WA7tp is worth buying? If so, then I vote YES.


 
  
 Yeah I picked up a WA7tp today from the official distributor. Been waiting but these don't come up used as a stand alone unit. While the DAC alone on the WA7 isn't anything ground breaking, it just works so well with the rest, i.e. amp and tube supply. I guess the word to use here would be synergy. It's just a really enjoyable experience. Can't wait for my Ethers to get here so I can take this enjoyment up a few levels.


----------



## groovyd

pieman3141 said:


> I tried these today, and while excellent, the owner said that the tubes were going haywire which made the amp weaker than normal. Has anyone else had this problem?


 

 yes, i just started having this problem with my work WA7 tp unit which i had swapped out the tubes for the extra long ones with the adapters and it seems they are causing issues and dropping out the audio during bass hits.  I am pulling them out of both my units and going back to the mullards... safe and sound great.


----------



## Cardiiiii

Do the newer TPs have a wobbly power button as well?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

cardiiiii said:


> Do the newer TPs have a wobbly power button as well?


 
  
 The button is slightly loose because it's a button, not a knob like WA7 amp. This is normal on all current and past WA7tp.


----------



## Cardiiiii

hifiguy528 said:


> The button is slightly loose because it's a button, not a knob like WA7 amp. This is normal on all current and past WA7tp.


 
 What is the connector on the umbilical chord? Is it possible to get one made as an upgrade?


----------



## mjock3

I was able to get an umbilical made for the WA7/tp by Revelation Audio Labs, very pleased with it's sound.


----------



## Cardiiiii

mjock3 said:


> I was able to get an umbilical made for the WA7/tp by Revelation Audio Labs, very pleased with it's sound.




Given the Aussie dollar it's quote pricey after conversion. Do you know what that 5 pin connector itself is called? Maybe I can get an upgrade cable made locally.


----------



## groovyd

cardiiiii said:


> Given the Aussie dollar it's quote pricey after conversion. Do you know what that 5 pin connector itself is called? Maybe I can get an upgrade cable made locally.


 
 Circular DIN?  Check out mouser maybe you can find it cheap...
  
 http://www.mouser.com/Connectors/Circular-Connectors/Circular-DIN-Connectors/_/N-76q5g


----------



## groovyd

Can anyone post for me a heavy bass track with no distortion during the bass hits?  I am trying to decvide if my tube swap fixed the bass issue but all the heavy bass tracks i have seem to have some bass distortion when the bass hits.  I need something heavy and super clean to verify against.


----------



## Cardiiiii

groovyd said:


> Can anyone post for me a heavy bass track with no distortion during the bass hits?  I am trying to decvide if my tube swap fixed the bass issue but all the heavy bass tracks i have seem to have some bass distortion when the bass hits.  I need something heavy and super clean to verify against.


 
 A Milli by Lil Wayne? Haha!


----------



## sarahkho

I was wondering if it is possible to use the WA 7 with desktop speakers? e.g if I connect it to computer via USB and then use the RCA connectors to connect it to a pair of desktop speakers like The Adam Audio F5 or Emotiva airmotiv 5?
  
 Thanks for any input.


----------



## groovyd

sarahkho said:


> I was wondering if it is possible to use the WA 7 with desktop speakers? e.g if I connect it to computer via USB and then use the RCA connectors to connect it to a pair of desktop speakers like The Adam Audio F5 or Emotiva airmotiv 5?
> 
> Thanks for any input.


 

 you can but it is just a line level dac, no pre-amp no tube goodness.


----------



## SashimiWu

If anyone is interested, I posted my WA7/WA7tp (2nd gen) combo for sale on the forums.  Awesome sounding unit but I am swapping some funds around for a portable setup.


----------



## BarDash

Has anyone tried the WA7 with a Schitt amp, in particular the Jotunheim?


----------



## Cardiiiii

bardash said:


> Has anyone tried the WA7 with a Schitt amp, in particular the Jotunheim?




You mean the WA7 DAC with the Jotunheim?


----------



## BarDash

cardiiiii said:


> You mean the WA7 DAC with the Jotunheim?



Yep


----------



## Cardiiiii

bardash said:


> Yep




I don't think the WA7 is worth it as a DAC on its own. It works great as an all in one solution but probably not worth getting another amp to use the DAC on the WA7.


----------



## nojwe

cardiiiii said:


> I don't think the WA7 is worth it as a DAC on its own. It works great as an all in one solution but probably not worth getting another amp to use the DAC on the WA7.


 
  
 Totally agree. It's really expensive to use as just a dac (and a not great one). If you want a dac to use with the Jot, get a Modi multibit. I'm actually using one with my WA7, sounds great!


----------



## Cardiiiii

nojwe said:


> Totally agree. It's really expensive to use as just a dac (and a not great one). If you want a dac to use with the Jot, get a Modi multibit. I'm actually using one with my WA7, sounds great!




Can you tell us more about the multibit and WA7 combo? Also do you use the USB or optical input?


----------



## nojwe

I listen to mostly classical (symphonic, opera, chamber) It's way more open and detailed, a bit warmer. Imaging is perfect now, instead of just approximate. Soundstage seems a bit deeper and taller.. Much more resolving. Everything just sounds more real. It's a phenomenal dac, regardless of the cost.


----------



## Cardiiiii

nojwe said:


> I listen to mostly classical (symphonic, opera, chamber) It's way more open and detailed, a bit warmer. Imaging is perfect now, instead of just approximate. Soundstage seems a bit deeper and taller.. Much more resolving. Everything just sounds more real. It's a phenomenal dac, regardless of the cost.


 
  
 Thank you for that. For 1st gen users it seems like a better investment to get the multibit modi than send it in for the gen 2 upgrade. Have you had a chance to compare the usb vs optical input?


----------



## wordfool

Quick question on tubes... how much random popping and crackling is normal for tubes on the Fireflies, or indeed in general? I have a new set of (standard) tubes and if I'm just sitting with no music playing I hear a brief pop/crackle every 30 seconds or so from one of the tubes against the otherwise silent background (I assume its one of the tubes because I switched them around last night and the pop/crackle is now in the other ear).


----------



## Dogmatrix

wordfool said:


> Quick question on tubes... how much random popping and crackling is normal for tubes on the Fireflies, or indeed in general? I have a new set of (standard) tubes and if I'm just sitting with no music playing I hear a brief pop/crackle every 30 seconds or so from one of the tubes against the otherwise silent background (I assume its one of the tubes because I switched them around last night and the pop/crackle is now in the other ear).


 

 ​Some noise in the first half hour after start up is normal . If noise persists after warm up I would discard the tube


----------



## nojwe

I don't want to hijack this thread too much with discussion of the Mimby, there's a big thread for that. Short version: I can't hear any difference between optical and USB on my Macbook Pro or compared to USB on my crappy Dell work laptop.


----------



## nojwe

wordfool said:


> Quick question on tubes... how much random popping and crackling is normal for tubes on the Fireflies, or indeed in general? I have a new set of (standard) tubes and if I'm just sitting with no music playing I hear a brief pop/crackle every 30 seconds or so from one of the tubes against the otherwise silent background (I assume its one of the tubes because I switched them around last night and the pop/crackle is now in the other ear).


 
  
 Make sure the pins are clean and the tubes are seated correctly. There shouldn't be any crackling unless you have a bad tube otherwise.


----------



## BarDash

nojwe said:


> Totally agree. It's really expensive to use as just a dac (and a not great one). If you want a dac to use with the Jot, get a Modi multibit. I'm actually using one with my WA7, sounds great!


 
 Ordered the Modi Multibit which should arrive Friday.


----------



## Cardiiiii

bardash said:


> Ordered the Modi Multibit which should arrive Friday.




Lol that didn't take much convincing!


----------



## wordfool

nojwe said:


> Make sure the pins are clean and the tubes are seated correctly. There shouldn't be any crackling unless you have a bad tube otherwise.


 
 Yeah, pins are clean... looks like I'll be using the 30-day tube warranty


----------



## BarDash

cardiiiii said:


> Lol that didn't take much convincing!


 

 Lol...


----------



## groovyd

waiting on my 2 WA7 units to be upgraded DAC... should be interesting to see what difference if any it makes. wasn't a cheap upgrade at all.


----------



## SashimiWu

groovyd said:


> waiting on my 2 WA7 units to be upgraded DAC... should be interesting to see what difference if any it makes. wasn't a cheap upgrade at all.


 
  
 I recently had the WA7 (second generation) and I was really worried I wouldn't like the onboard DAC but to my surprise it sounded very very good.
  
 Sadly I didn't have any other DAC's (or the first gen) to test it against but I came in expecting to be disappointed and was very surprised about how great it sounded.
  
 Don't forget they also changed the amplification stage as well though I'm not sure if that's included in the upgrade.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

We spent a lot of time on the new DAC. The ESS SABRE chip is only one piece of a big puzzle. The integration between DAC & amp plays a large role in the final sound. Yes, $499 is not cheap per-say, but we don't think you can buy a better sounding external DAC. Not to mention the all-in-one elegant form-factor (no external components, no additional cables). 
  
 Beautiful pic from a fan on Instagram


----------



## groovyd

sashimiwu said:


> I recently had the WA7 (second generation) and I was really worried I wouldn't like the onboard DAC but to my surprise it sounded very very good.
> 
> Sadly I didn't have any other DAC's (or the first gen) to test it against but I came in expecting to be disappointed and was very surprised about how great it sounded.
> 
> Don't forget they also changed the amplification stage as well though I'm not sure if that's included in the upgrade.


 
  
 I'm not sure if this included an amp upgrade as well but they mentioned something about teflon tube sockets.


----------



## SuperPollito

I just picked up the WA7tp setup from SashimiWu and a pair of Oppo PM-3, upgrading from a pair of Ultrasone DJ 1 playing directly from iPhone. Granted, I have no other head-fi experience to compare against, but I must say, this is a sick, sick setup. Waiting to pick up a fancy silver cable that I'm not sure will make any difference but might as well do it right for my first (and per my wallet and my wife, hopefully last) foray into head-fi.


----------



## groovyd

groovyd said:


> waiting on my 2 WA7 units to be upgraded DAC... should be interesting to see what difference if any it makes. wasn't a cheap upgrade at all.


 

 Received my upgraded WA7s back and immediately noticed that the RCA gain seems about 20% lower then pre-upgrade meaning I need to turn the knob up about an extra quarter turn to get the same volume out.  Other then that I do not notice a difference in sound quality of the DAC itself. Tube LEDs are a bit brighter.


----------



## mrravioli

Hi, I'm considering upgrading from my ODAC/O2 combo for Beyerdynamic T1. I heard good words about tube amps for T1 but currently torn between choices. WA7 is freakin sexy and appreciate the usb-DAC/amp in one design (coz I only listening with my MacBook). Another choice is the Bottlehead Crack. Ive only heard praise on it and it's also


----------



## mrravioli

mrravioli said:


> Hi, I'm considering upgrading from my ODAC/O2 combo for Beyerdynamic T1. I heard good words about tube amps for T1 but currently torn between choices. WA7 is freakin sexy and appreciate the usb-DAC/amp in one design (coz I only listening with my MacBook). Another choice is the Bottlehead Crack. Ive only heard praise on it and it's also




Oop.. Mispressed the submit.. So, to continue, the Bottlehead is less than half of the price of WA7 and seems pair well with high impedance cans. However it requires building myself (I'm not experienced in this regard and quite busy these days) and also needs a new DAC to pair with (most likely some ODAC or MODI stuff under $200).

At all rates, the sound is still of prime concern. Would the WA7 deserve the extra cost or the Bottlehead deserve the extra efforts to pair with my T1? And I listen to Classical 90% of my time.


----------



## groovyd

mrravioli said:


> Oop.. Mispressed the submit.. So, to continue, the Bottlehead is less than half of the price of WA7 and seems pair well with high impedance cans. However it requires building myself (I'm not experienced in this regard and quite busy these days) and also needs a new DAC to pair with (most likely some ODAC or MODI stuff under $200).
> 
> At all rates, the sound is still of prime concern. Would the WA7 deserve the extra cost or the Bottlehead deserve the extra efforts to pair with my T1? And I listen to Classical 90% of my time.


 

 For the T1 I would go with the Bottle + DAC of the day since it is OTL and a perfect match for the T1 impedance. I think you can find people selling them pre-built and even fully upgraded for the cost of the kit.


----------



## groovyd

So I have a box of Zeiss lens cleaning wipes here for my eye glasses and it just dawned on me to use a wipe to clean my WA7 glass... i know obvious right?  haha well it turned out to be a great discovery for me.


----------



## Metalsludge

I have what I believe is a first gen WA7. I generally use it with analog signal, but I used to occasionally use it with a Windows 7 computer a while back and it worked fine.
  
 Now, I have Windows 8 machines. I tried the DAC feature with both of the Win 8.1 machines, and could not get the drivers to work. Had the WA7 turned on during the installation process, and turned it off and on again as instructed when install reached the end. Windows starts searching for the diver, and then freezes each time I attempt the install. Do first gen WA7s not work when using the latest drivers with Win 8.1? 
  
 I have heard the first gen DAC is not great anyway, so maybe I'm not missing much. But it's a shame to not be able to use it at all anymore.


----------



## groovyd

My 1st gen works fine on win10 but i did have to re-install the drivers off woo website.


----------



## Metalsludge

groovyd said:


> My 1st gen works fine on win10 but i did have to re-install the drivers off woo website.


 
 Glad to hear it can still work post-Windows 7 anyway. Oh well, maybe it's time for an upgrade to Win 10 from 8.1 for me. Or time to get a Mojo and use that for the DAC part.


----------



## groovyd

Turns out the new DAC is actually higher gain then the old one was at the same knob volume it seems to be just the RCA inputs that have taken a gain hit with the upgrade.  After listening for awhile I am realizing the DAC is a bit nicer then pre-upgrade, bit more air, much closer to my D100. Now time to upgrade my X and XC drivers to the 2016 versions to take advantage of the added detail.


----------



## wordfool

wordfool said:


> Yeah, pins are clean... looks like I'll be using the 30-day tube warranty


 
  
 Contacted Woo about the issue and Mike's sending out a new set of tubes... awesome customer service


----------



## Woodrow Stool

Just a note from an old fart who sprang for the upgrade.  I like it a lot, sounds great with HD800s, HD650s, and IE800s.  The whole return/upgrade/return process was painless.
  
 I say "old fart" because at 57 my hearing is no way what it was at 30, and my previous headphone amp (Oppo HA-1) was more than a little bright, especially with the HD800s.  The upgraded WA7 is just "more better" in all areas.  But perhaps maybe it is just me.
  
 Recommended, two thumbs up and all that.


----------



## BarDash

woodrow stool said:


> Just a note from an old fart who sprang for the upgrade.  I like it a lot, sounds great with HD800s, HD650s, and IE800s.  The whole return/upgrade/return process was painless.
> 
> I say "old fart" because at 57 my hearing is no way what it was at 30, and my previous headphone amp (Oppo HA-1) was more than a little bright, especially with the HD800s.  The upgraded WA7 is just "more better" in all areas.  But perhaps maybe it is just me.
> 
> Recommended, two thumbs up and all that.




Like!


----------



## teb1013

woodrow stool said:


> Just a note from an old fart who sprang for the upgrade.  I like it a lot, sounds great with HD800s, HD650s, and IE800s.  The whole return/upgrade/return process was painless.
> 
> I say "old fart" because at 57 my hearing is no way what it was at 30, and my previous headphone amp (Oppo HA-1) was more than a little bright, especially with the HD800s.  The upgraded WA7 is just "more better" in all areas.  But perhaps maybe it is just me.
> 
> Recommended, two thumbs up and all that.




"Old fart"! At 65 my rock n'roll youth has resulted in deficits in both ears and constant tinnitus! I'm just about to upgrade. Hope it works as well for me as it did for you.


----------



## Woodrow Stool

Just noticed this from a previous review of the WA7 upgrade:
  


> Tube LEDs are a bit brighter


 
  
 Wow.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

woodrow stool said:


> Just noticed this from a previous review of the WA7 upgrade:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 New tube sockets are Teflon which is a more porous material so the light shines through more.


----------



## groovyd

After using both upgraded WA7 units at work and home with my X/XC I can indeed say it is a worthy upgrade.  Sound is much clearer with less instrument distortion across the range.  I am able to hear things in the tracks I have not heard in the past.  Bass is lower and cleaner without the flab and the highs are crisp and without siblance.  Sound stage is also improved. If it was a regression or even a break even I would be the first to say it but it is genuinely a better product now. Good game Woo 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 My only regret is the RCA inputs seem to have a lower gain then pre-upgrade requiring a higher volume level to get the same volume out. As a DAC via USB the gain may even be slightly higher then before the upgrade so if you primarily use your WA7 via RCA this is something to consider but for USB users it is a definate win.


----------



## benzfong

groovyd said:


> Turns out the new DAC is actually higher gain then the old one was at the same knob volume it seems to be just the RCA inputs that have taken a gain hit with the upgrade.  After listening for awhile I am realizing the DAC is a bit nicer then pre-upgrade, bit more air, much closer to my D100. Now time to upgrade my X and XC drivers to the 2016 versions to take advantage of the added detail.





Hi ,

What you mean by upgrade your x n xc driver to 2016 version ? You mean audeze have upgrade for their LCD headphone ?


Regards,
Ben


----------



## groovyd

benzfong said:


> Hi ,
> 
> What you mean by upgrade your x n xc driver to 2016 version ? You mean audeze have upgrade for their LCD headphone ?
> 
> ...


 

 they have but i am still not sure i want the upgrade... flip flopping. some say it isn't as good.


----------



## benzfong

Hi ,

I see. Any comment in head fi about the new flip flopping for audeze LCD ? I would like to hear more. Thks


----------



## benzfong

benzfong said:


> Hi ,
> 
> What you mean by upgrade your x n xc driver to 2016 version ? You mean audeze have upgrade for their LCD headphone ?
> 
> ...





Hi ,

Anyone can advise on this ? Any review about the upgrade driver ? I was told $250 to upgrade. You think is worth? If there are threat that discuss this topic to give me the link Thks


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Heads up everybody. One week only!
  
 http://wooaudio.com/products/


----------



## KingJaymes

hifiguy528 said:


> Heads up everybody. One week only!
> 
> http://wooaudio.com/products/


 
  
 Ive been waiting over to move on this amp and just took advantage of this sale yesterday ordering a Wa7 with a solid state PS.  I plan to pair it with some sennheiser Hd 800s.  I'm thinking I should've upgraded the power supply now. I can still pick up a wa7p separately ? I saw no link to purchase on by itself on the site.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

kingjaymes said:


> Ive been waiting over to move on this amp and just took advantage of this sale yesterday ordering a Wa7 with a solid state PS.  I plan to pair it with some sennheiser Hd 800s.  I'm thinking I should've upgraded the power supply now. I can still pick up a wa7p separately ? I saw no link to purchase on by itself on the site.


 
  
 For HD800, we recommend with WA7tp (tube power supply). No need to buy the solid state power supply separately.


----------



## nojwe

kingjaymes said:


> Ive been waiting over to move on this amp and just took advantage of this sale yesterday ordering a Wa7 with a solid state PS.  I plan to pair it with some sennheiser Hd 800s.  I'm thinking I should've upgraded the power supply now. I can still pick up a wa7p separately ? I saw no link to purchase on by itself on the site.


 
  
 Yes, just email them and ask if you can change your order or purchase the TP separately. It's definitely worth the upgrade.


----------



## Bikr

hifiguy528 said:


> For HD800, we recommend with WA7tp (tube power supply). No need to buy the solid state power supply separately.


 
  
 Hey Mike! Were there any changes to the tube power supply between Gen1 and Gen2?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

bikr said:


> Hey Mike! Were there any changes to the tube power supply between Gen1 and Gen2?


 
  
 Only change to WA7tp is Teflon tube sockets. Can be upgraded for $100.
  
 http://tinyurl.com/jehnoqg


----------



## tbxmar

This may be a silly question (I'm fairly new to the technical aspects of headphones and headphone amps), but I'm hoping someone can help since I've searched around quite a bit and couldn't find something that touched on this precisely.
  
 Is the Woo WA7 w/ WA7tp powerful enough to drive the Audeze LCD-2 headphone to full capability/performance? I understand that the optimal power range for the LCD-2 as specified by Audeze is 1-4W (and they're a 70 ohms impedance headphone). The WA7 is specified to have a *max *output of 1W @ 32 ohms. So, I'm curious if the WA7 is enough to feed the power hungry LCD-2, especially since the WA7 is beautiful and I'd love to have it.


----------



## benzfong

I also have an Audeze headphone too. The LCD -XC. I'm also concern about WA7tp can fully pump my headphone. Especially my beyerdynamic t1.....


----------



## mjock3

Wa7/tp will drive the t1's with no problems


----------



## benzfong

I m sure it WA7tp can drive the t1. What I mean about to drive it to the optimal. The same concern like our friend above who is concern about his audeze LCD 2.


----------



## BarDash

benzfong said:


> I also have an Audeze headphone too. The LCD -XC. I'm also concern about WA7tp can fully pump my headphone. Especially my beyerdynamic t1.....


 

 Drives my LCD3's with no problem.


----------



## groovyd

benzfong said:


> I also have an Audeze headphone too. The LCD -XC. I'm also concern about WA7tp can fully pump my headphone. Especially my beyerdynamic t1.....


 

 Not to it's potential.  I have an X, XC, and T1 and WA7/tp and while it drives the X and XC respectably it loses something on the T1s.


----------



## benzfong

groovyd said:


> Not to it's potential.  I have an X, XC, and T1 and WA7/tp and while it drives the X and XC respectably it loses something on the T1s.




Hi groovyd,

Thks for feedback. Guess I m not the only one feel something missing in T1. I thought I think too much .... 

As for the xc what is your setting for the WA7tp? Hi or Lo?


----------



## Beammeup

I had been using my LCD 2.2 phones with my WA7 / tp combo and had been quite happy. When I acquired my Burson V2+, however, it became appparent that the Audezes were more capable than the Woo was able to demonstrate. There was ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with the Woo / Audeze combo, but if you are after "optimal" I think there a few products out there that might be worth looking at. P.S. I still LOVE the WA7; it receives, by far, the most play time of any of my equipment.


----------



## groovyd

benzfong said:


> Hi groovyd,
> 
> Thks for feedback. Guess I m not the only one feel something missing in T1. I thought I think too much ....
> 
> As for the xc what is your setting for the WA7tp? Hi or Lo?


 

 well since the WA7 is always plugged in with the LCDs I leave it on Lo.  It would need to be on Hi for the T1 but they don't get much head time to be honest.  Certainly the WA7 is a bit weak to properly drive the T1 but in my opinion the T1 is also at fault here.  It just can compare to the overall sound balance and drive of the LCDs.  In my opinion modern headphones that require a powerful amp to sound good just aren't worth it when there are so many amazing sounding and efficient cans like the X/XC available.  In other words if you need an amp with more then 1 watts chances are you would be better off switching cans instead.
  
 beware of those headphones people say sound amazing if only you had a more powerful amp like the hifimans etc.  it's mostly bs in my experience.


----------



## benzfong

HI guys,

So what you think which Woo model can handle T1 well ? Pls dont tell me the Woo top end models. Price range around WA7tp will be best with amp/dac.....


----------



## HiFiGuy528

benzfong said:


> HI guys,
> 
> So what you think which Woo model can handle T1 well ? Pls dont tell me the Woo top end models. Price range around WA7tp will be best with amp/dac.....


 
  
 WA6-SE with Sophia 274B upgrade tube would sing with T1. You should get a good DAC for computer music playback.
  
 http://wooaudio.com/products/wa6se.html
  
 Meridian Direct DAC is a great choice for only $379 now.
  
 http://amzn.to/2iOIb8p


----------



## John Q Lin

Does the wa7 pair well with m9xx


----------



## HiFiGuy528

New Klipsch flagship headphones at CES 2017.


----------



## pervysage

hifiguy528 said:


> New Klipsch flagship headphones at CES 2017.




Are those LEMO connectors I see? Wonder if they are going to grow in popularity.


----------



## benzfong

Waaaa, look cool. What is the model of this kilpsch headphone ? How much ? N how is the sound ? Any review yet ? I try to to their website to see but can't find this model.


----------



## benzfong

tbxmar said:


> This may be a silly question (I'm fairly new to the technical aspects of headphones and headphone amps), but I'm hoping someone can help since I've searched around quite a bit and couldn't find something that touched on this precisely.
> 
> Is the Woo WA7 w/ WA7tp powerful enough to drive the Audeze LCD-2 headphone to full capability/performance? I understand that the optimal power range for the LCD-2 as specified by Audeze is 1-4W (and they're a 70 ohms impedance headphone). The WA7 is specified to have a *max* output of 1W @ 32 ohms. So, I'm curious if the WA7 is enough to feed the power hungry LCD-2, especially since the WA7 is beautiful and I'd love to have it.







groovyd said:


> Not to it's potential.  I have an X, XC, and T1 and WA7/tp and while it drives the X and XC respectably it loses something on the T1s.







beammeup said:


> I had been using my LCD 2.2 phones with my WA7 / tp combo and had been quite happy. When I acquired my Burson V2+, however, it became appparent that the Audezes were more capable than the Woo was able to demonstrate. There was ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with the Woo / Audeze combo, but if you are after "optimal" I think there a few products out there that might be worth looking at. P.S. I still LOVE the WA7; it receives, by far, the most play time of any of my equipment.[/quote
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## groovyd

hifiguy528 said:


> WA6-SE with Sophia 274B upgrade tube would sing with T1. You should get a good DAC for computer music playback.
> 
> http://wooaudio.com/products/wa6se.html
> 
> ...


 

 fully agree with this recommendation.  the WA6-SE is an amazing sounding amp that is almost perfectly impedance matched for the T1.


----------



## benzfong

groovyd said:


> fully agree with this recommendation.  the WA6-SE is an amazing sounding amp that is almost perfectly impedance matched for the T1.




Hi ,

How about wa22 ? Will it be better then wa6-se? And got other dac to recommend for pairing with Woo ?


----------



## groovyd

Sure, that would be a great pairing too.  Quite a bit pricier but gives you more headroom and the option for balanced.


----------



## Weatherlight

Schiit Gungnir for the WA22 




benzfong said:


> Hi ,
> 
> How about wa22 ? Will it be better then wa6-se? And got other dac to recommend for pairing with Woo ?


----------



## beaux

I tried this one too. It is very competitive in its price range


----------



## benzfong

Hi ,

Schiit gunnier have multibits n delta-sigma. What the difference ? Which is better ?


----------



## benzfong

groovyd said:


> Sure, that would be a great pairing too.  Quite a bit pricier but gives you more headroom and the option for balanced.




Hi ,

What is headroom mean? Sorry I guess I still have much to learn from you guys 

I have LCD XC n beyerdynamic T1.1 pairing with my WA7tp n centrance m8 for traveling. I m thinking to get one more headphone. Maybe more portable for traveling like on the plane I m thinking for LCD 2 or X , or hifiman he560 or edition x , or sennheiser hd800 or fostex fd900.....

Any good advise for me ? Make sure can pair well with my WA7tp n m8.


----------



## Shaggy-FOO

As a casual audiophile and gamer, I'm wondering if it's possible to connect a headphone (fidelio x2) with a mod-mic to the WA7 and be able to use the inline mic?
 Also any gamers have experience using this amp while in game?


----------



## John Q Lin

benzfong said:


> groovyd said:
> 
> 
> > Sure, that would be a great pairing too.  Quite a bit pricier but gives you more headroom and the option for balanced.
> ...



I have the HE 500 and th900. Th900 is more versatile. I would go with it.


----------



## CarlosUnchained

benzfong said:


> Hi ,
> 
> What is headroom mean? Sorry I guess I still have much to learn from you guys
> 
> ...


 
  
 LCDs for traveling? The only one I'd recommend is the close back XC you already have. All those open back are not meant for moving around, only for quite places. 
  
 Use a closed back with good isolation or IEMs on planes if you don't want to crank the volume up to 11 and damage your hearing.


----------



## benzfong

carlosunchained said:


> LCDs for traveling? The only one I'd recommend is the close back XC you already have. All those open back are not meant for moving around, only for quite places.
> 
> Use a closed back with good isolation or IEMs on planes if you don't want to crank the volume up to 11 and damage your hearing.




I have a pair of noble Django. I don't know is it my ear or what ? I feel uncomfortable n the sound feel missing something......

So that why I am searching for a headphone instead or a earphone (iem). Maybe a small size headphone like aedle vk1 size but better sound ..... n work well with WA7tp


----------



## HiFiGuy528

The best way to enjoy DSD music on WA7 Fireflies (2nd gen) is through Sony 1Z Walkman via USB Audio out.


----------



## benzfong

Hi,

Anyone have compare the sound of alo cdm n WA7tp? Anyway you think cdm handle t1 better than WA7tp ?


----------



## Ashah

benzfong said:


> Hi guys ,
> 
> So have anyone try the audeze dackard , meridian prime n Burson v2+? Compare with w7tp n w6se? If pair with T1 n XC?


 
 I have the Deckard & Lyr 2 with a LCD 2 , I have tried the Deckard(Class A) with the included DAC and and external DAC modi uber plus loop through with the New  Peachtree Nova 150 Class D amp I use to drive KEF LS 50 .Deckard has all the power , clarity , soundstage, right amount of Bass, tonality and very musical !  and can drive the LCD 2 F to it's full potential , Lyr 2 has 6 watts of power depending on the tubes it seems a bit harsh on upper frequencies , but still a very good amp for the LCD 2. when i want the tubes I listen to the Lyr 2, but when I am  tired  of that and fatigue sets in I just switch over to the Deckard which I can listen too for hours without any fatigue.


----------



## Malcuso

Hello . . .
 I tried the WA7 at Axpona last year. Sounded great with the HD800 & LCDs. Has any tried it with any of the Dita IEMs? Or any IEMs in general.  I think I'm going to pull the trigger soon to drive my HD 650 but wanted something that will pair well with by favorite IEM.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

malcuso said:


> Hello . . .
> I tried the WA7 at Axpona last year. Sounded great with the HD800 & LCDs. Has any tried it with any of the Dita IEMs? Or any IEMs in general.  I think I'm going to pull the trigger soon to drive my HD 650 but wanted something that will pair well with by favorite IEM.


 
  
 WA7 can drive any IEMs. We recommend the 1/4" output for most. The ultra-sensetive ones, use the 3.5mm port.


----------



## Malcuso

Thanks HIFIGuy528. I did try the Campfire Jupiters with the WA7, but felt it was not an ideal pairing. Anyone have feedback on IEMs being used that seem to have great symmetry?


----------



## groovyd

Decided to upgrade my WA7 at home to the DiaLogue Premium HP Integrated as a dedicated headphone amp to drive my LCD-X 



 Got an upgraded WA7+tp+original ps for sale anyone interested pm me. Serious offers only, these weren't cheap and with all the upgrading either.


----------



## abvolt

groovyd said:


> Decided to upgrade my WA7 at home to the DiaLogue Premium HP Integrated as a dedicated headphone amp to drive my LCD-X
> 
> 
> 
> Got an upgraded WA7+tp+original ps for sale anyone interested pm me. Serious offers only, these weren't cheap and with all the upgrading either.


 
 Now that's an upgrade nice..enjoy


----------



## groovyd

thanks!  will report back once i do any differences noticed.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

groovyd said:


> Decided to upgrade my WA7 at home to the DiaLogue Premium HP Integrated as a dedicated headphone amp to drive my LCD-X
> 
> 
> 
> Got an upgraded WA7+tp+original ps for sale anyone interested pm me. Serious offers only, these weren't cheap and with all the upgrading either.


 
  
 $4399 is a big jump. Congrats!


----------



## groovyd

hifiguy528 said:


> $4399 is a big jump. Congrats!


 

 I've spent over half that on the WA7 up to this point.  I guess what decided for me is I already have a solid DAC the D100 at home and love tubes so much and the sound of the ProLogue sufficiently impressed me with 0 background noise and such precise and powerful sound and not at the expense of killing the tubes.  Will be nice having an amp that can absolutely drive any headphone in the world with complete authority.  No more 'well you need to drive those with this or that' b.s.  Also I would rather have an extra set of speaker outs and will be able to swap and share tubes with the ProLogue meaning I can really stock up.
  
 I have a ton of unused WA7/tp tubes also if anyone is interested.


----------



## kyle1010

groovyd said:


> I've spent over half that on the WA7 up to this point.  I guess what decided for me is I already have a solid DAC the D100 at home and love tubes so much and the sound of the ProLogue sufficiently impressed me with 0 background noise and such precise and powerful sound and not at the expense of killing the tubes.  Will be nice having an amp that can absolutely drive any headphone in the world with complete authority.  No more 'well you need to drive those with this or that' b.s.  Also I would rather have an extra set of speaker outs and will be able to swap and share tubes with the ProLogue meaning I can really stock up.
> 
> I have a ton of unused WA7/tp tubes also if anyone is interested.




Dude I'm so getting that amp for my main system soon. Heard it on speakers at an expo here in SoCal, but they also had a pair of XCs to try it with and wow. Definitely keeps up with or even beats a lot of headphone amps I've heard. And the fact that Kevin from Prima was right there and told me I could still use my collection of 12AU7s to tube roll and change the sound I was like ok I'm sold(as soon as I save up..still feeling guilty from LCD-4 purchase).


----------



## groovyd

kyle1010 said:


> Dude I'm so getting that amp for my main system soon. Heard it on speakers at an expo here in SoCal, but they also had a pair of XCs to try it with and wow. Definitely keeps up with or even beats a lot of headphone amps I've heard. And the fact that Kevin from Prima was right there and told me I could still use my collection of 12AU7s to tube roll and change the sound I was like ok I'm sold(as soon as I save up..still feeling guilty from LCD-4 purchase).


 

 yep... it should beat any headphone amp out there to be honest since driving headphones is really no different then driving speakers and ProLogue are known for being one of the top if not the top tube amp designers in the world.  no shortcuts and none of this over-driving to pump up power specs nonsense.  plus the auto-biasing constantly keeps the thing exactly in the zone meaning you don't need matched tubes at all for great well balanced distortion free sound.  also absolutely love the idea that it lights up an led under any tubes that are out of spec.  i mean how easy is that?  takes the whole 'have i had these tubes too long' thing out of the equation and that is all with the standard el34's which are amazing yet not esoteric expensive tubes. tons of rolling options if your into that.  a conservative 60 watts untouched? yeah that can handle any headphones out there without breaking a sweat at all. that'll do me fine


----------



## Andersson

Hi everyone!

This might be a silly question, but I really don't understand the difference between the tp variant from the regular. If anyone could tell like I was five I would be happy .

I am thinking of HD800S and WA7. That's why I would like to understand the difference.

Have a good one!

Edit: I am stupid haha. I think I understand it now. What I don't really understand is what difference it will make on the sound quality. Is no other components changed except that you will obtain a good looking PS?


----------



## groovyd

andersson said:


> Hi everyone!
> 
> This might be a silly question, but I really don't understand the difference between the tp variant from the regular. If anyone could tell like I was five I would be happy
> 
> ...


 

 most people agree the tp power supply provides better bass.


----------



## kyle1010

andersson said:


> Hi everyone!
> 
> This might be a silly question, but I really don't understand the difference between the tp variant from the regular. If anyone could tell like I was five I would be happy .
> 
> ...




^^What groovy said. But also, it's a gateway to how much better you can get the WA7 to sound with power supply tube upgrades. The gold pin upgrade in the amp section of regular WA7 doesn't enhance much as far as sound quality. But changing out the tp module tubes makes the WA7's sound go from oh hey this is kinda nice to OMG what is happening to my ears right now?! It's pretty crazy dude. 

There's a WA7tp tube rolling guide thread somewhere around here on head-fi. It's gold. I can tell you from personal experience everything in it is true. Read it, get the tp, and thank us later


----------



## pofdstudios

After about three hours of troubleshooting driver issues with Windows 10, 64 bit I FINALLY got the Woo's working !!  It should be noted that you need to restart your computer while depessing the Shift key. You can then disable Driver Signature Enforcement  (F7)which will allow you to successfully install the drivers. What a pain in the ass! But with that said the Woo Wa7 and Wa7tp sound gorgeous !


----------



## eeagle

pofdstudios said:


> After about three hours of troubleshooting driver issues with Windows 10, 64 bit I FINALLY got the Woo's working !!  It should be noted that you need to restart your computer while depessing the Shift key. You can then disable Driver Signature Enforcement  (F7)which will allow you to successfully install the drivers. What a pain in the ass! But with that said the Woo Wa7 and Wa7tp sound gorgeous !


 
 Good tip on driver installation, thanks.
  
 Gotta love your listening station including that HP stand....never understood why folks buy stands when they are so easy to make.


----------



## pofdstudios

Thanks! I love making my own fixtures and tables. The table is a repurposed antique Singer Sewing machine base with manual foot pedal.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> ^^What groovy said. But also, it's a gateway to how much better you can get the WA7 to sound with power supply tube upgrades. The gold pin upgrade in the amp section of regular WA7 doesn't enhance much as far as sound quality. But changing out the tp module tubes makes the WA7's sound go from oh hey this is kinda nice to OMG what is happening to my ears right now?! It's pretty crazy dude.
> 
> There's a WA7tp tube rolling guide thread somewhere around here on head-fi. It's gold. I can tell you from personal experience everything in it is true. Read it, get the tp, and thank us later


 
 What does tube rolling mean?  I'm also looking at these with HD800SDRs.  New to tube amps.  You're seriously saying the power supply is worth an extra 600 dollars?  I can technically afford it but was hoping to just pick up the normal one.  
  
 Edit: also which one is the newest the one that says 2nd gen or the other?  I'm assuming 2nd but I can't either WA7d vs WA7p.  
  
 Double Edit: What about the DAC chip inside...  The ES9018K2M is the same in the 300 dollar Oppo HA-2?  If I have a chord mojo is it better to use its DAC and the amp of the WA7?  Is that still worth it...?


----------



## Priscilla Rose

I have the 2nd Gen+ Tubed PS. The tubed PS makes a significant difference especially when you get the right tubes (the stock tubes are not so good).
 The tubed power supply takes two 12AU7 tubes. I have tried RCA clear tops, Mullard CV4003 and CBS-Hytron 5814A and I have to say each one is a huge step up.
 The RCA has the tightest bass,
 The CV4003 sounds balanced and fluid.
 The CBS-hytron 5814A is balanced like CV4003 but a tad bit more dynamic sounding. My HD800S sounds less diffussed, and more engaging. (I'm in love with these tubes, the only problem is that they are quite hard to come by). I even thought about selling my WA7 before I tried CBS tubes, that tells you how much a difference it makes.
  
 If you are going to get the Tubed power supply,and start tube rolling (try different tubes), you need to keep in mind that the tubes can cost you quite a bit.
  
 I wonder anyone here tried both CBS hytron and Philips Miniwatt, and how do they compare?


----------



## Andersson

Do you switch the tubes on both the PSU and the amp or just one of them?


----------



## Priscilla Rose

Both. 
Amp: harmonix gold pin
PS: cbs hytron 5814A


----------



## Andersson

priscilla rose said:


> Both.
> Amp: harmonix gold pin
> PS: cbs hytron 5814A




Thanks! How does the PS affect the sound from a technical perspective? It sounds strange!


----------



## Priscilla Rose

No idea, but it does greatly. You just have to try for yourself. Wa7 stock tubes are really just mediocre.


----------



## eeagle

priscilla rose said:


> I have the 2nd Gen+ Tubed PS. The tubed PS makes a significant difference especially when you get the right tubes (the stock tubes are not so good).
> The tubed power supply takes two 12AU7 tubes. I have tried RCA clear tops, Mullard CV4003 and CBS-Hytron 5814A and I have to say each one is a huge step up.
> The RCA has the tightest bass,
> The CV4003 sounds balanced and fluid.
> ...


 
 That is certainly a testimony in favor of the tubed PS, thanks for the insight on various tubes.
  
 As a very satisfied user of the solid state power supply with my WA7 I am curious if you ever used the solid state PS and what your impression was.
  
 I would never have imagined tubes in a PS could affect the output in such a notable way.


----------



## Galm

priscilla rose said:


> I have the 2nd Gen+ Tubed PS. The tubed PS makes a significant difference especially when you get the right tubes (the stock tubes are not so good).
> The tubed power supply takes two 12AU7 tubes. I have tried RCA clear tops, Mullard CV4003 and CBS-Hytron 5814A and I have to say each one is a huge step up.
> The RCA has the tightest bass,
> The CV4003 sounds balanced and fluid.
> ...



Thanks for the response that was helpful.

What dac are you using? The fireflies are near the upper end of my budget so I was wondering if its worth getting them if the stock dac is poor. I can use the Oppo HA-2 or Chord Mojo as an existing DAC or pick up a modi 2 or something... would it be smarter to get like a schiit pairing?

My goal is a warmer HD800SDR. But I also want an upgrade over my chord mojo which I'm using now.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> Thanks for the response that was helpful.
> 
> What dac are you using? The fireflies are near the upper end of my budget so I was wondering if its worth getting them if the stock dac is poor. I can use the Oppo HA-2 or Chord Mojo as an existing DAC or pick up a modi 2 or something... would it be smarter to get like a schiit pairing?
> 
> ...




Hey so yeah Priscilla basically spelled out exactly what I was gonna tell you. The tube power supply is absolutely worth every penny. Especially if you want to really warm up the sound of an HD800. However, I will add that the upgrade power supply tubes are a little tricky to find but not impossible. And compared to the upgrade tubes for Woo's bigger amps the WA7tp's are dirt cheap. $30-$160/pair with most under $100 and those are also worth every penny. 

Priscilla is also right about the CBS Hytron tubes, they're tough to get a good matched pair but the sound is sooo good. Mullards are just smooth, detailed, and neutral but not exciting imo. Sylvania JANs are like $30/pair and seriously addictive sounding if you're into deep bass and lush liquid midrange. Anyway, you miss out on all these options if you don't go tube power supply. Idk why power supply tubes alter the sound either but it's incredible. 

DAC time. Mojo will likely be a little better than the WA7 internal dac, but to outperform a Mojo you're probably gonna have to shell out some cash north of $1k. Either way try both the onboard dac and your Mojo with the WA7. You may find the internal dac has better synergy with the WA7's amp section than the Mojo.


----------



## Priscilla Rose

You want warmth, you need tube amps, period. 

I use the dac that the 2nd gen wa7 comes with. 

And I have never used the solid state ps so I don't know what that sounds like, all I can say is that tubes on tubed PS affect the sound greatly if you get the right tubes installed. 
Tubes changing on the amp, however, doesn't do much to the sound.


----------



## kyle1010

priscilla rose said:


> You want warmth, you need tube amps, period.
> 
> I use the dac that the 2nd gen wa7 comes with.
> 
> ...




Yup. And to my ears the gold pin tube upgrade in the amp made all my other ps tubes sound more flat. Not a fan.

To be honest, I upsold myself all the way to a WA22 with holy grail tubes and LCD-4s and I still sometimes miss the sound of my WA7tp with CBS Hytrons and LCD-Xs. In fact my WA7 is in its box in my closet waiting for when I move to a bigger place to use it in an office. I'll never get rid of it no matter how much I upgrade my new rig. It's just so good.


----------



## Priscilla Rose

Kyle, would you say that the amp's stock tubes perform better than harmonix gold pins? I'm so gonna swap back to see


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> Hey so yeah Priscilla basically spelled out exactly what I was gonna tell you. The tube power supply is absolutely worth every penny. Especially if you want to really warm up the sound of an HD800. However, I will add that the upgrade power supply tubes are a little tricky to find but not impossible. And compared to the upgrade tubes for Woo's bigger amps the WA7tp's are dirt cheap. $30-$160/pair with most under $100 and those are also worth every penny.
> 
> Priscilla is also right about the CBS Hytron tubes, they're tough to get a good matched pair but the sound is sooo good. Mullards are just smooth, detailed, and neutral but not exciting imo. Sylvania JANs are like $30/pair and seriously addictive sounding if you're into deep bass and lush liquid midrange. Anyway, you miss out on all these options if you don't go tube power supply. Idk why power supply tubes alter the sound either but it's incredible.
> 
> DAC time. Mojo will likely be a little better than the WA7 internal dac, but to outperform a Mojo you're probably gonna have to shell out some cash north of $1k. Either way try both the onboard dac and your Mojo with the WA7. You may find the internal dac has better synergy with the WA7's amp section than the Mojo.


 
  


priscilla rose said:


> You want warmth, you need tube amps, period.
> 
> I use the dac that the 2nd gen wa7 comes with.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks guys.  The tp is still really too high for me...  Can I buy it separately later?  I just don't think I should be spending an extra 600 plus having to tube roll for the psu right now.  I also still don't understand the science of how that affects the sound at all, but that's a different discussion.  It's surprising to me that the tp tubes do more than the amps.


----------



## Priscilla Rose

It does more than the amp because there are very limited choices over tubes you can switch on the amp, the stock, the gold pins, what else? Not that I know of.


----------



## Priscilla Rose

Maybe WooAudio can explain why the Tubed power supply affect the sound so much?


----------



## Galm

priscilla rose said:


> It does more than the amp because there are very limited choices over tubes you can switch on the amp, the stock, the gold pins, what else? Not that I know of.


 
 Can I buy the tp later seperately?
  
 Also CBS Hytrons that you mentioned.  How would I even get a pair.  Ebay and google both seem to come up empty.  Is there a good tube buying site or something?  
  
 Thanks for the help.


----------



## Priscilla Rose

It shouldn't be a problem to get the tps later. With CBS hytron, you just have to constantly be looking out for them. I got 2 pairs (one incase the other burn out) from ebay, they are vintage tubes from 1950s. Sometimes, they are simply called CBS 5814A (the company later acquird Hytron). There are white, red and blue labels. The white labels are nearly impossible nowadays, the red labels which I own pops up in the market from time to time, the blue labels are said to be **** in another post I read, and they also seem to be the cheapest among the 3, so I would probably avoid them (that being said, I personally never tried the blue labels). 

The cbs are the tubes that really made a huge difference.


----------



## Galm

priscilla rose said:


> It shouldn't be a problem to get the tps later. With CBS hytron, you just have to constantly be looking out for them. I got 2 pairs (one incase the other burn out) from ebay, they are vintage tubes from 1950s. Sometimes, they are simply called CBS 5814A (the company later acquird Hytron). There are white, red and blue labels. The white labels are nearly impossible nowadays, the red labels which I own pops up in the market from time to time, the blue labels are said to be **** in another post I read, and they also seem to be the cheapest among the 3, so I would probably avoid them (that being said, I personally never tried the blue labels).
> 
> The cbs are the tubes that really made a huge difference.


 
 So is this red label or blue label?  I'm guessing blue because the one on the tube?
  
 http://www.ebay.com/p/CBS-5814A-Vintage-Tube-Tube-Socket/141027787


----------



## kyle1010

priscilla rose said:


> Kyle, would you say that the amp's stock tubes perform better than harmonix gold pins? I'm so gonna swap back to see




For my tastes, yeah the stock amp tubes sound way better. But I like deep bass and lush mids. For those who like a more flat sound the gold pins probably win. But I also noticed with my gold pins that the tube rolls in the power supply didn't make as noticeable of changes in sound. With the stock amp tubes, each power supply tube roll was almost night and day in difference of sound signature between them.

Also, to piggyback about those CBS Hytrons, they're definitely the best. It took me almost 6 months of constantly checking ebay to find a pair of the red label ones. Well worth the wait though. In the meantime the Siemens ECC82s and JAN 5814s kept me very very happy.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> For my tastes, yeah the stock amp tubes sound way better. But I like deep bass and lush mids. For those who like a more flat sound the gold pins probably win. But I also noticed with my gold pins that the tube rolls in the power supply didn't make as noticeable of changes in sound. With the stock amp tubes, each power supply tube roll was almost night and day in difference of sound signature between them.
> 
> Also, to piggyback about those CBS Hytrons, they're definitely the best. It took me almost 6 months of constantly checking ebay to find a pair of the red label ones. Well worth the wait though. In the meantime the Siemens ECC82s and JAN 5814s kept me very very happy.


 
 So the bass is heavier on the stock amp tubes over gold?   Heavier bass is the goal.


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> So the bass is heavier on the stock amp tubes over gold?   Heavier bass is the goal.




Yup, noticeably heavier bass with stock tubes. And with those Sylvania JAN 5814s in the tube power supply the thump gets real. The bass on those actually hits slightly harder than the CBS Hytrons, but the soundstage is more intimate and they lack some imaging and treble detail in comparison. Midrange is almost equally gorgeous though.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> Yup. And to my ears the gold pin tube upgrade in the amp made all my other ps tubes sound more flat. Not a fan.
> 
> To be honest, I upsold myself all the way to a WA22 with holy grail tubes and LCD-4s and I still sometimes miss the sound of my WA7tp with CBS Hytrons and LCD-Xs. In fact my WA7 is in its box in my closet waiting for when I move to a bigger place to use it in an office. I'll never get rid of it no matter how much I upgrade my new rig. It's just so good.



I see some of the CBS ones but the label looks blue. Those labels were machined differently? Red seem hard to even find pics of.

Are there any good tubes that are actually possible to find lol?

I'm waiting for Woo to respond on whether I can buy the psu later or not.


----------



## Priscilla Rose

https://tubeworldexpress.com/collections/preamp/products/copy-of-2-7316-holland-pair-7316-12au7-amperex-bugle-boy-holland-used-good-1959

These are widely considered to be the very best though I don't know how they sound on wa7.

Like I said, they cost.


----------



## Galm

priscilla rose said:


> https://tubeworldexpress.com/collections/preamp/products/copy-of-2-7316-holland-pair-7316-12au7-amperex-bugle-boy-holland-used-good-1959
> 
> These are widely considered to be the very best though I don't know how they sound on wa7.
> 
> Like I said, they cost.


 
 Yikes those are steep.  Sorry to keep troubling you, any in more 100 dollar range?  
  
 The CBS ones seem very difficult to find.


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> Yikes those are steep.  Sorry to keep troubling you, any in more 100 dollar range?
> 
> The CBS ones seem very difficult to find.




Sylvania JAN 5814s sound lovely and they're like $20-$30. Way better than the stock power supply tubes. You'll love them. They should hold you over just fine til you find some Hytrons.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> Sylvania JAN 5814s sound lovely and they're like $20-$30. Way better than the stock power supply tubes. You'll love them. They should hold you over just fine til you find some Hytrons.


 
 Alright cool I'll write those down.  I think the plan for now is to get it without the power supply (btw I can't find any science behind why they affect the sound so much, any threads about it?)  And then maybe order it down the line.  
  
 What was it exactly that the power supply improved?  Like I get the breakdown you gave of different tubes, but is there an overall "thing" the psu brings to the table that's consistent between tubes or not?
  
 Thanks for the help guys/gals.


----------



## Priscilla Rose

Well, I have never listened to the solid state ps so I don't know how exactly the tps is better than it. However, I was thinking about selling my wa7 till I tried out cbs tubes, I guess I was not impressed by the default tubed power supply.

My HD800S was only good with classical music, but with cbs tubes, it sounds good with nearly all other genres that I listen to.


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> Alright cool I'll write those down.  I think the plan for now is to get it without the power supply (btw I can't find any science behind why they affect the sound so much, any threads about it?)  And then maybe order it down the line.
> 
> What was it exactly that the power supply improved?  Like I get the breakdown you gave of different tubes, but is there an overall "thing" the psu brings to the table that's consistent between tubes or not?
> 
> Thanks for the help guys/gals.




^^Yeah, again what priscilla said. I've never tried the WA7 without the tube power supply. I wanted the option to change the sound signature of the amp so I went tp right away. Plus I got both for 1100 from a guy here on head-fi so it was a win win. If you shop around you can probably find a similar deal on a used one. Isn't groovyd selling his now? 

Anyway, as far as why the power supply makes a big difference in sound, the only reason I've been able to somewhat grasp is it's the way the different tubes discharge then bounce back from a voltage drop via power pull from the amplifier section. I actually asked my electronics class professor in college about this exact thing cuz I just bought the WA7tp during that semester. He started drawing stuff on the board about jumping electrons, heater elements, bias, diodes, triodes, etc, and I was like uhhhh ok so basically tube magic right? He was like yeah pretty much. Lol. I tried. 

But honestly the mystery behind those glowing glass cylinders to me is what makes them so freakin cool. The first time they lock you into the music just turn off the lights, stare at the glow, and let go of all that reasoning. Not sure if HD800s will do all that but with Audeze LCDs hours go by and you get LOST in the music. It's crack.

Also, never judge a tube amp's sound by what you hear the first 30-60 minutes from turning it on. Once they get really warm and hit their stride it's game on. You'll see.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> ^^Yeah, again what priscilla said. I've never tried the WA7 without the tube power supply. I wanted the option to change the sound signature of the amp so I went tp right away. Plus I got both for 1100 from a guy here on head-fi so it was a win win. If you shop around you can probably find a similar deal on a used one. Isn't groovyd selling his now?
> 
> Anyway, as far as why the power supply makes a big difference in sound, the only reason I've been able to somewhat grasp is it's the way the different tubes discharge then bounce back from a voltage drop via power pull from the amplifier section. I actually asked my electronics class professor in college about this exact thing cuz I just bought the WA7tp during that semester. He started drawing stuff on the board about jumping electrons, heater elements, bias, diodes, triodes, etc, and I was like uhhhh ok so basically tube magic right? He was like yeah pretty much. Lol. I tried.
> 
> ...


 
 Ok...  Got the psu.  What are these tubes? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-CBS-Hytron-5814WA-12AU7WA-E82CC-black-plates-slanted-square-getter-NOS-/292035692642?hash=item43feaf0862:g:IFAAAOSwCU1YrbXc
  
 Are those them?  Leaning towards the slyvania's right now.  
  
 These any good? http://www.ebay.com/p/Sylvania-5814A-Vintage-Tube-Tube-Socket/141000915


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> Ok...  Got the psu.  What are these tubes? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-CBS-Hytron-5814WA-12AU7WA-E82CC-black-plates-slanted-square-getter-NOS-/292035692642?hash=item43feaf0862:g:IFAAAOSwCU1YrbXc
> 
> Are those them?  Leaning towards the slyvania's right now.
> 
> These any good? http://www.ebay.com/p/Sylvania-5814A-Vintage-Tube-Tube-Socket/141000915




Wrong Sylvanias. Idk about those ones. The ones I was talking about are $25-$35, have green lettering, and say JAN 5814. Those CBS tubes look a little suspect too. Mine don't have the W in 5814A like those. But I think that just means ruggedized military version so they still might sound the same. Be advised I went through a couple pairs of look alike Hytron 5814A's before I found ones that had that described amazing sound. The "close enough" versions still sound about the same minus some bass impact. I even have a pair of CBS Hytron 12AU7s..and that's about how they sound too. 

Seek out that WA7tp tube rolling thread for guidance on all this. I'll post a link to it later if you can't find it.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> Wrong Sylvanias. Idk about those ones. The ones I was talking about are $25-$35, have green lettering, and say JAN 5814. Those CBS tubes look a little suspect too. Mine don't have the W in 5814A like those. But I think that just means ruggedized military version so they still might sound the same. Be advised I went through a couple pairs of look alike Hytron 5814A's before I found ones that had that described amazing sound. The "close enough" versions still sound about the same minus some bass impact. I even have a pair of CBS Hytron 12AU7s..and that's about how they sound too.
> 
> Seek out that WA7tp tube rolling thread for guidance on all this. I'll post a link to it later if you can't find it.


 
 I'd love a link thanks.  Google shows similar threads but nothing dedicated to tube rolling.  
  
 Interesting about the Hytrons...  @Priscilla Rose what's your take on those?  I don't really wanna buy something that could be wrong...
  
 Also could either of you link the Sylvanias?  I swear I found a link somewhere to the correct version but I seem to have lost it.


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> I'd love a link thanks.  Google shows similar threads but nothing dedicated to tube rolling.
> 
> Interesting about the Hytrons...  @Priscilla Rose
> what's your take on those?  I don't really wanna buy something that could be wrong...
> ...




Here ya go:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/763045/review-wa7-lcd-2f-dac-shoot-out-tube-guide-updated

Read that whole thing trust me. It's gold.


----------



## Priscilla Rose

What are the yellow tips? Repairing?
Wait, check this out http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tubes/messages/23/239859.html

They might be fine, judging by how rare these things are, I would probably take the risk. Contact the seller to find out more, ask him what happens if the tubes are faulty, he looks like a reputable seller to me.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> Here ya go:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/763045/review-wa7-lcd-2f-dac-shoot-out-tube-guide-updated
> 
> Read that whole thing trust me. It's gold.


 
 Thanks!
  


priscilla rose said:


> What are the yellow tips? Repairing?
> Wait, check this out http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/tubes/messages/23/239859.html
> 
> They might be fine, judging by how rare these things are, I would probably take the risk. Contact the seller to find out more, ask him what happens if the tubes are faulty, he looks like a reputable seller to me.


 
 You think I should risk it?  The yellow labels are weird, what does that mean?  The seller does look legit but idk, this seems weird.  Does yellow mean something that would affect sound, would anyone know?
  
 Also what is this? http://www.ebay.com/itm/5814-12AU7-Hytron-Amplifier-Vacuum-Tubes-Lot-of-7-NOS-Tested-Fair-/182460844407?hash=item2a7b838977:g:4cQAAOSwB-1YqjMQ
  
 That's a lot of tubes...


----------



## Galm

@Priscilla Rose @kyle1010
  
 The seller said this:
  
 "Hello and thank you very much for your interest. Colored tips on tubes manly stand for selected for special reasons or gear or selected to reach required measurement values. You can see traces of some yellow label stamped by a company over the manufacturer CBS Hytron label. Maybe yellow is their recognition color. These tubes are well over min. NOS values like stated."
  
Seem like I should go for it?
  
Thanks for all the help.


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> @Priscilla Rose
> @kyle1010
> 
> 
> ...




The price is a little steep. My Hytrons were $90-$120 for the pair. But judging by the internal structure of the tube I can see in that pic, they look the same as mine. Honestly, with Hytrons it's a gamble. I have 3 pairs and 2 sound lovely with a touch less bass than the third, but that third pair sound exactly as Jeb describes in that thread link I sent you. If you have the disposable funds yeah absolutely go for it. Worst case resell them back on ebay.

Edit: If those do turn out to be legit I'll be jealous cuz that yellow tip is super retro cool looking.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> The price is a little steep. My Hytrons were $90-$120 for the pair. But judging by the internal structure of the tube I can see in that pic, they look the same as mine. Honestly, with Hytrons it's a gamble. I have 3 pairs and 2 sound lovely with a touch less bass than the third, but that third pair sound exactly as Jeb describes in that thread link I sent you. If you have the disposable funds yeah absolutely go for it. Worst case resell them back on ebay.
> 
> Edit: If those do turn out to be legit I'll be jealous cuz that yellow tip is super retro cool looking.


 
 Goin for it.  I mean I'm like a 1700 in now, might as well go the last 100 for the best promised sound.  Plus yeah, I can always sell em.  Also planning on selling the stock or gold pin tubes depending on which I like less.


----------



## groovyd

galm said:


> Goin for it.  I mean I'm like a 1700 in now, might as well go the last 100 for the best promised sound.  Plus yeah, I can always sell em.  Also planning on selling the stock or gold pin tubes depending on which I like less.


 
 in my opinion best sound comes from the Mullards sold by Upscale Audio.


----------



## Galm

groovyd said:


> in my opinion best sound comes from the Mullards sold by Upscale Audio.


 
 What sound signature do you prefer?  I was going for more bass oomph and the reviews of the CBS seemed perfect.


----------



## Priscilla Rose

I own the Mullard CV4003 and CBS 5814A, to me they are similar except the CBS does quite a bit better in every regard except maybe that decaying effect.


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> What sound signature do you prefer?  I was going for more bass oomph and the reviews of the CBS seemed perfect.




If you want bass oomph stay away from those Mullard CV4003s. I bought them cuz everyone said they're amazing, and yeah, they're smooth sounding and really have no flaws from lows to highs except to me they sounded ruler flat. They work perfect for non bassy music but for my edm..nope..boring. I tried to like them since I spent $160 for em but no thanks..not for me. Sold em. 

Go Sylvania JAN 5814 or Hytrons for bass. Also, stay away from the Phillips ECC82s mentioned in that tube rolling guide. Yes they're bassy but everything else sounds dull and muddy. Enjoy!


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> If you want bass oomph stay away from those Mullard CV4003s. I bought them cuz everyone said they're amazing, and yeah, they're smooth sounding and really have no flaws from lows to highs except to me they sounded ruler flat. They work perfect for non bassy music but for my edm..nope..boring. I tried to like them since I spent $160 for em but no thanks..not for me. Sold em.
> 
> Go Sylvania JAN 5814 or Hytrons for bass. Also, stay away from the Phillips ECC82s mentioned in that tube rolling guide. Yes they're bassy but everything else sounds dull and muddy. Enjoy!


 
 I like a ton of genres, but one of my favorite has always been punk/pop punk.  Bands like Green Day or Nofx sound a lot better with good bass and kinda screechy otherwise.  
  
 I just did the SDR mod yesterday, and I have to admit it really made a good difference.  The sibilance is way better and effectively leveled out the sound a bit.  Now just waiting for all the amps and tubes to arrive.


----------



## Galm

@kyle1010 and
  
@Priscilla Rose
  
 The WA7t/tp duo finally arrived after Fedex got my hopes up on Saturday saying it was out for delivery.  
  
 Initial impressions are a large step up over my Chord Mojo lol.
  
 So I know I haven't really burned in the stock tubes yet, but good lord my impressions were pretty quick and my friend agreed.  
  
 The Gold Pin upgrade for the amp...  Sucks...  I don't know what it is but the bass is like anorexic with them and either PSU tube pair I own.  Wonder if Woo takes refunds on them lol...
  
 Stock and stock on both was pretty good.  But yeah, you guys were right, the Hytrons freakin shine.  They add some awesome thump to my HD800SDRs and really just sound awesome.  Probably at least as precise as the stock tubes with a much nicer sound signature.
  
 I'm really happy right now haha.  They look so freakin cool too!
  
 Thanks a ton for both your help!


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> @kyle1010
> and
> 
> @Priscilla Rose
> ...




Right!? The gold pins ruin the bass impact and don't really add much to make up for it. I'd totally take a refund if I could. Anyway, glad we could help. Can we get some pics of your setup? Possibly some glowing tubes? 

Edit: Just for fun try running the Mojo line level just as a DAC into the WA7 RCA inputs. With it powered off, hold down the two volume buttons on the Mojo then simultaneously push power to turn it on. You'll then be at line level to output from the Mojo straight into the WA7 RCAs with the proper 3.5mm to RCA cable. See if you can hear a difference from the WA7 built in DAC and let us know! 

Also, if you get the upgrade bug, realize that it takes a LOT of $ to get significantly better sound than that WA7tp. I'm rockin a top notch tubes upgraded WA22 with LCD-4s and I still sometimes miss the smooth sound of my WA7tp with Hytrons. It's hanging out in my closet in its box for now but it's coming back out as soon as I make some room for it. I'll never sell that amp, it's too good.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> Right!? The gold pins ruin the bass impact and don't really add much to make up for it. I'd totally take a refund if I could. Anyway, glad we could help. Can we get some pics of your setup? Possibly some glowing tubes?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Yeah, I literally emailed woo asking if they're defective.  I lost the bass in some songs completely...
  
 Otherwise it's awesome.  The stock tubes across the board were better than that and the hytrons even better.
  
 And yeah, besides the electro harmonixs sounding awful this thing is amazing, and I haven't even burned anything in yet.  The SDR mod + Hytron tubes really makes a huge difference on what genres the HD800s can do.  They sound way better on bassier music now.  
  
 As for pics, sure!  My set up is super cramped at the moment, should be changing soon but for now it has to work like this lol.  (also no I don't normally put my headphones on the monitor)
  
 I'll post full specs below (though I'll hope spoiler tags work).
  
  
  

  

  
  
 Specs:
 Wa7t/tp duo (obviously)
 Sennheiser HD800SDR mod (also have ie800s and Chord Mojo which I'll test soon)
  
 Speakers: LSR4328ps
  
  
 My computer and audio gear is currently leagues above my... everything else lol.  Priorities priorities...
  
 Edit: How do spoiler tags work on here?  
  
 Also the WA7 is supposed to get pretty hot right?  the base of mine are quite quite warm.


----------



## Priscilla Rose

Ya, the power unit really heats up, don't keep it on for more than 10 hours recommended by WooAudio and don't leave it on unattended.


----------



## groovyd

i know it looks cool up there but you will also get better sound if you separate the two units by a couple inches.


----------



## Galm

groovyd said:


> i know it looks cool up there but you will also get better sound if you separate the two units by a couple inches.



Haha, no I don't think it looks cool I think it looks jerry rigged, but I don't have room to spread them out more. I should fairly soon though. Do they interfere with each other that close?

I don't even want anything on my speakers at all but I don't have room in this apartment.

Also again how do you make a spoiler tag?


----------



## groovyd

galm said:


> Haha, no I don't think it looks cool I think it looks jerry rigged, but I don't have room to spread them out more. I should fairly soon though. Do they interfere with each other that close?
> 
> I don't even want anything on my speakers at all but I don't have room in this apartment.
> 
> Also again how do you make a spoiler tag?


 
  
 They do slightly.  I've noticed a couple inches between seems to be enough to kill the crosstalk.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

galm said:


> Yeah, I literally emailed woo asking if they're defective.  I lost the bass in some songs completely...
> 
> Otherwise it's awesome.  The stock tubes across the board were better than that and the hytrons even better.
> 
> ...


 
  
 The heat is dissipated into the aluminum chassis so it does get warm. This method is better than using internal fans.


----------



## Galm

@Priscilla Rose 
  
@kyle1010
  
 So the DAC difference is kind of annoying me.  The stock DAC has more bass which I generally like, but the Chord Mojo is definitely like...  Smoother I would say.  I blind tested my buddy and he also came to the same conclusion without me saying anything.  The stock DAC is like harsher somehow, it's like I mostly prefer the Mojo (but wish it had a touch more clarity) but I miss the bass.  Gah...
  
 Any DAC favorites people pair with this thing?


----------



## Bikr

galm said:


> Any DAC favorites people pair with this thing?


 
  
 I'd love to know as well!
  
 Personally, I'd love to see a gen3 Fireflies with an R2R multi-bit DAC built in and a balanced headphone output. I'd be willing to pay $200–$500 more for such a unit. I don't care about DSD and love the visual appeal and small footprint of the Fireflies.


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> @Priscilla Rose
> 
> 
> @kyle1010
> ...




I hear ya man. I'm pretty much always chasing more bass in this head-fi hobby. But I like all the other qualities like the smoothness and imaging the Mojo does too. Did you ever buy a set of those Sylvania JAN 5814s? Those are the bassiest WA7 tubes to me and might play well with the Mojo. If not, you're gonna come down with a little disease we like to call upgrade-itis. Symptoms include increased forum reading and thinning wallet. There is no known cure. Be advised my friend. (*whispers* Look into bassier headphones *cough* pre-2016 LCD-Xs *cough*)


----------



## eeagle

kyle1010 said:


> Be advised my friend. (*whispers* Look into bassier headphones *cough* pre-2016 LCD-Xs *cough*)


 
 Yup, a bit off topic but add a "C" and get the closed LCD-XC.
  
 That said another HP not even on my radar is on sale right now @Adorama for $199 AR....the Ultrasone PRO 900i w/S-Logic Natural Surround Sound...took a chance on one and am absolutely amazed.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> I hear ya man. I'm pretty much always chasing more bass in this head-fi hobby. But I like all the other qualities like the smoothness and imaging the Mojo does too. Did you ever buy a set of those Sylvania JAN 5814s? Those are the bassiest WA7 tubes to me and might play well with the Mojo. If not, you're gonna come down with a little disease we like to call upgrade-itis. Symptoms include increased forum reading and thinning wallet. There is no known cure. Be advised my friend. (*whispers* Look into bassier headphones *cough* pre-2016 LCD-Xs *cough*)


 
 It's not that I'm a total basshead.  I'm pretty happy with the way the HD800 is right now bass wise.  It's more I want the smoothness of the mojo but keeping the clarity.  
  
 LCD-Xs didn't have the sound stage of the 800s in the admittedly short time I got to try them.


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> It's not that I'm a total basshead.  I'm pretty happy with the way the HD800 is right now bass wise.  It's more I want the smoothness of the mojo but keeping the clarity.
> 
> LCD-Xs didn't have the sound stage of the 800s in the admittedly short time I got to try them.




They probably don't but might not have been played on the right gear. I had my Xs sounding very wide with WA7tp and Siemens ECC82 tubes. From what I remember of listening to HD800 it was close. H8000 had better vertical sound stage though, however the Xs image better to my ears. HD800S probably plays nicer with a wider variety of music. Xs are a different beast, they're more intense. 

Anyway, seems like you might need to try other tubes to get what you want. Read that tube rolling guide I linked you. WA7tp tubes are pretty cheap and make noticeable differences.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> They probably don't but might not have been played on the right gear. I had my Xs sounding very wide with WA7tp and Siemens ECC82 tubes. From what I remember of listening to HD800 it was close. H8000 had better vertical sound stage though, however the Xs image better to my ears. HD800S probably plays nicer with a wider variety of music. Xs are a different beast, they're more intense.
> 
> Anyway, seems like you might need to try other tubes to get what you want. Read that tube rolling guide I linked you. WA7tp tubes are pretty cheap and make noticeable differences.


 
 Well my HD800s are SDR modded, and I'm using CBS Hytron tubes that I really really like.  They brought a lot of bass to the table.  The stock DAC isn't screwing up the balance much, I just thought the Mojo sounded more musical at the expense of clarity.  While the stock is clear but not smooth, so I was looking for DAC that's both.


----------



## Cardiiiii

Modi Multibit and Wyrd is probably one of the best upgrades you can make to the WA7


----------



## Galm

cardiiiii said:


> Modi Multibit and Wyrd is probably one of the best upgrades you can make to the WA7


 
 I ended up settling on a Cayin iDAC-6.  What sold me is the tubes inside to help give it a warm smooth sound.  
  
 I'm actually a little surprised to hear you say the Modi Multibit is superior to the WA7 2nd Gen DAC.  A bit unexpected.


----------



## Cardiiiii

galm said:


> I ended up settling on a Cayin iDAC-6.  What sold me is the tubes inside to help give it a warm smooth sound.
> 
> I'm actually a little surprised to hear you say the Modi Multibit is superior to the WA7 2nd Gen DAC.  A bit unexpected.


 
 I have the first gen and it's obviously superior to the DAC in that, and the outlay for the Multibit Modi plus Wyrd was less than the upgrade to the 2nd Gen.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> They probably don't but might not have been played on the right gear. I had my Xs sounding very wide with WA7tp and Siemens ECC82 tubes. From what I remember of listening to HD800 it was close. H8000 had better vertical sound stage though, however the Xs image better to my ears. HD800S probably plays nicer with a wider variety of music. Xs are a different beast, they're more intense.
> 
> Anyway, seems like you might need to try other tubes to get what you want. Read that tube rolling guide I linked you. WA7tp tubes are pretty cheap and make noticeable differences.


 
@Priscilla Rose
  
 Thought I'd tag you two one last time since you both helped me.
  
 Just got the Cayin i-Dac 6...  It's awesome.  The tube mode totally adds bass, and it sounds so musical now.  Really, it's basically perfect now.


----------



## Galm

galm said:


> @Priscilla Rose
> 
> Thought I'd tag you two one last time since you both helped me.
> 
> Just got the Cayin i-Dac 6...  It's awesome.  The tube mode totally adds bass, and it sounds so musical now.  Really, it's basically perfect now.


 
 Oh also, @kyle1010
  
 Since you said you don't use the WA7s much anymore, I'd be super happy if you decide to sell if you'd contact me about the CBS Hytrons.  I definitely would love a back up pair, but haven't seen any since I got mine.
  
 (Anyone else too)


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> @Priscilla Rose
> 
> 
> Thought I'd tag you two one last time since you both helped me.
> ...




Nice! Glad it all finally worked out. Now you just gotta not go to Canjams and hear better gear that makes you wanna upgrade. 

My WA7tp and its Hytrons are sadly gonna be packed in the closet for 6 more months until I move and have room for another nightstand. Then the girlfriend gets it and all the tubes I have for it. Unfortunately she loves the Hytrons too so a sale probably can't happen dude sorry. I hear ya on the backup supply though, that's a great idea.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> Nice! Glad it all finally worked out. Now you just gotta not go to Canjams and hear better gear that makes you wanna upgrade.
> 
> My WA7tp and its Hytrons are sadly gonna be packed in the closet for 6 more months until I move and have room for another nightstand. Then the girlfriend gets it and all the tubes I have for it. Unfortunately she loves the Hytrons too so a sale probably can't happen dude sorry. I hear ya on the backup supply though, that's a great idea.


 
 Not being in a major area makes not going to can jams pretty easy lol.  
  
 Ah alright, all good, as long as she appreciates em that's what's important.
  
 I'm not sure what could really impressive me enough to want to upgrade at this point that isn't like Stax or high 5 figures.  I'm not really realistically interested in either of those enough either/ I'm not buying like Orpheus.  I do kinda want to try and see what Chord Dave sounds like.  Or that MSB DAC that's like $90,000.  But I ain't gettin them lol.


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> Not being in a major area makes not going to can jams pretty easy lol.
> 
> Ah alright, all good, as long as she appreciates em that's what's important.
> 
> I'm not sure what could really impressive me enough to want to upgrade at this point that isn't like Stax or high 5 figures.  I'm not really realistically interested in either of those enough either/ I'm not buying like Orpheus.  I do kinda want to try what like Chord Dave sounds like.  Or that MSB DAC that's like $90,000.  Buy I ain't gettin them lol.




Right? I'm getting a Hugo 2 to replace my Mojo as DAC, but after that I'll probably be done for a minute. To get better sound than my LCD-4s would take more than I'm willing to spend for a long while. That's kinda why I grabbed em. If Woo's WA22-SE dimensions fit nicely on my nightstand I might get that eventually, but it's getting to be time to start working on my main speaker system's upgrades. I feel like I've came, saw, and conquered headphones to the limit I'm willing to go to for now. The Audeze, Chord, and Woo Audio combination with top notch NOS tubes leaves my jaw dropped every listen. Anything more would be splitting hairs for tons of cash.


----------



## John Q Lin

Hi yall I'm in need of advice. 

I have the grace m9xx, and my headphones are th900, T1, hd800, thx00, he500, d7k, hd650, hd600, x2. 

Would the woo audio wa7 firefly be better or a upgrade to the m9xx.

Does the purchase make sense. 

Thank you


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> Right? I'm getting a Hugo 2 to replace my Mojo as DAC, but after that I'll probably be done for a minute. To get better sound than my LCD-4s would take more than I'm willing to spend for a long while. That's kinda why I grabbed em. If Woo's WA22-SE dimensions fit nicely on my nightstand I might get that eventually, but it's getting to be time to start working on my main speaker system's upgrades. I feel like I've came, saw, and conquered headphones to the limit I'm willing to go to for now. The Audeze, Chord, and Woo Audio combination with top notch NOS tubes leaves my jaw dropped every listen. Anything more would be splitting hairs for tons of cash.


 
 Wait you use a Chord Mojo as a DAC with the WA22?  
  
  


john q lin said:


> Hi yall I'm in need of advice.
> 
> I have the grace m9xx, and my headphones are th900, T1, hd800, thx00, he500, d7k, hd650, hd600, x2.
> 
> ...


 
 I'm unclear you have and want to upgrade to the m9xx.


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> Wait you use a Chord Mojo as a DAC with the WA22?
> 
> 
> I'm unclear you have and want to upgrade to the m9xx.



Shhhhh don't tell anybody lol. Nah it's shockingly good to be honest, but I can tell I'm shortchanging my LCD4s. That's the system I had been using for my old LCD-Xs but the 4s are so revealing I now hear the limitations of the Mojo. That's why I'm getting a Hugo 2, but also because it's small enough to fit in that little nightstand area that's pictured.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> Shhhhh don't tell anybody lol. Nah it's shockingly good to be honest, but I can tell I'm shortchanging my LCD4s. That's the system I had been using for my old LCD-Xs but the 4s are so revealing I now hear the limitations of the Mojo. That's why I'm getting a Hugo 2, but also because it's small enough to fit in that little nightstand area that's pictured.


 
 The jump from Mojo to iDac-6 was rather noticeable.  I also thought the Mojo was brighter and fuzzier than the WA7 2nd gen dac.  So I'd recommend upping your game with cans that good.


----------



## abvolt

I agree the dac  in the the wa7 is not all that good that's it's weak point,..


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> The jump from Mojo to iDac-6 was rather noticeable.  I also thought the Mojo was brighter and fuzzier than the WA7 2nd gen dac.  So I'd recommend upping your game with cans that good.



Well yeah dude that's why I'm buying Hugo 2 this weekend. Took a little while to recover my conscience after the LCD-4 splurge not even 3 months ago. One thing at a time lol.


----------



## eeagle

john q lin said:


> Hi yall I'm in need of advice.
> 
> I have the grace m9xx, and my headphones are th900, T1, hd800, thx00, he500, d7k, hd650, hd600, x2.
> 
> ...


 
 I have the m9XX and the first edition of the WA7 and some of the same HPs you have.
  
 My cut is the WA7 is a work of art and sounds quite nice with my HD600's which I usually listen to it with.  I am really not a big fan of tube gear, but bought the WA7 to see why so many in today's age like the tube sound.  I don't like waiting for it to warm up and remembering to turn it off after a listening session or the heat it produces,  Mine has the upgraded Electro Harmonix 6C45 tubes and they usually introduce a bit of hiss like noise as they warm up which makes me usually wait about 10 minutes after turn on so that the audio is stable and dead silent like it should be.  This is just the nature of tubes I believe and of course they will sound different as they age and eventually have to be replaced.
  
 The m9XX is just an outstanding performer on anything I have thrown at it; high impedance, low impedance or planer.  It employs AKM's flagship AK4490 DAC and Grace seems to really understand the chip and implements many filters to go along with it to suit most anyone's taste.  The WA7 DAC is the TI PCM5102A DAC which sounds OK in my book, but many do elect to use the WA7 as the nice Class A tube amp that it is and provide their own favorite DAC.
  
 I also like to compare HPs and find 2 or more jacks convenient as opposed to plugging and and unplugging.  The WA7 has two jacks a 3.5mm and a 6.3mm but only one can be used at a time.
  
 For my HD800 I like Sennheiser's own HDVD800 DAC/Amp and usually use a balanced cable which neither the WA7 or m9XX supports.


----------



## John Q Lin

eeagle said:


> john q lin said:
> 
> 
> > Hi yall I'm in need of advice.
> ...



Am I going to see improvement going from the grace to the woo audio. What about using the grace as a dac and firefly as the amp.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> Well yeah dude that's why I'm buying Hugo 2 this weekend. Took a little while to recover my conscience after the LCD-4 splurge not even 3 months ago. One thing at a time lol.


 
 How would you compare the LCD-4s to the HD800s?  Sounds like they would be better for rock music.  Have you used them with the Fireflies?


----------



## kyle1010

galm said:


> How would you compare the LCD-4s to the HD800s?  Sounds like they would be better for rock music.  Have you used them with the Fireflies?




I've only listened to HD800s at CanJam last year, but they're completely different from LCD-4s. Audeze sound is more, dark, visceral, musical and seductive. HD800s are a more plain, flat, and reference type of sound from what I remember. I think a wider variety of music would sound good on H800s, but with the right recordings the LCDs are otherworldly good. 

My WA7tp has been in its box in the closet for almost a year now so I haven't tried it with the 4s, but my guess is it would sound smooth and lovely but not have much punch and dynamics since it's way underpowered for the 200 ohm LCD-4s.


----------



## juanix

Apologies if this has already been answered, but I have a question about the recommended Sylvania JAN 5814A 12AU7 tubes for the WA7tp. I bought a pair from a listing on eBay that advertised it exactly as that, but I received a JRC 5814A tube manufactured by Radio Corp of America instead. The seller assured me these were exactly the same. Is this true? This is my first tube purchase so all I have is his word to go on. I don't receive my WA7tp until Friday so I'm unable to verify how they sound.


----------



## Priscilla Rose

juanix said:


> Apologies if this has already been answered, but I have a question about the recommended Sylvania JAN 5814A 12AU7 tubes for the WA7tp. I bought a pair from a listing on eBay that advertised it exactly as that, but I received a JRC 5814A tube manufactured by Radio Corp of America instead. The seller assured me these were exactly the same. Is this true? This is my first tube purchase so all I have is his word to go on. I don't receive my WA7tp until Friday so I'm unable to verify how they sound.


Well, they are two different companies Sylvania and RCA. Of course the seller can argue that they are both 5814As which resemble each other, but tubes are like wine. It has to be manufactured by a certain company during a certain time period, otherwise they are no good. I would say ask to return the item for a refund.


----------



## juanix

priscilla rose said:


> Well, they are two different companies Sylvania and RCA. Of course the seller can argue that they are both 5814As which resemble each other, but tubes are like wine. It has to be manufactured by a certain company during a certain time period, otherwise they are no good. I would say ask to return the item for a refund.


 

 Thank you. I think I will be requesting a return.
  
 Wondering if you have any information on the recommended CBS Hytron tubes. I found a pair of JHY 12AU7 made by CBS Hytron with red labeling and black plates. They seem rather pricey, but if these are the same ones that are being recommended for the WA7tp, then I will gladly try to acquire them. Any idea if they are the same?


----------



## Galm

Why do some people seem to prefer the WA8 to the WA7?  
  
 I'm somewhat confused that if the WA8 is around the same price, why would the small battery powered WA8 be superior to the WA7?  
  
 I've seen a few people say the WA8 is amazing and the WA7 didn't do it for them.  Maybe I just really love my CBS Hytrons?  idk.
  
 Anyone one hear also have a WA8?  Or just in general have thoughts on that?


----------



## Priscilla Rose

juanix said:


> Thank you. I think I will be requesting a return.
> 
> Wondering if you have any information on the recommended CBS Hytron tubes. I found a pair of JHY 12AU7 made by CBS Hytron with red labeling and black plates. They seem rather pricey, but if these are the same ones that are being recommended for the WA7tp, then I will gladly try to acquire them. Any idea if they are the same?


Ya, CBS Hytron 5814A or 5814WA are both fine. I only tried the red labelling, don't know about the white or blue ones.


----------



## Galm

priscilla rose said:


> Ya, CBS Hytron 5814A or 5814WA are both fine. I only tried the red labelling, don't know about the white or blue ones.


 
 Reviews by others seem to say avoid the blues.
  
 From what I can tell the whites are far rarer than the reds.


----------



## pieman3141

Out of curiosity, are there other very expensive tube DAC/amp combo units like the WA7? I'm excluding the Orpheus system, obviously.


----------



## dallasmarlow

eeagle said:


> I have the m9XX and the first edition of the WA7 and some of the same HPs you have.
> 
> My cut is the WA7 is a work of art and sounds quite nice with my HD600's which I usually listen to it with.  I am really not a big fan of tube gear, but bought the WA7 to see why so many in today's age like the tube sound.  I don't like waiting for it to warm up and remembering to turn it off after a listening session or the heat it produces,  Mine has the upgraded Electro Harmonix 6C45 tubes and they usually introduce a bit of hiss like noise as they warm up which makes me usually wait about 10 minutes after turn on so that the audio is stable and dead silent like it should be.  This is just the nature of tubes I believe and of course they will sound different as they age and eventually have to be replaced.
> 
> ...


 
  
 it's probably worth mentioning here that you're referring to the WA7 version 1 in regards to the dac.


----------



## eeagle

dallasmarlow said:


> it's probably worth mentioning here that you're referring to the WA7 version 1 in regards to the dac.


 
 Yes, I thought that was made clear in my opening sentence.
  
 Apparently you must feel the follow-on version is much improved.
  
 I must admit that I find the differences in DACs much harder to distinguish than the actual HP itself.


----------



## AD67

Looking to buy wa7 (black) with ss ps. If anyone is selling let me know...thanks


----------



## AD67

Can someone help me decide between wa7 and wa7d...a little confused on the pros/cons of each...thanks


----------



## juanix

ad67 said:


> Can someone help me decide between wa7 and wa7d...a little confused on the pros/cons of each...thanks


 
  
 The main difference is the WA7d has an additional Optical Input. The WA7d cannot be upgraded to the 2nd Gen DAC with improved amplifier circuitry though. Only the WA7 can be upgraded. I'm not sure if Woo Audio has any plans to allow the WA7d to be upgraded to 2nd Gen, but as of a week ago when I e-mailed them they said it could not be upgraded.


----------



## groovyd

juanix said:


> The main difference is the WA7d has an additional Optical Input. The WA7d cannot be upgraded to the 2nd Gen DAC with improved amplifier circuitry though. Only the WA7 can be upgraded. I'm not sure if Woo Audio has any plans to allow the WA7d to be upgraded to 2nd Gen, but as of a week ago when I e-mailed them they said it could not be upgraded.


 

 Not positive but I also think the WA7d cannot be used as a pure DAC?  I believe it's RCA are only inputs.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

juanix said:


> The main difference is the WA7d has an additional Optical Input. The WA7d cannot be upgraded to the 2nd Gen DAC with improved amplifier circuitry though. Only the WA7 can be upgraded. I'm not sure if Woo Audio has any plans to allow the WA7d to be upgraded to 2nd Gen, but as of a week ago when I e-mailed them they said it could not be upgraded.


 
  
@AD67 There are no plans to change WA7d design. This allow our customers to choose between the two DACs. If you need optical, choose WA7d. Optical is not commonly found today and will likely fade away soon.


----------



## Shini44

galm said:


> Why do some people seem to prefer the WA8 to the WA7?
> 
> I'm somewhat confused that if the WA8 is around the same price, why would the small battery powered WA8 be superior to the WA7?
> 
> ...


 
 +1

 i want to know as well. i am between getting WA7tp again as desktop tube amp or going with WA8. yet i didn't find enough info about WA7 vs WA8
  
 anyone?


----------



## kyle1010

shini44 said:


> +1
> 
> 
> i want to know as well. i am between getting WA7tp again as desktop tube amp or going with WA8. yet i didn't find enough info about WA7 vs WA8
> ...




Probably because they're using standard WA7. WA8 sounds a little more euphonic and lush than standard WA7 so if they're looking for that kind of sound in small form factor it's easier to just get WA8. But WA7tp is way ahead of WA8 imo and I've heard both, especially in headroom. Plus once you do some tube rolls in the power supply it's not even a fair fight.


----------



## Shini44

kyle1010 said:


> Probably because they're using standard WA7. WA8 sounds a little more euphonic and lush than standard WA7 so if they're looking for that kind of sound in small form factor it's easier to just get WA8. But WA7tp is way ahead of WA8 imo and I've heard both, especially in headroom. Plus once you do some tube rolls in the power supply it's not even a fair fight.


 
 i had WA7tp with Mullard Tubes. i bet that WA8 can't top that. if so i would go for it.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> Probably because they're using standard WA7. WA8 sounds a little more euphonic and lush than standard WA7 so if they're looking for that kind of sound in small form factor it's easier to just get WA8. But WA7tp is way ahead of WA8 imo and I've heard both, especially in headroom. Plus once you do some tube rolls in the power supply it's not even a fair fight.


So kyle I'm gonna sell my WA7s to move up in the world (my goal is like Utopia, Yggdrasil, and... some amp...) you would recommend the WA22s over the WA8?

I guess I'd be comparing stock WA22s vs WA8s, as the 1000 dollar tube upgrades seem insane to me.

BTW people my WA7s are listed and I'll be including my rare CBS Hytron military grade tubes (yellow markings on the top mean that I guess?)  That I've never been able to find anywhere else if you want some awesome sounding unique tubes.


----------



## kyle1010 (May 26, 2017)

Yeah stock WA8 can't hold a candle to stock WA22 especially if you're gonna eventually go Utopia. It has waaay more power, control, and detail. Stock WA22 sounds like WA7tp maxed out with the Hytrons but a little better in every way. Imaging, soundstage, clarity, and most noticeably tonality and texture take a step up. WA7tp is still slightly smoother sounding though, but maybe that's due to less treble extension than WA22.

Tube upgrades aren't $1000 on WA22 unless you really want to scratch that itch and take it that far. They're definitely more than WA7tp tubes by a lot but hey that's the hobby right? You can get one of the best rectifier tubes available for $30 actually. Fantastic power tubes for around $300 and similar pricing for drivers...just do it over time. Stock WA22 (with Psvane rectifier) is still incredible.

Lastly, IMO, stay away from that Yggdrasil. Not to offend anyone but it's getting long in the tooth internal technology-wise. I went dac shopping recently at CanJam socal and listened to all the dacs in that price range. Yggdrasil is definitely good, but sounds very cold and mechanical compared to the musical, rich, and flowing precision detailed sound signature of the Mytek Brooklyn or to a greater extent Chord Hugo 2(which I instantly preordered cuz holy crap it's on another level).

As far as amps, if you love tube sound WA22 never disappoints. Solid state best stuff in your price range is probably Wells Milo or better yet Violectric V281. Utopias are amazing though. I've only heard a few headphones better but that might be a taste thing.


----------



## Rotten Apple

kyle1010 said:


> Yup. And to my ears the gold pin tube upgrade in the amp made all my other ps tubes sound more flat. Not a fan.
> 
> To be honest, I upsold myself all the way to a WA22 with holy grail tubes and LCD-4s and I still sometimes miss the sound of my WA7tp with CBS Hytrons and LCD-Xs. In fact my WA7 is in its box in my closet waiting for when I move to a bigger place to use it in an office. I'll never get rid of it no matter how much I upgrade my new rig. It's just so good.


This!!! I have an expensive Moon HAD AMP/DAC yet love the sound of various Russian tubes on the 2nd generation WA7. If I don't think about the smooth liquid almost perfect sound that I'm currently getting out of my selection of headphones I would jump at the purchase. But I have gobs of power, did I say smooth? and a luscious sound to listen to whilst working on my computer from home. I'm supposed to be retired but I love music so much that I trade precious metals and day trade crypto currencies while listening to memories in a way that just wasn't possible a few years ago. Just think my LCD4's are going to be replicated by Audeze with LCDi4's. They're supposed to be incredible. And all that I need is a iPhone, Android and a Chord Mojo.

Now for the decision. Love the look of the cube. Best bet is to just set one up in another room. I have the retina MacBook I can set u on the coffee table with the Woo and the office/bedroom keeps the iMac and Moon. Combo somehow? Ideas welcome. Thank you for listening in written form.


----------



## Matez

Whoa, this thread seriously expanded. WA33 sounded nice in Munich, but then again, WA7 seems still very appealing little thing to have.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> Yeah stock WA8 can't hold a candle to stock WA22 especially if you're gonna eventually go Utopia. It has waaay more power, control, and detail. Stock WA22 sounds like WA7tp maxed out with the Hytrons but a little better in every way. Imaging, soundstage, clarity, and most noticeably tonality and texture take a step up. WA7tp is still slightly smoother sounding though, but maybe that's due to less treble extension than WA22.
> 
> Tube upgrades aren't $1000 on WA22 unless you really want to scratch that itch and take it that far. They're definitely more than WA7tp tubes by a lot but hey that's the hobby right? You can get one of the best rectifier tubes available for $30 actually. Fantastic power tubes for around $300 and similar pricing for drivers...just do it over time. Stock WA22 (with Psvane rectifier) is still incredible.
> 
> ...


Hm...  I don't know how it scales but I found the Bifrost to thrash mojo.  It was way more dynamic and detailed.  

Additionally how well would it work at a can jam?  Aren't they supposed to warm up for like a week?  

I'm also surprised you like Hugo 2 so much, I havent heard great things about the first one vs mojo.  Like a small portable dac sounded better to you than all the desktop options in that range?

What headphones were better?  LCD-4s?

I love the HD800 sound for the most part (wish they were warmer) so I wanted another dynamic driver.

Thanks for the always helpful responses!


----------



## kyle1010

Rotten Apple said:


> This!!! I have an expensive Moon HAD AMP/DAC yet love the sound of various Russian tubes on the 2nd generation WA7. If I don't think about the smooth liquid almost perfect sound that I'm currently getting out of my selection of headphones I would jump at the purchase. But I have gobs of power, did I say smooth? and a luscious sound to listen to whilst working on my computer from home. I'm supposed to be retired but I love music so much that I trade precious metals and day trade crypto currencies while listening to memories in a way that just wasn't possible a few years ago. Just think my LCD4's are going to be replicated by Audeze with LCDi4's. They're supposed to be incredible. And all that I need is a iPhone, Android and a Chord Mojo.
> 
> Now for the decision. Love the look of the cube. Best bet is to just set one up in another room. I have the retina MacBook I can set u on the coffee table with the Woo and the office/bedroom keeps the iMac and Moon. Combo somehow? Ideas welcome. Thank you for listening in written form.



Right? The WA7tp is downright seductive once those tubes get hot. I'll probably never part with it. If you can run your Moon as dac only yeah maybe try a combo system just to have tube sound from time to time. 

Those LCDi4's look so drool worthy omg. I wouldn't use them with a Mojo though. Mojo is super good for mid-fi gear, but from experience with mine once you get into higher end and ultra revealing headphones you can easily hear its flaws and it's annoying. Again, Hugo 2 or at least a really powerful dap with top notch dac built-in would be the only way to treat those i4s.


----------



## kyle1010 (May 26, 2017)

Galm said:


> Hm...  I don't know how it scales but I found the Bifrost to thrash mojo.  It was way more dynamic and detailed.
> 
> Additionally how well would it work at a can jam?  Aren't they supposed to warm up for like a week?
> 
> ...



No prob! Are you talking about the Yggy breaking in or warming up? I listened to it with the Ragnarok later in the day so it had been running for at least 6hrs straight. That and I'm pretty sure Schiit doesn't pull out a brand new one for every trade show cuz then they couldn't sell it later as new. But yeah I can definitely see Bifrost multibit being more detailed than Mojo. Mojo is a smooth and forgiving dac that would totally sound veiled on HD800s. It doesn't play nice with super revealing cans. Hugo 2 does though. It's by far better than the first Hugo. I know it's small and portable but there's a reason it goes for its $2200 price tag. Size means nothing..the technology in its dac and filter implementation is a cut above the rest. Hugo 2's forum is full of q&a from its creator Rob Watts. It sounds dangerously close to Chord Dave when I did an AB comparison side by side. Anyway, I'd definitely audition it before you go Yggy.

If you love the HD800 sound I'd go Utopia. They're a clear step up but similar presentation since they're dynamic drivers. Also warmer than HD800s so pretty much exactly what you want. But yeah IMO the LCD-4s, Abyss Phi, and Sennheiser HE-1 are the only cans that beat the Utopias. The only reason I say that is those other ones do that 3D holographic out of your head imaging thing way better cuz they're planars and stats with much bigger and lighter drivers. The Utopias have a perfectly coherent sound that kinda all hits your ears at once..like a wall of gorgeous sound..whereas the others sound like the music is imaged all around you in 3D and I love that. Utopias are more of a super detailed easy listen like HE1000s but more dynamic, and those other ones are trying to rock your world with their capabilities.


----------



## Galm

kyle1010 said:


> No prob! Are you talking about the Yggy breaking in or warming up? I listened to it with the Ragnarok later in the day so it had been running for at least 6hrs straight. That and I'm pretty sure Schiit doesn't pull out a brand new one for every trade show cuz then they couldn't sell it later as new. But yeah I can definitely see Bifrost multibit being more detailed than Mojo. Mojo is a smooth and forgiving dac that would totally sound veiled on HD800s. It doesn't play nice with super revealing cans. Hugo 2 does though. It's by far better than the first Hugo. I know it's small and portable but there's a reason it goes for its $2200 price tag. Size means nothing..the technology in its dac and filter implementation is a cut above the rest. Hugo 2's forum is full of q&a from its creator Rob Watts. It sounds dangerously close to Chord Dave when I did an AB comparison side by side. Anyway, I'd definitely audition it before you go Yggy.
> 
> If you love the HD800 sound I'd go Utopia. They're a clear step up but similar presentation since they're dynamic drivers. Also warmer than HD800s so pretty much exactly what you want. But yeah IMO the LCD-4s, Abyss Phi, and Sennheiser HE-1 are the only cans that beat the Utopias. The only reason I say that is those other ones do that 3D holographic out of your head imaging thing way better cuz they're planars and stats with much bigger and lighter drivers. The Utopias have a perfectly coherent sound that kinda all hits your ears at once..like a wall of gorgeous sound..whereas the others sound like the music is imaged all around you in 3D and I love that. Utopias are more of a super detailed easy listen like HE1000s but more dynamic, and those other ones are trying to rock your world with their capabilities.


Again I really appreciate your replies. 

Dang, I love imaging too though...  I love the HD800 soundstage being so huge.  Its why I probably wont sell them? 

For the Yggy I more meant warm up time is one week, not break in.

So your input helps a lot having tried so much.


----------



## benzfong

Hello guys,

I m have a cdm n wa7/tp. I m thinking if I used cdm as a Dac n wa7 as an amp is it good ? Pls advise. Thks.


----------



## Rotten Apple

kyle1010 said:


> Right? The WA7tp is downright seductive once those tubes get hot. I'll probably never part with it. If you can run your Moon as dac only yeah maybe try a combo system just to have tube sound from time to time.
> 
> Those LCDi4's look so drool worthy omg. I wouldn't use them with a Mojo though. Mojo is super good for mid-fi gear, but from experience with mine once you get into higher end and ultra revealing headphones you can easily hear its flaws and it's annoying. Again, Hugo 2 or at least a really powerful dap with top notch dac built-in would be the only way to treat those i4s.


Yes the i4's look great. I received a call from my dealer (audio) and he said that Id be receiving them in the second week of June. I'm on the list. I agree that the Mojo might not be up to the job but that's what I have. But I also own the iSine 20's so it looks like they will be my iPhone's best friend with the built in cipher cable. I actually like the sound from the cable as it provides plenty of power and has been expertly tuned. Win-win for me. 

With respect to using the Moon as a Dac and relegating the wa7's to do the rest, yes that is very doable. I'm spending the 2500 bucks on the headphones what's another *cough* 1299 Canadian before negotiating. 

Thanks for insights bud.

Eh


----------



## benzfong

Sorry, what is moon you all referring to?


----------



## benzfong

Hope you call can advise me the cdm or the wa7 g1 dac is better ?


----------



## mpbrada

Hi All,

I am having trouble with my WA7 Fireflies gen 1 amp communicating with my laptop that is now running MacOS 10.12.5 (Sierra).  On Wednesday, when I was running the older version of the MacOS (10.11.x (El Capitan)), I had no problems with the amp.  However, now that I am running Sierra I have found that the amp will not show up in Audio MIDI Setup, which means I can’t use it, of course.  My computer is a mid 2014 MacBook Pro.

I have done a large amount of troubleshooting over the past couple of days and have found the following (in no particular order).

    1. I know the USB cable is fine, for several reasons.  For instance, I can see the amp using 'About This Mac -> System Report… -> USB,’ so I know the system can see the DAC chip with my current USB cable.

    2. When I connected a different computer running El Capitan to the identical desktop set up, I was able to see the amp in Audio MIDI Setup. To me this can only mean that the problem is related to the specific communication between my DAC chip and Sierra.

    3.  Just to be thorough, I’ve tried a number of different computers running Sierra and have found the behavior of the system to be the same, which is to say I can see the amp on the About This Mac->System Report…->USB but I cannot see it on Audio MIDI Setup.

    4.  I’ve also tried a number of different connection scenarios (running the USB cable straight to the laptop on both ports, running different USB cables, using my powered USB hub, etc.) and in every case I have seen the same behavior for the amp.

    5.  When I took my laptop home and connected to my WDS-1 there, it worked perfectly with no issues at all.

    6. Before I started any of the above I did all of the resetting of NVRAM and CMS and suchlike that are recommended on the Mac forums.

So, at this point I really think there is some issue between the communication between my amp and the laptop that is related to Sierra.  I spoke with Mike Liang from Woo yesterday, and he told me that they have not seen this issue, so I’m feeling a bit stuck here.  My amp is useless to me at the moment.  Any help that you could offer would be appreciated.


----------



## mpbrada

Hm...'New Head-Fier.'  How quaint.  I guess I haven't logged in for a while.


----------



## AD67

I bought my wa7 a month ago and now one of the valves is not as bright as the other one - its nearly completely dark but I can sense heat coming from it. I switched valves with another pair I have and I still have the same problem. The sound is not affected as much as I can tell. Has anyone experienced anything similar?


----------



## HiFiGuy528

AD67 said:


> I bought my wa7 a month ago and now one of the valves is not as bright as the other one - its nearly completely dark but I can sense heat coming from it. I switched valves with another pair I have and I still have the same problem. The sound is not affected as much as I can tell. Has anyone experienced anything similar?



It may be a bad LED under the valve. Send a couple of good quality pictures to info@wooaudio.com for further assistance.


----------



## AD67

Hi Mike

I sent an email with an attached pic of this morning....the problem occurs to both sets of valves I have....even though I have really been using only one set...so I'm not sure is its a valve issue....


----------



## EdmontonCanuck

AD67 said:


> I sent an email with an attached pic of this morning....the problem occurs to both sets of valves I have....even though I have really been using only one set...so I'm not sure is its a valve issue....



There are LED's under the tubes that provide the orange "glow". One of them is likely faulty and not "glowing" as brightly as the other one. These LED's do not affect the tube operation at all and hence don't affect the sound quality. It's simply an "aesthetic" touch.


----------



## jmills8

Hello, how would my TH900 sound with this ? Thanks, JMills8.


----------



## Lucas_ob

jmills8 said:


> Hello, how would my TH900 sound with this ? Thanks, JMills8.


Same of you


----------



## klaha81

mpbrada said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I am having trouble with my WA7 Fireflies gen 1 amp communicating with my laptop that is now running MacOS 10.12.5 (Sierra).  On Wednesday, when I was running the older version of the MacOS (10.11.x (El Capitan)), I had no problems with the amp.  However, now that I am running Sierra I have found that the amp will not show up in Audio MIDI Setup, which means I can’t use it, of course.  My computer is a mid 2014 MacBook Pro.
> 
> ...




I am having the same issues as well...after updating to a recent build of MacOS 10.12.5

When i plug it direct into the usb port of the macbook pro, its not being detected as speaker. 

It only works when i plug it into the back of my monitor which is connected via thunderbolt to my macbook pro which has a usb hub. However even that poses a problem as..

1) It only allows me to choose an output of 44100 and 48000.

2) It only outputs audio for a few minutes, after which it fails to output any sound and i have to restart my macbook to get it to work again (although for a few minutes again)


I have tried the following

- inserting into another powered hub (failed to detect)
- running it on another notebook (detects)
- change usb cable (doesn't detect)
- reset pram and smc (doesn't detect after restart)
- flashed my Sierra (doesn't detect after that)

For now i have a paperweight sitting on the top of my desk, does anyone else face the same issue? Does woo audio have any solution for this?


----------



## George Chronis

FWIW I plugged mine in, in a different laptop (MacBook Air) and then it showed up as Speakers in the sound outputs. Then I plugged them back in to the MacBook and they showed up there as well. I didn't change anything, so not sure what's up. Told info@wooaudio as well and they had no explanation either. May be worth a try.


----------



## Kneel2Galvatron

Interested in the wa7 gen 2. Will it smooth out grado headphones? How is the dac overall? Looking for a tube amp to add a little warmth to my grado gh2 headphones and tame the treble a bit.


----------



## Galm (Aug 8, 2017)

Kneel2Galvatron said:


> Interested in the wa7 gen 2. Will it smooth out grado headphones? How is the dac overall? Looking for a tube amp to add a little warmth to my grado gh2 headphones and tame the treble a bit.


I would say so, depending on the tubes it can add some warmth and tone down the treble.

The CBS Hytron tubes add the most bass thump. Pm me if your interested in the WA7 I'm getting rid of mine soon unfortunately.  I can answer specific questions.

I have the WA7 duos 2nd gen with CBS Hytron red labels actually.

I really loved this amp but need to consolidate my stuff.


----------



## flea22

Hello guys, new and a noob to all this headphone stuff, Got myself a wa7 on impulse mainly because of it's beautiful style. This is my first headphone amp and my first tube amp. It's a gen 1 but im using my peachtree nova150 as a preamp and it has the same sabre dac as the gen2. Now I cant even get this thing to work when I try usb mode nothing pops up in windows 10, tried the drivers from woo.com and the keep saying connect CMEDIA usb2.0, also when I have the usb cable connected I get a lot of computer noise come through the wa7 like mouse movement and when my gpus are in action the noise is god awful. So I'm using a spidf to my nova150 then rca to wa7.  Still would like to try usb mode so any tips would be nice.

Now for sound, I would like it to be a bit more detailed and more separation so any tube upgrade recommendations would be nice as well. I have the tube psu on its way, hope this helps. Also im using lcd 3's.

But WOW this thing is really beautiful.


----------



## flea22

Hey guys sorry have to bump this thread, I still can not get the wa7 gen 1 to even recognize the usb input into my windows 10 pc. I tried a usb 2.0 hub and still no dice. Also when the usb is connected, I get a horrible tick tick sound. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm falling out of love with this product fast, I also have a led light that turns off some times and the rca inputs feel loose when connected. Also the button for the wa7tp feels very loose. 

I could forgive these things if I could just get usb mode to work.


----------



## Galm

Leigh Quigg said:


> Hey guys sorry have to bump this thread, I still can not get the wa7 gen 1 to even recognize the usb input into my windows 10 pc. I tried a usb 2.0 hub and still no dice. Also when the usb is connected, I get a horrible tick tick sound. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm falling out of love with this product fast, I also have a led light that turns off some times and the rca inputs feel loose when connected. Also the button for the wa7tp feels very loose.
> 
> I could forgive these things if I could just get usb mode to work.


Have you contacted Woo about any of this?  The loose button on the TP is normal (or at least the same as mine) but that other stuff sounds like RMA material.


----------



## flea22 (Aug 26, 2017)

Galm said:


> Have you contacted Woo about any of this?  The loose button on the TP is normal (or at least the same as mine) but that other stuff sounds like RMA material.



Hello, Sadly I bought the wa7 second hand off ebay, I got the tp brand new. I contacted them about the led light and they wanted $70 us to fix it. But im in Australia so all up with return shipping it would be around $300 us (thats a fair bit of money for one led light). Still have to contact them about the windows 10 support, at first I thought I could solve it myself thinking it was drivers, But now I suspect its the wa7 at fault.

 RCA mode works fine (apart from having a loose connection, it's the wa7 at fault, my rca cables fit tight with every other device I have.)
The cheapest thing I can do is try and forget my ocd and enjoy the wa7 in rca mode. And just hope the led light does not turn off too much.


----------



## groovyd

Leigh Quigg said:


> Hello, Sadly I bought the wa7 second hand off ebay, I got the tp brand new. I contacted them about the led light and they wanted $70 us to fix it. But im in Australia so all up with return shipping it would be around $300 us (thats a fair bit of money for one led light). Still have to contact them about the windows 10 support, at first I thought I could solve it myself thinking it was drivers, But now I suspect its the wa7 at fault.
> 
> RCA mode works fine (apart from having a loose connection, it's the wa7 at fault, my rca cables fit tight with every other device I have.)
> The cheapest thing I can do is try and forget my ocd and enjoy the wa7 in rca mode. And just hope the led light does not turn off too much.



yeah the leds are problematic.  a lot of peoples leds did the same, even mine.  i think it has to do with cold solder joint cracking over time with the tube heat cycling.  returning it to them is also always a big expense every time i have done it.  almost better to just get the right driver to open up the unit yourself and re-solder it.


----------



## flea22

groovyd said:


> yeah the leds are problematic.  a lot of peoples leds did the same, even mine.  i think it has to do with cold solder joint cracking over time with the tube heat cycling.  returning it to them is also always a big expense every time i have done it.  almost better to just get the right driver to open up the unit yourself and re-solder it.



Thanks for the info on the led, yeah the led problem seems to happen when the wa7 has been on for some time.

 After reading a large chunk of this thread and the dac, tube shootout thread, I got some mullard 4003's, and I can say WOW I am really happy with the sound now. Also have some cbs hytron's on the way. So thanks guys for doing some research on tube upgrades, it was a big help.

I'm new to this tube stuff and first thought the tp and tube upgrades would be placebo bs. But I now know it's not.
Cheers


----------



## Zomgnoob

Hello WA7 owners! Im kind of new to this audiophile phrase and Im just amazed at the structure of the WA7 amps. Im almost pulling the trigger to buying it, but i was wondering if you could help answer some of my queries!
Im looking to buy my first ever amp (and maybe last ever) to power some of my gear. For now, I have a set of HD800s and a UE CIEM with a mojo dac. 

As of right now, im kind of at a loss of what type of amp to get for my HD800s since i heard that solid state were the base line amps or your 'first go to amp' whereas tube amps are usually gotten as an side upgrade to the solid state amps, do you guys feel that having the WA7 would be a good final amp to stop at?

Also, I've been looking to buy the wa7 hugely hugely due to its aesthetic built and sound quality, however I was wondering if the DAC of the WA7 could easily beat the one of the mojo when coupled with the HD800s? And if it does not, should i just get the other series of the Woo audio amp line?

Thanks!!


----------



## Galm

Zomgnoob said:


> Hello WA7 owners! Im kind of new to this audiophile phrase and Im just amazed at the structure of the WA7 amps. Im almost pulling the trigger to buying it, but i was wondering if you could help answer some of my queries!
> Im looking to buy my first ever amp (and maybe last ever) to power some of my gear. For now, I have a set of HD800s and a UE CIEM with a mojo dac.
> 
> As of right now, im kind of at a loss of what type of amp to get for my HD800s since i heard that solid state were the base line amps or your 'first go to amp' whereas tube amps are usually gotten as an side upgrade to the solid state amps, do you guys feel that having the WA7 would be a good final amp to stop at?
> ...


What's your budget?  Are you looking at the duo or single?

The dac section is just a Sabre 9018.  It's got the typical qualities of that chips.  As someone who owned the duos, you're paying quite a lot for how good it looks.  If performance is your thing there are better amps.  I have a Ragnarok right now that is significantly better.  But that doesn't mean tube amps in general are worse, there are amazing tube amps out there including from Woo.


----------



## Zomgnoob

Galm said:


> What's your budget?  Are you looking at the duo or single?
> 
> The dac section is just a Sabre 9018.  It's got the typical qualities of that chips.  As someone who owned the duos, you're paying quite a lot for how good it looks.  If performance is your thing there are better amps.  I have a Ragnarok right now that is significantly better.  But that doesn't mean tube amps in general are worse, there are amazing tube amps out there including from Woo.



Ohh, i figured.. i cant deny how beautiful the wa7 duo is though! My budget is pretty wishywashy right now but i wouldnt go over 1.4-1.5.. Especially with me living in aus, many products are pricer over here . 
Im kind of looking at the cayin idac and iha6 combo that is pretty reasonably priced (~1200) but my decision changes everyday haha! I guess i'll put the idea of getting the wa7 duos in the backseat for now and try for greater practical amps..


----------



## Galm

Zomgnoob said:


> Ohh, i figured.. i cant deny how beautiful the wa7 duo is though! My budget is pretty wishywashy right now but i wouldnt go over 1.4-1.5.. Especially with me living in aus, many products are pricer over here .
> Im kind of looking at the cayin idac and iha6 combo that is pretty reasonably priced (~1200) but my decision changes everyday haha! I guess i'll put the idea of getting the wa7 duos in the backseat for now and try for greater practical amps..


Wow uh...  weird side turn...  But I actually still have my Cayin iDac-6 if you wanted to buy one used...  No idea how that'll convert with currency and shipping but I was planning on relisting it soon...  (I was using HD800s + WA7 duos + a Cayin iDac-6 for a while because HD800 liked warm dacs, now it's Yggy, Raggy, Utopia though)

Anyway back on topic I've heard good things about the Cayin IHA-6.  And if I was picking an amp in that budget I'd probably shoot for something used.  A used Ragnarok is like 1200 in the U.S..  A Valhalla 2 should be cheaper.


----------



## Zomgnoob

Galm said:


> Wow uh...  weird side turn...  But I actually still have my Cayin iDac-6 if you wanted to buy one used...  No idea how that'll convert with currency and shipping but I was planning on relisting it soon...  (I was using HD800s + WA7 duos + a Cayin iDac-6 for a while because HD800 liked warm dacs, now it's Yggy, Raggy, Utopia though)
> 
> Anyway back on topic I've heard good things about the Cayin IHA-6.  And if I was picking an amp in that budget I'd probably shoot for something used.  A used Ragnarok is like 1200 in the U.S..  A Valhalla 2 should be cheaper.



Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat, you have like my (current) dream setup then? Im also not sure how you would price your cayins haha, the shippings probably going to be a bomb, so far the current one i saw is 600 brand new. I'll pm ya in private this this is going a bit off-topic for the wa7s


----------



## floppiness

Have my WA7 with the tube power supply up for sale if anyone is interested? Also have a pair of CBS Hytron JHY 5814 for the tube power supply.


----------



## HiFiGuy528

new video!


----------



## teb1013

Incidentally the WA7d is on Massdrop right now for $649.99.  The WA7tp tube power supply costs an additional $600, otherwise you get the standard solid state. There are 6 days left on the drop as of October 5, 2017.


----------



## teb1013

I am tremendously tempted to get the WA7 while it is on Massdrop. Question to you all, I currently am running my Sennheiser HD 600s with an Aune T1 as a DAC and a Shiit Vali 2 as an amp using Amperex NOS 1703 tubes. This set up sounds good to me (vastly better than the Aune’s Internal amp. Can anyone comment if I will notice a meaningful increase in quality if I go with the WA7?


----------



## teb1013 (Oct 26, 2017)

Well, I did it! I ordered the WA7 through Massdrop and got it yesterday. Setup was a snap. Even with the standard tubes the sound quality is great through my Sennheiser HD600 headphones. Of course, I may be be wanting these to sound better, but I’m listening to very familiar tracks that I thought sounded great through my Aune T1 Schiit Vali 2 combination and I do notice more detail and, surprisingly, more separation. I will continue to listen, after all there’s been no time for “break in” if that’s even considered necessary in the WA7. Of course, I love how the thing looks especially with the LEDs illuminating the tubes. A well spent $649.99 if you ask me. I’m going to go through this thread to look for suggestions for a tube upgrade.


----------



## motoman4540

I just got mine through MassDrop and it is one gorgeous unit.  I am using the solid state power supply and it sounds great on both my Fostex Purplehearts and my HD650's, so I am a happy camper.  the only thing that I don't like about the HD650's is that they leak too much sound so that my wife can hear what I'm listening to (jazz or dinosaur rock) and becomes shall we say, "not happy."  On the other had, the Woo Audio Fireflies definitely have the WAF, especially at night when the tubes glow nicely!


----------



## motoman4540 (Nov 1, 2017)

I thought that the standard Sovtek tubes sounded great.  I think before I start obsessing about tube rolling, I'd spring for the power amp for the WA7d's and see what that would do.  The Fireflies are my first foray into tubes, and I am skeptical as to how much different tubes will really affect the sound. The way I see it, any difference is likely to be slight, dependent upon the phones used, and the quality of the material being listened to.  For example, I will sometimes take "medicine" and put on a well-recorded Led Zep soundboard tape, or Pink Floyd.  Because the source material is good but not great (and sometimes not so great), I doubt that tube rolling would add anything to that sort of source material.  Also, my hearing is starting to get challenged in my left ear, with low frequency drop-off and high frequency rolloff as well.  So another strike.  Finally, there is the reality that in Audiophoolese, "blows me away" means that there is a 10-15% difference; "sounds much improved is probably 10%, and "sounds better" is probably a 5% improvement.  I go through this often with cables on my regular music system.  Cables definitely can make an audible difference.  Is that difference "OMG, I have a whole new stereo system now that I have replaced this cable or that cable?" -- highly unlikely.  Can a cable smooth out a rough treble or tighten the bass? absolutely.  Is an equipment upgrade worth hundreds or thousands, other than speakers?  I guess that depends on your wallet.  Case in point.  I used an 02+ODAC before the Fireflies.  Do I like the Fireflies better?  Yes.  Does it sound twice as good as the ODAC? No.  Do it look twice as good? Absolutely, if not more!


----------



## groovyd

motoman4540 said:


> I thought that the standard Sovtech tubes sounded great.  I think before I start obsessing about tube ruling, I'd spring for the power amp for the WA7d's and see what that would do.  The Fireflies are my first foray into tubes, and I am skeptical as to how much different tubes will really affect the sound. The way I see it, any difference is likely to be slight, dependent upon the phones used, and the quality of the material being listened to.  For example, I will sometimes take "medicine" and put on a well-recorded Led Zep soundboard tape, or Pink Floyd.  Because the source material is good but not great (and sometimes not so great), I doubt that tube rolling would add anything to that sort of source material.  Also, my hearing is starting to get challenged in my left ear, with low frequency drop-off and high frequency rolloff as well.  So another strike.  Finally, there is the reality that in Audiophoolese, "blows me away" means that there is a 10-15% difference; "sounds much improved is probably 10%, and "sounds better" is probably a 5% improvement.  I go through this often with cables on my regular music system.  Cables definitely can make an audible difference.  Is that difference "OMG, I have a whole new stereo system now that I have replaced this cable or that cable?" -- highly unlikely.  Can a cable smooth out a rough treble or tighten the bass? absolutely.  Is an equipment upgrade worth hundreds or thousands, other than speakers?  I guess that depends on your wallet.  Case in point.  I used an 02+ODAC before the Fireflies.  Do I like the Fireflies better?  Yes.  Does it sound twice as good as the ODAC? No.  Do it look twice as good? Absolutely, if not more!



The tube power supply is night and day better then the solid state.  If your ranking of sayings to perceptions is the standard then I would have to say something like 'blows me the crap out the d*mn door'


----------



## motoman4540

groovyd said:


> The tube power supply is night and day better then the solid state.  If your ranking of sayings to perceptions is the standard then I would have to say something like 'blows me the crap out the d*mn door'


Just great.  Another freakin' $650 I have to plow into the system.  As soon as somebody buys my unused Noble X's that have about 30 min. on them, I'll put that $$ towards the tube power supply . . . they do look extremely cool at night!


----------



## HiFiGuy528 (Nov 2, 2017)

congrats to new WA7d owners. We recommend to enjoy the amp and "get to know it" before doing any upgrades. No rush.... The sound will improve with every use.

Try this track with WA7 + HD800. No one can say HD800 is light on bass. It just need a good quality amp/DAC.  This is a CD rip to .WAV file. Nothing fancy.... 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tnr6whab8j5nuxt/01 Hey You.wav?dl=0


----------



## teb1013 (Nov 4, 2017)

motoman4540 said:


> I thought that the standard Sovtek tubes sounded great.  I think before I start obsessing about tube rolling, I'd spring for the power amp for the WA7d's and see what that would do.  The Fireflies are my first foray into tubes, and I am skeptical as to how much different tubes will really affect the sound. The way I see it, any difference is likely to be slight, dependent upon the phones used, and the quality of the material being listened to.  For example, I will sometimes take "medicine" and put on a well-recorded Led Zep soundboard tape, or Pink Floyd.  Because the source material is good but not great (and sometimes not so great), I doubt that tube rolling would add anything to that sort of source material.  Also, my hearing is starting to get challenged in my left ear, with low frequency drop-off and high frequency rolloff as well.  So another strike.  Finally, there is the reality that in Audiophoolese, "blows me away" means that there is a 10-15% difference; "sounds much improved is probably 10%, and "sounds better" is probably a 5% improvement.  I go through this often with cables on my regular music system.  Cables definitely can make an audible difference.  Is that difference "OMG, I have a whole new stereo system now that I have replaced this cable or that cable?" -- highly unlikely.  Can a cable smooth out a rough treble or tighten the bass? absolutely.  Is an equipment upgrade worth hundreds or thousands, other than speakers?  I guess that depends on your wallet.  Case in point.  I used an 02+ODAC before the Fireflies.  Do I like the Fireflies better?  Yes.  Does it sound twice as good as the ODAC? No.  Do it look twice as good? Absolutely, if not more!



I got my WA7 from Massdrop too and have the solid state power supply. Just wasn’t able to drop the additional $600 at this time. I have upgraded the tubes over the Sovtek. Frankly I didn’t run it with the Sovtek long enough to fully evaluate them, but the upgraded Reflector tubes seem excellent. I don’t know about the $140 upgraded tubes however, I’m going to let these tun for a while.  I have enough experience with tubes to know tubes can make a tremendous difference. I spent a fair amount on an Amperex 7308 for my Aune T1 DAC/Amp and it Upgraded the sound notably. I tried a series of tubes with it and some like the Voskhod tubes gave a far more “in your face” impact. The 6C45s used with the WA7 aren’t tubes I have experience with before this and I don’t think are as easy to get as the tubes I used with my Aune and my Schiit Vali2. Perhaps this is dealt with in this thread and I intend to read through it when I get a chance. Good luck with yours. As for the power supply, I will read others experience and see what they say to decide if I will get one once I have the $ to do so.


----------



## Dogmatrix

teb1013 said:


> I got my WA7 from Massdrop too and have the solid state power supply. Just wasn’t able to drop the additional $600 at this time. I have upgraded the tubes over the Sovtek. Frankly I didn’t run it with the Sovtek long enough to fully evaluate them, but the upgraded Reflector tubes seem excellent. I don’t know about the $140 upgraded tubes however, I’m going to let these tun for a while.  I have enough experience with tubes to know tubes can make a tremendous difference. I spent a fair amount on an Amperex 7308 for my Aune T1 DAC/Amp and it Upgraded the sound notably. I tried a series of tubes with it and some like the Voskhod tubes gave a far more “in your face” impact. The 6C45s used with the WA7 aren’t tubes I have experience with before this and I don’t think are as easy to get as the tubes I used with my Aune and my Schiit Vali2. Perhaps this is dealt with in this thread and I intend to read through it when I get a chance. Good luck with yours. As for the power supply, I will read others experience and see what they say to decide if I will get one once I have the $ to do so.


In my experience matching is most important with the 6c45 , a well matched pair of standard tubes will sound better than a random pair of premium tubes . Power supply upgrade is much larger gain than 6c45 rolling , probably 10 to 1


----------



## teb1013

Dogmatrix said:


> In my experience matching is most important with the 6c45 , a well matched pair of standard tubes will sound better than a random pair of premium tubes . Power supply upgrade is much larger gain than 6c45 rolling , probably 10 to 1


10 to 1, that’s amazing! I think the WA7 with the SS sounds great so far. Clearly I have to start saving!


----------



## benzfong

Hi guys. Need some advise. I m new to hifi. I have  wa7 n WA7tp. I am wondering when to get tube n what tube do you guys recommend. I m now using the standard tube by Woo. Thks


----------



## mjock3

benzfong said:


> Hi guys. Need some advise. I m new to hifi. I have  wa7 n WA7tp. I am wondering when to get tube n what tube do you guys recommend. I m now using the standard tube by Woo. Thks


Hi benzfong take a look at this excellent thread that was very well written by Jeb Listens:  https://head-fi.org/threads/review-wa7-lcd-2f-dac-shoot-out-tube-guide-updated.763045/


----------



## BuddhaBruce

Do these have pre amp outs so I can connect my speakers to them?


----------



## eeagle

No.  The RCA line outs provide an analogue signal which will not drive speakers without external amplification.  

They are an output allowing the use of the WA7 DAC and bypass its tube amp section and its volume control..


----------



## unfunk (Mar 10, 2018)

Does anyone here know how to differentiate the 2nd gen wa7 from the 1st gen? I am about to buy a used 2nd gen, and just wanted to make sure.

Edit: Found my answer, apparently 2nd gen have orange USB sockets.


----------



## Niteblooded

Originally had the WA7 hooked up to my laptop since that's where the majority of my music was.   That laptop is old now so trying to move the WA7 to my old gaming PC but I cannot get any sound out of it.   The PC is up to date on all other drivers and updates.


Verified WA7 is still set to USB

I downloaded the 1st gen WA7 driver from the Woo Audio website but the Windows 7 setup.exe does nothing
Tried the Win10 for nothing, it at least started to do something but properly recognized i'm not on Win10 with that machine
I downloaded the 2nd gen WA7 driver and it installed the driver but asked me to unplug the device and replug the device, which I did but Windows failed to correctly install the device drivers (#2 step of 3 - HD audio)
I downloaded the R2.82 audio driver from Realtek

I tried finding a site that has the HD audio driver but the manufacturer website only has product detail PDFs
Tried multiple USB slots, including 2.0 and 3.0
Really want to enjoy my WA7 again, please help.


----------



## groovyd

just fired up one of my WA7 for use at work after a long hiatus.  sounds a bit veiled and flatter then i remembered.  needs new tubes?


----------



## Slashn77

How does the DAC in the W7 compare to the 4490(regular or Multibit)DAC in Schiit Lyr 3 and Jotunheim?


----------



## robo24

Just joined the WA7 gen 1 party. Also just completed all 165 pages in this thread over the past couple weeks to learn any tips I could. Was able to get used on ebay on 15% off day, so got it with the SS power supply. As I'm quite the noob to all of this, I can't tell great differences between the 3 sets of tubes (EH used for 4 years, Stock Sovtek, & Reflektor cryo). They all sound great to me. Had been using Fiio Q1 MarkII and Dragonfly Red, and also tried both with a Bravo V2. They all sound good, but the WA7 seems to increase the soundstage on my HD700s and brought new life to my HD6XX (which I didn't LOVE) until this combo. Zero issues using a 2014 iMac. Already wanting the tube power supply, but it's hard to find used, and it seems crazy to spend more on the power supply than I paid for the WA7 itself. Have a Topping D50 on the way from China, which I'll use to bypass the DAC in the WA7. I like the WA7 slightly better using the Dragonfly Red DAC, so I imagine a much better model ESS Sabre DAC will be a step up and approximate the Gen 2 with it's 9018.


----------



## eeagle

Well my 4 year old gen 1 WA7 USB/DAC seems to have failed.  I've tried the obvious usb cable exchange, computer reboot, driver reinstall but get
*"This device cannot start [code10}" *
on both my normal Windows XP music server machine, and a newer Widows 7 machine.  Has anyone successfully cured this problem?

Anyone have experience with sending back to Woo for repair?

I see Woo offers a *$499 gen 1 to gen 2 upgrade:*
DAC upgrade program for 1st gen WA7 customers. The upgrade would replace the entire digital section in your 1st gen WA7 to 2nd gen DAC. This includes the new 24/384kHz ESS SABRE DAC and XMOS USB controller with “high retention” USB connector (orange color), premium Teflon tube sockets and new LEDs. This is the same digital section used on the latest 2nd gen WA7 Fireflies.

Has anyone used the upgrade offer?  Are you happy with it?


----------



## groovyd

I upgraded my units and it seems to reduce the output via the DAC significantly over the gen1 DAC.  Hard to say it's a clear 'upgrade' overall I felt like the gen1 might have had more clarity and punch to it.


----------



## eeagle

groovyd said:


> I upgraded my units and it seems to reduce the output via the DAC significantly over the gen1 DAC.  Hard to say it's a clear 'upgrade' overall I felt like the gen1 might have had more clarity and punch to it.


Thanks, that's an interesting data point.  

Sounds like you actually liked the gen 1 TI DAC better than the upgraded ESS SABRE DAC.

I have never been dissatisfied with the gen 1 DAC, and in fact used it as an input to my beyer A20 amp, and a just acquired Massdrop x THX AAA 789.  I only occasionally fired up the class A tube side of the Fireflies,  I may just pick up a new DAC to drive them all.  $499 would buy a decent DAC


----------



## robo24

eeagle said:


> Well my 4 year old gen 1 WA7 USB/DAC seems to have failed.  I've tried the obvious usb cable exchange, computer reboot, driver reinstall but get
> *"This device cannot start [code10}" *
> on both my normal Windows XP music server machine, and a newer Widows 7 machine.  Has anyone successfully cured this problem?
> 
> ...



Does it work if you use a separate DAC and feed the RCA inputs? I slightly prefer my Gen 1 with a Topping D50. Seems like if they’ll allow an upgrade on a non-working unit that’s a good option, though if a DAC works instead, obviously cheaper and possible to have an overall improvement over the Gen 2.


----------



## eeagle

robo24 said:


> Does it work if you use a separate DAC and feed the RCA inputs? I slightly prefer my Gen 1 with a Topping D50. Seems like if they’ll allow an upgrade on a non-working unit that’s a good option, though if a DAC works instead, obviously cheaper and possible to have an overall improvement over the Gen 2.



Thanks for the interest; yes the RCA in Amp section works fine. 

I have a SMSL SU-8 V2 DAC on order; to be shipped 1Feb19. 

The SU-8 @$199 looked to have the ESS Sabre DAC implemented even better than the Woo Upgrade plus it has both RCA and Balanced out which I can use with other components like my THX AAA 789 and beyer A20.


----------



## Focux

Any comparisons with the Gen 2 and Hugo 2?


----------



## Luke-

Just got a gen 2 with solid state power supply is it worth me getting the EH gold pins or just stick with the stock tubes ?


----------



## Dogmatrix

Luke- said:


> Just got a gen 2 with solid state power supply is it worth me getting the EH gold pins or just stick with the stock tubes ?


Always a good idea to have a spare set .


----------



## kyle1010

Luke- said:


> Just got a gen 2 with solid state power supply is it worth me getting the EH gold pins or just stick with the stock tubes ?



My experience with the EH vs stock is EH if you like the sound more flat, neutral, and detailed, stock Sovtek tubes if you like the sound more warm, full, and euphonic.


----------



## Luke- (Mar 21, 2019)

kyle1010 said:


> My experience with the EH vs stock is EH if you like the sound more flat, neutral, and detailed, stock Sovtek tubes if you like the sound more warm, full, and euphonic.



I'm finding a lack of detail in the bass and was hoping the EH could help.
I'm finding I prefer the Audeze deckard,it seems better in most areas perhaps I'm just not familiar with the tube sound  I've only ever used them in a my main hifi with speakers 10 years ago.
I'm listening to the WA7 with campfire cascade and LCD2 F.
I'm a little bit disappointed in my purchase at the moment.

If anyone is thinking of selling some EH gold pins let me know.
Thanks


----------



## groovyd

get some mullers


----------



## Luke-

groovyd said:


> get some mullers


I have decided to get the WA7tp see if that makes a difference then I will have fun tube rolling


----------



## fuhransahis

Would I be able to used a balanced source with a single ended adapter (4.4mm balanced to dual RCA) with the WA7? Heard the WA5 can accept this but not sure on this one


----------



## Luke-

If you could pick one tube to upgrade from the stock tubes in the WA7 and WA7tp what would you recommend ?

I don't want to spend a fortune trying different ones just want a good all-rounder if there is one.

Thanks in advance


----------



## Luke-

groovyd said:


> get some mullers



Got some mullers arriving tomorrow hope there worth the £120 I paid


----------



## kyle1010

Luke- said:


> Got some mullers arriving tomorrow hope there worth the £120 I paid


Ha! I really hope you mean Mullards.


----------



## Luke-

kyle1010 said:


> Ha! I really hope you mean Mullards.




Ha yes I mean Mullards lol


----------



## kyle1010

Luke- said:


> Ha yes I mean Mullards lol


Lol ok good. I had those, great all rounder but not exciting enough for my tastes. Sold them and bought a pair of CBS Hytron 5814a and never looked back. Took me three attempts from buying 2 pairs of visually similar but not quite the right sound versions, but worth it in the end. They’re RARE.


----------



## Luke-

kyle1010 said:


> Lol ok good. I had those, great all rounder but not exciting enough for my tastes. Sold them and bought a pair of CBS Hytron 5814a and never looked back. Took me three attempts from buying 2 pairs of visually similar but not quite the right sound versions, but worth it in the end. They’re RARE.



Hope the mullards pair well with the LCD-2f
I don't want to keep buying tubes at least they must be better than the stock tubes ?


----------



## kyle1010

Luke- said:


> Hope the mullards pair well with the LCD-2f
> I don't want to keep buying tubes at least they must be better than the stock tubes ?


Definitely better than stock. Cleaner sounding and more controlled. Have you read the WA7tp tube rolling guide thread on here?


----------



## kyle1010

Luke- said:


> Hope the mullards pair well with the LCD-2f
> I don't want to keep buying tubes at least they must be better than the stock tubes ?


Definitely better than stock. Cleaner sounding and more controlled. Have you read the WA7tp tube rolling guide thread on here? All comparisons were done using LCD-2Fs.


----------



## Luke-

kyle1010 said:


> Definitely better than stock. Cleaner sounding and more controlled. Have you read the WA7tp tube rolling guide thread on here?



Just reading it now funnily enough


----------



## kyle1010

Luke- said:


> Just reading it now funnily enough


Awesome, that thread is gold for WA7tp.


----------



## Luke- (Apr 13, 2019)

Hope I purchased the correct mullards.... definitely seem to lack bass compared to stock tubes they have been running 15hours at the moment


----------



## kyle1010 (Apr 13, 2019)

Uhh. Maybe we should’ve been more specific. The ones I had were the Mullard CV4003 that look like this. If I recall correctly they did have equal or slightly less bass than stock. If you want more bass but also better everything else than stock go with the Sylvania JAN 5814. They’re like $30-$40 and sound delicious.


----------



## Luke-

kyle1010 said:


> Uhh. Maybe we should’ve been more specific. The ones I had were the CV4003 that look like this.



Yes that's what I have but mine have 83 44 on bottom line


----------



## kyle1010

Luke- said:


> Yes that's what I have but mine have 83 44 on bottom line



Yeah not sure about those. They’re probably the right ones still. I wasn’t a fan of them. Too flat, no fun. Sylvania JAN 5814 was the move. That or impossible to find Hytrons. What headphones are you using?


----------



## Luke-

I ordered the Jan's then change the order to mullards I'm using LCD-2f 
I will probably order the Jan's again lol


----------



## kyle1010

Luke- said:


> I ordered the Jan's then change the order to mullards I'm using LCD-2f
> I will probably order the Jan's again lol


Ha! Smart. I really tried to get into the Mullards sound, but it just wasn’t for me.


----------



## groovyd

You get them from Upscale Audio?  Not sure if there are fakes about but the ones I got from Upscale are phenomenal.  No lack of bass or clean highs.


----------



## Luke-

This is where and what I purchased
https://www.langrex.co.uk/products/m8136-cv4003-mullard-nos-boxed-pair-valve-tube/

Cheers


----------



## Luke-

Well something started to change I'm loving the mullards now must be the burn in progress I guess.

My Sylvania Jan 5814a arrived today will give them a try one day.


----------



## Mastro

Just scored the silver WA7....very nice...oh and did i say the sound is great too. Looking forward to a bit of tube rolling with it and also anybody tried MrSpeakers cans on this sweet thing specifically *MrSpeakers*' *ETHER 2 headphone.
 *


----------



## Luke-

Hi

I have a new WA7+tp I have a problem I hope someone can help with..the issue is that if they are placed closer than 4” I get hum I have tried different power cable and position and power outlet still have the problem I have contacted woo audio who told me to do those things.
I don't get any hum on the 3.5mm output 
all the images see show them very close together they did suggest sending back for them to check it over at a cost to me plus shipping costs from UK I really don't want to do that.
Any ideas or if anyone has experienced this issue please let me know.
Thanks


----------



## Dogmatrix

Luke- said:


> Hi
> 
> I have a new WA7+tp I have a problem I hope someone can help with..the issue is that if they are placed closer than 4” I get hum I have tried different power cable and position and power outlet still have the problem I have contacted woo audio who told me to do those things.
> I don't get any hum on the 3.5mm output
> ...


I have never had mine so close together . Surely the point of separate power supply is to separate and avoid interference issues . Put them 5" apart .


----------



## teb1013

I have no trouble with my power supply even though I keep them pretty close. Sorry,


----------



## erich6

Mine are close together and I don't get any hum issues.  Try powering off, remove all cables, remove tubes, wait a few minutes then reinstall.


----------



## ksorota

Luke- said:


> Hi
> 
> I have a new WA7+tp I have a problem I hope someone can help with..the issue is that if they are placed closer than 4” I get hum I have tried different power cable and position and power outlet still have the problem I have contacted woo audio who told me to do those things.
> I don't get any hum on the 3.5mm output
> ...


Like others have mentioned I have never experienced this problem but also never had the units closer than 6 inches or so. What kind of table are they on, metal, wood? If metal, it could be an issue. 

Keith


----------



## phantasma (May 9, 2019)

I have the hiss sound problem if they stay too close. After leaving a gap around 5~6 inches, the problem went away.


----------



## erich6

Hello everyone.

Last weekend I discovered you can send DSD over PCM (DoP) to this DAC and play up to DSD 128 without having to convert.  Just thought I’d share since this functionality it’s not explicitly noted in the specs/manual.  I’m guessing most probably knew that but for the slow ones like me...happy listening!


----------



## acguitar84

Kind of fun tonight, I fired up my Fireflies (and just 1st generation with the ss power supply) to hear it with my Grado PS1000e. For the last year my headphone rig has been, HD650 (balanced cable) into the Jotunheim using Mimby as the DAC.  With that setup, I'd try the PS1000e once in a while, but would always put them back after a few songs (they always sounded really bright with the Jot), grab the 650's and have fun! In the meantime, my Fireflies ended up in the closet. Tonight, I decided to drag it out. Tonight, it's the PS1000e - Fireflies with Mimby as the Dac, and it sounds really good. This is a crazy hobby. 
I've been thinking of upgrading my Dac on this system to the RME Adi 2 Dac, so now I'm wondering how that would sound with the Fireflies and the Grado. Keep me happy for awhile until I save enough for the Phonitor X amp (maybe)


----------



## chimney189

Does anyone think that this amp would pair well with the Audio-Technica ADX-5000? Impressions, if any?


----------



## lukelev07

Considering picking up a gen2 wa7. Is this still one of the better amps for around $1k? Open to other options, would be driving an LCD-X, and potentially something else in the future.


----------



## kyle1010 (Aug 31, 2019)

I have the Gen 1 WA7tp with LCD-X and it’s absolutely incredible. I’ve never heard it without the tube power supply, but you could always upgrade to that down the road.


----------



## lukelev07

Yeah, considering my desk wont have an ideal amount of space for both the tube supply, I'll probably just go for the ss power supply to start. Thanks for the info! Also, that cable looks great, any info on it ?


----------



## teb1013

lukelev07 said:


> Yeah, considering my desk wont have an ideal amount of space for both the tube supply, I'll probably just go for the ss power supply to start. Thanks for the info! Also, that cable looks great, any info on it ?


I have Gen 1 with the SS power supply. I love everything about it. Beautiful sound and appearance.


----------



## kyle1010 (Aug 30, 2019)

lukelev07 said:


> Yeah, considering my desk wont have an ideal amount of space for both the tube supply, I'll probably just go for the ss power supply to start. Thanks for the info! Also, that cable looks great, any info on it ?



Gotcha. Well it’s definitely powerful enough for the Xs. I play them pad-shaking loud 

The cable is a discontinued silver and copper ALO Audio Reference 8. It’s very transparent and airy compared to the stock cable, but I had to fill in some low end with Sylvania JAN 5814 tubes in the power supply. Sounds incredible.


----------



## lukelev07

Thanks everyone. Grabbed the WA7 gen 2 today. Its amazing. Pics soon to come


----------



## kyle1010

lukelev07 said:


> Thanks everyone. Grabbed the WA7 gen 2 today. Its amazing. Pics soon to come



Yes yes pics asap


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## lukelev07

Looks great on the desk, sounds great in my ears. No complaints


----------



## erich6

lukelev07 said:


> Looks great on the desk, sounds great in my ears. No complaints



Awesome!  I’ve had mine for about a year and still loving it.  Enjoy!


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## audioIQ (Jan 19, 2020)

The midnight glow of the fireflies.


----------



## Luke-

If anyone is in the market to upgrade the stock tubes I have some nice ones for sale 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/3-pairs-of-tubes-mullard-eh-gold-pins-sylvania-matched-pairs.925706/


----------



## paulybatz

Any more feedback out there???


----------



## paulybatz




----------



## Mastro

Think i'll post this here as well 
Have had my WA Fireflies for a couple of years now hooked up to a 2012 Mac mini, been flawless and in audio nirvana teamed up with Ether 2's.
Had a severe thunderstorm yesterday which knocked out the power cord to my modem/router and also lost my connection with the Fireflies to the Mac mini (does not recognise it at all now), have tried most things i've read on here except trying a new USB or powered USB hub or both. 
Anybody chime in and help me get my music back ....thnx in advance


----------



## paulybatz

Oh no!!!


----------



## bflat

Mastro said:


> Think i'll post this here as well
> Have had my WA Fireflies for a couple of years now hooked up to a 2012 Mac mini, been flawless and in audio nirvana teamed up with Ether 2's.
> Had a severe thunderstorm yesterday which knocked out the power cord to my modem/router and also lost my connection with the Fireflies to the Mac mini (does not recognise it at all now), have tried most things i've read on here except trying a new USB or powered USB hub or both.
> Anybody chime in and help me get my music back ....thnx in advance



Assuming you have already concluded that the USB out of your Mac Mini is working fine:

Sounds like your digital input may be fried. That may not be the worst thing in the world though. If you switch to line in and hook up any source to see if that works then you could just get an "upgrade" like a Chord Mojo for about $300 and have a better sounding system as a result. In worse case contact Woo Audio and check on repair costs.


----------



## eeagle

Mastro said:


> Think i'll post this here as well
> Have had my WA Fireflies for a couple of years now hooked up to a 2012 Mac mini, been flawless and in audio nirvana teamed up with Ether 2's.
> Had a severe thunderstorm yesterday which knocked out the power cord to my modem/router and also lost my connection with the Fireflies to the Mac mini (does not recognise it at all now), have tried most things i've read on here except trying a new USB or powered USB hub or both.
> Anybody chime in and help me get my music back ....thnx in advance


As @bflat mentioned verify the built in USB DAC on your WA7 works.  Mine failed about a year ago.  Use another external DAC of source to see if the amp section of the WA7 still works; mine did and the nice class A tube sound is still enjoyable.    Woo wants way too much to repair, and the built in DAC is nothing to write home about anyway.


----------



## bflat

LOL, audiophiles rejoice when a component fails because it gives us a legitimate reason to upgrade! Well, except for NOS tubes. There we drink away our sorrows.


----------



## paulybatz

Sigh.....hope someone can repair his DAC cheaply!!!


----------



## Mastro

Changed out the USB cord no recognition still with Mac's iTunes library, hooked up my QPR1 and a standard iPod with the line-in and works fine.
The Chord Mojo is that an add-on or stand alone.....sorry for any stupid questions....i'm old


----------



## paulybatz

Mojo is a stand-alone DAC/Amp


----------



## bflat

Mastro said:


> Changed out the USB cord no recognition still with Mac's iTunes library, hooked up my QPR1 and a standard iPod with the line-in and works fine.
> The Chord Mojo is that an add-on or stand alone.....sorry for any stupid questions....i'm old



Mojo was just a suggestion and widely regarded as one of the best bang for buck DACs. The unique thing with Chord DACs is that it has no analog amplification stage so the line out and headphone out are the same circuit. You can use the Chord Mojo as the DAC for you WA7 and you can use it as stand alone device as well. It's also a portable device that runs on its' internal battery.

There are numerous stand alone DACs in the $200-$300 range from JDS Labs, Topping, MassDrop just to name a few.


----------



## robo24

I enjoyed my Gen 1 with the SMSL SU-8. It's nice because it can feed that the same time it feeds by balanced ampl


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## paulybatz

Hmmm. More about that smsl


----------



## eeagle (Mar 1, 2020)

robo24 said:


> I enjoyed my Gen 1 with the SMSL SU-8. It's nice because it can feed that the same time it feeds by balanced ampl


This was exactly what I did when my WA7 gen 1 internal USB DAC failed.  SMSL SU-8 is an excellent solution and has the same DAC chip WOO is putting in the newer WA7.  More recently though my favorite DAC is the DROP  x Airist Audio R-2R , makes that warm tube sound even more delightful.


----------



## paulybatz

I was nervous I thought it was broken when I pushEd the front button on the power supply and it didn’t go on until I flipped the switch on the amp section ...so stupid question....is there a certain order of operations for turning this thing off.
Also should you turn it off to change from DAC TO SOURCE...etc?


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## paulybatz

I tore apart an old MacBook Pro


----------



## Mastro

So guys these dacs that are being recommended here like the SMSL SU-8, Airist Audio R-2R or the Chord Mojo......i can put them in the chain between my WA7 and computer to access my iTunes library once again, or are you saying ditch the WA7 and get one of these as a stand alone. 
Really pissed this has happened, haven't had the set-up for more than a year, spent a bunch on tubes, NOS and others and a bolt of lightning has relegated them to a nice set of bookends.


----------



## eeagle

Mastro said:


> So guys these dacs that are being recommended here like the SMSL SU-8, Airist Audio R-2R or the Chord Mojo......i can put them in the chain between my WA7 and computer to access my iTunes library once again, or are you saying ditch the WA7 and get one of these as a stand alone.
> Really pissed this has happened, haven't had the set-up for more than a year, spent a bunch on tubes, NOS and others and a bolt of lightning has relegated them to a nice set of bookends.


I share you pain.  I was quite disappointed the DAC section of my gen 1 went as well, and it was without a lightening strike.
Yes, you can use any SE (RCA) DAC with the WA7 and still have the nice tube Class A sound, and visual ambiance it provides.
The alternative of course is to send it back to Woo for repair, which would likely upgrade the unit to gen 2.  Some in this thread have said the gen 1 Woo DAC actually sounded better than the newer gen 2 though, so I would say this is a great time to experiment with some different external DAC's.

I certainly wouldn't ditch the WA7 as it is sort of an Art Form, even it its crippled condition, just so nice to look at.


----------



## bflat (Mar 3, 2020)

Mastro said:


> So guys these dacs that are being recommended here like the SMSL SU-8, Airist Audio R-2R or the Chord Mojo......i can put them in the chain between my WA7 and computer to access my iTunes library once again, or are you saying ditch the WA7 and get one of these as a stand alone.
> Really pissed this has happened, haven't had the set-up for more than a year, spent a bunch on tubes, NOS and others and a bolt of lightning has relegated them to a nice set of bookends.



Not at all. We are saying it's blessing in disguise because the built in DAC in the WA7 is good but not great. For about the price you would need to pay to fix it, we are suggesting considering adding and external DAC and use the RCA input which will give you better sound. I think the confusing message is that some of the DACs also have a headphone out which you could use as well for a solid stat output in addition to your WA7. I don't think anyone is suggesting you replace the WA7. If you get a DAC with headphone output, you have the benefit of having 2 very different listening options - solid state and tube. Those types of DACs usually come with a switch that lets you decide output on the fly - line out for you WA1 and headphone out from the DAC.

In fact when I had the WA7 I completely ignored the built in DAC and used a Chord Hugo 2 as the RCA input. The side benefits where I could take my Hugo 2 as a stand alone portable device on the go and even has bluetooth output.

If you are looking to minimize cost, the I would go with a Schiit Modi Multibit which sells for $249 direct from Schiit website. This is a pure DAC so it only has a set of RCA out and I think this is the hands down best DAC per $. It is a very small box and can be left on 24x7 so you won't even notice it's there.

If you want something really close to what you already had with the WA7 internal DAC, I would go with Topping D10 which sells for $90 on Amazon. It's the same DAC chip as WA7 and is bus powered so you plug it into your Mac just like you did for WA7 and just need to add an RCA cable to your WA7 and you are good to go.


----------



## HiFiGuy528 (Mar 3, 2020)

eeagle said:


> I share you pain.  *I was quite disappointed the DAC section of my gen 1 went as well*, and it was without a lightening strike.
> Yes, you can use any SE (RCA) DAC with the WA7 and still have the nice tube Class A sound, and visual ambiance it provides.
> The alternative of course is to send it back to Woo for repair, which would likely upgrade the unit to gen 2.  Some in this thread have said the gen 1 Woo DAC actually sounded better than the newer gen 2 though, so I would say this is a great time to experiment with some different external DAC's.
> 
> I certainly wouldn't ditch the WA7 as it is sort of an Art Form, even it its crippled condition, just so nice to look at.



for some context... 1st gen WA7 was introduced in 2012. Not surprised that in 2020, the expectation is higher. 2nd gen WA7 was introduced in 2016 and it outperforms 1st gen and still hold its own today against products in its class.


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## paulybatz

Sigh.


----------



## Mastro

Thnx guys thats why i love this site, going to order the Schiit Modi Multibit


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## Mastro

Ok, heres the go......rang the guys whom i purchased the WA7's off (Addicted To Audio) to find out if they stocked the Schiit Modi Multibit, they asked me to bring the unit in to check it out.

Diagnosis was digital input was fried, correct bflat, they were out of any Schiit Modi Multibit's.......ended up buying the DragonFly Cobalt · AudioQuestwww.audioquest.com › dacs › dragonfly › dragonfly-cobalt on their recommendation......wow.... just hooked it up and i'm a happy man once again.

Thnx to all who chimed in


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## paulybatz

How much was that?


----------



## eeagle

HiFiGuy528 said:


> for some context... 1st gen WA7 was introduced in 2012. Not surprised that in 2020, the expectation is higher. 2nd gen WA7 was introduced in 2016 and it outperforms 1st gen and still hold its own today against products in its class.


Adding bit more info:

Gen 1 DAC chip:  TI PCM5102A 32-bit chip 192kHz

Gen 2 DAC chip:  ESS SABRE DAC 24 bit, 384kHz PCM, and up to 128DSD

A 1st Gen WA7 Fireflies DAC Upgrade to 2nd Gen is still available from Woo for $499, but you can buy some nice current DACs for that cost.


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## paulybatz

Gotcha ....perfect.


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## paulybatz




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## eeagle (Mar 4, 2020)

@Mastro  The DragonFly Cobalt is a great choice and minimizes the desktop clutter as well....enjoy.  AudioQuest makes some nice HPs too, the NightHawk is quite comfortable and always makes me feel like I'm in an intimate club environment when listening to smooth jazz.


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## Mastro (Mar 4, 2020)

eeagle said:


> @Mastro  The DragonFly Cobalt is a great choice and minimizes the desktop clutter as well....enjoy.  AudioQuest makes some nice HPs too, the NightHawk is quite comfortable and always makes me feel like I'm in an intimate club environment when listening to smooth jazz.


The young man at ATA who recommendrd the DF Cobalt said its neutrality would be best for me because of the tube rolling i do with the WA7's....the Cobalt has given the top-end more meat and also has widened the stage a bit more, great mates with the Ether 2's.

PS: Lesson learnt, power-surge board now in the chain.


----------



## robo24

Mastro said:


> So guys these dacs that are being recommended here like the SMSL SU-8, Airist Audio R-2R or the Chord Mojo......i can put them in the chain between my WA7 and computer to access my iTunes library once again, or are you saying ditch the WA7 and get one of these as a stand alone.
> Really pissed this has happened, haven't had the set-up for more than a year, spent a bunch on tubes, NOS and others and a bolt of lightning has relegated them to a nice set of bookends.


Really even a Topping D10 is a better, newer DAC than in the WA7. No reason to ditch it if the amp still works.


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## lukelev07

Anyone have experience upgrading to an external DAC paired with the 2nd gen WA7? Thinking about one, mostly because I'm addicted to gear and have no self control. Show me what you got!


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## paulybatz

The second gen DAC is pretty good


----------



## audioIQ

lukelev07 said:


> Anyone have experience upgrading to an external DAC paired with the 2nd gen WA7? Thinking about one, mostly because I'm addicted to gear and have no self control. Show me what you got!



Personally, I've use the WA7 with a few external DAC's including the chord mojo, and I like the internal DAC better (2nd gen). It has more detail, and an overall better more cleaner sound compared to the mojo>WA7. Its a very capable sabre DAC. Although the cables I used from mojo>WA7 (and other DAC's>WA7) were the cheapest ones available, I don't know if that was a limiting factor. But after a lot of testing, I prefer to use the internal 2nd gen DAC.


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## paulybatz

This little set thumps everything you plug in...very surprised....I did upgrade the tubes...very pleased


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## kp297

Upgraded to gold plated Electroharmonix tubes from Woo Audio. Paired with SMSL SU8 DAC, this allows for a remote volume control option. Here's to the next 6 years with this amp!


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## paulybatz

How can that give you remote volume? And, congratulations… I upgraded my tubes and was really really really really really happy


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## kp297

paulybatz said:


> How can that give you remote volume? And, congratulations… I upgraded my tubes and was really really really really really happy



The SMSL DAC is bundled with an IR remote, you can adjust the volume and various other settings with it.


----------



## eeagle

kp297 said:


> Upgraded to gold plated Electroharmonix tubes from Woo Audio. Paired with SMSL SU8 DAC, this allows for a remote volume control option. Here's to the next 6 years with this amp!


Nice choice.  I too use the SMSL SU-8 after my WA7 USB DAC failed, it can also supply a balanced output to my Loxjie P20 fully balanced tube amp.  The SU-8 allows remote volume adjustment as well as a nice readout for the bit rate among other selections.


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## paulybatz

I got a shiit jot...I haven’t tried feeding the woo but I have a RME ADI PRO in the future.


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## erich6

I just upgraded the amp tubes to the Electro Harmonix gold pin and the WA7tp power supply tubes to the RCA clear tops and I'm really liking the combo. Everything seems to have a bit more air and clarity. Keeping the stock as backups. I'm so pleased with this DAC/Amp I never have the urge to look for any others.


----------



## paulybatz

erich6 said:


> I just upgraded the amp tubes to the Electro Harmonix gold pin and the WA7tp power supply tubes to the RCA clear tops and I'm really liking the combo. Everything seems to have a bit more air and clarity. Keeping the stock as backups. I'm so pleased with this DAC/Amp I never have the urge to look for any others.


Me too. It’s amazing.


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## kp297

So...I went for it. Sent in my WA7 for the DAC upgrade. Given that I’ve gone for all the tube upgrades, I might as well go all the way. This can free up my SU8 for a THX 789 down the line. Can’t wait to hear the results!


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## eeagle

kp297 said:


> So...I went for it. Sent in my WA7 for the DAC upgrade. Given that I’ve gone for all the tube upgrades, I might as well go all the way. This can free up my SU8 for a THX 789 down the line. Can’t wait to hear the results!


You do realize the SU8 has the same DAC chip as the WA7 upgrade,  Will be interested to hear if you find a notable difference.  The SU8 can provide output to both the WA7 SE and balanced to the THX 789 (which really isn't balanced I/O) at the same time.


----------



## kp297 (Apr 25, 2020)

eeagle said:


> You do realize the SU8 has the same DAC chip as the WA7 upgrade,  Will be interested to hear if you find a notable difference.  The SU8 can provide output to both the WA7 SE and balanced to the THX 789 (which really isn't balanced I/O) at the same time.



yep, I fully realize that. In fact, the SU8 has a superior DAC chipset as it’s balanced and contains the 9038Q2M chipset. In fact, the SU8 is widely favored in the objectivist crowd due to its excellent measurements (see Amir’s review of it). The WA7 has the older 9018, and on paper is vastly inferior compared to the SU8.

The RCA connection were proving an issue as I was getting some minor feedback at higher volumes. When switching to Woo’s internal DAC I wasn’t getting such issues, even pushing past 3 o’clock. In addition, I want better performance as an internal DAC benefits from a shorter signal path. I am curious to hear the best version of the WA7 without any compromises.

edit: Yes, I changed out RCA cables (ordered new pair off Amazon) and DAC to test.


----------



## lukelev07

Just purchased a pair of Sylvania JAN 5814A tubes on ebay, they arrived and after plugging them in to the amp, Im not getting any sound. Has anyone dealt with a problem like this before? Are my tubes DOA?


----------



## paulybatz

That doesn’t sound like one of the tubes for the amp unit, look on the top and you will see lightly etched marks 12au7 on the power supply and 6c45 on the amp...you bought 12au7s


----------



## lukelev07

Classic, I made a dumb and bought the wrong tubes. Lesson learned I guess


----------



## paulybatz

Get the electro Harmonix gold pin 6c45


----------



## paulybatz

My WA7 with upgraded tubes really does drive these HEDD ...not the easiest to drive either.


----------



## Meanstreak242

lukelev07 said:


> Just purchased a pair of Sylvania JAN 5814A tubes on ebay, they arrived and after plugging them in to the amp, Im not getting any sound. Has anyone dealt with a problem like this before? Are my tubes DOA?


Only way to really know is a tube tester.

Those tubes should be usable in the amp.   The only reason the name is different is they are a military grade version.    (12AU7, 5481A, CV4003 and ECC82 should all be compatible.)


----------



## paulybatz

Meanstreak242 said:


> Only way to really know is a tube tester.
> 
> Those tubes should be usable in the amp.   The only reason the name is different is they are a military grade version.    (12AU7, 5481A, CV4003 and ECC82 should all be compatible.)



I dont think I’m the amp section. 
my amp calls for the 6c45


----------



## Meanstreak242

I'm assuming he's talking about the tube power supply, which takes 12au7.   (In mine, I actually use RCA 6350's with an adapter.)   For the amp section, there are really very few upgrades and to be honest the sound difference is minimal at best.   But for some reason, changing the power tubes in the tube power supply (If you have the solid state one, then this doesn't apply) make a huge difference.


----------



## Brandon005

Hi all, I’ve got the WA7 (stock tubes and SS power supply) paired with LCD 2C. I enjoy the sound a lot but find it can be a touch dark and muddy. Any chance upgrading to the EH gold pin tubes would open up the top end of the sound and give more clarity? Or would I be better off with a different pairing altogether? Appreciate any thoughts.


----------



## paulybatz

Need the upgraded tubes AND power supply with upgraded tubes. Nirvana


----------



## Brandon005

paulybatz said:


> Need the upgraded tubes AND power supply with upgraded tubes. Nirvana



Oh boy... guess I asked. Do you have experience with that specific combo (wa7+lcd2c) or is that more of a generalization for the WA7 with all headphones?


----------



## paulybatz

Brandon005 said:


> Oh boy... guess I asked. Do you have experience with that specific combo (wa7+lcd2c) or is that more of a generalization for the WA7 with all headphones?


I had the LCD 2 
V1

I had the fire flies and they are really top of the line for the LCD and synergy I just ended up going in another direction with headphones that were really really power-hungry but what’s cool because I spoke with Michael at WOO the way the fire flies works is it pushes one watt Really really fast… So even with a demanding phone it will still drive them well. But yeah sorry man you will need the tube power supply and upgraded tubes for both the power supply in the units


----------



## Brandon005

paulybatz said:


> I had the LCD 2
> V1
> 
> I had the fire flies and they are really top of the line for the LCD and synergy I just ended up going in another direction with headphones that were really really power-hungry but what’s cool because I spoke with Michael at WOO the way the fire flies works is it pushes one watt Really really fast… So even with a demanding phone it will still drive them well. But yeah sorry man you will need the tube power supply and upgraded tubes for both the power supply in the units



Interesting, thanks for sharing!

I’ll probably start with the tube upgrade for the Amp and work my way up to the tube power supply at some point.


----------



## eeagle

paulybatz said:


> Need the upgraded tubes AND power supply with upgraded tubes. Nirvana


I have been happy with my WA7 V1 w/solid state PS and the EH tube upgrade.  Curious why a tube PS w/upgraded tubes could possibly make a difference in audio?  The tube PS certainly has great aesthetics, but isn't the whole purpose of a power supply to produce clean stable power?  I would think the SS PS would be equivalent to the tube and even a better choice since the tubes degrade overtime as they age.


----------



## paulybatz

eeagle said:


> I have been happy with my WA7 V1 w/solid state PS and the EH tube upgrade.  Curious why a tube PS w/upgraded tubes could possibly make a difference in audio?  The tube PS certainly has great aesthetics, but isn't the whole purpose of a power supply to produce clean stable power?  I would think the SS PS would be equivalent to the tube and even a better choice since the tubes degrade overtime as they age.


I don’t know. It just does.
Call Woo


----------



## Dogmatrix

eeagle said:


> I have been happy with my WA7 V1 w/solid state PS and the EH tube upgrade.  Curious why a tube PS w/upgraded tubes could possibly make a difference in audio?  The tube PS certainly has great aesthetics, but isn't the whole purpose of a power supply to produce clean stable power?  I would think the SS PS would be equivalent to the tube and even a better choice since the tubes degrade overtime as they age.


It is all about SAG . 
Solid state rectifiers are more perfect in engineering terms , tube rectifiers are slow .
When a high level of DC is required by the amp tube rectifiers will experience voltage drop and require some milliseconds to recover this is sag .
More current = more sag , older tube = more sag , less current available = more sag .


----------



## eeagle

@paulybatz @Dogmatrix Thx, so I gather as with all tubes that introduce distortions that are somehow pleasant to the ear, applies to the power as well.  Now as to upgraded tubes, they provide the best distortion the ears like and therefore bring a higher price.  Guess that they have SAG in all the right places.  Please enjoy, I think for now I will stick with my SS gear. Speaking of distortions that are pleasant to the ear my  SS Alex Cavalli Liquid Carbon X amp gets most of my ear time in balanced mode.


----------



## MCCare

I'm thinking hard about buying these and replacing my NFB 11.28 - Although i have never used a tube amp in my life. Anyone here that uses the amp also plays video games while using them? If so how are they from a standard non tube amp/dac?


----------



## paulybatz

It’s a great amp. Suggest tube power supply and upgraded tubes for it to really shine, and second gen. Loved mine.  It’s more solid state than tube, very clean clear transparent. No color.


----------



## Nisachar

Sorry for posting in an old thread, but just ordered a wa7 fireflies 2nd gen (SS PSU, Tube variety was out of stock) 
I will be pairing with a topping D70s MQA Dac... primarily to drive my heddphone and hd800s. Might try the wa7’s inbuilt dac

First time tube amp venture.
Fingers crossed it will plug this audiophilia rabbit hole ...


----------



## ksorota

I am glad to see some action on this thread. It is a great amp setup and should pair well with your HD800's.  The inbuilt DAC is nothing special and does not really suit the Amp section.  I have the first gen DAC, which comes off as thin and harsh at the same time.  

It is a nice first tube amp, because tube rolling is kept to a minimum in the amp, but the TPsupply can keep you entertained for a long time.  

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and experience once you get some time on the setup!


----------



## paulybatz

Nisachar said:


> Sorry for posting in an old thread, but just ordered a wa7 fireflies 2nd gen (SS PSU, Tube variety was out of stock)
> I will be pairing with a topping D70s MQA Dac... primarily to drive my heddphone and hd800s. Might try the wa7’s inbuilt dac
> 
> First time tube amp venture.
> Fingers crossed it will plug this audiophilia rabbit hole ...


Without the tube PS you’ll not get the full body...try to get one...built in DAC is great and very nice power. Only sold mine because I needed a lot more headroom.


----------



## Nisachar (Mar 24, 2021)

paulybatz said:


> Without the tube PS you’ll not get the full body...try to get one...built in DAC is great and very nice power. Only sold mine because I needed a lot more headroom.


‘A lot more headroom’.. I am not sure I understand. Was the wa7 inadequate for your needs ?

I might get the tube PSU later down the road, since it seems that’s where the tube action is at when it comes to the wa7. But first, let me see if I even like this tube thingie...


----------



## chaz_flhr

paulybatz said:


> Without the tube PS you’ll not get the full body...try to get one...built in DAC is great and very nice power. Only sold mine because I needed a lot more headroom.


the tube PS actually makes that much differenc?


----------



## ksorota

chaz_flhr said:


> the tube PS actually makes that much differenc?



It actually does!  Much more of a difference than swapping tubes in the amp.


----------



## ksorota

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/review-wa7-lcd-2f-dac-shoot-out-tube-guide-updated.763045/

Check out pages 1 and 4 of this thread!


----------



## Dogmatrix

chaz_flhr said:


> the tube PS actually makes that much differenc?


Different rectifier tubes slightly alter the character of the amp because they have different reaction to load changes , some are fast to respond some are slower . 
Technically it is known as sag .


----------



## Nisachar

Ok I am liking wa7 2nd gen already ...will pair with D70s later.
Might go down the tube psu later down the road and call it done for a while...

tubes have brought some old tracks back to life.


----------



## paulybatz

ksorota said:


> It actually does!  Much more of a difference than swapping tubes in the amp.


The tubes in the AMP also...you want the best...invest


----------



## bobelton

What do gen 2 owners think of the new gen 3? https://wooaudio.com/amplifiers/wa7-3rd-generation
Anyone thinking it's worth the upgrade? Personally, I'm thinking not.  I have resisted upgrading to a better amp primarily because I love the look of this one so much. Especially the amp and the ps together, but now they are combined into one box in gen3, which still looks good, but not as much as gen2 in my opinion.  I don't even care so much for the dac as I have already upgraded that to a Bifrost. Is the real draw for the gen3 just the balanced output? Curious what others think of it.


----------



## Levanter

bobelton said:


> What do gen 2 owners think of the new gen 3? https://wooaudio.com/amplifiers/wa7-3rd-generation
> Anyone thinking it's worth the upgrade? Personally, I'm thinking not.  I have resisted upgrading to a better amp primarily because I love the look of this one so much. Especially the amp and the ps together, but now they are combined into one box in gen3, which still looks good, but not as much as gen2 in my opinion.  I don't even care so much for the dac as I have already upgraded that to a Bifrost. Is the real draw for the gen3 just the balanced output? Curious what others think of it.



What do you mean gen 2 looks better… they look exactly the same. It’s just 1 box instead of 2…


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## bobelton

Levanter said:


> What do you mean gen 2 looks better… they look exactly the same. It’s just 1 box instead of 2…


Yeah, I guess that's basically it I like the two boxes. Not many manufacturers make their PS look as good/match the device itself.  More often they are an after thought. That and the LED, which I don't prefer.  Again, just personal preference.


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## flea22

I've had two wa7 and the dac failed in one and the led light failed and the second one had a led light fail. Thought I was done with woo but I love the style of this amp. Wonder if they have fixed the failing led lights in the gen 3? Might be interested


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## eeagle

flea22 said:


> I've had two wa7 and the dac failed in one and the led light failed and the second one had a led light fail. Thought I was done with woo but I love the style of this amp. Wonder if they have fixed the failing led lights in the gen 3? Might be interested


I had a premature DAC failure in mine as well, and the Woo repair was far more expensive than buying a high end external DAC so that was my solution.  I too love the look and the sound of the WA7, but the early failure has turned me off on buying any more Woo products.

@bobelton Thanks for posting the Ver 3 link.  My opinion would be concern of integrating the power supply into the small cube Amp space, will be interesting to see how reliable that approach is, certainly not interested in an upgrade if that is what it is supposed to be.  Many in this thread swear by the Tube PS and Ver 3 eliminates that option.


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## axsnyder

Version 3 of the WA7 could streamline my work setup a lot!  DAC + headphone amp (that can handle IEMs) + speaker preamp looks like a damn good deal for under $1,500.  I'm looking forward to hear more before I lay the cash down.


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## erich6

For new customers this seems like a nice update. For existing customers like me with version 2 and a tube power supply this is a not an option despite the enticing availability of balanced output.


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## ozz007

My WA7 3rd Gen, it's on its way, i just got the tracking number. I let you know how it goes.


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