First Tube Amp

[tony3d]

Hi all, I just ordered my first tube amp. I have alway been a solid state guy, and was wondering what all this hype is about. I have a new pair of AKG K701 headphones, and figured that a headphone amp might be a good place to start. So I ordered a WooAudio WA6. Here is a link. http://www.wooaudio.com/products/wa6.html. I won't get the amp for about 7 more days, and am just curious if people can explain to me the differences I might be hearing over solid state. If nothing else I am really going to love the glow. People tell me that tubes are more laid back than transistors. Does this mean I will hear a more smoothed over detail in the sound? They also say that tubes don't have the speed of a transistor amp. How will that impact the sound. I also noticed that tubes have a very poor damping factor like 10 to 1. Will I get boomy bass? I just have know idea what to expect, and hope you guys can fill me in before I get it so I'm not to shocked.

[tkam]

I think most of the negatives of tube amps that you describe are stereotypical of bad tube amps. Good tube amps can sound just as fast and as detailed as good solid state amps. Also the WA6 uses an output transformer so the quality of the transformer can have just as much of an effect on the sound as the tubes can.

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

Good tube amps sound like good ss amps, but with with a more lush and holographic midrange.

Biggie.

[tony3d]

Is the Woo WA6 considered a good Tube amp then?

[postjack]

Hey Tony-

I'm a relatively new convert to tubes. I went from a Corda HA-2 MKII SE to a Singlepower PPX3 Slam, and I was shocked. Despite all I had read, I wasn't expecting tubes to be capable of slam, impact, and speed, but the PPX3 has it in spades. Tubes enabled me to enjoy listening to music at low volume, though I still enjoy cranking it up on tunes I'm really into. And of course there is tube rolling, which is an experience in and of itself. Its so cool to be able to throw in some tubes and alter the character of an amp's sound.

Plus the glowing is pretty cool, and all your normal friends think you're weird. Then I'm like "fuck yall yall weird i dont need yall i got my d-getters, bitches". Then you can stay home all the time.

[deepak]

like you went out anyway

It seems the d-getters made it worse (or maybe it was the grey glass)

[granodemostasa]

Hey Tony-

I'm a relatively new convert to tubes. I went from a Corda HA-2 MKII SE to a Singlepower PPX3 Slam, and I was shocked. Despite all I had read, I wasn't expecting tubes to be capable of slam, impact, and speed, but the PPX3 has it in spades. Tubes enabled me to enjoy listening to music at low volume, though I still enjoy cranking it up on tunes I'm really into. And of course there is tube rolling, which is an experience in and of itself. Its so cool to be able to throw in some tubes and alter the character of an amp's sound.

Plus the glowing is pretty cool, and all your normal friends think you're weird. Then I'm like "fuck yall yall weird i dont need yall i got my d-getters, bitches". Then you can stay home all the time.

yes,the ppx slam is in a high level of performance for tube amps, the first amp to change my perception was the PPX Slam. i think most of the stereotypes come from the cheaper or older amps out there. i tried the mapletree HD150 and i would have thought that tube amps lacked impact/slam/speed,clarity if i hadn't put the same headphone in the zana deux a few minutes later.