Woo Audio GES

[astrostar59]

Hi all

I just sold my SRM-717 to a Stax 009 user. As it landed at his place, he also had a loan Woo Audio GES to try out. I remember back in 2009-2011 there was a lot of posts from users about that amp, but now it has tailed right off. How does the GES stack up today against Stat amps at that price range (Stax SRM-007t or 727). Thinking the 009 is more efficient, maybe it will be a good match?

Is the GES an adaption of a KG design? I spotted this on the Woo web page:

• Schematic re-engineering is based on Dr. Gilmore's design.

[sorenb]

If you Google: "woo ges gilmore all-triode" you probably get your answer straight away ...

[astrostar59]

Got it. Indeed it does seem to be a development of a Kevin G circuit. I am curious as this amp is pitched right at the Stax amp price band, yet almost nobody seems to talk about it anymore here or at the other place. Thinking it might be ok with an 009 as less hungry comported to the 007?

[spritzer]

This is Woo so the amps are naturally fucked.  Bias supplies that will destroy your phones and nice stuff like that.  The amp design follows the old all triode design but doesn't have the more recent changes done to that circuit.  My Ocatave amps are pretty much the same circuit but with the modern changes. 

Done right and it is a nice amp.  Warmer than the KGSSHV's etc. but not as bad as so many dynamic tube amps. 

[Dave R]

It's said that Woo stats amps can cause damage to Earspeaker's used, but can this take over a certain period of time ?

I ask this because while I've no intentions of driving my 009's or 003mk2's with any Woo amp, someone visited my place last November to try-out his then recently got 009's with my BHSE, and with him he brought a Woo WEE + Chord integrated amp and a music server. [ he might've brought something else, but I can't remember ] 

My 009's weren't used with his Woo WEE/Chord, but when his 009's were used with my BHSE, those Earspeaker's were working perfectly.

However a month or so ago he was having problems with his 009's where there was no sound coming from the right ear piece, and 50% volume coming from the left, and since his visit to my place I assume he's been using his 009's with the WooWEE/Chord.

I believe he got his 009's last October, but has sent them back to the place they were bought for repairs.

He no longer has the Woo WEE but now has a KGST and a Stax amp, so once he gets his 009's back he'll be driving them with those two stats amps. 

 

Edited August 8, 2015 by Dave R

[spritzer]

It will take some time for this to happen but in general I wouldn't recommend connecting headphones to them as they are essentially broken.  What's wrong is they use the wrong ballast resistors for the bias supply or, as I've seen twice, just don't use any.  This will burn off the coating and fuck up the diaphragm. 

[Dave R]

The query I made wasn't for my benefit because as I've said, I've no intentions of using my 009's or 003's with any Woo amps, but I'll add that I got my 009's [ from PriceJapan ] in 2011 and they've been driven by the BHSE, KGSSHV, SRM-007t, 717, and I've not had one problem with the SQ.

 

 

[rod]

Hi All

My 1st post on the forum having just bought the 009's .

I bought the SRM 717 from Astrostar59 .

I borrowed the Woo to try out for a half day whilst I waited for the 717 to arrive, yes I could not wait one whole day to listen to my new  009's .

I only had both for about an hour so did not really have a lot of time to compare the two, as soon as the 717 turned up I took the borrowed woo back to the dealer..

Sounds like it was just as well from what you say spritzer, looks like you saved me problems/cash further down the road.

Do  Woo know that this is a problem or is it a case of  "putting their heads in the sand"?

Once my bank balance has recovered I will be looking to get a better stat amp.

My first pair of Stax were a pair of Sigma's with an srd7 back in 1979 which I sold when I went to active speakers

for a while..So quite a gap between purchases..

Edited August 8, 2015 by rod

[Dave R]

I've not had one problem with the SQ.

 

 

When I say I've not had one problem with the SQ from my 009's, I'm referring to any damage to the SQ.

While using the stock mullard's with my BHSE I was never completely happy with the SQ from the 009's, but I'm now using original mullard xf4's and I'm very happy.

 

@ Rod, your recently got SRM-717 from Julian [ astrostar59 ], is the same one that was used my 009's.

 IMO a very nice amp and to me better than the SRM-007t, although somewhat behind the BHSE IMO.

[rod]

Hi  Dave

I like the sound of the 717 but will be upgrading as soon as I can afford it, just had a look at spritzers web page, I had to look away as it all looks too

tempting.

[gustavo.skn]

It will take some time for this to happen but in general I wouldn't recommend connecting headphones to them as they are essentially broken.  What's wrong is they use the wrong ballast resistors for the bias supply or, as I've seen twice, just don't use any.  This will burn off the coating and fuck up the diaphragm. 

Well this scared me a bit. Seems that Woo is not a good option in terms of reliability. 

[Dave R]

Hi Rod,

Although I've never heard any stats amps built by Birgir, I am a very happy owner of a Dynalo mk1 built by him.

I use that dynamic amp with my HD-600's, and while that combo isn't as open sounding, detailed and transparent as the 009/BHSE, the two together still sound very good, so much so I use that 600/Dynalo combo almost as much as the 009/BHSE, so I'm sure Birgir's stats amps will also sound very good, and even more so his KGSSHV Carbon.

Regarding the Woo Wee, to what I recall, when I heard it along with the Chord integrated amp and 009's in November, the SQ was something like an SRM-007t, however even if the SQ would've been better,  it's obviously not worth the risk damaging Earspeaker's.

 

The photo is of that Dynalo mk1 at the side of my BHSE's PSU, the power light is on that PSU because I've already been listening to my 009/BHSE, and I'm listening throughout the rest of today.

 

 

I've been listening to CD's, but that below the PSU & Dynalo is my MacMini which I use as a music server with my sources DAC.

 

Edited August 8, 2015 by Dave R

[spritzer]

Woo know about this but they just don't give a fuck. 

[rod]

Until their sales start dropping off maybe.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

It will take some time for this to happen but in general I wouldn't recommend connecting headphones to them as they are essentially broken.  What's wrong is they use the wrong ballast resistors for the bias supply or, as I've seen twice, just don't use any.  This will burn off the coating and fuck up the diaphragm. 

I recall that you once looked at pics of my WEE guts and said it looked safe. Was I mistaken?  It's been in a box ever since someone offered to buy it but backed out 2 years ago, so I suppose I should not bother to unbox it and use it?

[nopants]

You can post a picture of the inside here and Birgir/anyone here should be able to re-verify

[spritzer]

Some are ok, some are far from it. 

[HeadphoneAddict]

In hindsight my pics weren't very good, as I didn't know what parts take to photos of with my crappy iPhone camera and poor light.  Here they are.

 

[Rossliew]

Anyone can chime in if the L700 will be a good match with any of the KGSSHVs/Octave?

[DefQon]

Buy one and report back to us?

[wink]

Buy me one, and I won't report back.......     

[JamesV]

Hi All, new member here. Reviving an old thread. If I post a photo on this thread, would someone be able to check and see if they can confirm if my GES is safe to use with the Stax 009s. If yes, which part of the amp casing do I need to remove?

Many thanks in advance

 

James

[spritzer]

Certainly.  You need to remove at least the bottom panel so we can see how it is built.  Maybe the top covers for each of the modules there but I don't think it would be necessary. 

[JamesV]

Thank you so much. So I will flip it over (tubes removed) and remove that bottom panel. I can remove the top covers as well if need be. Thanks so much again. James

[spritzer]

The bottom should do it.  You might want to check the top covers as well as they have been known to use some pretty crappy PSU caps in these...