woo audio with grados?

[mjg]

Was pretty interested in what you guys thought the woo audio 4 or 5 would sound with grados??

[Salt Peanuts]

I've got nothing for your question, but WA 5 does look interesting with K1000 jack and all.

[tyrion]

I've used RS-1, HP-2 and PS-1 out of the WA5 and they sound great. I am hoping that jp11801 sells his vintage RS-1s one of these days. I haven't heard the WA4, so I can't help. Contact Jack and see if you can drop by and try out both amps. Have you tried the WA6 with Grados? Didn't Jack have all his amps at the meet last weekend?

[Nanoha]

Though I don't have experience with them, I am interested by the SET and low impedance.

[tyrion]

I use the ED9s out of the WA5 and it works for me.

[aerius]

Not really a fan of either one to be honest, the 4 looks overly complicated and the 5 is just another 6SN7/300B design. Personally I'd rather get the Woo 6 and see if he can upgrade the output transformers and maybe get the v-cap and power supply upgrades at the same time. I've found that the 6DE7, 6EM7, and other such dissimilar triode TV tubes are often just as good if not better than the 6DJ8 & 12AU7 tubes commonly used in audio. I've used 13EM7's in a couple test-builds and they sounded pretty good despite all the cheap parts I used in the build.

[Guest sacd lover]

I would not waste my time with the Woo 3 or Woo 6. The 3 does not drive the grados well period. The Woo 6 has the power to drive them but sounds very underwhelming. I didnt like the Woo 6 with Senn 580 /600's or my MS2's and dumped the amp ASAP while the 6 was still a FOTM.

The SP PPX3 SLAM'S, two modded Doge 6210's and Sound Quest SQ-84 I have all drove the grados fine and sounded noticeably better. The Woo 2 seems to be a dual mono Woo 3 with tube rectification using 6x4's for the rectifiers. I dont like the 6922's or 6x4's used in the Woo 2. I dont like the basic tube compliment in the Woo 4 with 6922's, 12au7's and 6c19 output tubes .... yuck.

I must admit the Woo's do look good and I keep getting sucked in by the hype and have bought two Woo amps. They are nicely priced and seem well built .... but the sound quality just isnt there in comparison to what I already have or what else is available.

[hYdrociTy]

I didnt like the Woo 6 with Senn 580 /600's or my MS2's and dumped the amp ASAP while the 6 was still a FOTM.

x2

[tyrion]

Marc, do yourself a favor and listen for yourself, if you have the opportunity.

[aerius]

The Woo 6 has the power to drive them but sounds very underwhelming. I didnt like the Woo 6 with Senn 580 /600's or my MS2's and dumped the amp ASAP while the 6 was still a FOTM.

Interesting. Sounds like Woo cheaped out on the output transformers or messed up something else somehow. When I was playing around with the 6DE7 and 6EM7 type tubes I managed to get pretty decent sound out of them, I'd say it was about as good as my mini Gilmore lite but with a tube sound. There were lots of cheap and/or crappy parts since they were just proof of concept builds for some ideas which I was thinking of at the time.

[blessingx]

Do we know which Grados? I think the GS1Ks sound very nice with the WA6. Seems with the right tubes it works with the GS1Ks midrange issues. Actually my only problem with the WA6 (with any rectifier) is its rather closed sounding which doesn't help with the Senns. As for the WA5, I haven't heard a phone (including the K1K) sound less than great with it.

[jinp6301]

I left my impressions in one of the NYC threads, just cant find which one

[Salt Peanuts]

I left my impressions in one of the NYC threads, just cant find which one

Here you go.

http://www.head-case.org/index.php/topic,2388.msg66703.html#msg66703

[jinp6301]

ah there it is

[mjg]

Sounding good with the 225 might mean pretty good things on how they sound with my hf1's too... I'd like to hear one again, but I don't want to take another chance spending tht much on an amp without hearing it first. Seems there's a headphone only version coming around soon.

edit in: Also with my rs1's... Those are my main cans too.

I'm still debating a change, but despite all the grief I had with my you know what amp, it is one of the best grado rigs I ever really spent time with (compared to my last few amps anyway). I don't see myself ever moving away from grados, since I pretty much settled into the sound... So I guess the only amps i'm interested are ones that would make grados sound good.

[aerius]

For a Grado amp, the Moon Audio Luna is the best off the shelf amp I've heard, beats my amp, beats the 2 Singlepowers I've heard (PPX3 Slam & MPX3 with 6BL7's), and Biggie's custom job is the only one I know of which is on the same level with Grados without going to a custom directly heated triode build. I posted some impressions in this thread.

[Nanoha]

For a Grado amp, the Moon Audio Luna is the best off the shelf amp I've heard, beats my amp, beats the 2 Singlepowers I've heard (PPX3 Slam & MPX3 with 6BL7's), and Biggie's custom job is the only one I know of which is on the same level with Grados without going to a custom directly heated triode build. I posted some impressions in this thread.

I heard the PS-1 with the Moon Audio Luna for a bit. It was only at a meet of course, but it's so good. It's what tubes should sound like.