How good can a Woo 3 or Earmax get?

[hungrych]

Has anyone here heard a Woo 3 with top of the line super duper exotic tubes? I'm just wondering how it would compare to something like a singlepower. It would be alot more convinient for me because of the size, but I don't want to lose out on SQ.

By the same token, how about an Earmax?

[tkam]

The Woo 3 is not an amp I'd recommend for low impedance phones like your AT's are. I think you'd be better off with a MAD Ear+ or something along those lines.

[Chrysanthemum]

A mad Ear+ HD merits tube rolling attention and expense and comes close to a SinglePower, as far as sound quality goes. The Ear+ HD

represents very good value for the money.

[Guest sacd lover]

Has anyone here heard a Woo 3 with top of the line super duper exotic tubes? I'm just wondering how it would compare to something like a singlepower. It would be alot more convinient for me because of the size, but I don't want to lose out on SQ.

By the same token, how about an Earmax?

I owned the Woo 3 and I have had two Ear+'s .... one stock and one heavily modded .... each for one month plus auditions. The SLAM ppx3 is still a better sounding amp than either .... IMO. The Woo 3 isnt close. The sound is both to cloudy and somewhat bright. I didnt spend a fortune on nos 6922's but I had several good ones and despite tuberolling the Woo just doesnt scale much. Furthermore, the amp had a low level hum I could not eradicate. The Woo 3 was a BIG dissapointment for me.

The Ear+ is definitely preferable to the Woo. The Ear+ vs the SLAM ppx3 is a somewhat closer comparison but even the modded one doesnt have the liquidity, musicality or refinement of the SLAM. The Ear+ does best with low impedence phones in my system but the SLAM still sounds a little better with grado and especially the Sony's. With my high impedence senn 580/595/600 or AKG 240M .... the SLAM is definitely better.

I dont think people have come to terms with just how good the PPX3 can be with the right tubes = 6sn7 or 7n7 driving 5687's or the 6bl7gt/6bx7gt at 400 volts. At the last Cinci meet I liked Todd's high voltage/ plitron equipped PPX3 the best of any amp at the meet .... and that includes the Zana .... and the Zana is one of the best amps available. You might want to break down and get some adapters for you old chassis mpx3 and use the 5687's; much cheaper than a new amp. Plus that will be like getting a completely new and better amp. I was listening to the SLAM ppx3 last night with a new output tube I am trying out and the amp just puts me in a trance .... SP's are good stuff

[ojnihs]

What about a millett hybrid?

[aerius]

What about a millett hybrid?

Think of it as the META42 or PiMeta of hybrid tube amps and you're not too far off. As an inexpensive easy to build amp it sounds pretty nice, but it's not going to challenge the big boys. I built one last month before stripping it for parts for my in progress 12W6 amp.

[Chrysanthemum]

I agree that the PPX Slam is a much better amp, but at a cost. Also the Ear+ can be had as a kit for some real leaning enjoyment and fun. If you already own the Woo3, I think you could modify it enough to use it as a coffee warmer, much like the Raptor being used as a whole house space heater.

[Guest sacd lover]

i would really like to hear an Ear+

I think the ear+ would be so much better if he ditched the 12ax7/5751 and went with an octal gain tube. I tried to get Lloyd to build me one with a 12sn7gt for gain and he wouldnt do that.

[Guest sacd lover]

weird. i guess he just isn't in to that kind of custimization, not that it would take that much to change to a 12sn7.

Thats what I thought. Maybe because the chassis would need a larger cutout .... but again that should not have been a big deal. Oh well I just bought another Singlepower.

[aerius]

Thats what I thought. Maybe because the chassis would need a larger cutout .... but again that should not have been a big deal. Oh well I just bought another Singlepower.

Another idea would be to change a few resistors & wires around and plop in a 5687, wouldn't have to do a single chassis mod.

[nurxhunter]

Odd that the question was on the Earmax, but no replies on this amp? Is the EM/EMP rare in headphiler's inventories?

I recently bought a near-mint EMP used with Philips E188CC NOS and good testing TFK ECC801S (yes, those) tubes. The trio is considered by many--but not by me in my circuit--as the best available. After some rolling of the outer tubes to Amperex ECC88 (6922) Holand OG and USA WS (both shield-halo construction, both 1960s) and rolling dozens of 12AT7s to select the handful of finest sounding ever made (have tested almost all and I do not rank the TFK abong the best)--and a bit of cable rolling, I find the Earmax Pro (EMP) absolutely charming with Senn HD650/Cardas. Transparent and musical with great bass, though with intense bass (rare even for this RAP/RnB listener) is can get flustered. For Jazz and vocals, it's spectacular.

I also own the SP PPX3-6CG7 (P2P with upgrades) running with a NOS GE 6GU7 and a pair of NOS RCA Blackplates. The SP is super (but not SUPRA) as well. Both the EMP and PPx3-6CG7 are around the same price used. After several weeks of listening to both; frankly, I cannot decide--but--if pressed to take only one to an island and live with it forever, I might choose the EMP.

Both amps are quite responsive to tube rolling; however, great 6CG7s are cheap--great 6DJ8s are expensive (but great 12AT7s may be had relatively cheaply as well). A full tube rolling experience with 6CG7/6GU7 will cost about $100 on ebay for the PPX3, a full roll with the EMP could go over $500 (exclusing pinched waist and CCa breeds).

The SP has the upper hand in power and impact, the EMP wins tone and musicality--and--I do not find it 'tubey' at all, nor underpowered with the Senns. They are both roughly equal with most bass.

If, however, you prefer low impedence phones, you should definately lean to the SP line, without question. The stock tubes that come with both are mediocre and mask the potential of these fine amps.

[Dusty Chalk]

I've heard the EarMax Pro, and it is wonderful. I haven't heard the Woo 3. The EMP is the best size/SQ that I can think of.

[Dusty Chalk]

And then there's this.

[PFKMan23]

And then there's this.

$400 bucks to allow the Earmax to be "transportable" kthnxno.

[edisonwu]

$400 bucks to allow the Earmax to be "transportable" kthnxno.

it also provides EMP a super clean power, since it supplys by battery.