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Cokeman
1971
Apr 24, 2018
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Darkvoice is pretty bad unless you roll the tubes. And even then, THD on this thing is crazy, 2%. Valhalla 2 is a better buy for sure.
mahee
337
Apr 24, 2018
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CokemanIf it sounds tubey(which might be the reason people are interested in this) it probly wont matter what THD is.
Zeos says it sounds tubey and different, which is probably good enough reasons to get a OTL tube amp and its not expensive either.
Do you know if Valhalla 2 sounds like a tube OTL should?
TiffanyPoodleslide
1402
Apr 24, 2018
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pvrseWA6, all the way.
Just better.
The caveat here; WA6ers are way more expensive.
This DV outperforms the LittleDots.
So- for entry level tubies, in my book, The DV is a decent enough choice.
Not so keen on it as a system pre-amp, I prefer Woo WA 2 for that.
and yes. I have a DV in my "stable". It doesn't get out much.
Not so keen on it as a system pre-amp, I prefer Woo WA 2 for that.
and yes. I have a DV in my "stable". It doesn't get out much.
HIFI778
652
Apr 24, 2018
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TiffanyPoodleslideBig difference from the Woo2? What are the main differences?
TiffanyPoodleslide
1402
Apr 24, 2018
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HIFI778so....
First, a photo which makes the diff apparent almost immediately;
(please ignore the WA7 perched atop The Woo Stack, I am using it as a DAC as well as it's own beautimous headphone ampness). (oh, and also ignore the bit of dust and cable clutter; I am re-settling my gear after re-furbing a Carver power amp.)
It's a far more powerful unit and you can go very very far with tube rolling and optimizing combos for specific listening experiences and musics etc. I think it has a cleaner sound, if power and cable set-up is correct, it's dead silent, as far as interference, cross-talk, etc. And, overall, I just prefer the build quality and the way Woos sound to other amps, including, but not limited to, the DV. I find that Woos suit a wider range of headphones, from Grado to HiFiman to Senns to Beyerdynamics to Audeze... and on and on we go. I have a pile of Schiit over here too, NICE gear.... but I still listen to my Woos far more often and I so enjoy the WA6 as a headphone only amp that I have 2 of them, one for the bedroom, one for my work/spend-much-of- my- time-here-listening room. I really believe that you can't go wrong with Woo.
(please ignore the WA7 perched atop The Woo Stack, I am using it as a DAC as well as it's own beautimous headphone ampness). (oh, and also ignore the bit of dust and cable clutter; I am re-settling my gear after re-furbing a Carver power amp.)
It's a far more powerful unit and you can go very very far with tube rolling and optimizing combos for specific listening experiences and musics etc. I think it has a cleaner sound, if power and cable set-up is correct, it's dead silent, as far as interference, cross-talk, etc. And, overall, I just prefer the build quality and the way Woos sound to other amps, including, but not limited to, the DV. I find that Woos suit a wider range of headphones, from Grado to HiFiman to Senns to Beyerdynamics to Audeze... and on and on we go. I have a pile of Schiit over here too, NICE gear.... but I still listen to my Woos far more often and I so enjoy the WA6 as a headphone only amp that I have 2 of them, one for the bedroom, one for my work/spend-much-of- my- time-here-listening room. I really believe that you can't go wrong with Woo.
Cokeman
1971
Apr 24, 2018
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maheeValhalla 2 is also tubey. I know tubes are supposed to distort, but the DV takes that too far where it ruins the music IMO.
mindhead1
599
Apr 24, 2018
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TiffanyPoodleslideI am satisfied with my DV, but now I am starting to lust after that WA2. Damn you Poodle guy.
TiffanyPoodleslide
1402
Apr 24, 2018
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CokemanI do like my Valhalla.
But only very specifically.
And it's in a room where the Woo schtuff wouldn't really have been optimally placed.
And I agree with your take on DV's tubey SYRUP. You have to find some VERY restrained tubes for the DV to sound, IMO, at all good. I am using tubes on my DV that one would say turns a Woo into something that sounds like a computer sound card.
okay, not quite THAT bad, but you get what I'm saying here.
And I agree with your take on DV's tubey SYRUP. You have to find some VERY restrained tubes for the DV to sound, IMO, at all good. I am using tubes on my DV that one would say turns a Woo into something that sounds like a computer sound card.
okay, not quite THAT bad, but you get what I'm saying here.
TiffanyPoodleslide
1402
Apr 24, 2018
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mindhead1WA2 lust is quite respectable and entirely understandable.
Try a WA6 first, if you want to try Woo before you offload your check account by so much.
It's quite lovely.
Especially with certain tube combos.
HOWEVER.
If you're super keen on speakers,(which I am), skip the WA6.
Go directly to WA2.
Don't be shy about surfing The 'Bay and the Headfi classifieds. Sometimes you can find a WA2 for a decent price out there, if you are persistent and patient.
On Headfi, you can even, if you have something nice and tasteyrare, make a trade.
so sorry for harshing your DV mellow............ }:)
so sorry for harshing your DV mellow............ }:)
Jackula
1743
Apr 24, 2018
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TiffanyPoodleslideJust to add to the mix, Woo WA6SE, same price as the WA2 (I'm more of a transformer coupled kind of guy).
As you said, WA2 is good for speakers coz of the pre-out. Whereas for the WA6SE, pre-outs are a $300 addon.
Hmm I would say WA3 is the younger brother to the WA2 and WA6 is the younger sibling to the WA6SE. Though neither are in the same league as their older siblings.
As you said, WA2 is good for speakers coz of the pre-out. Whereas for the WA6SE, pre-outs are a $300 addon.
Hmm I would say WA3 is the younger brother to the WA2 and WA6 is the younger sibling to the WA6SE. Though neither are in the same league as their older siblings.
TiffanyPoodleslide
1402
Apr 25, 2018
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JackulaTotally agree.
On all of it.
As you know, I'm a "let's compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges" kinda guy, hence sticking to the WA2 as the OTL to compare with the DV. Classic classic classic.
Your choice of the SE is a very VERY excellent one.
p.s. When the WA2 is married to a Carver as the power amp driving your speakers, the combo is nothing short of SUBLIME.
hey good to see ya up in here. Hope all is good with yaz. :)
As you know, I'm a "let's compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges" kinda guy, hence sticking to the WA2 as the OTL to compare with the DV. Classic classic classic.
Your choice of the SE is a very VERY excellent one.
p.s. When the WA2 is married to a Carver as the power amp driving your speakers, the combo is nothing short of SUBLIME.
hey good to see ya up in here. Hope all is good with yaz. :)
mahee
337
Apr 25, 2018
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TiffanyPoodleslideI tried the pre-out of WA2 into power amp Emotiva A-100 and felt it didn't add enough of tube sound.
Which Carver amp you using?
TiffanyPoodleslide
1402
Apr 25, 2018
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maheeCurrently, I am using the TFM-6C that I just got done re-furbing.
The other Carvers that I own and like very much are a TFM 35 and a TFM 45.
All of these are vintage amps that I pick up and re-furb, kind of as a very satisfying/relaxing hobby, and which seem to fit pretty nicely into the rigs that I set up in my household.
I think the build of the vintage Carvers are sonically more amenable to tube amps than many of the newer amps on the market these days. If you look at my rigs, one of the first things that tends to catch your notice is how "old school" my gear tends to be. I like the vintage British speakers, I'm ALL OVER all things tube-amp, I love my turntables and even an open-real tape deck.... that being said, I really appreciate new tech that offers the same excellence that seems to have been only true of the niche market that was only occupied byTRUE Audiophiles 15 years ago.
With that combo you tried..... what tubes were you using? You might want to roll that around a bit more, see if you can get a more mellifluous combo sound that even could bleed forward through that Emotiva. I had a Hafler between the WooWA2 and my speakers for a bit... and it didn't carry the Woo sound nearly as beautifully as do the Carvers. Plenty powerful.... but not nearly as beautiful. Clearly it's the power amp and not the Woo tubie.
With that combo you tried..... what tubes were you using? You might want to roll that around a bit more, see if you can get a more mellifluous combo sound that even could bleed forward through that Emotiva. I had a Hafler between the WooWA2 and my speakers for a bit... and it didn't carry the Woo sound nearly as beautifully as do the Carvers. Plenty powerful.... but not nearly as beautiful. Clearly it's the power amp and not the Woo tubie.
mahee
337
Apr 25, 2018
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TiffanyPoodleslideThanks! I didn't roll many tubes while i was pre-amping so that might give it a shot next time i pull it out of the hibernation
My Sierra 2 speakers sound great out of Emotiva but i never had a tube speaker amp, so was hoping WA2 would let me try that with out having to invest in a tube speaker amps
My Sierra 2 speakers sound great out of Emotiva but i never had a tube speaker amp, so was hoping WA2 would let me try that with out having to invest in a tube speaker amps
TiffanyPoodleslide
1402
Apr 25, 2018
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maheeCoolio.
I always recommend that people give their gear a solid chance. Plenty of gear that goes up for sale on the 'Bay because people don't have patience or a spirit of DIY.... guys like me benefit by picking up slick gear at a schweeeet! price. Do visit the 'Bay and do searches for your rolling tubes. If you have questions about tubes and The Roll, head on over to Headfi where there are entire threads, thousands of pages long, dedicated to tubes; specific tubes, tubes best for specific amps, best combos of specific tubes with other specific tubes.... and on and on and on. You can ask questions over there and people won't make you feel stupid EXCEPT if you don't even try just a little bit to search the forum for your subject before just jumping into a thread and asking something that was probly answered like 1 page back or something. Otherwise, Headfi folks tend to enjoy sharing what we know with everybody else. Even maybe more than they really want us to.
;)
I always recommend that people give their gear a solid chance. Plenty of gear that goes up for sale on the 'Bay because people don't have patience or a spirit of DIY.... guys like me benefit by picking up slick gear at a schweeeet! price. Do visit the 'Bay and do searches for your rolling tubes. If you have questions about tubes and The Roll, head on over to Headfi where there are entire threads, thousands of pages long, dedicated to tubes; specific tubes, tubes best for specific amps, best combos of specific tubes with other specific tubes.... and on and on and on. You can ask questions over there and people won't make you feel stupid EXCEPT if you don't even try just a little bit to search the forum for your subject before just jumping into a thread and asking something that was probly answered like 1 page back or something. Otherwise, Headfi folks tend to enjoy sharing what we know with everybody else. Even maybe more than they really want us to.
;)
ajheyl
27
Apr 25, 2018
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TiffanyPoodleslideI may be selling my WA6 with Princess Tube and upgraded drivers...
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