Woo WA22 Review - Stop worrying and love the tube!
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- Опубліковано 23 лип 2024
- The Woo WA22 is a fantastic, powerful balanced tube headphone amplifier with some fantastic extra features. I'm going to miss this one once it's gone!
wooaudio.com/amplifiers-all
This unit was loaned to me for review by Woo Audio
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Measurements and written reviews: goldensound.audio
Content and analysis sponsored by headphones.com and patreon supporters on / goldensound
Intro Track: "Stuck in Nostalgia" by Manganas Garden - song.link/gb/i/1572340935
Testing Tracks:
Inner Light - Elderbrook & Bob Moses - song.link/gb/i/1575388827
Musk - Tash Sultana - song.link/gb/i/1534691975
Unjaded (ov) - Deadmau5 - song.link/gb/i/1401981228
Blackbird - Tash Sultana - song.link/gb/i/1399798547
Foreground - Adam Tell - song.link/gb/i/1267460245
Disarm you (Grey Remix) - Kaskade - song.link/gb/i/1198250023
0:00 - Intro
0:57 - Tubes vs solid state
1:45 - Types of tube amps
2:35 - WA22 Features
4:36 - Build Quality
7:50 - Sound
15:34 - Conclusion and Alternatives
17:13 - Patrons
The GoldenSound youtube channel, and all content is created and owned by GoldenSound LTD - Розваги
I'm a 51 year old native english speaker and I still haven't mastered the language as well as you. I love your videos, not only because of their informative audio content, but also because you speak so eloquently and engagingly about a topic that could easily be dry and boring. In 5 years time, you will be the best audiophile reviewer by far. Keep up the excellent work!
Gotta imagine at this point that any company willing to send their (even cherry picked) units to you, the MQA destroyer with your detailed analysis and breakdown with the 555 analyzer, has got to be feeling pretty confident. Excellent vid as always!
Love your vids! I always learn smth new from your small discussions.
Thank you. Nice review! I have this amp and really enjoy it.
Great review! Great to hear WA22 works great as a preamp!
This is the best review of this amp currently on you tube. Absolutely awesome. Thank you, Golden-sound. :)
I remember asking you about reviewing this unit on the desk and here we are with impressive review. Always love your demonstration on each song, very detailed. Looking forward to watch Cayin HA-6 or any Cayin product review later on. :D
Ive started to watch this channel regularly. Keep up the great content and the balanced assessment (objective and subjective). Cheers!
I have the WA-6se gen 2 and I absolutely love it.
Their transformer coupled amps are fantastic with just about any headphone.
Nice overview man 👍🏻
I watch these reviews, not because I'll ever be able to try, much less afford, any of this equipment, but because the music you use to "demonstrate" is spectacular.
Foreground is now one of my favorites. :P
Which song exactly?
@@kidoman1 It's by Adam Tell. It's the first song in the album Falsework.
Impressive review of this tube amp. Your demo of sounstage width and depth and tonal densisity / tambra with your descriptions covers it's characteristics quite convincingly.
I built a 6DJ8 SRPP preamp with a front end multitap transformer volume control that feeds either a pair of downstream monoblock speaker amplifiers, or a transformer coupled headphone interface - essentially doing the same as this tube amplifier. Had I known this was available, I might have considered this solution rather than a custom design/build effort.
Many thanks to you for adhering to both measurement and subjective listening based assessments. Seems a very good format.
I am using WA22 as preamp to Kinki Studio THR-1 as poweramp. The combo drives my Susvara perfectly and it is the best of both worlds to me. Thanks for the great review!
Had no idea what I was missing until I got the Schiit LYR 3 Tube Amp. Very cool amp
Love THIS review Golden! This is why my main system uses a tube preamp on the Lampizator then goes to the solid state Mola Mola Kaluga monoblocks. It just sounds so cool. I might trade in my Pass Labs HPA-1 for this
I dig your videos thoroughly. I'm a fan of your approach, it's pretty cool seeing your channel develop.
Could you do a video explaining harmonics 1st 2nd 3rd etc., I hear term frequently but it's never clear to me what it means or why it's relevant?
Sold state & Tubes ..a flavor for everyone🥳
My DAC ( balanced output) to Little Bear passive switch box.
So I get the 789 or the Loxji 20 or the Xduoo 604..to run my headphones or IEM’s.
Depends on the recoding as to what gets the benefit.
A great review video.
Thank you 🍻
Hi, very nice review I've also heard them at a dealer in LA driving a focal utopia and they sound phenomenal. my concern is and I used to have focal elex, don't you have any problem with the drivers of the elex? I returned mine cause after six months of using them the right driver failed. That is my experience w/ the elex. Keep up your channel and I like the way you review equipment. Nice Job
Great review! I agree that the stock tubes need to be replaced. I replaced all the tubes: 596USAF rectifier, Tungsol 5998 power, and Sylvania 6SN7WGT driver - not cheap to do this (to save some $$, I souced some of the tubes from the internet - had a couple of misses). Coupled with my Abyss Diana Phi headphones...insane sound. Just so real, detailed, and smooth. It's addicting...
Thanks for this review. I find myself visiting the Woo Audio website from time to time and I've been in contact with them. Mike at Woo Audio is a really great guy. There's two main things that have kept me from pulling the trigger on a Woo Audio tube amp and it's not the price.
One is that there are very few UA-cam reviews of Woo Audio headphone amps. I can't figure out why but so it is. That's why I appreciate this review.
The other is that Woo Audio is sticking with the 3-pin XLR's. Yea I get it that there are a lot of old school audiophiles that like 3-pin XLR's. I, however, want 4-pin XLR and 4.4mm Pentaconn - with the same power. Then a secondary 6.3 mm unbalanced.
I mostly use 4-pin XLR but we're seeing the Pentaconn more and more as the balanced option in high-end headphones.
There's no such thing as an end-game product but at the price, a Woo Audio purchase is a big decision and something one will probably own for a long time. As such I expect Woo Audio to begin offering 4-pin XLR/4.4 mm Pentaconn options to future-proof their offering.
The WA22 has 4 pin xlr headphone out.
Tube pre amp and a really great solid state power amp is the best of both worlds. On my 2 channel stereo I have an Atma-Sphere MP-3 tube pre amp that powers a pair of monoblock AHB2 power amps. That is a killer combo! On the desktop I use the Woo Audio Wa7 tube amp paired with Hifiman Aryas. On the very cheap end, the $160 Xduoo MT-604 is a fabulous tube amp, which has about 80% of the sound quality performance of the much more expensive Woo Audio amp. If you are on a budget, getting the Xduo MT-604 is a no brainer!
Excited to see you trying out Elex, was my first big headphone purchase. Out of curiosity are you/would you consider doing a shootout between Hifiman Ananda and Focal Elex? Both live in a similar price bracket both new and in the used market, both are quite efficient, and for alot of people living in the midi-fi sector these two headphones would be considered "endgame" if they were looking to spend
I think that comparison is just a toss up between sound signature preference.
Nice review! Put on Tak274b, mullard ECC35, ts5998, and give the Susvara a go with it again. Awesome stuff.
After seeing this review, I’d love to see you review the Quicksilver Audio Headphone Amp. I’ve been wondering how those two US-based hp amps would compare (obviously different output designs, but still so curious nonetheless).
Hey GoldSound, great videos :) would you consider reviewing the Singxler SA-1?
I am a tube preamplifier into a solid state amp guy. I had good experience with ITube2 and the Musical Paradise MP701 mk2. I have upgraded to a Cayin SC-6Ls mk2 and very happy. As a susvara owner, tube preamp into a powerful ss amp is the way to go.
I am with you on that! I love my WA22 preamp out into Soloist GT! To me it hits a sweet spot with some cans. However I do like some just on tubes and some just on solid state.
I'm now choosing between wa22 and a solid state amp to drive my th909, which is super sensitive to impedence noises. I love the tube sound verr much but I'm worried about getting an impedence electric noise just like my current hybrid amp. Does your wa22 have any impedence noise problems? if it's not annoyyingly significant I would go for the wa22.
First I just want to say that your videos are exquisite. Secondly what was your setup with this tube amp, what was your DAC, where there some things inbetween etc.?
Oh this is gonna be a banger vid
it's a little 3000$ above my budget but looks stellar
I’ve seen wa22s come up used for $1500 or so on headfi monthly
@@aceofspades6667 my problem is too many expensive hobbies :D I want a EQ6 tracker too; a full frame body; a new bike; a new car; etcetc
But thanks though! I'll make a piggy bank for tubes too :D
It is an amazing amp! I have had mine for maybe 2 weeks now and I can't stop listening! I am using my WA22 with ZMF Verite Closed, lcdx , and Arya. I also love the preamp out into my Soloist GT. You get that tube sound injected into solid state. I have 3 different sounds with 2 amps. Each headphone sounds best each way too which is fun!
Hello, I would enjoy your thoughts and the review of
SOTM sMS-200ultra Neo ?
Is it still noteworthy anymore?
awesome! what about some measurements using the ap?
Gotta love a good preamp, but I have yet to try a tube amp that isn't a hybrid. Love the video.
God I love these intros. Every. Damn. Time.
Only thing missing is a remote control...
Very thorough review, TYVM!
A remote would be nice but I usually sit fairly close to my WA22. I basically know where to set the volume on each of my headphones.
Wonder how the wa6 compares assuming you have enough power for the cans being used.
Thanks for the video! I'm currently looking for a new tube amp. What are the tubes you are using?
Similar approach to “Z” however I actually learn something from your channel.
Subbed.
Not even remotely true... It's day and night different. Guess which one is the "day"...
Your comment is an utter insult to Goldenear!
Hi I can see that your got some feet’s under your May dac. What are they and what did they bring to the table?
My CD player is tube output stage, and sounds amazing!
Love watching these several thousand dollar audio setup reviews on my Samson SR850s plugged directly into my 6 year old laptop.
You should also review the WA5 Second Edition because that particular unit also can come with a preamp and it cost less than the WA33. It’s a fantastic unit!
I have the WA2 which uses some of the same tubes. The Sylvania 7236 power tubes are a great upgrade but the best I've found are the Tungsol 5998.
Curious if you ever nabbed a tube amp to live with and if so which? You mentioned desiring it at the end of this video and its been quite some time since, wondering if you ever pulled the trigger oon something.
Could you recommend some place that can get good tubes? thanks i would like to upgrade the wa22
Will you be doing a review of the burson soloist x3?
I hope you have all that nice gear insured.
How easy is it to source the tubes necessary to elevate performance here in the UK?
Thank you for the great review! I currently have the Chord Hugo TT2/Mscaler combo but I would like to get a tube amp. I also have a Susvara. Can I use the tube amp (not sure which one I am getting ) as a preamp and use the TT2 as a DAC/headphone amp to power the Susvara. Would I be able to do this and get the tube sound with the power of the TT2 if the tube amp is not powerful enough on it's own? Thank you for your time and help!
Yes you could do that. I use my WA22 with my Soloist GT. Just run xlr interconnects from the WA22 preamp output into your tt2 and turn the know of the WA22 to preamp. It's very simple to do and sounds amazing! I love the Arya and lcd x like that but I prefer my Verite Closed on the WA22. I highly suggest getting a tube amp to listen purely tubes and use pream out into solid state! You basically have 3 different sound with 2 amps!
@@brooksphillips2234 Thanks very much for the information! That sounds like it would be a great setup.
That string crunch!
Sending you my Woo Audio WA33 Elite with upgraded KR Audio HP Tubes be on the look out ;)
damnn
Please review the ifi zen v2 dac/amp combo.
Would this pair well with the Holo Bliss KTE?
Waiting to hear about the SMSL VMV D1SE!
Looking for a great headphone amp that has preamplifier capability but no remote is a deal killer for me as a preamp. Considering Benchmark HPA4 instead but that's a very different sound signature I'm sure...
How does it compare to the single ended sibling, WA2?
It would have been interesting to see how a tube amp measures, I don't think I've ever seen tube amp measurements before.
I don't know how they measure but they sure do sound great!
@@brooksphillips2234 Well most likely quite poorly as tubes are quite noisy and the amount of power they require compared to solid state electronics is massive, meaning much more power supply noise as well. This would have been purely academic in nature and not so much about how they sound.
I’m learning so much from your videos. I’m selling my gear to have a similar set up to you, can I ask. I still use windows 7 and jrivers, would they be sufficient to handle all the tech. My audiophiles
journey has been strictly Daps until now and recently bought a linn s3 and it’s completely changed my mission, any advice greatly appreciated
Windows 7 is likely fine, but would probably be good to upgrade to windows 10 at somepoint just for security reasons if anything.
@@GoldenSound thanks for the quick response, it will just be purely for offline file listening, I’ve got an extensive collection of vinyl rips hi res and dsd. I just wondered if there is a correlation between lag and processing power and whether it would be worth upgrading to Mac Pro. It is an education in itself watching your videos: and you have a rich taste in music
It would be nice to meet you man I’m in the south west / I mean, add me on fb or insta. Over the past 20 years of meandering through pretentious reviewers you’re the first that’s made me think.. this gut soeaks honestly
How the WA22 would perform besides with a Burson Audio Conductor 3REF? Is this a legit and workable setup?
Most definitely. I'm using WA22 with Soloist GT
Hi, I understand English very poorly, and unfortunately the video has no subtitles. Could you provide links to the tubes that you recommend for replacement?
Which tubes were swapped in?
this was an amp i looked into prior to buying the trafomatic head 2
5:11 “I like big… gear! and I can not lie.”
Please create a Spotify playlist on all your songs used to audition your equipment. I'm sure I'm not the only one desperate for this.
Get a Feliks Euforia! It has a pre
Make a Bottlehead amp and let us know what you think.
I was going to sell my WA-6SE and get this, but I went to the web page and see that W6-SE is also a transformer-coupled amp, with hi & lo output impedance, and is still mushy regardless of the headphone I use, still drives Arya bad, I also did try the ifi IE match, and is better bat still bad, in fact it sound exactly like a Rebel Amp with a chinese soft filer on. I don't say WA-22 is bad, I just point out that just because an amp has TC design and hi /lo output impedance, it will work with planar and easy to drive headphone.
The Arya does need more power. I prefer the Arya with WA22 preamp out into my Soloist GT. I like my lcd x like that too but I prefer my Verite Closed on WA22.
@Cotoi is have to get a better dac myself. I am using my dx300 as dac for now and it's really pretty damn good but I know there is more to be had. My next purchase is likely to be the Holo Spring 3kte. I agree that a better dac would help with more power to drive cans like the Arya.
Just bought a set of lemon tubes 😢
You don't like the THX 789?
Its very dry and unenjoyable sounding
Ok I gotta ask: where the hell do you get all the money for this stuff?
its a review sample. Do you ask how car reviewers can afford the cars?
Lots of times companies or followers of the page will send equipment in.
Sounds like my end game amp.
*Snaps*
Damping factor? Planar headphones have a constant impedance (a lot of them anyway). So, mathematically speaking, the voltage divider ratio (between nominal impedance, maximal/minimal impedance will be 1. Subbing this into 20log(v1/v2) will always result in 0dB difference (log(1)=0) at any set given set of nominal sound pressure level at least due to the damping factor. Yes, you'll not be able to drive insensitive planar headphones due to the voltage drop though (and that tube amps are not exactly the most current heavy output devices). The damping factor is definitely a consideration for headphones with an impedance that isn't constant across frequency.
I am using dynamic and planning cans with high and low impedance on my WA22 with no problems at all.
This is far better than an alternative Z channel that explains everything with “fffucccccckkk”
tubes go brrrrr?
Tube amps are the best amps
Based
To my ears I agree
This thing looks beautiful in silver and I want it now, so bad.
…$2,500
;(
Thanks for showing it so well and discussing it so well. Much appreciated.
I got mine in about 2 weeks ago and I have been missing out. I barely use just my Soloist GT anymore. It's either WA22 or WA22 preamp into GT. To me it was worth the $2500 EASY!
6080/7236/5998 are all NOS, the price goes up, the stock goes down
test it with result of ap555 ^_^
I have to disagree with what you said about its build quality.
Yes, it does look sturdy but the fit does not reflect it is a well-built product. You can see misalignments on every corner.
This or the mcintosh mha200
Do Tube Amps sound different...
hahaha hahaha hahaha hahaha
Tubes are better than transistors but electricity has nothing to do with real music so I wouldn't recommend touching either for serious listening. The ultimate in realism can only be achieved with mechanical reproduction since it's compatible with real sounds as they exist in the air. Of course I'm in all likelihood preaching to the choir here, so to speak.
is this the "just buy the musicians" meme but actually sincere. Jesus christ
@@enjoshi-godrez8775 That was a jest aimed at tubes and Woo being a term for nonsense pseudo-magic just made it irresistible. If you love the music you can only listen to what the artists have released even if it's not the best fidelity and it's what we have to do unless it's just too distorted to enjoy. The stupidity of subjective audio is the implicit assumption that you somehow know what the recording is supposed to sound like when correctly reproduced. I've stared at CDs yet was never able to determine what was on them so I could then judge the playback equipment by listening to them! Be well. ;-)
@@jozsefizsak yes but its well known that musicians like to use tubes equipment during playback recordings. Tubes do generally give a more realistic stage and timber to actual instruments. However, it is of course exaggerated in marketing speaks.
@@enjoshi-godrez8775 You're stating a belief about tubes that I don't share and I was not aware of musicians generally adhering to it although for sure some will. If we love music and explore these things in our own way, we're on the same team even when we don't agree on everything. (I wanted to get that out there so there are no misunderstandings!) ;-)
@@jozsefizsak ok, listen to good tube amplifiers as clearly the ones you're listening to don't sound like the ones I have. Disliking tube amps is like disliking pizza. There are so many variables that its pointless to blanket them all as being "not for me".
Discord gang where you at
man i wish you had a good speaker system as speakers "destroy" headphones in soundstage
his speaks are like way above his monitor. I have no idea what he's doing with them.
@@enjoshi-godrez8775 I cant see the speakers in this vid. he needs to start using dedicated streamers. pcs are super noisy devices.
@@genkifd he is getting into speakers later , its just Focal desk monitors , and considering he made a full video just on DDCs he is aware of streamers ,also Holo May has a PLL that makes direct PC connection pretty much normal
@@RossKyle95 Hopefully so.
Tash Sultana - Blackbird - 7 Layers Sessions #5 ua-cam.com/video/DnGPxmxVTuE/v-deo.html is amazing! Thank you for your reviews.
A bit late to the comments but will this power the LCD-5? I am looking to get the ZMF Caldera later this year so I want to be sure this will be more than enough for both! Also intend to use this as pre-amp which is why I am leaning towards this rather than the Ampsandsound Forge and Cayin HA-6A.
I can understand the desire to remain anonymous but the use of a head cam is very nauseating and why I can't watch these videos or Zeos either.
Didn’t know the presenter was Italian. (The only race that speaks with their hands.)
So you got people to help purchase a $30k+ APx555 and don't measure every piece that come across your bench?
A tube amp notoriously measures bad, that's not the reason why someone would buy it
You don't see to many measurements on tube amps
Lot of hoo ha over a Woo WA
Sexy amp and you're clearly enjoying it's preformance.
Lots of hand waving and cliches but not a single measurment to back any of them. I thought the whole point of having the apx555 is to dive into what makes things sound the way they do.
why are you so passive agressive? Do you not enjoy life? Also, he as already stated many audio terms cannot be found in measurements like sound stage.
so, 5 times the cost of my Topping A90, the only way i would consider to buy it if in a blind test I found it sounds better at least 50%, otherwise no thanks
It will sound much bette than a90. I sold my a90 after a week as I didn’t like it. Also watch headfi the wa22s come up used for $1500 used monthly.
Example: www.head-fi.org/classifieds/woo-audio-wa22-gen-2-with-upgraded-tubes.8930/
no way in hell that this sounds 50% better since in audio performance does not scale linearly with price
thats completely subjective. You cannot quantify what 50% better is in audio quality. Did you fail high school or have yet to finish? The way you talk give me those vibs.
@@enjoshi-godrez8775 Baseless claim against another individual. Lol.
looks like a GERMAN made, but its made by Chinese in USA LOL
and?
really don't understand those people who say "X doesn't make real music", like do you not hear the melodic vibrations? is that not music to you? do you wish every tune be accompanied with a gaggle of rock stars or a whole orchestra? elitist pricks.
(this is not a dig at GoldenSound, this is in relation to his comment around 14:08 regarding the same type of person i'm speaking of)
You basically need 20.000$ to listen music as good as a 200$ headphone out of the mobile lol
Ya heard a 20k usd gear and compared?
the fact that you think the dollar sign goes at the end tells me you don't have a very good education. lmao
You seriously think $200 equipment I'd the same as this? Lol