Power tubes, or output tubes, continue to amplify the signal sent from the preamp section so they can drive the speakers. Comparing the grand fidelity 50 to the originals, the originals will set you back a heap of money for used pairs. Its a bit more of a drug than it is about precision and articulation. Dave hunter is a writer and musician who has worked in both the u. Perhaps one of the most eyecatching features of this combination ampdac is the solid block of glass that sits atop both boxes that allows the tubes to remain delightfully visible while providing a protective shell of sorts against random collisions for the tubes. Wooaudio wa33 balanced headphone amplifier black best. The unique voltage amplifier stage drives without problems the 211s grid pemitting also a soft a2class mode of operation.
It has a 20 percent higher output than the sovtek 5881wxt. Similarly, an output switching key osk allows the listener to switch between speaker and headphone output modes, making it possible to enjoy a piece of music through headphones, then. Single ended classa power amplifier using 6c45pi another. Newest generation 2nd gen wa7 fireflies headphone amplifierdac with the highest performance tube power supply upgrade and extra tubes. I think i have tried almost every type of power tube and preamp tube they make in one amp or another. The speed of this current will have a big impact of the tone of your guitar amp. May 2019 is audio experience reference grade line preamp. Woo audio wa33 fullybalanced headphone amppreamp a.
I will say that i still think about the sound of the wa33. The 6c45 triode acts as both driver and power tube. Linear external highperformance power supply remotecontrolled switching cmedia 6631a usb chip headphone input impedance. The 6c45pe is a low power triode 8 watts max for the p d paramenter. Although some people refer to them as power tubes, i feel output is far more fitting.
Clapton found his sound during this era using a les pauls bridge pickup, maxingout the volume on the guitar and the volume and bass on the amp for a uniquely fat overdrive sound with much bite and sustain. Ess sabre dac 24 bit, 384khz pcm, and up to 128dsd. The woo audio wa7 fireflies ampdac is a combination of high performance vacuum tube headphone amplifier with a builtin usb digitaltoanalog converter. Beam power amplifier used in vintage gretsch and magnatone amplifiers.
Both would sound great with the utopia the wa33 being warmer. This is a real 6973, not a rebrand of a close tube. This is the 2nd gen version of an elegant looking dacamp using the ess sabre reference dac. Wa33 employs a true fullybalanced design featuring 6c45 driver tubes, four 2a3 power tubes, and 274b rectifier tube, all in directheated triodes to reveal the most delicate detail with the highest level of refinement. This design is from our flagship grade preamplifier the real the reference one s application of a highly efficient solidstate voltage regulator with ez80. It is a pure tube design, utilizing 6c45 tubes in a classa, singleended topology, with transformer coupled outputs. Charlie haden pat metheny beyond the missouri sky 180 gram vinyl lp firsttime 180gram vinyl out of print. Dave also fronts the band a different engine, and lives in. Tube compliment is 6c45 driverpower x 2 for the ampdac unit and for the wa7 tube power supply upgrade 12au75963 rectifier x 2. This version of wa7 gen 2 includes the woo audio wa7tp power supply, using classic vacuum tube circuitry for a nice performance upgrade. I think jj makes some solid tubes but i dont like every tube type they make.
To use the 6c45 it is necessary limit the power supply voltage of the driver. This tube features larger plate dimensions and improved grid structure for increased power handling capabilities. All the hybrid amplifier use as voltage amplifier vacuum tubes and transistor or mosfet. There are no semiconductors used in the entire amplification path. Wa7 fireflies 2nd gen headphone amplifier dac woo audio. Woo audio wa33 fully balanced headphone amplifier jps labs. Woo audio wa7 gen 2 fireflies tube headphone amp wdacaudio. In a speaker amp this is almost always a fairly high power tube.
It also affects the overall gain of the power amp, and the frequency compensation provided by components within the feedback loop one or more caps or resistors to help keep the power amp stable. Wa33 elite muscled more slam, more guts, more head rattling power out of. Wooaudio wa33 balanced headphone amplifier black best prices. Woo audio wa7 fireflies usb dac and headphone amp w. Everything you ever wanted to know about output tubes. The wa7 is practically a steal in terms of sound quality and physical presentation, raves hp soundings. When power tubes wear out, the low end starts to fade, and your amp will sound flat. Try a kt66 in place of the 6l6gc for a slightly cleaner sound. Description the 6ns 6 double triode is designed for operation in electronic stabilizers.
As you use your tube amp, tubes wear out due to the heat it generates. Which 6l6 tubes do you like for a killer clean but within a multichannel amp that already has great gains. Comes with the matching wa7tp tube power supply for superior sound and will shipped in original boxes with cables, standard tube sets 12au7 and 6c45, manuals and upgraded new matched pair of electro harmonix 6c45 gold plated pins for improved sound. Theory and applications of high sigma vacuum tubes part3. When you start looking for every last watt out of a power tube it helps if the tube before it can supply a bit of power you kind of smack them around a bit despite peoples love for fairly large power tubes in headphone amps, headphone amps almost never get to. If you like the sound of the old triodes go for grant fidelity, if you do favor a bit more modern sound, eml would be your choice. High frequency twin triode preamplifier tube used in studio and hifi equipment. Ive heard my share of great sounding tube amplifiers that dont sound. The wa33 employs a true fully balanced design in a compact form factor, featuring a quad of 6c45 tubes for the driver that pushes a quad of 2a3 tubes for the power, in an alltube design.
Jul 29, 2002 this is what i found about the 6c45 used in my r10h. This headphone amppreamp uses four 6c45 tubes as the drivers for four rather large 2a3 power tubes used as directheated triodes. The 6c45 pe is a low power triode 8 watts max for the p d paramenter. Push pull power amplifier homebuilt by akira nakata. Wa33 fullybalanced headphone amppreamplifier woo audio. Oct 15, 20 it is a pure tube design, utilizing 6c45 tubes in a classa, singleended topology, with transformer coupled outputs. Hi fi home theater san francisco high end electronics av. The sovtek 6c45 triode assumes both driver and power tube responsibilities. The best use of the 6c45p e triode is as driver for power triodes with high voltage swing requirements as trasmitting varieties but also 300b or the new svetlanas sv572xx. Woo audio claims that this amplifier delivers enough power to drive demanding headphones to their full potential which maintaining a low noise floor for use with sensitive models. The wa7 fireflies 2nd generation is a great sounding ampdac with a warm valve sound that also looks superb. This headphone amppreamp uses four 6c45 tubes as the drivers for four rather.
It is a fully balanced, tubebased unit comprising two chassis that are. Tubedepot carries a selection of 6l6 5881 kt66 7027 power vacuum tubes. Woo audio wa33 standard headphone amp and preamp with. The 6ns double triodes are enclosed in glass bulb and are provided with an octal base and an indirectly heated oxidecoated cathode. The woo audio wa7 gen 2 fireflies ampdac is a combination of high performance vacuum tube headphone amplifier with a builtin usb digitaltoanalog converter.
My current preferred setup is with vintage rca jan2a3 black plates bought from ebay, electroharmonix gold pin 6c45 tubes bought from woo, and a usaf 596 rectifier tube ebay with a woo audio custom 596 5u4g adapter. From the 1st moment i saw the specs ive recognized this will. It give a very good sound with a very low distortion value but it need a good. It sounded quite a bit different from the wa5le as it more tonally balanced. This driver stage use a cathode bias so it is necessary a very good audio capacitor in parallel to the cathode resistor 100ohm. Many of these tubes have a plate resistance about 2kohm but only the d3a and 6c45 have an amplification factor greater than 50. Woo audio claims that this amplifier delivers enough power to drive demanding headphones to their full potential which maintaining a. Output tube is used in place of power tube for a few reasons. Tube mavens sovtek are now offering their 6c45 high mu single triode tube. Singleended, classa transformer output headphone amplifier with dac frequency response.
I have heard a direct comparison of the sound using choke loads, pmcccs, and solidstate current sources. I guess this is the reason why guys who love tubes, stick to tubes. Woo audio wa33 fullybalanced headphone amppreamp a headamp. There are no semiconductors used in the entire signal path. Woo audio wa7 gen 2 fireflies tube headphone amp wdac. I think their 6v6, kt88s, kt66s, el84s and ecc83 are good tubes and i feel. Crazy expensive amplifier thrills headphone aficionados cnet. The new 6c45 sovtek tube the best discover ive recently made is the new 6c45 tube. Jan 15, 2009 although some people refer to them as power tubes, i feel output is far more fitting. Please note that it is better to listen thru your headphones to tell the sound differences. Woo audio wa7 fireflies headphone amplifier headphone. Platinum matched tubes this new sovtek is modeled after the vintage rca 6l6gc blackplate. This is more accelerated on output power tubes like 6l6. Linear external highperformance power supply remotecontrolled power switching two 6c45 driverpower tubes.
Each set of power tubes will draw a different current measured in milliamps, affecting how fast the signal gets passed through your amp. When you start looking for every last watt out of a power tube it helps if the tube before it can supply a bit of power you kind of smack them around a bit despite peoples love for fairly large power tubes in headphone amps, headphone amps almost never get to this level. Follows the photo of the common vacuum tubes used like driver in power amplifier. Upgraded tubes, excellent condition, low hoursfully balanced designtubes. The da converter is designed to be capable of up to 24bit384k sampling rates.
Woo audio wa33 fully balanced headphone and pre amplifier. Cascoding multiplies your chances of oscillation and this would have extreme gain and bandwidth thats pretty tough to handle. If you want a more true presentation, the dave is better for that. Aug 14, 2019 tube compliment is 6c45 driverpower x 2 for the ampdac unit and for the wa7 tube power supply upgrade 12au75963 rectifier x 2. To use the 6c45 it is necessary limit the power supply voltage of the driver reducing the relative secondary of the transformer because this tube have a max anode voltage of 150v. I could cut things short and simply say that the woo audio wa33 sounds like. It uses four 2a3 power tubes, four 6c45 driver tubes, and 1 5u4g rectifier tube. International shipping charge will be invoiced when your order is in our system. Gm70 amplifier tango or bartolucci audio design guide.
Hybrid amplifier by andrea ciuffoli audio design guide. Woo audio wa7d fireflies vacuum tube headphone amplifier. This choice leads to a lower power, an output transformer more expensive, but all will benefit, at least for my taste, the sound quality. May 31, 2014 please note that it is better to listen thru your headphones to tell the sound differences. Woo audio wa7 fireflies 2nd generation black w matching.
Apr 27, 2016 linear external highperformance power supply remotecontrolled power switching two 6c45 driver power tubes. He is the author of the guitar amp handbook, the british amp invasion, guitar effects pedals, the fender telecaster, the gibson les paul, and a dozen other books, in addition to being a regular contributor to several prominent guitar magazines. But not all headphone amps use traditional power tubes as output tubes many use what speaker amps would use as drivers. The wa33 is a dual chassis design with separate power supply section. A tubeswitching key tsk allows the amplifier to accept 2a3, 300b, or 45 power tubes, so you can instantly switch your tube to suit your music or your mood. The 6c45 tube can be used in preamplifier, driver and power stage. My current preferred setup is with vintage rca jan2a3 black plates bought from ebay, electroharmonix gold pin 6c45 tubes bought from woo, and a usaf 596 rectifier tube ebay with a. Jan 19, 2011 driver tubes are a really foggy category. The woo audio wa7d fireflies ampdac is a combination of high performance vacuum tube headphone amplifier with a builtin usb digitaltoanalog converter and optical input. Woo audio wa7d fireflies vacuum tube headphone amplifier with. Excellent condition, everything works and sounds great. It delivers high power to drive demanding headphones to their full potential while maintaining a low noise floor for use with highly sensitive models.
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