Woo Audio WA7 Fireflies upgradesÉ

[Tarik]

so I bought the WOO Audio WA7 fireflies 2nd gen. I am alrady planning on upgrading it next month cause I want the ultimate headphone amp. I will get the tube power upgrade option.But I want to see if there is a better tube replacement than the 6c45 tube I have. Is there anything out there that can fit my ampÉ Also if you have any basic ,plug and play, upgrades for the unit would be great

 

[TLS Guy]

so I bought the WOO Audio WA7 fireflies 2nd gen. I am alrady planning on upgrading it next month cause I want the ultimate headphone amp. I will get the tube power upgrade option.But I want to see if there is a better tube replacement than the 6c45 tube I have. Is there anything out there that can fit my ampÉ Also if you have any basic ,plug and play, upgrades for the unit would be great

OK, so you have sniffed the Audiophool vapors and now need extensive decontamination and therapy.

What you are pursuing is bogus nonsense.

Let me bring you down to Earth with a bump. You can make a far better headphone amp from off the shelf quality ICs, than with any tube no matter how expensive. That is the honest fact.

We will not feed your lunatic fantasies on this site.

 

[Tarik]

Ok so you don't recommend that I get any tubes? thx for your input.

P.S

I like my tube amp, just want to make it better

 

[TLS Guy]

Ok so you don't recommend that I get any tubes? thx for your input.

P.S

I like my tube amp, just want to make it better

Good, enjoy the hassle.

 

[shadyJ]

TLS Guy is saying that if you want a better headphone amp, chuck the tubes and get a reasonable solid state amp. They are a lot higher performing than tubes and much less expensive. You can upgrade the Woo stuff (aptly named) but just know that you won't be doing so for reasons of higher performance.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Ok so you don't recommend that I get any tubes? thx for your input.

P.S

I like my tube amp, just want to make it better

Want to make it better?
0) Most people will find that their existing audio equipment headphone out is already good enough.
a) For the rest remaining 99.99% of people sane choice:
https://www.jdslabs.com/products/48/objective2-odac-combo-revb/
b) For the remaining 0.01% and science/lab precision work:
https://benchmarkmedia.com/collections/headphone-amplifiers/products/benchmark-dac1-hdr-digital-to-analog-audio-converter-factory-refurbished

Tube products should go extinct. There are no reason to still have these antiquities around, other than if you're in steampunk.

 

[shadyJ]

Tube products should go extinct. There are no reason to still have these antiquities around, other than if you're in steampunk.

I do think the vintage stylings are a big draw with tubes, so yeah, a lot of folks are into steampunk, though they would not admit it. This is also the reason for the resurgence of vinyl. I don't blame anyone for wanting to be stylish, seriously, but don't dress it up as technically better in any way over modern gear.

 

[Tarik]

cool posts, thx everyone! that headphone amp https://www.jdslabs.com/products/48/objective2-odac-combo-revb/ looks juice. I might get that just to compare my tube amp.

I get you guys are statephiles but I personally like My WA7 tube amp. Its like what people said about CD's , when it first came out, how Superior they are to vinyl. Yet people still prefer the sound of Vinyl albums and records. the clicks,pops, and other imperfections just sound better. More authentic and genuine.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

cool posts, thx everyone! that headphone amp https://www.jdslabs.com/products/48/objective2-odac-combo-revb/ looks juice. I might get that just to compare my tube amp.

I get you guys are statephiles but I personally like My WA7 tube amp. Its like what people said about CD's , when it first came out, how Superior they are to vinyl. Yet people still prefer the sound of Vinyl albums and records. the clicks,pops, and other imperfections just sound better. More authentic and genuine.

Do you think then actual people sang or made music in 1910-1930s they also made sounds of clicks, cracks, pops and scratches while performing. hint: they didn't.

How old do you think this photo is ? :

Do you see any cracks, scratches or discoloration due to it's age ? (hint - it's over 110 years old)
https://petapixel.com/2014/03/10/incredible-color-photographs-of-early-20th-century-russia/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/sets/72157603671370361/

Just because you hear the defects on LPs or crappy black and white photo, it does NOT mean life was in black in white or musicians played music with pops and clicks. LP does not make music sound more authentic, maybe nostalgic, but that's about it. Tube could more associated with "authentic" vintage music as tube were used in vintage live microphone, instrument and PA amps and other electronics.

 

[Tarik]

I had a feeling someone was going to argue my point. I like your point , although you lost me at "defects on LP and crappy black and white photo". I like old movie and enjoy a black and white movie every now and then. I hate it when a movie producer and directer rehash old movies " Buy our new digital Re-Re-Re release of E.T or Casablanca"

Maybe it's nostalgia. But nostalgia is big businesses. Look at the re-surge of vinyl record today. Anyway, we are getting detracted from the original subject of this thread.

speaking of which, I have decided not to purchase new tubes for my WPA7 and use the money to buy Objective2+ODAC instead. Any insiders on the three versions on sale? which one would you recommend

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

My point is NOT about the content, my point was that black and white movie you enjoy was filmed using regular people (no b&w) kind wearing colored clothes and using highly decorated colored sets. So if i have an option to watch same old movie in period typing b&w or a colored version, I will always go for the latter.
Same goes for music, I rather listen to it as close as it was recorded, not how typically people of the period listed to it itched on plastic disks.

 

[Tarik]

Thanks BoredSysAdmin, I don't necessarily agree with your taste, but I like your point of view. You recommended Objective2+ODAC can you spare insider info on which version is Best?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Thanks BoredSysAdmin, I don't necessarily agree with your taste, but I like your point of view. You recommended Objective2+ODAC can you spare insider info on which version is Best?

Fair enough.
Which Version? No sure what you mean. You get to pick ether headphone amp or a dac or a combo of both.
JDS labs and Mayflower build these from exactly same design by one crazy EE who created this design as middle finger to top end and overpriced dacs/headphone amps. -
https://nwavguy.blogspot.com/
http://spectrum.ieee.org/geek-life/profiles/nwavguy-the-audio-genius-who-vanished

 

[Pogre]

To

My point is NOT about the content, my point was that black and white movie you enjoy was filmed using regular people (no b&w) kind wearing colored clothes and using highly decorated colored sets. So if i have an option to watch same old movie in period typing b&w or a colored version, I will always go for the latter.
Same goes for music, I rather listen to it as close as it was recorded, not how typically people of the period listed to it itched on plastic disks.

To add to your point, I'm positive if the people who shot in black and white back then had a choice, it would be color.