Help picking a tube amp for HD800/650s Maybe some Planars

I got a few options, I don't really want to buy new so here is what I found locally/online

WA22 stock tubes
Cavalli Liquid Glass stock tubes
EC Balancing Act e307a not sure what tubes it comes with


I'd be willing to buy tubes, but not pay ridiculous for them

Any suggestions?

 

Liquid Glass is great option if you're willing to roll tubes. You'd have to ask CT, Merv, and others how well the BA handles hard-to-drive orthos.

 

it's also the most expensive by far, but worth it with an Yggdrasil?

I the wa22 I can get for about 2/3 of retail price but changers(or i guess super frienders now) don't seem to like woo amps much, I've never heard one though

 

Try to audition a WA22, Woo amps have a very distinctive sound. The best woo amp is one that's had the shit modded out of it.

 

maybe the cavalli would the best bet then, I think this BA is one of the first batchers

 

I'd add the Teton to your search.

 

Isn't the Ba like the wa22 in the fact that they have have balanced input transformers but they are technically only single ended outs? (xlr are just for convenience)

 

I got to spend time with a 307a BA before, there isn't a ton written about those early ones because I don't think there were many made with the 307a's. I can't say how it compares with the more common 300b version.

Compared to my 2A3x4 it is a little warmer and less open, but still very neutral, resolving, and clean. I am trying to avoid hyperbole but It really has this magic that is hard to describe. I am actually getting excited thinking about that amp. It somehow creates a sound that is very resolving but not analytical.

307a tubes are getting a bit harder to find so that may be something to consider as well.

 

Have you considered a Dragon Inspire IHA-1?

 

maybe if moon audio wasn't selling it I would, seems like a good amp. If a used one came up I'd be all over it.

 

alright its between the woo and the glass

glass is about 2k wa22 is about 1.1k

watado

 

I'm not sure if the wa22 and/or Ba use transformers with center tapped secondary windings, but other manufacturers do use this topology, taking the L- and R- off the center taps, as a way of providing a true balanced output from a two channel amp. In fact, this is arguably a better approach to balanced headphone amps than differential/push-pull topologies because, unless you need the added power for he6's or something, the component cost is cut in half, as is noise, distortion (except for common mode), and output impedance. You do get higher slew rate with the push-pulls though.

In any event, this is what bottlehead does in the mainline and also what DNA does in some (maybe all?) of its amps to provide a balanced out. DNA has a nice explanation of this on its site, quoted below:

Some comments about balanced headphone drive

I am frequently asked why the balanced output version does not include balanced inputs. This is because balanced inputs are not necessary to provide balanced headphone drive. Being a single ended amplifier, all it needs for input is a single ended (unbalanced) signal. The Sonett operates single ended triode with transformer loading the plate of the 6H30 amplification tube. The secondary windings on the output transformers are center tapped (and grounded for safety), thereby providing a true, differential, balanced output. Thus, you get balanced drive without the complexity from additional balanced input circuitry or input transformers. Again, the simpler - the better.​

 

Yeah, it's any interesting way to look at it. The design is technically balanced but not differential balanced

Anyway, I decided to go with the glass. Just got to pick up some audioquest semen rca cables to hook her up to ye old Yggdrasil.

 

Noise and distortion are generally reduced by a differential topology. The only reason you'd need the balanced output part is if you are driving an exceptionally long cable (like hundreds of meters) in a noisy environment. The benefit of balanced is in the input connection and in the circuit.

 

Are you sure? I've heard that some people think a good single ended input is technically superior to balanced input

 

Does any one know of a tube only amp that can power the HE6 Adequately?