Little Dot II++ vs AudioTailor Jade

[PaulyT]

Ok I've ordered a set of upgrade tubes for the WA6, but they probably won't be here until later this week. That'll give me some time to spend with the stock version, so I can better tell just what if any improvement it gets me.

FYI I e-mailed Jack @ Woo and he actually said the rectifier is where to start, that it makes a big difference.

 

[walls]

I am eager to hear PaulyT ' stake on SS vs. tubes. I have the Schiit A2 and while it isn't a high end high dollar model it still gets a lot of love over at HeadFi and IMO I find it congested and dull compared to the WOO and even the little dot. Music is just plain flat on it. And I have used every headphone I own with it and the result is always the same.
Yep it can drive them to ear splitting levels but if it doesn't sound appealing while doing that then what good is it?

 

[walls]

Ok I've ordered a set of upgrade tubes for the WA6, but they probably won't be here until later this week. That'll give me some time to spend with the stock version, so I can better tell just what if any improvement it gets me.

FYI I e-mailed Jack @ Woo and he actually said the rectifier is where to start, that it makes a big difference.

Which tube set did you get?

Sophia? Sophie with mesh plate?

 

[PaulyT]

Yeah, mesh plate sophia, and a pair of 6FD7 - dunno what brand, whatever Jack's selling.

 

[malsackj]

Was Jeff at the Bat Cave two years ago when we used the headphone amp and had 4 headphones lined up together on the same music.

Tubes can be awesome fun because there are differences in the two tubes. The plate, The Grid, and the screen. each can be different in size and shape, Also can be treated with chemicals to create differences. This can cause differences in the linear and frequency response. The lack of the percision in the building and treating of chemicals can also lead to two tubes in the same line from being the same. Because they have electrons that jump from grid to plate you have a spark gap transmitter that will create some RF noise near the amp. Your cell phone may not work very well if your to close to the amp. You might only hear the music your listening too! Those two little tubes on your headphone unit wont do much on the RF side.

tubes are fun because you can find a tube with a strong high response and clean sound when used with your headphone and give you a good response. When plugging into my Koss work headphones it would seem very bright and lacking in the bass. change the tubes and your headphones would be bass heavy and my Koss would be sounding very good. When playing with a SS amp you can not change the transistors or op amps very much. Some interchange is possible but most of the time this is not going to help much. The reason why is because there will be no change to the circuit by changing the SS device. You will need to change the components leading into and out of the SS device. Tubes will change the Capacitance, and inductance of the tubes in the circuits causing a change in the amp character.

Brand of tube is important, along with the characture of the tube. RCA black plates have a reputation along with some of the metal tubes for rugged design. Guitar players fight over new old stock for some of the different sounds they can work with on their guitar amps.

This fight of the sound is similar to what you hear from Flint on the quality of the drum shell and the sticks.