Whilst mixing a record, from time to time, I will throw something in there for the “headphone crowd”. A little piece of audio, Sarah Lee banana cake that you probably won’t hear on your car system or iPod but, does show up under the close inspection of some quality cans.
The headphone crowd is always looking for a little more.
We’ve seen some audiophile tube amp set-ups in the past but this one, coming in at just under $7,000 takes the headphone thing to the next level.
Woo Audio WES headphone amplifier ($4,500) and Stax SR-007Mk2 headphone ($2,410).
The Woo WES is an all-triode tube drive, fully balanced design; the prototype unit I’m reviewing has a total of 10 tubes (four EL34 power tubes, four 6SL7 drive tubes, and two 5AR4 rectifier tubes), but production models will have 11 tubes. It works with Stax and Sennheiser electrostatic headphones only. The machined, all-metal dual chassis is beautifully crafted.
The WES, like all Woo amps, was designed by Wei Wu, and handcrafted in Woo Audio’s factory in New York City. Each WES will be built to order over a four-day period; it’s slated for release in October 2009. The preintroduction price is $4,500, and full retail is expected to be $4,990.
-Steve Guttenberg, CNET
Know what? The last one of these headphone amps we looked at, from Cary Audio Design, was loaded wit 6L6s. This little gem has EL34s; I wonder if the Woo sounds more “British”.
OK, we’ve seen tube amps for iPods. How about a tube headphone amp. From Cary Audio Design…
Cary Audio Design is thrilled to introduce the most recent addition to its storied history of superb vacuum-tube audio technologies, the Xciter integrated amplifier.
This innovative integrated power amplifier was conceived to be a small desktop integrated unit, and designed to please the discerning headphone fanatic and the high-end audiophile alike. In the Cary tradition, it features a gorgeous cabinet, and has a subtle touch of translucent blue LED back lighting to complement the natural beauty of the vacuum tubes.
Although it may be small in physical size, it is imbued with the full spirit of Cary Audio. Its five watts per channel in class A triode mode plays much bigger than one might expect, and its sublime musicality is just what you would expect from Cary Audio.
A 5 watter; that should be more than enough for headphones. But, dig this; this baby has two 12AX7A input gain stage/driver stage tubes and four 6L6GC output tubes. Four 6L6s! That’s some beef there.
How are you ever going to get that to saturate? heh, heh….
This is all still very odd to me.
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