Hello all,
My name is Raymond and I am an Audioholic...
The latest vice I have been hooked on for a little while is headphones and the headphone experience enhancing amplifiers with or without the catalyst DAC.
Having used a variety of combinations givinig me different highs, I think I reached the top of my budget and the absolute high possible with that...
Right now I upped the ante going from Schiit (Modi DAC with 1st a Magni, 2nd a Vali, 3rd an Asgard and 4th the Valhalla) to a Woo Audio WA7...
Even though the Schiit was good, the WA7 takes my office listening experience to a new high.
The WA7 is being fed from the PC via USB, playing the rather low rez Spotify.
With the Schiit there was some hiss, little hum and I accepted that it was not a clean high. I was happy, they drove the HE-400's and AKG K550's to my satisfaction, at least so I thought.
Then I had a little taste of the WA7 and I was hooked.. Heroin is cookie dough compared with the high the WA7 gives me on the nice but modest headphones I use in my office.
I am in my third week of using the WA7 and unlike the Schiit the high is getting better every time I use it. Right now it feels like it has loosened up and settled in completely and I hear different little details, more space around the instruments, the bass is way more tight (you can almost feel the fingers pluck the bass snares), voices are more realistic... overall it gives my ears a better high. Last, but not least, at full volume without any music playing it is DEAD quiet, like falling into the depths of space after a wonderful high of music playing.
Last last and definitely not least.... the WA7 is sexy as hell with the transparent glass top showing the glowing tubes...
If I didn't need the flexibility of balanced inputs and outputs I think the WA7 can dethrone the Bryston BHA-1 I use at home. The Bryston gives me a great high on all levels, but doesn't sound as 'fun' as the WA7 and the Bryston needs better cans to make it sound at its best.
I guess I need to take the WA7 home and connect it to better hardware, stream some higher rez stuff and try better cans (Audio Technica W1000X and AKG K702 65th Anniversary)...
Bryston be warned!
I know this Audioholism is a strong addiction and it is hard to not want to pursue higher highs, but I think with all your help I can stay off the bank account crushing goodies out there and stay happy with the high that Woo Audio gives me...
Thank you for listening.