Woo Audio WA6 Headphone Amplifier - Generation 2 - Silver

Real Tube Sound, Real Attainable

The Woo Audio WA6 is where many listeners discover what a true high-end tube amplifier does for headphones. It's an all-tube, single-ended triode, Class-A design, the same purist approach found in amplifiers costing several times more, with no transistors or semiconductors anywhere in the signal path. Now in its second generation, the WA6 keeps that design and updates the tube complement.

Two 13DE7 tubes handle both driving and power duties, with a 5U4G rectifier converting the power supply. The outputs are transformer-coupled, which isolates your headphones from the tubes' DC voltage and keeps the amp stable into a wide range of loads. A high/low impedance switch matches the output to headphones from 8 to 600 ohms, so it handles everything from easy-going dynamic headphones to demanding 300- and 600-ohm classics from Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic.

Frequency response runs 20Hz to 30kHz (-3dB), with a signal-to-noise ratio of 93dB and distortion of 0.3% or less.

The Same DNA as Woo's Flagships

Every WA6 is assembled in Brooklyn, New York, and built the same way as Woo Audio's far more expensive amplifiers: point-to-point wiring by hand instead of a circuit board, an ALPS volume potentiometer, silver-plated hook-up wire in Teflon jackets, gold-plated RCA inputs, and an 80-watt custom toroidal power transformer inside an anodized aluminum die-cast chassis.

The design is self-biasing, so swapping tubes requires no measurements or adjustments. That matters, because tube rolling is half the fun of owning a WA6: trying different rectifiers and driver tubes to fine-tune the sound is a rite of passage among owners, and the amp is built to make it easy.

It's also compact for a serious tube amp, 5.5" wide, 13" deep, and 6" tall at 13 pounds, and it accepts global voltage from 100 to 220 volts without a converter. The chassis comes in silver or black.

Who Is This Amplifier Best For?

• You want your first true high-end tube amp — the WA6 delivers a genuine all-tube, Class-A, transformer-coupled design at Woo Audio's most accessible price.
• You own high-impedance headphones — the high/low impedance switch and 8-600 ohm range suit 300- and 600-ohm models especially well.
• You want to explore tube rolling — the self-biasing design lets you swap compatible tubes with no adjustments or test equipment.
• You value hand-built quality — point-to-point wiring, assembled in Brooklyn, backed by a 3-year warranty.
• If you need a balanced amp or want to drive very insensitive planar headphones hard, the WA6's single-ended design isn't the right tool — consider the fully balanced WA22 instead.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

The WA6 keeps things simple: one pair of gold-plated RCA inputs on the back accepts any line-level source, such as a DAC, CD player, or streamer. Headphones plug into the 1/4" jack on the front, and the impedance switch sets the best match for your specific pair.

Give the tubes a minute or two to warm up before listening, and leave some open space above the amp, since a Class-A tube design runs warm by nature. Note that an AC power cord and interconnects are not included, so plan on supplying your own.

Pairs Well With

Building your system? Here are some great companions for the WA6:

• Headphones: High-impedance dynamic headphones are a classic match — see our Headphones.
• DAC: A quality source makes the most of an amp at this level — see our Digital-to-Analog Converters.
• Cables: You'll need RCA interconnects and a power cord — see our Interconnect Cables and Power Cables.
• Audio Rack: Give it a stable, ventilated home — see our Audio Racks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's different about the second generation?

The 2nd gen updates the driver/power tubes from the 6-volt 6DE7 to the 13-volt 13DE7. The overall design is otherwise unchanged.

What tubes does it use?

Two 13DE7 driver/power tubes and one 5U4G rectifier. The self-biasing design makes tube swaps simple.

Will it drive my headphones?

It supports headphones from 8 to 600 ohms, with a high/low impedance switch for the best match. High-impedance dynamic headphones are an especially good fit.

Does it have a balanced input or output?

No. The WA6 is a single-ended design with RCA inputs and a 1/4" headphone jack. For a fully balanced amp, look at the Woo Audio WA22.

Are cables included?

No. An AC power cord and RCA interconnects are sold separately.

What's the warranty?

Woo Audio covers the WA6 with a 3-year limited warranty.

See It in Action

The Music Room puts the second-generation WA6 on the bench:

Snazzy Labs reviews the original WA6, whose design carries over to this generation:

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Learn More

Want to learn more about headphone amplifiers, tube audio, or building a headphone system? Visit our Learning Center for guides, tips, and expert advice.