I’ve own these amps for a few months and wanted to a quick comparison. One thing to keep in mind is the price difference. The Woo Audio WA7 is priced at $999 and comes with a DAC (comparable to a DACmagic XS/Dragonfly). The Pathos Aurium comes in at $1,500 and doesn’t include a DAC. I’ll be using the Chord Hugo as the source for this comparison.
Equipment used:
As far as sex appeal…it’s quite obvious the Woo Audio WA7s takes the spotlight. You have to see this on your desk in person to do it any justice. It’s probably the more attractive headphone amp I’ve ever seen.
When it comes down to sound quality, my personal preference was the Pathos Aurium with the HD 800 by a wide margin. It just sounded more like cozy, smooth, and musical. It doesn’t have the whole tube sound but does give it that touch of that addictive organic bloom. The WA7 had a much blacker background, great for classical and strings, and a wider soundstage. However, it just wasn’t as engaging for my tastes. If you’re a detail fanatic and listen primarily to orchestral music, you may prefer the WA7s. If you want some soul and body in your music, look no further than the Pathos Aurium. It doesn’t fail to please.
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I assume the review is of the original WA7 (32/192 DAC) given you had owned them a couple of months at the time of the review? (I think the newer 24/384 DAC version was first available in March?)
If so, curious to hear if you've had a chance to listen to the newer model and how it compares! Better to get the newer model or get an older one and add a DAC like a Mojo (assuming Hugo is not an option).
Thanks,
I'll try to get a review unit of the new WA7 but I no longer have the original. I do have both the Hugo and the Mojo and I could say without a doubt, it's better than the original WA7's DAC.