Headphones - Senn HD 800 or Grado RS1i.......

Your Woo Audio looks interesting. Are you using the
Sophia tubes? I used to have the Sophia mesh 300b's
in my Cary and it was the most glorious mid range
I have ever heard coming from my Cary. However, this
faded after about 50 hours. Possibly too much juice for
the mesh plates.

Unfortunately, I do not make it up to Portland very often.
Looks like 32 Ohm would be the place to go.

Thanks again for the useful information.

I did try the Sophia for a few weeks...maybe a month. I did not like it, but I was using Grado GS1000's at the time (very different from my current HD800's). I found it tended to soften the dynamics...not sure if that's a good description. It seemed to slow things down to some degree.

I'm currently using an EML 5U4G mesh in the Woo and that works very well for me.

I used to have 300B SET amps in my speaker system which I used for around six years - loved them. Nothing could beat WE 300B's in those amps. The newer Svets were pretty good too, but the WE's were king. I tried the Sophias there and really didn't like them at all, but this was in entirely different amps than yours.

Jax2, you may want to give the Shuguang black bottle treasure
tubes out.
http://www.grantfidelity.com/site/Shuguang_treasure_2A3-Z
I like them way better than the GE's. Huge sound stage
very musical and addictive. However, they take about 300 hours to fully break in, but they still sound addictive in
this break in period. I am wondering if it is possible that
I got a bad pair of GE's because they just did not have that
mid range magic everyone speaks of.

I use a pair of Black Treasures (from Ian) in my Modwright Transporter. I agree, they are excellent tubes (in that application at least). Sorry, I don't know what you are using them for though - which tube type are you using? The only competitor in the Transporter that I have are Tung Sol rounds, which are also excellent, but mighty expensive and getting more and more difficult to find.

I am using the Shuguang black bottle 300b's in my Cary.
Not sure if they make any tubes you would need for your
Woo amp. It would be worth trying out if they do.
I only have about 150 hours on them and they have been
a joy to listen to. They say that 300 hours are required
to brake them in so I am not sure how much better they will
be at the 300 mark.

I will have to do some research to see who carries these
cans here in Seattle. Unfortunately, this month is extremely
busy for me so it may take me a while.

Just an update on the Grado PS1000's. I spoke to a dealer
here in Seattle and they are on back order due to QC problems.
Sounds like it will be at least several weeks before they come
in. I am curious as what the QC problem is all about.

As for the Senns HD 800s, has anyone tried different cables
to tip down the treble and maybe add some musical warmth?