Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: HEATHKIT W-5M Amplifier (Tube) by Barney's Beanery Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here.

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Model:	W-5M
Category:	Amplifier (Tube)
Suggested Retail Price:	$59.95 then $200-400 now
Description:	25w KT66 tube amplifier
Manufacturer URL:	Not Available

Review by Barney's Beanery on October 31, 2008 at 07:54:38 IP Address: 209.181.228.22

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HEATHKIT W-5M (w/mods) REVIEW

To begin I would like to say that this is my first review, and it is a double review for the W-5M and for the mods. These are my impressions to my ears in my room. YMMV.
I have owned these Heathkit W5M’s for about 2 year. I had never heard the W-5M prior to my purchasing one. A friend of mine had a pair of W-4M’s with some KEF 104/2 speakers, “NOT BAD”
I thought.
I did some checking here and enough people suggested or spoke highly of the Heathkit W-5M. So, I went out and I bought one (with the larger transformer 16458) to hear if I like it enough to use in my mono set-up. I played it for a few months in my mono rig and I thought “acceptable, very acceptable”. I liked it enough to score another one to hear stereo. I listened to the stereo set-up for a few months.
I listen to my other gear and the W-5M’s on a “what do I feel like listening to tonight” basis. I never felt like the W-5M’s blew my other gear away. They were not better, just different. BUT, I heard something in the W-5’Ms that pushed me to try for more from them. I am not a big fan of changing vintage gear for the sake of change. I like to hear what the designer/manufacture had in mind when the unit was designed and built. I have owned A LOT of vintage pieces of audio gear and have never done anything to this degree prior to the W-5M’s.
I read what people said about the Williamson design (the “W” in W5M) both here and at other sites. I came upon one site that stirred my interest and my curiosity (http://www.chimeralabs.com/williamsmod.html).
I am not connected in any way, shape or form with this site. I am not suggesting that you visit the site for any reason other than to view what they say about the Williamson design (I used a 6gc7 in place of the 12au7).
I read it, and it made sense to me. So, I took it to my tube guru guy and he read it. He hates almost everything that is not his design (surprised…NOT!). I was floored when he said “this makes sense, let’s try it” (surprised….YES!).
So….we did the step up process on one and if I liked it we brought the other one up to speed.
I want to say, the original W-5M is Imo a very nice sounding amp. These are NOT the same amp when you get done with the mods. NOT EVEN CLOSE. What was once “nice” is now a frickin’ sound monster.
The change is dramatic.
You may not believe me when I say these amps just suck you into the music. But they do. I have gotten a “holy balls” like expression from EVERYONE. Not some, not a few but everyone!
After 14 months of listening, I can't get over how good these amps are. Killer good. The sound stage is most excellent. The detail is accurate without be like a dentist office, you know the word I mean, analytical (no offense to DDS and the like).
Instruments, vocals, drums, organ, piano, cymbals etc are where you expect them to be and you know what they are when you hear them. Everything just comes at you at speed that was not there before and yet hangs there with a sense of air around it.
The first thing I notice, the clarity, the second thing (almost simultaneously) the bass was much more accurate and defined. And you get it without the loss of the tubes (sound/warmth) in the music.


I have listen to so many LPs, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes AGAIN and found stuff that was never there before. Holy Balls!

The vocals (my favorite) are just sweet. I have never heard anything prior to these amps that made me think “real and natural” while watching and/or listening to a recorded musical performance prior to the W5M’s. Everything to my ears sounds as it should.

A couple things, I tried the amps with 5 or 6 different preamps, and the one I like it with best is Foreplay II with attenuator updates. Dead quite. I tried many speakers, DLK 4 won (these are most excellent speakers, most excellent!) Remember, MY EARS, not yours.
The amps came with 4 GEC KT66, 2 good and 2 not so good. I scored 4 Chinese Shuguang KT66 (brown base) and tried them, I think they’re fantastic! The winded “C” 6l6gc is excellent also and I will get more GEC KT66 and roll those at some point.
Another thing I really like about these W-5M amps is at low volume levels or all the way up the volume dial the detail and soundstage is there.
In closing, I listen to these amps for hours and hours. I look forward to turning them on and deciding “hummmmm…..what should I listen to tonight”.
I listen to almost everything, from Angus /ACDC to Frank and Dean.
From Gustav Mahler and Mozart to Lucinda Williams and Doug Sahm.
From Muddy, the Wolf, Sonny Boy and Son House to Mountain and Cream.
From Beau Jacque to Janis.

These amps are limited in that, if you want to “blow the doors off”, you will need some efficient speakers. That is the ONLY limitation I have found with these W-5M amps.
If you like music and you enjoy smiling….try these on for size.
These amps seem too rivet everybody down to their seats. Stock they are nice, tweaked they are MONSTERS.
That all folks.
Barney’s Beanery




music has the power to make you happy

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Product Weakness:	If you do nothing to the W5M, you have a very nice amplifier and I have trouble saying the stock W5M has weakness, but after listening to the mods and hearing what a difference they make…I must concede that there was weakness, to my ears.<br>
Product Strengths:	Clarity (yet it keeps the tube charm) and how you get involved in the music.<br>The bottom, although good with the stock W5M improves greatly with the mods.<br>

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Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier:	Heathkit W-5m
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Foreplay II...see review
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Many
Speakers:	DLK 4....see review
Cables/Interconnects:	DIY
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	See review
Room Size (LxWxH):	21 x 12 x 8
Time Period/Length of Audition:	14 months +/-
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

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