BAT preamp: Rex to Rex-2 upgrade


So I decided to bite the bullet and upgrade my BAT Rex preamp to the Rex-2. I thought I'd give a little report for those who already own a Rex and were thinking of upgrading also.

First thing I noticed right out-of-the-box was this is one DYNAMIC preamp! Dynamic scale has been noticeably improved and it isn't subtle. Slight dynamic swells and shifts of energy are much wider than before and the dynamic ceiling sounds as it could be endless The Rex-2 also makes significant strides in audio improvement to sound-staging. There is now a greater difference between direct sound and ambient sound. So now the sound space sounds bigger and airier while the images in that space now have more solidity. Other notable ( hi-fi ) areas of improvement come in the way of extended frequency response, both hi and low. Bass is now more potent, tighter, deeper, with better delineation. Treble with a week of break-in is now more detailed, airier, with a greater sense of speed. This quality now allows me to hear the initial attack with increased clarity and A-R-T-I-C-U-L-A-T-I-O-N.

For me the original Rex was the standard setter when it came to timbre/texture of tone. While all the improvements I heard above are certainly really good things, without the liquidity and organic presentation of instrumental tone, in the long run it wouldn't matter for me. I don't mean this in the audiophile way of being warm and euphonic. It is meant to mean, vibrant and true to life, dense and rich with natural realistic tonal color.

Yesterday, in my 40 years of being into this hobby I had one of the most enthralling and musically satisfying days I can ever remember listening to music. The texture I was hearing was so captivating, so undeniably true sounding, my emotional connection to the music so strong, every note was simply magic!!! I wish musically rewarding moments like these for all.

Enjoy.
trcnetmsncom
Anyone else do the upgrade? I'm seriously considering (about 90% decided) sending mine in for the upgrade while I am out of town in September.
I have owned both (we are a BAT dealer). The Rex II is definitely more Transparent sounding - that is the first thing I noticed, some people might describe it as being more dynamic, which is also true. I prefer the Rex II in that it is still very musical, like all BAT gear - but offers more transparency, detail and dynamics. Enjoy...
i just  upgraded to BAT Rex II preamp.  Huge upgrade!!.  Definitely worth the upgrade.  i agree with prior comments.  I find the highs and mids are better.  More airy and spacey on the top .   Even more detailed.  I loved the original rex preamp, but this is definitely a major step up.  highly recomended.  also great team at BAT.

Thanks! for sharing- easternize


what other gear including cabling is in your system?

Happy Listening!

Glad to hear you're enjoying the upgrade! How many hours do you have on it?  It has been 3+ years with my REX 2 and I'm still loving it!

..best..