:) I have to agree that we are not known for cosmetic extravaganza, but so far the reaction from people who have seen them live has been very positive - they look better in flesh than in snapshots. A bit too conservative? Perhaps. But today one has to make tough choices and while looks are important, they should not steal from the stuff that's inside.
Inside you have a very substantial redesign, and as some posts here indicate - the result is rewarding. Needless to say, achieving sizable improvements to sound of already fine amplifiers is not trivial.
Regarding the price... boy, do I wish we could bring such amps to the market for much lower price! But there are realities. The VK-150SE amps are priced today at $9000, and have been for most of their lives. However, their production cost has nearly doubled in almost ten years since their introduction. If they were designed today, they would have to be priced substantially higher in order to maintain any reasonable profit margin.
Happy listening!
Victor Khomenko
