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Thinking about a VK-50SE Pre-amp? Any opinions

Hoping to get a bit of feedback from any VK-50SE or 51SE owners out there. Thinking of taking the plunge and it would be a big purchase for me cash wise. I have a LS-25 MKI w/NOS tubes now and am extremely happy with it. But the upgrade bug calls as usual. I have read all the rave review and BAT sounds like a great company. Just wondering how much improvement I could expect as I would be likely be buying unheard from Audiogon next time one shows up. I am a music lover first and do not want to just gain extra resolution and give up musically over the ARC. Any thoughts, commons, recommendations would be much appreciated. Thanks!
dog_lover
jfrech's avatar
jfrech
1,816 posts
 
I have a 50se and love it. The 51se is supposed to be a big step up for only $1400 upgrage. Buy a 50SE used and get the upgrade now or down the road.

I agree with the comments above by Sam. What's the rest of your setup?
trcnetmsncom
431 posts
 
Hi, I can highly recommend the BAT 51se. If you decide to buy the 50se you can look forward to the upgrade to the 51se when you can afford it. It's well worth the money in my opinion. I use the 51se with the BAT 150se monoblock amps to drive Eidolons and the system is truly magical! Good luck, Tom
sidssp
1,077 posts
 
I have a VK-50SE and I love it. But ARC and BAT sound different. If you like the ARC you might not like the BAT. Buying equipment at this level often decided by personal preference rather than clean cut sonic advantage. I think you should borrow one for a home trial or at least listen to it before making a decision.

BTW, when you audition the VK-50SE, make sure it is well broken in. A brand new unit sounds like a bad solid state.
jetter
1,035 posts
 
No opinions, but I hear you regarding the upgrade bug, or is just change in system bug. How does one with limited access to auditions choose among:
First Sound
BAT
CAT
Joule Electra
Sonic Frontiers
ARC
Supratek
and a lot more?
john_l
782 posts
 
vk-50SE is THE BEST tube preamp I've heard. Staggering transparency with tube 'aliveness'. Most tube preamps trade resolution for this 'sense of life'. Not the BAT.

I use a vk-5i w/nos tubes with my tube amps. Less transparency, but golden hearted and with an exquisite midrange. I've put an ARC ls-25 mk I and an LS-5MkIII against it and it easily won.

I have not heard the new ARC Ref 2, mark II preamp. I owned the Ref1, and the vk-50SE ate it for breakfast, lunch, dinner AND evening snack. I did not hear them back to back, but the 5i might be better too.

Strangely enough, my favorite tube combination is the bat preamps mated to ARC vt100 or vt200. The two house sounds seem to fill each other in. I prefer it to the sound of the vk-5i/vk60 combo I heard. Sounded good, but the vt100 had more punch and this 'bold' sound to it.
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