BAT VK-51 SE vs. CAT SL-1 U.MK II vs. Nagra PL-L

Frankpiet, I answered a few of your past threads saying how nice the 51SE was. With due respect, I'm confused. From your very recent remarks about the modded Ayre preamp you had (better than Calypso, etc), I though you were set for the next ten years. What happened?

I like the CAT, I like the Nagra, I like the BAT,
If I had to choose, for ME: I like the BAT for it's testicular fortitude and it's natural smoothness. Almost like great SS, but it's toobs. Now that's a switch.

Kind of like saying almost sounds toob like, but reversed.
Also if you into that kind of money there are very good SS pre's.

I suggest you get thee to a dealer with a decent selection and have a listen, a long listen, your gonna drop big bucks, you need to make sure it's right for you, and your system.

Das Loon

Classical: you´re right. The modded Ayre is still a great pre but I can´t help it - I´m on the merry go round and as you know from my threads my fave is and was Nagra PL-L which I didn´t take first hand for several reasons (design, silly cable access, price tag, cable sensitivity). My modded K-5xe is (and has proved to others) to be superior to the Calypso and a few other designs up to US $ 5.000,00 retail like Pass X 2.5 and X 1. But on the longrun I´m looking for a mixed tube solid state set-up. In a first step I´ll now mix the V-5xe with a Nagra PL-L. Some of my next attempts will be Boulder 810/ 1060 or 865 with APL modded (tubed) Esoteric UX-1 and Ayon Eagle. I think then I´m realy done.