Thank you Tpsonic and Spencer. At one time I had Krell monoblocks and I was told that if I was going to use a tube preamp, I should send the amps in to get the transformer taps changed (?). Anyway, I've listed a want ad for a pair of VAC PA 160 mk IIs. I like the reputation, style and high power of these units because I have B&W 801 Matrix series 3 loudspeakers. Even though they are large, I'm using them in a small to medium space in a nearfield (about a 7 foot triangle) listening setup. And, I really like the style of the Audio Research SP 9, or SP 14 (I have a ReVox tape deck and a Studer reel to reel). |
Thanks for all of your advice. But do any of the BAT models have 2 tape loops? |
Thanks again Swampwalker. After much consideration, I'm thinking about going with a later ARC preamp like the LS 16 mkII or one of the BAT models. It will work as long as the preamp has 1 tape loop and at least 1 set of aux inputs. It would need two sets of aux inputs if it doesn't have phono. (Yes, I'm an analog junkie--tape and vinyl.) |
Does the BAT VK5i have a tape loop and 2 aux inputs? Is an SE version available with the six paks and/or the Russian 6H30 tubes? |
Thanks again Spencer. OK, I'm going to put the BAT VK30 on my 'short list'. (I just missed a nice one on Audiogon.) But they are very spendy compared to an ARC SP-9 mk II. Would they sound 2 or 3 times as good too? |
Thanks Jayctoy. Yes I know about the Krell solidstate--tubes mismatch. I sold my Krell amps a few months back. I'm going to be building a completely different kind of system now. |
Update. I'm purchasing a BAT VK-30 tube preamp (no updates--yet) and a BAT VK-200 solid state amplifier. Any experience with, or thoughts on, this combo? Any experience with this combo teamed with a BAT VK-D5 cd player? |
Update. I've got the BAT VK-30 and BAT VK-200 in my system and working now. It sounds nice but it's a lot warmer than I expected and seems to be lacking in detail. Either I need more time to let this system 'burn in'. Or maybe it was a mistake after all to get into tubes. Any thoughts? |
Thanks Jose21 and Tomryan. I will be giving this combination a little more time. I wouldn't want to have anything for sale 'til after this year's traveling is done anyway. (a couple of nieces getting married.) But maybe I'm just a 'solid state' guy anyway. I'm thinking of getting a BAT VK-20 and just comparing the two side by side and then selling the loser or even both. |
Thank you S23chang. So far my wife and I concur with your assessment of the BAT sound. I'm still going to wait for awhile before I make anymore changes (see reason above). And I think I'm going to give up on the used market gamble and start making the rounds of the high end salons. With my own music and a notebook to record listening impressions. I could probably get better sound from something new that may even be less expensive than what I've done here. Thanks to everyone who tried to assist me with this latest outbreak of my audiophilia bug. |
I have put together really wonderful systems that I had to sell for various reasons (money, changes in the household, WAF, and, in the case of the Krell class A system, too much heat in a small room). The best systems I assembled took a lot of patience and a lot of money. There are more products out there that don't go together than do. IMHO. If I find a system with the coherence and sysnergy that I'm looking for, I'll buy it. But, like you said, they don't build them like they used to. So I don't really believe I'll find what I'm looking for. But I'm going to give it a shot. Thanks for your response. |
System update. OK, here goes. First I put a Concierto power cord (I had left over from another system) on the VK-200 amplifier and put the amp on it's own dedicated circuit (the way I had done with my Krells). This brought some really big improvement in the bass. Then I moved the speaker cable connections on the B&W 801 Matrix IIIs to the midrange/tweeter connectors (there are straps between those and the woofer connections). This last change, and lots of playing time, has brought about the most surprising improvements. Much better, tighter more defined bass, much less 'smearing' of the midrange and a whole lot better imaging. And, although I bought the BAT pieces used, the equipment didn't appear to have had any use, or very little, at all. So I suspect that a lot of burn in time is needed. |
Another update: Concierto Concert Grand power cable on the VK-200 and the older Concierto power cable moved to the preamp. About 90 hours of playing/burn in time. HUGE improvements all around!!! Much more open sounding most (about 95%) of the veil is gone. The bass is tightening up beautifully. And there is much more detail coming through. TAS said they needed 400 hours on the KV-30SE, so I'm looking for more improvements to come. |
Hello again Sbank,
Yes. I'm using XLR connections. I may be doing biwires someday. I have in the past like when I was using Synergistic Reaearch Designer's Reference and Resolution Reference with the big Krell KAS2 amplifiers. It was better than either single run. But, Siltech G5 Signature Echo Bay single run sounded better than anything else by a LONNNNG shot! However, I never tried biwiring with the Siltechs (too expensive anyway). The next thing I'm considreing for the B&W 801s is the Northcreek external crossover. It will be awhile before I get around to it though. |
Thanks to everyone for their advice. However, I'm leaving tubes behind. The combo was really starting to open up and was starting sound pretty good when a tube or tubes in the preamp decided to act up. I called Kevin at Upscale audio and after describing the sound he agreed that it was probably one of the tubes. So, I sold the VK-30 as needing tubes. However I might stay with BAT solid state designs. |
Hi S23chang,
BAT? I really don't have any idea. A Marantz SACD player is on my 'short' list. And I'm going to go to a BAT dealer and listen to their solid state stuff. I hope it will sound better than the tube equipment I tried. Other things in this price range just seem so 'junky'. The old Krell I had that I liked; KAS 2s, KRC-HR w/ Ref phono, KPS 20i, Krell BAFs, that stuff is all getting too old to spend good money on. Especially, now that money is in much shorter supply.
Hi Mhu,
I know a lot of people consider that to be fun. I don't. I find it annoying in the extreme to go to my listening room for some much needed musical escape just to find I have some bad tubes. Nope, no fun at all. Plus experimenting with the different tubes can cost as much as a component change in a hurry. Or, some cables anyway. |
Thanks Tpsonic,
I have ordered a VK-20 with the six pac plus and remote. I may someday get back into tubes. But I don't think tubes will ever give me the percussion I want. Unless I spend a ton of money. For now, I'll stay with solid state. At least until I get into into a better more permanent retirement and a better room. I'm still thinking of getting the Nortcreek crossovers for my B&Ws. But they are very expensive new and I haven't seen any for sale on the used market. Except with (including) speakers. |
