Balanced Audio Technology phono preamp VK-P80

From reading the Prima Luna website, it seems the EVO 400, while impressively built and well designed, is not a true balanced device; it seems to use transformers at the XLR inputs to convert a balanced signal to SE for further processing in the EVO 400.  So it's basically single-ended.  The Chinook SE is already very good and is also SE.  The BAT is probably excellent too, but it seems the major advantage of the BAT vs the Chinook is its balanced circuitry, if that makes a difference. In other respects, it might be just a lateral move, not a no-brainer. I would advise you to audition the BAT in comparison to the Chinook, before taking the leap.

I Have owned my Manely Labs Chinook for quite sometime, It is very hard to beat, I have tried the BAT preamp and for me and my system the sound is very dry in the midrange and dominating bass drive ( a little too pronounced) and the uppers are not extremely extended, all in all I was dissappointed in the BAT sound I wanted to like it too. Nothing beats the Manely Labs Chinook in the 2K-2.5k range, you’d have to cough up $5k to get better sound. IMO. The 6922 tubes it uses are THE tubes for great vinyl sound. 

Matt M

P.S. I find the Prima Luna Pre amps to sound very warm and rich and velvety smooth. I would look to demo some different Pre amps , your Chinook phono stage is not holding you back. 

The Chinook and my Steelhead, can only develop sufficient gain for vinyl by incorporating a transistor in the signal path, along with the 6922. They did a good job of it, and that is why both units are so good. They probably could have used one or two other tube types with similar mu, transconductance, and plate resistance (other high transconductance/medium mu/low plate resistance dual section triodes) to the same end. 6922s are plentiful which makes it a good choice.

FWIW, I had a VK-P10 for a while a long time ago.  I didn't particularly like it and replaced it with a steelhead 1.5, which in my system to my ears significantly bested the P10.  I still own the steelhead.

There is nothing like auditioning a potential new component in your own system before dropping your cash.