BAT to BAT - What's Best?

Thanks John... but yeah, if it ain't broke, why fix it? My lightspeed like movements in swapping out gear can likely be attributed to the thickness of my wallet more than anything. however, I feel a lot of really good devices are out there... and one needs get the absolute best one can from them... which means, trying different wires, tubes, isoing, etc... to really find out if a thing is super or subpar. that takes time... and money. time I've got.. I hope.

Finding a sound you feel is super is a hard thing to let go of for me. I'm a "Are we there yet?" sort. More about the destination than the journey. I'm not saying i've the best, but as we have talked before, what I do have is way better than a lot of what is out there for severely more money.

Speaking of severely more duckets, I have decided which way to go next though... and it'll be a while.

I'm gonna try one of Kevins ren MK II pres. If that is a good fit and i believe it will be, then I'll do either speakers or swap out the amp for a VAC tube amp as well if not for complete replacement, then for up top.

and I'm adding room treatments, little nick nacks like the last two PCs... and Elrod, and VooDoo tesla. Just gotta keep polishing up what ya got and make sure there isn't a diamond lurking somewhere in it's midst.

'cause if the grass appears to be greener on the other side, then most likely it's time to water your own lawn.

A higher water bill is a sight lot cheaper than digging a new well.

But if things ain't good right off, maybe making moves quickly with pieces is a good notion... mine was good right off the BAT.

Jim, nothing to be ashamed of, I wish I had your discipline. Many times I've found out that better isn't better after all.....it's just different.

FWIW, I would be surprised if you found the VAC Renaissance MK II superior. I had one and wasn't overly impressed. I guess it could have been system synergy though. You might notice a bit more air in the high's, but you'll lose the dynamic drive in the bass. This might be what you're after though, only you know.

trust me, I'm way past shame. Not even a big part of my venacular.

That's right... you did have one, but your's had some problems. Maybe the sound was affected in some subtle way also? regardless, that's NOT what I want really.

I want two things from the newer pre... remote flexibility and more sonic integrity. better in imaging, more fleshed out images, and more colorful with of course better tonal accuracy. And less user interaction.... being a bit hard of seeing and havving a tube pre with eight gazillin tubes probably wasn't the best idea I ever had either... but it sure seemed so at the time.

Naturally the 'sonic improvements' I seek (more old school tube sound), may well only come via adding a tube amp... instead but I really would like to improve upon the level of flexibility as all I have just now is volume control. Fine actually, if the pre wasn't in another room all together.

...adding a tube amp for the top end would be the least expensive path... but then no flexibility increase. Hmmmm.

...and you weren't too thrilled with the VK51SE either, huh?

I guess there could have been some sonic problems on my VAC Ren mk II, but I also had a VAC Avatar Super, and I would say the overall house sound was the same. Very refined and polite, lots of air were the positives. I think the VAC's were the best high's I've heard from tubed products. Plenty of detail and air, but no sign of grain. Overall I preferred the BAT VK-51SE over the VAC and a CJ Premier 16LS mk II. The CJ and the VAC sounded a bit more 'tubey' with a warmer midrange, and if this is your cup 'o tea, they might be for you.
To date the BAT VK-51SE is still the best preamp I've heard in my home. It was much more dynamic, powerful and lively than the CJ or the VAC. The soundstage is also much larger with the BAT. I've also heard a VK-5i, like yours, and again, the VK-51SE is more dynamic and powerful, but the VK-5i is a bit sweeter in the mid's. IMHO, the VK-5i has the midrange glory of the CJ and the VAC. Of these three, I would say the CJ has the best midrange, the VAC the best highs, and the BAT the best bass. I also still think your BAT would have a bigger soundstage as well.
I sold the VK-51SE for economic reasons, to date, I still haven't heard a better preamp. I've heard preamps that better it in certain areas, but not as a whole.
That being said, I do hope to hear a ARC Ref 3 someday, as I've heard many great things about this preamp.

John... whoa! that sure shed some light on things for me. I do trust your judgement. I do dig the mids I have now. Extremely enjoy the grand Ss too... one that can, envelope you at times depending upon the recording. there's not much of the sound the 5i makes with how it's configured presently, that I don't like... and of course it's in conjunction with the BAT vk500 which also emulates something of a tube sound but with more authority and strength.

I do appreciate the info on the "Super" as well. that was another notion. Perhaps a previous CJ might be more to my prefferences. Most of the tubes I have now will fit there as well.

Do all the CJs make a racket when the volume is adjusted? The new ones do. I dig the silent .5db volume increases of the BATs. Maybe the 51 is the ticket as I would hate to lose the midrange I enjoy now. I sure didn't care much for the CT6 I heard... or the 14 either. too solid statey... and both were with tube amps... the CT 6 (or maybe a 5, 7995.00) had the newest CJ 160 wpc? tube amp and some plannar speakers. Sure it was nice... but lacked body and warmth. Not worth my 19K for sure.

I'll make every effort to hear a 51se before I buy another pre. It makes sense... and there'd be no need for tube rolling with a vk51se... that's a big plus for me. i scare myself everytime I swap out tubes in my pre. thankfully, I've stumbled onto a really super mix of tubes now... so changing them out is no longer neceassary.

I'll definitely try to hear a 51se somehow or other.