BAT VK 75SE vs 150SE's or maybe a VK600SE?

Jeff, thanks for the warning. I'm not that familiar with TAS. I've owned my VK-600SE for 8 months now, and as stated, the review in TAS just came out, so it had no bearing on my choice.

I did chat at AA with someone else who claims he visited the BAT factory and heard the VK-600SE and the VK-150SE and claimed he could not tell them apart. He also said that BAT claimed they were voiced alike. I guess that's why I leaned towards the VK-600SE. I already have 22 tubes in my system, why add the cost of more tubes if it sounds the same?

John

Have you checked out the Feb 06 TAS? It has a review on the VK-600M SE's by RH. It also has an interview with VK in it and a response from BAT. In BAT's response to the glowing review, they claim that the VK-600SE and the VK-150SE's sonic signature are identical. Supposedly they were 'voiced' to sound alike.

I've heard the VK-75SE and the VK-120 mono's, but I've never owned either. I've also never heard a pair of the VK-150SE's. That being said, I own an all BAT system, with the VK-600SE as my amp, I'm very happy.

Cheers,
John

Well, the 150SE doesn't really do the job for less, in fact it's quite the opposite. The 150SE's are the mono version of the VK-75SE's. The VK-600M SE are the mono version of the VK-600SE. The VK-150 SE sell for $15K, the VK-600M SE sell for $23K. So I think BAT is actually comparing the sound of the VK-75SE ($8500) to the VK-600SE ( $11,500). The stereo version just falls more in line with the power output of the 150SE's.

Does this make sense?

John

Jafox, the actual comment was made in the BAT response to the review, not by RH. The response, signed by Victor, Steve and Geoff states:

"Indeed, one can listen to our reference VK-150SE tube monoblocks and upon immediately switching to the VK-600SE, be surprised not by the difference in sound, but by the remarkable similarity that has been achieved across our solid state and tube designs."

So maybe I erred by using the word identical. BAT's claim is that they sound remarkably similar, but not identical. The gent who claimed that he heard both units at the BAT factory and could not tell the difference, told me that BAT supposedly 'voiced' them to sound alike.

As to why BAT would do this, I have no answer for that. Perhaps to capture those who are after tube amps as well as those who prefer solid state.

Cheers,
John