Is it common for a tube amp to act as a voltage source - double down on power with half load?
BAT VK-76SE tube amp - Balanced Audio Technology
Has anyone heard BAT’s new VK-76SE tube amp?
The VK-76SE was shown at CES in January (links to Stereophile and TAS’s reports below).
It comes after the flagship Rex II in their line of tube amps. BAT is starting to sell the VK-76SE, although the amp is not yet up on their website or Music Direct’s website. (Music Direct now owns BAT.)
The VK-76SE replaces the VK-75SE, which was introduced around 2000 and BAT’s first amp to incorporate the 6H30 supertube. The VK-76SE has four 6H30 tubes for the input stage, whereas the VK-75SE and Rex had two 6H30 tubes. The VK-76SE loses the two 6V6 tubes found in the VK-75SE and Rex. Otherwise, all of these models have six 6SN7 tubes for the driver stage and four 6C33C tubes for the output stage. (For those keeping count, the Rex II amp has four 6H30, two 6V6, six 6SN7 and four 6C33C.)
Stereophile: http://www.stereophile.com/content/new-bat#DzjP7gqk61dJs60r.97
TAS: http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/ces-2016-electronics-15k-and-under/
The VK-76SE was shown at CES in January (links to Stereophile and TAS’s reports below).
It comes after the flagship Rex II in their line of tube amps. BAT is starting to sell the VK-76SE, although the amp is not yet up on their website or Music Direct’s website. (Music Direct now owns BAT.)
The VK-76SE replaces the VK-75SE, which was introduced around 2000 and BAT’s first amp to incorporate the 6H30 supertube. The VK-76SE has four 6H30 tubes for the input stage, whereas the VK-75SE and Rex had two 6H30 tubes. The VK-76SE loses the two 6V6 tubes found in the VK-75SE and Rex. Otherwise, all of these models have six 6SN7 tubes for the driver stage and four 6C33C tubes for the output stage. (For those keeping count, the Rex II amp has four 6H30, two 6V6, six 6SN7 and four 6C33C.)
Stereophile: http://www.stereophile.com/content/new-bat#DzjP7gqk61dJs60r.97
TAS: http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/ces-2016-electronics-15k-and-under/
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BAT now has the VK-76SE tube amp listed on their website: http://balanced.com/p-vk-76se Music Direct now has the VK-76SE tube amp listed on their website: https://www.musicdirect.com/power-amp/BAT-VK-76SE-Tube-Power-Amp |
I've now been through two BAT56's (tried one, then tried a second with the two amps wired mono-block). Then tried a BAT 76SE. Sound was great on all of them, but they all shut down after being played for about 90 minutes. All were NOS at a local dealer. LED's went out on the tubes. If I let the amps cool down they'd play fine for a while and then shut down again. Tried changes speakers, tried changing cables. Nothing worked. Anyone have this problem? I am having to run them at about 80% into EgglestonWorks Andra III speakers. Can it be that they just can't handle that level without overheating? Using a Conrad-Johnson preamp. |
I had a VK-60 for about 20 years - worked like a tank and sounded fab throughout. Feeling restless, I sold my VK-60 and bought a brand new anniversary edition McIntosh 275. I thought I wanted something that was physically smaller and lighter. What a mistake, went to repair twice in the first six months - bad transformer and then other problems. The unit was initially exchanged for another unit then the second unit was repaired. Never sounded good - the company blamed my B&W 800-series speakers. Ugh. About two years ago, I purchased a new VK-76SE. I'm BACK! Sounds wonderful, never had an issue with it. |