2. amps-preamps
  3. 1098558473

Tough BAT choice ? VK-150SE/VK-600SE

Since about two months i have the BAT VK-51SE and the VK-P10SE up and running in my gear.
source is the Platine Verdier with Schroder hybrid arm partnered with the Colibri element.
well this combination is so good and utterly transparant that it makes me think about partnering with the BAT poweramps too. ( have Atma-Sphere MA2's )
the sublime point about the Atma-Sphere is the transparancy and top end. forget about the curtains and windows stories, or 'lifting another veil' . With the OTL you are there. nothing in between.

Oh speakers are Genesis 501's btw.

Now I have had the interesting opportunity to hook up a pair of Gryphon Reference poweramps, and the result was staggering as for control, slam and soundstage. i could not comprehend these were my Gen 501's.. but the tonality and musicality was gone. so exit Gryphon.
this week i have had the AR VT-200 mk2 on loan, and it is a fine overall performer, but compared to the Atma-Sphere it looses the top end extension totally . no magic. exit AR.
next week i have yet the fine opportunity to hook up a pair of the latest Levinson monoblocks. looking forward to that.

Hope that this gives some introduction to my opennes to try every poweramp combination with my Gen 501's.
Because i WILL buy either the VK-600SE or the VK-150SE BAT's.
I like the BAT preamps that much.

So. i don't want to loose much top end clarity and air ( atma-sphere) but i surely want to gain in control slam, and soundstage department. because i have had that happening with the Gryphon's in a big way remember ?
It seems that the Gen 501 really comes alive every time i hook up a real 'big' poweramp.
question is;
could the VK-600SE deliver some of the tube magic with all the SS benefits i surely experience, OR could the VK-150SE really deliver almost the soundstage and authority / slam of the VK-600SE ?
questions questions. now both BAT amps will do an unbelievable job and are extraordinary perormers no doubt about.
The easy answer would be; just connect both to your Gen 501's and find out..
that my friends is a bit too much asked overhere...

like to hear from any out there who has been in the circumstance to listen to both amps...

so BAT VK-600SE versus BAT VK-150SE .

thanx for the time, and i will put up a review of the BAT preamps soon.

regards and keep the vinyl spinning !

tuboo, the netherlands
tuboo

Showing 1 response by jafox

jafox
1,467 posts
 
Hello,

As you can see from many of my posts here, I am a huge fan of BAT products, primarily phono and line stages; I have not heard their power amps however. But I have to imagine that all I have read here on Audiogon about the Atmasphere amps, I would not be surprised that you end up preferring these over the BATs. These amps get phenomenol praise on these pages.

What we may like from a company for one link in the chain, we may very well prefer another company's product for another link. And mixing products can result in incredible synergy. My Aesthetix Io phono stage, BAT 31SE line stage and Wolcott Presence amps have an incredible synergy with Magnepan speakers. It just takes a lot of experimentation and effort to discover such good results.

One advnatge you have is that the Genesis speakers have a higher efficiency than many other speakers. So I have to believe that putting more money into 100w superfi amps like the Lamm and CAT for example, might be more of what you are looking for compared to your recent attempts with 200w amps like the ARC and others you mentioned.

John
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