Jeff, I own the BAT VK-30. I purchased it about two years ago and listened to a great deal of pre-amps, tube and solid state, in the $1500-$5000 price range before purchasing it. The VK-30 is stellar. Versus CJ and ARC, it offers the warmth of the CJ and the detail of the ARC equipment. I also looked closely at the VK-20. When heard side-by-side, the VK-30 doesn't lose any of the tightness on the bass or crisp high end, and offers the euphonic midrange presence of tubes. Granted I thought the VK-20 is one of the best s.s. pre-amps out there. As for the SE version, I have heard it and do believe it to be ever so slightly more detailed, but I think it is a marginal improvement given the cost to upgrade it.
Which BAT preamp?
I got enough advice from a fair number of Audiogoners, and I'm getting ready to buy a BAT pre-amp, hopefully used or demo at an attractive price. Sold one of my amps, put my AR SP14, Audio Refinement Complete integrated, Townshend Seismic Sink, and Hitachi tuner up for sale here on Audiogon. That should raise enough cash to get a BAT preamp. I went to BAT's website, had a little trouble figuring out which model(s) I should be looking for. I want a tubed preamp, with a phono section, and perhaps a remote control. Not sure which models fit the bill, and what they'll likely cost me. Any inputs would be much appreciated, thanks for taking the time. Jeff