[Jon L]

George,

Did you spend a lot of time demoing this amp?  I've never heard it, but really thought the VK500 was a nice amp.

Michael

Nope, never heard it.  

To be honest, I haven't really liked the sound of some of the lower priced BAT models and I was very hesitant to pull the trigger. A few friends I trust (and own the darTzeel) said it gets pretty darn close to the darT and would be a nice improvement over the DNA-500.

I hope they are right.

George

 But

Wow, a blind purchase based on peer rec's.  Hmm, sounds very familiar.

Just like you, I have always disliked BAT SS amps, so I will have my fingers crossed for you, George..

[toobluvr]

George,

I think MarkR7 had one.  I bought my DNA-500 from him and I think he had BAT before and CJ350 after.  Now he's going with the Dodd 120's according to his latest posts.  He might have some suggestions for power cords too.

Enjoy the new amp!

Tom

Yes indeedie, he has owned the VK600!

He has also owned:

BAT VK500
ASL Hurricanes
Parasound JC1
Cary CAD-211M
Joule OTL VZN-100 Marquis MkIV
NOSValves VRD
Lamm ???

and maybe others?

Memory is a bit hazy on this one, so I could be wrong, but I think he told me that he actually preferred the BAT 500 to the 600.

He has auditioned and ordered a pair of Dodd 120 monos.
He tells me they truly control his Andra IIs better than any of the SS monsters he has owned. Additionally, they added the naturalness, decay, and harmonics that he feels only tube amps can deliver.

FWIW...just one man's opinion.  

[Levi]

Yes I think I remembered Mark.  He is now using a VK-500.  I guess he didn't like the VK-600.  Interesting.

BAT amps likes to be paired with it's house preamp utilizing a fully balanced connection from input to output.  If you don't, then there is always a question of synergy.

Yes indeedie, he has owned the VK600!

He has also owned:

BAT VK500
ASL Hurricanes
Parasound JC1
Cary CAD-211M
Joule OTL VZN-100 Marquis MkIV
NOSValves VRD
Lamm ???

and maybe others?

Memory is a bit hazy on this one, so I could be wrong, but I think he told me that he actually preferred the BAT 500 to the 600.

He has auditioned and ordered a pair of Dodd 120 monos.
He tells me they truly control his Andra IIs better than any of the SS monsters he has owned. Additionally, they added the  ...

[zybar]

I am not using a BAT balanced preamp, but my TacT preamp is fully balanced.

If the BAT doesn't do it, I will most likely try the Dodd.

George

[Levi]

Here is an email from Victor Khomenko awhile back.  A question between the VK-500 vs VK-600 difference.

It is a bigger step, as the 600SE incorporates certain things that other models don't have, and they translate into the finesse of sound, moving it to a more musical level.

I hope this helps.

[zybar]

Levi,

I have also been told that there is a substantial difference between the Vk-600 and VK-600SE (there should be for the price difference).

Hopefully I will be able to tell you in a few hours.  

George

[toobluvr]

Yes I think I remembered Mark.  He is now using a VK-500....

Just as a stop-gap until his Dodds arrive!  

He told me he was dismayed to put the BAT back in once the Dodd audition pair went out the door.

The long wait continues....hang in there Mark!  

[zybar]

Come on up to MA John and you can bring the Dodd amps for a little listening session.

George

[MarkR7]

Hey guys, my ears were ringing, and now I know why (no, it's not because of volume too high... ....

To clarify some things...

Yes, I ran a VK-600 for a short while, but it wasn't the SE version; it only had the BAT-PAK.  I read the review on the VK-600SE, and it was nothing like my VK-600, so I'm thinking the add'l caps and other enhancements, if any, in the SE take it way beyond the plain ole VK-600.

My VK-600 was easily bettered by the McCormack DNA-500, and subsequently, the CJ 350 (honestly, in my system, I think that the Plinius SA102 and Ayre V-5x, which I also owned, were also better).  But, all three were eclipsed when I put in a 6 year old VK-500, which also had the BAT-PAK.  The musicality and the soundstaging of the VK-500 was noticeably better than any of the others.

But alas, after auditioning the Dodd 120s alongside my VK-500, I remembered why I loved tubes to begin with, and why I should have never left.  The shocking discovery was that the Dodds controlled my 88.5 db Andra IIs as good or better than the VK-500, but with the tube virtues that I miss.

It was such a no-brainer that I ordered my own Dodd pair as soon as I had to return the Dodds to their generous, rightful owner, 711smilin.  Thanks Steve!  They are that good!

Good luck Aybar George, hope the VK-600SE is what you're looking for!

Mark

[toobluvr]

Yes I think I remembered Mark.  He is now using a VK-500.  I guess he didn't like the VK-600.  Interesting.

.....

Yeah.....

He told me he preferred the CJ 350 and the VK-500 to the DNA-500......
and he preferred all of these to the VK-600!

go fig-ya!    

[toobluvr]

oops!
beat me to it Mark!

our posts crossed in transit!    

and looks like I got your preferences a bit confused, too.
sorry for misspeaking!

[MarkR7]

Yes John, (toobluvr), the waiting is the hardest part!!  Almost a month down, another to go.

My work travel schedule has kicked up quite a bit, so time goes by faster.

Any luck with any of the tubes I sent ya?

M

[toobluvr]

Yes John, (toobluvr), the waiting is the hardest part!!  Almost a month down, another to go.

M

Not so bad.....I had to wait 6 months for mine!!  

I will mail you offline about the tubes.

[MarkR7]

and looks like I got your preferences a bit confused, too.
sorry for misspeaking!

Nahhhh, you were pretty close!

Anyways, I'm banking on a couple of months for the Dodds, and hopefully it won't be longer!

I need a Dodd fix, bad!!

[beemer]

Nice BAT amp! I hope it exceeds your expectations. I have had a VK3i, VK50 and VK50SE preamp, and the VKD5 and VKD5SE cd players, but never any of BAT's amps.

LOL, more Mass people.  I'm  in Gardner, aprox 70 miles west of Boston in the north central part of the state.

I can relate to heavy though. I bought a pair of Levinson 33's last summer. Over 400 Lbs each. These were not easy to get on or out of the back of my pickup, nor were they easy to get into the house. Once there however, my expectations were fulfilled.

Best,

Paul

[alotaklipsch]

Guy's, I have owned app.


40 sources, 40 amps, and 30 pre-amps, along with hundreds of cables and hundreds of tubes over the past couple years.  Sources went up to 40K retail,

I have APL 3910, soon to be NWO-2, and I am done

my pc's are all Dominus, with venustas, and 1 pair of aqueous.

amps are more difficult, they went up to 30k, and varied from set-digital, sand, and tube.

Favorite sets=Lamm ML2, and Cardinal X1's

The Dodds have just blown me away with the proper tube compliment, they are in fact an amazing BARGAIN, and so are Gary's pre-amps, and even his power conditioners.  I will not say they are the best(cause that is too subjective), but I will say they do so much right, and are so frikin cheap, they embarass the compition at 5 times his reatil, and more.

I really cannot wait till I hear his battery powered pre, cause my reference has bettered, in my system the CJ act2 and blowjob(torch), using sylvania 1952 badboys, and sylvania metal base tubes.  I use mullard metal base el 34's, 2 cryoed 5687, and 1 amperex e182cc pinchwaist in the amps.

I have been using epiphany 12/12's, and just received a pair of zu druids to play with, while my custom horns get finished.  My horns have about 4500 just in driver cost, heh heh heh and will be about 103 db

more later

[mr_bill]

How are the Zu Druids?
You have an objective ear - it should be interesting to hear your thoughts.

[zybar]

Guy's, I have owned app.


40 sources, 40 amps, and 30 pre-amps, along with hundreds of cables and hundreds of tubes over the past couple years.  Sources went up to 40K retail,

I have APL 3910, soon to be NWO-2, and I am done

my pc's are all Dominus, with venustas, and 1 pair of aqueous.

amps are more difficult, they went up to 30k, and varied from set-digital, sand, and tube.

Favorite sets=Lamm ML2, and Cardinal X1's

The Dodds have just blown me away with the proper tube compliment, the ...

Did you have the VK-600SE or just the VK600?

So far what I am hearing takes things to a new level over ALL other amps I have owned.

George

[zybar]

Hey guys, my ears were ringing, and now I know why (no, it's not because of volume too high... ....

To clarify some things...

Yes, I ran a VK-600 for a short while, but it wasn't the SE version; it only had the BAT-PAK.  I read the review on the VK-600SE, and it was nothing like my VK-600, so I'm thinking the add'l caps and other enhancements, if any, in the SE take it way beyond the plain ole VK-600.

My VK-600 was easily bettered by the McCormack DNA-500, and subsequently, the CJ 350 (honest ...

Mark,

Thanks for the post and the clarification.

I have never heard the VK-600, so I can't say anything along those lines.

I will say that fresh out of the box with less than 24hrs of on time, that I prefer the VK-600SE to the DNA-500.  There is no comparison in the midrange (sorry Steve M).

I'll post more thoughts later.

George

[jermmd]

George,

How does that BAT midrange compare to the CI200 midrange-which you also felt was superior to the DNA 500?