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Are BAT amps kind to less-than-stellar recordings?

This was briefly mentioned in someone else’s thread, but I wanted to draw out people who are familiar with Balanced Audio Technology’s solid state amps to get their 2 cents. I’m most interested in the VK-3000 SE integrated.

I love great recordings as much as the next guy and have plenty of jazz, female vocal, and classical in the collection. My music taste runs the gamut though, and I also love a lot of music that isn’t recorded well. Punk, metal, lo-fi indie, early blues, 60s psychedelia, etc.

Do you think the VK-3000 SE will be forgiving to these genres? I want things to stay relatively smooth, non fatiguing, and not be clobbered over the head with etched detail. Minimal glare, grain, and shoutiness - especially on the top end.

Alternatively (if BAT is too high-brow for low-brow music) I could go for something such as the (cheaper) Belles Aria, Yamaha A-S2100, or LFD LE IV. Those integrated amps are known to have a somewhat "tubey" sound for solid state, that might help round out poorly recorded music?
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czarivey
5,936 posts
 
for that you need preamp or integrated with tone controls. 
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,411 posts
 
skystudios

The B.A.T. VK-3000se is on my demo list as well. I concur with czarivey in that you may want to consider an integrated amp with tone controls. The Yamaha fits the bill.  Keep us posted on which way you go.

Happy Listening!
dweller's avatar
dweller
3,779 posts
 
I just traded my beloved (truly) VK-300SE for a VK-33SE preamp and VK-255SE amp. The BAT sound is the opposite of "in your face" so no worries about screechy, hyped sound (unless it's recorded that way). BAT's signature is smooth, organic and slightly laid back.

The nice thing about your proposed VK-3000SE is that it is so easy to bi-amp. Just pick-up an older VK-200 or VK-220 and connect to the "preamp out" jacks (both XLR and RCA) and you're in business.
This is harder to do with the VK-33SE because the XLR outs are 6db hotter than the RCA. Makes it harder to match level to amp-2.

Good luck with your choice!
barolobrain
48 posts
 
I have owned a VK3000SE since March and listen to a wide variety of music both vinyl rips, CD rips, high res files and lps.  Speakers are Sonus Faber Cremona floorstanders, a fairly easy speaker to drive.  Much of the music encompasses the genres you describe.  For me, it reproduces the music as recorded but without adding any distortion of its own to any part of the frequency spectrum. 

If we're not traveling, weekend evening listening sessions go about 3-4 hours and can cover well recorded music and great music recorded with indifference.  I'm retired and during the week spend most afternoons listening, both as background and serious.  Listening fatigue is not a problem.  Worth an audition.
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