Your Thoughts on the BAT VK-3i

georgehifi: The tubes that came with my (used) VK-300SE were flaking out on arrival. I called ARC for replacements. They asked "which of our products will the tubes go into". I stated I'd be using BAT equipment. The new tubes arrived and went bad in about two months (noisy and uneven output). That's when I sprung for the BAT NOS 6H30 at $600/pr. Have been enjoying great, problem free sound ever since. I wish I could find new tubes that performed as well (for 1/3 the cost).

I had the 5i, 50SE, 31SE, and 51SE.

The 31SE was the best value. I thought the 5i was overly warm and the frequency extremes ill-defined. I should have rolled tubes, but its a lot of $ for NOS.

That's when I sprung for the BAT NOS 6H30 at $600/pr. Have been  enjoying great, problem free sound ever since.

That's why it's been nick-named the "Super Tube" It's been said  that  it performs closer to good solid state than any other tube, without resorting to a "cathode follower" arrangement.

Cheers George   

If the 6H30 performs close to solid state, then why not just get a solid state component in the first place?

I've noticed the term "super tube" used whenever equipment has 6H30s in its circuit -not necessarily the NOS version.