Opinions: Used BAT VK-51SE or New VK-23SE

My recommendation would be to get a BAT VK-300SE (plentiful in the $2000 range)

That's why. $3025 is about 50% more than the going rate for one of these units. Now if you want to pay 50% more for a certification and/or MM phono stage, that's fine.

BTW, if you go to the TMR website you can find the same unit for $2824.
But feel free to pay more, some have no problem spending more for the same. ;^)

Considering what it does, I think it's a fabulous deal...

jmcgrogan2, The OP asked for opinions on the BAT pre amp, I guess I should clarify what I meant when I used the term "dry" when describing the BAT sound. Of all the pre amps I have listened to and purchased and re sold, it was the BAT that was cold, uninspiring, and no beauty of tone, don’t look for musicality either....Sure there was great bass and dynamics but with enhanced mid range and no high frequency extension what so ever. 

P.S. I’m sure using a BAT power amp would change a lot of this for the better, but thats not what the OP is going to experience and nor did I. Also, I use Nordost SPM these were used by many back in the day for their transparency with natural and proper (sound staging, instrument placement ect...) sound. Cardas has to be some of the most colored cables ive heard ( to give you an idea where my ears are at) and Analysis Plus cables have accentuated bass and are very colored to me. Kimber Kable is very neutral in my system and sounds very good, Audioquest also. MIT’s sound beautiful but dynamics and leading edge attacks suffer, for this reason I use the Nordost with Morrow because they pair well, otherwise I might be using all MIT’s.

Matt M

If you want warmth, get a McIntosh amp, they have it in spades.

Matt, I don't totally disagree with your findings, and thank you for better describing "dry".
I do agree that the BAT's strength is power and dynamics, but I'm not sure about the " cold, uninspiring, and no beauty of tone, don’t look for musicality either".
Yes, I will say that the BAT was not as sweet and musical in the midrange as other preamps I have heard (CJ, Cary, McIntosh (as mentioned by stereo5), etc.). However, the BAT's I have owned fell about middle of the pack in the warmth, beauty of tone, musicality viewpoint.
It's all about synergy though. Perhaps I would have had your same BAT impression had I been using cold, analytical cables like Nordost with the BAT like you did.

In the end, the final sound is a combination of the entire system.
Probably the reason you like cables from Nordost and Morrow (which both use silver plated copper which I find to be too thin and cold sounding for my tastes), is because you use very warm components like Dynaudio speakers and McIntosh amps. I'm sure that if I went with warmer components I might have a better appreciation for Nordost cables.

I think we all look for a nice, balanced tone, how we get there may be very different though.

Cheers,
John