@walkertm I agree with plastic remotes - they do not last. CJ makes aluminum remotes, I have two of them.
As far as sonics go your ears your money!
Is the Audio Ref-6SE worth 7K more than the BAT VK-80?
Greeting all,
I looking to replace an venerable Sonic Frontiers Line Stage Once Pre-Amp. I been looking hard at two products. The Audio Research Ref-6SE $17K and the newly released BAT VK-80 $10K.
These will be mated with a Pair of EVO-400's set up as Mono-Blocks and re-tubed KT-150's I like their snap over the stock EL-34's. My tastes in Pre-Amps is it has to be good with vocals but so overly warm and syrupy. That it cannot flesh out the detail within and recording, or sacrifice tightness and punch in the bass. In short it needs to provide resolution over sweetness. The Amps drive a pair of Legacy Focus SE speakers. These things do not like anything in the signal chain that fattens the low end.
Music preference are Rock, Metal and Classical. Think: Pat Benatar, Heart, Def Leopard, Evanescence, Lacuna Coil, Metallica, Bach Organ Works, and Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture and you get the picture the bombastic material I like.
I enjoy how both Pre-Amps mate with my system. However, it seems that Ref-6SE dances with my setup a little better that the BAT. My crackpot theory, is its more at home with sonic character of the KT=150's which is what their Reference 160-M/S amps use.
Nonetheless, The BAT's build quality is more impressive, and I feel I really get something for my $10K. So it seems to me that I am paying a lot for that Audio Research prestige, than quality. Not a fan of a $17k Pre-Amp that comes with a plastic remote. That to me is a major turn off. So what other chintzy things are they doing with this component, in order to increase their profit margin?
Any additional thoughts and opinions are appreciated.
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@walkertm I've owned both brands' preamps and currently own a BAT VK51SE, so take that into consideration... Both have made quality gear for a long time, but IME, the ownership/service experience is far superior with BAT. I suggest that you do some research on service experience for both brands. When I did, my takeaway was that ~95% of BAT owners were happy. AR owners were a mixed bag. One peeve with both is what they charge for replacement tubes, a fair bit over 3rd parties. Both have rationales as to why you should buy from them directly, and I've played along, but am skeptical about it. In your shoes, I'd look for a used Rex. I've seen them goes for <$7500. Cheers, Spencer |
@cleeds4. Thanks for taking the time to respond and setting me straight.I am am a fan boy of ARC, and really needed to know that they have not started to chintz out o Really glad to have this pointed out to me. Thank You, THANK YOU. ARC now ships with a nice metal remote. ARC offers Ref 6 owners who received the plastic remote the new metal remote at no charge. Perhaps that tells you something about the state of ARC today . When I refer to the Italians I am referring designer Livio Cucuzza who I believe is the Chief Design Officer at McIntosh Group that comes from the Sonus Faber arm of the group’s holdings. My wording here is very poor, so my apologies to all. This is no way should be construed that I believe Italian engineering to be sub standard. Though it certainly came off that way. Pathos and Sonus Faber make wonderful products, that are top notch in both design and quality. The concern is when things change hands. Design goals and priorities change as well. To my point, think of early Dan D’Agostino designed Krell’s versus the Krell amps of today. I find that they are not engineered the same way, and prefer the build quality and sound of those early products. |
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