I found and took a leap of faith and bought a like new vk-33se. I have bought used gear in the past and was disappointed with the purchase. Not this time, Dweller is spot on. Like Dweller, This also is the best sounding preamp I’ve ever had in my system. I’m surprised there are no professional reviews on this preamp. It’s not bright nor forward or fat and boring. It seems to play everything I throw at it beautifully. I can’t find anything it does wrong, it’s purely musical.
Steve at Bat answered all my questions politely even when I was asking about a used vk-33se.
The preamp is built like a tank. It weighs 40 pounds and looks as good as it sounds
list price is $10,000, and can be found used for $4500-$5500. In this crazy high priced hobby it is a steel used.
So there it is, I easily can recommend this pre to anyone shopping for a preamp.
Starboard