BAT to BAT - What's Best?

...as it turns out... the Synergistic Research resolution ref x2, active sheilded became the choice for the main link, pre to amp. balanced. Pricey but worth it. they bested the SX Ltds in the overall... the SX however was/is quite the ambient retreval champ. A phenominal SS envelope, and great harmonics, it lacked in the lower regions in my system and was edged out by the SR RR x2 active XLRs... though not by much and there was a compromise or two as well with the SRs. there are always some compromises..

Heck I give you credit for still having them same gear over 2 years later!

Actually, I got the Syn Res Refs back in Sept 2006. It took me nearly five months to go through ten sets or more of ICs prior to making the choice. I could well have lived with a few of them too... Shunyata's Altairs, the SX's, or VooDoo's Ultralinear. The Res Refs x2's were frankly, a good fit and came in quite affordable to boot... as well as given their retail prices.

I'm of the opinion if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The BAT stuff is here to stay for a time... only the pre is something I seek to upgrade/change and then simply for grater flexibility in selecting sources. the sound quality of it is simply remarkable, after some isoing, and tube rolling, pcs... etc.

It'll be pricey to add the flexibility I seek and retain the sonics it has for sure. Likely, I'll have to move closer to the "dreaded neutrality" monster by so doing.

The amp is a keeper as it was made at the very end of the run of vk500's prior to the release of the 600... so in amp terms, it's still young... and is a real dream by solid state accounts. IMO Though I do wish it would do RCA as well as it does XLR... Oil well.

01-10-07: Brianmgrarcom
Heck I give you credit for still having them same gear over 2 years later!

LOL Brian, I was thinking the same thing. It's not easy staying that focused and disciplined on AudiogoN, you are to be congratulated Jim. There has to be some sort of award I would think. 'AudiogoN Merit of Discipline' maybe.......

John

Thanks John... but yeah, if it ain't broke, why fix it? My lightspeed like movements in swapping out gear can likely be attributed to the thickness of my wallet more than anything. however, I feel a lot of really good devices are out there... and one needs get the absolute best one can from them... which means, trying different wires, tubes, isoing, etc... to really find out if a thing is super or subpar. that takes time... and money. time I've got.. I hope.

Finding a sound you feel is super is a hard thing to let go of for me. I'm a "Are we there yet?" sort. More about the destination than the journey. I'm not saying i've the best, but as we have talked before, what I do have is way better than a lot of what is out there for severely more money.

Speaking of severely more duckets, I have decided which way to go next though... and it'll be a while.

I'm gonna try one of Kevins ren MK II pres. If that is a good fit and i believe it will be, then I'll do either speakers or swap out the amp for a VAC tube amp as well if not for complete replacement, then for up top.

and I'm adding room treatments, little nick nacks like the last two PCs... and Elrod, and VooDoo tesla. Just gotta keep polishing up what ya got and make sure there isn't a diamond lurking somewhere in it's midst.

'cause if the grass appears to be greener on the other side, then most likely it's time to water your own lawn.

A higher water bill is a sight lot cheaper than digging a new well.

But if things ain't good right off, maybe making moves quickly with pieces is a good notion... mine was good right off the BAT.