Preamp: Cary versus BAT

Cary is slightly warmer and darker than the comparable Bat. Bat has more detail.

Samzx12, I'd have to say the opposite with the Cary pre's being the warmer ones. Out of the BAT line up, the VK 3i is warmer than their other offerings and I agree with Islandear, it mates well with the VK-200. If it matters to you, one word of caution about the SLP2002, the headphone section leaves a lot to be desired.

How does the VK5i compare to the VK3i? Does it have a more neutral presentation?

Yes, the 5i is more neutral. I agree that the BATs will give more detail than the slp2002. If low level detail is a must, then of those you mention, the 5i is a winner. FWIW, I've owned both the 5i and the 2002. IMHO, the 5i is better all around with the 2002 being overly warm and lacking resolution. Others here have call the 2002 "under-rated". YMMV. Cheers,
Spencer

I have A/B'd the Cary SLP 2002 to other premaps and the 2002 does it for me.

That doesn't mean it will do it for you but I can relate the strengths.

It is a much more neutral preamp than most I've heard (non 6H30). Very appealing for me. Lot's of detail and great presentation. Look up my other posts for more info.

I'd assume the BAT VK-5i would be similar because it is based on the same tube (6922), but I haven't heard it like the previous poster. So I defer. The VK-5i was on my list and should be a great preamp like the 2002. I will say the 2002 can be considered a little light on the bass, but I still need to tube roll some more. Even with this, the 2002 for my description of the sound is very very good.

kw.......