BAT SS power amps?

The BAT is nice, a little warm, like a Levinson but the Levinson has more bass slam, (testicular fortitude).

The Krell is the winner here but you've already had analytical sound so -----

BAT is nice, 600 is even nicer.

Pass is between the Krell and Levinson as far as balance but in a different league if detail and shadings are you forte.

McCormack os warmer and a nice amp at a great price used, if you can find one. Edge/Grypon are also nice and linear sounding.

My VK500 was bettered by the McCormack DNA500. That said, for the current used price, the BAT is a good value. In my system at the time, the BAT had a musical midrange, was a touch dark and rolled off in the high frequencies (not necessarily a bad thing on all music), and had impactful and extended bass that was not the last word in definition. I have better ancillary components now and would like to hear it again in my current system vs. the McCormack. For about $500-$1000 (used) more than the VK500, you might try the Belles 350A Reference. I would have to disagree with the VK-500 being their best amp and would think that honor goes to the VK-600M SE for SS and the VK-150 for tubes.

The mention of rolled off frequencies with the VK-500 is actually quite attractive to me considering my very bright B&W dome tweeters (CDM 9 NT) and my choice of recording material (indie/underground). At the risk of sounding "shallow", my only problem with the VK-500 is it's appearence. There are similar highly regarded amps such as the MC402 and X-250 which are quite appealing in both look and sound. However, the more I read about the VK-500, the more it seems like the perfect sonic fit for my system. However, I am still open to other options and would love to hear from some VK-250 owners.

I had a BAT VK-500 and then a VK-600 driving Wilson Sophias in my system. And I would agree that their sound was not exactly warm but smooth and linear, great bass. The 600 improved on the 500 in dynamics and bass, detail, but in no way would I consider either the last thing in detail, especially in the area of soundstage size and transparency. In fact, soundstaging is both amps' achilles heel. Supposedly the VK-600SE improved soundstage air and dimensionality but I never heard it and the SE upgrade was $3300 plus shipping, not exactly a bargain in my book. I went to some Essence SS amps and promptly sold all my other amps, both tubed and SS.

I'm not so sure about statements that say the 500 or BAT in general is dark sounding, or has less than an abundant sound Stage. it's surely not my experience. I know it responds very well to pc upgrades. Adding solely a good pair of pcs changed the whole shooting match... more everything!

I've a mid sized room with speaker on the short wall of a 14 x 21 room and the SS extends past the side walls and out into the yard at times, given the track info being played. Imaging is good to very good all the time. Realism has gone up exponentially with the acquisition of the TA 1000 MK II, and so has the bass performance.

Double checking what's what I put my OEM cords back onto the 500 and using just a UPC 200 and Elrod Sig 3 pc... well I could live with that for a good while. In fact i have only a Taipan helix A supplying the UPC200 now. the EPS Sig 3 is on the Thor preamp... and even that combo is just stellar.

In comparison directly to price, in the 2500 - 3000 range, the vk500 is formidable competition. it's surely not the end all be all in resolution perhaps but I've not found it lacking there either. it does do justice to the musical info being supplied.

many if not all the amps listed right here can and do give good accoutings of themselves. their just a bit different here and there in this way or that. I'm just quite satisfied that it does what it does in such a way I want to continue to listen to the music, not it.

I think the best statement we make as audio nuts about a component is waht it takes for us to let it go. I've only heard a couple amps that flat out surpass the vk500, and not across the board in every respect, but for my money they do get by it. there easily well over twice it's retail price in one case, and half again in the other. ONe amp is tubed, the other SS. But that's just my take.

As for appearances, I don't put a lot of stock into appearances as some do. But the 500 has a bit of charm in it's chunky little rectangular body and doesn't draw much attention to itself with but two little offset blue 'eyes' peering into the room... maybe they could be made to wink now and then.