Balanced Audio Technology VK-80 Tube Preamplifier

Even more of the naturalness that BAT is famous for, with its third-generation SuperPak in the power supply

The elegant industrial design first seen in BAT’s flagship REX 3 system is complemented by a powerful, easy-to-use customer interface in the VK-80. 

Improved Power

The VK-80 preamplifier features Balanced Audio Technology’s all-new, third-generation SuperPak in its power supply. The design represents a significant rethinking of what is possible from an energy storage device. The SuperPak features hybrid construction with two capacitors built and potted into each individual low-resonance shell. An additional silver-in-oil capacitor—arguably the finest-quality capacitor offered at any price in the industry—is used as part of the Gen 3’s construction. The result: Low-level detail is revealed in a clear and unforced manner, while the overall sound takes on a beguiling sweetness and naturalness from top to bottom. 

New Output Transformer

VK-80 incorporates a second-generation output transformer using the finest Cardas copper winding. With its second-generation transformer-coupled outputs, VK-80 offers an outstandingly dynamic and transparent rendition of the original musical event. Each of the preamplifier’s transformer-coupled outputs comes encapsulated within a mu-metal shield, which is substantially superior to any capacitor in maintaining purity of signal transmission. True to its heritage, VK-80 also uses the 6H30 SuperTube to form a high-current, low-impedance gain stage. For extra convenience, the fully balanced VK-80 incorporates balanced and single-ended inputs (as well as outputs).

Single Gain Stage

The signal in the VK-80 preamplifier is effectively transmitted through only one gain stage. This Unistage™ circuit provides the ultimate simplicity of amplifying the incoming signal only once and uses no global feedback to double-back on the straight-through integrity of the signal. Pass music through too many gain stages, and you’ll no longer recognize the genius and beauty of your favorite recordings. And with VK-80, you can always get the volume just right. A proprietary electronic shunt volume attenuator offers 140 steps of 0.5dB resolution that give precise, repeatable volume settings that sound continuous to the human ear.

The BAT VK-P3 phono card is available separately. It provides switch-selectable moving-magnet and moving-coil gain settings.

Features

• Third generation SuperPak with 4×50 uF with internal silver/oil hybrid construction
• Silver gold oil bypass caps
• Unistage design with only one gain block and no capacitors in signal path
• Output second generation output transformers with Cardas OFC wiring
• Zero global feedback

• Absolute polarity switchable

Specifications

Inputs: 2 x XLR, 3 x RCA

Outputs: 1 x XLR, 1 x RCA, 1 x RCA (Tape)

Gain: 18 dB

Vol Control Resolution: 140 x 0.5 dB steps

Tube Complement: 4 x 6H30, 2 x 6C19

Input Impedance (min): 100 kΩ

Output Impedance: 300 Ω

Power Consumption: 150 VA

Dimensions: 19″ x 5.75″ x 15.5″

Weight: 40 lb