Component History...

I purchased this BAT VK-3i from the original owner. It arrived in its original inner packing & original box with the manual. No remote came with this component.  I will include a very nice generic aftermarket power cord...

It does include its 4 x 6922 Preamplifier Stage Tubes & two 6v6 regulation tubes.  For the AudioPhile who enjoys the art of Tube Rolling, I will include the Extra Tubes that came with the preamp as well ...

* Note; I have a as New Demo 1m Audio Sensibility Power Cord available for    an additional $95; refer to photo #9 to see it...

Cosmetically...

The face of the unit, to these eyes, is very hi-tech cool. The medium-black fascia has two powder-gray knobs, one for source selection and the other for volume control. Centered between these knobs is the red LED volume readout (which also houses the optional remote eye).

Two toggle switches, one mounted to the far right and one to the far left of the fascia, control muting and power -- very clean and very classy looking. The rear is as nicely laid out. There are three sets of RCA inputs and two sets of balanced inputs. Outputs are single-ended tape, and a set each of single-ended and balanced main-out connections.

There is plenty of room, and everything is well labeled. BAT sells high-quality RCA-to-balanced and balanced-to-RCA adapters should you need them to hook up your components.

Operationally...

BAT has a very smooth tonal balance with no single octave or portion of an octave highlighted. Tonal response like this should be mandatory for high-end components, but few components get it so spot-on.

Being an especially passionate Jazz listener the bass must convey "The live you are their emotion".  The bass depth, in this case, means the lowest registers of the bass in this area. And I don't mean depth alone, for as important as that is, more so is bass definition...  To my ears this BAT VK-i3 tube pre-amp, is equal to or better than any in its class!  

BAT has a naturalness about its presentation.  Images have density and dimensionality.

The stage is wide and very deep, but more importantly, it feels natural and has seamless layering. As for clarity, while on the dark side, the VK-3i, due to its natural presentation, never misses information.

In all the systems I configured & reconfigured with amplifiers, speaker cables, interconnects and power cords, the BAT Vk3i let you hear the changes in the music throughout the systems soundstage... 

Summing up the facts:  the BAT VK-3i is a preamp that has a very slightly dark presentation, with superb textural and harmonic abilities. It goes nicely deep and with excellent definition. It breathes naturally and solidly within all depths of the bass region...

I never felt like I had lost something with the VK-3i in the system. It was more that I was listening to tube-like recordings rather than solid-state ones!

* Note; Phono stage not included

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