INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER BALANCED AUDIO TECHNOLOGY VK-300x TUBE WOJCIECH PACUŁA Translation: Krzysztof Kalinkowski

The American company Balanced Audio Technology, better known under the abbreviation BAT is one of the emanations of pan-Slavic technical thought. I am not a Slavophile, but the influence of people coming from this side of the Atlantic on what is happening in the American audio world; Lamm, BAT, Lipinsky Sound, Wally Tool – those are just a few names immanently tight to representatives of nations living on the east of the Elbe – Russians, Ukrainians, Poles. Victor Khomenko, the man behind BAT, is a part of this informal group, the the more active part of that.

Balanced Audio Technology is company functioning in the world of two technologies – the tube and the transistor one. And although at first sight it might seem that the tube is closer to the hearts of Khomenko et consortes, especially when we look at the majestic poweramplifiers VK-150 SE, the presence of many transistor devices in the portfolio, including the very well received VK-600, demands the revision of that opinion. One thing is however sure: to amplify small signals, in the preamplifier section, the preamplifiers themselves, or in the output stages of CD players the glowing tubes are used here. For the power amplifiers we have the choice – we can go the tube or the transistor way. In the case of the cheapest amplifiers, like the integrated VK-300 – while “cheap” is a euphemism here – we deal with the combination of both technologies in the form of a hybrid amplifier. The tubes are employed in the preamplifier section and transistors in the power section.

One of the further characteristics of BAT is the possibility to adjust the sound to our needs and requirements. This ties with the program of differentiation within a given model. So we can evolve with the device. So the VK-300 exists in a few versions. We can start the adventure with the world of the “bat” with the basic version of the amplifier, fully transistored, without the remote control for about 20 000zł. The next purchase can be the remote (it includes a module to be mounted in the amplifier and a metal, handy remote) for the, not small, 2250zł. A next step can be the exchange of the preamplifier module to a version with tubes ECC88 (this is the tested version) and such version, including the remote, will bring 24 750zł on the table. In the end we can buy the most beefed up version SE with 6H30 tubes (found in the magazines of the Russian army and presented to the world by Victor Khomenko) and Super Pack, a set of oil capacitors coupling the pre with the poweramp. This for just 27 000zł, including remote.

The mentioned oil capacitors is a real SOMETHING. However when we talk about the tubes the case is not that clear. I had the opportunity to listen to them in many applications (in the CD output, in an preamplifier and in the control stages of power amplifiers) exchangeable for the ECC88 – actually the E88CC of Valvo – and not always the “Super Tubes” as they are called in the BAT materials sounded better. They did offer a richer sound than the standard ECC88, or even the better NOS, but richer than the best? It was different in different cases. That is the reason I took on the test calmly, because although the distributor prefers the most expensive version, he delivered also two pairs of splendid NOS tubes – Philips Jan ECC188 (the army, ultra low-noise version of the ECC188) and ... the Valvo E88CC. Because tubes in the sound path is one of the most ingenious ways to influence sound, bettering it, even long after the purchase.

SOUND

I will not hide that I am a fan of BAT. Until recently their top preamplifier VK-51 SE is for me probably the best device of that kind that I know: clear, transparent, while perfectly keeping the harmonic structure of the transmission, one the few devices that almost disappeared from the sound path when placed between the variable output of the CD Lektor Grand Ancient Audio and a power amplifier. VK-300x is a completely different machine, at least from the functional and financial point of view. And I have to confess I never heard the “cheap” BATs...

The integrated amp from this American company cannot stand-up to their top products, but we cannot also speak of comparable purchasing cost. But if we step down to the ground and compare the VK-300x to other integrated amps of the same price range, then it will become apparent that Victor succeeded well with this amplifier, very well! Although this is not the highest possible configuration of this device it seems completely satisfactory, however this is not the final word in many areas. But with the given price – it is super, as one of the singers sings... Many small elements compose to such a positive judgment, where the most important ones are related to the tonal balance and integrity of the timbre. The sound of the VK-300x is a median of what can be heard from the power amplifier A-30 Accuphase (although without its splendid coherence and continuity) and the integrated amplifier FBI from Krell. I know that the distributor of BAT counts on his devices, as every distributor does, but I hope he will forgive me this comparison, because this is just how it is. The thing is, that the VK-300x is both warm as well as precise, spacious, but also favoring the first plane, it also has a strong, full bass, while not overexposing it. The attack of the sound is slightly rounded and this – interestingly – mostly in the low and midrange and not in the treble. This taming does not convey in any way on the lack of resolution or slowing down of the sound. Absolutely not! This is the asset that differentiates the BAT amplifier from the integrated E-308 and E-408 from Accuphase in a positive way – nice, extremely friendly, beautiful sounding devices, that somewhere in the middle of searching for the timbre, lose the edge and resolution. And BAT keeps those. When on the disc Tricks of Life from Novika (Kayax/EMI, KAYAX013, CD), and later by Smolik (Smolik, Kayax/Sony&BMG, KAYAX014, CD) bass enters, then it enters for sure.

Splendidly, as for an integrated amp, the rhythm and pulse of the compositions is kept. Opening the soundtrack from the movie Philadelphia piece “Streets of Philadelphia” from Bruce Springsteen (Epic/Sony Music 474998, CD) just does not exist without those two elements. [A small explanation of terminology: under the idea of “rhythm” I understand the literal rhythm of the piece, meaning the ability to accent the rhythmic intervals, without speeding them up or slowing them down – of course in a subjective way. Talking about “pulse” I define the subcutaneous rhythm, something that makes the piece flow, vibrate, emanate with coherence.] BAT opened it beautifully with the drums and percussion sounds, and then expanded it engulfing the listener with a synthesizer blur. Never did the amplifier exaggerate with the amount of bass, it will not rule the listening room in a fatiguing way. A recording very demanding in that aspect is “The Great Submit/Master Takes” from the Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington (The Complete Session – Deluxe Edition”, Roulette Jazz 524547, CD), it sounded as it should, nice, as the contrabass was not crippled, and did not have to prove – how to say – that it plays the first violin. The bass is energetic and saturated, and it reminds in that way the very good, in that aspect, power amplifier A-30 and the integrated A-550 from Accuphase. And with that the speed and coherence of that frequency range, that goes in the direction of the A-45 of that company.

The midrange is another strong point of the VK-300x. It is slightly warmed, while being quite selective. It's upper part is slightly pushed back – slightly, but it is. It makes the less good recorded discs sound just nice, as their shouting, tiring midrange is slightly softened. With reference discs like Unit of Adam Makowicz (Polskie Nagrania, PNCD935, Polish Jazz vol.35, CD) the midrange was slightly warmer than with the Krell FBI, but was clear enough, allowing the Fender piano Makowicz plays to open. There was not such an insight between the musicians as the Leben CS-300 allows, but visibly nothing comes for free.
An important element shaping the sound of the VK-300x is the space. It is vast and really deep, although the first planes are shown a bit warmer than the back ones. This is visible as their larger volume and physical shape. This is actually good, because this is probably the way we hear in the real world. The back of the stage is shown thoroughly, without extinguishing, because for example the guitar of Alex De Grassi from the disc Bolivian Blues Bar (Narada Jazz 48282, CD) had a very good, long echo. Most probably that way of presentation is helped by the open and resonant treble. E-550 had warmed and pulled back this frequency range, and that made the sound a seem a bit less open. Here is spite of the warm midrange and upper bass the treble is strong and full, bettering the transmission of the sound. Although we do not get such a complex harmonics structure as from the Leben tube or a SET 300B Cary CDA-300-SEI (test in this issue of HFOL), but this is how refined only tubes or very expensive transistors can sound. And the VK-300x does so many things right...

DESCRIPTION

BAT amplifiers have a characteristic shape: a large enclosure with open-work top covers and a thick, made from two layers of aluminum, front panel. In the preamplifiers and integrated amplifiers in the middle of the panel we have large, blue splendidly readable LED displays. In the VK-300x Tube under the display five buttons activating the separate inputs are placed – three unbalanced RCA and two balanced XLR. I don't know about the power section, but the preamplifier is fully balanced, or at least it seems so, as we get an pre-out in the balanced form. As we have only one tube per channel in the signal path (each is a double triode – one on each branch of the signal) and I do not see any other active element, it means that the signal on this output has an inverted absolute phase (fortunately we do not have to reverse the cables...). As the BAT is regulated by a microprocessor, we can set many presets, like the absolute phase (that can be changed by use of the remote or on the front panel), name the inputs, their balance, volume readout – in dB, relative to a chosen “0”, in relative units. I have to say that, although I know, that it has nothing in common with the objective truth, but only with my preferences, but I am nerved with volume control based on buttons, as it is done here. This is strange, but in all advertising materials the VK-300x is photographed with a classic volume knob, as known from the VK-52SE preamplifier, that turned just ideally. In the tested unit it is not there. A pity.

The innards are quite filled. The device has a classic build-up – the preamplifier in the middle, power supply in front of it and the power sections on the sides, vertical near the heat sinks. The base is formed by large PCB, where all other sections are plugged into. The preamplifier of this version is based on two ECC88, integrated input selectors and an integrated resistor ladder. The power section is borrowed from the multi-channel beast VK-6200, it is a full-transistor part, with two pairs of transistors in push-pull setting (bipolar pairs MJL4302+MJL4281 On Semiconductor), supplying the speakers with 150W (at 8Ω), and doubling that by 4. Their bias is not set very high, as the amplifier does not get very warm. Near the preamplifier a socket for the optional phono preamplifier is visible. In a few places coupling capacitors are visible – those are very decent foil capacitors, but exchanging them to oil ones brings most improvement. Only after and before the preamplifier we have the better polypropylene WIMA capacitors. Among the passive elements we find low tolerance resistors, and very good Dale resistors. All sockets are very solid, gold plated. The power supply is very expanded, with a large toroidal transformer in the middle and many secondary windings – separate for the preamplifier, power amplifier and control section. Also the preamplifier voltage stabilization was treated with proper attention, for example LEDs were used as voltage standard.

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