VK-80 Preamplifier — Balanced Audio Technology

BAT VK-80 Preamplifier in Black. 3/4 Front View.

VK-80 SuperTube Preamplifier

The VK-80 preamplifier features the same technology as the no-holds-barred REX 3 preamp, scaled down to a one-box chassis. Inside you’ll find a quad of 6H30 SuperTubes, the Gen3 SuperPak with the world’s finest capacitors, dual-mono toroidal transformers, and our Gen2 Transformer Coupled Outputs.

The VK-80 is comfortable in any system, at any price point, and should be on your short list before spending more. All you need to do is listen.

Flexible Interface and Optional MM/MC Phono Module

The graceful architecture is complemented by a powerful, easy-to-use customer interface. You can dim the display from the comfort of your chair by using the BAT remote. Fade music at the touch of a button. Switch phase to see if a recording is made in reverse absolute polarity. Even name your sources. For example, name your home-theater playback input “THTR.” Then, fix the volume for your THTR input to control your home-theater system from your pre/pro remote. Love analog? Simply order your VK-80 with BAT’s VK-P3 phono card, which provides switch-selectable moving-magnet and moving-coil gain settings.

BAT VK-80 Preamplifier in Silver. Top view showing circuitry.

The Uncommonly Good Transformer Design Gets Even Better

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).

Never Fret About Volume Levels Again

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 said 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.