Price Paid:  $1400.00 from Hi Fi Bappy/Rich Hea

Summary:
I was using Krell Ksl 2 before buying VK 5 & I was happy. But after listening BAT, now I think I was not perfect in this audio world & now I am.

BAT VK 5 is a outstanding world class pre. Soundstage, resolution and deep I mean deep extended bass took me very close to the system. I am now emotionally involve, which I was not ready for.

Buy it without any hesitation.
My system Is as follows:

Source: Audio Aero Capitole Reference SE
Pre: BAT VK 5
Power: Bryston 4B SST
Speakers: Dynaudio Contour 3.3
All Interconnects: Harmonic Tech Magic Link One
Speaker Cable; Harmonic Tech: Pro 9 Plus
Power Cords: Harmonic Tech Ac pro 11
Tweaks: Online UPS & Harmonix Room Tuning 78i

Strengths:
Huge soundstage, beautifull extended deep bass. Wonderfull resolution. Very close to the music.

Weaknesses:
No Remote.

Similar Products Used:
VK 50SE. Ref3, SLP 05, CAT Sig 1, Sonic Frontiur SFL1 etc.

Price Paid:  $3500.00

Summary:
Excellent product. Victor and Steve sure know what they're doing. I was using a Krell KBL prior to ordering the VK-5i. The KBL obviuosly had strenghts, particularly in the base region but it didn't have the roundness and elegance in the upper register that typically only comes with tube gear. I had that magic once before with a Luxman CL-32 and wanted to experience it again. So I coughed it up for the BAT....and wow! I'm loving every moment of owning this piece.

Strengths:
warmness without lushness....strong midrange...and incredible detail in all registers.

Weaknesses:
Pure balanced topology. RCA users will have to get a set of adaptors. Victor sells a high quality pair for $90. This is obviously not really a weakness but RCA users should be aware that it's an issue before purchasing.

Similar Products Used:
BAT VK50SE and other BAT products. CAT products also come very close.

Price Paid:  $1865.00 from through AUDIOGON

Summary:
I bought my BAT VK-5i from a gentleman through Audiogon. I always wanted to try Tubes and I heard Great things about BAT Products. I could go on and on about this Product but its nothing short of Outstanding. Its completely changed the way I listen to Music! Very open, transparent, warm sound that Tubes are known for. Great Product and Great Company. Optional Remote : the Best I''ve ever seen/used. My system : Electrocompaniet EMC-1 2 Classe'' CA-201 (as monoblocks) Avalon Acoustic Arcus Velodyne Subwoofer All Synergistic Research: Resolution Reference BALANCED Interconnects (Active shielding), Speaker Cables, and Power Cords Chang LightSpeed 9600 Line Conditioner

Strengths:
This Pre-amp is Legendary. Open, Rich, Transparent,and Detailed sound. Still One of the Best Pre-amps out there. VK-5i is Very Well Built

Weaknesses:
None that I know of

Similar Products Used:
Too numerous to list

Price Paid:  $2850.00

Summary:
Made a signifacant improvment in my system:
CD Electrocompaniet EMC1
Power amp Electrocompaniet AW-250R
Speakers Dynaudio Contour 3,3
cables VDH THE Revelation,THe Second(2)
MY previous preamp Electrocompaniet EC4,5 sounds terrible
in comparison to BAT.

Strengths:
musicality,bass,soundstage,openess.

Weaknesses:
did not found so far

Summary:
I've always been displeased with the sound of my system, even with major upgrades to the speakers, amp and cabling. Each upgrade was nice and, until the BAT, the cables were what made the most difference. The BAT, however, has totally transformed my system into a real audiophile system that actually sounds like music.

Before the BAT I was using a Lexicon DC-1 as my stereo and HT preamp as well as a DAC. The transport is a Sony DVD-S7000, which is a killer unit for HT. I upgraded cabling to the Illuminati (Illumination) D60, upgraded to silver cabling (RCA) between components, and made some very nifty DIY CAT 5 cables for the speakers. The Lexicon fed a Plinius SA-100 which in turn drove a pair of Joseph Audio RM22si speakers.

Sure, sounds like a pretty nice system on paper; and it did sound nice... but just nice. I still got fatigued after a short while and was getting pretty upset with dumping lots of money into a black hole and not getting great sound. Then along came my friend the BAT preamp.

Wow! Major upgrade in sound! I'm still using the Lexicon as a DAC (and they have always claimed their DAC process was really good -- just never mentioned that their preamp outs were rather poor). At first I ran the outputs from the regular outs (HT front L/R) to the BAT... ok, mediocre upgrade. Then I ran off the recording outs. Wow! again!

Note that this is currently with $16 XLR cables between the BAT and Plinius and a home-rigged set of Kimber PBJ's from the Lexicon to the BAT. I can hear that I'm losing transparency and a lot of sound with the crappy cables (yes, I'm upgrading (again!) soon to better XLR cables) but even with these cables the system rocks the house. It sounds like real music now. THAT is what I've been looking for all this time.

Strangely enough, the biggest upgrade in sound has to be the bass. Midrange is smooth, upper highs are more transparent and cymbals actually CRASH!! now instead of just smear, but the bass rocks the house. Even with the bad cabling and all, my bass drums sound like real drums.

So, enough rambling... I got this unit off of Audiogon for about 1/2 of retail. God bless the Internet. If you are looking for a real upgrade to your system, get this unit. I can't give it enough stars...

Current system:
Sony DVP-S7000 DVD player as transport
Illuminations D60 digital cable
Lexicon DC-1 HT processor
Kimber PBJ (rigged) RCA-to-XLR cables
BAT VK-5i preamp
No-name $16 XLR-XLR balanced microphone cables
Plinius SA-100 amp
ChrisVH DIY Cat5 cables (very nice)
Joseph Audio RM22si speakers
Dynaudio Aries DIY speakers (still breaking in)

Strengths:
Actually sounds like MUSIC instead of a CD.

Weaknesses:
Cost. Why can't they make these things for $100 yet???

Similar Products Used:
Linn Kairn. OK sound, nothing to write about. Sold this and the Mimik a couple of years ago.