Balanced Audio Technology VK-80i Integrated Amp Review w/ Upscale Audio's Kevin Deal

upscaleaudio.c...
This is one of the prettiest integrated amplifiers Kevin has ever seen. The Balanced Audio Technology VK-80i uses fully balanced triode architecture with automatic bias. The 6C33C-B power tubes offer a high current delivery allowing for the natural harmonic texture and instrumental timbre of triode design with no loss to bandwidth and dynamics.

[@kenoluoch8853]

Kevin, you've described the aesthetics, the electronics and the Made-in-the US stuff, but next to nothing about the primary purpose of an amp - the sound - the bass, the midrange, the highs, the soundstage etc. Besides describing it as 'badass', there's really nothing much from an audio standpoint! Bloatware of a video? My two cents of opinion!

[@ericstefko4852]

lol I was thinking the same thing.

[@adamk4716]

“At least one of them”….he needs to be careful there re: Prima Luna.

[@Beyondabsence]

For 9k they better sound good.

[@BijBijTCG]

@@5Antvin you just pay for the premium sound. Stuff isn't getting expensive. Just buy a Logitech if you want cheap but decent

[@5Antvin]

@@BijBijTCG we don’t pay for premium sound -the sound quality is subjective- the cost is in -country of manufacture , parts and build quality , fit finish and of course exclusivity -mark up pricing is also extremely high as manufactures sell very little as compared to mainstream electronics

[@henriksrensen3220]

@@5Antvin expensive hifi do have better sound. I know from personal experience.

[@michaelcrespo2928]

Your explanations of any piece of gear brings me joy! Thank you, Kevin.

[@vuch9802]

How does it compare head to head with a Prima Luna integrated?

[@philbarone4603]

I bought a PL evo 300 from him but I bet he won’t answer it but I’d sure like to know the same thing.

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

Nice job Kevin , that is a bad boy ! I just got my first entry level tube integrated amp the Doge Mk2 b (59 pounds) and the Doge came with kt88s , The manger of Doge Audio highly reccomended me to buy all my tubes from you, i thought that was pretty cool . So i ordered 4x kt120s from you the tubes arrive this coming Wed i can't wait to get them 😆

[@shanestephenson8423]

Kevin l want what ever your eating for lunch man your awesome 👍🎧😁

[@RX_Char_01Patti]

This looks better than PrimaLuna. But does it sound better at double the price?

[@davidsagarra9841]

I did a direct comparison between this BAT and the PL EVO400; I couldn’t pass a blind test nor my friends (8 persons)

[@DJ_BROBOT]

nobody goes for Primalunas anymore

[@kevinryan2556]

Love your passion!

[@Mr.JoãoCarlos]

Hi Kevin, I never heard you mention that one ( among others ) of your prime brands PRIMA LUNA ( Dutch company ) is totally manufactured in China at the Cayin Audio Factory. China has the most modern and technologically advanced electronic factories in the World today. I’ve seen here on KZbin some recent factory-tour videos of some of the most prestigious and pricy US audio manufacturers like Audio-Research and VTL just to name some and this Chinese factories literally put them to shame ! They are already way ahead ! I can send you some video links to prove just that if you have any doubts. The China of “slavery labour”, low-quality manufacturing and unreliability is a stereotype from the past. Nowadays it’s second to none hi-tech and engineering …. yes engineering too! AURALIC, DENAFRIPS, LUMIN, CAYIN, HIFIMAN, LINE MAGNETIC, … just to name some of the best products on the market today. I have an “USA” Dan D’Agostino Progression integrated amp $18500 and I see many Chinese key-parts under that top cover including the massive output transformer … made in China ! 🤷🏻‍♂️ But they don’t mention it 🤫 To many, particularly the greedy “High-end Mafia” this might suck because their unjustifiable and outrageous high-profit margins are in jeopardy but for us consumers it’s great, soon we no longer will need to remortgage our houses in order to afford High-end audio gear … they are unstoppable ! It’s time to accept the reality and embrace them as they are the present and certainly the future of our industry. Best regards from Sweden

[@pf5658]

Well said. It’s about time people get over the “ I don’t want to buy if it’s made in China or it’s not good because it was MIC.” If that’s was the the case then they would never buy anything at all because some where there are parts made in China in a lot of those so-called made in the USA products. It is what it is.

[@thomass.9167]

Good points all around. Half the world is produced in China. For people who don’t like that, starting by throwing out anything of yours that says Apple on it.

[@Saleh-gaming]

Well said !

[@Alephkilo]

Totally agree.. I have a melody AN300b integrated that I have been listening to( with Lin Lai tubes) and I haven’t gone back to my > US$23k pre-power combination for 4 days..

[@Alephkilo]

But yes the BAT VK 80 has a high lust factor…

[@georgedoughly8682]

Gorgeous Badass Amplifier 🤩

[@Toki1908]

KD hustlin

[@seongkietchen7874]

The VK 80i is not a push pull triode but a parallel single ended triode. The volume control while being a resistive ladder is passive. Basically it’s a VK 56 with a built in selector and passive volume control.

[@myu4039]

Beautiful!

[@yippie6862]

I saw it a few weeks ago for $8000 and was considering it. One place even had it for $7000. Looked yesterday on Music Direct and it's now $10,000! What? Now it's just out of reach. Darn. It's a dream integrated.

[@seongkietchen7874]

Guess the change to Mundorf capacitors pushed the price up but do make a significant improvement. If you look at the pictures in the BAT website. The VK80i don’t have Mundorf in them.

[@yippie6862]

@@seongkietchen7874 Thanks for the explanation. I guess the price increase makes sense then. I'm surprised BAT made a change so quickly. I thought the VK-80i just came out not too long ago.

[@philbarone4603]

I’m taking selling lessons from Kevin.

[@georget3790]

Gorgeous! And the BAT integrated looks good as well :)

[@fredflintstone8048]

Those are some amazing capacitators.

[@philipketchum1407]

Kevin, you are correct. That is the most beautiful amp I’ve ever seen. Going on my list of future purchases

[@donaldleo3448]

It is not point to point soldering, just PCB (probably PCB made in China already) underneath, still sell so expensive ? For BAT, I look forward to silver wind transformer like those found in British tube amp brand

[@BijBijTCG]

China also makes Apple products and high end Audio :) Just because it's from China it doesn't mean it's bad. America and Europe also make stuff that suck

[@JonathanDerda]

Why do you assume it comes from China? Not that there is necessarily anything wrong with that. The PCBs used by BAT are made in the USA by a very high quality supplier that meets standards way beyond the audio industry norm.

[@V1ralB1ack]

@@JonathanDerda Donald is trying to say that with a pcb it's more streamlined. Point to point wiring means a human being soldered it and the cost reflects a real life person inspecting the product and putting it together instead of it being assembled. It's the idea that building something has more value and care and quality than assembling something.

[@kentonkirkpatrick5225]

@@BijBijTCG It's not that the equipment sucks, China sucks. Totally aggressive, out-of-control bullies.

[@DDSRacer01]

What speakers and pre amp would this pair well with? Thx

[@kentonkirkpatrick5225]

It's an Integrated Amp so it has a built-in "pre amp". You could (imagine italics) use it with a pre amp but it is not required. Speakers? I just purchased Klipsch Forte 4s to used with an amp like this (high sensitivity horns). I'm retired so I will have to wait and buy the BAT used but I'm sure it will be perfect with the Klipsch (unless there are hum issues).