News

American company Balanced Audio Technology (BAT) has introduced its new VK-85 Preamplifier and REX 300 Power Amplifier to the UK, describing them both as fully balanced solid-state designs: “that also offer some of the finest sonic attributes typically found only in tube-based circuitry”.

The REX 300 is a lower powered version of BAT’s 500W/channel REX 500 outputting 200W/channel. It employs the same TWIN-Path (split power supply topology) found in the REX 500 with individual power paths to deliver greater current than traditional designs. The 300 also follows the 500 in featuring a protection circuit that eliminates internal fuses to permit it to handle higher currents without impeding the circuit’s operation. The amplifier circuit consists of two gain blocks while the output stage is based on ‘N channel’ MOSFET devices designed to allow both sides of the waveform to be handled by identical devices in an identical circuit configuration, helping to assure the symmetry of the resulting signal.

There is also an ‘Intelligent Power Upgrade’ where a REX 300 can be ordered as either a stereo amplifier or as a monoblock. BAT provides a transparent upgrade path that allows owners of a stereo REX 300 to convert it to a monoblock configuration at any point. There’s no need to trade-in the amplifier to obtain more power. The REX 300 is priced at $15,000.

The VK-85 Preamplifier is said to benefit from several improved in-house circuit technologies, including the aforementioned SuperPak Quattro and Second Generation Transformer Coupled Outputs as well as BAT circuits such as Unistage Design, High-Current N-Channel MOSFET Circuit and Shunt Volume Control. The new SuperPak Quattro has been used to lower the VK-85 preamplifier’s overall noise floor.

The VK-85 circuit is based on High-Current N-Channel MOSFET devices where both sides of the waveform are handled by identical devices – in identical circuit configuration – assuring symmetry of the resulting signal. The volume control employs a proprietary electronic shunt volume attenuator with 140 steps of 0.5dB resolution. This is accomplished using a single Vishay bulk foil resistor per phase; this is all that’s in the signal path. Discrete metal film resistors are used to bleed the unused signal to ground. The 140 steps give precise repeatable volume settings that sound continuous to the human ear.

For added convenience and compatibility with source components, the VK-85 boasts a mix of balanced and single-ended in and outputs and costs $12,500.

Available to buy now, you can find out more about the BAT REX 300 Power Amplifier here and the VK-85 Preamplifier here.