BALANCED AUDIO TECHNOLOGY VK-P12SE Phonostage
BALANCED AUDIO TECHNOLOGY VK-P12SE Phonostage
New engineering enhancements increase sonic pedigree
A Special Edition version of BAT’s VK-P12 phonostage, VK-P12SE includes numerous engineering improvements to offer greater information retrieval and supreme musical presentation. The first gain stage is completely revised to provide a substantially lower noise floor. In addition to the transformer-coupled output transformers, a reconfigured output stage incorporates four high-gain 6C45 tubes. They provide high-current and low-output impedance, establishing superb drive and crystalline transparency. These enhancements result in a phonostage with improved silence in the quietest musical passages, unfettered dynamic ease, and a grand sense of scale. For listeners that may want even more performance, VK-P12SE is fully upgradeable to the VK-P12SE SuperPak.
Clearer transparency, visceral bass, three-dimensional texture
With the VK-P12SE, you get an all-tube zero-feedback design that combines the benefits of balanced operation with complementary vacuum-tube current sources. Dual-mono construction and enormous energy reserves are matched by extensive flexibility in cartridge loading. The first gain stage achieves a very low noise floor via premium Vishay bulk foil resistors that replace metal film resistors in critical areas. An upgraded power supply joins the new transformer-coupled output stage in contributing to greater transparency and more responsive, visceral bass. Vacuum-tube current sources further improve the linearity and yield a more open, textured sound. A differential RIAA network ensures all your records will sound the way the recording engineer intended, permitting ease of adjustment and improved common mode noise rejection. Plus, the VK-P12SE’s second-generation step-up transformers provide as much as a 20db improvement in signal-to-noise ratio in comparison to direct mode operation. With up to 80dB of gain available, no signal is too small. Analog bliss awaits.
A “transformational” transformer-coupled output stage
Like the elite VK-33SE, VK-53SE, and REX II preamplifiers, the VK-P12SE features a transformer-coupled output stage. This new design replaces BAT’s venerable Six-Pak of output capacitors with custom-designed output transformers. In order to achieve this “transformational” goal, years were spent prototyping and testing various alternative output transformer designs. All the work paid off: BAT’s new transformer-coupled output stage proves substantially superior to any capacitor in maintaining a purity of signal transmission. Electrically, these output transformers significantly improve the performance in every measured respect. Sonically, they offer improvements in every area of musical reproduction.
Info
Output
Transformer coupledInputs
1x RCA + 1x XLROutputs
1x XLRGain at 1kHz
Direct - Low: 45dB
Direct - High: 60dB
Step-up low: 65dB
Step-up high: 80dBSignal to noise ratio
Direct - low: 73dB
Direct - high: 76dB
Step-up low: 86dB
Step-up high: 93dBCartridge loading
Resistance (ohms): Selectable from 100 to 47k
Capacitance (pf): Selectable from 0 to 1000Tube Complement
4x 6922, 4x 6C45, 2x 6SN7Absolute Polarity
SwitchablePower supply energy storage
200 joulesPower consumption
150 VADimensions
19" x 5.75" x 15.5"Weight
40lb.