Balanced Audio Technology VK-P80 Phonostage

Balanced, zero-feedback, dual mono tube phonostage with a 6C45 gain stage for superior musical insight

Balanced Audio Technology’s VK-P80 uses a similar gain stage configuration to the company’s reference VK-P90 phono preamplifier. As a beneficiary of the stellar engineering used in BAT’s flagship design, VK-P80 also employs 10 tubes in a balanced zero-feedback configuration. The tube design provides the true-to-life texture for which analog is renowned.

The gain stage uses 6C45 vacuum tubes to achieve improved electrical performance, additional gain, and wide-open transparency. The VK-P80’s dual-mono construction and enormous energy reserves are matched by extensive cartridge-loading flexibility. Your records, system, and emotional satisfaction will be greatly rewarded with VK-P80 in your analog chain.

Duo-Pak and Second-Generation Oil Capacitors Boost Performance

Balanced Audio Technology has used oil capacitors in its leading-edge designs for years. The oil provides proper damping to the capacitor so that the signal passing through it does not ring. While a non-oil cap can initially make music sound more exciting, the excitation comes from these ringing artifacts. Such ringing can make a violin sound strident and cause a symphonic recording to sound unnatural and metallic. BAT is pleased to introduce second-generation oil capacitors in VK-P80 for both the inter-stage coupling and the new Duo-Pak output stage. The result: A more open and dynamic portrayal of music that maintains BAT’s hallmark naturalism.

Extreme Flexibility and Sonic Transparency

VK-P80 employs a differential RIAA network, permitting ease of adjustment and improved common-mode noise rejection. The completely passive circuit has fewer components than a more traditional implementation, resulting in improved matching of the RIAA curve to specification. With the BAT Flying RIAA network, you can rest assured all of your records will sound the way that the engineer intended. Vacuum-tube current sources further improve the linearity and produce an addictively open, textured sound. And in VK-P80, dual 6SN7 vacuum tubes act as current sources for the second gain stage. 

Features

• Duo-Pak second-generation silver gold oil capacitors – 3.3uF per phase
• Silver gold oil inter-stage coupling capacitors
• Zero global feedback

Specifications

Inputs: 1 x RCA

Outputs: 1 x XLR

Gain (Low, High): 50 dB, 57 dB

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (Low, High): 71 dB, 73 dB

Selectable Cartridge Loading
Resistance: 100 to 47,000 ohm 
Capacitance: 100 to 1000 pf

Tube Complement: 4 x 6922, 4 x 6C45, 2 x 6SN7

Input Impedance (min): 100 kΩ

Output Impedance: 200 Ω

Power Consumption: 150 VA

Dimensions: 19″ x 5.75″ x 15.5″

Weight: 36 lb