Three days have passed and still no response from anyone from Stereophile! If this question has already been answered, can anybody direct me to the answer?

Stephen Mejias, Robert Deutsch, John Atkinson, where are you?

Thanks Elk, I am breathing and waiting!

ElGreco! Thank you too for your response. I am little confused on your comments. Kindly, correct me if I am wrong. First, you are suggesting that VK-3iX is recommended in a specific combo and alone it might not justify the rating. Second, you are suggesting that BAT is not the company to go with, as they were so careless in sending the review samples.

One thing must be noted is that VK-3iX cannot be converted into VK-3iX SE just by changing the tubes. They are two different preamplifiers. I was amazed when they auditioned one preamplifier and bench tested another! Not only the technical specifications are different but due to two different types of tubes used the voice signature is also different and Robert Deutsch wrote about that.

I am not objecting to any practice. I just want to know whether the recommendation is for VK-3iX or for VK-3iX SE. Additionally, when a component is recommended, does that recommendation comes from the listening audition or bench testing or both?