Not since Sonus Faber's <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/139/">Amati Homage</A> loudspeakers took up residence in my listening room has a piece of audio gear elicited so many "Oohs," "Aahs," and "Wows" from friends as Hovland Company's dramatic-looking, EL34-driven Sapphire power amplifier&mdash;especially when it was switched on and glowing orange and blue. It drew unsolicited attention and admiration even when turned off. Not that, on or off, its unusual looks didn't also have their share of detractors. As with Hovland's chrome-fa&#231;aded, blue-backlit <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/291/">HP-100 preamplifier</A>, some found the Sapphire too shiny, too gaudy, and generally just too much. Me, I'm thumbs-up on the Sapphire's looks&mdash;I found myself staring at it incessantly. But anything that draws such intensity of response, whether love or hate, must be doing <I>something</I> right. B&O shouldn't have a monopoly on striking-looking audio gear.

Not since Sonus Faber's <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/139/">Amati Homage</A> loudspeakers took up residence in my listening room has a piece of audio gear elicited so many "Oohs," "Aahs," and "Wows" from friends as Hovland Company's dramatic-looking, EL34-driven Sapphire power amplifier&mdash;especially when it was switched on and glowing orange and blue. It drew unsolicited attention and admiration even when turned off. Not that, on or off, its unusual looks didn't also have their share of detractors. As with Hovland's chrome-fa&#231;aded, blue-backlit <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/291/">HP-100 preamplifier</A>, some found the Sapphire too shiny, too gaudy, and generally just too much. Me, I'm thumbs-up on the Sapphire's looks&mdash;I found myself staring at it incessantly. But anything that draws such intensity of response, whether love or hate, must be doing <I>something</I> right. B&O shouldn't have a monopoly on striking-looking audio gear.

Not since Sonus Faber's <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/139/">Amati Homage</A> loudspeakers took up residence in my listening room has a piece of audio gear elicited so many "Oohs," "Aahs," and "Wows" from friends as Hovland Company's dramatic-looking, EL34-driven Sapphire power amplifier&mdash;especially when it was switched on and glowing orange and blue. It drew unsolicited attention and admiration even when turned off. Not that, on or off, its unusual looks didn't also have their share of detractors. As with Hovland's chrome-fa&#231;aded, blue-backlit <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/291/">HP-100 preamplifier</A>, some found the Sapphire too shiny, too gaudy, and generally just too much. Me, I'm thumbs-up on the Sapphire's looks&mdash;I found myself staring at it incessantly. But anything that draws such intensity of response, whether love or hate, must be doing <I>something</I> right. B&O shouldn't have a monopoly on striking-looking audio gear.

Not since Sonus Faber's <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/139/">Amati Homage</A> loudspeakers took up residence in my listening room has a piece of audio gear elicited so many "Oohs," "Aahs," and "Wows" from friends as Hovland Company's dramatic-looking, EL34-driven Sapphire power amplifier&mdash;especially when it was switched on and glowing orange and blue. It drew unsolicited attention and admiration even when turned off. Not that, on or off, its unusual looks didn't also have their share of detractors. As with Hovland's chrome-fa&#231;aded, blue-backlit <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/291/">HP-100 preamplifier</A>, some found the Sapphire too shiny, too gaudy, and generally just too much. Me, I'm thumbs-up on the Sapphire's looks&mdash;I found myself staring at it incessantly. But anything that draws such intensity of response, whether love or hate, must be doing <I>something</I> right. B&O shouldn't have a monopoly on striking-looking audio gear.

Not since Sonus Faber's <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//loudspeakerreviews/139/">Amati Homage</A> loudspeakers took up residence in my listening room has a piece of audio gear elicited so many "Oohs," "Aahs," and "Wows" from friends as Hovland Company's dramatic-looking, EL34-driven Sapphire power amplifier&mdash;especially when it was switched on and glowing orange and blue. It drew unsolicited attention and admiration even when turned off. Not that, on or off, its unusual looks didn't also have their share of detractors. As with Hovland's chrome-fa&#231;aded, blue-backlit <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//amplificationreviews/291/">HP-100 preamplifier</A>, some found the Sapphire too shiny, too gaudy, and generally just too much. Me, I'm thumbs-up on the Sapphire's looks&mdash;I found myself staring at it incessantly. But anything that draws such intensity of response, whether love or hate, must be doing <I>something</I> right. B&O shouldn't have a monopoly on striking-looking audio gear.

Teresa of &#193;vila (1515-1582) is acknowledged as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. She is additionally accorded the rare (especially for a mystic) distinction of recognition as a "Doctor" of the Faith. On a somewhat less exalted level, but perhaps resonating even more clearly with the truth of common human experience, Teresa (who had Jewish ancestry; why is that not surprising?) is credited with coining the phrase "Be careful what you pray for, you might get it."

Teresa of &#193;vila (1515-1582) is acknowledged as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. She is additionally accorded the rare (especially for a mystic) distinction of recognition as a "Doctor" of the Faith. On a somewhat less exalted level, but perhaps resonating even more clearly with the truth of common human experience, Teresa (who had Jewish ancestry; why is that not surprising?) is credited with coining the phrase "Be careful what you pray for, you might get it."

Teresa of &#193;vila (1515-1582) is acknowledged as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church. She is additionally accorded the rare (especially for a mystic) distinction of recognition as a "Doctor" of the Faith. On a somewhat less exalted level, but perhaps resonating even more clearly with the truth of common human experience, Teresa (who had Jewish ancestry; why is that not surprising?) is credited with coining the phrase "Be careful what you pray for, you might get it."

The VK-150SE stands tall at the top of Balanced Audio Technology's range. It and its smaller brother, the identical-looking VK-75SE stereo amplifier (or, sans the Special Edition mods, the plain VK-75, footnote 1), are related to BAT's first amplifier design, the VK-60. The company's partners, Victor Khomenko and Steve Bednarski, eventually realized that they'd made enough upgrades to the VK-60 to warrant a new model designation, and in 2000 they discontinued the VK-60. Bednarski explained that while the VK-60 accepted the upgrades with good results, the BATboys felt that, in order to fully realize the full potential of the 6H30 SuperTube, a new platform would be required. Enter the VK-75SE and VK-150SE.

The VK-150SE stands tall at the top of Balanced Audio Technology's range. It and its smaller brother, the identical-looking VK-75SE stereo amplifier (or, sans the Special Edition mods, the plain VK-75, footnote 1), are related to BAT's first amplifier design, the VK-60. The company's partners, Victor Khomenko and Steve Bednarski, eventually realized that they'd made enough upgrades to the VK-60 to warrant a new model designation, and in 2000 they discontinued the VK-60. Bednarski explained that while the VK-60 accepted the upgrades with good results, the BATboys felt that, in order to fully realize the full potential of the 6H30 SuperTube, a new platform would be required. Enter the VK-75SE and VK-150SE.