Boy, was I wrong! Every aspect of performance - transparency, detail, bass extension/quality, air, soundstaging, you name it - was better, making the older unit sound veiled, closed-in, and mushy by comparison.

  The midrange magic of the original VK-5 was present in full force, voices retaining [that] "rounded" quality ...but with even better focus.

  Noise level had not really been a problem with the VK-5, but the VK-5i, at matched levels, was significantly quieter. A possibly related difference was the emergence of detail that had previously been obscured.

  The good news for VK-5 owners is that their units are fully upgradeable...The factory update...is undoubtedly a bargain.

  The current VK-5i is a tour de force of technical sophistication, providing sound quality of the highest order, and a user-friendly interface. I love it!