Vincent Audio SV 500 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier - Silver

Passion and excitement are what the Vincent SV-500's main attributes are to my ears. I bought this with the assumption that the Vincent would be warm and laid back, but it isn't. It is very dynamic and exciting. I have a Schiit Vidar amp and Schiit Saga preamp that I have been very happy with, but it is more on the warm side, with the RCA 1940's Military 6sn7 tube in the Saga. The Vidar/Saga has a beautiful sound to it, but it lacks the fierce passion of the Vincent. The Vincent seems to shoot the musical notes out of a cannon, and it can definitely get your heart pumping. I would like the Vincent to play vocals a little more warmer and laid back, and I got a Mullard 12ax7 Russian reissue to see if it could tone it down a notch or two. The Mullard sounds about the same as the stock Chinese tube to me, and I actually think the stock tube sounds a hair better. I'm going to try a Gold Lion 12ax7 tube next, and eventually may go for a NOS RCA 5751 Military tube in the 12ax7 socket, as I've heard it is an amazing tube. I don't know anything about the two 6N1 tubes, and will probably leave those in place for now. I was thinking I'd send the Vincent back at one point, but it's exciting sound is to good to let go. The build quality is very high, and after taking the top cover off and looking inside, man, it's beautifully built. There is a lot of gain in the preamp section, so I can get more volume from the Vincent than I can from the Vidar/Schiit, because even though it is rated at 100wpc 8 ohms and 200wpc 4 ohms the Saga preamp has 0 gain. The Vincent has no hiss coming from the speakers even with it's high gain, which is amazing in itself. The Vincent is an amazing int/amp for sure.Update 11-30-2019:I installed a Mullard Russian reissue 12ax7 in place of the stock Chinese tube. After two days I went back to the stock Chinese tube, it sounds better to me than the Mullard, better sound stage. I just found an old RCA 5751 Command series tube on ebay for $38 including shipping. It is suppose to sound better than even the Military RCA. The Command series was a broadcasters version. Taking a chance, but the seller says it tested very good, and I love the sound of the RCA Military tube I have in my Saga preamp.Update 12-9-2019:Just installed a used RCA 5751 Command tube in place of the stock Chinese 12ax7b tube. I can't really tell much of a difference in sound. The RCA tube has 2 mica plates, while the stock Chinese tube has 3 mica plates, which from what I've read is the way that better tubes are constructed. I can't tell who made the Chinese tube, it just says China 12ax7b on the tube, but from pictures I've seen I believe it is a Shuguang, which is a highly regarded Chinese tube. I'll reinstall the Chinese tube, and maybe try tube rolling later on down the line. The Vincent sounds great, but it can be bright on some recordings, and the vocals tend to have sort of a glassy sound. Don't get me wrong, the Vincent can do some amazing stuff, that's why I didn't return it.Update 12-14-2019:I'm still loving the Vincent. I moved the Vincent back to my smaller music/computer room to test the different 12ax7 tubes I have. I took the top completely off so I could quick change the tubes. It is a very impressive unit with the top off. You can tell a lot of planning and care was taken in the design and construction. I tried a JJ 12ax7 I had for one of my guitar amps, and it had a cool sound to it really, sort of bright, but very dynamic. I tried my new Mullard reissue 12ax7, and it has a little more warmer sound, very little, than the stock Chinese 12ax7b. I put the original stock Chinese 12ax7b in, and I'd have to say I like it the best so far, it has a detailed sound with great instrument separation. Like I said the Vincent can sound bright on some brighter recordings, but on a warm well recording it sounds amazing. I've got a Gold Lion Russian gold pin 12ax7 coming today, so I'll let you know what I think about it later. The Vincent is a fun dynamic int/amp. I re-hooked my Schiit Vidar/Saga in my main listening room to see how it compared to the Vincent. The Vidar/Saga is definitely warmer and laid back, and has a lush sound. The Vincent on the other hand is punchy, dynamic, and just very engaging, it'll get your heart rate up for sure.Update 12-21-2019:Just put a Gold Lion Russian reissue12ax7 in the Vincent, and after a few days of listening it made it sound a little smoother, but this thing is about the excitement of music, so I don't want to take away from it's character. The people that designed this thing new what they were doing, and what they were going for. I did just snag a 60's RCA gray plate 12ax7a, and will try it out. I hear it's a very beloved tube. I tell you that right now I'm listening to Oliver Nelson's album The Blues and the Abstract Truth, and thinking it can't get no better than this. The Vincent can sound like it's the best thing you've ever heard. Played the album Rags to Riches: The Essential Scott Joplin by Robert Stickland, and it was like Scott Joplin was in the room with his piano. For fun I tried Marylin Manson's album Antichrist Superstar, Wow! crank this up on this Vincent, and you better have a seatbelt on, it'll kick your butt.Update 12-23-2019:Well I'll tell ya, so far this Vincent sounds best with the stock Chinese tube. I did a lot of listening to it with 4 different 12ax7 tubes, and they just can't match the stock tubes wonderful sound, great sound stage, bass, and separation. I've got one more tube coming, and RCA 1960"s 12ax7a with gray plates, but I'm getting the feeling that the people at Vincent put the tube in the tube in that needs to be there. It's a great int/amp. Listening to Jerry Vale's greatest hits, fantastic. This Vincent can bring tears to your eyes, I'm hooked.Update 1-19-2020:I put a NOS RCA gray plates 60's 12ax7 tube in the Vincent, and it does sound great, it better, it was $129, ooch! It has great sound stage, depth, separation, and a little warmer than the original tube. The original wins in the excitement depatment though, but not by much. Okay, I've come to the conclusion that the Vincent beats my Schiit Vidar/Saga. The Vidar/Saga is better at vocalist like Nat King Cole, Sinatra, Lizz Wright, Melody Gardot, etc., but when musical dynamics comes into play the Vince will eat the Vidar/Saga's lunch, and spit out the bones. The Vince is like a lightweight boxer fighting in the heavy weights, and giving all it's got, and punching like a windmill. If I go to upgrade the Vincent, it'll probably be the Vincent SV-237mk.Update 1-25-2020:Well I've been wanting to wrap up this audio buying jag I've been on for about 10 years, and get something I can forget about and just enjoy the music. The Vincent has settled in now, and along with my NHT SuperOne speakers I believe I can do that now. If I ever update again it will be a Vincent SV-237MK and maybe the NHT C3 speakers. The Vincent/NHT sound is what I've been looking for.Update 2-12-2020:Well I've turned into a Vincent fan boy, love the SV-500, and I may never update the Vincent again, unless it is a bigger Vincent. I've tried 11 different pairs of bookshelf speakers with the Vince, and they are Elac Uni-fi UB5, Wharfedale Diamond 225, NHT SuperOne 2.1, NHT SuperZero 2.1, Polk Audio Monitor 40, KEF Q300, Micca MB42X, Jamo S803, Cambridge Audio SX-50, Sony SSCS5, and NHT C3. My very favorite with the Vince, and by a good margin is the NHT SuperOne 2.1. It's like the Vince and the SuperOne's are kindred spirits, and they really sound wonderful together. I just recently bought and tried a pair of NHT C3 bookshelf speakers with the Vince, but returned them because they didn't have the wonderful speed and dynamics of the SuperOne's, I know, I was shocked on this one. I just bought a pair of Dynaudio Emit M20's, and should get those today. That would be very strange if the NHT SuperOne's beat the Dynaudio's, but it could happen. The SuperOne's defy all logic with their price/performance ratio. I'll let you know who wins the fight NHT or Dynaudio.Update 2-16-2020:I've been listening to my newly acquired Dynaudio Emit m20's with the Vincent SV-500 for about 4 days now. They sound very good so far, but I am still liking the SuperOne NHT's better to be honest. I searched the internet about Dynaudio speaker break in time, and found out the they are a speaker that definitely needs a long break in time, like around 200 hours. I never heard of such a long break in period, but I've got 60 days to return them, so I'll give Dynaudio the beneifit of the doubt and give them 1 month before I decide. The Dynaudio's are sounding great, but to my ears they don't have that magic that the little NHT's have so far. The Vincent can play the Dynaudio's at a high volume, higher than I need.Update 4-15-2020:I've lived with the Vincent SV-500 for about 6 months now, and I'm still amazed by it every time I turn it on. I've tried a bunch of different tubes in the 12ax7 slot, but the stock Chinese tube actually sounds best to me. It's been rock solid in reliability, and never gives me any trouble. I haven't ever owned any real high end stuff, so I'm sure there is better out there, but for the $1g price you get probably the best sound there is. My previous stereo was the Schiit Vidar/Saga combo, and it is good, but this Vincent is definitely a step up in sound quality, plus it's a little cheaper. The Vincent has a good amount of gain in the preamp, so it can play louder than my Schiit combo. I've tried about 13 pairs of bookshelf speakers so far with the Vincent SV-500, and the NHT SuperOne 2.1 speakers sound absolutely wonderful with it, and they really let the Vincent show it's stuff, it's truly an amazing combination.Update 7-1-2020:Still loving the Vincent SV-500. I got a pair of Paradigm Atom SE bookshelf speakers a couple of months ago, and they are the best sounding bookshelf I've ever owned, and sound wonderful with the Vincent SV-500, better than the NHT SuperOne 2.1's I've got. Jut recently got a pair of Tekton Lore Reference floor standing speakers, and they are utterly amazing with the Vincent, and can play at live concert levels. Just bought and am waiting for a PrimaLuna Evo 100 tube integrated amp. If I like it better than the Vincent, then I'll sell the Vincent, but if I don't I'll have to return it for refund. The Vincent sounds so fantastic that there is a possibility I may like the Vincent better, have to wait and see.Update 7-13-2020:I've had the PrimaLuna Evo 100 int/amp for over a week, and it is amazing. I like it better than my Vincent SV-500, but it is over twice the price. The Vincent is a fantastic deal for 1k, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. The tube PrimaLuna has the holographic soundstage that you can get with a full tube int/amp. The thing about tube amps is you have to replace the tubes, and power tubes don't last that long, that and the heat, you have to put a tube amp out by itself on maybe a amp stand or a cutting board, so it can run a little cooler.

Ordered the amp based on price and reviews. Overall I think the amp is great and I love the hybrid aspect of the amp with the tube front end.As far as the seller...the amp I ordered was supposed to be silver. The amp I got was black. I did contact the seller directly and they did not return my calls. Not really sure how this happens since it is clearly labeled on the box the color of the amp.

Well built but that didn’t matter when I turned it on. Very poor sound. Looks great but sounds very cheap unfortunately.

Never heard of Vincent until recently. I was very surprised to learn they have been around for 25 years. I was planning on purchasing another hybrid amp, the McIntosh MA-252 to replace my 10+ year old Harmon/Kardon 3490. For those of you that don't know, the McIntosh is a $3500 amp. I figured at $1000, the Vincent was a small gamble that might pay big dividends. I think I chose wisely.I unboxed the unit last night and have not yet spent a lot of time with it. My first impressions are very good build quality. Nice hefty weight, aluminum chassis. Even the remote is metal and has a sturdy feel. Speaker bindings are easy to use and well-designed. Internal electronics including the torodial transformer look well well laid out, and clearly some serious design work went into it. Kind of looks Pass Labs-ish inside.Once fired up, I placed Elton John's Honky Chateau on the turntable. Immediately I can tell that this amp was more transparent and had a nice wide sound stage compared with the HK it replaced through my Klipsch Heresies. Very dynamic, but not harsh. Not at all "warm". I next played Heart's Dreamboat Annie. This was always a dynamic, "fat" recording. The natural warmth in the recording shone through, without any noticeable euphonics (at least not any bad ones). The dynamics blew me away. Totally rocked out on the Vincent!More to come on this...Update 2/3/20 - Spent several more hours with the amp over the previous week spinning 10 or more records over the period. Let's just say this is an amazing amp. The sound stage opened up both wide and deep. Detail is so good, even vocals have excellent decay. As clean and transparent as Decware amps with power and dynamics they don't have. Good separation of instruments. Amp is easily in Pass Labs territory at a fraction of the cost. 'Nuf said.

Been into music and audio since the early 70s. Owned and operated a high end dealership in the late 80s. Don't know how I missed this brand from Germany, but wow, loving the sound. No trace of solid state sound. It has depth and layers in the sound stage that are hallmarks of the best tube gear. Typical German quality and engineering evident here, inside and out. This ended up replacing $20k worth of full tube separates.I'm using it with 100db/w single driver speakers, and the sound is positively liquid in my setup. It helps that the first 10 watts or so are class A, that power range is where my speakers can blow you out of the room. I'm not a fan of delta sigma dacs, but when I ran a direct digital connection from a BlueSound Node to the dac input on the amp, I had no desire to use anything else. Whatever Vincent is using as a dac appears to be tuned to the amp. The remote is a heavy duty aluminum bonus feature. Also, packaging was very secure, with multiple box layers.Highly recommended!