*Happy Holidays Everyone ! Have a good one :)* *PURCHASE LINKS:* Vincent Audio SV-237MKII (Silver): www.pangeaaudio.com/NEW-VISV237MKII-BLK_2 Vincent Audio SV-237MKII (Black): www.pangeaaudio.com/NEW-VISV237MKII-BLK RFT 12ax7 UPGRADE TUBES: www.thetubestore.com/rft-ecc83-12ax7 6N1P Replacement Tubes: www.thetubestore.com/russian-6n1p Arendal 1723 THX Speakers: arendalsound.com/store/product/1723-tower-thx/?refer=iyagi Buchardt S400 MKII Speakers: buchardtaudio.com/products/s400-mkii KEF LS50 META Speakers: howl.me/ciGEEJoQYfR Tekton LORE: tektondesign.com/product/full-range-speakers/full-towers/lore/#color *RELATED VIDEOS:* Arendal 1723 THX Speaker review: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7c22mfsEDgs.html Buchardt S400 MKII Speaker review: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PJRBMCA3FzI.html Kef ls50 meta speaker review: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hXKY8vFdqUs.html Support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jayiyagi follow on Instagram: instagram.com/jays_iyagi/ follow on Facebook: facebook.com/jayiyagiofficial Follow soundstage take 2 reviews: ru-vid.com/group/PLPOzvlhtSqn5xdc__ftuSt4Rxy_wm5Af0 Speaker stands: amzn.to/3ssRhI3 Better speaker stands: solidsteel.it/my-product/ss-7-vintage-hi-fi-speaker-stands/ acoustic panels I use: ua-acoustics.com/ acoustic curtain: amzn.to/31d1zAM BDI Cabinet I use: bit.ly/2OJRwQQ amzn.to/3chBuFZ other BDI Cabinets: bit.ly/3ctxXV1 amzn.to/30bsUCH my fav hifi tweaks: (Isoacoustics devices) amzn.to/3j5FGvM 0:00 Integrated Amplifier OF 2022 1:15 My PAST experience with HYBRID AMPLIFIERS 2:38 IS IT ENOUGH POWER? 4:07 Vincent SV-237MKII BUILD QUALITY REVIEW 6:10 WHATS SO SPECIAL? 8:00 Vincent SV-237MKII SOUND QUALITY REVIEW 13:18 DO I NEED TO CHANGE TUBES? 14:07 BEST TUBES FOR VINCENT SV-237MKII
My SV-237MKII arrived day before yesterday, been playing 24hrs since. At first I thought you were nuts, boomy bass, an electronic glaze through a slight fog. Ugh. Went away, just left it playing through the night and next afternoon when I returned for a listen. OK, you are not nuts, in fact, you are right on. This amp's sound is huge, rich, detailed, engrossing with all music. It brings guts to the lower mid-range and upper bass that just gives music real weight and presence--an area of slight improvement over my Enleum 23R. Honestly, kind of shocked because nothing has bested the Enleum for a couple of years--PL 25 INT, Vinnie Rossi L2iSE, Shindo GR70, Naim Supernait 3, etc. I might give the Enleum the slightest edge in 3 dimensionality, although I'm sure the SV-237MKII is still breaking in and I haven't done any tube rolling (dying to try a NOS Telefunken 12X7). You never know whose ears to trust in this biz until you take a reviewer to task and audition the gear. Although I still think--with all due respect--you're a bass head because this thing delivers incredible bass without any bump from the tone controls (disconnected my sub woofer as well). Of course room interaction has a lot to do with this. Amazing to me--as others have expressed--the SV-337 MKII has gotten more reviews. Kudos for brining it to our attention.
Just got my 237 mk. Vincent told me its sound is identical with mk2. And wow its great.. amazing Big step up from hegel h95 wich is only 3-4 dollars less. But the bass you talk about? I think its tight, Deep and precise so dont get you there. What i did found is that vincent has the loudness button on by default! Jeez 😅 yes then its too much, but Play it clean and its just perfect
Save some cash on the telefunken, and try a Sylvania 5751 triple mica black plate from the 50s. Took a rec from an experienced tube guy (said Tele too analytical) and this thing is completely transformed! So organic and alive, but also a total beast. Also, it loves very clean power. Hope you're still enjoying your amp 😊
I bought it a month ago. I bought the previous version, SV-237mk, which is absolutely the same in terms of sound according to Vincent, newer MKII version just adds bluetooth and only features. Everything you say is soo right! I paired it with my Klipsch RP-8000F (first version) and that pairing is amazing! I always struggled a bit with the fatiguing (not bright) nature of these horn tweeters, they were very detailed but these details were kinda slapping my eardrums harder than I wanted, even though my speakers are actually flat in frequency response. So this amplifier absolutely nails the perfect balance with my Klipsch - I get very punchy and quite warm musical presentation. I paired all this with Monolith THX 10 sub, crossed over at 40Hz, so I can use as much of the Klipsch's woofers as possible, because they are faster/punchier. Then, I crank up the bass tone control 2-3 dB, so it can boost not only the sub, but also the speakers' woofers part. The result is insane! At first I was underwhelmed by the sound of this Vincent amp, it sounded as if it had distortion in the high mid and high frequencies compared to my previous amp Cambridge CXA81 (which was really clean), but that's my first tube amp ever and I assumed it's just brand new and has to warm up. Its a bit better now, I can still feel the snappiness of details is a little bit "diluted" compared to my previous amp, but that doesn't sacrifice any details, it just represents them differently. I can listen to music/movies all freakin' day and even RU-vid videos with that compressed sound don't ever feel fatiguing. Some of my favourite songs are not mixed very well with some annoying high frequencies, but this amp makes them all sound much smoother and pleasant. Thanks Jay for helping me out with my journey!
I have the less expensive Vincent SV500, same hybrid idea and through my Tekton Lores the sound is fabulous, quite happy with the combination. A very voluptuous character in the mid range and lower end with brilliant highs.
hi, I have very similar system as you have(SV500 paired with Lore Reference), but has experienced ear piercing sound in upper-mid and higher range. Don’t you find this? I guess that derives from 12AX7 tube…
I have a nice solid state Integrated amp and every once in a while I turn the Integrated on to Processor Mode to use it just as a power amp with my Tube Preamp. With certain music I love it, it immediately widens the soundstage, adds better bass while just thickening the music notes a tiny bit, almost like rounding out every guitar pluck and singer's voice..a little closer to realism. I had finally found some tubes that did this while keeping the clarity and quietness of the solid state amp. And yes, unless you get lucky and find a newer tube that pairs well most great NOS vintage tubes from the 50's and 60's can be pricey. Fortunately I don't use any 12ax7's lol. So while my Integrated sounds great on it's own adding the Tube Pre upfront can really add something special to the music. I can totally understand why people are into these Hybrid amps, especially if they are well made and thought out.
Thanks for your review. I had this amp for two months and there is much to like. I’d also say it has a warm, full bodied sound and you’ll have to spend a decent amount of money to get a better DAC than the integrated one with this amp. Also looks spectacular. I wasn’t that impressed with the sound stage though and wouldn’t call it holographic at all. It also performs quite badly at lower volumes and using the loudness functionality for that messes with the sound a lot. The remote is super simple and feels great in the hand but the volume controls of the remote are useless, the steps are not fine enough, there are big jumps in volume with the remote. Also there was a noticeable hum on the right speaker with this amp, which got fixed but didn’t feel good that this happened. Maybe great when listening on higher volumes and when you are into warm sound with a quite dense soundstage but as this amp now costs 2500 Euros, 500 or 600 more than I was paying at the beginning of the year I find it somehow hard to recommend. I sold it and am happy with my Naim amp now.
I bought the sc 237 mk 2 and love it. Buchardt s400 mk2 coming Monday. Audioquest Niagara 1200 came today.Belden interconnects and Mogami 3103 speaker cable. I don’t have the knowledge like you do. So I appreciate your expertise! Plus I flew jets for 40 years and my hearing isn’t so good. Thanks Jay!
Yep. In the early 1980s I ran an audio research sp 12 with a dynaco st400 ......fantastic results.....rega 3/Denon mc/PS audio pre..... still have the dynaco wrapped up in a box can't part with it ..... Tube pre, solid state power. 👍
Not sure how in the heck I missed this review! It’s been a while since I’ve seen you this excited about an integrated amp. I’ve been wanting to get into a hybrid but had the same reservations. Great review (again)! Thanks Jay.
I usually don't use tone controls but last week I tried it with Radiohead on the Wharfedale Denton 85th and setting the treble at 11 o' clock made it sound better (or more listenable).
Super excited about this review as I really haven't seen too many reviews for Vincent products. I have had the Vincent SV-500 integrated for a while and love it. (great w/ my Schiit DAC & and Wharfedale towers) This product is a step up from mine, so thank you!!
Thanks Jay I personally been enjoying the NEW Freya Plus Noval tube Preamp I have already bought 5 sets of Pretubes (6N1P/ECC 88/6922/6DJ8/6CG7/6H6P) and with Schiit Audios 5 year Warranty hard to beat but it wont be for everyone nothing is lol 😃Video Review Coming Soon !
Just a heads up to anyone who owns or is thinking of nabbing this integrated, id highly recommend rolling out the 6n1ps! Some NEVZ black plates from the 60s, or same brand/age 6n1p-e with black boxed anode both made a remarkable difference paired with a Sylvania 5751 (12ax7) 3x mica black plate from the 50s. So very natural and organic sounding, with amazing acoustic mass 😁🤘
I have the Vincent SV 737...what tubes could I use to change the sound? the tubes that are inside are smaller tubes...is it worth me changing? @jakus , could you give me a link to the replacement tubes for my Vincent SV 737 ? I don't want to brick my amplifier😁
Don't mean to hog the comments, but one other key fact about the SV-237MKII is that it drives the LRS+ beautifully. As in drop dead. For about $6.5K with subwoofer, you have a giant killer. Beat $40K systems I've had in my room! Happy New Year!
I have the LRS+ as well and was hoping to hear the Vincent Mk2 served them well. Several folks asked Jay to comment but he hasn't done so. Can you expound on your experience with the LRS+ and Vincent Mk2 ? How are you connecting the sub, are you using the "pre outs" and a device between the Vincent and the sub for cross over ? Thanks in advance...
I been looking for an independent review of the Vincent product for a long time. I really appreciated your assessment. I would advise against over generalizing on a Tube amp's versus SS bass quality. I think the most important factor to getting great bass out of your speaker is its synergy with the amplifier as opposed to its typology. I own the Legacy Focus SE, a speaker I suspect you are familiar with. Its major failing is they are bass dominant when not placed correctly and I might add not paired with the right amplification. When mated with BAT VK 500, later a pair of BAT VK 255 SE mono-blocks, and Anthem Amp-1 they sounded decent, but the bass was still too much of a good thing. When hooked up to a pair of Zesto Eros 300's, Classe CAM 200's SS mono-blocks, and pair of Primaluna EVO 400's set up as Mono-blocks. The bass tightened up, the response was cleaner, tighter, and just as deep as the big gun BAT SS amps, without it overpowering you. What I found is. I could get the Focus to optimal performance with either valve or solid-state designs. The improvement in sound seemed dependent on the amp's voicing and its approach to bass handling. Not so much as a result of its typology.
@@Jayiyagi PHO-701 is a great value for its sound. It sounded great with the Tekton Lore BE. I sold it to upgrade to the Audiovalve Sunilda. Been looking for another one ever since. How was this amp with the Lore's?
I have a Vinent stack with a SA-32 pre, Sp-332 amp, and PHO-701 phono pre (among other things). A few thoughts on the pre: It sounds great, but I found the noise floor a little high. A tube upgrade to a decent Gold Lion from Upscale Audio made a big difference (for not much money) and made me really happy with the sound on MM cartridges. When I use the MC gain setting (for MC cartridges of course) I run into the noise floor again. I could probably rectify that with a really nice NOS tube, but I just started using my Parasound JC3-jr for MC and the Vincent for MM. I agree with Jay, though, the Vincent gear is wonderful. I have no desire to upgrade the amp or the pre.
I bought the Vincent PHO-701 Phono Pre-Amp a month ago i was thinking about starting with a cheaper one from NAD or a bit higher than that... but i was pretty sure i wanted to get a high end version. So got the PHO-701 and im blown away how much it changed from a stock intergrated phono input to a Hybrid Tube Pre-Amp it really lives. Now im planning to get the Vicnent SV-737 int. Amplifier and upgrade them later on with their 2 Mono Blocks And TBH they are decently priced. And because of regulations in the EU about electronics the quality is basically better than other western made amplifiers.
First reaction when I saw the title of this video and the little round glowing window in the thumbnail was "Jay is doing a Vincent!? Nobody does Vincent!" and when I've mentioned Vincent in past comments it tends to float off into space. I've only seen four Vincent RU-vid reviews and I've been searching for them. I've got the entry level SV-500 at 50w per channel that I bought about 3 years ago (just before everything went buns-up). It does have the same tube designations but a TI PCM5100-series DAC chip. The 500 is $1300 list now but it benefited from trickle down circuitry from it's more expensive kin and I'm pretty happy with it.
Hey Al - I have also been using the Vincent SV500 for a couple of years now - what speakers are you pairing? I am using the Klipsch 600M - everyone says Klipsch are too bright, which if that's true then the SV500 is doing an awesome job of taming them - I think it sounds wonderful. Are you using the internal DAC? I'm thinking about adding a Lumin D2 to the SV500 and bypassing the internal DAC. Thanks
Surprising. Selby Acoustics sells this brand in Australia. Never thought much about it, so your review opens my knowledge base up to this brand. Happy holidays to you too.
Jay, what a review. I can't recall you ever being so excited about a new product! I'm thinking about matching the Vincent with the new Magnapan LSR+ speakers (using a pair of REL T/7x subs I currently have). You mentioned the Vincent matched well with all your speakers and am wondering how well it would play with the Maggies, known to be demanding of high current amps.
Vincent sv236 sparked my interest in 2016 when I got back into vinyl but I could never make myself pull the trigger. I should have followed my gut instincts and purchased it.
If I was a bit rich a I would buy one and since it has the tuby pre out, I would buy a StarkSound class D monster power amp (or two even) for parties. And use my (under used) B&W 706s as reference speakers and lash out on some 10 grand Sonos Faber bookshelf speakers you reviewed. And use them for reference speakers for my speaker building hobby. I'm a point source nut but also want non point source reference speakers to compare the difference. I might buy some good coaxial speakers as well for reference. Cost nearly 50 grand (all up) but affordable if you are rich enough. I could build huge speakers for outside or for big rooms for tuppence. Sell them for way less and have a unique sound that most people love (so far). But you can't tell the difference with flat boring recordings. There has to be a bit of echo in the recording first, before my speakers can have that unique 3D subtle echo sound that I love so much. Along with my unique acoustic features, my speakers are a placed a meter from the wall and that helps the semi open cone acoustis a lot. 😅
Sounds wonderful Jay!!! I am sending in my PrimaLuna DiaLogue Premium HP (Monday 12/13 to Upscale Audio) to trade in for a Pathos InPol2 MkII. While a price difference of $7k after my trade, my demo of the Pathos last week was "WOW, what wonder drug". For many years I have heard good things about Vincent, and I was going to purchase a WILLSENTON R300, but now the time has finally come to go with a Vincent Audio SV-237MKII as a Christmas present to myself.
Really interesting to hear your thoughts on a hybrid valve amp like this. My first valve experience was with a hybrid from Unison Research, which was a Unico 150 and I was totally blown away with the magic airiness and I was in heaven - still one of my favourite amps under £5k. However, when I listened to a full cable amp from the same company, a Sinfonia, I was a little disappointed that the bottom end slam had pretty much disappeared, even if the airy top end and mid-magic was still there, and even further improved - I still missed the slam. Finally, I paired the full tube amp up with an active bass “hybrid” speaker, the Paradigm Founder 120H and it all came back, and this is still my favourite pairing to date 😊 Would love to hear your thoughts on these at some point - keep up the great work :)
Really a fan of Jay’s excellent reviews and style. The enthusiastic review of this unit has really got me tempted to buy one, especially the “jackpot” emphasis in the review… very good!
last week i returned my vincent MKll becuse it almost blew up my new polk L 600s . the amp shut down when pavarotti was singing nessum dorma at a 1/3 volume. i traded it in for a Marantz model 30 which has a very clear and delineated sound stage in between the speakers but no depth that one feels immersed in . i'm keeping the marantz because i trust it so far as opposed to not trusting the vincent which almost destroyed my speakers . the final straw was after about two days when i was lisenting at a low level and a huge pop occurred and the right speaker tripled in volume . if i was playing this speakers loud i might have damaged them . i love the sound of the vincent but i can't risk another episode like that .
i have the vincent sa-93plus pre and sp-993 amp from their solid state line its its a beast pure class a up to 60w. vincent makes great stuff, im now courius on their sa-t7 tube pre and monos.
I'm jealous of your black knob backers, I have the 237MK with silver, and it's less sexy lol. Otherwise it's the same unit minus bluetooth, but I'm so incredibly happy with it! Can't believe (actually can) you gave it integrated of the year!! There's only a tiny handful of reviews out there, and none on RU-vid. I was searching around for ever on weird side threads of audiophiles whispering about their favorite integrateds that blew doors on macs or other high dollar, high visibility products, found this and took a chance. Glad you love it so much, and also especially because others can know about the brand!! Have mine paired with Pontus II, s400mkii and REL s812, and I'm in sonic heaven! Enjoy your love affair bro! 😂🤘💞🎶
Your combination of components is what I'm striving for. I've got the Pontus II also. I'm saving towards a decent integrated amp and have been eyeing the S400MKII's also. If you can vouch for great synergy, I'll likely do the same as you. The only downside that I see is that this amp doesn't have xlr inputs for our Pontus II dac. What is your take on that?
@Mortimer Snerd Yes can certainly vouch for synergy, and someone else I made the rec to on a different group made the same decision and was very pleased, s400ii and Vincent😁 I don't have a long distance between Pontus and Vincent (which is, as i understand it, the main argument for balanced connection), so couldn't care less about balanced, I use SKW RCA and speaker cables and it's lacking nothing that I'm aware of, but of course you don't know what you dont know lol 😉 Would love to hear Jay's impression on the combo tho!
@Mortimer Snerd OH and if you do want or need balanced, the Vincent sv-700 is about 1500 more, but is apparently an absolute monster, reviews saying best they've ever heard etc :)
Great review. I had this one on my list earlier this year but instead went with the Pathos Classic Mk III. Partly on concerns about availability of the 6N1P tubes but mostly because the Pathos was just too darned sexy!! I love the sound of the Pathos amps too. The Vincent is a very cool looking amp. Their whole lineup looks great and very reasonably priced for audiophile gear. Can't wait to see what else makes your year end lists....cheers!!
12AX7 is ecc83 and you can find dozens of them from different producers and production times. ecc82 and ecc83 are probably the most rolled tubes in the tube world.
Jay, I bought the hybrid Billie Amp based on your (and Thomas’) review. Pretty happy with it, but looking for more bass warmth. How would you rate this vs the Billie? Thanks.
I'm trying to introduce tubes to my system. My best power amps are Hitachi HMA-7500 and Onkyo M-504. (I also own the matching preamps.) I've been told a tube buffer might be an option. Is there an article out there that covers tube buffers and preamps specifically. Not looking for something too expensive but I'm willing to spend a reasonable amount to upgrade the sound of my system.
Thank you very much for your always informative and entertaining videos! I love the Vincent brand. I use their CD 200 CD player and just ordered their phono pre amp.
I would like to have more information about the Audio GT speakers. They seem to sound Fantastic ! Vincent is so expensive that you can buy a Macintosh or Luxman , giving you a lot to consider. At the Vincent price range puts it up against a lot of killer amps. Macintosh makes a hybrid amp also. You are young, you’ll learn a lot in years to come.
Hey Jay, Based on your review and your sound preference, you should look into the Vincent SV-700. It doesn't have all the same features, but is a superior integrated in regards to sound and design. It allows the user to switch between Class A operation ( 50 watts into 8 ohms) and class AB operation (100 watts 8 ohms and 200 watts 4 ohms) and uses 1 12AX7 and 2 12AU7 tubes per side in a dual mono configuration. I installed some quality NOS tubes in mine and was super impressed with this integrated amplifier. It is an older model but it is still available and is a 53 lb beast with a massive toroidal transformer. I never understood why there is so little love for the Vincent brand in North America. Thanks for the great review.
Hi , Actually I was fortunate to try SV700 with 237 side by side . And still I have both the amps, but I'm returning the SV700 as I like the sound of 237 for some reason . It seems 237 is more musical, and 700 is more analytical. Hope this helps, you can try both if you have a chance
... and that is why I have always very *STRONGLY* preferred bi (tri) amping. Tubes to run the mids and highs, nice powerful SS to drive the low end 😁 'Best of Both'...
12:06 AnyOne running a Sub is Bi-Amping, which is no more complicated than running a sub. It's the same parts, preamp out to variable active crossover, out to amplifier & out to driver. DJ.'s and Bands tri- & quad- amplify regularly. It's not brain surgery. 🔈🔉🔊
Hi Jay, so cool you picked this amp for review. Where does it sit sonically vs. the Willsenton R800i? Enough midrange richness/euphonia or is it more neutral overall? Would you say (purely sonically) you'd prefer it to the R800i? They are in the same ballpark moneywise, and even look similar power consumption wise. Looking for my next amp to pair with the S400 Mk1. Thanks!
They are acclaimed hybrids out there: Unison Research Unico series, Copland CSA 100, Pathos, Rogue Audio, Prima Luna EVO300. So I'm surprised by your comment.
I guess just my luck. I tried all those brands before and the units I tried were all not what I was looking for in a hybrid. Doesn’t mean they sound bad and I certainly haven’t heard all models
@@Jayiyagi if you could SA-32 preamp. I also noticed many of the reviews for this involve the matching amp but I think for many of us we are mixing and matching amps, DACs and preamps.
hi. you would love the nos mullards and brimars 12ax7's on this amp. rft has strong low mids and bass but lacks air in comparison. ide go with mullard i63 if you liked rft ,you will get more clarity and the best ,richest low mids tubes can produce.
Great review Jay! On the fence between this amp and the Audiolab 9000A and the Buchardt i150. Need to drive Thiel SC2.3's in large area. Love tone controls+Loudness, cool if it had meters. But still sexy!
@@rmzidannwhich model is this vincent a clone of? They are not rebranded clones. From my understanding, It is designed in germany and made by shenya. I don’t see a problem with that
Little update here:) I bought this and was amazed by its sound. But had to know How it compared to hegel h190. Both hooked up to a ifi neo idsd dac(wich i love) i could not belive what the vincent was doing! It holds up and Even best the Hegel in some ways. And thats costing almost half! Amazing. Power is equal, vincent had more beautiful top end, little more silky. The 3d was a little better. The sound just makes you smile all day.. Its a very special unit that deserves a lot more fans. Im a little sad that vincent dont allow us to change the tube without destroying the warranty. Its a shame! But i asked and they didnt even allow me to use a professional workshop to do it for me😏 i want a psvane in it and also bought it. But cant use. I think the warranty is important in new gear. But still…. This is a keeper for real. Just try it! Maybe i now have to try the sv700.
Hi Kenneth, Can you say where the amp is made? Vincent seems to be a German brand but the products are very competitively priced for European manufacture. Thanks.
China i belive. Dont let it scare you! They are priced below competitors because of great choices made in the research and components choices i think. Also tested it against a Marantz Model 40n. Vincent clear choice there!
Hi Kenneth , Actually I was fortunate to try SV700 with 237 . And still I have both the amps , but I’m returning the SV700 as I like the sound of 237 for some reason . It seems 237 is more musical , and 700 is more analytical. Hope this helps , you can try both if you have a chance .
@@khallgrimsen, I have been waiting to hear the comparison to Marantz 40n but offcourse with the smaller brother the SV228. I have heard the Marantz sound signature . Can you pls let me know what aspect did you prefer of the Vincent over 40n . Are the highs of the Vincent smoother and fatigue free ? Thank you.
Thanks. I’ve seen these at Audio Advisor and thought it was their brand. The last decent hybrid tube I heard was Counterpoint’s 200 wpc monster. An Sa20 I think. But that was in the 80s.
Hi Jay, great channel! I am happy to see a reviewer finally try/review a Vincent product. I owned a 236mk for several years and loved it. Your comments and experience are similar to mine. I miss the amp…save for one issue, and reason I sold mine…the volume control…had severe, large steps, making the remote rather useless. Did you experience any issues with this newer model ? Cheers, Sam
If you ever want to swoop it again, I found a simple fix for this! The remote is extremely sensitive, so if you want to go a smidge higher volume, go fastest-touch down, then slightly longer hold up. Works for me, tho it still passes me off a little lol
Hi Jay! Great review! I have the same passion for my SV-237MK and I totally subscribe your opinions. I have several speakers and sources but the combination with Belden 9794 speaker cables and Quad 11L is surprising... even more than with the Kef LS50. Also I find it in another league than the Rogue Sphinx, a natural competitor. This is a unique gem indeed :)
Great review! Makes this guy who has never spent more than a thousand bucks on an integrated think about upping my game. You are a wonderful salesman. I tried the totem tribes because of your review. I imagine audio companies are very willing to send you stuff for a trial period.
Haha. Thanks Larry. Companies do give me trial periods for reviews. I think good products sell themselves, I just report. I pick and choose what I am interested in. :)
I feel very much the same 🤣. I wonder if I should by this and suitable tone controls with amp power and not forgetting the tube/value influence. Sounds like it has it all.
If you can live with a very conservatively rated 50w per channel, there's the Vincent SV-500 hybrid integrated amp for $1300 list but It's almost always listed for $100 less. You lose the bluetooth but gain an extra analog input. There are a couple of very positive YT reviews of it, except that one reviewers was disappointed with the DAC.
Nice review! I have had the first 237 for some years now, and I have to admit the sound this amp produces is marvelous. I have it paired with Tannoy Xt8fs, and it is fed with a Hugo 2 DAC connected to a node 2i as a streamer. I would recommend changing the stock tubes if they still sell the amp with the same ones they did back then. I spent a tone of time rolling the 12ax7 till I found what I liked the most, which turned out to be Telefunken. My wife and I both prefer the long smooth plates, they seem to work very well in combination with the Russian tubes you already highlighted in my system. By the way, did you try it with the CSS 1td-x or do you not have them any longer? I will likely get a kit in the coming days but anything you can share it will be much welcome! I just got really curious after watching your comparison review. I was thinking to connect the CSSs to the Vincent. I also have a Yaqin MC13s with russian EL34 equivalents and NOS Mullard in all other positions but you seemed to suggest in your review the 1TD-xs liked power so I suppose the Vincent will be a better match right? Thanks!
Hi there. Your comment about changing tubes got me thinking. I’ve had the Vincent SV-500 for a few years and love it. At some point I’ll want to replace as I listen for hours everyday. Any recommendations? It uses 1 x 12AX7, 2 x 6N1. Thank you!!
@@sammymiami8601 Hi Sam, I am afraid I do not know the difference between a 6N1 and a 6N1P and I would not want to mislead you. As 12Ax7 I would think the Telefunken as well but I am sure there are threads on this topic for the SV500 as there were for the 237. What I can say is that what was recommended by others online for the 237 was in fact the best choice for my amp. I spent a lot (I mean a looooot) of money to prove them right. I had a blast though :) As collateral I did get a good library of tubes and it has served me well with a Yaqin MC13s I bought later on. The one thing that for me made a noticeable difference for the 237 that was also out there but not as clear, was that the Telefunken long smooth plates sound a little better that then ribbed plates. Nevertheless the ribbed plates also were very good, and quite an improvement over the stock tubes IMHO. They provide sound that is much richer and with better imaging, soundstage, and instrument separation as opposed to the stock tubes. Even if I can hear all of the instruments it is not distracting as it can be sometimes with other amps, it is just very musical, sweet and well balanced, it never gets fatiguing or old.
I've been looking at this amp for some time but the only place I know of that carries it in my area (Montreal) doesn't offer the possibility for in store demo, let alone home demo. I never buy large ticket gear blind, non matter how many glowing reviews it got.
Hi there I had 237mk for 4 month. My issues was.. It was a bit noisy and lacked some resulotion against marantz model 30 Who was on repair. Anyway nice review. And I agree its a Nice integrated. Was a bit torn about Who to sell.. Anyway got michi x3 now and are very happy 🤓
I agree with the lack of resolution from the Vincent. But for the money it’s not bad at all. I replaced mine with Vincent monos SP-T700’s which was superior & then with Mcintosh MA5300 which was superior again. IMO
@@Jayiyagi nice that your unit was quiet . Mine was as noisy that i heard it from about 50cm . I dont have so sensitive speakers contour 30i /88db . After change stock tube the treble was alot better . With stock not so . I thing they change stock tube in mk 2 to the one i changed to myself from Vincent recommendation . Might be that i dont have ground/jordat power in my room . Anyway very powerfull and nice sounding amp . Keep it up 👍🏻 You should try rotel michi x3 i think you would love it 🥰
Great review..considering this amp now. Jay I have a Denafrips Ares 2. So I wonder if I go with the older MK or newer Mkii. Apart from Bluetooth does MKii offer any sonic improvements or difference to the older MK.
I first experienced tubes with the Mckintosh ma 252. Loved the sound. Then i heard your reviews of willsenton r800i and the vincent audio sv 237 mk 2. Are the last two as good as the Mckintosh? Am unable to get a demo in Mumbai , India.
Hello Jay! I am looking at the Vincent Audio SV-737 which is in stock.. however it uses a different DAC, and likely has different sound characteristics. Any chance you've also heard the 737?
A few years ago when I was looking at larger integrateds, there were several I was eyeing and the final ones came down to this one, the Parasound Hint and the Hegel h160. I liked the sound of the Hegel better than the Hint and was able to pick one up for a similar price as the other two. So I went with the Hegel for the best overall package offered. I still have it today but am considering selling it as I am downsizing...well everything. I looked at several smaller, and lighter options and came away with a Keces E40 which to me offers the best combination of attributes I needed. Used that in my system now for a couple of years and while it can't match the Hegel toe to toe in every category, it comes very close in many. The Hegel has much more output in watts and current drive, can drive speakers dipping well under 4 ohms, a smidge more high end extension and is slightly freer of grain, etc. At the SPLs I listen at and the speakers I have tried with the Keces, it is a close second for me and still reasonably priced. If one didn't need the sheer power of a larger amp, surprisingly, the little integrated (and I mean little, class AB) does very, very well. It isn't marketed well at all but it has a following. For anyone looking for a nice class AB in a small form factor that can put out sufficient power, I say give it a try. It is sold in most every country. I picked up a second one recently for desktop use. No tone controls, no XLR, but it has a nice MM stage, two RCA inputs as well as a Pre out for use as a pre or to hookup a sub. It even has a usb input for use on the fly limited to 16 bit, 44 khz playback, but hey, who doesn't own a dac nowadays? Forgot, the headphone input is a decent convenience as well. I I were to revisit a larger unit again, I would still consider the Vincent, among a few others. But for now, I find alot of satisfaction with the Keces e40. I have gotten really good results with most speakers I have tried with it. The most difficult was the Dali Menuet SE which dips well below 4 ohms over a large frequency range and which is a 1 watt.2.83 v sensitivity in practice of about 83 dB, so the little amp gets quite warm at the needed SPLs but the less expensive Opticon 1 MK1s which is 88 dB (in practice) and goes no lower than 4 ohms are an easy drive. And I liked the SQ better overall of the less refined speaker as well. Sometimes more refined is too refined and it sucks the life out of a speaker. A give and take. I think the Keces is capable of driving standmount or small floor standing speakers up to 4X its cost as long as the speakers don't need gobs of high current or you listen at very loud levels, say well over 90 dB much of the time.
Good comment, if much of it over my head. I have a large space with 15 ft ceilings, and am eyeing either Magnepan 1.7i or Eminent Tech LFT-8C speakers, both hard to drive. Since you're familiar with the two int amps I'm looking at -- Hegel and Vincent 237MkII -- I thought I'd ask you if the Vincent has the current and damping to make the Maggies sing? Thanks.
Jay how do the Arendal speakers compare to the Tekton Double Impact? I want the double impact but want to know speakers that compete with them.I currently own the Wilsenton R8 based on your recommendation, and love it. Would this amplifier be sufficient for these speakers?
Hey jay would this be a nicer warmer easygoing amp compared to the Hegel h390 I have at the mo . Using with Dali helicon 2s which have no bass when used without a sub .
How does this stack up with the galion ? I’m looking to downsize my separates to a integrated. My short list s this and the galion. I’m moving on from a rogue rp1 and a atoll am200 power amp. I’m using jmr speakers
oh absolutely but the choice of the chip still do matter just like how coffee beans still matter in the hands of a master barista. But yes, implementation matters more
I'm wondering how much of the qualities of the SV-237 MKII rolls down to the SV-228 (I need to drive two pair of speakers). I am in the market for an integrated, in my secondary system, to replace a Parasound NewClassic 200 preamp & NewClassic 2125v2 amplifier that was taken out because of a lightning strike. My main speakers are a pair of Polk Audio LSiM705's.
The RFT is great sounding nos tube...............VERY underrated ............but used by great brands .........They relabel it with the brand name to mask the original brand name ..............Conrad Johnson..............Luxman etc .........
