VINCENT SV 236??

Hi to everybody....sorry if i speak english nut i'm italian and ich kenne nur wenig deutsch....enschuldigen sie bitte!

No problem.

do you think the amplifier is good?

It depends. I have owned a Vincent SV 236 amplifier for about a year and a half and only recently switched to a higher-grade amp, a change necessary because of my new speakers.

And here's the thing: I don't know the Klipsch speakers. What are they like? Are they "warm" in character, bass-heavy or more analytical. My problem was that the KEF Reference speakers I bought needed a warm-sounding amplifier to provide them with more body in the lower registers. This the Vincent could not offer, despite having a tube preamp section. The Vincent itself is more analytical and on the "bright" side, which came as a surprise to me when I bought it. I did not like it with the JM Lab Cobalt speakers I used previously, and much less with the new ones.

So, if your speakers are more "boomy" than mine, i.e. they have enough bass control themselves, THEN the Vincent might be a good partner, as it provides very good detail and doesn't add to the bass. Otherwise, look for something different.

did you any have problems with it?

Other than the issues named above, there was one quibble with the built: the volume-control is motor-driven (it comes with a remote with vol. control), but the volume switch on the unit itself gets stuck at about 1-4 volume, so you have to turn it manually if you're listening to classical music, or if you have not-so-sensitive speakers.

The built itself is great: it's sturdy, comes with solid bi-wiring terminals, and it's powerful enough (more than 100 watt/8 ohm) to drive any speakers. However, if I were a Vincent (the brand is actually called "ShengYa", Vincent is the brand for overseas marketing) engineer, I wouldn't have had the poor grace of using an orange color(!) for the tube illumination in the front, combined with a baby-blue(!) LED for the input selection. That's just horrible on a black unit (such as mine), though it might look less cheesy on the silver-colored version of the 236.

where can i buy in deutschland from internet at best price? in italy it costs 1200 euro....can i spend less?

I'm afraid that is the price in Germany too. You won't find many sellers who offer them for less than 1,150, unless they're from the showroom. Good luck.

Regards, Thomas

No problem.

Thank you

And here's the thing: I don't know the Klipsch speakers. What are they like?

www.klipsch.com ....products....reference series....rf 25...

they have horny tweeter......97 db!!!! great woofers....
they need a warm amp i think.....not too much power because of it's efficiency.....but a warmer amp....

they are not warm as kef....they are more how can i say....cold??? analitical as you said??

do yuo think sv 236 would be good?? here in italy is considered from the press and internet sites a very good amp....

Other than the issues named above, there was one quibble with the built: the volume-control is motor-driven (it comes with a remote with vol. control), but the volume switch on the unit itself gets stuck at about 1-4 volume, so you have to turn it manually if you're listening to classical music, or if you have not-so-sensitive speakers.

so it doesn't work if you turn the volume a lot???

However, if I were a Vincent (the brand is actually called "ShengYa", Vincent is the brand for overseas marketing) engineer, I wouldn't have had the poor grace of using an orange color(!) for the tube illumination in the front, combined with a baby-blue(!) LED for the input selection. That's just horrible on a black unit (such as mine), though it might look less cheesy on the silver-colored version of the 236.

nooo really...i think i'll go and see it....

thanks
David

they have horny tweeter

Really.

......97 db!!!! great woofers.... they need a warm amp i think.....not too much power because of it's efficiency.....but a warmer amp....

Well, in that case, the Vincent is pretty much out of picture. It's useful if you need more power, but if your speakers are THAT sensitive (specs actually say 94db, but that's still excellent), I would STRONGLY recommend trying out a pure tube amplifier with about 2x30 watts or someothing like that, i.e. if you don't want to use the combi for parties.

Pure tube amplifiers deliver a smoother sound than both Mosfet or tube/mosefet amps, but they can't carry demanding speakers. But they're perfect for sensitive ones, i.e. iof the room is not too big.

Modern tube amps available are the Cayin T 30 and 35 (difference is mainly a different set of tubes). Like the Vincent, they're from China (actually, they have the same distributor here), and their price/performance ratio is very good indeed. They also cost about 1,200 euros. OR, you may try and find a dealer at your place that can offer vintage tube amps, or pre/power amp tube combos. The rule is: YOU MUST TRY THEM OUT IN YOUR OWN HOME. Only that way you'll find out if they're strong enough.

An alternative would be a warm-sounding MOSFET amplifier, such as the Electrocompaniet ECI-3 from Norway. It usually costs about 2,200 US$, but because the company has an anniversary or something, they're available at about 1,500, and well worth that money. I tried out an ECI-4 (same design -inside and out- as ECI-3, but more power) for my KEFs, and it sounded wonderful at low volumes, but sadly couldn't carry my KEFs for classical music. I bet that if you're looking for a warm-sounding AMP for about 1,500, nothing can beat the Electrocompaniet. It should certainly be strong enough to carry the Klipsch. See if you can find a dealer for that in your neighborhood.

Price is always an issue, but it's not the most important one. I gladly pay a hundred or so Euros more if a local dealer can lend me an amp over the weekend, so I really get to hear it before I buy the wronmg unit and then have to sell it down the river.

I also wouldn't rule out USED amplifiers. If there is a type of hifi unit that you can buy used without worrying too much about its age, it's an amp. Just get one from a dealer, so you'll have warranty. My experience with eBay on that matter has been rather bad (scratches not mentioned, technical problems, no original invoice to cover the rest of the warranty etc), so I will NEVER AGAIN buy a used unit from a private seller at eBay. But dealers have to offer 1 year warranty on used items too, at least in my country (and I believe that's true throughout the EU - just go and ask).

Me, I went for a used ASR Emitter amplifier at about 1-3 of its original price (still, 2,200), which offers everything I need: warmth, power, great sound-staging. I would never have been able to afford an amp of even remotely similar quality new.

so it doesn't work if you turn the volume a lot???

It does, but the motor poti does not. You have to turn the volume control manually on the front of the unit. It's a minor issue really, but ALL Vincents I had (three in total) had that very same problem.

nooo really...i think i'll go and see it....

I forgot to mention that you can dim the illumination on the tube. But still, it looks rather cheesy.

With a budget of about 1,000 to 1,500 euros, there are almost INFINITE possibilities, but my prime recommendations remain: the Electrocompaniet, or a pure tube amplifier (new or vintage) - if neither of those can make your system sound warm, then nothing else (but different speakers) will.

Hey, you can always buy my Vincent.

Cheers, Thomas

hi,

i compared the vincent sv236 (tube), vincent sv233 (transistor)as well as the unison research unico (tube).
i decided for the unico. in my opinion it sounds best of them 3.
by the way... the unico is made in italy and the processing is outstanding. so possibly u will find a big please on it.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/unisonresearch/unico.html

greez
stere0

Yes, but if you have 94db+ speakers, you don't need a tube/mosfet combo. The mosfet will INEVITABLY detract from the tube warmth.

Cheers, Thomas

thank you for th replies....

Thomas....i said horny tweeter!! I don't believe it....

anyway I think Klipsch RF 25 has 97db, maybe you've seen the bookshelf model.....but it's the same thing!

Are you really sure the tube is the best solution? I didn't ear them together....maybe i'll don't like them....or maybe a lot!!

i have heard klipsch rf 25 with an Arcam A65 plus....and I liked a lot....
but almost all people i asked said to me the best choice is a tube amp with small watt or an ibrid amp....

then others that say tube or ibrid is only fashion in this period and a transistor would be great with them!

the question is: with a tube or ibrid you losses basses or the sound become warm but not attractive?? or it's only a legend? maybe depends from the amp chosen?

i like rock,har rock, metal....maybe a tube is too warm for this kind of music?


For StereO:
why did you prefer the unico? with what speakers did you use it?

Thanks everybody!
Good evening

David

with audiophysic sparc 2, b&w cdm7 nt and with phonar p40.

greez
stere0