Tube preamplifier Vincent SA-T7

[nUUK25]

How good is it compared with Emotiva XSP-1 gen.2 - they are nearly the same price. 

Appreciate knowledge shared.

LCB

[GeneZ]

The Vincent does not offer any balanced connections. For some that is very important.

 

 The Emotiva has what should be a very accurate volume control.

The Vincent has what appears to be a very good quality ALPS.

 

Both offer forms of tone controls.

 

The Vincent has tubes.  To some they prefer the slightly warmer sound. But, that does not make it more accurate.

 

No one can tell you which is better.   They can only tell you their biased opinion.  

 

If someone offers a 30 day return policy?  Find out where your own bias is at home.

 

Its the ways of hunting for good audio.

[bluesman]

On 1/18/2019 at 8:36 AM, nUUK25 said:

How good is it compared with Emotiva XSP-1 gen.2 - they are nearly the same price. 

 

As I recall, the Vincent is almost twice the price of the Emotiva. The major functional differences are that the Vincent has an onboard DAC with digital inputs and (again, as I recall - I may be wrong about this) lacks a phono stage.  The few Vincent products I’ve seen and heard have been excellent in brief encounters. I haven’t lived with one, and long term experience might help you more than I can.

 

On the other hand, I’m a long term Emotiva customer who loves their products, sound, and business style / practices. If they have a product that’s even close to what I need, I look at it first.

[nUUK25]

Ocay, I bought both amps with retur rights, to compare:

 

My gear :..

Martin Logan Electromotion X speakers

Power amps: Ghentaudio, 2 items Mono GA-M500P 225 watt in 8 ohm (Class D / ICEpower driven)

CD-player Simaudio Moon D260 (build in DAC)

 

Testet amps. 

Emotiva XSP-1 (2.gen) (Balanced transistor-based)

Vincent SA-T7 (Tube-preamp.)

 

Both testet amps has been through a 200 hour (one week) burn in period.

 

Emotiva XSP-1 (2.gen) is an excellent Preamplifier for the price. It is fully balanced, and so are my power amps and CD-player. 

I have to report that the balanced mode (all units in this mode) sounds less precise than the pure RCA mode - less detailed than the pure RCA. The only explanation I can come up with is that in order for the balanced mode to be just as precise/clear as the RCA mode, the trancisters used in the two circuits  has to be paired / measured, so that the they are exactly a like - place by place on the circuit ! That is what you pay for in a Martin Logan, Simaudio, or Bryston.

The Vincent SA-T7 is the most expensive pre-amp. in the Vincents Tube-line.

The Vincent SA-T7 (RCA-mode) is superior in most respects to the Balanced Emotiva.

Comparing the Vincent SA-T7 and the Emotiva EXP-1 only using RCA on both amps. was much more close and even. In fact it was very difficult for me to hear any difference at all !! 

I did detect a slight (some would say academic) difference: Instruments in classical music are often recorded with their own mic. which place them in their own acoustic room, so to speak. When sounds stop the tone fades out gradually in that acoustic room. On the Vincent SA-T7 it did gradually fade out. That might have enjoyment implications on long time listening sessions. On the Emotiva it sounded more like the sound evaporized - not a real gradual fade of sound in a room. 

To me that is a clear indication of higher precision on the Vincent SA-T7 - other audio characteristics were much the same on the two amps. Forget about warm sound on this tube-preamp Vincent SA-T7 - it has no or very little sound of its own - that's how it should be.

The Vincent has a DAC - the Emotive has a RIAA amp, and several filters.

 

I will recommend both amps but I prefer the Vincent.

 

Vincent SA-T7 bought for 2275 us $ in Denmark

Emotiva XSP-1 (2. gen) is 1825 us $ in Denmark

 

Regards to all

[bluesman]

On 2/23/2019 at 10:37 AM, nUUK25 said:

Vincent SA-T7 bought for 2275 us $ in Denmark

Emotiva XSP-1 (2. gen) is 1825 us $ in Denmark

Wow - the Emotiva is $1199 in the US! Now I understand why you considered the two to be in the same price category.

 

Enjoy your new preamp!

[nUUK25]

Yes we are government 'blessed' with 25 % WAT and transport cost from the US. + profit for the Danish importer / wholesaler we end up in that price category !! The Vincent is German and are sold there for 2500 € which is about 3030 US $ - the 2275 US $ was a bargain for me !!

[mav52]

On 2/17/2019 at 8:19 PM, GeneZ said:

The Vincent does not offer any balanced connections. For some that is very important.

 

 

 

Gene not true, maybe for the units that reside in the US but , they make a few pre-amps,  SA-94 for example and their SV-238 Mk integrated have balanced. https://www.vincent-tac.de/en/home.html

[GeneZ]

5 hours ago, mav52 said:

Gene not true, maybe for the units that reside in the US but , they make a few pre-amps,  SA-94 for example and their SV-238 Mk integrated have balanced. https://www.vincent-tac.de/en/home.html

 

The question of this thread was not about Vincent products in general. It was concerning specifically the Vincent SA-T7. 

 

Well, the SA-T7 does not offer balanced connections. And, like I said..  For some audiophiles that is important.  For others?  Makes no difference.

[mav52]

40 minutes ago, GeneZ said:

 

The question of this thread was not about Vincent products in general. It was concerning specifically the Vincent SA-T7. 

 

Well, the SA-T7 does not offer balanced connections. And, like I said..  For some audiophiles that is important.  For others?  Makes no difference.

 

I read into it, you were noting all Vincent products, my mistake..    Regarding balance vs un,  I can't hear any different in my pre-amps bal or un. 

[GeneZ]

55 minutes ago, mav52 said:

 

I read into it, you were noting all Vincent products, my mistake..    Regarding balance vs un,  I can't hear any different in my pre-amps bal or un. 

  Its not with the preamp alone.  It depends upon the entire system.  Only certain set ups will allow one to hear the differences. It requires a level of transparency that most will probably not even know is to be missed. I noticed a difference and have been staying there for about a year.  I plan to switch back at some point to be able to notice what the differences really are. You do not want to simply AB this sort of thing.  You need to live with it for a time and become very familiar with what you are hearing.