I have gotta stay away from Gold Sound in Denver:yes: So here is the story, I stopped in to have a look at some pre-amps. My Kenwood Basic C2 flaked out. The balance control is acting up and after a cleaning it still wants drop a channel. Well worth a repair but have not taken it in. The Kenwood Basic C1 out of my back up system has been used with good results, but I have to adjust the sides on my Yamaha M-70 power amp as the left plays louder than the right on phono. So I go in to have a look:scratch2: I am presented with 5 pre-amps. A Quad which is highly rated, but I didn't care for the face. A Rogue Audio which is a Hybrid (bare with me please) and a couple of Parasounds. Now I love the look of the silver (sorry I don't remember the model). But I keep coming back to the Vincent SA-31. It's sound was warmer than the Parasound models.The salesman says that the Vincent is as close to tubes as you can get with SS (bare with me please). But, I need Phono and want MM/MC. They have a nicely priced Vincent Phono Pre. hmmm....well, I have been looking at vintage, but with the Basic C2 down and the Basic C1 also needing some work.....what does a man do when the Girlfriend has stayed in the truck and the music is flowing?
Yup
Now, I have previewed Vincent before at the RMAF. I have read about it in Stereophile. And I could have sworn that Vincent did Tubes (bare with me please). So I get home and go straight to the listening room and hook it all up. I fire up the Vincent. I grab the Owners Manual.......hummmm what does it say on the front?.....Hybrid-Stereovorverstarker......The Girlfriend comes in and has a listen......She says "Sounds nice"...... (I have to buy her a ring) I say yeah It does sound VERY nice. Surprisingly warm for solid state (bare with me please) She says shes going to take a nap. So I sit back and listen........hum. Then I get up and go online and look up Vincent SA-31. WAIT A MINUTE
I move the Vincent phono pre that was sitting in the upper left hand corner, and what do I see?
Anyway, I am very impressed with the Vincents....
Yup
Now, I have previewed Vincent before at the RMAF. I have read about it in Stereophile. And I could have sworn that Vincent did Tubes (bare with me please). So I get home and go straight to the listening room and hook it all up. I fire up the Vincent. I grab the Owners Manual.......hummmm what does it say on the front?.....Hybrid-Stereovorverstarker......The Girlfriend comes in and has a listen......She says "Sounds nice"...... (I have to buy her a ring) I say yeah It does sound VERY nice. Surprisingly warm for solid state (bare with me please) She says shes going to take a nap. So I sit back and listen........hum. Then I get up and go online and look up Vincent SA-31. WAIT A MINUTE
I move the Vincent phono pre that was sitting in the upper left hand corner, and what do I see?
Anyway, I am very impressed with the Vincents....
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