Anyone tried out Vincent Audio Intergrated?

I've auditioned their hybrid 150w integrated (I assume we're talking about the same model--cost around $1200) and it was exceptional, as was their cd player. Very warm, tube-like sound and lots of low-end grunt.

Model SV 226 Hybrid is the one.

That Vincent 236 integrated is a beast...a friend has one and it's a serious piece of gear that's imposingly larger in person than in pics...and sounds really good.

Isn't this amp basically the house brand for one of the larger catalog retailers? They seem to market their gear toward the less technically savvy audiophile. They include things like tone controls and remotes, and place an emphasis on 'modern' conveniences. I believe they are a German-owned company which assembles primarily in the far East (probably china). I've not heard about long term reliability with the Vincents. I've always been just a little bit suspicious of them, even though I've had success with another amp mfg who builds in China. However, Vincent markets as an 'upscale' line, and doesn't much admit where they manufacture - you have to really dig around their site.

rwineer, as best as i can ascertain vincent is the trademark of a german company, sintron, which outsources its production to the chinese company shengya. shengya also markets its own branded,lower-priced identically-spec'd products; it's not crystal clear whether the shengya-branded products are identical to the vincent-branded products, or which company designs which (according to 6 moons, some models are common to both brands, while others are specific to asian/western markets). irrespective, as i've noted above, the vincent products i've heard are superb and very, very good values. this is not bose--i.e. overhyped stuff marketed to the unwary--but very well-reviewed, real audiophile-grade gear which is carried by reputable dealers.

Ok,that's very good to know. I didnt mean to impugn it; I just had some reservations. Thank you for removing most of them for me. :)

The Vincent 150 wpc hybrid power amp was considered THE sub $1K amp (at the time) in the TAS review. That was around 5 years ago.

Nothing stands still. I recommend you listen to a Marantz PM8004 integrated amp (with built-in phono stage, no less) at $999 list before you buy anything near this price list. It's rated at 70 wpc but you really need to hear it. I've never heard a $999 amp power a $12.5K pair of speakers (Sonus Faber Cremona M) the way these did.

Since you're using a subwoofer in your system (per your system link), you might consider the HK 990 integrated amp at $1500-$2000, new on-line. It's unique AFAIK in that it combines a terrific 150WPC Matt Otala (Citation, Electrocompaniet) designed power amp section with digital x-over/room correction capability. IME, it's hard to beat the digital domain approach to subwoofer integration and, if you're feeling purist and/or analog, you can defeat the DSP (losing the subwoofer, though) at the touch of a remote.

Good Luck

Marty