The definition of “hybrid” in relation to Hi-Fi can quite predictably evoke mixed emotions equal to the concept itself. And this is quite natural – in the sphere of audiophile technology, it is customary to think in polar terms in relation to each other, sometimes truly religious absolutes, but such are the laws of the genre and the rules of the game, so fascinating for many of us. Orthodox adherents of tube sound find it difficult to understand inveterate fans of transistor circuits, and lovers of the vinyl ritual have difficulty perceiving the sound of shiny digital discs.
But, nevertheless, in reality, sometimes not everything is so exaggerated and often you can see defectors from one camp to another. There are many reasons for this – from the banal desire to try something “completely new” to more serious, multifaceted prerequisites – for example, when your tube muse or transistor “god from the machine” no longer shower you with emotions as generously as before. And instead of rushing from the frying pan into the fire, sometimes you would like to find a successful compromise, and, with little bloodshed, so to speak, to take a peek at what is happening on the other side. Today we will talk about one of such solutions – the Vincent SV-500 hybrid amplifier.
The design idea itself, contained in this product of the German concern Sintron, is certainly not new. To supplement a warm, airy tube circuit with the speed and pressure of a transistor – we have seen such things before, not least thanks to the brainchild of the bright minds from Vincent, who have eaten a dog in this matter in many ways. However, it was decided to go even further and try to create not just a serious hybrid amplifier, but also make it affordable in terms of price. Whether they succeeded or not – I will try to figure this out now.
Vincent SV-500, which nomenclature belongs to the Powerline series, was developed on the basis of the extremely successful amplifier in its genre, Vincent SV-227. Externally not very different, but more compact, SV-500 borrows from its older brother the general circuit solution, having, however, a serious difference in the preamplifier cascade, due to three lamps, one 12AX7 and two 6H1. Also, the device is equipped with a solid toroidal transformer with a declared output power of 250 W.
As for the appearance, the amplifier is minimalistic and strict, the only detail that stands out against the general ascetic background is, perhaps, the inscription with the brand name. The front panel, in addition to the input selector and volume control knobs, is also equipped with a tone block, a headphone output and a mute button. There is also a typical LED in the volume knob for the company’s devices, which notifies about the degree of the system’s starting warm-up – while the device is coming to combat readiness, the LED blinks brightly, turning off upon completion of the preparatory process. Of course, like any tube device, to reveal the full sound potential of the Vincent SV-500, it will take at least an hour or two, but if you need a quick turn on, you will only have to wait about a minute, after which you can safely start the music. The kit also includes a stylish aluminum remote control.
The back of the device is designed in a restrained but functionally capacious manner. It is equipped with four analog linear unbalanced inputs, one output for recording, and an output for use as a preamplifier. In addition, there is a separate group “for digital”, which has both an optical input and a terminal for a coaxial cable. There are four acoustic terminals – two per channel. There is also an input voltage selector and an output for triggers.
Vincent SV-500 turned out to be a really successful attempt to create a “people’s” hybrid amplifier – for its price, it surprisingly manages to combine the advantages of an outstanding transistor, which gives the sound composure and proper set, with the harmony and sophistication of a lamp, bringing the necessary emotionality and atmosphere to music where the genre requires it. Together with convenient and outstanding functionality, as well as a discreet but polished appearance, Vincent SV-500 can rightfully be considered a worthy amplifier for both those who are just beginning to get acquainted with the multifaceted sphere of Hi-Fi sound, and for people looking for something new, but not much beyond the framework of their usual approach.
Vincent SV-500 Specifications
- Power 8 Ohm, W 2 x 50
- Power 4 Ohm, W 2 x 80
- Frequency range, Hz-kHz 20 – 20
- S/N ratio, dB 90
- Harmonic distortion factor, % 0.1
- Input impedance 47 kOhm
- Audio DAC Tube
- configuration 1 x 12AX7, 2 x 6N1
- Remote control
- Inputs: Coaxial 1 x S/PDIF (RCA), Optical 1 x Toslink, Analog audio 4 x RCA
- Outputs: Analog audio 2 x RCA, Acoustic 2 pairs
- Headphones 1 x 6.3 mm
- Other 2 x 3.5 mm trigger
- Dimensions, mm 430 x 118 x 375
- Weight, kg 10
