Thinking about an Integrated

verb

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Peachtree sounds great...

https://www.peachtreeaudio.com/nova300-amplifier-with-dac.html

I love mine!

mhardy6647

please tell me that blue thing isn't a vacuum tube.

verb

mhardy6647 wrote: »

please tell me that blue thing isn't a vacuum tube.

Doc it indicates whether the input stage is SS or tube! This baby is switchable via remote control!

Mikey081057

Doc the Blue Light is "Special".... I have used my Nova 125SE in a variety of rigs, Mine is now like 4 years old and it sounds great...

Certainly something to consider if you had limited space and need something that can drive just about anything.

mhardy6647

I have no doubt that it's a nice component.

but...

LEDs under tubes is just wrong.
Just.
Wrong.

It's like... I dunno...




or



or even



for that matter.


Yes, McIntosh... I'm lookin' at you, too!

erniejade

I just read up on that JBL Authentics L16. supposedly goes down to 35HZ? Looks interesting for sure.

displayname

erniejade wrote: »

I just read up on that JBL Authentics L16. supposedly goes down to 35HZ? Looks interesting for sure.

It goes deeper than you'd think, but it is fairly one note. It checks all the fun and easy boxes.

joecoulson

Doc I absolutely agree!! tubes with LED's under them ugh!


my Vincent has them mounted next to the tube - much more civilized

WLDock

kevhed72 wrote: »

Alright....I spent all weekend at a swim meet looking at integrateds online...and here is a short list:
1. Marantz PM 14 s1
2. Dayens Ecstasy 2 or 3
3. Vincent SV700 but this really pushes the budget
4. Rogue Audio but the Pharaoh pushes the budget.
5. Cambridge Audio 840
Any other contenders out there?

I've been looking at Vincent Audio stuff myself. I'm hoping 2019 pans out better than past years for my second room system. If I don't get the KEF LS50 Wireless I'm looking at an integrated. I've been keeping an eye out on Chicago area craigslist and recently ran across a cool unit. Its an Audio Research VSi60. I understand that these are supposed to be great sounding units. However, I've never listened to one nor know anything about the blown resistor issues that some have reported.
https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/ele/d/milwaukee-audio-research-vsi60/6777540091.html



Also, I'm considering taking a chance on a hybrid ShengYa unit from China-hifi-audio.com. As I understand it, they manufacture Vincent Audio units.

https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/shengya-audio-cd-player-amplifier-c-12/shengya-a-88-wireless-hybrid-amp-transistor-integrated-tube-amplifier-bluetooth-p-2129?zenid=1a25de804acf3725da6a9b2bdd9ca2f9

https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/shengya-audio-cd-player-amplifier-c-12/shengya-a17cs-hybrid-class-a-tube-integrated-amplifier-p-218?zenid=1a25de804acf3725da6a9b2bdd9ca2f9

https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/shengya-audio-cd-player-amplifier-c-12/shengya-a-17csii-stereo-integrated-amplifier-transistor-vacuum-tube-hybrid-amp-p-2126?zenid=1a25de804acf3725da6a9b2bdd9ca2f9

https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&categories_id=&keyword=Shengya

Also, there is someone on AVS forums selling a slick SimAudio Moon 240i integrated and Philharmonic BMR Philharmonitor speakers. On hell of a combo for $2250!
https://www.avsforum.com/forum/209-audio-gear/3044608-fs-philharmonic-bmr-speakers-simaudio-moon-240i-integrated-amp.html

kevhed72

This could end up being a steal and Im in a beg for forgiveness type of mood:

stangman67

I loved my ai-3000! Sounds great, power for days and it’s just so damn nice to look at. Beware it is friggin huge

kevhed72

stangman67 wrote: »

I loved my ai-3000! Sounds great, power for days and it’s just so damn nice to look at. Beware it is friggin huge

I am in a beg for forgiveness type of mood and Im pretty sure my Salamender stand is deep enough...

Clipdat

kevhed72 wrote: »

Im pretty sure my Salamender stand is deep enough...

Measure twice, cut once.

Hermitism

kevhed72 wrote: »

This could end up being a steal and Im in a beg for forgiveness type of mood:

Twice I almost bought an integrated amp from them (overtureaudiovideo) on eBay. They have some killer deals because they start with low starting bids and they let the demand dictate the selling price, rather than putting up a giant starting bid and having it get relisted over and over again. Not sure if all their auctions are like that, but I was keeping an eye out for a Marantz integrated and they had two come up when I was looking for one. I ended up buying from someone else, so I can't speak to their shipping practices, but they have 100% positive feedback. Good luck!!

Hermitism

They put a Reserve Price on your auction. I've never understood that. A person's starting bid should be reserve price or the least they'll take for it. I wish eBay would do away with reserve prices.

halo

WLDock wrote: »

kevhed72 wrote: »

Alright....I spent all weekend at a swim meet looking at integrateds online...and here is a short list:
1. Marantz PM 14 s1
2. Dayens Ecstasy 2 or 3
3. Vincent SV700 but this really pushes the budget
4. Rogue Audio but the Pharaoh pushes the budget.
5. Cambridge Audio 840
Any other contenders out there?

I've been looking at Vincent Audio stuff myself. I'm hoping 2019 pans out better than past years for my second room system. If I don't get the KEF LS50 Wireless I'm looking at an integrated. I've been keeping an eye out on Chicago area craigslist and recently ran across a cool unit. Its an Audio Research VSi60. I understand that these are supposed to be great sounding units. However, I've never listened to one nor know anything about the blown resistor issues that some have reported.
https://milwaukee.craigslist.org/ele/d/milwaukee-audio-research-vsi60/6777540091.html



Also, I'm considering taking a chance on a hybrid ShengYa unit from China-hifi-audio.com. As I understand it, they manufacture Vincent Audio units.

https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/shengya-audio-cd-player-amplifier-c-12/shengya-a-88-wireless-hybrid-amp-transistor-integrated-tube-amplifier-bluetooth-p-2129?zenid=1a25de804acf3725da6a9b2bdd9ca2f9

https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/shengya-audio-cd-player-amplifier-c-12/shengya-a17cs-hybrid-class-a-tube-integrated-amplifier-p-218?zenid=1a25de804acf3725da6a9b2bdd9ca2f9

https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/shengya-audio-cd-player-amplifier-c-12/shengya-a-17csii-stereo-integrated-amplifier-transistor-vacuum-tube-hybrid-amp-p-2126?zenid=1a25de804acf3725da6a9b2bdd9ca2f9

https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&categories_id=&keyword=Shengya

Also, there is someone on AVS forums selling a slick SimAudio Moon 240i integrated and Philharmonic BMR Philharmonitor speakers. On hell of a combo for $2250!
https://www.avsforum.com/forum/209-audio-gear/3044608-fs-philharmonic-bmr-speakers-simaudio-moon-240i-integrated-amp.html

My experience with Sheng Ya is that they are a Chi-Fi brand that has purportedly copied (i.e., stolen) Vincent designs and marketed them as their own.

I also had the briefly lived Kavent (US rebranded Sheng Ya) as well. They were identical, internally. I sold the two "older" models to buy a new model of Sheng Ya and it crapped out on me in less than a month. No stateside support so I was SOL.

WLDock

halo wrote: »

My experience with Sheng Ya is that they are a Chi-Fi brand that has purportedly copied (i.e., stolen) Vincent designs and marketed them as their own.
I also had the briefly lived Kavent (US rebranded Sheng Ya) as well. They were identical, internally. I sold the two "older" models to buy a new model of Sheng Ya and it crapped out on me in less than a month. No stateside support so I was SOL.

Now that sucks BIG time about the unit failing and no support. Do they cover shipping one direction? I actually wondered about how the 1st year warranty would be handled for US purchasers.

As far as ShengYa / Vincent Audio...one of the reasons I got turned on to them was because I've seen a similar relationship in car audio. There is one particular China manufacture that makes amps for a very reputable and respected brand in the US. Nevertheless, they offer their versions. In many cases the basic design originated in China and modified to the customer's specifications. I've seen the same thing also in many industries like musical instruments, watches, etc.

This is the info I came across:

kiwi_1282001 Audiogon Forum wrote:

Zhongsan ShengYa Technological Co. Ltd maintains a modern twenty thousand square meter factory in Zhongshan, Guangdong and has been in operation since 1991. In 1995 the company broke into the European market with the establishment of Vincent Audio (Germany) with products under this brand subsequently gaining credibility through endorsement of HiFi magazines, most notably Stereophile who recently issued a B rating for the Vincent Tubeline SV-236MK integrated – a very close derivative of the Sheng Ya A10 CS amplifier. While assembled in the same factory, Vincent models sell for prices around four times higher than Sheng Ya. The Sheng Ya amplifier is advertised by Cattylink as being a Vincent SV-236MK though this is not strictly correct.

and here:

https://6moons.com/audioreviews/vincent/vincent.html

Joël Chevassus 6moons.com wrote:

Vincent is a trade mark of the German Sintron company. Despite its Teutonic headquarters, Vincent Audio outsources all production to China where the subcontractor is the local Zhongshan ShengYa company. Design and conception are reputedly German and in fact, all Vincent products share strong European values wherein build quality and reliability occupy the top range of all products generally manufactured in China. That Vincent Audio simply passes on main specifications for each new product to its Sino supplier is likely the case. Thanks to its solid experience in the audio industry now spanning 18 years, ShengYa today designs its own products branded Sheng Ya while the Vincent Audio contract continues. Many design cues of the latest Vincent models seem to in fact have originated in China.

So what exactly are Vincent products right now? Rebadged ShengYa or specifically designed for Western markets? Both I think. There are common models bearing both marks -- Sheng Ya and Vincent -- and there are specific models for Europe and the US as well as Asian markets. The specificity of 'Western' products simply seems diluted today even in the differentiation of selected internal parts. However, this review won't focus on the true nature of the Vincent trade mark nor on the question whether Vincent is simply rebranded* and associated claims to the contrary are predominantly marketing strategy; or whether it in fact incorporates a discrete technical identity. I will merely deal with the product's performance and reliability, not the convenience or risk involved in buying the same or 'quite similar' product directly from China. To end that argument, a friend of mine frequently traveling to China for his furniture import business told me that an exotic wardrobe selling in France for €3,000 costs him far less than one forth there.

erniejade

ShengYa YULONG and a few others make for other brands. There are a few more but those are the top 2 that come to mind. I believe Grant Fidelity also used them as well as Jungson, Consonance, Shanling, YAQIN and a few others

https://www.china-hifi-audio.com/en/shengya-audio-cd-player-amplifier-c-12/shengya-av-715-7-channel-amplifier-for-home-theater-black-p-663?zenid=1a25de804acf3725da6a9b2bdd9ca2f9

This one looks familiar as well.