"A Very Good Preamplifier"
Tube Sound and Transistor Power
The hybrid vacuum tube and solid state design of the beautiful Vincent SA-31 line stage preamplifier lets you have it all. It delivers the luxurious sound that can only be obtained with finely-made vacuum tube equipment as well as the power associated with solid state designs, including speed, reliability, and control. That's a difficult combination to beat, especially once you factor in the affordable price.
"The SA-31 is a very good preamplifier that, for a tick under $500, gives listeners a significant taste of the sound of higher-priced equipment," reports Chris Martens in the August 2007 issue of The Absolute Sound magazine. "The SA-31 produces a rich, seductive sound, whose signature characteristic is a midrange that is dynamically alive and leans just lightly to the warm side of neutral."
"Eminently Affordable"
When Vincent created the SA-31, the German audiophile company delved deep into research and development until each stage of the preamplifier provided exactly the results that the engineers had in mind. Extensive listening sessions complemented each stage of the engineering process to ensure that the SA-31 didn't simply look good on paper. It also had to deliver startlingly good real world performance.
"Vincent Audio's driving passion is to build serious high-performance audio products that are eminently affordable," observes Martens in The Absolute Sound.
Pure 'Class A' Output Stage
The vacuum tube output stage of the SA-31 uses a unique proprietary design configuration with a short signal path to create a delicate and detailed soundstage. For best sound quality, the output stage operates in pure 'Class A.'
Highly Precise Potentiometers
The SA-31 is equipped with highly precise potentiometers from ALPS for ultra-quiet, accurate tone and amplitude adjustment. The monoblock design in the amplifier sections for left and right channels help to achieve the best possible signal-to-noise ratio.
Four inputs give you the capability of connecting a tuner, CD player, tape deck, and more. A record out connection add to the flexibility. An extra preamp output gives you a convenient path for bi-amping your speakers.
In addition to the set of high-quality tone controls, the SA-31 includes a loudness switch for big dynamics even at low volume levels. This is a great idea from the days of classic hi-fi that Vincent has brought back with this highly capable preamp.
Owner’s Guide (1.1mb PDF)  | 
