Vincent Audio SA-T7 Preamplifier Reviewed

I have enjoyed tubed audiophile preamplifiers for decades, but had never spent any time with gear from Vincent Audio until just recently, when my publisher asked me if I would be interested in reviewing a tubed preamplifier from Vincent Audio. I quickly agreed, and the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond arrived shortly thereafter. 

The “Diamond” in the SA-T7 Diamond edition comes from the diamond-shaped logo melted into the four New Old Stock (“NOS”) Telefunken PCF803 tubes utilized in this stereo preamplifier. This Telefunken tube is somewhat unusual in design, as it contains one pentode and one triode. The tube was developed in the 1960s, and someone affiliated with Vincent Audio recently came across a few crates of these tubes, thus creating this unique audiophile design opportunity. We checked and they have enough tubes on hand to support a large number of users especially as these tubes don’t tend to fail for a very, very long time. 

The Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond is quite an attractive piece of audio equipment. The visual highlight of the thick aluminum front panel is the illuminated tube window in the center. The tube window is flanked by four knobs, treble and bass controls on the left, input, and volume on the right. My review sample came in black, but silver is also available. A horizontal groove runs across the majority of the bottom, and will be familiar to those who are acquainted with Vincent Audio industrial design. Inside the groove are buttons to defeat the tone controls and engage the digital inputs. Flanking the groove are the power button on the left and the mute button on the right. 

What Makes the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond DAC/Preamp Special? 

• The utilization of the Telefunken PCF803 tubes is proudly displayed. Front and center on the preamplifier is an illuminated window, with a diamond etched into the glass in front of one of the tubes, just to make sure you do not forget. Vincent Audio touts these tubes as providing “significantly upgraded levels of liquidity and musicality.” The preamplifier is based upon the highly-regarded SA-T7 MK, with circuitry revised around this particular tube.
• The preamplifier utilizes Vincent Audio’s “BestPentode” circuit technology to maximize tube performance.   Vincent Audio designer Frank Blöhbaum’s revised circuitry includes the “BestPentode” circuit, which is said to utilize modern technology to take advantage of tubes’ strengths, while overcoming prior shortcomings. The circuit reportedly eliminates electrical current noise associated with pentodes, while providing higher gain than with triodes. Another proprietary module, the “Vimala,” couples the low-noise power supply to the tubes. Vimala is Saskrit for “pure, transparent, clear.”
• The Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond preamplifier can connect to all sorts of audiophile source components. The preamplifier has six pairs of single-ended, line-level inputs on the analog side. Digital inputs include one optical, one coaxial and Bluetooth 5.0. There are two pairs of pre-outs and one recording output. There are also two 3.5-mm power control jacks. If you want to connect your turntable, Vincent Audio also has a complete line of standalone phono stages that you can use to provide this functionality.
• Digital source users are in luck, as the SA-T7 Diamond comes with a highly capable built-in DAC. The DAC is a PCM 5102-based, 24-bit, 192 kHz-capable unit that proved to be transparent and capable.
• The Vincent Audio SA-T7 has tone control and output options. Most current stereo preamplifiers eschew tone controls, but Vincent Audio has included treble and bass controls. The tone control circuit can be bypassed if you wish. Another audio option is the choice of 50-ohm or 600-ohm outputs. One last additional option, while not audio-quality related, is nonetheless thoughtful: a dimmer for the lamp illuminating the tube. I left the light on, but appreciate having the ability to turn it off, as it could be in a dark room with a television display. 
• Vincent Audio includes a slim custom remote control. The small remote covers the basics with input selection, volume control and a mute button. This isn’t a big aluminum brick, a wannabe iPad or a Crestron handheld remote, but it is a solid addition to the value proposition with this DAC/preamp.   

Why Should You Care About the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond?

The Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond is a modern take on tube preamplifiers. This preamplifier keeps the sonic qualities that listeners seek in tubed devices, and adds modern convenience features, while maintaining a reasonable price. The audiophile looking at the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond is seeking a way to make all of his or her music sound better, more friendly, smoother. They are not looking for that in-your-face or in-the-studio sound that can be amazing when done right, but can also come across as harsh as going over a speed bump in a Lamborghini after hernia surgery. The Vincent Audio SA-T7 is a much more sonically forgiving preamp, even before the tone controls. 

Some Things You Might Not Like About the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond

• The Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond is designed around a specific, unique tube. I see this detail as both a positive and a negative. Part of the joy of owning tubed audio equipment is “rolling” your tubes. This is the process of trying out different tubes. But it can lead you down a serious audiophile “rabbit hole.” On the other hand, with the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond, you are probably getting the best performance with the stock tubes selected by the designer. The Telefunken PCF803 tubes are said to have a particularly long lifespan, but replacements may be hard to find as stocks of this out-of-production tube dwindle. It may be prudent to get an extra set (or two) of tubes to really extend the life of your device.
• The Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond DAC/preamp does not have a home theater bypass. Many listeners have their stereo and theater setups in the same room, using the same speakers. If that applies to you, a home theater bypass can come in very handy when integrating both systems.  
• This unit does not have a headphone output. I like the ability to listen on my headphones. Thankfully, the second set of preamplifier outputs can easily be connected to a headphone amplifier, but it means one more box in my system. Vincent Audio makes a hybrid headphone amplifier, I have not tried it, but it looks like a well-designed piece.

Listening to the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond Preamplifier … 

I connected the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond DAC/preamplifier to my Marantz SACD 30n SACD player (read my review) as the source, and alternated between the T+A A200 amplifier and the power amplifier section of a Marantz Model 30 integrated amplifier. Speakers used in the review were mostly Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature (read my review). I used Kimber Kable for the digital connections and WireWorld cables for analog, including speaker connections. 

I decided to start my listening with a couple of tracks I recently used in my reviews with the T+A A200 amplifier. Listening to Gregory Porter’s “Holding On” (Tidal), I found the SA-T7 to add warmth to Porter’s voice, as compared to the all-Marantz or all-T+A solid state systems. Going back and forth, not only was there a bit more weight in the vocals, they were positioned farther forward on the soundstage. The positions of the instruments remained easily discernible on the still smaller soundstage, and were locked in place, providing a realistic portrayal. The only difference in soundstage between the solid state setups and the Vincent Audio was that Porter was positioned a bit closer to the listener through the SA-T7 Diamond preamplifier. As before, the dynamics of the piano were realistic, as was Porter’s voice. The notes from the double bass played by Aaron James were solid and natural-sounding, but had a bit more weight to them through the SA-T7 Diamond. 

I was impressed by a familiar Taylor Swift track, “Vigilante Shit” (Tidal, 48 kHz/24-bit), that I used in my T+A A200 review. This highly-processed track is replete with sharp and solid synthesized bass notes. I can put to rest any concerns about undue softening or slowness. The sharp notes remained sharp. The leading edges of the notes remained quick. The bass notes may have had slightly more weight through the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond but, if so, it was just a barely discernable touch.  

Moving to something a bit more from the traditional audiophile recording world, I listened to Carla Bley’s Life Goes On (Tidal). Andy Sheppard’s delicate work on saxophone was well-portrayed with clarity and delicacy, and contrasted well with the thicker bass guitar notes. The trio was rounded out by Bley’s work on piano, and I found the combination to be easy to get lost in when listening through the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond. The trio sounded balanced, with good synergy, as this tube preamplifier did a good job of reproducing this track (the whole album, really) with a balance of both warmth and detail that made it easy to just sit back and enjoy listening.

I know the warmth and musicality that I heard from the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond preamplifier, or just about any other tubed gear for that matter, probably does not measure as well as solid state gear, but there are many with a personal preference for devices that add a bit of warmth or liquidity to the midrange that tubes can do so well, and which is difficult for solid state gear to reproduce. Unfortunately, tubes often do this at the cost of greatly increased background noise, which I am thankful to report was sonically absent in the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond preamplifier.  

Will the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond Preamplifier Hold Its Value?

I think it will hold its value more than a DAC, but not quite as much as a purely analog amplifier in terms of a mid-to-higher-level audiophile component. With regard to retaining value, I think the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond has two challenges. The first is the consumer-friendly inclusion of an internal DAC. While the DAC and Bluetooth both operate quite well and provide solid sound quality, they will eventually become outdated as technology marches forward. Thankfully, the analog portion of the preamplifier will continue to work just fine, no matter how out of date the digital and wireless portions become in the decades to come. The second item is one I alluded to above. The Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond is built around the “ultra-rare” Telefunken PCF803 tube. I was able to find some replacement tubes for sale now, but I have some concern that they may be hard to find in the years to come. Will you lose your shirt on an investment in a Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond? That absolutely isn’t going to happen, but the DAC and somewhat rare tube issues are worthy of mention when compared to other, more traditional designs and/or preamp configurations.  

What is the Competition for the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond?

The Audio-GD Vacuum HE1 is virtually the same price at $3,999, and it is getting some forum buzz, thanks to excellent sound quality, through its line-level balanced and single-ended inputs and outputs. Like the Vincent Audio, it comes with a remote control, but lacks any digital inputs. 

The PrimaLuna EVO 400 is slightly more at $4,995, and features Prima Luna’s distinctive rolltop desk cage profile, which does a nice job of showing off the tubes. The PrimaLuna does not have a DAC, but includes a home theater bypass and XLR connectivity. 

Another comparison in the Vincent Audio’s audiophile preamp neighborhood at $4,995 is the Rogue Audio RP-7. Rogue also includes unbalanced and balanced inputs and outputs but adds a robust headphone section, with a one-quarter-inch headphone jack and a nice, large display good for older eyes.

Final Thoughts on the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond DAC/Preamp …

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond preamplifier. A tube preamplifier is my favorite way to get tubes into a system. Tubed amplifiers can be harder to match with speakers, and are often more expensive to re-tube. A good tube preamplifier can add warmth and musicality to an already good system, and that is exactly what the SA-T7 Diamond did in my house. In addition to the gear I discussed in my listening notes, I tried the SA-T7 Diamond in my reference multi-channel system, taking the place of my processor and driving a Marantz AMP10 amplifier and Revel F328Be speakers. In both rooms, the Vincent Audio preamplifier provided midrange warmth without increasing background noise, as tube gear can do. In other words, the Vincent Audio SA-T7 Diamond added the qualities many seek from tubed gear without the downsides. At just under $4,000, that’s one hell of an audiophile value proposition.