Scansonic HD MB2.5 B & Vincent SV-237MKII Hi-Fi Package

Scansonic MB2.5 B & Vincent SV-237 MKII Hi-Fi Bliss

German Hi-Fi meets Danish design and craftsmanship!

Celebrate your music collection with this premium dedicated stereo hi-fi package. Featuring the made in Denmark, MB2.5 B floorstanding speakers from Scansonic HD. These elegant 2.5-way speakers, feature curved and heavily braced cabinets with solid carbon reinforcements. The speakers are designed around a sealed ribbon tweeter and a 4.5” carbon-coned woofer.

Do these fantastic-sounding speakers justice with the included SV-237 MKII hi-fi integrated amplifier from Vincent. Featuring hybrid tube & solid-state amplification design, analog and digital inputs, and Class A operation for up to 2 x 10 watts, then Class AB for 2 x 150 W (RMS) @ 8 Ohms.

What's Included:

- Scansonic MB2.5 B Floorstanding Speakers Pair
- Vincent SV-237 MKII Integrated Hybrid Amplifier
- Tributaries Series 6 Speaker Cable With Banana Plugs (2x 1.8m)

Scansonic MB2.5 B

The MB2.5 B is a slim floorstander speaker pair, each with two 4.5” carbon-coned drivers and a sealed ribbon tweeter. The MB2.5 B is a 2.5-way speaker with the second woofer assisting in the power demanding bass region. The 2.5’s cabinets are heavy, braced and curved, with carbon reinforcements to deliver a powerful room-filling sound.

Key Features:

- 2.5-way floorstanding speaker pair
- Low mass ribbon tweeters
- Dual 4.5″ carbon cone drivers
- Rounded cabinet design reduces diffraction and colouration
- Reflex port at base of speaker
- Adjustable feet made with high-quality aluminium
- Visually and tonally matches the rest of the MB Series speakers

"The Scansonic HD MB-2.5 is a beautiful loudspeaker that elevates itself above the average for its price, in both industrial design and sound signature. In order to let it perform at it’s best, it is essential that extra attention is given to placement and that the amplifier has enough quality to make it shine. When these basic requirements are met, nothing stands in the way of enjoying this piece of Danish delight."
Read the full review on The Ear

Vincent SV-237 MKII

Supplying the MB1B speakers with the pure and rich sound they deserve is the SV-237 MKII hybrid tube/solid-state amplifier from German manufacturer, Vincent. Complete with both analogue and digital inputs, an improved circuit design, and a built-in 24 bit/192kHz DAC, the Vincent SV-237 MKII is every bit the powerhouse integrated amp that you'd expect.

Key Features:

• Hybrid tube & solid state amplification
• Improved circuit design & signal-to-noise ratio
• Built-in 24 bit/192kHz Burr Brown PCM5102 DAC
• Analog, digital, & Bluetooth audio inputs
• 4 x high-quality speaker binding posts per channel
• Switchable tone control

Tributaries Speaker Cable With Banana Plugs

Connect your speakers with these high-quality pre-terminated speaker cables from Tributaries.

The Series 6 Star-Quad Speaker cable begins with ultra-pure highly conductive oxygen-free copper (HC-OFC) developed specifically for audio applications. Two 11AWG conductors consist of multiple solid gauges that are mathematically and tonally chosen to support low, mid and high frequencies for a natural sounding cable.

Key Features:

- Assembled by hand in Orlando Florida, USA
- Star-Quad design reduces cable inductance & distortion
- Two 11AWG HC-OFC conductors for superior signal transfer
- Sophisticated multi-gauge design for superior bass, mids & highs
- Insulated solid conductor eliminates distortion with stranded bundles
- Each pre-terminated cable connects a single speaker
- Terminated with spring clip banana plugs
- Decorative woven jacket over a UL CL2 PVC Jacket
- 2x 1.8m cables included
- Longer lengths available

Danish design and craftsmanship

The MB2.5 B has a solid foundation in the Nordic design tradition. It is simple, sleek, elegant and visually square when seen directly from the front, and curved and organic when seen from an angle. The rounded edges of the cabinet reduce diffraction and minimise the sonic imprint on the frequency response. It does not matter if your home features a modern or classic décor, or anything in-between, the timeless design of the MB2.5 B will fit in any space.

The internal construction has been changed, in order to optimise airflow which combined with the minimalistic use of damping-material has created a very dynamic and linear low-frequency reproduction. The ported cabinets, which are tuned for optimal impulse response - resulting in a more linear, dynamic and detailed low-end reproduction, while at the same time making in-room placement of the speaker much easier and versatile.

Ribbon Tweeters

It was clear to Scansonic from the very beginning, that some core techniques from the Raidho speakers would be of great importance: The speakers had to be designed around a ribbon tweeter that works with at super lightweight diaphragm that is sealed around the edges to allow for a seamless transition to the midrange region.

The MB-B ribbon tweeter has a membrane with an extremely low mass. It is formed by a Kapton-aluminium sandwich that is only 20 um thick, and the resulting mass is app. 0.03g, which is approximately 50 times less than any conventional textile, ceramic, beryllium or diamond dome. The lower mass translates directly into higher resolution and less material colouration.

Redesigned Crossover

The crossovers have been completely redesigned. This has resulted in a much more linear and natural sound, which is clearly visible throughout the whole MB-B range. The crossover has been designed to time-align all drive units at listening distance. The result is a speaker which not only presents a large and precise soundstage, it also boasts a timing that will make your foot tap and put a big smile on your face!

Weaved Carbon Cones

For the MB-B series, Scansonic developed a ridged, dustcap free, carbon membrane. By carefully optimizing the shape and stiffness, Scansonic has succeeded in making a very quiet woofer that blends beautifully with the ribbon tweeter. The woofer has an overhung magnet system, with long linear stroke and excellent bass performance.

The drivers are carefully designed to match the slim enclosure. The carbon-cone benefits from a very low weight, which in combination with the powerful magnet system, offers a very dynamic sound.

A nice side effect of these design choices is that the break-in period has been reduced greatly to around 100 hours, meaning you can hear the best sound your speakers can offer sooner.

About Scansonic HD

It would be impossible to introduce Scansonic without first mentioning Raidho. Having worked with Raidho speakers for more than 12 years, this Danish group of engineers and designers found themselves facing a completely new challenge when they were tasked with creating a new range of high-performance speakers for the Scansonic brand.

From the start, Scansonic's team were dedicated to building on all the experiences and strengths obtained from designing the Raidho speakers. At the same time, they also had to be aware of the long heritage and the Nordic design tradition of the Scansonic brand. The ultimate goal was to create the very best possible speakers within reasonable financial limits.

Class-A Hybrid Integrated Tube & Transistor Amplifier

The SV-237 MKII is the third iteration of Vincent's popular SV-237 integrated amplifier, and it comes with a revised design plus a suite of new features under the hood. The latest entry in this iconic line of amplifiers is presented with a more modern and elegant appearance, but it's not all cosmetic upgrades introduced with this model. The Vincent SV-237 MKII stereo amplifier boasts a completely revised and improved circuit concept, improved power, and even more diverse connection options. The result is a stereo hi-fi amp that delivers impressive power and an incredibly musical sound.

Tube Amplification

Musicality, sound, and efficiency have all been significantly improved in this latest generation stereo hi-fi amp. Thanks to the combination of vacuum tube and solid-state amplification, even the most difficult speakers can be driven effortlessly without the amplifier sounding strained. The SV-237 MKII uses hybrid technology. For Vincent, hybrid means the best of both worlds, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the SV-237 MKII. Two NOS (New-Old-Stock) 6N1P tubes work in the preamp section, lending the sound naturalness and warmth. For better dynamics and the final amplification, 4 transistors are used in the power amp section. These deliver up to 250 watts RMS (@ 4 Ohm) power per channel.

In the second stage of the preamplifier section, each channel features a 6N1P tube. These double triode vacuum tubes are capable of handling high voltage levels and provide increased stability with high-dynamic signals. This preserves the spectral purity of the signal before it is passed on to the power amplifier section, ensuring that the fine details in your audio are maintained from source to speakers. The musicality, which is expected of tube audio components, is retained and there is never a sterile coldness in the sound, which is a common drawback of solely solid-state components.

Vacuum tubes are a highly regarded component when it comes to hi-fi amplifiers, and they are typically a sign of high manufacturing quality. Vincent, taking the visual aesthetic of their products just as seriously as their performance, have included a tube-viewing port on the front panel, where you can see the 12AX7 vacuum tube in action.

Exceptionally Pure Sound

The SV-237 MKII, like the model that came before it, can be operated in Class A mode. Outputting 10W of power per channel in this mode, it has a crystal clear sonic characteristic and completely eliminates harmonic distortions. Class A mode is a feature typically seen in high-end power amplifiers, and rarely seen on integrated amplifiers.

A feature that's now expected from Vincent's integrated amplifiers is switchable tone controls. The front of this unit features dials to control the treble and bass levels. The tone adjustment circuitry can be bypassed with a single button for the pure, direct sound.

Improved Circuit Design

Under the direction of Frank Blöhbaum, the circuit concept of the SV-237 MKII has been completely revised and improved upon. Various changes in the power amp section have resulted in a phase reserve of almost 90°. This phase reserve ensures a significantly better transient response, which becomes apparent when playing complex signals through demanding speakers. Since the amplifier is typically always working in a state of transient activity - music is primarily made up of transient impulses - these improvements can be heard immediately.

The circuit concepts of the SV-237 MKII's predecessors were already optimized for a very high signal-to-noise ratio, however, another advantage of the improved circuit design in this model is an even higher SNR. It delivers an excellent performance on a huge range of loudspeaker without any of the noise that usually results from the use of tubes.

Plenty of Connection & Tone Options

Selecting your source and adjusting your sound couldn't be easier with this unit. With diverse analogue, digital, and wireless connection options, this integrated amplifier is perfect for hooking up any audio source device for a truly spectacular stereo experience.

In addition to the analogue RCA connections, the SV-237 MKII features two digital inputs for connecting sources such as a digital CD player, TV, or other components. The SV-237 MKII's suite of inputs have been modernized and now includes a Bluetooth v5.0 wireless connection in addition to the wired inputs. With a dedicated BT antenna, the SV-237 MKII ensures a strong and stable connection when paired with your compatible device. Stream music to the integrated amplifier from your phone, computer, or another Bluetooth-enabled device.

Of course, a high-quality digital or wireless input means little if the DAC is not up to scratch. The built-in Burr Brown PCM 5102 D/A converter module works with a bit rate of 24 bit / 192 kHz and can therefore process high-resolution music files.