I paid 750 € several years ago for the pair of 997 monoblocks on a spanish online sound store, in Bilbao. Well, it sounded "a whole world" better than my previous "pro" berhinger "studio" power amp (If you ever wish like to "punish" your hearing, buy a Behringer amp :)
and I mean slightly warm, powerful, tight, punchy, uncoloured, strong bass... it looked have it all at the price. i was happy, with then paired with my Dyns and passive resistors preamp.
So happy years later I saved for a hybrid power amp also from Vincent. Well it sounded obviusly warmer, lot of warm but the bass, even with 50 watts more at 4 ohms, the bass was not as tight, with the same energy and "sysmic" feel. The transparency to detail also was worse. So I sold the hybrid amp and saved for a AudioAnalogue italian classAB integrated with power amp funtion which amazed me with real transparency on a hifi store audition, in Madrid. There was Dali speakers and only AudioAnalogue electronocs. Purchased the AA integrated with power amp funtion. At home... there was not the same, yes very transparent ant almost warm but no bass (I think low output power for a IC amp but supodsely class AB). The store refund me the money (just like with the Berhinger). At that time the famous class-T (the t amp, class D switching amp at very high frec switchin, 50 MHz) was rumored on internet... so I ended buying online from USA a ClassDaudio power amp. Well, it sounded better than the Beringer "class AB", but the ClassDaudio power amp swiching have not the bass and slam of Vincent 997 monoblocks, neither their Vincent detail at high freq treble neither the warm of true class AB. So finally I ended with this pair of monoblocks that bettered Marantz, AAnalogue, ClassDaudio, Rotel, Behringer, Yamaha and others. Perhaps, If I can safe enought, perhaps will buy in future a double class pureclassA-classAB switchable class power amp, from Vincent or Sheng Ya or other, for use class AB on summer and pureA in winter or for late night listening like SP-994.

I bought a pair of SP-997 tired of the harsh and aggressive sound, especialy highs,of many of the solid state power amps,many of them for "pro" use (ROTEL, ACTIVE Tannoy MONITORS, BEHRINGER... These days I wanted a relatively afordable real-hifi power amp and with, I was Rookie in audio, balanced imputs. The vincent sp-997 almost don't sound harsh the highs and it's like would have some (more than the previous but little lack for me) current delivery : I said this for the better low-end than my previous amps, but now I'm searching a tube power amp being able to drive speaker (likes my Dynaudio BM 15 Passive, BTW , sweets and grip: highly recomended) loads as low as 3 Ohms.... If now I would bought The Vincent SP-993 : hybrid (valve sweet highs and transistor's power) and able to drive 2 Ohm loads (powerful deep bass extension)