Virtue Audio-anybody hip to them yet??

I have a Virtue Sensation M901 and it's going battery powered soon. I think it's fantastic! I use it for my Gallo Strada speakers right now, but I wanna try it with those new Audeze phones eventually. Somebody else in the HE-5 LE headphone thread also has a Virtue amp he uses for his balanced phones. They are well worth the money, IMO. Besides the great sound, I like the little touches. Customizable platform, their Propeller Posts, subwoofer and preamp out, etc. Good stuff.

However, I don't think the Dedicated Source forum is the correct place for this thread.

I've got the Virtue One integrated amp and their Piano M1 CD player. Very solid gear. The little One really lights up my Horn Shoppe speakers. I heard their other stuff at RMAF and it sounded especially sweet off batteries.

 

They were coming out with a DAC/pre/head amp but that project seems to be on hold, according to their forum over at AudioCircle.com.

I've got a ONE and an m451. Both are great amps. The m451 gives my speakers more low end oomph than the ONE.

 

Biggie.

I was one of their very first customers.  An original ONE which was then upgraded to a TWO via trade-in.  It proves that great things can indeed come in small packages.  The TWO was the first amp that took away the feeling of listening to a recording and made the instruments actually sound real for me.

I have a Sensation 451 running my computer/gaming sound setup.   It's a very good amplifier.   Build/parts quality is excellent and it sounds great. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've had little-speakers and a sub in my gaming setup forever (right now I have Energy RC-Mini's and a Martin Logan Dynamo).   The Virtue amps have, by a very wide margin, the best sub-out I've ever heard in this system.  Forget that 'speaker out' crap - this is worlds better.  

 

The crossover point referred to above is a low-pass filter that fixes the speakers outs to get nothing below 80hz.   It is extremely useful, makes a big diff.

 

So if you want a 2.1 system for a smallish room, office, etc, Virtue is a great way to go. 
 

I'm not certain what the slope on the filter is, a good guess is 2nd order.  Either way the 80hz filter is not a brick wall as you imply.  Just wanted to clarify so people are not confused.

 

I haven't tried the sub out but have heard great things about how well it works.  They fixed the popping issue on the 2nd generation design which is also a plus.  Something I've always been amazed at is how flexible the amp is driving difficult loads.  Tripath amplification has a reputation for being only good with high efficiency speakers but the Virtue customers are putting some low efficiency and power hungry systems together with the amp with great results.  I run X-LS with just average 87dB efficiency and the Virtue TWO will drive it to levels that can split my ears free of any harshness or distortion.  The quality, control and impact of the bass is amazing and utterly puts my Denon receiver to shame.

 

It is really a shame the Virtue brand is spreading so slowly, as Seth (the company founder) deserves to sell every amp he can build.  I've never seen anything for anywhere near the price that performs so well, and with so few weaknesses.  It has that magic combination of detail and smoothness that draws you into the music.

 

I'd love to upgrade to a Sensation, but the cash just isn't there.

I have been researching this amp. I decided to go with a Creek Destiny because I didn't like how t-amps become unstable at higher frequencies. I have not heard the amp but was impressed enough to do some extensive research. 

 

The crossover / high-pass filter is first order. Which is not quite steep enough for me either. If you listen at 90db and use the 80Hz high-pass then at 20Hz you still have 63db being fed to your speakers. The natural roll off of the speakers helps some but either way it will be way above the audible human level of -60dB (that would be 30dB from 90dB). Just my thoughts and one of the reasons I did not purchase one of these. 

 

The sub I buy will likely have a built in High-pass if needed (I am looking specifically here at a Velo DD10 with a 4th order high-pass) and will do a much better job filtering those cone distorting frequencies from my speakers. I can use the pre-out/power-in jacks to send it to my sub and back to the amp.

 

Thanks,

Sam