is bigger always better ?

Jason T · « **on:** 17 Jul 2011, 06:43 pm »

Duane will have to let us know

a pain in the butt to fit inside the amp but damn do they look mean !

this upgrade is only available through me directly for $220 and cannot be ordered through the websit contact me at jason.terpstra@gmail.com

Before

After

WC · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 Jul 2011, 12:13 am »

Still looks like there is some room for bypass caps...

Cheerwino · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Jul 2011, 12:44 am »

Can't, stop, staring at 'em

geared4me · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Jul 2011, 12:55 am »

Quote from: Cheerwino on 18 Jul 2011, 12:44 am

Can't, stop, staring at 'em

I must agree! I can't wait to get this in my system with the Dodd battery power supply and Nirvana speaker cables. I will be sure to let you know how it sounds. I also have a couple of different tubes to try in the buffer. Duane

OzarkTom · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Jul 2011, 12:56 am »

I will take some if they sound better. But I am using my Sensation on the 80HZ bypass setting. Do they work there?

geared4me · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Jul 2011, 01:01 am »

Oh,and the speaker hook up wire was also changed to the Auric.

Jason T · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 Jul 2011, 02:16 am »

Quote from: OzarkTom on 18 Jul 2011, 12:56 am

I will take some if they sound better. But I am using my Sensation on the 80HZ bypass setting. Do they work there?

Tom
I would have to use a .1 cap if your using the highpass jumpers.
https://www.madisound.com/store/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=170&products_id=9027

fredgarvin · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 Jul 2011, 02:32 am »

I think having ones and twos in stock to sell at all times would be much better than all the sensations and mega sensations that one could conceptualize. Not to mention pianos.

virtue · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 Jul 2011, 04:08 am »

Fred, I hear ya. I'm really sorry we ran out of ONEs and TWOs. It nearly put us out of business last time this happened. 6 months with no amps to sell. Aaron keeps giving me good status reports on the THREE.1, which will be made in ONE and TWO versions eventually as well (ONE.3, TWO.3). When the next prototype is approved we'll open up pre-orders at a sick discount. It would not be fair for me to do a new production of 250 ONEs and TWOs when a major upgrade is so close to production.

If Sensation is out of budget and you want one, send me a PM and we'll try to work something out. Again, sorry for running out of the ONE/TWO. We make big batches and hope the last until the next production or version is made. At my prices, there is no onesy twosy production -- more power to Vinny (Red Wine) for pulling that off!

JohnR · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Jul 2011, 05:07 am »

Don't they make them in lower voltage ratings?

geared4me · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 Jul 2011, 02:36 pm »

Quote from: JohnR on 18 Jul 2011, 05:07 am

Don't they make them in lower voltage ratings?

Nope,that's all they offer.

rollo · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 Jul 2011, 03:00 pm »

Love that grounding scheme gong on there. The clarity cap should improve on the Auri cap. Just the tolerence difference alone is a major factor. The Auri as musical as it is cannot stand up to the clarity of the Clarity cap. No pun intended.
If one takes the plunge spend a buck or two more and have them matched. Can't hurt.
Whatever you do a fine product you will still have.
charles
SMA

geared4me · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 Jul 2011, 07:42 pm »

According to the tracking I should receive the amp on saturday. I will run it in for a week straight but I will let you know how it sounds along the way. I have to give a big thanks to Jason for such quick work and awesome communication along the way.
I'm going to start out with the stock tube and after break-in put in the Create Audio 12AX7 that I have just waiting it's turn. My sources are a Magnum Dynalab MD90 fm tuner and Oppo BDP-95 universal blu-ray player. Speakers are Mark & Daniel Maximus-Ruby,a fairly demanding standmount speaker,and Amphion Athene II, small floorstanding speakers that are quite revealing and play damn low and clean. It's going to be a long three day wait!

mcgarick · « **Reply #13 on:** 21 Jul 2011, 04:35 pm »

Jason turned me on to the Clarity caps and I put them in my 2 way stand mount speakers, and they took a big leap forward in musicality and blackness of background and of course clarity. That was a great discovery for me. When I get another Virtue amp, I want the Clarity caps for sure.

geared4me · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 Jul 2011, 07:23 pm »

I received the amp on saturday and I finally got a chance to get things hooked up this afternoon. First I would like to say that Jason did great work and it all looks professionally done. I couldn't have asked for better service from Jason or Virtue Audio as they both exceded my expectations.

It has only been playing for one hour so these are very initial thoughts. Right off the bat the amp seems to have more drive,playing slightly louder at the same volume setting. The bass is great already and can really hit hard,the mids sound very natural and clear, but the highs are etched and bright. Diana Kralls voice on the Girl In The Other Room sacd sounds natural and expressive,the bass sounds clear clean and extended,but the cymbals are sharp and piercing. The highs should smooth out with a little more time if my previous experience holds true this time also.

geared4me · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 Jul 2011, 07:50 pm »

I just put in the Create Audio tube and the sound got even more open and defined with even better bass and more "they are in the room" midrange but the treble is still bright. However, the speaker hiss is way lower now as to be almost gone too. So,one step back two steps forward.

Mama Virtue · « **Reply #16 on:** 26 Jul 2011, 11:24 pm »

Quote from: Rclark on 26 Jul 2011, 10:40 pm

Hey guys my Two is at Virtue right now being fixed and I'm contempating a hi-pass cap upgrade. I initially wanted to go Sonicaps with Sonicap platinum bypass caps (just like.. the official Virtue upgrade proceedure when buying a new amp), but Jason is telling me that's a bad idea and they sound bad and I really want ClarityCaps.

The advice I can offer you is it depends on YOUR ear. To my ear the Sonicaps tend to be harsher and open up the highs too much and make everything sound tinny in every amp I've heard them in. I prefer the virtucaps or auricaps because they keep more warmth in the music. However, I also have yet to find a set of speakers and amp that I can stand soprano sax at a reasonable volume level without having a "i'm going to grab a sledge hammer" reaction. If you listen to music with less alto and bass ranges and its all mostly higher range (Lots of wind instrument jazz or symphony) then install the Sonicaps, I've heard from multiple people that the sound is unbeatable for the money. However if you're like me, and enjoy mellow piano, hard rock, spanish guitar, swing and Norah Jones go with a different cap, IMO. Also, if you like Diana Krall, Eva Cassidy or Michael Buble go with something other than the Sonicap unless you like the highs to be bright, crystal clear and sharp, as mentioned above. I've learned very quickly that everyone has a different ear and many people try a few different caps in their amps and speakers before they find the one right for them. As for the hi-pass Bypass caps, whatever Jason says is probably a good measure, but we have quite a few people on this forum with the full cap upgrade who should have some input

eclein · « **Reply #17 on:** 27 Jul 2011, 02:02 am »

I love my auricaps, and Cami is right I read alot where folks are not real crazy about the Sonicaps.

bretth · « **Reply #18 on:** 27 Jul 2011, 11:05 am »

My sonicaps are still burning in on my Sensation, but since I still have a Virtue One with VirtueCaps I would agree with Cami.

To my ear the sonicaps really pair best with the tube buffer, with only a few cavaets such as maybe electronica where sharp as a tack is an asset. Some vocalists that I listened to such as Aretha Franklin, and an Australian singer Little Birdy are less engaging in general than the Virtue One even with the buffer in. On the other hand if I tried to turn up the Virtue One some higher full notes at volume from say Tedeschi Trucks Band and those others could induce a wince whereas the sonicaps/sensation never overdo it.

In other words the Virtue One/virtuecap is fun but flawed, whereas the sonicaps (with plat. bypass) are incredibly analytical and detailed by themselves, and a more full bodied slightly less analytical with the buffer in, but not for people who value emotion over detail.

I can see myself in the restless camp that keeps swapping caps. Maybe a switch for caps as well as the buffer lol.

geared4me · « **Reply #19 on:** 27 Jul 2011, 05:05 pm »

I am happy to report that the break in is coming along nicely. Most of the brightness has gone and a much smoother more extended treble is emerging. The sound of the M901 with the auricaps was slightly warm with big bass and smooth highs that were slightly rolled off,a very pleasant inviting sound.

With the clarity mr caps the sound now has more drive to it with deeper tighter bass. The mids are very neutral,but not cold,with a much greater clarity. The treble is now more open and airy with great extension. The sound has really come to life with a density of information and spacial cues that had been supressed with the auricaps. The sound from my speakers pretty much filled the room before this upgrade but now it has made my walls disappear with sound that surrounds me seemingly coming from a room away.

The opening to Avatar has a strong drum strike that really sets the mood. This drum stroke rolled through the room from front to back before but now it sounds like I am in a vast open space when that stroke hits and it rolls past with more authority and more clearly defined.

I felt that the sound with the auricaps was balanced toward the lower midrange and softened at the low bass and upper treble. The clarity mr caps seem to be giving a completely balanced range from top to bottom. This additional range makes the amp sound more dynamic and more live. The initial brightness is being replaced with a more real sounding metalic bite to cymbals. All of the sounds that used to lurk in the back of the mix or that were almost totally obscured are now brought out to hear more clearly. The best way that I can sum it up is that the sound is vibrant and full with so much densely packed information and spacial cues that I am hearing familiar music and movies in a totally different way.

I have to say that I am a bit shocked by the difference in sound between yesterday at 7pm when I listened to Bluetech's Sines and Singularities and when I listened to it this morning at 11am. The sound has really opened up and smoothed out while exposing more of the hidden sounds in the mix.

If you can't tell by now I am very satisfied with this upgrade and can't wait to hear what the amp sounds like in a few more days.