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[virtue]

We're ready to start sharing some information about the new models we hope to show at RMAF... Not all will be ready for show time, but many will.

Look out for the new amp line-up that we will be calling  the ONE.2, TWO.2, and THREE.  We didn't want to lose the numbering but we want you to know that these aren't really dot-release upgrades.  They represent a full year of engineering!  The redesigned Sensation will come back with the same name...  Michael will launch two DAC models.  We'll have a CD-player to match Sensation and a pair of insane ICEPower 500W monoblocks.
 
Let's start with the Virtue ONE.2...
 
- 100% USA engineering
- Ground-up electrical rebuild
- 4 layer, heavy copper printed circuit board for better routing and higher current handling, lower noise floor.
- More and better decoupling. Optimized power decoupling including our custom 2 pole power caps.
- Much more and lower ESR capacitance
   - more slam anyone?
- Soft start circuit.
 - High-pass filter jumper
   - won't overload your mains if you're using subs
- +8db subwoofer circuit for high sensitivity speakers
- USB input will be around $50 extra but won't be offered until early-2010
- More hand-assembly in the USA
 

Now the TWO.2...
 
- All the upgrades of the ONE.2 with the addition of:
- Stepped potentiometer. (For some, replaces a $300+ passive pre-amp)
- 2 of our custom, 4 pole power caps
- 36v capable (42v actually)
   - with 3 x 12v lead acid batteries and oven-mitts, would allow you to get over 100 wpc
- Soft start and anti-pop circuits
- A heat-sink on top to soak for real power hogs (may still require an oven-mitt)
- other small improvements...
 
Now the THREE...
 
- Want to buy two amps to run as monoblocks? Don't.
- Buy a THREE.   Completely dual mono amp with a special power connector that allows you to hook up 2 power supplies.
- Separate power routing to left and right channels.
- Can be run on 1 or 2 power supplies.  Switching from 1 supply to 2  is internal and automatic
- Good, solid 130 wpc into 4 ohms.
- This unit can supply so much power we put 2 heatsinks on it and it sits on its side.
       Hell on wheels in the same small box.
- Same great upgrades as the ONE.2 and the TWO.2 but with dual mono capability
- Tellurium copper binding posts and RCA connectors
 
Now Sensation...

- Takes the THREE to a new level with more than 2x the capacitance, heat-sinking and much more.
- Three analog inputs with a great remote control.
- Alps motorized pot with lots of room for upgrades.
- Gorgeous case-work
- Built-to order (longer lead times)

Now the DAC pre-amp...  Michael's oeuvre...

- Digital and Analog preamplifier with headphone amp
- Complete new design from the ground up. In house Virtue Audio design.
- ESS Sabre DAC with custom transformer output stage. No op amps, no caps, no potentiometer in the signal path.  Extreme quality Onetics transformers.
- Jitter elimination
- Highest quality digital volume control via the ESS Sabre DAC
- Custom 24 step attenuator for analog section
- Relay switching for analog inputs
- Analog section drives the same custom transformer output stage. No caps in signal path
- Separate power regulation for each section.  Super regulation for DAC analog output
- 7 inputs.  3 stereo analog / 4 digital
- 2x coax, 2x optical, 1x USB digital inputs
- RCA stereo output + buffered mono sum for powered subwoofer
- Separate headphone amp circuit with ?? phone connector.  Same output signal as main outs, but with headphone amp.
- Same form factor as Virtue ONE, TWO, and THREE amps.
- Can be battery powered (24V)

Virtue DAC only. (Just the DACs, ma'am!)

- Nothing but high quality digital signal path
- Same superb ESS Sabre DAC with custom transformer output
- 4 digital inputs
- No volume control or analog section
- Dual RCA outputs
- Same form factor as Virtue amps, in black only

Now the ICEBlock..

- Killer Class-D monoblock based on the ICEpower ASP500 module.
- 500 Watts into 4 ohms
- 115dBA dynamic range
- Damping factor over 1000
- Big, powerful, masculine bass (if you know what we mean)
- Built in power supply  120V or 240V
- Custom balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA inputs, selectable
- Buffered RCA loop out
- Accurate and analytical
- Same form factor as Sensation amp and Piano CD player
 
And last but not least or lovely Piano CD-player...

- Custom CD player in a case to match the Sensation and ICEBlock amps.
- TDA1542 DAC chip with our own output stage
- Smooth, warm analog like sound
- Dual wound transformers to power the analog and digital circuits separately
- Coax and optical digital outputs
- Dual analog outputs via RCA connectors
- Full featured remote that also works with Sensation
- Customizable colors and appearance
- Heavy and stable.  A real brute

[Cheerwino]

 

[droht]

This kind of thing may just keep me from trolling on AgoN every day.

Patience Grasshopper....

[dvenardos]

 

[Welborne]

 

 

[virtue]

I'm just loving the iconography fellas.

[Cheerwino]

Why the  ?

[dvenardos]

It is killing me, isn't it killing you? 

Why the  ?

I would like to hear Micheal's comments on the sound of the ICEpower monoblocks versus the other amps.

[virtue]

What's your preference?  Some like the romance... others want to jump straight to the... well...  The ICEPower can be cleaner and more analytical but less lush and musical (in my opinion).  Tripath is for me a step down the road to tubes, without the overall hassle, power consumption, weight, expense, etc.  The ICE is no slouch. Its clean punch just blows some people away.  Michael?

[droht]

deleted, to further propogate the idea that Seth is a squeaky-clean kind of guy...

[virtue]

LOL 
You quoted me before I could make it safe for children

[Cheerwino]

It is killing me, isn't it killing you? 

Why the  ?

Yes, I suppose it is. I need that DAC reeel baaaaad.
 

[Cheerwino]

LOL 
You quoted me before I could make it safe for children

I imagine this is what goes on in Seth's mind writing posts: 

[dvenardos]

My feeling exactly.

Tripath is for me a step down the road to tubes, without the overall hassle, power consumption, weight, expense, etc.

[dvenardos]

Now the DAC pre-amp...  Michael's oeuvre...

- Digital and Analog preamplifier with headphone amp
- Complete new design from the ground up. In house Virtue Audio design.
- ESS Sabre DAC with custom transformer output stage. No op amps, no caps, no potentiometer in the signal path.  Extreme quality Onetics transformers.
- Jitter elimination
- Highest quality digital volume control via the ESS Sabre DAC
- Custom 24 step attenuator for analog section
- Relay switching for analog inputs
- Analog section drives the same custom transformer output stage. No caps in signal path
- Separate power regulation for each section.  Super regulation for DAC analog output
- 7 inputs.  3 stereo analog / 4 digital
- 2x coax, 2x optical, 1x USB digital inputs
- RCA stereo output + buffered mono sum for powered subwoofer
- Separate headphone amp circuit with ?? phone connector.  Same output signal as main outs, but with headphone amp.
- Same form factor as Virtue ONE, TWO, and THREE amps.
- Can be battery powered (24V)

I think I know what the relay switching is, you care to elaborate?

[panomaniac]

Yes, there is plenty there to drive you Bananas and make you drool.   We did that on purpose.

It's been a busy year at Virtue Audio, as you an see.  We've been in a rather strange spot for the past couple of months.  All our amps sold out and no new ones in the shelf.  We thought we would end up with new product and still have the old ones left over.  Figured we be having a “Sale! - Sale! - Sale!” to move the original amps when the new ones got here.  Didn't happen.  So  instead of  continuing with the old line up, we decided to put all our efforts into the new stuff.

Rocky Mountain Audio Fest will be the official launching of the new product line, but we wanted to give our loyal fans a sneak preview.  At this point we are still not sure how many of the new items  we'll have for the show, but it should be half or more.  It would be hard to show them all, anyway.

The new amps are really nice, we've put a lot of thought, research and work into them.  They will have the same great Tripath sound, just better.  After a year of working with these, listening to the amps, listening to our customers and even the press, we saw clearly what we did well and what we could do better.  And we've done it!

Of course the Virtue store will be a lot more fleshed out now, not just a couple of great little amps and some spiffy cables.  Now we'll have 5 amp models, a DAC, a DAC/preamp and even our own CD player (it's very nice, I can tell you).

For those of you who are power hungry, we will have a lot more power on tap.  The TWO and THREE will now handle more power, as will the Sensation.  And for you maniacs, there is the ICEBlock.  This thing kicks serious butt!  You'll need 2 of them for stereo, and a preamp, but they will rock your world.

And we continue to work toward better and better power supply options for the ONE, TWO, THREE and Sensation.  The better the power supply, the better they sound.  We know it, you know it.  So we'll be pushing forward there.   Also look for high battery power packs from some of our good friends in the business.  We hope to have them at the show.

[panomaniac]

To answer a few questions:

Relay switching.   Each analog channel in the preamp gets its own relay switch.  So instead of the signal passing thru the selector switch on the front panel, it gets switched on board via a high quality relay.  When the input is not selected, it is shunted to ground via 20K ohms.  That's done to keep noise low and present a load to the source at all times.  The active input impedance is 20K.

The ICEBlock.  Well, it's a different beast.  Does not sound like the Tripath amps, even though it is Class-D.  The first thing that you notice is the power the thing has – at any volume level.  It can make other amps sound limp.  Bass is truly bad-ass.  Tight, strong, never the one note drone.   The ICEBlock is also clean, clean, clean.  Noise floor is very low, almost inaudible. Actually inaudible on medium efficiency speakers. Midrange is also very clean and clear – open sounding, surprisingly so.   Some of this is speaker Dependant, of course, but it really brought to life a pair of bookshelf 2-ways I have.

What does it not have?   Will, it's got no volume control!  It's just an amp.  XLR or RCA input.  10K impedance, so you need a good, strong preamp to drive it.
And sure, it does not have the sweet detail and magic of a 300B SET amp, but it does have about 100X the power!  This is not a euphonious amp, it just tells it like it is  - with authority.  I really like the way it sounds full range, but if you are multi amping and want a bass amp, this is the one.  You open baffle fans may fall in love. =)

[tubesound]

Any info on pricing?

[panomaniac]

Yes, coming soon.   Seth will probably post in a day or two.

[Cheerwino]

So what are y'all lusting for? (audio-related) 

I've got my eye on the Pre/head/DAC or stand-alone DAC and the Sensation.