TWO.2 listening impressions

eclein · « **Reply #60 on:** 21 Jul 2010, 07:23 pm »

Gopher...I think you'll really like the way it sounds, and the depth gets even better...These little babies are just so easy to make sing..let us know how you like it??

eclein · « **Reply #61 on:** 28 Jul 2010, 10:17 pm »

I have had my TWO.2 for a month and a half and haven't stopped enjoying music since it was delivered. This little integrated is worth far more than its pricetag. I love movies, used to watch them all the time, haven't seen one since the amp arrived..the music is so inviting and engaging. I'm so grateful that I found these amps when I did, saved me a lot of time looking around, if your remotely thinking about a Virtue amp, maybe on the fence..jump in!!!! This is the best piece I have ever heard, ever...OK...phew!! Just had to get that out...all better now.
Thanks Seth

dvenardos · « **Reply #62 on:** 30 Jul 2010, 07:01 am »

Here is my Two.2 with Sonicap Gen I and Gen 2 bypass caps.
Thanks to Jason for verifying the board for me as I started desoldering a couple weeks ago and just got back to finishing the job.

This is still in the garage but I will be comparing to my classic Two with auricaps. Initial impression is very positive. I see why Danny Richie likes sonicaps.

Installation is kind of a pain as the One and Two are designed to be cute and not for DIY, so everything is very cramped. Plus sonicaps have uninsulated solid leads and due to the cramped conditions on the Two you have to insulate the leads and for the same reason stranded leads would be much easier to work with.

cgreynes · « **Reply #63 on:** 30 Jul 2010, 07:39 am »

Nice! What's the voltage of the Sonicap 2.2uf? Did you use 0.1uf or 0.01uf for the Gen II?

dvenardos · « **Reply #64 on:** 31 Jul 2010, 02:24 am »

They are the 200vdc sonicaps. I used .1uf for the bypass cap.
I will be comparing this to the Classic Two with auricaps and than add a bypass cap to the Classic Two and see what kind of a difference that makes.

Quote from: cgreynes on 30 Jul 2010, 07:39 am

Nice! What's the voltage of the Sonicap 2.2uf? Did you use 0.1uf or 0.01uf for the Gen II?

OzarkTom · « **Reply #65 on:** 31 Jul 2010, 03:18 am »

Quote from: eclein on 28 Jul 2010, 10:17 pm

I have had my TWO.2 for a month and a half and haven't stopped enjoying music since it was delivered. This little integrated is worth far more than its pricetag. I love movies, used to watch them all the time, haven't seen one since the amp arrived..the music is so inviting and engaging. I'm so grateful that I found these amps when I did, saved me a lot of time looking around, if your remotely thinking about a Virtue amp, maybe on the fence..jump in!!!! This is the best piece I have ever heard, ever...OK...phew!! Just had to get that out...all better now.
Thanks Seth

lol....I know what you mean. I even called DirectTV last week and had them shut off my service. No need to watch TV any more.

cgreynes · « **Reply #66 on:** 31 Jul 2010, 08:33 am »

It would be interesting to know the comparison. I just got the M451 last month. I'm still researching which cap to use. Is there a reason you chose .1uf instead of .01uf and Sonicap Gen II instead of Platinum? I'm not sure if I got this right. .1uf will bypass around 80hz while the .01uf will bypass at around 800hz. Thanks!

Quote from: dvenardos on 31 Jul 2010, 02:24 am

They are the 200vdc sonicaps. I used .1uf for the bypass cap.
I will be comparing this to the Classic Two with auricaps and than add a bypass cap to the Classic Two and see what kind of a difference that makes.

dvenardos · « **Reply #67 on:** 31 Jul 2010, 10:13 am »

I got the sonicaps from Danny Richie of GR Research and that is the value he uses for bypass caps. The idea behind the bypass cap is that it helps discharge the cap faster. A .1uf cap will be carrying an audible portion of the spectrum and a .01uf cap will not. In my case (with the Gen II) it probably doesn't matter if the cap is audible or not because it is similar quality to the Gen I. When going with the platinum I would think you want to go with a .1uf versus .01uf because the platinum cap is of much higher quality, but Gary Dodd is the expert and he likes the .01uf in amps so I would defer to his opinion. The only reason I went with the Gen II instead of the platinum is cost. I am playing around with bypass caps right now and the platinum are just too much for my budget.

Quote from: cgreynes on 31 Jul 2010, 08:33 am

It would be interesting to know the comparison. I just got the M451 last month. I'm still researching which cap to use. Is there a reason you chose .1uf instead of .01uf and Sonicap Gen II instead of Platinum? I'm not sure if I got this right. .1uf will bypass around 80hz while the .01uf will bypass at around 800hz. Thanks!

al128 · « **Reply #68 on:** 31 Jul 2010, 02:17 pm »

Quote from: dvenardos on 31 Jul 2010, 02:24 am

They are the 200vdc sonicaps. I used .1uf for the bypass cap.
I will be comparing this to the Classic Two with auricaps and than add a bypass cap to the Classic Two and see what kind of a difference that makes.

could you pls follow through with this A-B'ing? ... would be too interesting to know

cheers
al

eclein · « **Reply #69 on:** 31 Jul 2010, 02:27 pm »

+1 on letting us know how you make out....my TWO.2 has Auricaps and I want to find out if the Sonicaps are something I should try, mine sounds superb right now, can it actually sound better??

al128 · « **Reply #70 on:** 31 Jul 2010, 03:29 pm »

i am by no means a fanboy type of person,

... but the TWO.2 is a darn good piece of audio-equipment ...

amazing sound (and when I say that, I do NOT mean "for the price") ...

i mean "amazing sound, period!"

I wanted to do a shootout w/ other small amps I have (Miniwatt, KingRex) ... but the TWO.2 sounds CLEARLY better than either of those - it doesnt even make sense to do the shootout in my setup (EMU 0404USB-DAC - amp - Hornshoppe The Horn)

kudos, seth, kudos!

salu2
Al

dvenardos · « **Reply #71 on:** 31 Jul 2010, 07:43 pm »

Going on vacation this week, but I will definitely do this.

Quote from: al128 on 31 Jul 2010, 02:17 pm

could you pls follow through with this A-B'ing? ... would be too interesting to know

cheers
al

cgreynes · « **Reply #72 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 08:38 am »

Thanks dvenardos for the helpful information! I'll play around with different caps (Sonicap Gen I & II, Mundorf SIO, Multicap RTX) for few months then I'll experiment on bypassing.

virtue · « **Reply #73 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 09:35 am »

Hey Al,
Thanks for the kudos! I really appreciate it... we've done many things wrong but the TWO.2 was not one of them. You waited long enough for yours.... thank you!
Seth

eclein · « **Reply #74 on:** 9 Aug 2010, 12:01 pm »

I took my TWO.2 down with me to visit my kids over the weekend and had them driving some JBL 4311B Control Monitors in a large living room, and the TWO easily drove them and filled the room with great sound. My kids now understand why Dad is so "into Hi-Fi"...I am
a fanboy!!!... Can you be a fanboy at 52??

dvenardos · « **Reply #75 on:** 10 Aug 2010, 04:09 am »

Back from vacation. I got the Two.2 bypassing the pot, in my main system, and breaking in.

Quote from: eclein on 31 Jul 2010, 02:27 pm

+1 on letting us know how you make out....my TWO.2 has Auricaps and I want to find out if the Sonicaps are something I should try, mine sounds superb right now, can it actually sound better??

dvenardos · « **Reply #76 on:** 15 Aug 2010, 02:18 am »

Danny Richie said that the sonicaps are slightly cleaner and have less coloration. I wish I could report something different, but so far I am stuck with, "What he said.".

eclein · « **Reply #77 on:** 15 Aug 2010, 09:06 pm »

dvenardos--How is the new sound???

dvenardos · « **Reply #78 on:** 15 Aug 2010, 10:39 pm »

They sound very good. Clean and articulate, uncolored. I am going to add bypass caps to the auricaps and see if that makes any difference to their sound. The sonicaps are slightly cleaner than the auricaps and more neutral. The auricaps have a slightly warm coloring, which isn't bad. I like both caps, but I like the sonicaps better.

Quote from: eclein on 15 Aug 2010, 09:06 pm

dvenardos--How is the new sound???

bummrush · « **Reply #79 on:** 15 Aug 2010, 10:42 pm »

Thanks for the kudos! I really appreciate it... we've done many things wrong but the TWO.2 was not one of them.
Above from Virtue,!. give yourself more credit then that,, Anybody can do low or lower priced goods,but to make them to stand up to audiophile standards is a whole new deal,and not price gouge when you clearly could is a sign of a good company.Especially in light of all the digital amps that are out there. Someday i will give one a try hopefully.