Virtue Sensation M451 Manuel utilisateur
Virtue Sensation Owner’s Manual
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Owners Manual
Sensation
M4 1/ M901
Reference-grade Integrated Amplifier
Manual Version 1.1, September 2010
Purchased from Dealer:
Purchase Date:
Invoice Number:
Serial Number:
Virtue Sensation Owner’s Manual
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Welcome
We started Virtue in 2005 with the dream of bringing the sensory experience of the high-end audio to
the masses Welcome to our family! If you’re already an audiophile, you know already that this
amplifier is one of the best sounding, highest value audio products ever made If you simply like
listening to good music, we hope to help you appreciate of accurate sound reproduction and museum-
caliber build quality When you do, you’ll be an audiophile
Virtue is a principle-driven company Here are some of the rules we live by:
• Life is too short for bad audio Make audio lovers audiophiles
• If it’s not overbuilt, it can be made better Overbuild
• Provide a transporting sensory experience through sight, touch, and sound
• Make a product too attractive to be hidden in a cabinet
• Build it no bigger than it needs to be, but no smaller
• Make sure that ten is “loud enough” but go all the way to eleven regardless
• Establish Virtue as the highest value brand in the industry
• Provide a completely satisfying buying experience
• Live up to the Virtue name in every product and every way, every day
We hope that you get a lifetime of enjoyment from your Virtue Sensation amplifier Let this guide show
you how We’ll cover:
• What’s in the box
• Setting up your amplifier
• Tweaks & Tips
• Quirks
• Do’s & Don’ts
• Troubleshooting
• Specifications
• Warranty
• Trademarks
If, after reading through this manual, you are have any questions whatsoever about the Sensation,
please submit feedback on our website Go to www.virtueaudio.com, click on “Us” and submit your
question in the message form Please be sure to specify “Product Question” or “Product Issue”
To contact us directly, you can also send and e-mail to listenin @virtueaudio.com or call 1-877-
VIRT-YOU (877-847-8968) and leave a message We’ll call you back!
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What’s in the Box
Inside the box you will find:
1 Remote control (top foam)
2 Sensation amplifier (inside)
3 Power supply and cord (bottom foam)
4 Power supply adapter
5 Volume Knobs
Box: Sensation will arrive double-boxed
Sensation should be nicely cushioned inside
Remote: The remote control unit will be on the top
of the box The black plastic unit (standard) is
shown here
Power Supply: Below the amplifier, you will find
one switching power supply (either the standard
24v or the upgraded 30v, if so ordered)
Volume Knob: The chrome/steel volume knob is
packed separately to avoid damaging either the
knob or the potentiometer shaft during shipping
Power Supply Adapter: 4-pin to bullet adapter
to mate with bullet supplies (center pin positive)
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Settin up your amplifier
We carefully box the Sensation to protect it during long-distance shipping Here are the steps required
to get going
1 Adjust feet and attach the volume knob
2 Connect the signal cables and speakers
3 Plug in unit
4 Turn on!
Adjust the feet and attach the volume knob
Rotate the feet to make sure that the unit is level on the installation
surface Simply press the Volume knob onto the potentiometer shaft,
aligning the “D” hole in the knob with the slot in the “D” shaft
Connect si nal cables and speakers
Sensation is a full featured integrated amplifier and hook up is like most other units with which you are
probably familiar
RCA Inputs: There are three RCA line level signal inputs for three sources, switchable on the front of
the unit or by the included remote Connect your audio sources (CD/DVD player, DAC, MP3 player,
tuner, TV audio, turntable) to the L/R RCA inputs
Speaker Propeller Post
TM
: Attach your speaker wire to Virtue’s cleverly designed Propeller Post
TM
binding posts They support banana plugs, bare wire or spades Check connections after a week to
ensure they remained tight If snug, they should remain that way
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• Banana plugs, the most convenient option, are inserted in the back of the Propeller Post
TM
• Spades are slid over the binding post shaft, behind the post collar, and the Propeller Post
TM
can
then be tightened
• Bare wire can be wrapped around the post or inserted through the rear hole and tightened
You may connect speakers with an impedance of anywhere from 2 ohms to 16 ohms, without problem
Low impedances may cause the amp to shut down; higher impedances may not have optimum
frequency response But, you’ll be fine with the vast majority of speakers on the market Running the
amp without speakers will not harm it
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Mono Subwoo er Out: The mono subwoofer line level output allows you to attach a powered
subwoofer amplifier to the Sensation Use the provided sub output connection instead of
connecting the Sensation’s high-level speaker outputs to your subwoofer high-level inputs as
this will bridge the Sensation’s speaker outputs and destroy your amp
WARNING: Do NOT connect the high-level speaker outputs to your subwoofer inputs and use the
subwoofer to crossover the high and low frequencies With Tripath amps such as this one, there is a
decent chance that your subwoofer amplifier will bridge the amp’s speaker outputs, blowing up your
Virtue amp
Stereo Pre-outs: Sensation’s excellent preamp stage can be used as you would a stand-alone preamp,
to drive an external amplifier Connect the L/R stereo RCA pre-outs, which output a full range signal, to
your other amplifier We don’t know why in the world one might do this, but it’s possible If your
Sensation is equipped with the optional Dodd Buffer, you might like to know that the buffer is part of the
preamp signal path
Connectin Power Supply and Cables
Sensation is shipped with a standard 24v switching power supply or an upgraded 30v switching power
supply If using another brand power supply, it must not exceed 30v
Connecting the Power Supply: Make sure the amplifier power switch in the back is in the “off” position
1 Connect the power brick to its separate power cable
2 Connect the power supply cable to Sensation (use the 4-pin to bullet adapter if needed,
depending on supply)
3 Plug the power cable into the wall outlet or your power conditioner outlet
I Connecting Batteries: Make sure the amplifier power switch in the back is “off” Connect your
batteries as directed by the manufacturer and then connect the power source to the back of the
Sensation Use the included 4-pin to bullet adapter if necessary Please see www virtueaudio com for
recommended battery options There is a misprint on the enclosure (it says 39v) The max input
voltage is 30v on Sensation Do NOT exceed 30v
Turnin On the Amplifier
Sensation has two power switches: a main, manual rocker switch on the back and; a power button on
the front (which can also be controlled by remote)
The way the soft-start is configured, it is best to put the unit into stand-by before shutting it down with
the master power switch or unplugging the power supply If you mess up, just make sure to wait around
90 seconds before trying to power Sensation back on
Proper Power On Procedure:
1 Turn on rear power rocker switch on the back of Sensation
a At this time you will notice the Protection and Standby LEDs will come on, testing the
power input to make sure it is safe before the amplifier can be turned on
2. Wait briefly for the standby circuit to “click” and char e up
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a After about 3 seconds, Protection LED will go from yellow, to red, to off and Standby
LED will stay on
3. Turn on the front power switch on Sensation or by remote
a Red Standby will go off, Blue “On” LED will come on
Turnin Off the Amplifier
In most cases you only need to turn off the front power button in daily use and enjoyment to keep your
Sensation in standby mode This way it will be ready to play when you are ready to listen However, if
you need to fully power down Sensation and the power supply in order to change connections or make
any internal adjustments or tube swaps (if you’re one of those lucky dogs with the Dodd Buffer) then
you MUST follow the full power down procedure below
You should fully power down your Sensation amplifier and the power supply to:
• Take off the top and look inside Sensation to see the Special Sauce
• Change tops, sides or any other exterior structural changes
• Make internal adjustments to the jumpers, caps, tube and other doohickies inside
• Change speakers or inputs
• Switch the Dodd Tube Buffer on or o
• Switch between power supplies and/or batteries
• Protect Sensation from power outage during storms
• Just don’t want the power supply or battery on
Full Power Down Sequence
1 Turn off front power button (or turn off by remote)
2 Turn off rear power rocker switch
3 Unplug the power supply from the back of Sensation
Please do NOT rapidly turn on and off the unit If Sensation goes into protection mode, turn off the
master power switch and wait 90 seconds for Sensation to reset
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What’s Inside
Here is an annotated picture of the inside of Sensation
Tweaks and Tips
Removin the Top
Sensation is easy to open up for customization, tube rolling (with optional Dodd Buffer) or just to peek
1 Follow full power down sequence to fully turn off Sensation and its power supply
2 Unplug unit
3 With allen wrench, loosen and remove screws on the back holding the rails in place
4 Slide top back
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Settin 80hz Hi h-Pass Filter
Sensation outputs a full range signal to your speakers If you would like to filter the lower frequencies
below 80hz, which you might choose to do if running a subwoofer, simply move the jumpers
Power Supplies & Batteries
Sensation ships with a standard 24v, 65w regulated power supply It’s nice and perfectly serviceable
but an upgraded supply will help Sensation show its true colors Our 30v, 130w regulated supply is a
huge upgrade and well worth your consideration
Many customers rave about battery power supplies with Sensation With high-sensitivity speakers, a
battery power supply easily exceeds the performance of all other power supplies offered for this amp
The noise floor drops to nothing Detail levels are greatly improved The vocal region is smoother and
more relaxed Sound stage and imaging are also improved However, some customers do not prefer
the “tightness” of batteries and will prefer an upgraded regulated power supply Check our website for
several regulated and battery power supply options at www virtueaudio com
Cabinet Resonance
Placing 1” hobby magnets on the green, interior parts of the inside of the case may help reduce any
cabinet resonances you encounter Some customers may choose to remove the feet and place the unit
on a wooden block or granite The different materials will reduce resonances
Char e Batteries
Sensation is so sweet with batteries, but be sure they are charged up You may experience odd
squealing sounds from almost dead battery supplies
Phase Issues
Sensation is in phase The main output to the speakers from Sensation is phase correct The mono
subwoofer out is phase inverted
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Usin as a Power Amplifier
Turning the dial all the way up to maximum volume has the same effect as jumpering out the volume
POT The POT cannot be completely jumpered out on Sensation as it can on the ONE 2 and TWO 2
amplifiers
Dodd Tube Buffer Option
We are delighted to be able to offer the finest buffer made today as an optional upgrade to the
Sensation’s preamp stage This stage “buffers” the impedance from the source to the amplifier so as to
present a “friendlier” impendence to the speakers It essentially sorts out impedance mismatches that
prevent the amplifier from efficiently transferring power, which would otherwise degrade the sound
Most folks agree this results in a fuller, more lively sound that is also cleaner You don’t need to crank
up the volume to enjoy the benefits of the buffer
The buffer is a proprietary potted circuit – don’t ask what’s inside It is the quietest and most musical
that we have ever heard
The Dodd Buffer in Sensation can be switched on or off from inside the unit (but only do so when it is
fully turned off and unplu ed or else you may hear crackles and pops in your speakers)
The upgrade is shipped with an excellent JJ 12-AXJ tube that sounds perfectly swell to many of us But,
you can roll just about any 12v tube that fits Here are some of the ones we’ve tried (no guarantees):
12AX7
5751
7025
CV4004
E83CC
ECC83
ECC803
12AU7
5814
5963
6189
CV4003
E82CC
ECC82
ECC802
12AT7
6201
6679
CV4024
E81CC
ECC81
ECC801
Ce manuel convient aux modèles suivants
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