Virtue Audio
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Audio equipment manufacturing |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Seth Krinsky |
Key people | Michael Mardis, Roger Sheker |
| Products | Integrated amplifiers (Virtue One, Virtue Two) |
| Website | www |
Virtue Audio focused on manufacturing integrated amplifiers that utilized the Tripath microprocessor chip, commonly referred to as class-T or class D amplifiers. The brand gained recognition for offering compact, vibrantly colored amplifiers that provided wattage output surpassing typical expectations within their affordable price range. Among the design advisors was Roger Sheker, the chief engineer at the high-end audio company Audience, known for producing Auricap capacitors.
Principals
Established in 2005 by Seth Krinsky, Virtue Audio took advantage of acquiring Tripath chips during the chip manufacturer’s bankruptcy period before completing their amplifier designs. Initial design efforts were led by engineer Michael Mardis, who returned to the company in 2009. Roger Sheker became involved after Virtue sourced capacitors and wiring from Audience.
Products
The core offerings from Virtue consisted of the Virtue One and Virtue Two integrated digital amplifiers, which shared identical enclosures differentiated only by the color of their badges. The more advanced Virtue Two incorporated upgraded Auricap input capacitors, a stronger output chip, larger power capacitors, copper binding posts, and an enhanced power supply. The Virtue One utilized Tripath TC2000/bridged TP2051 chips, while the Virtue Two was equipped with Apogee DDX2200 series chips.
Debuting at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver in October 2008, the Virtue One began shipping in November 2008. Initially branded as Audiophile.ONE and Audiophile.TWO, these names were later changed due to trademark issues. Both models feature speaker terminals, RCA inputs, a buffered subwoofer output, and a power input connection. User controls include a prominent chrome volume knob and a push-in power switch.
The Virtue One comes with a 24V, 65W regulated switching power supply delivering 30 watts per channel; meanwhile, the Virtue Two is supplied with a 30V, 90W power unit capable of producing 50 watts per channel. Available upgrades consist of a 30V, 90W supply that raises the Virtue One’s output to 45 watts per channel and a 30V, 130W supply that increases both models’ output to 60 watts per channel.
In the value amplifier market segment, competitors include NuForce Icon, Trends TA-10, and Winsome Labs Mouse. High-end competitors utilizing comparable chipsets comprise Red Wine Audio, Audio Research, and Bel Canto.