Chassis-width, triple-transformer power supply
The Virgo power supply design is borrowed directly from the Reference Series Altair preamp. This triple-transformer supply offers separate, isolated feeds for the left and right channels, as well as a separate feed for control circuits. Because each channel of audio cannot be affected by the power demands of the other (or of the control circuits), maximum sonic purity is achieved. The power supply now stretches the full width of the preamplifier, so the preamp section can sit directly atop the power supply.
Line Stage Gain Module
One of the core technologies that make Constellation Audio products so extraordinary is this unique module, which is designed to deliver a more perfect match between the positive- and negative-going halves of the audio signal than conventional balanced preamplifiers can. The result is greater detail, incredible depth and a sound that comes that much closer to the perfectly natural tonality one experiences at a live event.
Fully balanced audio circuitry
Because the Line Stage Gain Module employs fully complementary balanced circuitry, with the signal amplified by two “mirror-imaged” preamp circuits, it cancels interference, reduces noise to the vanishing point, and achieves an exceptional slew rate with frequency response out to 200 kilohertz.
Home theater bypass mode
One of Virgo II’s inputs can be configured for home theater bypass, so that it passes the left and right front channels from a surround-sound decoder directly through to the amplifiers and speakers, without affecting the surround-sound system’s volume or channel-to-channel balance. Selecting any other input returns the system to two-channel mode.
Meticulous mechanical isolation
To protect the sensitive audio circuits from external vibration, we mount them on a metal “raft” that floats on an elastomeric suspension. We further isolate the circuits by separating Virgo II’s jack panel from the chassis with a pliable material. The metal construction of the “raft” shields the audio circuits from any interference emitted by the control circuits underneath.
Thick 8.2mm metal chassis for superior shielding
We build Virgo II’s chassis from solid slabs of aluminum machined to a minimum thickness of 8.2mm, which is necessary to block 50/60 Hz electromagnetic
interference from household wiring and appliances. No sheet metal chassis can shield audio circuits anywhere near as effectively as the Virgo II’s heavy, sturdy enclosure can.
Constellation Direct interface
When Virgo II is used with any Constellation Audio amplifier, it can be connected via the Constellation Direct interface, which transmits a perfectly balanced audio signal from the Virgo’s gain stage straight into the power amplifier. This connection bypasses the input modules of the amplifiers, thus reducing the number of gain stages in the signal chain and achieving even greater musicality.
Machined aluminium remote control
Any component as beautifully designed as Virgo II simply wouldn’t feel right with a conventional remote control, so we designed one to suit the preamp’s physical aesthetics. The machined aluminum body and backlit buttons of the remote provide a comfortable, gratifying feel and easy operation in any level of room light.
Advanced front-panel control system
Virgo II combines the intuitive feel of traditional knobs and buttons with a 432 x 230-pixel display that provides complete access to all of the preamp’s advanced features, such as input renaming and gain presetting for each input.
Our original concept for the Constellation Performance Series Virgo preamplifier was to implement the same revolutionary circuit topology of our acclaimed Reference Series Altair preamp in a more cost-effective chassis. Through a substantial power supply upgrade, Virgo II now moves the Performance Series one step closer to the Reference Series.
Constellation Virgo II now includes the same power supply used for Altair. This supply offers numerous advantages. While the original Virgo’s power supply took electrical isolation to a high level with separate transformers and outputs for the audio and control circuits, the Constellation Virgo II supply enables true dual-mono operation, with separate transformers and outputs for left-channel audio, right-channel audio and control circuits. Thus, high demand in one channel does not affect the performance of the other channel.
The new power supply also adds additional filtering to reduce noise and improve sonic detail. It is designed to fit directly underneath the Constellation Virgo II main chassis instead of behind the equipment rack, so it takes up less space and is easier to install. High-current-capacity Hypertronics cables, originally developed for aerospace applications, interface the power supply with the main preamp chassis.
Original Virgo preamps can be returned to Absolute Sounds for an upgrade to the new version. For even better fidelity, Constellation Virgo II and upgraded original Virgos are compatible with our new external DC filter, a component with additional power filtration and storage that fits between the power supply and the preamp’s main chassis.
Otherwise, Virgo II retains all the characteristics that Constellation “dream team” of the world's best audio engineers and industrial designers included in the original design. The core of Virgo II’s technology remains Constellation Audio’s Line Stage Gain Module, a fully complementary preamplifier circuit that achieves essentially perfect balance between the positive and negative halves of the audio signal. No conventional balanced-topology preamp can equal Virgo II’s musicality and transparency. Because audio signals emerging from Virgo II are so perfectly balanced, they can use Constellation Direct, a special interface that bypasses the amplifiers’ input stages for superior sound quality.
Constellation isolate thes Line Stage Gain Modules and other audio circuits inside Virgo II by floating them on what we like to refer to as a “raft”: a metal plate that supports and isolates the circuitry. Audio circuits sit on top of the raft, while control circuits are suspended below. The entire assembly floats on an elastomeric suspension that isolates it from outside vibration, just as a calm lake isolates a floating raft from disturbances on shore. The metal plate also shields the audio circuits from the control circuits for greater sonic purity.
