Constellation Virgo/Centaur: High-End Audio Superstars (Part 2)

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Constellation Virgo/Centaur: High-End Audio Superstars (Part 2)

Centaur Direct

Novelty abounds inside the huge Centaur monoblocks. Instead of using one power amp stage comprising multiple transistors, each amplifier employs four125W modules in a balanced bridged configuration [two are shown on the PCB, adjacent]. Neither are these modules entirely conventional as they only employ N-type MOSFETs, rather than complementary NPN and PNP pairs, in a single-ended configuration. The concept, according to Constellation, is to achieve the delicate sound and musicality of a small single-ended triode amp, albeit one with the capacity to ‘play much louder'.

Although logic might suggest ‘Direct' will always sound better, in practice our experience was the reverse

Each Centaur has three inputs, including traditional RCA and balanced XLRs in addition to a second XLR that services its proprietary ‘Constellation direct’ option. This input omits one of the company's l-FET line stage modules, making use of the higher output voltage capacity of the Virgo preamp [see Lab Report, p27] to demand less voltage gain in the Centaur. The overall pre/power voltage gain remains the same just as there’s no change in the maximum power output of the Centaur — there's simply a [a 'higher voltage gain in the Virgo and proportionally less in the Centaur in ‘Direct’ mode. Although logic might suggest ‘Direct' will always sound better, in practice our experience was the reverse - Ken and I both enjoyed a more open, expressive and simply more ‘relaxed’ sound via the conventional balanced XLR inputs in my system. It's likely that the relative sensitivity of the loudspeakers and analogue output level of the source will play a big role in which mode is preferred

Power and Delicacy      

With all that power on tap, I just had to dig out Kodo‘s Warabe [Sony SRCL 4671], the opener ‘Yokigen' featuring relentless drumming that immediately evokes some battle scene in a Kurosawa epic. The Centaurs are no slouches when it comes to slam, but the delight was the Centaurs are no slouches when it comes to slam, but the delight was the roundness to the sound, a quality that imparted the sense that the air being moved was of a greater quantity than the woofers could ever manage. With flute hovering over the drums, the Constellations juggled delicacy and force simultaneously, favoring neither over the other. While Lou Rawls’ At Last [Blue Note CDP7 91937] and Keb’ Mo‘s Peace... Back by Popular Demand [Okeh/Epic EK 92687] delivered vocal textures that could not trip up the Constellations, by the time i grotto them, I expected no less. The latter’s bottleneck playing, the solo piano on ‘The Times They Are A'Changin", the drum attack on ‘For What It’s worth’ — again, the realism stops you in your tracks. Because those recordings are sublime by any standards, it was time to delve into material of possibly questionable sonic worth. Hits Of The '605 [Music Club MCCD 028] contains treasures like the Small Faces' ‘ltchycoo Park“, Petula Clark’s ‘Downtown’, some Kinks in mono, Status Quo's ‘Pictures Of Matchstick Men' — chart classics. Long ago, I learned never to assume that just because a track was known primarily as a single, best heard over a small tranny radio beneath the covers at 1am and with school in the morning. That it would be a sonic nightmare. Hearing in stereo for the first time such stunners as Dion’s ‘The Wanderer ‘taught me not to prejudge.

Constellation's Virgo preamp [top] offers four sets of balanced (XLR) and single-ended (RCA) ins with pairs of XLR/RCA outs. The network and USB ports are for control / updates, the other multipin sockets connect to the outboard P5U.111e Centaur [bottom] has parallel 4mm speaker outlets, RCA and low/normal gain XLR ins.

As Close As It Gets

By whatever magic Madnick and his A-team created these units, the Searchers' ‘Needles 8. Pins’- which I have heard at least 1000 times - delivered tiny details that previously eluded me. You could analyses the gorgeous harmonies, especially when the group splits apart left/right at 1m 055 into the track. The jangling guitar, more tuneful bass: it was like re-discovering The Ginger Man after 45 years.

It's easy to get carried away when in the presence of a system such as one powered by the Virgo and brace of Centaurs. Those of you fortunate enough to own ‘super’ systems know the sensation - it’s the same sense of near-grace one feels when driving a Ferrari or sipping a glass of Solaia.

It's easy to get carried away when in the presence of a system such as one powered by the Virgo and brace of Centaurs

Sadly, the price only becomes secondary if you're astoundingly wealthy. For the rest of us, the Constellations are something to which we might aspire, for they are game changers. They even inspired Paul to say that they're probably the best analogue amplifiers he’s heard. Having auditioned this system in two entirely different settings, I have no doubt that we are experiencing the birth of a new reference-caliber line of electronics. Yes, the price is forbidding, the size off-putting, the preamp ergonomics the antithesis of ‘real-time’, tactile rotaries. But what you’ll hear is as close to the source as it gets. This is a notable triumph by any standards.

Peter Madnick

Peter Madnick, a 40-year audio industry veteran, is 'project manager' for the Constellation electronics. He told HFN: ‘In 2009, I was approached by Constellation to help them fulfill their dream of designing the world's finest audio equipment. My years in audio afforded me the opportunity to work with a wide range of engineering talent. My job would be to assemble a team of the very best, design the best, get it recognized as such, then try to do it again for one-third of the price. 'My history, and that of my immediate staff, included the development of over 400components: high-end and mid-audio, video, and other home entertainment items.’ Among them were Audio Alchemy products, especially outboard DACs, universally hailed for their performance, but designed to a price. Much of their work for Audio Alchemy can be found in Constellation models. ‘For example, the DSP processing and de-jitter techniques were pioneered in our DACs, power supply filtering, microprocessor architecture, FPGA design and many others. ‘The efforts of my expert staff, and others as needed, have brought us to where we are today. ‘Madnick has overseen the creation of the cost-no-object Reference series, complemented by the Performance series —schematically identical to the Reference, but executed more affordably. As Madnick says, ‘0urgoal is achieving elegant simplicity, while hiding sophisticated hardware and software

Lab report

An issue with the polling of its rotary-encoder volume knob aside, the Virgo preamp is a textbook performer. XLR input 1 shows the highest PSU-related intermodulation (—1 15dB), XLR input 4 the lowest (-130dB) but all offer a supremely flat response (+-0.02dB from 1Hz-100 kHz), a fabulously wide 99.5dB A-wtd S/N ratio (re. 0dBV) and a huge 25V output capacity. Distortion increases with the Virgo’s output above 1V to 20V (0.0005% to 0.15%) which may explain the differences we heard between normal and ‘Direct' Centaur inputs but it remains impressively uniform with frequency [see black trace. Graph 2 below]. Distortion also increases with power output via the Centaur; from 0.0008% at 1W/80hm to0.003% at 10W, 0.02% at 100W and 0.09% at 400W and it also increases more obviously at HF when compared to the Virgo preamp [see blue trace, Graph 2].

Dynamic Power output versus distortion into 8ohm (black trace), 4ohm (red), 2ohm (blue) and 1ohm (green) speaker loads

Constellation rates the Centaur at 500W/80hm which it achieves - just — at 510W at 1% THD, and it nudges over the800W hurdle at 825W/4ohm. There's more in the tank under dynamic conditions, the Centaur delivering 570W, 1.06kW, 1.93kW and 3.01 kW into 8, 4, 2 and 1ohm in 10msec bursts at up to 1% THD [see Graph 1. below], and so it'll drive any likely partnering speaker with ease. The output impedance is a uniform 0.018-0.0270hm from 20Hz—20 kHz. Increasing thereafter. While the response — into Bohm — is flat to withini0.04dB from 1Hz-100 kHz. The 89.9dB A-wtd S/N (re. 0dBW) is also very wide. Readers may view comprehensive QC Suite test reports for the Constellation Audio Virgo preamp and Centaur Mono power amp by navigating to www.hifinews.ca.uk and clicking on the red ‘download' button.

THD vs. extended frequency; Virgo (1V out black trace) vs. Centaur (10W/8ohm, blue trace)

Specifications

·         Power output (<1% THD. 8/4ohm): 510W / 825W

·         Dynamic power (<1%THD.8/4/2/10hm): 570W] 1.06kW/ 1.93W / 3.0kW

·         Output imp. (20Hzi20kHz, pre/power): 7.5»77ohm I 0.018—0.0280hm

·         Freq. resp. (20Hz-100 kHz, pre/power): —0.0 to +0.1dB / -0.00 to +0.04dB

·         Input sensitivity (for 0dBV/0dBW): 47mV (pre) / 145mV (power)

·         A-wtd S/N ratio (re. 0dBV/0dBW): 99.7dB (pre) / 89.9dB (power)

·         Distortion (20Hz-20 kHz, 1V/ 10W): 0.0004—0.0007%/0.00]3—0.045%

·         Power consump. (pre/idle/rated o/p): 33W / 170W1800W (each)

·         Dimensions (WHD Virgo/Centaur): 432x140x400/432x280x508mm

Verdict

Though I no longer lust after the unobtainable, were I to suddenly find, as Tevye desired, a small fortune, and I had a craving for something solid-state, I'd need to choose between the Constellations, D’Agostino’s Momentums and the big darTZeels. But that's like choosing between three monumental wines — they're all good. However, recalling another super group, you can buy them on blind faith

Sound quality: 90%