Setup and game plan
While my status as a good boy is always open to question—I'm sure I was one sometime in the distant past—I honor manufacturer's wishes when I can. Hence, after friend Scott and I installed the fully-decked-out Vitus RI-101 Mk.II on the free top shelf of my Grand Prix Monza equipment rack, I plugged it directly into the wall, and so it stayed throughout the review.
A simple A-B-A test confirmed that replacing stock, nothing-special feet with Wilson Audio Pedestals delivered increased air and transparency and elevated the whole sonic presentation. Those supports may cost 10% of the price of the integrated itself, and my cabling costs many times more—but why not?
Aldo had told me that when the RI-101 Mk.II is first plugged in and set to "standby" mode, it requires 24–48 hours to heat stabilize. After that, once you power it up fully, it requires an hour's warm-up to reach optimal sonic levels. Again, I did as told before listening.
Vitus's shipping carton included a basic Apple remote. Although a customized remote was nearing completion and may be available as you read this, the Apple remote's mute, volume, and input controls, augmented by an iPad Pro outfitted with both Roon and MConnect, were all I needed to control the unit.
My review strategy was simple. First, I'd listen to the Vitus RI-101 Mk.II with my reference Innuos Statement NG music server/dCS Vivaldi Apex DAC/Upsampler Plus/Master Clock front-end connected to the integrated's XLR inputs, and output the signal to my Wilson Audio Alexia V loudspeakers and active LōKē subwoofers. Setting the Vivaldi's volume control to full (0) would remove it from the signal path and allow me to hear everything the Vitus's volume attenuator could do.
Next, I'd bypass my reference front-end and run Ethernet directly from my EtherREGEN's optimized 100Mbps port through the Nordost QNet switch's 100Mbps ports into the Vitus's Ethernet port and stream music through its optional DAC/streamer module. Because the Vitus RI-101 Mk.II has no internal storage, I stuck to Qobuz streams whenever possible. That limited me to a mere 130 million tracks, but somehow, I coped.
The sound
My first impression, using my reference Innuos/dCS front-end for DAC/streaming, was extremely positive. I chose American Counterpoints (24/96 FLAC, Bright Shiny Things/Qobuz), a recording of music by oft-overlooked Black composers Julia Perry and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson performed by the Experiential Orchestra and violinist Curtis Stewart, conducted by James Blachly. Though the music's modernist bent didn't put wind to my sails, so to speak, the sound was enticingly full and colorful. Focus and solidity were impressive.
I was so impressed by the music and sonics of Takács Assad Labro (24/88.2 FLAC, Yarlung Records/Qobuz) that I chose to review it for our May issue. On this disc, the superb Takács String Quartet, vocalist/pianist/composer Clarice Assad, and bandoneon player/composer Julien Labro perform their own music and pieces by Bryce Dessner, Milton Nascimento, and Kaija Saariaho. The sound was transparent and colorful, with a beautiful midrange and detail so well conveyed that I felt no need to return to my reference amplification components, which together—amps and preamp—cost $100,000+ more than the Vitus integrated. (See Associated Equipment sidebar.)
When friend Scott visited, he requested "Four Kinds of Horses (Bright-Side Mix)" from Peter Gabriel's recent album i/o (24/96 FLAC, Real World Productions/Qobuz). Gabriel released this recording in three mixes, Bright-Side, Dark-Side, and In-side, each created by a different mixing/mastering engineer. As one might well expect, the Bright-Side Mix's top was bright and alive to a fault, but through the RI-101 Mk.II it was nicely balanced by a beautiful midrange and decent bass, and the soundstage was big. The Dark-Side mix was considerably easier to listen to.
It was hardly a surprise that the RI-101 Mk.II's bass wasn't as strong, tightly focused, and refined as that from my far more expensive reference monoblocks; strong and tight bass is a big advantage of listening with well-designed, premium-priced separates. The Vitus bass timbres were slightly off, a bit soft and powdery in the center and lacking the last iota of resonant overtones.
This hardly diminished my enjoyment of music. Cellos were warm and plush, and music exhibited a natural, seductive flow. Even if I didn't hear every last iota of detail in Rafael Payare and the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal's recording of Mahler's Symphony No.5 (24/96 FLAC, Pentatone/Qobuz), I was swept away by the music, performance, and recording. Soprano Sandrine Piau's moving rendition of Carl Loewe's lieder "Ach neige, du Schmerzenreiche" from Chimère (24/96 FLAC, Alpha/Qobuz) sounded nothing short of wonderful, distinguished by excellent air and extreme beauty.
Next, bypassing my reference front-end, I used Roon to stream files through the Vitus's optional streamer/DAC board. I was delighted by how much color, drive, and emotional energy the Vitus streamer/DAC conveyed. There may have been less organic flow to Payare's recording of the famed Adagietto from Mahler's Fifth than I hear with my far more expensive reference source components. On the other hand, I was surprised to hear a faint gong approximately 4:28 into the movement. For all the times I've been seduced by this music on my reference system, I had never before heard that accidentally activated gong.
Beyond transmitting a surprising amount of detail, the Vitus RI-101 Mk.II's optional DAC/streamer pleased in the beauty department. On Piau's recently recorded Reflet (24/96 FLAC, Alpha/Qobuz), with L'Orchestre Victor Hugo conducted by Jean-François Verdier, Duparc's great song "Chanson triste" sounded gorgeous. In absolute terms, the piano could have sounded richer, the voice more substantial, but color and midrange warmth were right on and seductive.
The Vitus boys told me that some of their clients prefer the sound of MConnect software (or other playback options) with the Vitus DAC/streamer, so I gave MConnect a try (footnote 5). Overall texture, color, transparency, and focus improved on the above tracks, and I heard more warmth and fullness in the midrange. When Scott and I played "The Plum Blossom" from oboist Yusef Lateef 's marvelous, superbly remastered Eastern Sounds (24/192 FLAC, Craft Recordings/Qobuz), the first word out of my friend's mouth was "nice." I couldn't have agreed more. One of these days, Scott and I need to ditch our busy schedules, stop taking notes, and spend 39 minutes listening to this album in silence.
Just days before I needed to pack up the Vitus for shipment to John Atkinson for measurement, Jim Austin asked me if I could suggest a recording that deserved to be the May issue's Recording of the Month. I proposed to expand my short rave review of the new recording of Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto (and other early Britten works) performed by violinist Isabelle Faust and the Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, conducted by Jakub Hrůša (24/96 WAV, Harmonia Mundi/download). Once Jim gave the okay, I began listening anew, using my reference front-end to send signal through the Vitus RI-101 Mk.II.
If you look at that full-page review, you'll read multiple paragraphs filled with detailed descriptions of musical and emotional changes. It isn't possible to write "Just as tension builds to the breaking point, the orchestra re-enters, filled with grief. ... The music almost grinds to a halt as everything seems in danger of crashing down" unless your electronics are capable of transmitting the essential visceral and emotional impact of great music. In getting to the musical essence of Britten's marvelous concerto, the Vitus RI-101 Mk.II did itself proud.
In sum
As someone spoiled by preamplifier/monoblock combinations that cost more than five times the price of the Vitus RI-101 Mk.II, I did my best to temper expectations before beginning this review. What a relief to discover that throughout my time with this integrated amplifier, the phrase "I could live happily with this baby for a long time" played on repeat in my head. Music through the Vitus RI-101 Mk.II sounded in line with the sensational sound I heard through the 17-times-more-expensive Vitus Masterpiece series DAC, preamp, and monoblock system I heard at AXPONA 2023. As tempting as it was to note what was absent, I instead found myself celebrating all that was present.
If you're looking for an integrated with optional DAC/streaming capabilities that you can live with for a long, long time, the Vitus RI-101 Mk.II is solidly recommended.
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COMMENTS
I'm beginning to think stereophile is deliberately baiting the more rational readers with reviews that mention $385,000 front-end amplifiers or even a 20K integrated amp. But I'm not complaining. It makes for entertaining reading.
they don't want critical thinkers here at Stereophile with a different and down-to-earth view of audio, only an applause machine and worshipers for (some of) the reviewers
What's your criticism of the amp- other than that it's too expensive?
LOL.. you have none. You said nothing but the whining crap you've always tainted these pages with- it's just too expensive- yet you have no idea of what went into the costs that built this amp.
You also haven't heard it, so you can't make a critique if you don't have any experience with it -
AND sadly, nor can you speak intelligently to why the value is a 'poor' one here.
You're a naysayer with nothing to say!! LMAO...
It has nothing to do with a differing 'opinion'. You need to actually form a valid one first.
I just stack rank the gear by price and assume that's how the subjective reviews will turn out.
There are times there might be an outlier, but, like with watches, the more you pay, the better the performance.
Same goes for shoes, purses, and sunglasses.
$20k for an top integrated amp isn't really a lot. I own separate components and they have a different value set and after great cabling, it's way more than one thinks. Again, separates have a different set of plusses and minuses, all valid based on individual budgets and buying strategies.
And I do think it's valid that price suggests quality.
The market has enough companies that know what will, should and does sell and at what prices. To suggest high prices for greed or what the market will bear is childish and nearsighted.
The market is doing well shown by the increased coverage on the web, in print and in person at shows. Globally, there are more companies in the market. A savvy buyer base drives smart purchases as well. Audiophiles are informed like no other group I can think of.
what you can't afford. I can assure you, that if any of the regular negative trolls here were trust fund babies, they wouldn't be criticizing the price of the equipment (or cars, or watches, or clothing, or wine, sunglasses, purses, coffee tables...)
Since you are good with the price, does that make you a trust fund baby? ;-p
I was simply stating the almost iron clad rule of higher price = higher quality. Even JA1 has addressed this!
As prices float out past the event horizon of the hobby, perhaps we can all just clap and then wave!
and I still enjoy reading about this stuff THE SAME WAY a Chevy owner still reads about Lamborghinis in Motor Trend. THE SAME WAY my daughter reads VOGUE for the latest in what CELINE makes. THE SAME WAY one reads Architectural Digest even if you rent a simple apartment. I am not a trust fund baby. The priciest single component in my system is a 1989 Linn LP12. I would be so bored with Stereophile if the only equipment they reviewed was all Crutchfield catalog level (not that I have an issue with that equipment or the company.) If someone wants to spend 100k on an amp, go for it. BTW My dream amp is a Jadis integrated at approx. 20k. Sadly, I doubt I will be able to get one but I still love reading about them.
you don't know what set I have and I'm not going to brag about it. I have heard 2x or 3x and even 4x more expensive sets at dealers several times. I heard a difference. Yes I did. I admit, But barely. Okay, there was an improvement, but just only a little, not a difference that justifies the price difference. We all know the principle of diminishing marginal utility. In the beginning, every small investment provides a clear improvement, but this curve decreases to a point where you can say that every small improvement in quality requires an unreasonably large additional investment. That's what this discussion is about. My point. All these exotic components with (too) low sales numbers (in relation to development costs and production costs), are they a good buy? Isn't an integrated amplifier like in this case, where larger numbers are produced and sold, let say between 5k and 10k, not a much better buy? Isn't the price-quality ratio of this type of integrated amplifier much higher than one of 20k or more, even if the latter sounds (a small fraction) better?
Sounds like you made your mind up about this amplifier when you visited your dealer years ago listening to other gear, however random. And all other gear for that matter... Wouldn't you agree?
And you are now stating you're having a discussion about high priced amps? Lol, no, you rather said "$20k?! No way!" And that was it.
You haven't heard this amp but somehow are drawing conclusions about it.
What is your criteria to determine value at this price point? You're kind of massively vague on that point.
Anything over $10k is a 'rip-off'?
Did you hear 3 other $10-$30k components or even systems that were better than this amp (that you haven't heard)?? What were they? (You won't say I'm sure.)
How long has it been since you made this magical value formula in your head? Years? Pre-pandemic or during these past 2-3 years of inflation? 20 years ago?
How is value more important that the absolute? If I want better sound, I can't?? I have to buy high value gear only (whatever that is- you didn't bring up a single example of a $5k amp that is a better 'value'?
And what the heck is your value set? There are so many things that go into a component in terms of what people want, you've made up your mind already on what is to be in or out?
There are things that this amp adds to the mix beyond a typical integrated, and all that you didn't speak to- like the streamer and the DAC.
For $25k usd, either a faulty unit or manufactures claims are a drawing a very long bow.
Tested by JA: "290W into 8 ohms 410W into 4ohms, (and only 360 into 2ohms "starts to wheeze" (behaves like a Class-D into 2ohm).
The wall voltage had dropped from 118.4V with the amplifier idling to 116.4V"
This is far from what the manufacture claims, and a 2v mains drop during testing would not account for it.
Cheers George
With the caveat that I have not heard this integrated, it seems poorly designed.
The DAC performance genuinely boggles my mind - the ~$22k Weiss Helios DAC uses the exact same chip and gets almost 22 bit resolution vs 17 here. The undithered output is a nightmare. On the Weiss the undithered output is *almost* as good as a Holo Audio May (KTE) ladder DAC with about the same resolution (the May's a great DAC, its OS mode reconstruction filter isn't. I have one) - ladder steps with some ringing. Even my bought used for ~$1.5k Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ has better performance with an inferior (older) ESS DAC chip. The undithered output of the Vitus looks like the scribblings of a madman. How/why do you make a streaming integrated DAC module with such bad D/A conversion?!? Even JA was surprised at its poor performance. You can get an excellent streaming DAC for $5k, Vitus' module isn't one of them.
Not lying, I'd like to hear this in a NOS mode to see how weird it sounds.
I personally don't have a problem with the price, I'm sure it accurately reflects their costs of designing and building it in Denmark. I mean, it takes work to make an ESS 9038PRO measure that poorly. I do have a problem with the performance (especially the digital) at this price for a streaming integrated amp. With the ESS Sabre 9038PRO DAC chip they could have gotten near State of the Art performance out of the box with little engineering on their part, and with selectable filters, at a lower cost. It's an excellent DAC chip. Somehow they screwed that up. Bad.
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