Using longer spectra we reanalyze spectral properties of the two-body rando
m ensemble studied 30 years ago. At the center of the spectra the old resul
ts are largely confirmed, and we show that the nonergodicity is essentially
due to the variance of the lowest moments of the spectra. The longer spect
ra allow us to test and reach the limits of validity of French's correction
for the number variance. At the edge of the spectra we discuss the problem
s of unfolding in more detail. With a Gaussian unfolding of each spectrum t
he nearest-neighbor spacing distribution between ground state and first exi
ted state is shown to be stable. Using such an unfolding the distribution t
ends toward a semi-Poisson distribution for longer spectra. For comparison
with the nuclear table ensemble we could use such unfolding obtaining simil
ar results as in the early papers, but an ensemble with realistic splitting
gives reasonable results if we just normalize the spacings in accordance w
ith the procedure used for the data.