Specs & Pricing

Resolution Audio Opus 21
CD Player and Integrated Amp
Thus, together with the CD player, the S30
forms a flexible three box mini-tower that
requires only a set of reasonably sensitive
speakers to create a complete system.
Those who require additional inputs and
outputs can avail themselves of the Opus
21 family’s newest member, the XS (“Xtra
Sources”) module. Slotting beneath the CD
transport, the XS boasts five digital inputs,
including USB. The latter permits a fussfree
direct connection to a PC, providing
access to whatever music might dwell therein.
(See sidebar.) In addition, the XS includes a
headphone amp, an AM/FM tuner, separate
moving-magnet and moving-coil phonostages,
two analog inputs, and yet another volume
control. There are also fixed and variable
outputs, the latter being ideal for driving a
powered subwoofer.
Although all these mix-and-match elements
may seem confusing, they work with a level
of harmony untouchable by separates—even
those from the same manufacturer. For
example, pop in a CD and press “Play.” No
matter what source was previously selected, the
system instantly switches to CD. If the tuner is
not actually in use, Opus shuts it down to reduce
noise. The S30 mutes itself when headphones
are plugged into the XS. And although there
are as many as three volume controls in a stack,
the Borg-like conglomerate knows exactly what
every element is doing and never subjects an
audio signal to duplicate circuitry. One simple
remote controls everything. Such operational
niceties, once experienced, seem so obvious
that they become awfully hard to forego.
Happily, you won’t need to sacrifice the
Opus 21’s practical advantages to achieve
superior sonic performance. All the hallmarks
The XS in Use
Most Opus 21 buyers will not need the XS module. Even without it, the stack allows for two
digital and three analog sources—plenty for most systems. But for those with a wealth of
sources and/or a turntable in need of a phonostage, the XS is just the ticket. However, there
are a few caveats to bear in mind. First, the XS routes its digital traffic to the CD transport/DAC
module by means of a coaxial cable. Unfortunately, that puts the link on the signal’s critical
path and, wouldn’t you know it, the supplied wire is dreadful. With it in place, XS-connected
digital sources are noticeably degraded compared to a direct connection to the DAC module.
Fortunately, the solution is a cable swap away. When I replaced the cheapie supplied cable with
my reference Empirical Design 118 (about $75), the XS could, for the first time, do justice to its
digital sources.
If one of those sources is a PC, another caveat applies. Though there is a USB port on the XS,
it may not be the best sonic choice. The port is certainly easy to use; it bypasses the PC’s sound
card and doesn’t even require a driver. Yet while the port does not embarrass itself sonically,
it does not sound as good as playing the identical bits from the CD. Through the USB, there is
less air around musicians, scale is reduced, the perspective is flatter, rhythms are less sharp, and
there is an increase in grain. I was able to get much better PC-based sound—better, even, than
the CD player—by connecting the sound card’s digital output to one of the XS’s (or CD player’s)
coax inputs.
For those with turntables, the XS incorporates two phonostages—one for moving-magnet
cartridges and another for moving coils. I tested the moving-coil input with my Clearaudio
Insider Gold and found it to have huge dynamics, crisp transients, plenty of depth, and the easy
musicality of the overall stack. On the other hand, the phonostage sounds somewhat closed-in
and is unaccountably recessed in the lower midrange. These aren’t disqualifiers; rather, they
indicate that careful cartridge matching is in order. Choose an mc on the romantic side of the
spectrum to best complement this phonostage. AT
we audiophiles cherish are right here: clarity of
detail and of musical expression; proficiency in
unraveling complex lines and instrumentation;
that nearly spooky “you are there” quality;
the chameleon-like ability to change sound
according to the recording’s dictates; and that
sense of wonder and surprise at just how good
home audio can sound with the right system.
The Opus 21 attains its captivating sonics
through a rare combination of richness and
resolution. All too often, these attributes are at
odds; tonal lushness is usually overwrought and
comes at the expense of timbral complexity
and inner detail. The Opus 21, however,
suffers from none of these ills. It exhibits
only a gentle swell in the lower-midrange,
and its highs are nicely extended, allowing
it to deliver the full spectrum of timbral
overtones. Consequently, both instruments
and vocals sound completely natural. Nor is
inner detail slighted in the least. Apparently,
the manufacturer doesn’t call itself Resolution
Audio for nothing.
By way of illustration, consider two very
different works by budding rock auteur
Sufjan Stevens. On the plaintive, unadorned
“The Dress Looks Nice on You” from
Seven Swans [Sounds Familyre], the Opus
stack conveys not only the acoustic guitar’s
burnished warmth, but also Stevens’ fingers
as they caress and stroke its strings. The
effect is uncannily realistic. This track also
demonstrates that the Opus requires neither a
flailing drum kit nor looped electronica to get
across a beat. Here, the simple guitar figure’s
subtle dynamic accents are sufficient to create
forward motion.
“The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders”
from Illinois [Asthmatic Kitty]—Stevens’
ambitious opus—could not be more different.