Any experience with Resolution Audio Opus 21 CD Player

Looks to be a new 'best CD player ever'. I certainly like the looks and filosophy.

But has anyone actually heard one?

 

Very popular with Naimies, personaly find them thin & uninteresting. Have some of that propulsive drive that ex OLive owners of Naim love, more detailed than a cds2 (not hard though). Have heard a few stories of suspect build quality (drive probs), can be ok in the right system to be fair, but not inspiring. Have owned 2 of them early model, and a late 2004 model.
Still to these ears ok nothing more. Do take a while to settle in though. Wm

 

One of the most musical CD players I have heard, even if I suspect it's less than neutral. Easily saw off the top Wadia and other bits of esoterica when used in my system. The only way to know if you like it is to listen.

 

thanks WM and Merlin!

Merlin, could you state what Wadia it sawed off and in what system?

 

What rot. CDS2 is a detail-monster.

 

Mike you forgot to add (imho)
STill have one here if you wish to compare

 

No point in trying to compare anything at all in your system, Tony, if reports are anything to go by.

 

Merlin's opinions are NEVER humble and should always be taken as facts..

Edit :- erm, sorry guys. I should know better.

 

Actually it was a fact that in my system it chewed up the Wadia 861 and spat it out. Wadia had loads of welly and clout, RA had music. I actually ended up with a marantz CD7 which bettered the Opus, again in my system.

And there's not much point in having a hyper detailed CD player if your speakers are incapable of letting you hear it.

 

Can I have cream with that please

 

Heard one when I was auditioning my Border Patrols/Living Voices. It sounded really good, and very musical as above. I didn't feel the music lost out at all when I replaced it with my Denon DVD2900/DAC64, though.

At the price I would think it's certainly worth listening to, but compare to other machines before buying.

Paul

 

Wilson Benesch Arc (+ Lavardin IT). I also still have my CEC TL-2x, so it is either throwing it out and buying an integrated CD-player or buying the 'definitive' DAC...

 

Opus is very smooth and natural and seems good value at 3k.

Until you hear how good a benchmark dac1 is (at 750 quid), then the opus looks like a real waste of money.

 

Chord DAC64, Apogee MiniDac, Benchmark DAC1, Bel Canto DAC2 anyone?

 

At that level there's always my CAL Alpha at £500 (new £1400) . Depends what sound you're looking for though.

Jeff

 

If the Benchmark is better than the Opus then the Densen 400XS at similar money is another option. Way better than the Benchmark.

tbh considering how the Benchmark sounds I am surprised you thought the Opus is worse, perhaps you heard a knackered one?


Cheers

Jason

 

Man, the Densen must really be something. My Benchmark sounds really very good, thank you.

 

Sorry not a Benchmark fan either, even when tweaked I find them lacking, though just to throw a spanner in proceedings I don;t find the Densen all that special either.
But then it would all be boring them would't it.

 

Markus,

In he system I heard it in the Densen sounded simply more alive and real. Less detailed than the Benchmark which was beautifully resolving. But the Densen just made more sense of the emotion in a piece of music. A very important difference that while subtle is vital for long term satisfaction imo. The Benchmark is still a bargain compared to most "HiFi" offerings.


Cheers

Jason

 

Garmt

Many people on the forum appear to rate the NOS DACs like Derek Shek's. Not exactly my cup of tea, mine's very natural but lacks the dynamics and drive I need, but for £100 it's a bargain. Who knows, in your system it might be perfect...

Paul