Resolution Audio Opus 21 questions

Having added an Opus 21 to my system recently I've been through the usual experimentation with cords and tweaks. Trying a suggestion from another Audiogon thread brought a surprising improvement that includes better bass definition; you may find it equates to "slam". Check out the thread in "Tech Talk" under "Copper Sleeve over IEC"...

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?htech&1237170946&openfrom&14&4

Hard to beat a $5 tweak that works!

I tried running mine straight into my amps. Very clean sound, less sibilant vocals, but lacking personality and depth. I stayed with running from the Opus into my BAT VK30 preamp, and consistently like it better. A little more noise, but much more life to the sound.

I have to agree with other's who have more success using a preamp. I have an Audio Research LS 26 tube pre and a Spectron Amp. There is level of detail and musicality through the pre that is lost when I run direct. It just sounds flat when run direct to amp. Trust me, I hoped and prayed this would not be the case as it was a 5k decision to add the pre. Also, using the DIN is significantly more dynamic and musical. I purchased the din to rca cable from DNM for about $175, have also wondered about the Audience DIN which is probably made better and more resolving. Also, get Isoclean gold-cap fuses. They are far superior in my experience to the German fuses with ceramic ends. Isoclean fuses added a nice crisp silkiness to the top end as well as weight and pitch definition to the bass. Not night and day, but certainly noticeable. This CDP also responds to different power cords and interconnects. It really is a very good player. Don't give up without some experimentation.

My experience parallels J evege and Gnobber. I found running the Opus 21 directly into my amp (BEL 1001) to sound very clean but flat and not as involving as running through my preamp (deHavilland Ultraverve or Audible Illusions 2C). I too had hoped and prayed that it would sound better direct, and even now occasionally hook it up that way in a fit of wishful thinking, but every time I do I go back to the tubed preamp. I also got a DNM DIN to RCA interconnect to bypass the internal volume control but, unlike some of the others posting I hear almost no difference between the DIN and RCA outputs- as a matter of fact I find the DIN output to sound a little less smooth, but this may be a function of the interconnect itself (my RCA out interconnect is an Audience Au24, which, as noted, is available in a DIN to RCA version for more $$$). As an aside, does anyone have any experience with the RA integrated amp, which connects directly to the cd player thus eliminating the need for an interconnect as well as a separate preamp??

Bruce,

Talk to me about your new Mojo Mini Mac and associated system. Thanks.

Doug