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Resolution Cantata system If you're into metal, this amp and music centre are a treat

Profile Products Resolution Cantata Music Centre £6000 • • • • • Resolution Cantata C50 Integrated amplifier £4250 • * * * * Design miracle The promise of an easy-to-use, audiophile-grade digital hub, partnered with a top-class integrated amp is an enticing prospect Tempted? Resolution's track record is impressive and we love the brand's new look - it wouldn't look out of place as part of any high-end set-up

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his is no ordinary one -make combination - one look at Resolution's Cantatas is enough to confirm that. And get past the stunning appearance - if you can - and you'll find a brilliantly capable pairing and some really clever engineering.

As much as we like the C50 integrated amp, it's the source that deserves the limelight. Resolution calls this product a Music Centre'. If that brings to mind a turntable, cassette deck, radio and amp all packed into one veneered-chipboard case, you're forgiven. In 2011 the phrase is everything to do with digital.

rarely heard in hi-fi. This class-leading agility means the player can track intricate instrumental strands with ease, laying bare even complex pieces of music such as Arvo Part's Tabula Rasa.

Always entertaining Provided the original data stream is good - we're talking uncompressed files here - the Music Centre's detail levels are extraordinarily high, which makes for an entertaining listen. You won't be straining to hear every little detail; everything is handed to you on a sonic plate. Yet despite all the insight

The source and amp gel perfectly, and within the amp's relatively limited 50W-per-channel output, deliver a mesmerising and entertaining sound that drives hard but is packed with detail The Cantata source is a digital hub. It has a built-in CD drive, and can accept digital data streams through coaxial, optical, USB and ethernet inputs.

Astonishingly fast sound Products such as this are often compromised. Either they perform better with one input than another or they're awkward to use. The Music Centre avoids both issues, and becomes one of the best ways we've come across to enjoy a range of digital sources.

Regardless of source, it has an almost supernaturally fast sound that stops and starts with an appealing abruptness

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on offer, this machine never sounds sterile or overly analytical, thanks to a winning way with dynamics and timing.

The C50 integrated amplifier is cut from the same cloth. It's a supremely informative unit that organises detail better than just about any pricecomparable alternative we've heard.

The source and amp gel perfectly, and within the amp's relatively limited 50W-per-channel output, deliver a mesmerising and entertaining sound.

Listen to Tinie Tempah's Pass Out on CD or The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army from a WAV file outputted from an Apple MacBook, and the Cantata pair

Be tempted this month... «

Solid slabs of metal form this sumptuous music centre Speaker engineering on a massive size-and-sonics scale A no-frills DAC/monobloc that delivers awesome sound

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How it works USB range extender Presently, the Music Centre's Ethernet input can only be used with the company's Pont Neuf USB to Ethernet converter, but an upgrade to enable full streaming from a NAS device is due soon The upgrade requires a change of processor and older machines can be updated. When it's done, you'll be able to stream 24bit/I92kHz files.

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Designer's notes ^m CEO. Resolution Audio

deliver an infectiously punchy sound where every instrument and vocal combine to create a sound full of drive and power. Rhythms are spot-on, too, with music delivered in a strictly regimented, yet still organic manner.

By the highest standards, it's fair to say that the Resolution is a touch on the taut side. It has a pared-back sound where leading- and trailing-edge information is emphasised over the bit in between, leading to a slight loss of richness and weight. This is most noticeable at low frequencies, which are as agile and informative as we've heard, yet lack that last iota of muscle. Treble, at the other extreme, is delivered with real sparkle, but remains sweet with it.

terminal for each set of speaker outputs.

We've seen such a connection on some high-end Tannoy speakers (it helps to clean up the sound slightly), but it's rare.

Why the cheap remote?

Our sample of the Music Centre suffered from excessive transport noise. It's a known issue with some early units and Resolution already has afixin the form of a revised, quieter disc spinner.

All new players have this fitted, and any older machines suffering from the problem can be upgraded free of charge, in the UK at least.

The control buttons on both products don't feel as positive as their prices demand, and the system remote

The Music Centre is a digital music hub that qualifies for audiophile status - and that's something we rarely say - while the amplifier engages like few others. It's a world-class pair Moving away from performance, we have to say we absolutely love the Cantata look. The top panels are milled from solid blocks of aluminium and incorporate small random scoops - no two units are exactly the same. We also love the large pin-dot display on both products: it looks funky and can be seen from way across a large room. We already know the Music Centre is well equipped as far as inputs are concerned.

It also has balanced and unbalanced analogue outputs and a variable output for putting directly into a power amp.

The C50 amplifier mirrors the source as far as analogue connections are concerned, and also features an earth

What's so clever?

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The Music Centre has an asynchronous USB input.

It's one of a growing number of products to have this feature, and it really helps sound quality.

With an asynchronous USB connection the DACs

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handset is yet another example of high-end products being supplied with something that's disgracefully cheap feeling compared to the thing it's controlling. Indeed, the entire high-end industry has to do better in this respect.

But put it all together and there's still no getting away from the fact that Resolution's Cantata duo are terrific performers both in their own right and when used together.

The Music Centre is a digital music hub that qualifies for audiophile status - and that's something we rarely say while the amplifier engages like few others. Put them together and sonically, at least, they're world class.

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internal clock runs the show. This is a good thing, as the clock signal in the DAC is likely to be of a higher quality than that in a typical computer.

Such a connection lets the Resolution dictate when

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The Music Centre's other digital inputs optical, co-ax and AES/ EBU - all perform to a consistent and high level.

What makes it special?

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The purist way In a purist set-up this Resolution Music Centre can be connected directly to a power amp or active speakers thanks to a built-in volume control.

Not only does this save you the cost of buying a decent preamp - never cheap - but will usually improve transparency too. as every preamp has some sort of negative influence on the music signal.

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Take a look at Its innards Inside, it's probably the amplifier that's more unusual thanks to a circuit that owes much to DNM's school of design. DNM is a small British company best known for its range of solid core cables (see First Tests, p15), but it also makes some of the most insightful amps we've heard. Its ethos of maximising resolution (usually at the expense of power output) can be heard clearly here.

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Cantata Unk These components can be hooked up via Cantata Link. This connection passes remote control receiving duties to the Music Centre, which lets you hide the amplifier out of sight (why would you want to?), disables the source's volume control, co-ordinates display brightness and can be set-up to change the amp's input to the Music Centre every time the source is changed.

Resolution Cantata Music Centre • •••• FOR Dynamic, agile and detailed sound; excellent connectivity; fabulous design AGAINST Controls don't feel substantial; very cheap-looking remote handset VERDICT Looking for a truly audiophile digital hub? Stop here. The Music Centre is excellent

Resolution Cantata C50 Integrated amplifier • • • • • FOR Fast, precise and rhythmically engaging, impressive detail resolution; lovely design AGAINST Low power output; fussy about speaker matching; poor system remote VERDICT Perfect for the Music Centre and one of the finest integrated amps at this price

TECH SPECS Resolution Music Cantata Centre Integrated Yes Transport No DAC No Multidisc No Outputs XLR. RCA Inputs Coaxial. optical CD Text No Memory No Display off Yes Finishes 1 Dimensions (hwd) 6 x 43 x 22cm Resolution Cantata CSO amplifier Integrated Yes Power output SOW Inputs Line level x4 Outputs Speaker Tone controls No Headphone out No Remote control Yes Finishes 1 Dimensions (hwd) 6 x 43 x 22cm