Sound – Intro
For the regular part on sound we used the Resolute as it was intended: with a high end (portable) source and the Hifiman Susvara. In the part on headphones we use the SP3000 as source, while we in the part on sources, use the Susvara as main headphone.
We all know that you need to have a really good and usually higher-end amplifier to get the Hifiman Susvara to perform at its very best. Best being: fast, musical and with the best technicalities. The latter is incredibly important here in this setup, as both the TOTL DAPs and the Susvara are extremely good in this field. Another thing a lot of amplifiers struggle with is to give the Susvara enough body, oompf and bass impact, without negatively impacting the technical performance. To get this level of performance, I usually tend to use amplifiers such as the Headonia and Envy, and that with a high end DAC such as the Aquarius. I would never think of using the Susvara directly from the SP3000 or any other DAP without extra amplification
Here’s what HAA and Thrax Audio have to say about the Resolute:
Resolute will simply amplify the incoming signal and it will do that with a Resoluteness and effortlessness that is quite surprising. with complete and total control throughout the entire range of the Dynamic range.
So, can the transportable HAA Resolute deliver the same performance as a very high-end desktop setup? Let’s find out!
Sound – General
The Resolute is a more neutrally tuned amplifier, so it will not change your headphone’s sound in any way. What it does however is provide good body, excellent bass impact, superb dynamics and a high technical level. I had no issues with noise whatsoever, the background is pitch black.
The first thing that strikes you when listening to the Resolute is how it manages to deliver the body in the Susvara, which is not easy to achieve. You get a weighty, yet neutral sound, from top to bottom. The Resolute does this effortlessly and flawlessly.
On top of that you get excellent bass performance. Bass always has a good quantity (in a neutral way), but it comes with tightness and impact. Bass reaches down to sub levels when needed and the Resolute and Susvara are always in perfect control. The next thing that will impress you is the spaciousness from highs to low, giving enough room for micro detail and note decay to be hearable. Combine that with the high technical performance of the Susvara and you have a winning combo.
The Resolute isn’t just about technicalities and body though, it’s also about supreme dynamics. I have to admit that the combo in this regard matches and surpasses my best desktop combos. Impressive!
Sound stage wise the combo also performs on the highest level and that in all directions. I love the layering from top to bottom and the 3-dimensionality and positioning are a pure pleasure to the ear. When I received the Resolute, I quickly hooked it up to the Susvara and SP3000 for a quick listen in my couch. A few hours later I still found myself in my couch listening to my favorite music. It is a pleasure to be able to listen to a great desktop setup, but in a different location than usual. It’s a high quality desktop setup, but in a transportable way.
If you love a focus on clarity, vocal presence and slight vocal forwardness, this combo will be extra impressive to you. For myself, it depending on the music sometimes could be a little too energetic in that region, but that’s a personal thing.
Lastly, the Resolute makes your headphone sing, and it at all times delivers a musical and pleasing, engaging sound. What’s not to like?
Sound – Basics
As mentioned earlier, the Resolute delivers a good amount of body, even when this is difficult to do (as with the Susvara). The Resolute perfectly controls the bass region and it nicely reaches down to sub levels when needed. It also delivers your headphone everything it needs to show the best layering, detail and speed. Don’t expect overpowering and always present bass, this is not what we have here. Think quality with a neutral and engaging delivery.
The mids have a nice amount of body, perfectly connecting to the bass. The most impressive here are the spaciousness, naturalness, layering and focal presence. The mids are realistic, engaging and very wide. The musical and precise mid timbre is a pleasure to the ear.
The treble section extends very far and you get a really good amount of energy and sparkle without ever forgetting the treble precision. I never found the treble section to sound sharp or aggressive at all. It’s a engaging, energetic kind of treble and also here the timbre is incredible like in the mids.
All-in-all there is very little to complain about here and if you like the Susvara, you will love this combo.
There isn’t really a specific unit we can compare the Resolute to, but when I compare it to the Envy and Headonia, it has the body of the Feliks amp and the extension, decay on tonal precision of the Auris one. The Resolute takes the best of both of these popular amplifiers, but it at the same time doesn’t reach their overall (technical) level (except for dynamics, as mentioned earlier). The tonality of these amps also is different and of course there’s no tube flavour. It’s absolutely no shame that the Resolute can’t reach the overall level of these two amps. Have you seen its size and price?
The part on sound continues on the third page. Simply click here.
Page 1: HAA, Thrax, Resolute
Page 2: Sound Pt 1
Page 3: Sound Pt 2, Conclusion, Summary
