I’m usually cautious about my coverage of Unison Research and Opera, and for the same reason I’m cautious discussing Cardas Audio cables. I don’t want anyone to accuse me of conflict of interest, mostly because I imported and distributed these two Italian brands for almost a decade. But I no longer feel that’s important when I’m talking about products that had not been released yet when I stopped my association, and to tell you the truth I really miss the warm, lovely and very Italian sound from my dear friends in Treviso.
Words and Photos by Marc Phillips
At AXPONA I visited the Unison Research and Opera room and found my “brother” Bartolomeo Nasta showing off the new Unison Simply 845 integrated amplifier ($9,999) and the semi-new Opera Callas Diva loudspeakers ($12,000 per pair). I’m excited about the Simply 845, only because Unison Research usually reserved the 845 output tube for their most expensive designs such as the Absolute 845 integrated and the Reference separates, and all three used to retail for $50K each. Unfortunately, I didn’t see those models as frequently as I had hoped.
I’m more familiar with the Opera Callas line–I’ve listened to countless Callas monitors and Grand Callas towers, and the Diva is merely the model in between those two. With the Unison Research CD Uno, however, this system was pure magic. As Bart and I tried to catch up on each other’s life over the last few years, I kept getting distracted by this Unison Research and Opera system in front of us. I’ve always considered these two brands, which are voiced together and always make a compelling match, to be warm and romantic and lush. The 24wpc Simply 845, however, brought something new to the familiar mix, a lit-from-within quality that’s usually reserved for ultra-expensive tube amplification.
Am I going to review these Unison Research and Opera components in the coming year? If I still have any influence over there in Treviso, I will. Now that Unison Research and Opera are imported by Steve Jain from Fidelity Imports, I feel that this is a real possibility–damn the cries of conflict of interest. The sound in this room brought back so many wonderful memories, and I can’t dismiss that power anymore.
If you would like to hear even more coverage from AXPONA 2023, check out our recap report and highlights from our audiophile-oriented show The Occasional Podcast. You can stream the episode direct from the embed below, or from your favorite podcast platform including iTunes, Android, Google, Deezer, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more.
Also don’t forget to check out our collaboration to commemorate the event with our solid bronze record weight available only for a limited run. This 800 grams of solid bronze features the PTA roundel on the top with also acts as a 45 adapter. You can purchase direct from the PTA Approved Store here on the site.
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