Musicality, robustness

Heavy

Before my recent move to India, I bought the Stratos Extreme (a 2-channel and a 3-channel) from Klaus. As everyone now knows, Klaus was always up and ready to help even at 2am. He built a 230V power supply which I couldn't test in the US before my move. After moving to India, I plugged in both the amps and all my favorite music turned into magic! To me, the amps sounded magical even without any warm-up, certainly not measured in months. I never had any intermittent missed sounds or any such thing. They were simply great the moment they came to life and continued to reach perfection ever after. I had also switched to Maggies (small MMG-Ws) due to lack of space in my Indian apartment. Even with the wall-mounted small maggies, the combination with Odyssey is amazing. The HT setup is alive and the music in stereo mode is heavenly. I am using Outlaw 990 for my pre and an M&K sub. BTW, even Odyssey's Indian support team is amazing! As many have said before, Odyssey and Maggies are the best audio buys I have ever made.

Customer Service

Awesome

Clean sound.
Heaps of power.
Solid construction.
Looks nice (in an unobtrusive way).
You can place equipment on top of it without worrying about overheating.

The only way to make it any better for most people would be to lower the price.

Well, it's been about seven and a half years now and I'm still extremely pleased with the Stratos. Visitors frequently comment how good the amplifier sounds. It blew a fuse once - which is understandable when you consider I'm running it off a 240VAC to 120VAC step-down transformer. I replaced it and it worked fine after that.

When I replaced the fuse I had a chance to look inside. I'm impressed with the construction. The idea of using the case as the heat sink is brilliant. I doubt whether this amplifier will ever run into thermal issues, even if pushed to clipping. I build my own amplifiers now, and I know how difficult it would be to build something with the low distortion and high power the Stratos can deliver.

I have a feeling this amplifier will still be working when everything else I own has fallen apart...

Customer Service

Great, especially when you consider the virtually unprecedented length of the warranty.

Similar Products Used:

Harman/Kardon, Panasonic, ESP, Philips.

deep bass. great dynamics, sweet binding posts, 20 year warranty

for the money, none

Harmon Kardon? are you fking kidding me? Do you have Cerwin Vega speakers too? Matched this against Moon W3 and it was equal if not better. You do all the options, caps and platinum terminals and you will not be dissappointed. It's a beast and looks awesome

Customer Service

tops

Similar Products Used:

classe, threshold, brystrom, stello, moon, music fidelity

Truly Neutral, clean, clear, what goes in is what comes out on the other end, only louder. Powerful bass.

Bland cosmetics. Could have housed this in Piano Black laquered case !!!
Super Heavy.

Wilson's review is the most ridiculous piece of fiction I've read here. And instead of disappearing it's been posted multiple times.

I haven't heard the Harmon Kardon amp he refers to but I have listened to many very good amps in my 20 years as an audiophile and the Stratos is hands down the best bang for the buck that can be found in the audio world. Mate it with a beautiful tube pre (I use a Joule Electra LA-100MKIII) and you will be listening to 95% of what any system can do at any price. Odyssey could price this amp at $2500 and it would still sell easily. The 20 year warranty is amazing and just shows that this amp is built to last.

I hope Wilson is enjoying his HK!

Customer Service

20 year warranty.

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Cary Audio SLAM 100 monoblocks
AES Superamp
PS Audio HCA-2
Quicksilver Silver 90 Monoblocks
Unison Research Unico
Primaluna Prologue 7 Monoblocks
Audio Research VT-60

Musicality, value, warranty.

Warm up period, internals build quality and size.

I recently upgrade my audio system with new speakers (Vanderstreen 2CE), new CD player (Cambridge Audio 540C) and a new preamp (Audi Refinement pre-5). Only my power amp (an 25 year old Bryston 3B) remained.
I wanted to replace the Bryston because it did not seem to be able to drive my Vandersteen speakers as well as my old speakers. Music was lacking emotion and dynamics. Also, the Cambridge Audio 540C did introduce some brightness in the upper mids which I wanted to reduce.

I did read many good reviews on this amp and spoke to Klaus (very nice guy and terrific salesman by the way) who convince me to try the Stratos. so I bought a used Stratos with the cap upgrage off eBay.

I'm very please with the results but this products could be improved.

The outside build quality is very good however some corners were cut on the internals: connector to the transformar looks weak, Balanced connectors arn't really balanced and it's mechanical design is not what you expect from high-end audio equipment.
But, for me, the worst part is really the fact that you must keep this amp on all the time. In this age of global warming this is just not acceptable ( I know were are just talking about 100watts here, but it is now the equivalent of all the lighting in my house). Klaus says all amp need to warm up to deliver their best. My old Bryston sounded the same after a one hour than one day warm up, it does not appears to be the same for the stratos.
Also, this thing is really to big, open it and you'll fing out it is mainly filled with air!

On the posifive side, the magic is back, this amp is very musical and did bring back the emotion in the music. It drives my speakers effortlessly and seem to be very quiet and transparent. It did not solve my brightness problem, but it was to be expected ( I will try different Inter connect to adress this matter).
The 20 years warranty is very good (but not the best in the business: Bryston's)

So the positive largely outweight the negatives, this one is a keeper (for now).

Similar Products Used:

Bryston 3B

Soud stage, tonal reproduction, detail, punch, non-fatiguing, and just overall a giant killer in respect to price over value.

That I had not purchased this amp sooner!

I made a recent upgrade to both my amp and pre right before Christmas to take some time off and hopefully enjoy the purchases I had made.
I decided to go with the Stratos since I have been reading about it for about 6 years. My review reflects the Stratos Plus with the cap upgrade.

My system comprised of Thiel 2.2s, Forte Audio Model 40, EVS DAC 1a, and a budget Panasonic. Upon replacing the Musical Design D140 with the Stratos I noticed a huge difference in sound staging and punch. As it took 3 or 4 days to really see what the Stratos could do, I am now just enjoying the most awesome sound coming from the Thiels. Imaging, separation, and higher sound floor all were part of the vast improvements in my system.

I was satisfied with the Musical Design for a long time, it was never bright sounding and the resolution was fine for the 14 years or so I lived with the amp but, after all, how could all these posts be incorrect. Now, the music is wider and taller than before with a neutral timbre and tonality with a natural presentation. This amp matches well with a tube pre-amp as I have recently purchase an Audible Illusions Modulus 3 pre to go with the Stratos. Now, I find Norah Jones (Come Away with Me) simply seducing. She sounds like she is truly in my living room.

On a final note, I am not sure why someone would trash the Odyssey as the previous post suggests. For the money, one would be hard pressed to find an audio purchase that would rival this amp. Pro audio reviewers stated that the Stratos was slightly on the warm side of neutral but, IMO it has a very non-fatiguing, dimensional, musicality that will I sit back and enjoy without feeling that I am missing something as before this purchase. Long live Odyssey and Klaus B.

Customer Service

Odyssey and Klaus have certainly displayed the benchmark for all to follow in the industry.

Similar Products Used:

Classe', Musical Design

soundstage, frequency extremes, neutrality, listenable, musical, never boring

slight reduction of scale (somewhat source and interconnect dependent), a little polite (with a REGA and CJ as front end components, this is very dependent on my front end and I prefer it to the "in your face" music approach)

Here goes...another glowing review. In twenty years of hifi investing I have never encountered someone as enthusiastic, honest and committed as Klaus (Odyssey owner). In those same 20 years I have never encountered a product so deserving of the asking price.

I have the stratos extreme stereo amplifier, which is to say, the single box beast with dual torodial transformers, 180,000 mfd of capacitance, wima bypasses on the main power supply caps, new revised board, etc... and a 20 year warranty!

I purchased the odyssey used and decided to upgrade. Klaus offered a very fair upgrade path and so here I am, all EXTREMED.

The sound of this amplifier (after comparing to Parasound, Quicksilver, Forte in my own home) has left me stunned. For the price, nothing compares. Nothing. The sound is neutral. It recreates a soundstage admirably. It recreates timbre realistically. It goes deep. It has air. It is non-fatguing. It is the overall best performer in its class. I always thought the Forte a little threadbare with an instrument's music structure, but not the Odyssey. The Odyssey rounds notes as they should be. The Quicksilver always left me wanting for more defined low frequencies, but not the Odyssey, it digs deep effortlessly and makes bass continuous with the rest of the music (for those sensitive to what I'm talking about, this is a blessing)

My Conrad Johnson preamp has a lot to to do with some of the soundstaging attributes of the Odyssey, but I am also aware that the ability to hear the reverberation off the back wall of the church in The Cowboy Junkies Trinity Sessions can sound artificial and panned left/right on lesser systems. A friend of mine came to listen to this CD at my home, sat in the sweet spot, and just listened. Without talking. Without moving whatsoever. He was floored. His comment was: "It sounds as if the music room is twice the size. Like the guitar player is about 10 feet away left center and facing this way...(motioning with his hands)...that's incredible." This friend has built many an amp and preamp in his day as well as speakers and other electronic devices). He has been an audio enthusiast for years (almost 22). Together and individually, we have listened to mega buck systems and components. Each of us believes in the concept that the music just has to sound "right" before a system sounds good. I.E. the timbre, harmonics, and structure of the music must be communicated and reproduced before one can sit in awe of a component's performance.

What the Odyssey does, however, is allow you to enjoy the music. Not its own performance. It doesn't get in the way. It doesn't call attention to itself. It does not deconstruct or dissect the performance. Nope. It plays music.

The Odyssey Extreme is a significant improvement over the regular Stratos. I would recommend the extra money for the upgrade, having owned both. The improvements are especially noticeable on frequency extremes and its ability, ironically, to handle delicate passages. I also find the Extreme has a little more of a blacker background.

I use a CJPV12 preamp with the Odyssey. Mating the tubes with the Odyssey really does add to soundstaging and harmonic improvements. I find the amp SLIGHTLY to the dark side, never a bad thing in my opinion, but I also use a REGA PLANET 2000 as a source, also a little to the warm side. I do NOT find however, that the system is lacking in extension or life. Instead, it is laid back. The Odyssey allows a source change to be heard immediately. Sounds of interconnects are also differentiated quickly. Therefore, the Odyssey is capable of being a good reference product.

Of all my compliments, it should be said that the Odyssey is not the last word in every catagory I have touched upon in this review. But I will say, I have not heard many amps best it....and none for the price. My honest assessment says you must spend upwards of 3500 dollars for the next level of improvement (and that decision should be made very carefully) but the Odyssey will continue to play in my music room for years....maybe even until the warranty expires....who knows?

Customer Service

EXCELLENT

Similar Products Used:

see above

Looks impressive
Sounds nearly as good as a very good $300 HK receiver

Lacks bass
Compressed soundstage
Heavy and bulky
Ridiculous break-in period
Can't be powered off
Poor value

SYNOPSIS: An audiophile friend, a casual listener, and I performed a three-way comparison of the Stratos/Tempest combo with two other systems: a BEL 1001 MkV amp + fancy tube preamp ($6000 retail) and a Harman-Kardon 3800 receiver (less than $300 retail). After a full day of listening we all agreed that the Odyssey system came in last.

DETAILS: Due to the so-called break-in period of the Odyssey gear (which pushes the boundaries of credibility and in and of itself is in our opinion a good reason not to buy it) we brought all of the other gear to my place and auditioned the Odyssey gear, which had been left on continuously for three months, first. We noted reasonable tonal balance but a lack of presence in the bass and a compressed soundstage. Imaging was mediocre. It maintained reasonable composure at high volume levels, but no better than that.

We then switched to the HK 3480 receiver and we were all surprised (particularly my audiophile friend) at how much BETTER it sounded, particularly in the low end, with no warm-up to speak of. We found that we liked it even more once it was warmed up. The sound was detailed, inviting, and very accurate with more warmth and far better bass than the Odyssey system. The Odyssey might get a slight nod in the midrange (female vocals, for instance) but the overall sound balance of the HK receiver was far more plausible. I have since noticed similar comments in a review of the very similar HK 3475 receiver on this site.

After enjoying the rich, powerful, and non-fatiguing sound of the HK for a couple of hours, we switched to my friend's high end gear. Naturally the BEL amp was the best sounding of the bunch, but at multiples of the cost it should be. In fact the BEL 1001 MkV + tube hybrid preamp (PSE, I think) was the best I've heard outside of a showroom and if I had more than $5000 to spend I would run out and grab that combo. As it is I was very happy to sell the Odyssey gear and buy the Harman Kardon 3480. I ended up with a better sounding, less finicky, and I think better looking system plus money in my pocket to upgrade my source.

CONCLUSION: A small panel of experienced listeners was singularly unimpressed with the Odyssey gear and cannot fathom what the excitement is all about. As good or better sound is available for less money from gear that sounds good as soon as you turn it on and doesn't sit there frying eggs, quite possibly doing battle with your air conditioner and wasting energy while you are at work. Sorry but we cannot recommend the Stratos.

Similar Products Used:

BEL 1001 MkV
HK 3480 receiver
Acurus
Onkyo
Pioneer
Etc.

Desent price, good a driving hard loads

Artificial sound stage, slightly edgy,

Well after trying this amp few years ago, listening to it at Colorado Audio fest, I can now make a sound desion on this amp. I will have to agree with Clint that this amp just sounds plain artificial. It is very 3-dimentional but almost to layered. It has a very processed sound. Now I have heard many amps, this is not my first experience with a "enrty level" amp. I have used or listened to Anthem, Jeff Rowland, Mccormack, Red Rock acoustic renissance amps ect., the low priced Anthem had much better tonal qualities, save the sound stage. I also had a similar experience with Odyssey, in that the amp came delivered with some notable dings and scratches, when trying to deal with an exchange, they offered to give me some interconnects instead, to big of a headache so off it went!

Customer Service

Not as good as their written policy.

Similar Products Used:

listed above

it seems to do everything well.

long break in time needed

first of all the system:

odyssey audio Tempest preamp (2006)
odyssey audio stratos amp (2006)
cables are chord odyssey 4 (2002)
speakers are acoustic energy ae2 signature (1998)
cd player is rega planet (2001)

I was running a bryston 3b st with a bryston bp-25 with DAC preamp and was happy with the combo. A few friends were shopping for gear and were ready to buy bryston and I told them to check out odyssey for I had read great stuff about the price to value ratio.

Well they got their units and after hearing them in my system (we did a head to head comparison with the brystons on my system) I switched my bryston gear out for the odysseys (and yes I was a die hard bryston fan). The odyssey seemed to do all the brystons could do at least as well but with one major differentiator - they are a lot more musical to the ear and smoother. Mind you I think the new SST rev of brystons is smoother and more musical than the ST`s

But anyways I recommend this amp highly - and for the price - incredible.

as you will see by reviews on here most will say this amp is great and they are comparing to high quality brands like bryston, krell, classe and the likes. Not low end harmon kardon, pioneer etc.... that says a lot.

there are the odd folks like Clint below who think this gear is weak (who ironically lists pioneer and the likes as `similar` products he tried), mind you maybe it was the highest end pioneer and likes gear he heard...) . But my point is that I would say if you have the impression the Odyssey products are a 2 stars then your surrounding gear undoubtedly is not up to par or you just don`t have a good ear for music. Most great amps and preamps I have heard are no doubt largely affected by the source as well as speakers and cabling.. so this has to be considered before saying an amp is great or not. A fantastic amp will sound like crap with poor cables, speakers or cd player... be careful to do some serious testing before making a decision on an amp based on setup with only one set of surrounding components.

Similar Products Used:

Bryston, Arcam, Rega, chord