Great build quality, particularly at the price point. Customer service: Klaus... the best I have ever dealt with.?

If you buy new, it will be a wait (but such a treat to deal with Klaus!). Long break in period.p

As others have said, this is simply an awesome product. I had been casually looking around for an amplifier to replace my old Hafler DH220 for over a year, but picked up focus earlier this year. Having been out of audio for about 10 years, but feeling the urge to get back into it, I had decided to upgrade my system beginning in late 2000. My first purchase was to upgrade my ancient Infinity speakers with Von Schweikert VR-4 Gen2s. I also replaced the Hafler preamp that I had with a Counterpoint tube preamp (SA5.1). In January, I decided it was time for a new amp. My first demo was a Marsh A400, in my system, for the weekend. Even though the Marsh wasn't my first choice, it was in the realm of the amplifiers that I thought might work well in my system (Bryston, Aragon, CJ etc.). Was I in for a shock! The Marsh was a total mismatch in my system, the Hafler beating it handily. The soundstage collapsed completely, with things very thin sounding. Plugging the Marsh directly into the wall improved things, but it still did not sound any better than the Hafler, worse in most respects. So, theories dashed, I borrowed my brother's Counterpoint SA220 the following weekend. I listened to it in my system, and was pleasantly surprised (and back on track). I considered a used Counterpoint, but owing to the reputed (un)reliability of the Mosfet output devices used in it, and the expense of upgrading it, decided to take a look at the Stratos, which had been recommended highly on AudioAsylum. Am I glad I did! It's sound reminds me of the Counterpoint... smooth, powerful, detailed without being over analytical. With my speakers, it sounds on par power wise with the Counterpoint, even though it is 150 W versus over 200 per side. It has a wonderful, almost tubelike quality to it. Highly recommended, and built like a tank. I had the amp shipped to Klaus for the 120,000 uf cap upgrade. Even though this was a used amp I was buying, Klaus was wonderful to deal with (I had spoken with Klaus regarding buying a new one, but decided on the used one instead). Everything that Klaus told me regarding synergy with my system was spot on. As others have said, he listens and comments without being pushy. And the customer service?? Wonderful! You would be remiss if you did not at least consider the Odyssey Stratos for your next amp (or preamp, HT amp, and now speakers). Check them out.

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Hafler DH-220, Marsh A400 (demo), and Counterpoint SA-220 (all in my system).Ë

Very clean, natural, and dynamic presentation of music.

Too transparent? Or isn''t that a strength? I hear grain (very slight) in vocals on many of my favorite cd''s. Since this effect varies, I suspect it is the recording quality and maybe to some extent my SS upstream components. Just as a caution...you may need to upgrade your entire system to get most out of this amp.

I have had my Stratos since August 2001. It is simply the best amplifier I have ever owned or auditioned. I got the 120,000 capacitance upgrade (adds startling dynamics). I have the full brushed aluminum chasis (optional). This unit is dead quiet, and never gets stressed. Soundstage is excellent. Bass impact can be startling (but clean and tight - no boom). Mids wide open and smooth on good recordings. I hear some slight grain in vocals sometimes. It varies with recordings and is probably the source and not the amp. I listen to a lot of old stuff with dubious recording quality. Klaus recommends tubed pre for this unit. That or speakers will be my next upgrade. I hope the tubed pre will smooth out grain on bad recordings without sounding too colored. Cambridge D500se Groenberg interconnects and speaker cables Creek OBH 12 passive pre New Odyssey Nightingale speakers (on loan from Klaus - WOW!)

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None in this class

Superbly built (as Mercedes Benz or Rolls Royce) and looks beautiful. Exceptional gold plated 5 way binding posts (the best than I know). Balanced inputs. Class A/AB and still runs continuously cool and quiet. Twenty year warranty. Excellent customer service, before and after sale. Mr. Klaus and his staff.

none.

In the past I was professional musician (Alto Sax and Clarinet), today I am a modest audiophile. My Odyssey Stratos Stereo, serial number 880, 220 V. Version, with upgrade capacitance to 120,000 uF and my name on the back panel (yes, it´s personalized), has been running continuously for 1 month now and continues to improve during each listening session. This Amplifier has a noble pedigree. It is the most musical, sweet, and gorgeous amplifier than I´ve heard. It has deep and tight bass, liquid midrange, and clear extended and airy treble. It has a grain- free sound that emobodies the best qualities of both the worlds, tube and solid state ("Tubelike" liquidity, superb bass, no transistor etch). The soundstage is larger than size of my listening room. The walls and the speakers disappear and in front of me the singers and musicians appear in the original places where the recording was made. The images within soundstage have natural size and are three -dimensional. In fact, it´s the best Amplifier than I´ve ever heard. For final evaluation of Odyssey Stratos Stereo I used the following discs: Vinyl: 1 - "Tchaikosvsky 1812" (Cincinnati Symphony Orquestra), Telarc 10041 2 - "Lincoln Mayorga & Distinguished Colleagues", Volume III, Sheffield Lab-1 3 - "I´ve Got the Music in Me" (Thelma Houston & Pressure Cooker), Sheffield Lab-2 4 - "Reunion at Carnegie Hall-1963" (The Weavers), Vanguard VSD 2150 5 - "Lúcio Alves ... Interpreta Dolores Duran" (Lúcio Alves - He is a Brazilian singer), EMI Odeon 052 422042 CD: 1 - We´re All Together For The First Time" (Dave Brubeck), Ultradisc II - UDCD 627 2 - "Diamond & Rust" (Joan Baez), Ultradisc II UDCD 646 3 - "Getz/Gilberto", Ultradisc II UDCD 607 4 - "Just Friends" (LA4), Concord CCD-4199 5 - "20 Anos Antologia Acústica" Zé Ramalho - He is a Brazilian singer), BMG Brazil 7432147349-2 My Sistem: Preamplifier Audible Illusions Modulus 3 or Audio Research SP-9 PowerAmplifier: Odyssey Stratos Stereo Speakers: Magnepan 1.5 QR or Sound Dynamics TI 300 Turntable: Thores TD 125 MKII (modified) with SME 3009/S2 and Sumiko BPS Compact Disc Player: JVC XL-1050TN Interconnects: Pre-Power: Monster Cable M1000 MKII (old, but still unsurpassed in the place); CD-Pre: Kimber PBJ (cheap, but outstanding match); Speaker Cables: Monster Cable M1 (with Magnepan) or Kimber 4TC (with Sound Dynamics).

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Audio Research D-115 and Marantz 8B in my house and many in other places.

quality,value, performance and service

waiting for it to break in to achieve it''s full potential.

As all others have stated, this is one great sounding amp. Straight out of the box, the timing and speed of this amp was the first thing I noticed. The bass as well as the upper detail and dynamics were better than my 250wpc McIntosh amp and the odyssey hadn''t even begun to break in yet. Now that I''ve been listening to it for about a month, the bass has more weight and goes deeper and oh, the midrange and upper detail and focus is soo much better; I''m listening to every CD and record with new found joy. I,m hearing things I haven''t heard before. All the little nuances are suddenly comming to life and I find myself wanting to listen for hours on end were as before, only short periods a time. As for the build quality, bullet proof. From the chasis to the binding post; all first rate with a 20 year warranty ( transferable ) to boot. Klaus is extremely nice, helpful and honest. He will take time from his very busy schedual to answer all your questions and to call you back as soon as possible if you happen to get his answering machine. I can''t say enough about this product and service that hasn''t already been said, It is one of the best buys in audio. I ordered mine from reading the reviews and talking with Klaus and my only regret is not finding out about this product sooner.

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McIntosh C34V,superphon revelation,hafler, McIntosh 2550, linn sondeck LP12,sony CD player, canton, kevek, alonII.

... too many, I have run out of space in the review section! Sound Quality (wow!) Direct purchasing model (direct contact with Klaus Bunge, great guy!) Odyssey community, lots of great people willing to share their experience.

Direct model (no easy option to audition without purchase. IMHO this is one of the few cases where you should "have a little faith".

Why did I buy an amplifier? i bought a Marantz SR7000 D/DTS receiver last summer as part of a home-theater system. After a few weeks I found myself listening to music much more than watching movies. While the SR7000 is very good at what it tries to do, it still leaves quite a bit to be desired in terms of smoothness, detail and deep bass. I have tried a number of stereo power amps with the SR7000 as a pre/pro but none could really improve on what I had. I believe i am the first European Stratos owner to post a report here. Music is the same on this side of the Atlantic and so is the Stratos. See below: How did I pick the Stratos? Based on the positive reviews on AR and elsewhere, I decided to give Odyssey a ring to get a feel for the type of company it is. i was very surprised to find that Klaus Bunge, the owner answers the phone himself. After mulling things over for a bit, I decided to go ahead and order. purchasing by phone and transatlantic shipping. The one thing that was still a big worry to me was how shipping, import taxes and contact with a company I had never seen would work. i need not have worried. It all went smoothly. The amplifier is well packed and did not suffer in the transfer. There has been a lot of talk about " the death of distance" in my field, telecommunications. Well, it is dead now. Buying from Europe is no more difficult then buying in the US. There is a waiting time though, so check with Klaus what lead times are when want to order. Setting up I had ordered the 220V version as appropriate for Europe. That should work as the Stratos is the licensed version of a Symphonic Line amp that was developed by Rolf Gemein in Duisburg, just down the road from me. OK, that''s Germany but still only 150 kilometers. The various online sites and the Stratos manual put a lot of emphasis on equipment breakin. I certainly found that the performance improves a lot with a bit of use (about a month of moderately heavy use) but I already found it very listenable right out of the box. I have not really found any harshness, as some have mentioned just a bit of flatness in the soundstage and restraint when playing music. As I said, just enjoy your music and things will improve quickly. Music A lot has been said and written by others and certainly all the reports from AR are an acc

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Auditioned: Rotel RB 1070, 1080; Nad 218THX

Detail, power, smoothness, soundstaging, value

Breakin time required, waiting list

I may never buy another amp again

sound quality, sound stage, realism, imaging, passion ect. ect ect.

none

I just went and listened to this amp at the Festival Du Son in Montreal. I was blown away. Yes, there were rigs there that sounded as good, but not many and for a great deal more money. The next closest system I liked was a little over $200,000.00 . Even in a not so ideal enviroment such as a hotel room these amps and the speakers that Claus is bringing out were increadable.

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have listened to everything from Krell to pioneer.

Effortless power, keeps instruments in focus at loud volumes, control of bass, excellent customer service

The wait was longer than the usual 7-8 weeks last year; I hit the worst time. But that''s a one shot deal.

My focus in this review is more narrow than many of the others. This is primarily due to the fact that I upgraded my entire audio system at the same time (from crap). This makes it harder to isolate the Odyssey attributes from those of the other components (mentioned at the end). With that caveat, my first impression was that the Stratos (with cap upgrade) was a bit brittle out of the gate. That lasted maybe a day or two. For the next two weeks, I didn''t notice much unusual besides that it was able to play without duress at any volume and it sounded excellent. As my speakers were breaking in more, music was sounding better. Between the second and fourth weeks of break-in, I hadn''t done any critical listening with the system. When I did sit down during the fourth week, it was an eye opener. I immediately noticed all the instruments very distinctly, playing with great detail. Imaging was much improved. The bass had tightened up as well; excellent control. These attributes have stuck throughout. One other thing I notice with the Stratos is that as I play music louder and louder, it doesn''t sound like it does on other systems when I play very loud. With other systems (even good ones I''ve demoed at dealers), there comes a point where the instruments start to smear together. It becomes more difficult to single them out. With the Stratos, I haven''t approached that threshold yet and suspect I never will. Keeping each instrument''s sounds separated at loud volumes is what I like best about the Stratos. As a result, the sound is much more pleasing (of course). I do leave my Stratos on at all times, and I recommend it. When I needed to reorganize interconnects and move equipment around on the rack, my Stratos was unplugged for almost an hour and took 1-2 days to get back in shape soundwise. One other aspect that must be mentioned is customer service. Klaus has been there numerous times to discuss his products on the phone, and his post-sales support has also been excellent. I had a problem with a fuse on the other Odyssey amp (HT3) on a Friday night. I emailed him Saturday morning, and he called me an hour later and straightened things out. Here''s the associated components: Soundline Audio SL3 main speakers (ribbons) Anthem AVM-20 controller Ah! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 CDP Groneberg Quattro Reference cables PSAudio Ultimate Outlet (20A)

Accuracy, transparency, esthetics (I have the copper face plate),and yes...Klaus

Long wait...but it was worth it..

I purchased my Stratos in September. I have waited this long to write this review because I preferred listening to my system rather than taking time to write about it. However, I did promise Klaus that once the amp was broken in I would put some prose together and express my honest opinions. I auditioned a number of amps both within a far beyond my price range; i.e.: Adcom, Parasound, Krell, etc. Dollar for dollar, the Odyssey has no equal. Quite honestly, this amp has changed my modest system in ways I previously thought were not possible. I was one of those skeptics that believed in the Julian Hirsch conception that amplifiers, operating within their performance bandwidths, did not produce a “sound” unique to themselves. Julian was wrong. When I replaced my 30-year-old Marantz 2270 receiver with the Stratos my Maggie 1.6QRs were transformed. Until the Stratos amp was put into service I thought seriously about purchasing a subwoofer to augment the bottom end. I see now that the problem wasn’t the speakers but the amp. (Speaker cables are also important in this equation. I have ordered a pair of Zu Wax cables which are perfect for my system) From the top end through the midrange (…and what a glorious midrange this combo produces) to the bass, this amp is fantastic. I purchased my amp with the 120 cap upgrade at the suggestion of Klaus. Listening to this system now is a revelation. The amp and speaker combo (I believe this is the perfect Magnepan amp) produces a soundstage that is palpable and uncannily lifelike. From Sonny Rollins earthy sax on Saxophone Colossus to the synergistic piano and vibe of Chick Corea and Gary Burton on Native Sense; the amp is simply incredible. Anyone considering a new amp would do himself or herself a disservice if they failed to add this amp to the list of contenders. Thanks Klaus!!!

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Audioned Adcom,Parasound, Krell

An awesome audio product that will improve any sound system that uses solid state amplifiers.This product is not only accurate,balancedharmonically,transparent to the source but makes very few if any compromises in re-creating the music.The best 1K$ investment in audio period.

Not enough people know about Klaus Bunge and the Odyssey line of products.

This amplifier replaced a 14 yr old Soundcraftsman Power AMP ( PRO-POWER 4) 250W in my modest sound system with amazing improvements.My system costs around 5K$ and I can honestly say that they perform up to 90% of a 20K$ system.I have been aggressively auditioning and comparing various components to upgrade my sound system .I have critically listened to more than 15 different sound systems ranging from 8K$ to 25K$.The 20K$ plus systems sound very refined ,balanced and natural(musical) and seem to reproduce the source material with a lot of fidelity without too much strain(Almost relaxed).The cheaper systems try to reproduce a somewhat accurate sound with some seem to try harder than others.Invariably the lower cost systems exhibit various weakness that amount to compromise in the musical presentation.I also found that matching components are very critical in the final reproduced sound.Some times lower cost gear if chosen wisely can exceed the sound quality of the more expensive gear that are not judiciously matched and or selected.I listen mostly to classical music and sometimes to Jazz and pop music.This AMP is a killer product that beat out all the AMPs I auditioned within the various demos.The Interconnects made additional improvements and refinements in my systems and I highly recommend them.Klaus you are very knowlegeable and I trust your ears and judgement highly.I whole heartedly recommend this amplifier for any mid to high level sound system.I cannot add any thing else to what so many other reviewers of this product have already stated and glo raved about.In a word this product is awesome and has to be heard to be believed.Comparing this product to other AMPS is no brainer.It beat other products by a wide margin inspite of the many good products on the market.The Stratos is a no compromise amplifier.At this time I will look orward to auditioning the Legato Speakers that Klaus is going to carry on his product porfolio.For those interested my system consists of the following: Sony SACD/DVD player DVP S9000-ES, Harman Kardon AVR 7000 ( used as Pre/Pro) Groneberg Quattro Interconnects and Speaker cables for Bi-wiring, Infinity 6 Kappa Speakers ( note the original poly 10" woofer has been replaced by a high end Scan Speak woofer for awesome Bass( tight extended down to 25 Hz) and extremely controlled and musical.I do not crave for any subwoofer here,

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Soundcraftsman pro-power 4. Onkyo,Adcom,Parasound,Theta Dreadnaught,Anthem MCA,Proceed,Sunfire ,Classe,etc.