[firedog]

Discussion  of Odyssey amps at Australian forum, and one poster insists on this:

http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php/topic/109786-odyssey-audio-kismet-amplifiers/

Because your better off with just the single stereo version if it has enough watts, as it has better slew rate, better damping factor and better distortion and can also drive difficult loads better, and it will sound better because of it, than the same amp bridged, and you don't need two of them.

If you need more watts your better off getting "real" monoblocks, not just bridged stereos. Leave the bridging of amps up to the car doof doof guys.

Everyone I know of who's compared Odyssey stereo amps to monoblocks prefers the monoblocks.

Klaus or someone else, a response to the quote?

[aaron.luebke]

I have a pair of Stratos upgraded to the +++ or something.  One is a dual mono (two boards in one chassis), the other a standard stereo version.  I've compared the two briefly and found that for my ears the dual mono had much better sound stage and separation.  I use it on the main's and the other on the subs.  That's about all I can say about them. 

[MonsterJeeping]

I have a pair of the startos extremes with all the mods in khartago cases.  My gf has the stereo khartago.  Both are good but the mono's can drive any speaker.  I have run apogee, large martin logan summits, maggie 1.7's , currently they are running dunlavy sc-iv's.   Have tried her stereo amp on the dunlavys and its good but doesn't hold the low end as well, on the logans it was more apparent.

[limniscate]

My HT-3 Extreme +++ and early Kismet in Stratos monos pretty much sound the same.  However, I'm not sure if the monos are biased properly.

[questz1z]

 I now have Kismet 'extremes' in Stratus  cases that are about four months old and they are the best amps that I have every owned and they are not totally broken in yet. I have owned a Cartage stereo extreme which sounded quite good. I have also owned Cartage mono extremes which sounded even better. I traded the Cartage extremes in on the Kismet extremes. Being that I have been around 'audio' for about 40 years including working in and managing an audiophile leaning store in the late 70's Thur the mid 80's I have had access to many, many 'audiophile' level amps from Levinson, Audio Research, Conrad Johnson, Sandburg, Guzman, Crown, Drystone, Yamaha V-FET, Kenwood Purist, Van Alston, Kr ell, Exposure, Clayton, Parasound, Dared, etc. (you get the picture) and this has been a serious hobby for all those years. I have at one time or another owned or borrowed models from each of these companies and more. The Odyssey Kismet's are the best amps that I have owned, period. I have concluded my search. At present my Kismet's are driving Martin Logan Quest X's but they also, according to my mood, share their time driving Monitor Audio GX50's, Monitor Audio GS20's, Focal 807V's, Martin Logan Eon Ia's, original Paradigm Studio Monitors and Sound Lab A4's. They are up to the task of driving any and all of these speakers to the very limits of their abilities. They all sound good! The Odyssey stereo amps sound very good but the monoblocks have the edge in imaging, inner detail,  better dynamics and bass response. If you have a limited budget go with an Odyssey stereo unit and enjoy but I would save my money over time and when I could I would have the 'stereo' converted to a 'mono' unit and have another built just like it.

[questz1z]

I hate "spell check". Khartago, Tandberg, Luxman, Bryston, Van Alstine, Krell, Martin Logan Quest Z, Martin Logan Aeon i.

[cementhead]

I could not agree more with that statement.I recently upgraded to the Kismet monos from the Khartago + and the difference is not subtle at all. The Khartago sounded great, but even out of the box, the Kismets were fantastic. The biggest difference I noticed was the dynamics, the "punch" , and sound stage. Klaus said that the Khartago extreme that I had was a 4 and the Kismet monos (HE Version  ) would be a 10. You cannot go wrong with the monos, if the funds are there

[AnalogDog]

I recall Klaus saying to me once that the single biggest jump in sound quality is to be had in going from stereo to monoblocs...from Khartago all the way up to Kismets. Why NOT? Your transformers are completely separate, as is the rest of the circuitry.