[DogWizard]

WARNING – long and exhaustive review…

A few months ago I found myself looking for some new audio gear to pair with some speakers that were on the way. I usually spend most of my time on the AV123 forum and have amassed quite a collection of their products. I had decided that I was in the market for a tube preamp with some solid-state amps. I enjoy the tube sound but I was looking to bring back the punch that SS provides. I posted looking for some recommendations and BradJudy chimed in with a few suggestions and Odyssey was one. After spending some time lurking here on AC, doing lots of research (mostly on the international sites), and hearing story after story of Klaus’ level of customer service, I decided to give Klaus a call. As I have posted elsewhere, we had a great chat that ended up with me placing an order for a new Candela and a pair of upgraded Stratos Monoblocks in Khartago cases as space is a major issue for me. I knew up front that there would be a wait as this was just after RMAF, which left Klaus buried in new orders…

Fast forward a couple of months to the day that the Mono’s arrived. BIG and HEAVY are a couple of words that come to mind. I had some real second thoughts (while waiting) about going with the “lesser” Khartago case as opposed to the Stratos from an aesthetic standpoint. I can now safely say that I am 100% satisfied with the appearance of these amps. They look great, and are very robust and well made with a very uniform brushed black aluminum finish.

As my Candela was still weeks away and I am currently using an integrated with no preamp outs, I ended up going with a SB3 direct for my initial setup. This is a bit of a departure from my usual rig, which was interesting. As a frame of reference my current 2-channel rig consists of:
Onix SP3 tube integrated
Perpetual Technologies P1A/P3A(w/MW level II mods) and Monolithic P3B PS
Onix Reference 1 Speakers
Onix XCD-88 CDP

After setting everything up, it was finally time to flip the switch. Well – they worked! No explosions and no immediate issues. I have to admit that my initial reaction was not all that I had hoped. Everything sounded pretty flat and lifeless but as my own research and my conversations with Klaus had confirmed, these are amps that need some break-in time. I also discovered a slight buzz in the left channel amp that defied all of our efforts to trouble-shoot. The right channel was dead quiet but I just wasn’t satisfied with the left. Klaus suggested that it come back to him so I sent it back. Klaus basically rebuilt it and returned what amounted to a new amp. No problems, no hassles, just excellent service and a fairly quick turnaround given what Klaus has on his plate. These are heavy amps and who knows what UPS had done to it…

I hooked it up immediately on arrival and it was absolutely perfect. If anything it was even more amazingly quiet than the first one. These are powerful amps and when you can ramp them up and still have a noise floor as low as these amps, it’s really pretty amazing.

Oh, and did I mention that my Candela arrived at the same time? It was perfect timing and allowed me to set everything up with the new gear I had purchased just for this system. The new rig consists of:
Candela Preamp with dual-outs and silver knobs
Khartago/Stratos Mono’s
Onix XCD-99 CDP
Lite DAC-60 and/or P1A/P3A/P3B
Onix Reference 1 Speakers just replaced with Onix Strata Mini’s

So setup is complete, initial tests are done, everything works and now it’s time to break everything in. While I didn’t want to deprive myself of listening pleasure, I also wanted to see if it was the equipment breaking in or my ears. If you don’t believe in break-in then stop reading now because what I heard over the next 2 weeks was nothing short of magical. I would leave the system on all day while I was at work and turn it down or off when I got home. It’s only in the last week that I have done any real listening and WOW, this is a really amazing system. I was a little concerned when I first heard them but now I don’t think you could take them away from me!

Everything just sounds unreal – the depth and separation/placement of instruments is unreal and the SS “punch” that I wanted is right there. The Candela sound fantastic! I was a bit worrind about using a tube DAC in conjunction with a tube pre but after spending some time doing a few A/B’s, I love the sound. Very smooth but not at all “muddy” or “smeary”. The noise floor with the Candela/Khartago combo is so low as to be inaudible, even with the source paused and the volume on the Candela maxed. All I can say is that this is one clear circuit path with some quality components. The DAC-60 adds some tube hiss at ultra high levels but that disappears with the P3A in the chain. I am planning on modding the DAC-60 anyway so that may help a bit.

After having spoken with Klaus and Alex on multiple occasions and seeing and hearing the quality of the Odyssey products for myself, I can wholeheartedly recommend the company and it’s products. If you find yourself sitting on the fence – GET OFF!!! The longer you wait, the longer you will have to go without. Call Klaus and just get it over with – you won’t be disappointed… 

Thanks Klaus - 

[bunky]

WARNING – long and exhaustive review…

A few months ago I found myself looking for some new audio gear to pair with some speakers that were on the way. I usually spend most of my time on the AV123 forum and have amassed quite a collection of their products. I had decided that I was in the market for a tube preamp with some solid-state amps. I enjoy the tube sound but I was looking to bring back the punch that SS provides. I posted looking for some recommendations and BradJudy chimed in with a few suggestions and Odyssey was one. After spending some time lurking here on AC, doing lots of research (mostly on the international sites), and hearing story after story of Klaus’ level of customer service, I decided to give Klaus a call. As I have posted elsewhere, we had a great chat that ended up with me placing an order for a new Candela and a pair of upgraded Stratos Monoblocks in Khartago cases as space is a major issue for me. I knew up front that there would be a wait as this was just after RMAF, which left Klaus buried in new orders…

Fast forward a couple of months to the day that the Mono’s arrived. BIG and HEAVY are a couple of words that come to mind. I had some real second thoughts (while waiting) about going with the “lesser” Khartago case as opposed to the Stratos from an aesthetic standpoint. I can now safely say that I am 100% satisfied with the appearance of these amps. They look great, and are very robust and well made with a very uniform brushed black aluminum finish.

As my Candela was still weeks away and I am currently using an integrated with no preamp outs, I ended up going with a SB3 direct for my initial setup. This is a bit of a departure from my usual rig, which was interesting. As a frame of reference my current 2-channel rig consists of:
Onix SP3 tube integrated
Perpetual Technologies P1A/P3A(w/MW level II mods) and Monolithic P3B PS
Onix Reference 1 Speakers
Onix XCD-88 CDP

After setting everything up, it was finally time to flip the switch. Well – they worked! No explosions and no immediate issues. I have to admit that my initial reaction was not all that I had hoped. Everything sounded pretty flat and lifeless but as my own research and my conversations with Klaus had confirmed, these are amps that need some break-in time. I also discovered a slight buzz in the left channel amp that defied all of our efforts to trouble-shoot. The right channel was dead quiet but I just wasn’t satisfied with the left. Klaus suggested that it come back to him so I sent it back. Klaus basically rebuilt it and returned what amounted to a new amp. No problems, no hassles, just excellent service and a fairly quick turnaround given what Klaus has on his plate. These are heavy amps and who knows what UPS had done to it…

I hooked it up immediately on arrival and it was absolutely perfect. If anything it was even more amazingly quiet than the first one. These are powerful amps and when you can ramp them up and still have a noise floor as low as these amps, it’s really pretty amazing.

Oh, and did I mention that my Candela arrived at the same time? It was perfect timing and allowed me to set everything up with the new gear I had purchased just for this system. The new rig consists of:
Candela Preamp with dual-outs and silver knobs
Khartago/Stratos Mono’s
Onix XCD-99 CDP
Lite DAC-60 and/or P1A/P3A/P3B
Onix Reference 1 Speakers just replaced with Onix Strata Mini’s

So setup is complete, initial tests are done, everything works and now it’s time to break everything in. While I didn’t want to deprive myself of listening pleasure, I also wanted to see if it was the equipment breaking in or my ears. If you don’t believe in break-in then stop reading now because what I heard over the next 2 weeks was nothing short of magical. I would leave the system on all day while I was at work and turn it down or off when I got home. It’s only in the last week that I have done any real listening and WOW, this is a really amazing system. I was a little concerned when I first heard them but now I don’t think you could take them away from me!

Everything just sounds unreal – the depth and separation/placement of instruments is unreal and the SS “punch” that I wanted is right there. The Candela sound fantastic! I was a bit worrind about using a tube DAC in conjunction with a tube pre but after spending some time doing a few A/B’s, I love the sound. Very smooth but not at all “muddy” or “smeary”. The noise floor with the Candela/Khartago combo is so low as to be inaudible, even with the source paused and the volume on the Candela maxed. All I can say is that this is one clear circuit path with some quality components. The DAC-60 adds some tube hiss at ultra high levels but that disappears with the P3A in the chain. I am planning on modding the DAC-60 anyway so that may help a bit.

After having spoken with Klaus and Alex on multiple occasions and seeing and hearing the quality of the Odyssey products for myself, I can wholeheartedly recommend the company and it’s products. If you find yourself sitting on the fence – GET OFF!!! The longer you wait, the longer you will have to go without. Call Klaus and just get it over with – you won’t be disappointed… 

Thanks Klaus - 

Enjoy!....WCW III  

[DMi]

Nice review. I can add a little to it since I just picked up my set of Mono EX SE units this weekend. Silver fronts,  big and heavy just like you stated.

I didn't get boxes as I have learned not to trust shipping. No matter how well they get packed the carrier never cares about the end result as much as I do. We drove over close to Indy and Klaus was kind enough to take the time to meet me on the road and do the exchange. (Customer Service!!!!) My apologies if you're currently waiting on your order and I used some of the time he could have been working on yours. 

My first purchase from Klaus was in November of 2001. I got a Stratos Stereo Plus which has been running great and for the most part plugged in and powered up since that time. Its new life will be as a three channel driving the center and surrounds. That unit never burped, popped, snapped or did anything except an exceptional job of driving the Magnepan 1.6QR units I use for the fronts (and their predecessors) and for stereo. I was really pretty satisfied with it until I noticed folks talking about the monos, and I needed to replace the surround power. I did some shopping but in the end I returned to Klaus both for the reputation and the value he offers. My experience with the new amps is the same as yours. From the start I experienced the break in period and in just a little over a day of running in I can tell these don't disappoint. In fact already I am having a few OM God moments and running to get CD's and SACD's out of the rack wondering what else I am going to hear.

The front end is a modest off the shelf Phillips DVD, SACD, CD player with a few mods, that's my next target for upgrading. It's not much to write home about but it does produce listenable results. The preamp is a Anthem AVM-30 and it does sound very nice and has all the connections, A/D and analog which I presently need. I use a Project phono pre-amp for when I am in the mood to clean vinyl. I am also using the largest SVS powered tube sub to fill in below the Maggies and for .1 channel duty. Before you ask without the Anthem that would have been a "bit*h" to tune, I know I tried. It's tuned into Maggies now and sounds quite musical.

The new amplifers frankly sound amazing. They have plenty of power reserves and the current the Maggies love. I notice they run slightly warmer which I suspect is attributable to them running a bit more biased towards class A than the original Stratos Plus. Given the smooth sound that's a suspicion of mine. I do know the parts are top flight. Every bit the match of a pair of mono's or a stereo unit that would be at least three or four times the cost. I know because I shopped around looking at units from Krell $$, CJ, Moscodes and many others but even though I am middle aged I still have decent ears and even at day one this in my memory sounds just as sweet.

Everything about these amplifers is an improvement over the standard Stratos Plus which is also a high value amplifier. Everything that has been said good about Odyssey Audio is true. Klaus is owed at least a few more kudos than even we can heap on him.

I'm getting more sentimental as I grow older and some music really nails me. I attend as many events as I can to remind myself what great musicians, instruments and venues sound like and with this purchase I am coming very close to hearing the sound of a live concert in my home. The sound stage is there, the timbre is there and the speed and decay is there. Guitars, pianos and drums I remember sound just like they did when I heard them live. I can place the players on stage like I remember them as well. Wonderful...

Thank You Klaus! You said I'd love them and I do.

Doug