Why did you choose stratos ?

derosa · « **Reply #20 on:** 16 May 2006, 05:00 am »

Quote from: Wizard454

Derosa
Quote
Hello Wiz and welcome--I just shipped my 1997 Stratos to Odyssey where Klaus will rebuild it as a mono and I will get back a set of monos for a very very reasonable price. I can't wait!! Good to meet another Odyssey owner in BC. I am on Vancouver Island. I have a friend in Nanaimo who is a Mono Extreme owner also.

Derosa;
If your friend in Nanaimo is Nelson, then yes I've spoken to him (emails) in regard to the mono's. Look forward to getting over there and looking at his setup and cabling etc.
Regards,

That's him - really nice guy. I've been to his place a few times.

Jumpin' Jack Flash · « **Reply #21 on:** 20 May 2006, 02:32 am »

One less pair of Stratos monos on AG, as I picked them up from the seller yesterday. May have to go my chiropractor for a visit after loading them in my car, then up a flight of stairs, and finally into the listening room. These suckers are seriously solid!

John151 · « **Reply #22 on:** 20 May 2006, 06:47 pm »

I was researching amps for my Maggnepans on AA, and was leaning towards a used Bryston, when I came across a number of Maggiephiles who were raving about the Stratos working well with Maggies. I started to research Odyssey, and then found this site. I purchased a used Statos, and have been an addict ever since. I now have Lors, Tempest, a stereo stratos, and a 3 channel stratos. And AudioJerry now has my Maggies. Nuts.

RayL Jr. · « **Reply #23 on:** 28 May 2006, 01:20 pm »

A: The amp & preamp were on sale.
B: Everything else for the price "kisses-A".
C: Duh?!

hertz · « **Reply #24 on:** 31 Jul 2007, 06:14 am »

Hi Guys,
I think I’ll take the plunge soon for an odyssey amp. Being in India is bad for an audiophile. Duty and shipping kills. Talks are on with my local importer to see what I can manage with my funds. Will keep you all posted. Thanks to all of you who posted in this thread

Eduardo AAVM · « **Reply #25 on:** 1 Aug 2007, 07:00 am »

Best sound for money
German engineering and musical heritage background
Company philosophy and commercial straightness, it is refreshing to have this kind of company in an industry plagued with so much marketing/buffo wisdom.
Construction

Of course all of the above can be resumed more or less like = Klaus

djbnh · « **Reply #26 on:** 2 Aug 2007, 09:09 pm »

1) Absurdly wonderful performance / price ratio.

2) Excellent customer service to include Klaus' accessibility and fervent desire + ability to please the customer.

3) Upgrade path.

My only regret is that I didn't first purchase Extreme Monos, instead I went the Stratos w/cap upgrade > Extreme Mono path.

Another comment: persons on this forum are well pleased with the Candela, and I'm sure for good reason. That being said, I feel the Tempest preamp is a great value for the $, esp. when one considers the included MC phono section. AGon had some Tempest ads with units going for a fraction of the original cost (I think one was around $450) - what a bargain!

YMMV.

Bigfish · « **Reply #27 on:** 3 Aug 2007, 12:28 am »

Why did you choose stratos?

1. Recommendations by owners on Audio Circle

2. All the positive reviews you can read by owners.

3. Klaus Bunge - call the man and if you have any doubts about Odyssey they will be erased!

Ken

AnalogDog · « **Reply #28 on:** 3 Aug 2007, 04:37 am »

Because my power hungry Maggies both demand a lot of SS grunt, but then turn around and reveal any grain in the mids and treble mercilessly! These are THE FIRST SS amps I've heard in my system that are utterly grain free, when coupled with a good tube preamp. They deliver the goods, they're ridiculously well built for the money, and you get Klaus, a scholar and a gentleman. Don't get the Rotel. A stereo Stratos with the capacitance upgraded or Extremed will better it, a pair of monoblocs will whip it like a one legged step child, and the Mono Extremes will utterly destroy it.

hertz · « **Reply #29 on:** 3 Aug 2007, 08:34 am »

A stereo stratos plus (upgraded capacitance to 1,20,000 microfarads) is what I am trying for. You described exactly the sound I am looking for. " Totally grainfree SS sound with lot of power and detail " and then good sound-staging, separation of instruments / artists, good low-end detail, macro/micro details………etc…..I already have a tube preamp. I am looking forward to the stratos.
I was looking at rotel a year ago. I tried one at home. Apart from more power, there was hardly any difference from my NAD. I actually preffered my existing NAD amp for Jazz and classical.

Randy · « **Reply #30 on:** 11 Aug 2007, 02:26 pm »

I had Classe, Bryston, and Musical fidelity amps before the Odysseys. Was never exactly satisfied, obviously, with any of the others. Read about Odyssey on Audiogon, called Klaus, and ordered the Mono Extremes. This was five years ago, so I had an early production model of the amps, but unlike with the others I have not had the slightest urge to try anything else. With these amps, the upgrade-itis disease goes away, at least in regard to amplification. My pair are in red, or burgandy as Klaus calls it. They perfectly match my speakers finished in "Jaguar Red," and now I have a little Promitheus TVC, also in a reddish finish. With the recent addition of a Marantz SA - 7 SACD player, I am in hog heaven. But the foundation and backbone of the system are those glorious amps. Thanks, Klaus.

djbnh · « **Reply #31 on:** 11 Aug 2007, 03:59 pm »

Quote from: Randy on 11 Aug 2007, 02:26 pm

unlike with the others I have not had the slightest urge to try anything else. With these amps, the upgrade-itis disease goes away, at least in regard to amplification...But the foundation and backbone of the system are those glorious amps. Thanks, Klaus.

x2

lazydays · « **Reply #32 on:** 11 Aug 2007, 06:59 pm »

I originally bought my monos to drive Maggies, but the project never came thru due to room configerations. They sat atop my stairs for another 2 1/2 years still in the shipping boxes! When my tube amp started to head south I knew that sooner or later I'd be using them. Had Klaus give them a tune up, and all the upgrades, and just never looked back.
When I spoke with Klaus he was very forthright in his thoughts and whys and hows. Ten minutes into the first conversation I had with him I was completely confident, and knew he was a winner. He went so far as to inquire with me several times about how my three pieces of his equipment were sounding, and just treated me like I was someone special. Down the road I had a few conversations with Alex, and he's virtually a Klaus clone when it comes to dealing with folks like me (I can be extremely picky at times). To add to this on going "saga", next month he's finally getting the cash to build my new speakers, and at least one more un-named project. (this guy is really hard on my checking account!!) The only thing I'd change in our transactions would be for him to send a tall red head with them to keep the dust off them!
Now I've never heard a Stratos amp, so cannot comment on them. But what I do know is that if he puts his name on them they'll reek with quality. And once you've got that four hundred hours on it you'll want to improve other points in your system that will soon be left behind. (you might as well plan on that part cause your only gonna want more).
gary

lazydays · « **Reply #33 on:** 11 Aug 2007, 07:01 pm »

Quote from: Randy on 11 Aug 2007, 02:26 pm

I had Classe, Bryston, and Musical fidelity amps before the Odysseys. Was never exactly satisfied, obviously, with any of the others. Read about Odyssey on Audiogon, called Klaus, and ordered the Mono Extremes. This was five years ago, so I had an early production model of the amps, but unlike with the others I have not had the slightest urge to try anything else. With these amps, the upgrade-itis disease goes away, at least in regard to amplification. My pair are in red, or burgandy as Klaus calls it. They perfectly match my speakers finished in "Jaguar Red," and now I have a little Promitheus TVC, also in a reddish finish. With the recent addition of a Marantz SA - 7 SACD player, I am in hog heaven. But the foundation and backbone of the system are those glorious amps. Thanks, Klaus.

I knew I had a winner when my kid told the salesperson at Ovation that my mono blocks would kill his big Krells he was using.
gary

lazydays · « **Reply #34 on:** 11 Aug 2007, 07:08 pm »

Quote from: hertz on 3 Aug 2007, 08:34 am

A stereo stratos plus (upgraded capacitance to 1,20,000 microfarads) is what I am trying for. You described exactly the sound I am looking for. " Totally grainfree SS sound with lot of power and detail " and then good sound-staging, separation of instruments / artists, good low-end detail, macro/micro details………etc…..I already have a tube preamp. I am looking forward to the stratos.
I was looking at rotel a year ago. I tried one at home. Apart from more power, there was hardly any difference from my NAD. I actually preffered my existing NAD amp for Jazz and classical.

the first thing I noticed about mine was the speed, and the huge reserve it has. I just don't think you can really over drive them. And (being a tube person) this amp really is at it's best being pushed by tubes.
I listen to acoustic jazz primarilly, and have learned to pick out inner details that are often glossed over by other systems. It's also the perfect system for bluegrass unmiked.
gary

mikey300 · « **Reply #35 on:** 4 Sep 2007, 11:13 pm »

Klaus / Odyssey - incredibly good guy - as others have mentioned he will definitely steer you in the right direction whether Odyssey or not. I was/am an audiophile newbie so having someone like Klaus who wouldn't take advantage of my ignorance was reassuring. System synergy is an important thing and one area where Klaus can definitely help anyone out. Call Klaus - his number is on the Odyssey Audio web site

http://odysseyaudio.com/company.html

Call Klaus to discuss the products since the website is terribly outdated and won't provide the product detail that is required. Their website is the only thing about Odyssey Audio that is less than stellar.

Upgradeable - starting at $1,300 price point - I can guarantee that you'll get the upgrade bug somewhere down the road and Klaus is extremely great to deal with on upgrades. He upgraded my Stratos Stereo to Mono Extremes for me at a very reasonable cost.

Proud owner of Mono Extremes SEs with a Candela (tube preamp) on order.