[No Hassle]

I am considering going to a Stratos from a KT 88 push/pull  integrated tube amp.  My thought process is that I would like to get the bass punch and extension that a ss will provide but not give up the spacial cues and top end extension that the tube amp provides.  My speakers are vr4 JR, room is 17'x22'x7', source is Museatex dac (very analog).  Have any of you gone this route and what pre-amp should I be looking at.  My initial thought would be to stick to the Odyssey pre.  How does the sound of the Odyssey compare to Plinius 9200? I have listened to the plinius 9200 and like that presentation.  In order to get close to the control on speakers as the Plinius how far up the food chain in Odyssey will I have to go? Thanks for commenting.  Phil Brady.

[lazydays]

Not all solid state amps sound the same contrary to popular belief! Yet not all tube amps sound the same either, even though they use the same kind of tubes. I own three tube amps, and two are EL34 versions. They sound nothing alike. So much for that.
     What I've found out with the mono extremes is that they seem to have some merits that we tend to look for in tube amps, but on the otherside of the coin they don't do what tubes do in other areas. I feel that the monos seem to favor the warm smoothness I like from tubes, but are faster and seem to hit harder than tubes. As a rule they are not as forgiving as a tube amp, and errors will often jump out at you. This is not a bad thing at all, but just different. I still think I'd like a pair of C.J. ST140s as well as anything outthere, but trust me the extremes are not that far behind for less than half the price. The Plinius amps were something I've always wanted to hear as well as the Arcams. I've listened to the Krell mono blocs a bit, and the Mono Extremes flatly blow them out! The best way to put this is like comparing an Accuphase amps with the Krells. One is a tad edgey in the upper mids as well as the high end of the scale, while the the other has a tube like liquidity and is much smoother thru out the entire scale. So I'd like to think that the Extremes have something of an Accuphase sound (I do like that by the way). The bass seems to come faster and much harder with the Extremes than the Accuphase, and maybe a little more open. I might also add that I think the build quality is better with the Extremes than the Accuphase, but can't prove it. But the one thing I like better than anything else is the "made in the USA" tag I get to show off to my buddies!
     Still no matter what you buy in amps, they are only going to be as good as the preamp that controlls them. So you shold really be thinking in packages here. I went with a tube preamp (that's all I have but for one combo thingy). My amps have been driven now with one S.S. preamp and two tubed preamps. The sound was vastly different in all three. Go with a tubed preamp, and never ever look back!!
gary

[denjo]

Gary

I am interested to know what tubed preamp you use with your SS amplifier? I am looking for a tube preamp that will add some warmth and bloom (not in a negative sense) to my system, allowing me to turn to tubes for vocal or chamber music.

Best Regards
Dennis

[lazydays]

Gary

I am interested to know what tubed preamp you use with your SS amplifier? I am looking for a tube preamp that will add some warmth and bloom (not in a negative sense) to my system, allowing me to turn to tubes for vocal or chamber music.

Best Regards
Dennis

I used a Conrad Johnson and the Candella. I also have a Quicksilver, but never tried it out. Always liked the CJ a little better. I might add here that there is a totally different sound from the Candella than the CJ or the Quicksilver. The latter has a certain "graininess" in it's sound, where as the CJ is very smooth and fluid in it's sound.
The Candella is clearly faster than the other two, and seems to drive the amp harder with better bass (using a tube amp here right now).
   
     I gave the listen to the CJ preamp while I was breaking in the two mono blocs (but towards the end of the break in cycle). Bass is much better with the Candella, and very lifelike. Imaging is a little better as well, but the CJ maybe just slightly wider without as much depth. Been awhile since I did this comparison, but this is my take on the subject.

     I'd have the two monos running in my main system right now, but need some longer ICs (another hint). Yet looking back I'd have to say the Candella may well have been the most impressive change in my system to this date. It actually made CDs listenable again! And has me shopping for a better phono stage as I write this. My suggestion is to by the tube preamp and the monos, and never look back (you only live once). Yet there are a couple changes I'd liked to have seen in the Candella as I stated in the past.
I'd like to have had two more inputs so I could run a second phono input and a tuner along with my two digital devices.
gary

[No Hassle]

Gary, thanks for commenting.  Does anyone have an opinion on either a plinius 9200 or a Stratos with Candela or Eastern Electric Preamp?  Phil Brady.

[denjo]

Gary

Thanks for the info - very interesting indeed! I have heard that the SinglePower MPX3 SLAM (essentially a headphone amp, and an excellent one at that) can be customised with preamp functions as well. The added feature of headphone makes it very attractive as well.

Best Regards
Dennis

[bpape]

Can't comment on the Eastern. 

Haven't heard the Plinius and Stratos on the same system but my general impressions of the Stratos was so good that I ordered a set of Mono Extremes from Klaus.  Dynamics and bottom end control were first rate.  Before buying these, my short list was Rowland and Electrocompaniet.

The Candella was something special - especially at that price point IMO.  It had the speed of the best solid stated designs but didn't sound like SS.  Had all the desirable attributes of a tube preamp but didn't sound strictly like most tube designs either.  I'll say that when I played my reference cuts for imaging, that setup (Candella with Stratos Monos) did the best job I heard at the show of just floating things in 3 dimensional space but without bloating or constricting their size.  All that and in an untreated room.

We listened to everything from folk to rock to jazz, etc.  It kind of acted like a Chameleon (or maybe more like an invisibility cloak) in just presenting an excellent soundstage but staying out of the way of the signal.  Add in remote control and to me, for anyone looking at a tube preamp, the Candella should definitely be on your short list.  Klaus also has a 30 day in home trial for his stuff.  All you'd be out if you decided to go a different way would be shipping and the charge card transaction fees.

Bryan

[lazydays]

Can't comment on the Eastern. 

Haven't heard the Plinius and Stratos on the same system but my general impressions of the Stratos was so good that I ordered a set of Mono Extremes from Klaus.  Dynamics and bottom end control were first rate.  Before buying these, my short list was Rowland and Electrocompaniet.

The Candella was something special - especially at that price point IMO.  It had the speed of the best solid stated designs but didn't sound like SS.  Had all the desirable attributes of a tube preamp but didn't sound strictly like most tube designs either.  I'll say that when I played my reference cuts for imaging, that setup (Candella with Stratos Monos) did the best job I heard at the show of just floating things in 3 dimensional space but without bloating or constricting their size.  All that and in an untreated room.

We listened to everything from folk to rock to jazz, etc.  It kind of acted like a Chameleon (or maybe more like an invisibility cloak) in just presenting an excellent soundstage but staying out of the way of the signal.  Add in remote control and to me, for anyone looking in this price range, the Candella should definitely be on your short list.  Klaus also has a 30 day in home trial for his stuff.  All you'd be out if you decided to go a different way would be shipping and the charge card transaction fees.

Bryan

you know I originally bought the Stratos monos with the idea of finally setting up my system with the speakers I flatly adore. Maggies! But the room was just too narrow for them. Then I got to looking at the 4ohm speakers out there that I just couldn't try with a tube amp. So I called Klaus, and spoke to him about a quality tune up, and one thing lead to another in our conversation. Finally told him to give them the "full tilt boogie!"
I'd worry about my checking account later<g>! One thing I've noticed about them is that the seem to react very will with my Meadowlarks which are really a very tube friendly speaker. But I'm still speaker shopping as I have not really found what I want yet.
gary
     

[bpape]

I'll be speaker shopping later on.  Right now, I've got money tied up in the amps, a new DAC, and a couple new business ventures so they'll have to wait.  It'll be an interesting hunt.  I need something relatively small (think stand mounts) but capable of putting up with my tendency to get a bit wound up at times - even more dangerous now with these amps.

I had the same conversation with Klaus.  I basically told him if it's available as an upgrade, I want it.  Had to save money somewhere so I'm sticking with the basic black finish    When they're done, Deadfish and I are making a road trip to Indy to pick them up.

Bryan

[carusoracer]

Gary, thanks for commenting.  Does anyone have an opinion on either a plinius 9200 or a Stratos with Candela or Eastern Electric Preamp?  Phil Brady.

Nice PreAmp. It mates very well with my Statos Extreme. The EE MiniMax is alot of fun to roll tubes in and go from Nice sounding with out the Factory Mod...to authoritative in the lower regions with the Mod and a bigger soundstage.
Roll some high quality NOS tubes and the PreAmp takes on equipment at 3 times the price. Excellent customer service, Bill @ Morningstar is a true gentleman.

One caveat is the Amp does not like unshielded cables when using the EE Mininax

[loki1957]

Not all solid state amps sound the same contrary to popular belief! Yet not all tube amps sound the same either, even though they use the same kind of tubes. I own three tube amps, and two are EL34 versions. They sound nothing alike. So much for that.
     What I've found out with the mono extremes is that they seem to have some merits that we tend to look for in tube amps, but on the otherside of the coin they don't do what tubes do in other areas. I feel that the monos seem to favor the warm smoothness I like from tubes, but are faster and seem to hit harder than tubes. As a rule they are not as forgiving as a tube amp, and errors will often jump out at you. This is not a bad thing at all, but just different. I still think I'd like a pair of C.J. ST140s as well as anything outthere, but trust me the extremes are not that far behind for less than half the price.
     Still no matter what you buy in amps, they are only going to be as good as the preamp that controlls them. So you shold really be thinking in packages here. I went with a tube preamp (that's all I have but for one combo thingy). My amps have been driven now with one S.S. preamp and two tubed preamps. The sound was vastly different in all three. Go with a tubed preamp, and never ever look back!!
gary

I agree with the tubes vs Mono Extremes totally.