[wirbeltier]

Dear all

Is Odyssey amplification suited for high efficiency speakers? I have Audio Note AN-E HE/SPE with 98 db efficience and I am looking to get a matching solid state amp.

I am thinking about getting a Stratos extreme. Will that make sense? It should be quiet, smooth, no transistor glare.

I will be thankful for any opinions and input!

Best
Klaus (sic!)

[TomS]

I used the Extreme Mono's on my Emerald Physics CS2's compression drivers (100db) and they were plenty quiet.  A stereo Khartago would easily do the job though IMHO.

[srb]

The Khartago vs the Stratos is 110W/channel with 40A max current vs 150W/channel with 45A max current, everything else being pretty much the same.  I don't think you will need the extra wattage for your speakers, and the max current between the two is fairly close.  I also like the smaller form factor of the Khartago.
 
But I could see going with the Stratos if for some reason you thought you might get some lower efficiency speakers down the road.  The power consumption at idle is the same, so unfortunately no energy savings there.  Of course, I would get the Extreme edition in either case.
 
Steve

[Christof]

I used a dual mono stratos with a pair of very high efficiency Cain & Cain Abby's and had too much noise for my liking.  The same amp behind a pair of SP Tech Timepiece 2.1's was a black hole.  Could have been a weird combination between the abbys and Stratos...could have even been my pre (Candela).

[philltubes]

I use my Khartago with a pair of 98-99 db efficient Klipsch Forte and a pair of Snell EII which I think are 92 db efficient.  I use an Eastern Electric preamp which is not optimal as far as impedance matching but it sounds great to me on both speakers, no issues with noise.

Not to start or invite any flames but in my opinion my Khartago sounds better to me than my Stratos did.

[lazydays]

Dear all

Is Odyssey amplification suited for high efficiency speakers? I have Audio Note AN-E HE/SPE with 98 db efficience and I am looking to get a matching solid state amp.

I am thinking about getting a Stratos extreme. Will that make sense? It should be quiet, smooth, no transistor glare.

I will be thankful for any opinions and input!

Best
Klaus (sic!)

I drove a pair of Meadowlarks with my monos. These speakers were built for 25 watt tube systems. Loved the sound.
gary

[JoshK]

I don't normally post in this forum as I am not an Odyssey owner nor potential customer, but I had a comment I thought might be insightful.  I read some discussion where Dr. Geddes was discussing what he felt was important.  The jist was that THD was irrelevant but crossover distortion was key.  If I am paraphasing him correctly, high efficiency speakers make crossover distortion far more noticeable.

Most solid state amps that are class A/B can be succeptible to crossover distortion if not dealt with properly.   I have no idea how Odyssey amps deal with crossover distortion, but that might be the question I'd ask if I were to run them on high efficiency speakers.

[srb]

I don't normally post in this forum as I am not an Odyssey owner nor potential customer, but I had a comment I thought might be insightful.  I read some discussion where Dr. Geddes was discussing what he felt was important.  The jist was that THD was irrelevant but crossover distortion was key.  If I am paraphasing him correctly, high efficiency speakers make crossover distortion far more noticeable.

Most solid state amps that are class A/B can be succeptible to crossover distortion if not dealt with properly.   I have no idea how Odyssey amps deal with crossover distortion, but that might be the question I'd ask if I were to run them on high efficiency speakers.

If that is true, that would seem to indicate the preference for either a class A amplifier, or a high bias class A/AB.  The Parasound Halo line describes it's amplifiers as "high bias class A/AB", although the Parasound Classic line makes no mention of the class.
 
The Odyssey amplifiers are also described as class A/AB.  Ask Klaus how highly biased they are, or perhaps they can be biased a little higher as a custom adjustment, if a little extra heat isn't a problem for both the amplifier and the user.
 
Steve

[wirbeltier]

...thanks, I have contacted Klaus!

Some more experiences? Interested also in the differences between Karthago and Stratos (each extremed). Are they really that similar?

Best
Klaus

[lazydays]

...thanks, I have contacted Klaus!

Some more experiences? Interested also in the differences between Karthago and Stratos (each extremed). Are they really that similar?

Best
Klaus

not close
gary

[wirbeltier]

...could you please elaborate on this a bit more? Many voices suggest the Karthago because it has enough power for high efficiency speakers. But I do not want the least possible, I want the best possible  aa

Thx
K

[TomS]

Klaus can pretty much build an Extreme SE in Khartago cases if you want...  Maybe a bit less power supply, but it saves a lot of sheet metal and space and of course sounds very, very good.  Just talk to him about your application and see what he says.

[srb]

Interested also in the differences between Karthago and Stratos (each extremed).

not close

...could you please elaborate on this a bit more?

Well, at least it wasn't a one word answer!
 
Steve

[Christof]

...could you please elaborate on this a bit more? Many voices suggest the Karthago because it has enough power for high efficiency speakers. But I do not want the least possible, I want the best possible  aa

Thx
K

Call Klaus and ask him what he has in storage

[sts9fan]

I like my khartago but did sell it because of noise issues.  They are pretty high gain so anything up front with any noise will be audible.

[AnalogDog]

I mean, come on. I love my Stratos monoblocs, but I'm driving a pair of pretty inefficient Magnepans with them. Perfect match. Like the guy says, super high level speakers really highlight crossover distortion. So get a SET amp, that doesn't cross over! They're made for each other! Don't want to mess with tubes? Try a small pure Class A amp, like a Forte 4a. Or get Klaus to turn the bias well the hell up on a Khartago or Stratos. Bet that'd sound really nice. But I think you'd be a fewl not to at least try a direct heated triode design.

[audionut59]

Hi All,

I am a tad confused here.  We have a 98db one watt one meter speaker, and we are discussing a 110 watt AB transistor amplifier.  At a little better than half output, you are talking about sound levels of 120 db.  Personally the switching distortion would drive me crazy.  I expect a vintage Dynaco Stereo 35 would sound better. Bias the solid state amp up towards class A, and you ramp up the heat which degrades every component in the amplifier slowly but surely.  Direct heated SET's which are in Class A operation by definition would work just fine, so would push pull EL84's biased into AB1.  And, if you must have solid state, a Bedini 25/25 which runs pure class A comes to mind.  If you listen to "Nine Inch Nails" at mind numbing volume levels, 16 watts per channel will do it.  Give yourself some head room and still your only at 25 watts per channel.  Your choice.

Regards,

David