I have owned almost every version of the Odyssey Stratos and really liked them all. They are very well built and sound and perform way above their price points.
Klaus is easy to work with...just watch out for his "salesmanship". Seems like you always end up spending more money after you talk to him. |
I have had the Extreme Mono's for 3 years now and am very happy with them. Did the same thing and ordered sight unseen or heard. I did speak to (by email) to a number of those that had used this product and they also spoke very highly of Klaus and his product. I will voice the same opinion and highly recommend the company, the product and the man.
Bye the way the unit may sound thin out of the box but DON'T give up on it, run it for a couple hundred hours as they go through changes. |
I've been living quite happily with my Stratos Extreme SE Stereo for about 2 years now. I couldn't be happier with the sound, the service (20 year warranty) and the man behind the Odyssey name (Klaus). I'm a customer for life as I was given the chance to meet him in his home as I dropped off my stratos for repair. I spent about four hours listening to his amazing home system and he and his wife even treated me to dinner. Klaus is a true gentleman!
Regards,
Pete |
Lucky you. I have been trying for 2 days to get in touch with him as I am interested if there is anything more he can do to this amp. One thing naggine me is that in 1998, I paid $2995.00 for my Classe 15 amp and I am replacing it with an amp that costs almost 40% less. Do you think I have made a good move? |
I've always had the best luck calling Klaus in the evening. He doesn't work the regular 9-5 schedule. In all reality he works a 12pm to 12am schedule. Make sure you leave a message and I'm confident he will get back to you.
Stereo5, I have never heard any Classe amps so I cannot ease your mind. What I can tell you is that his design is very much so based on Symphonic Line designs and they are world class without a doubt. I know I am very happy with mine and in terms of getting more out of the amp you might want to ask him about his statement series known as the Kismet. When I was at his house I had the chance to hear his Kismet mono's and they were like nothing else I had ever heard before.
Regards,
Pete |
its been about 8 years since you purchased the Stratos. Do you still own it? What is your review of its performance? Im considering making the same leap of faith with the tricked out monoblocks.
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I have a modded Khartago that should ship any day now. It will be followed by Candela later this year and a Suspiro phonostage next year.
Italked to Klaus about music and the Odyssey sound and I was sold. I have not heard any Odyssey first hand but indications are it’s a fast and dynamic sound. Im coming up from plastic integrated amps so this will be a big step for me but I’ve never read about anyone disliking them. It seems for the most part that people who sell their Odyssey gear end up realizing that spending way more cash doesn’t get you much higher in quality. |
The 2 different Stratos I have owned are almost Tubey in the mid range. Very clean and dynamic on both ends of the spectrum. I am about to put a 2012 Stratos Extreme up for sale. Close to Kismet. |
Tube Preamp works great with them. |
@dishman442...……………………….
I used the Stratos Extreme from 2010 to 2017. I am very sorry I sold it. Stupidly, I thought I needed more power for the new speakers I purchased last Summer, so I sold the amp and bought a Conrad-Johnson MF2550 250wpc amp. Retail on the CJ amp was $5200.00. The Odyssey was much better in all regards, quick, agile and lots of great bass.
I have now moved on to an all McIntosh system.
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@stereo5 I can see your progression, but what made you NOT return to Odyssey?
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@simao...……………..
I didn’t go back to Odyssey because I had upgraded my secondary system to McIntosh and loved the sound so much that I went with McIntosh for the main system. Like Klaus of Odyssey always said. "synergy is everything".
Had I not tried McIntosh in my secondary system, I would have gone with the Odyssey Kismet Monoblocks and probably waited 6-7 months for them to be built.
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FWIW, I have great synergy with a McIntosh C220 preamp and my Odyssey Stratos HT3, now with the left-right channels upgraded to full Kismet status. Nothing wrong with McIntosh amps, but they are above my pay grade. |
I bought my McIntosh MC152 150wpc amp for $2900.00 used. It is still a current piece in their line. That isn't much more expensive than the Kismet amp. |
@stereo5 - Not the way I did it! I got a one-off HT3 after speaking with Klaus at a Stereophile show in 2006. When it failed last year, I sent it in for repair and upgraded the right and left channels to full Kismet status. So, yes, if I was buying a new amp, the MC152 used would be worth considering. But I split the cost in two over 12 years. Although, my back is telling me that my next amp will be Class D. |
Brother in law runs Khtargo and Candela pre
very sweet
big massive image when he had Vandersteen 2 in a large space
he is in the near field now with Magnepans....
my sense is Klaus offers incredible value with a few idiosyncratic things but if you are good w that as many are it is super !!!!
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