Need Help for Pre-Amp

Bad- Of course, the other option would be to find a smoother, less dry sounding, CD player and forego the pre-amp. Also, a change in cabling (interconnects, spkr cable, power cords, etc...) can have a positive effect on reducing the harsher aspects of a system. You'll likely have to try several things before you find your preferred sound. Too bad that tubes are out of the question. Good luck.

Since you already have the Odyssey Stratos, I would suggest you give Klaus a call and talk with him about the Odyssey Tempest. They are sister products, and should perform very well together. I have multiple Stratos amps, and I am seriously considering trying a Tempest...to see if it sounds as good as the Stratos does.

I think your cd player is great. I can't really give a recommendation concerning a preamp because I am not familiar with the Odyssy. I would suggest you buy something that you could sell if you are not happy. I have traded a lot of equiptment and it is usually best to try things you could turn around. If Odyssy makes a preamp that you can demo, it is probably a good place to start.

I am not familiar with the Odessey amp, but my experience with the Wadia is that it's definitely not harsh. What you are hearing could be an impedance mismatch between the CD and the amp, an inappropriate interconnect or a somewhat serious AC power line contamination problem. I strongly suggest you explore these avenues before going the preamp route.

BTW, what speakers are you using?

Onhwy61 makes a good point. You should also check out the adjustable output.I had a 830. I didn't like it direct, but it was much better, smoother and less harsh, when I lowered the output from 4 volts to 2. The procedure was not in the manual, but Wadia faxed the info to me.