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Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: Odyssey Stratos Monoblocs Amplifier (SS) by Marc Bratton Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here. |
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65.19.15.198
Model: Stratos Monoblocs Category: Amplifier (SS) Suggested Retail Price: $2300/pr Description: SS Class A/B discrete monoblocs, 200 watts into 8 ohms Manufacturer URL: Odyssey
Review by Marc Bratton on April 06, 2008 at 17:56:06
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for the Stratos Monoblocs
As you can see from perusing the reviews, most of the attention has been given to either the Stratos stereo amp in its various permutations, or else the Extreme Stratos Monoblocs, Klaus' flagship amp. Not too much attention has been given to the 'regular' monoblocs. You have Tyson's excellent review of the Dual Mono, but there are advantages to physically separating the amplifier modules, thus this review.
Read the amplifier reviews, you'll see my name on quite a few. I am something of an amplifier wanton. Not to the extent of our amplifier guru in residence, Abe Collins:) But I've had more than a few amps thru my system, both of the tubed and SS persuasion. It seems to be hard to find that sweet spot that allows the strengths of both to come thru, without the weaknesses of either. So when I say these amps seem to allow me to do that, that's something of a revelation.
Looking at the amplifier's description and pictures at Odyssey's website, I would always think: "Ewww, just another high power, low bias Class A/B SS amp. Bet I'd get tired of its sound pretty soon." Because that, gentle reader has always been my problem with EVERY amp of the silicon persuasion I've had thru my system, sooner or later. Whenever I've dropped a big SS amp into my system, I find myself revelling in the inky black background, the tight and deep bass, the dynamic reserves-things that SS has traditionally done very well. First impressions are good for revealing what you like about an amp; you've got to live with them for awhile to see if you can live with their idiosyncracies.
I got these amps used, dropped them into my system. I was right away taken with their clean, open, neutral presentation. 'Sounds just like really good SS', your ear says. And it does. You'd never mistake these for tube amps. Listen longer. These are the FIRST Class A/B amps I've ever heard, bar none, that sound, in my system, absolutely grain free. There is just NONE of that upper/mid lower range grit. None at ALL. This lends the amps a VERY low 'listener fatigue' factor, like a really good and liquid tube amp. And, it does NOT do this by trying to ape 'tube amp sound' ie, high output impedance, rolling off the treble, etc. It has a very open, chameleon like sound that readily reveals any changes in the source, recording, or components upstream of them. These amps seem to have damn little sound of their own of any kind, but some have commented that these amps have a 'laid back' sound. With my Magnepans, they sound absolutely correct. But Magnepans are famous for NOT liking anything that has even a hint of an upper midrange/lower treble rise. One gentleman, commenting on the "Maggie glare" said that it's really the transistors that are glaring with those speakers,since when he finally got a powerful enough amp (Innersound 300!) that glare was gone, like stink. I think he's really onto something here. By the time I'd figured this out, the right channel starting cutting in and out. Arrgh!!!
So, I sent 'em back to Klaus. If you've never had the pleasure, Klaus is one of a kind, in an industry already populated with an abundance of those. He delights in talking about his amps, he is utterly honest, doesn't try to sell you anything. The amps I'd bought were way older than I'd been led to believe, and no warranty transfer applied. He wasn't much interested in hunting down which capacitor was going bad...suffice it to say he treated me like 'family' (heh...we won't go there...hate the 'f' word),gutted and TOTALLY rebuilt 'em for me, slapped my name on 'em, gave me a NEW 20 year warranty, and shipped 'em back to me for about the same amount of gelt that some 'high end' boutique amplifier manufacturers charge just to LOOK at yer amp. It just doesn't get any better than Klaus.
In fairness, one of the reasons he can do this is, the amplifier is an AMAZINGLY SIMPLE, low parts count circuit. I'm thinking this is why it sounds so good. He told me the single most expensive part of the amp is the CASE, which, if you've ever hefted, is the most bombproof one I've ever had to wrestle into place. Something ELSE he told me is, the SINGLE BIGGEST JUMP, in sound quality is, NOT from regular mono to Extreme mono but rather from going from the stereo Stratos (even the Extremed stereo), to the monoblocs discussed here, due to all the advantages of physically separating those transformers and amplifier circuits, and getting them the hell out of each other's space. It's true...if you've ever heard a stereo amp, than listened to the same ones as dual mono's, there is a relaxed, 'pulled apart', more definitive sound to them that the stereo amp can't quite pull off. What's going on in the left channel has NO CHANCE to modulate what's going on in the right channel, and the separate box effect is clearly audible.
So, are these across the board best amps I've had in my system? Well, yes,..and no. The CJ MV75A1 I had, gutted and hotrodded by Bill Thalmann, had a phenomenally liquid and ethereal treble, compared to these amps. Just unreal. And the good old Quicksilver M80 monoblocs I had clearly had the more liquid, lusher mids. And even a high powered AVA amp had a punchier, more dynamic sound. And the Forte 4a I had...well. Into 4 or 8 ohms, these amps beat it. But when I put the Forte onto the 4x taps of my Zero autoformers, effectively making it a 25 watt Class A amp, it took on a cleaner, clearer, more transparent quality than these amps can quite do. Really pellucid...like a Sibelius symphony. What these amps do is EVERYTHING reasonably well, with no glaring (heh...) weaknesses. They serve the music well, they inject very little sonic signature of their own, and paired with a good tube preamp, their listener fatigue factor is vanishingly low. Plus, they seem to have fairly bomb proof build quality, from a man who really stands behind what he builds. So, if you can't swing the Mono Extremes, and you're tempted to go with a stereo Stratos instead, don't. Especially if you have current hungry, hard to drive speakers, like Magnepans, or the DynAudio Contours, you'd be hard pressed to find better amps for the gelt. Highly recommended.
Product Weakness: Big,heavy monoblocs. You DO need to leave 'em on 24/7. It's well worth it, and they don't draw a lot of juice in idle. Product Strengths: Clean, neutral, fatigue free sound. 20 year warranty, backed by Klaus.
Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Stratos monoblocs Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Quicksilver Full Function Preamp (old!) Sources (CDP/Turntable): Teres 200 series/Morch UP4/Shure V15VxMR Speakers: Magnepan 12QR's, upgraded parts Cables/Interconnects: DH Labs Silver, mostly, some Cardas Music Used (Genre/Selections): Mostly classical Room Size (LxWxH): 24 x 14 x 8 Room Comments/Treatments: Room sucks. Time Period/Length of Audition: One year. Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Amps are plugged straight into PS Audio outlets. Klaus HATES power conditioners, for these amps! Zero autoformers, 2x lent a noticable improvement to the treble (see my comments above, on the probable source of the Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
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Topic - REVIEW: Odyssey Stratos Monoblocs Amplifier (SS) - Marc Bratton 17:56:06 04/6/08 ( 8)
- RE: REVIEW: Odyssey Stratos Monoblocs Amplifier (SS) - tpsully 05:25:15 04/9/08 ( 1)
- RE: REVIEW: Odyssey Stratos Monoblocs Amplifier (SS) - Marc Bratton 19:39:10 04/9/08 ( 0)
Excellent commentary. Thanks. - speyer 10:47:30 04/7/08 ( 0)
RE: REVIEW: Odyssey Stratos Monoblocs Amplifier (SS) - rosconey 09:29:57 04/7/08 ( 0)
RE: REVIEW: Odyssey Stratos Monoblocs Amplifier (SS) - l1945@sbcglobal.net 23:34:48 04/6/08 ( 0)
Nice review. If I was going with my 1.6s, I'd go with a pair of those. - HenryH 20:38:52 04/6/08 ( 2)
- RE: Nice review. If I was going with my 1.6s, I'd go with a pair of those. - Marc Bratton 18:17:10 04/7/08 ( 1)
- RE: Nice review. If I was going with my 1.6s, I'd go with a pair of those. - l1945@sbcglobal.net 22:38:42 04/7/08 ( 0)