Odyessy Audio. How good are they???

heiney9

Congrats they should perform well for you.

H9

xsmi

Smoking! I wish I lived closer!!

rdb2001

Thanks guys. I will say that talking with Klaus was an experience within itself. we probably talked close to 2 hrs yesterday about the order and alot of audio. It was a great experience. I like to support small companies and this is built in the USA. I just got a good feeling when I talked to him. I know when I first ordered my old Epik Legends, I talked with Chad the owner. It was a great experience and that type of feeling that you just don't get when talking with reps from larger companies or dealers. This felt more personal. Hope it all turns out to be a great experience.

drumminman

rdb2001 wrote: »

Just an update but I have decided to give Odyssey a try. I put in an order yesterday for 3 fully speced kismet reference extreme monoblocks for the front 3 speakers. I am getting a Khartago extreme stereo amplifier for the the surrounds( I only run 5.2). I am also getting a fully specd Candela tupe pre with HT bypass for 2 channel listening. I am excited. He has a 30 day money back guarantee so if I don't like it, I have options. Thanks guys for all of your input.

Very nice! I own the Candela linestage you just ordered and it's very amenable to tube rolling. I just acquired some Amperex 7316's from Greg, that brought about a pleasing improvement in sound quality over the RCA cleartops I was using. The CT's were no slouch either - I had been very happy with them.

I also own a Stratos Stereo Plus (w/ the cap upgrade) that I bought in 2004. Only issue I've had is the front light burned out. I leave it on 24/7 and it's a tank. Never gets more than lukewarm to the touch driving my 2.3TL's at high volume. Getting ready to (maybe) have it converted to a monoblock and buy another matching.

Haven't heard Pass gear so I can't compare, but at it's price point the Odyssey stuff is very, very good.

drumminman

rdb2001 wrote: »

Thanks guys. I will say that talking with Klaus was an experience within itself. we probably talked close to 2 hrs yesterday about the order and alot of audio. It was a great experience. I like to support small companies and this is built in the USA. I just got a good feeling when I talked to him. I know when I first ordered my old Epik Legends, I talked with Chad the owner. It was a great experience and that type of feeling that you just don't get when talking with reps from larger companies or dealers. This felt more personal. Hope it all turns out to be a great experience.

I just got off the phone with him last night - he called me at 9:00! He's a nice guy, a bit hyper, and super enthusiastic about his products. While it can be difficult to know his product line with certainty because of the customization options, the upside is he'll pretty much build what you want. He'll do his best to offer the product that will best match with the rest of your equipment once he understands your budget.

I'm trying to decide between upgrading my amp to a dual mono, or getting monoblocks.

I too like the idea that he builds his stuff in America, with many American made parts.

malvrich

Short synopsis from The 18 Greatest Bargains in High-End Audio (TAS 197) :
Odyssey Khartago power amplifier ($795)

Although the 130Wpc Odyssey Khartago solid-state stereo amp has been around for better than a decade, it was new to JV until amp-connoisseur Alon Wolf (of Magico) told him he used it in his shop and it was excellent. The Wolfman was right. Although the Khartago doesn?t have all the articulation and transparency of the standard-setting $40k Soulution 710 stereo amplifier, it has a shockingly similar balance (albeit a bit warmer and less transparent), no discernible grain, high resolution, and a deep, wide soundstage. Positively, the best budget amp JV has heard (and the $2k Odyssey Stratos monoblocks are great, too). (Reviewed in TAS 194)
http://www.avguide.com/article/the-18-greatest-bargains-high-end-audio-tas-197
Enjoy your new equipment. I'm sure you will be thrilled.

rdb2001

drumminman wrote: »

I just got off the phone with him last night - he called me at 9:00! He's a nice guy, a bit hyper, and super enthusiastic about his products. While it can be difficult to know his product line with certainty because of the customization options, the upside is he'll pretty much build what you want. He'll do his best to offer the product that will best match with the rest of your equipment once he understands your budget.

I'm trying to decide between upgrading my amp to a dual mono, or getting monoblocks.

I too like the idea that he builds his stuff in America, with many American made parts.

I totally agree with you here. He will pretty much build what you want. I wanted the stratos casing with kismet engraving and the kismet extreme guts. I really didn't like the kismet casing. He said fine and it also saved me a few dollars.

Go mono's :-)

danz1906

rdb2001 wrote: »

Just an update but I have decided to give Odyssey a try. I put in an order yesterday for 3 fully speced kismet reference extreme monoblocks for the front 3 speakers. I am getting a Khartago extreme stereo amplifier for the the surrounds( I only run 5.2). I am also getting a fully specd Candela tupe pre with HT bypass for 2 channel listening. I am excited. He has a 30 day money back guarantee so if I don't like it, I have options. Thanks guys for all of your input.

Congrats!!!!

drumminman

rdb2001 wrote: »

I totally agree with you here. He will pretty much build what you want. I wanted the stratos casing with kismet engraving and the kismet extreme guts. I really didn't like the kismet casing. He said fine and it also saved me a few dollars.

Go mono's :-)

I thought I read somewhere that the monoblocks sound better than the dual mono, but Klaus assured me last night there's absolutely no difference in sound quality. Still thinking, but if that's the case I can save 3-$400 going dual mono.

heiney9

Depends on the design and manufacturer. I'm sure Klaus is speaking for his own products.

H9

Face

I haven't heard a difference going from dual mono to monoblocks either...

newrival

Congrats on the purchase! I think feel you made the right decision. I really enjoy odyssey amps, and have been among the best I've used with my system (which included Pass designed amps). I respect h9s passion/obsession with nelson pass, but not everyone shares it. I also never had the CS problems others have had. I only had to talk to klaus bout small issues, but the business line is essentially his cell phone and he always got back to me and was very helpful. I also enjoyed the level of customization he offered to best mate his pieces to your system. Very helpful. And with the 20 year warrant that by all observations has proven he stands behind, you can rest easy that if there is an issue it will ultimately get resolved.

heiney9

I am curious, which Pass amps have you used and compared to Odyssey? This is not to be confrontational, but very few on the this board have actually had a Pass Labs amp in their rig so while my passion might be a bit over the top, many of those who don't understand it have never experienced it. Not all, but many. I also realize there are other great amps and designs out there. Not everyone loved Enzo Ferrari or his cars either.

When you say a "Pass designed" amp that leads me to believe you used an amp that Nelson had initial input at the conceptual phase but by production it was not really his design anymore as said vendor took it and ran. As good as the early Adcoms and Nakamichi's were they essentially were somewhat watered down versions of his initial designs and while good in their own right probably not on par with the current Odyssey offerings. The original Adcom and Stasis designs being over 25 years old. What was Klaus doing 25 years ago . The exception being something like the Adcom 5802, which I would put up against any Odyssey stereo amp.

H9

newrival

They weren't "Pass Labs" amps but they were his. I had a Threshold 400a (6 months into a fresh rehab and upgrade), and I borrowed two First Watt amps from a colleague the f5 and the j2. Personally I preferred the odyssey over the 400a and the f5, but the j2 was slightly superior. At this level of amp, nothing is truly "night and day" but the differences were noticeable through extended listening. One thing I can say, the J2 is probably the first time i heard an amp make an immediate discernable difference from its peers. I haven't heard any of the alephs in my system, but have heard an aleph 0 in someone elses so im not able to give an opinion on that.

heiney9

First Watt amps are very specialized for specific types of speakers (off the beaten path designs for very limited users--as in not mainstream) , but I have heard many people rave about the J2 even when used on a conventional speaker. Threshold amps are excellent, but much older designs and philosophy. All are in good company including Odyssey.

I know the OP will be very happy using these as part of an HT/2CH rig.

H9

newrival

like i said, i totally appreciate your love of the dude >I just like to poke your ribs everyonce in a while about it
Its undeniable the guy builds top-tier gear, but where perception is inherent in the foundation of the hobby, there is bound to be some debate.

newrival

I feel perhaps equally passionate about open baffle speakers. Passion is one of those things that makes one think "what the hell is wrong with this guy for not thinking the same way? isn't it obvious?!" And I definitely have those moments, but that is what makes it fun for me. the debate, the banter, the challenge. But at the end of the debate we go sit down at our respective listening positions and hit play and all is right with the world.

drumminman

heiney9 wrote: »

Depends on the design and manufacturer. I'm sure Klaus is speaking for his own products.

H9

Yes, he was. I thought I implied that, but upon re-reading my post it was not clear.

The only issue with his dual mono is that it runs warmer than the mono blocks. Don't think it'll be an issue for me. After a couple of conversations with him I'm planning on sending my Stratos in for the upgrade in two weeks. He's completely rebuilding the innards, including all new Caps, black boards, etc. The only thing he's saving is the case.

Totally stoked about this!

Hey rdb, be sure to post your impressions as yours burn in!

VR3

I dont want to derail this -

But Adcom amplifiers (the entire line) - GFA535-555 (and II) unless I am missing something is no where in the ball park of Odyssey...

On solid front end gear (pre/CDP) and high resolution speakers the GFA series is almost unlistenable.

IMO of course but there are many who agree with me.

leftwinger57

DKG99,That your opinion that you've never heard a good Mcintosh amp kind of stunned me. I always thought it was the holy grail to aspire for and people just get sucked into the blue meter thing and the autoformers.Of course this is an opinion and not I'm not dissing it at all but for as far as I know they still have build quality,U.S made and very rabid fans and collecters. One of my favorite pairings was aMac 2105 w/ a c-28 pre and at the a tt for the souce w/ EES Heil AMT 1TS for speeks. I might be a little behind the times but I would still take a working Mac anyday.

heiney9

VR3 wrote: »

I dont want to derail this -

But Adcom amplifiers (the entire line) - GFA535-555 (and II) unless I am missing something is no where in the ball park of Odyssey...

On solid front end gear (pre/CDP) and high resolution speakers the GFA series is almost unlistenable.

IMO of course but there are many who agree with me.

The GFA 5802 has no problem keeping up with Odyssey.

VR3

What level of Odyssey?

VR3

I looked up the 5802 and that amp should be able to hang with Odyssey - I mean it costs more than a Stratos stereo amp from the get go. Not saying costs has anything to do with it...

the Older series - which I have owned them all causes so much high end smearing its not even funny...