Is Odyssey Power amp Stratos better than Krell?


Hi,

Would like to ask you guys about odyssey stratos power amplifier (extreme & monoblock range). Does this amp really good compare to, i.e Krell, plinius?

lots of reviewers gave high rating (audioreview) and they claimed that the sound is better than Krell, Plinius...very transparent, firm bass and imaging.

I'm using Krell KSA80B, are they better for a change?..I Listen to Sting, norah jones, Sarah McLachlan, Radiohead, Coldplay..etc.

Thanks for any inputs
dadio_cool003c
Well, I like Klauses personal approach to music. Building the amps is complicated, his goals are simple. he is an emotion/reaction first guy, specs are secondary.
"don't attend too many audio shows"
Why not (I have attended at least one yearly since 1997), not so many years ago I thought that I like SS that tubes are obsolete, that future is in digital amps and SACD, shows can be true ayes openers :)
I only wish that small companies could be present on the shows, because big companies sometimes want big money for big nothing (my subjective opinion).
The future could very well be in digital amplification but at this given point in time they still fall short of a well designed conventional amp in my opinion. There are some things they do so superbly right & for that reason they definately give us a glimpse as to what may come. With more tweaking they may eventually out-do conventional designs. Currently I am using both solid state & tube amps. There are things that a SS amp can do that tubes can't and vice a versa. When I get tired of one sound I switch to the other. Anyway, one of things that awestruck me about the Odyssey Stratos (besides the fact that it was built like a tank), was the level of sound quality it posessed. Transparency, fine detail, holographic (3D) sound & power were there in abundance, more so than other amps in that price range. When used with other quality components, it can be tough to beat!
It is common knowledge that SS have better bass, but Conrad Johnson on HE 2004 have bass equal to the best SS I have heard, with exception to Spectral (I have never heard anything like this before it was vulcanlike rumbling). But musicality of tubes will be hard to beat for year to come if ever possible. As for Digital Amp they were able to make Grand Utopia to sound mediocre on HE 2003 it is big achievement, the some speakers years earlier with Lamm monoblocks mesmerized me, I could not believe my ears, IT WAS MUSIC, MUSIC!!!
I cannot say much about Krell, as I've never owned any, but the Odyssey Stratos-yes. I owned a pair for a few months. Found them harsh in upper treble and "hummed" in my system. The Odyssey had some awsome attributes- great soundstage, depth, bass and presence, but one big BUT- fatigue. I could not listen to these for long periods due to the graininess in the treble. May have been cables, may have been my room,etc. The best match for my Avalon Eclipse were a pair of BAT 60s.
I cannot recommend The Odessey.