Who has the Odyssey Amplifier?

[LeeS]

A friend of mine is thinking about one and I read a very positive review in The Absolute Sound.

Does anyone here have one, or has anyone heard one?

What do you think?

[WHitese]

I heard one thru my system once when I sold my Odyssey Loreleis speakers...Compared to my Berning's the images appeared recessed, but I think that is just in contrast with that tube triode magic.

I felt it was velvety smooth and balanced... I didnt run it thru its paces though.

[GP]

I'm about to purchase Klaus' Dual Mono amp in the next few weeks. As usual I have no idea what I'm getting into. Awhile back I contacted someone from one of the other audio forums (can't remember which now) who had this to say:

"First of all I have also had the Odyssey amps, and let
me tell you what a scam they are running. You have no
idea how bad it is....They are rigging the deck on
every consumer review type of site. Any reviews below,
a perfect 5 are removed by the manufacturer, in
collusion with the webmasters. I posted a split
rating at about 3.5 and my friend posted a 4 and both
of our reviews disappeared within 5 days. Then I got
harassing emails from the manufacturer telling me that
I didn't know what I was talking about and that they
would sue me for slander and libel if I didn't shut
up. They further tracked the serial number of my unit
and refused service to the next owner. Whatever you
do, don't buy an odyssey. It was an extremely harsh
sound and on the inside was a very poorly made piece.
The outside is built well until you open it up to find
knock off adcom style boards that don't even sound as
good as an adcom. The wires coming off the mains
power in where like 20 gauge. It was ridiculous."


Bitter and negative yes, but an interesting point of view somehow. :)

Also, if Klaus is sweeping negative comments under the rug, he must be doing a good job of it, since I'm hard pressed to find others like it.

Looks like I'm going to take a chance anyway. Klaus has spoken openly to me by phone, is very knowledgeable, and doesn't appear to be hiding from anyone. Still, I'm interested to see what others viewing this thread are thinking. :wave:

[WHitese]

Well, Klaus will even recommend some of his cheaper amps if he feels it suits you better. I have spoken with him many times. He is a patient guy, and I feel an honest guy. I dont think the amps are cheaply made by the pics I have seen.

[mtodde]

Well gee, I'm the friend Lee mentioned and having spoken to Klaus I agree that he is a nice guy that knows his stuff. He seemed to be geniunely interested in ensuring that the Stratos amp (and Tempest Extreme 2 preamp) were a good match for my speakers (Paradigm Studio 40s).

I like the fact that the assembly is done in America and like being able to talk directly to the owner of the company. If the gear was shoddily built they wouldn't be able to offer a 20 year warranty...they even will transfer the warranty once if you sell the equipment...and let's face it, most of us will feel the upgrade itch at some point.

Thanks to those that have replied and I look forward to hearing more. And thanks Lee for beating me to the punch on posting the question!

Edit: I forgot to mention that Klaus offered to test the amp & preamp at his house for a few days before shipping them.

[GP]

Well, I now have the Dual Mono, and have been listening for a few days. Unfortunately, some Samsonite gorilla at UPS dropped the 73 lb package so hard that the manual binder was crushed and the test CD inside it was cracked in half. The amp didn't look affected physically, but with just the speakers connected (w/o the line stage) I'm getting a buzzy ground loop in the left channel, the side it was dropped apparently. I told Klaus about this right away, so hopefully there will be better news by next week.

[mtodde]

I've had the Stratos amp with cap upgrade for about two months now and like it a lot. For the money I think you'd be hard pressed to beat it.

Unfortunately UPS damaged the Tempest Extreme pre-amp that I ordered with it however Klaus sent me a loaner unit while mine was being repaired (the power switch was broken).

[boead]

I'm about to purchase Klaus' Dual Mono amp in the next few weeks. As usual I have no idea what I'm getting into. Awhile back I contacted someone from one of the other audio forums (can't remember which now) who had this to say:

"First of all I have also had the Odyssey amps, and let
me tell you what a scam they are running. You have no
idea how bad it is....They are rigging the deck on
every consumer review type of site. Any reviews below,
a perfect 5 are removed by the manufacturer, in
collusion with the webmasters. I posted a split
rating at about 3.5 and my friend posted a 4 and both
of our reviews disappeared within 5 days. Then I got
harassing emails from the manufacturer telling me that
I didn't know what I was talking about and that they
would sue me for slander and libel if I didn't shut
up. They further tracked the serial number of my unit
and refused service to the next owner. Whatever you
do, don't buy an odyssey. It was an extremely harsh
sound and on the inside was a very poorly made piece.
The outside is built well until you open it up to find
knock off adcom style boards that don't even sound as
good as an adcom. The wires coming off the mains
power in where like 20 gauge. It was ridiculous."




If what this guy is saying is true then Odyssey amps should be boycotted. Entire threads with the title “BOYCOTT ODYSSEY AMPS’ should be posted on a regular basis.

Removing negative reviews? – that’s censorship!

Tracking someone who voiced their opinions serial number and refusing service or denying entitled warranty or service? – Not only is that immoral but Illegal!

Am I surprised that the unit is cheaply made inside? If what this poster is saying is true then No, I’d expect it.

Buzzing from a drop that showed no damage? – Not a good sign, there is no reason why anything inside should cause a channel buzz if it was properly built.
Ever see video of manufacturers like QSC and Bryston literally throw an amp (unpackaged) off a roof and then plugging them in - they play perfectly!

I think Krause needs to go back to Germany! If of course what he said and his actions are true.

[WHitese]

Dude, get real....

If the box was abused, the amp doesnt have to show signs of damage to have a part affected. The kinetic force has to stop somewhere, and sometimes solder joints are the weakest mechanical link....I would bet amplifiers from every manufacturer in history had amps go bad from delivery abuse....and some of them are made to the highest standards.

The amp sounding bright?? That might be a different issue between you, your speakers and the amp, not a fault of the amp itself... I had to guys auditioning speakers i was selling with their Odyssey amps (and I have tubes), and they didnt have a trace of harshness anywhere.

[-=Rudy=-]

Now, there are numerous instances of competitors or those with competing interests attacking products online. Trolls are everywhere.

Agreed--that so-called "review" reads like a troll.

[GP]

Well, I posted that review, but it was not my review...it was an email sent to me a few years ago from someone who was obviously discouraging my interest in Odyssey Audio. Didn't I specify that? I posted it in this thread to see if anyone OA owners believed that there might be a shred of truth anywhere to it, out of curiosity, not to slam Klaus in any way. Also, this was before I purchased the amp.

Now that I own the Dual Mono myself, I have a different perspective that renders that old review obsolete, at least IMHO.

When I first turned on the amp, it was only connected to my speakers, and that's when I get the buzz. The line stage does quiet this down to the point where it's not audible to me at the listening position, but on the first day the left channel sounded strained and louder than the right...kind of a weird sound.

Fast forward a few days later and the amp seems to have balanced itself out somehow, and I now have a HUGE soundstage. And, I can verify that there is nothing about this amp that I would consider "harsh" (and harsh is something Klaus told me to expect for the first few weeks), rather it is well focused, very musical, and non-fatiguing.

Despite the hit it took, it is still a fully functional amp. The problem is that the buzzy ground loop still exists in the left channel, and I don't know if this will intensify as time goes on, so that's why I called Klaus right away. He has been very good about this, is having my amp picked up, and will probably send a new one, at no additional cost. If this all works out, I have no complaints, because I think the amp is a fine product, and I think I made a good choice for my money...for once.

So I think we can put all this Klaus bashing to rest right away...it's not even appropriate, especially if you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

The point I was trying to make is that, for me, UPS sucks big time right now, not Klaus.

[GP]

My remarks were aimed at the person that you quoted, not you. No ill will was intended toward you for relaying the comments of others.

No I understand...I just saw that post declaring a boycott, screaming about censorship and illegalities and thought Whoa Nelly...better SLOW this down. :laugh:

[boead]

Odyssey usually gets very good reviews and his process are very good. He also offers a 20 year transferable warranty which is most excellent.

When reading public reviews I usually disregard the best and the worst and pay more attention to the mean.

And anyone who endorses power cords is ok by me.

Sorry to have stirred the pot, I was feeling frisky this morning.

[boead]

No I understand...I just saw that post declaring a boycott, screaming about censorship and illegalities and thought Whoa Nelly...better SLOW this down. :laugh:

LOL!! I said IF the poster was telling the truth.

[mtodde]

Boead...I was all set to slam you for your first post. Thanks for following up.

All too often folks fan the flames on the internet in support or against products they've never heard. As the owner of a Scout with a Shelter 501 I am often asked if I really have it since so many folks talk about this combo that have never heard it - for the record you can come over and hear it for yourself. :winkgrin:

I've found Klaus to be nothing but upfront and honest. He's basically a one man operation and he puts in a lot of hours. He's almost too accessible to his customers and will talk audio for hours with you. So far I'm very happy with my Odyssey gear. The Tempest may not be the giant killer that the Stratos is but it is still a very fine pre-amp; my phono stage is still breaking in but my SACD playback has improved dramatically with the Tempest Extreme.

The build quality of both the Stratos & Tempest is outstanding and they are full of high end parts (Symphonic Line, WIMA, etc.). I understand that the Tempest Extreme (which I purchased) has significantly better parts than the base model but a number of folks are still very happy with the base model.

[coopmv]

Would any forum members who own Odyssey Stratos recommend HT3? I will be looking at a 3-channel amp to combine with my existing 2-channel CJ amp to start my first 5.1 system.

[sedandelivery]

I have a pair of the mono extreme's and a pair of the "se" version.I can only state that Klaus has been upfront and honest with me. He has done everything that I've asked of him,and knows his products quite well and certainly stands behind them, plus he is only a phone call away. Good luck with your purchase,,I don't think that you will be disappointed.:)

[motorcitydave]

Ever see video of manufacturers like QSC and Bryston literally throw an amp (unpackaged) off a roof and then plugging them in - they play perfectly!

:edthumbs:

[GP]

Would any forum members who own Odyssey Stratos recommend HT3? I will be looking at a 3-channel amp to combine with my existing 2-channel CJ amp to start my first 5.1 system.

I'm not familiar with that particular amp (still own the Dual Mono), but I can't see why anything Klaus makes wouldn't be fantastic in a 5.1 system.

I guess you've already seen this (http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1195614697) and this (http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampsmult&1195248859).
;)

[coopmv]

I'm not familiar with that particular amp (still own the Dual Mono), but I can't see why anything Klaus makes wouldn't be fantastic in a 5.1 system.

I guess you've already seen this (http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampstran&1195614697) and this (http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?ampsmult&1195248859).
;)

I have already seen these 2 links. My reason to go for a 2-channel amp and a 3-channel amp combo is that I can turn off the 3-channel (center and surrounds) to listen to stereo only, something that cannot be done with a 5-channel amp. Obviously, it may be a challenge to find an HT processor that is also very good in 2-channel mode.

[Bigfish]

I purchased a pair of Stratos Mono SEs and a Candela Preamp from Klaus earlier this year. The quality and performance of these units are excellent. Before I purchased I researched all of the reviews and comments about Odyssey Equipment. After doing so I sent Klaus an e-mail message and he immediately called me at 11:00PM and we talked for at least 1.5 hours. During that conversation I became convinced Klaus was a man I could trust to build excellent equipment and take care of an issues. I am extremely happy with my choices and would highly recommend Odyssey Equipment to anyone seeking quality audio gear.

Ken

[coopmv]

BTW, is the Odyssey website up to date with the latest product offerings? It does not look like it has changed much since I last visited some 2 years ago.

[sedandelivery]

Haven't looked lately,but his website is probabally not as current as it could be,,just call him,and be ready to talk/listen for awhile,,late afternoons and evenings are best.:)

[NMyTree]

"....They are rigging the deck on every consumer review type of site. Any reviews below, a perfect 5 are removed by the manufacturer, in collusion with the webmasters.

...........and on the inside was a very poorly made piece......."


I have not owned one of Klaus' amps. But I do own a pair of Odyssey Nightingales which I still have and very much love.

I also have owned a Odyssey Tempest Pre Amp, which I very much hated.

Let me clarify, when the Tempest worked well it sounded wonderful. Unfortunately that was only for roughly a week. But right from the start it had a very loud and noisy transformer, a ridiculously loud hum from the phono stage and loud and annoying buzz through the tweeters. When I contacted Klaus and told him of the problems, he said the same thing he told me before I bought it; that he would take care of any problems and for me not to worry; that if I didn't like it......he would take the Pre Amp back and refund my money. :rolleyes:

It was not a ground loop problem and it was not a problem within my house.

I sent it back to him, he said he fixed it and it came back with the same exact problems. I sent it back to him, again. Once again, it came back with the same exact problems. By the way, at this time I had moved into a different house. All in all, it took 11 months to come to a resolution.

There's more to this story, but I'm not going to get into that here. PM me if you want to know more.

I wrote a very honest and objective review of the Tempest I received and experienced, then posted it on one of the review-based sites........... and it was immediately deleted. The review was not a bash-fest and only contained exact details of the experience.

What I quoted at the top of this post, was my exact experience. I only quoted the parts that pertained to my experience.

I will say that I have heard the Mono Extremes in the past and they are wonderful sounding amps. But I won't buy them.

[aviserated]

I once owned the Odyssey Stratos and it did sound good with audiophile recordings ONLY. There were some negetives:

This amp covers up nothing (very revealing of bad recordings) sibilance sounds were excessive.

It finished last in TheAbsoluteSound three amp review. Reviewer stated the amp had coolish clarity (meaning slightly bright).

Clause is very nice when it comes time to do business, but he can be a jerk. Do not ask me how I know.