Staying with the question "could we tell if it was covered with a box?" In a blind test, I say "yes". Most amps have an effect, or way of handling sound. Forget the talk of "all things being neutral" as we can assume that the rest of the system, and most things, are not.
So here are some comparisons. I'd rather the Stratos I have right here than my previous:
Flying Mole, Adcom GFA 555, Nakamichi PA7, Audio Magic Stelth, Older Belles 150, Accurus 250. what is it like, okay hold on to your seat.
It's like a Mcintosh 7270 with less silky highs, a lower mid sweet spot and more punch. It's like a Mackie 1500 watt stage amp with much more refinement. It's like a punchier, slightly harsher Belles 150 with mids (was that the 150A?, same box but nicer mids?). It's like a slightly harsher and slightly less thunderous Krell KSA 80B, but has more mids. It's like AAragon with tighter bass and more mids (though the Palladiums had more separation being monos). I'd loose mids and bass but gain silk going back to Pass Aleph 3 or 5. I'd say it's a more open but similar sound to NuForce 9's. I'd lose mids and punch going back to OCM Soloist, gain a little silk but maybe lose definition by the smallest degree. I'd rather a Spectral DMA 50 but would lose bass and bass punch. This is what I can give my memory. I have only 3 brands of amp in the house ow. So Stratos VS Spectral DMA 90? Overall Spectral is faster, silkier but less mids and bass content. Spectral is faster. Edge G.5 VS Stratos. Edge is silkier and more refined. but lacks anything near the bass or livliness of the Stratos.I'd like to hear a CJ S.S. or ARC S.S. compared to the Stratos; then move on To Levinson. Hope that helps.
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So here are some comparisons. I'd rather the Stratos I have right here than my previous:
Flying Mole, Adcom GFA 555, Nakamichi PA7, Audio Magic Stelth, Older Belles 150, Accurus 250. what is it like, okay hold on to your seat.
It's like a Mcintosh 7270 with less silky highs, a lower mid sweet spot and more punch. It's like a Mackie 1500 watt stage amp with much more refinement. It's like a punchier, slightly harsher Belles 150 with mids (was that the 150A?, same box but nicer mids?). It's like a slightly harsher and slightly less thunderous Krell KSA 80B, but has more mids. It's like AAragon with tighter bass and more mids (though the Palladiums had more separation being monos). I'd loose mids and bass but gain silk going back to Pass Aleph 3 or 5. I'd say it's a more open but similar sound to NuForce 9's. I'd lose mids and punch going back to OCM Soloist, gain a little silk but maybe lose definition by the smallest degree. I'd rather a Spectral DMA 50 but would lose bass and bass punch. This is what I can give my memory. I have only 3 brands of amp in the house ow. So Stratos VS Spectral DMA 90? Overall Spectral is faster, silkier but less mids and bass content. Spectral is faster. Edge G.5 VS Stratos. Edge is silkier and more refined. but lacks anything near the bass or livliness of the Stratos.I'd like to hear a CJ S.S. or ARC S.S. compared to the Stratos; then move on To Levinson. Hope that helps.
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