Speakers for Odyssey Stratos Extreme monos

You are going to get a gazzilion different answers to this question, because out of all the necessary components required to reproduce music, the speaker choice is the most influenced by personal preference, and the sound signatures of various speakers will vary widely, more so then any other component.

But, since you asked. If you like acoustical and vocals, then get some Magnepans. And many Maggie users highly praise the Odyssey amps. Oh, and Maggies can rock, too.

I don't expect you to rush out and buy some Maggies, because I said so, but you really should go out and audition some various speakers, and figure out what you expect to hear, from a pair of speakers, of any type.

If you end up changing your mind on the Lorelei's I might be interested. I just bought a pair of Stratos Extreme SE's.

I have been listiening to the Loreleis for about a week now. I am very impressed with them. At the price I payed (1100.00) they are a no brainer. They are excellent in dynamics. I love the bass, they go quite low although the bass is a little loose. On the high end I do not hear all of the detail I have had with other far more expensive speakers. They also do not dissapear like the more expensive models. They image nicely and are very clear. They do a pretty good job with the soundstage as well. I am still experimenting with placement as well as tube rolling in my preamp(TAD 150 sig). I also purchase some outriggers with spikes for the speakers from http://www.soundocity.com/ . They look quite impressive and could help out some of the small issues. I don't want to install them until I get my placement down as it will be a lot harder to move the speaker around. Overall I am happy with them and I think they will only get better as I experiment. Sure I could get better speakers but not at anywhere near the price of the Odyssey speakers.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I got a good price on a set of used Loreleis so I will give them a try. Maybe some synergy with the Odyssey amps.

I agree with Narrod. This is Audiogon, you can always sell your amps if need be.

I had Usher CP6381's with those amps in a 14 x 24 room, they are just what you are looking for. Great with all types of music and good dynamics, You can find them used under 2k. Read 6moons review

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/usher/6381.html

I agree with some of the points the other responders have made. I have had experience with several speakers that those amps sound wonderful with. Alon and the Odyssey amps are a very good match, giving a very refined sound. Magnepans do well with them too. I tried VonSweikerts (sp) VR3's with success as well. But you have to consider your room and other factors too. Alons in my opinion should be lifted @ least 6" off the floor. The Maggies (1.6's and most of the other models) benefit from lifting them off the floor. Even the VR3's sounded much better lifted off the floor and bass bloat was reduced. I have a small room 13' x 14' and lifting the speakers made the bass less bloated or fat. I sold my Alons 2 years ago and have regretted it since. I owned 2 Stratos amps and an ODL. I'd buy them again to use with any of the speakers above.

While I would agree with Wendell in principle, I myself ended up doing it the O.P.'s way. Since you already have the amps, I would suggest you do not commit to speakers that you cannot try in your own home first. The Odyssey speakers have a 30-day return option, so Tenorclef's suggestion is worth considering. I would avoid buying used for that reason unless you are pretty sure the used speakers you buy will work well in your room with your amps.

Although not an Extreme Glass Ceiling model, I have owned an Odyssey Stratos HT3 with cap upgrade since 2005. I really like this amp. I am in the process of upgrading my speakers right now. One thing I have benefited from is using the HT3 with a tubed preamp. IMHO, this combo of a good SS amp with a decent tube preamp (in my case a used Conrad-Johnson PV-11) results in a muscular yet musical sound with decent speakers.

I am nearing the end of my in-home trial on a pair of Ohm Acoustics Walsh 2000s. Although dynamics were constricted when I first got them, they have opened up nicely. They now have a lot of that jump factor that can make you sit upgright in your chair on musical peaks. Best of all, they do not get confused or congested when the SPLs get high. IMHO, they are very detailed, but never "analytical" - especially in the brightness range, where I am very sensitive to distortion and exaggeration. They are almost always totally smooth and clear, source material allowing. If anything, the highs are a tad rolled off (although you can adjust this easily and dramatically with the toe-in).

They also image surprisingly well, and many Ohm Walsh owners prefer to use them without a center channel speaker in A/V systems.

The Ohm Walsh line is basically the same design scaled for different room volumes. The web site, www.ohmspeakers.com, lists which models are appropriate for a given room volume. I personally like this approach a great deal. Ohm gives you four months to try them out at home. Since they change dramatically as they break in, you'll need the time. They also like a powerfull amp with a good damping factor and high current output. Since my HT3 is completely up to the task in my 2800 c.f. room, I would think your amps would be a great match.

You can read more about my experience with these speakers on the Ohm thread:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1223044851

I think this is the backwards way to build a system. Settle on the speakers you like and match an amp to them. The speakers are going to have a bigger impact on the sound than ANY amplifier.

Wendell

I forgot to add my price range. I would like to stay under 2500.00 used.

With your amps, you should consider the Odyssey Loreleis. I've been happy with mine (driven by a Stratos stereo amp) in a room smaller than yours. Not analytical, yet plenty of detail. Never harsh. Deep, tight bass -- no subwoofer needed for music or movies. Big sound stage. I too listen to a wide variety of music, and the Loreleis get it right, no matter what's playing.