My Amp is good but probably the weak point


I have an Odyssey Audio Khartago Stereo. It’s got the larger tranny, upgraded wiring, RCA and Speaker posts. It might have one step up from the baseline circuit board (I don’t recall). It’s the first piece I bought and it’s been great. 
but as my system has come together I feel like it’s a choke point though I feel the sound of the system is superb.

So with that I began researching and feel like the Coda #8 would be a strong contender to replace it. My research has also included a JC5 and sending my amp back to Klaus to upgrade to Kismet level.

As of now:

sl1200GR (KAB damper, Isanoe feet)

AT33PTG/II

Sutherland 20/20 MK1 (+ LPS)

Denafrips Athena line stage

Odyssey Khartago

Klipsch Heresy IV

Rythmik L12 (pair)

RCA, XLR, speaker and power cords are Audio Envy

anyine have thoughts? I feel like a part of me wants to go Kismet but that’s 2-6 months to get that done. I have a Vidar as a backup amp but it’s not anywhere near as good as the Odyssey.

$5k limit and looking used. Solid state only.

gochurchgo

@gochurchgo 

if you must stay solid state then a clean Class A design is best for your speakers.  The Pass Labs XA25 is the best sounding amp I have owned and would be perfect for you, quality used ones are available for a reasonable price.  

Other than the slight noise issues I had with my Odysseys they were definitely one of the best sounding amps I’ve owned. If your looking for a different flavor as others have said I would demo some new speakers. IMO if you like the live kinda in your face Klipsch sound maybe look at Focal. Very dynamic but still does the audiophile stuff. That said I have not heard any newer Klipsch other than the new Cornwall but that was really low volume and music I didn’t know. 

I recommend you revisit your setup first.  Setup accounts for a large percentage of the sound you hear.  Small changes in speaker position and any acoustic treatments can result in significant improvement.  
If your listening room is a shared space you may not have the latitude of a dedicated room but still might find improvement.

 I keep detailed records of speaker setup for each of my systems.  I recently decided to see if I could improve upon one setup I’ve been using for five years.  What changed?  Speakers moved three inches further apart, removed two acoustic panels, one diffuser panel, and swapped a water color painting with an oil painting.
Right now I’m happy with the change.  Sometimes one is just looking for change.  Time will tell if it was a sideways move or remain my new reference for this system.

 

There is not an amp that does everything. Same with Speakers, Dacs, etc. All because of system matching and integration. Synergy, is the word used here. YOU, as a listener, need to know what " specific characteristics " of recorded music, you are looking for. Lot of Klipsch haters here, but I am with you 100%, with that " Klipsch sound ". Imaging, refinement and presence ? Do you have your HIVs on the floor, or elevated on stands. I like my Heresy collection on stands, with no tilt back, away from the floor and walls. Try it. My best, MrD.

In other words, Massive stands, to get the midrange to ear height, and play with rear wall / side wall distance, and toe in. The Heresy 4 has a port on the rear, very similar to a pro model they produce ( ported, but on the front ). Very different design than Heresy 1, 2 and 3.The ports do interact with the floor, as do the woofers. I prefer them on stands, and sub bass, carefully tuned. I prefer Class A ss, because I want to hear WHAT the musicians are doing on the stage, before I hear where. Speed, agility, control, slam, detail, lower noise, and speaker matching ( when dealing with impedance and sensitivity ) are the major sonic attributes ss does better than tubes ( ime ). There are many tube amps that sound " luscious ", and some more than others. Some higher priced tube stuff gets closer to some of that ss, and vice versa. My tech builds tube products, and repairs all products. We understand each other, as to why he stays with tubes and I stay with ss. He is located in Central Florida ( Fine Tuned Audio /Video )....Kris is the man. Happy TG everyone. Always, MrD.