[Rhodey]

Anyone here have an opportunity to use the new Utopia 2022 on the stratus or stellaris? Any comparisons to the OG Utopia?

 

[geoffalter11]

I sure do feel lucky.

What if you put a deposit down on a new one but kept your eye out for something used? I could totally be wrong, but maybe Donald would refund the deposit given the insane demand?

Of course that still doesn’t answer your question about how much better AN version is...

I will eventually find my way to a Stratus with ANs. For now I am going to sit still and bask in the glory and sonic bliss of my Icon HP8. It is such a great amp. I don't know how it compares to the Stratus, but I can tell you that the Radiante 1706 sounds heavenly...

 

[helljudgement]

I've been using the Starlett for almost 2 years and it is one of the best amps I've heard right up there my with EC. Now that the new AN transformer revision is out I'll be very interested to know how close the new Stratus is to the the original Stellaris. Anyone here have experience with both amps?

 

[Rhodey]

May be an odd pairing, don't know so I figured I would ask. Has anyone paired a HE1000SE off a stratus? Any luck?

 

[Tchoupitoulas]

May be an odd pairing, don't know so I figured I would ask. Has anyone paired a HE1000SE off a stratus? Any luck?

I can offer a qualified "yes" as I've had good luck with the Stratus and the HE1000 v2. I compared this combination with the Phonitor X, Monoprice Cavalli Liquid Gold X, and Schiit Mjolnir 1 and didn't find the HE1000 v2 to be lacking in any way compared to them. Obviously the Stratus is a much higher-end component than these amps but its topology isn't a limitation, necessarily.

I'll do a direct comparison of the Stratus with the Phonitor X tomorrow and will report back with more details.

 

[Rhodey]

I can offer a qualified "yes" as I've had good luck with the Stratus and the HE1000 v2. I compared this combination with the Phonitor X, Monoprice Cavalli Liquid Gold X, and Schiit Mjolnir 1 and didn't find the HE1000 v2 to be lacking in any way compared to them. Obviously the Stratus is a much higher-end component than these amps but its topology isn't a limitation, necessarily.

I'll do a direct comparison of the Stratus with the Phonitor X tomorrow and will report back with more details.

Awesome, thank you! Appreciate your help and time!

 

[heliosphann]

Awesome, thank you! Appreciate your help and time!

v1 was also good from the Stratus.

 

[OnlySoMany]

Highly looking forward to pairing this with my Chord TT2. Anyone have experience with the Stratus and ZMF headphones? Curious to see how this pairs. Also have a Susvara on the way

 

[RestoredSparda]

I'm using Atrium and Aeolus and both sound incredible with the Stratus. You will not be disappointed. I prefer them both with the low impedance setting with the 1/4 inch jack, or balanced output.

High impedance can get a bit boomy in the low end (which is actually preferred to me with HD650).

 

[OnlySoMany]

What other amps have you been able to compare it with? This is my first trip back into tubes since my old school Darkvoice lol. My normal listening is done on Niimbus 4+, or GSX mini.

 

[heliosphann]

Highly looking forward to pairing this with my Chord TT2. Anyone have experience with the Stratus and ZMF headphones? Curious to see how this pairs. Also have a Susvara on the way

Used pretty much every ZMF on the Stratus and they've all paired wonderfully. I guess the exception being are the T50rp mods. Those could use a little more power IMO.

 

[bigjako]

I agree, the Stratus and the Atrium are a wonderful pairing. And my experience is similar to @RestoredSparda - they sound best to me out of the SE Jack on the Low impedance setting (on all other amps, I’ve strongly preferred the High Z output). I recently got a JAR 650 and that also works wonderfully on SE / Low Z.

 

[Tchoupitoulas]

The heart of my setup is my Yggy A2 -> Stratus v3 -> Vérité Open, and there are times when I think I need no other gear.

I find the VO to be a bit fatiguing, occasionally, thanks to an emphasis somewhere in the treble, and the Stratus mellows this out - or offsets it - quite nicely. The warmth of the DAC and amp together suit my preferences well, in terms of tonality, and the slightly wet presentation of the Stratus adds a nice bit of richness to the sound. The Stratus also lets the speed and resolution of the VO shine through, and its macrodynamic strength and staging are also outstandingly good.

The excellent staging from the Stratus also worked beautifully with the Atrium. I got to hear two of them on loaner tours and found the pairing to be excellent, enough so that I'm interested in getting a pair (or a D8000, which also works well from the Stratus).

I preferred both the VO and the Atrium from the 8 ohm balanced out, fwiw.

 

[helljudgement]

Anyone have experience with the Stratus and ZMF headphones?

Not a stratus but a starlett. DNA sound works incredibly well with ZMF. I often use mine with Verite and Atrium. It has a neutral tone and a very gentle presentation that still manages to be one of the most technically proficient amp I've heard regardless of price point. Amps like these tend to sound slow and sluggish but not the DNA amps. It meshes especially well with my Verite as it allows it's incredible note separation and layering ability to shine. If you like a neutral, wet sounding amp with a slightly rounded transient I think you'll be hard press to find a better amp than the Stratus.

 

[Deleeh]

Hello,
how many cost the Stratus actually ?