So I'm a few weeks in with my new Stratus and thought I'd post some more initial impressions. I suspect it takes quite a long time to really "hear" the stratus in terms of understanding what it does differently to other amps.
I have a few pretty nice headphone amps and they all sound excellent, the Icon Audio HP8 mk II, the Doge 6210 mk II and the Cavali liquid carbon. When I first heard the Stratus, I was impressed, but not immediately blown away. Part of that may have been down to lack of burn in, tube selections etc. but I now think I just wasn't properly calibrated (in my head!)
After a few weeks, my over-riding sonic impressions are the absolute background quietness of the amp....the noise floor really is beyond the basement. It's the single feature that leaves my other amps standing. I'm starting to understand how critical the noise floor is to many of the other sound attributes....it accentuates a massive sound stage with killer dynamics.
I've been listening to a lot of Vaughan Williams recently, specifically his 2nd, 6th and 8th symphonies (The Richard Hickox versions are stunning) and these recordings are truly breathtaking on the Stratus. Another feature of this amp is that I sometimes forget I'm wearing headphones...the sound is notably more open than with any of my other amps. I have Alpha Prime headphones, which are closed cans, but they sound open on the Stratus.
The detail resolution is also stunning, I can hear faint background noises that I didn't notice before. Musicians shifting on their chairs and sounds of their breathing.....very cool!
Unfortunately I had an unexpected failure of one of my KR audio 2a3 tubes so swapped out for my Nos Svetlana 2C4C tubes. These are great tubes and I'm really enjoying them. They are quite rare I think and were the russian military version of the 2a3.
So after a few weeks, I'm still learning about the capabilities of this amp, but it is worth every cent and worth the wait. For those of you who are waiting...you won't be disappointed!
Stuart
