Venture Electronics Odyssey review

Gathered from components, yet obviously thought about, the Odyssey is like no other cable amp. With twin chord cable and chunky metal housings this is the biggest cable tested. Metal feels like metal. The metal makes it feel robust. The Odyssey feels a little rough on connection. The style is small‐manufacturer utilitarian—I’d rate it passable, like something that fell off medical equipment. But I could see some thinking it was steampunk.

Good volume boost. But only reasonable volume range. Attack and decay seem relaxed, smooth and neat. Timing is reasonable. Good at moving through swells. Reasonable frequency range, but low frequencies, though there, are underplayed. Good detail at every frequency. Colour is only reasonable at higher frequencies, string‐higher frequencies are raspy, but balanced and good at mid/low frequencies, brass downwards. Positioning is only reasonable, seems to wander.

Despite smooth and neat performance, thin highs and low volume range is not good for orchestra. The timing and detail do better by soundtracks, but the volume range seems limiting. The distracting highs and noise interfere with rock, even as the amp is good with rhythm. On narrow bands of instrumental music, the Odyssey is revealing. It does seem to like good sources.