I have read that Coda gear sounds “dry”. I’ve not heard any but I would like to somehow. Of everything I have read it all sounds like the sound I am looking for except for the “dry” part.
My No.11 is definitely drier sounding than the No.8, though not in a negative way. The No.8 had a lusher midrange—more “bloom.” The 11 has a smoother, what I would say is a more “accurate” sound. The bass of the 11 is also a bit tighter, thereby lending it a drier sound. The 11 is about as neutral as amps get, whereas the No.8 has a slight warmth.
Both amps are “dry” relative to most tube amps or something like the Pass XA25 or the (pleasant?) distortions of an Ayre. However, they are more detailed and have blacker backgrounds than the Pass.
The funny thing about Coda is that their amps have a far lower noise floor than their preamps, which is the opposite you’ll find of nearly any other brand. That noise floor of their preamps is perhaps the reason why they result in a wetter/lusher sound relative to squeaky clean pres like the Benchmark LA4.
Currently I am using a Topping A70 Pro as preamp with my Coda 11. It is probably not an ideal synergy because the sound is sometimes a bit lean and threadbare. I think a tube pre such as an Allnic would make for great synergy with this amp.
