GREAT NEWS! The Coda Technology new #16 amplifier will arrive this week

I am in the market for a new amp for my reference system. I had LSA Voyager GAN 350 wpc class D amp in there for a good while. Lovely amp with crystalline extended highs and a beautiful midrange. However, to my ears, the midbass presence and meat on the bones still lags the best class AB and A designs. On the other end, the midrange and highs are surreal.

I am considering several amps. Pass Labs X260.8 monoblocks, Audio Van Alstine 225 wpc monoblocks, or Coda #8 or #16 amps. I am intrigued by teajays reviews of these amps and also by the favorable comparisons to Pass Labs amps. To my ears, Pass Labs is solid state done right.

My system consists of Spatial Audio X5 speakers, Townshend supertweeters, Jay’s Audio CD transport, Audio GD tube preamp with power regenerator, Zavfino Silver Dart ICs, Grover Huffman Pharoah speaker cables, and a Puritan 156 power conditioner. I have run for amps the LSA Voyager GAN and also Ampzilla 200 wpc modded monoblocks.

@tvad thanks for the amp recommendations. I will check those amps out.  Do u have Spatial X5 speakers?  

@yyzsantabarbara I really like the Voyager GAN but after switching in the Ampzilla monoblocks, i realized its leaner tonality.  It is obviously not a wpc issue cause the Ampzilla is only 200 wpc.  I plan on keeping it, at least for now.  

@twoleftears I actually heard that combo and later talked to Clayton who was there.  Actually, I did not like the sound of that combination.

I am debating the 8 vs the 16.  I am curious how my fellow audiophiles park an amp as big and heavy as the 16.  Just get a couple of young strong kids to lift it and set in a spot not to be disturbed?  Set it on a stand with wheels that lock?  I have to get it downstairs so once off the pallet a couple of us would slide the box down the stairs, I think.  I have a PassLabs X250.5 and that is the biggest heaviest amp that I have any experience with. 

Thanks in advance for any advice on this query.

@johngp I did not realize until I looked up the weight on my PassLabs X250.5 that it is virtually the same weight as the Coda 16. So, I can grudgingly manage the weight and size. I have been torn between the 8 and 16. My audiophile disease is so bad that if I get the 8 and it sounds superior to any amplifier that I ever have owned, I would after a while lust after the 16 cause it is probably better. Ouch. Anyways, I will save some money by going meterless. No way those cool meters are worth the upcharge. And the meters on my two Pass Labs amps do not work. No harm, no foul I guess.

Happy listening!

@yyzsantabarbara I am going to go with the 16 and skip the 8.  Will sell the modded Voyager GAN and call it a day.

@yyzsantabarbara I did not realize that u could run two preamps.  Thanks for thr info.

@yyzsantabarbara I think my ears are similar to yours. I like the sound of Class A across the frequency spectrum. Frankly, the modded LSA Voyager is more extended and crystal clear on the top end than my modded Pass Labs X150.5 and X250.5. However, both of these amps are quite good on the top end. The tradeoff for me though is at the lower registers including the midbass. Class A amps I have are better in that frequency domain. I feel less bothered with the tradeoff I get with Class A than Class D. The interesting thing though is the Voyager GAN amp shows how very far Class D has come. Bigger better power supplies in future iterations will likely close the gap further.

@lancelock are u really going to sell your Coda 16?  Damn.  Hit me up if u are looking for a buyer.

@gladmo I actually have the SPL Elector preamp in one of my four two channel systems.  Never heard the amp but man the preamp is one helluva clean performer.

@yyzsantabarbara I have not listened with my ear close to the tweeter.  However, paired with a modded PassLabs X250.5, it sounds serene.  This combo is at our lakehouse so I can't run downstairs and listen.  The SPL Ekector is an excellent sounding preamp to my ears.

The Codas #16 driven by the tubed Audio GD preamp, Jay's Audio CD transport,  a modded Holo Audio DAC, Zavfino top end ICs, Grover Huffman Pharoah speaker cable and Spatial X5 speakers.  I have an Audio Helen Titan between the transport and DAC.  Also running Towshend supertweeters.

All I can say is that the sound is sublime.  Unbelievably clean, clear, dimensional, dynamic.  Male and female voices are eerily well reproduced.  The Coda is unquestionably the best amp that I have ever had.  It is my endgame amp - until it isn't......

@yyzsantabarbara I have a good size basement room. Probably 20 feet wide and close to 25 feet long.  The Spatial X5s are about 97 db sensitive.  The sound I am getting fills the room.  For sure there is no sense of needing more power.  Not in the least.  The Coda is a powerful beast with great finesse and tone colors.  

The pairing of the SPL Elector preamp and the PassLabs X250.5 is quite good.  The sound is spacious, clear, dimensional with tube-like tone colors.  I suspect that this combo will work well for u.