Stereo Times list of the " 2020 MOST WANTED COMPONENTS"

I am getting delivery of 1 of the items on the list tomorrow, the  Coda Technology CSib integrated though I paid half price. It is supposed to sound pretty good.

@bobheinatz I will. It looks like delivery is now Tuesday. I bought a 2018 model which does not have the CODA #8 amp circuitry. That is not ideal but I paid half price so I cannot complain. The new CODA CSiB is supposed to be better than what I am getting. I imagine it is an evolutionary improvement.

I will try the CODA with the Thiel CS3.7 tomorrow and then compare with Benchmark AHB2 monos on Friday. I have a second AHB2 coming then. My single AHB2, while great it is not as powerful as needed for these speakers. I should have a more satisfying setup later this week.

After a few more tracks of music, mostly the Waterboys. I have to say this CSiB is great. Is is different from the sound I normally like but it is so damn quiet that I love what I am hearing. It is now on my 2021 Recommended List. Cannot get a more prestigious accolade than that.

I have some Audience FrontRow speaker cables coming in soon. That should be pretty interesting with the CODA.

Just got the 2018 version of the CODA CSib setup and running.

I am assuming the amp is burned in though it was not used for 7 months by the previous owner. The spec are 150 @ 8 | 300 @ 4 and first 18 watt in Class A (so Version 1 of the CSiB).

The instruction manual does not match the model I have. Mine has sub woofer outputs while the manual only has 1 speaker output. So my unit is a newer version than in the manual. It is not the same level as the current 2021 versions that have the #8 circuitry (I spoke with Doug Dale).

How does it sound. My reference is an all-Benchmark stack connected to my Thiel CS 3.7 (very power hungry). I only have 1 AHB2 amp (another one arrives tomorrow). I need to turn to about 80% of my volume with my ROON Convolution files enabled with the AHB2 for about 65dB of sound. So my amp is stressed. The sound of the Benchmark stack is super clear, quiet, and you have a in the studio experience with this gear.

The CODA is at 58% for about 65dB with the Convolution enabled. So the amp is exerting less effort for the same volume level. The sound is not as clear as my Benchmark stack (nothing is). However, it is not syrupy or warmish like my old Parasound or BAT gear. It is also not hard on top like my old Bryston ST and SST variants. It seems like a great blend of the warm gear I had with the power of the Brystons. I think I will like this integrated a lot.

The CSiB is destined for my KEF LS50’s and also the RAAL SR1a headphone (no kidding). I actually bought this for the RAAL only but managed to figure out a space to get the LS50s setup again. I have not heard the RAAL with the amp, later tonight.

I am going to get the Yamaha NS5000 (replace the KEF LS50) in the future and this amp seems like a perfect match. Very happy with this sound. That CODA #8 and #16 must be special if it is much better than what I am hearing now.

This may not make sense to most of you but I have 2 DSP convolution files for ROON. The one I am currently using has a slight bass bump at 100 Hz for my AHB2 amp. The second convolution is ruler flat in that region. When I tested the AHB2 in mono (with much more power) I had to switch to the ruler flat convolution because the bass bump was too much and giving me fatigue. With the CODA I am using the convolution with the bass bump and it is more bass than the single AHB2 but no so much that is is fatiguing. The bass bump version on the CODA is slightly less bass than the AHB2 in mono. The CODA is not giving me fatigue with the bass bump. I am not saying that is a good thing. I need to check this out further when the second AHB2 arrives. I tested the AHB2 in mono with a single speaker so that is my frame of reference for more bass.

The CODA CSiB is very quiet almost as quiet as the Benchmark AHB2. The warmish CODA sounds so good I am going to get the Krell K-300i integrated for the family room. I wanted something as warm or warmer than the CODA so that I can use my RAAL headphones with that too. My CODA CSiB is only used as a headphone amp.

I would have never considered the Krell or warm gear if not for my positive experience with the CODA (in my office). I was expecting to get the Hegel 390 for the family room but now changing that to the Krell.

It seems I am making all these gear choices based on how the RAAL SR1a headphones would work with them. The Hegel would not work well with them like my AHB2 did not.