The new Coda S5.5 amplifier: It's a "Petite Beast"!


I have in-house the New Coda Technologies S5.5 amplifier for review for Stereo Times website. It will be awhile before I write the review. However, I'm so impressed by the performance of this petite amplifier, it only weights 45 pounds, that I wanted to give a heads up to you GON members if you are in the market for a balanced pure class A amplifier, delivers 50 watts @ 8 Ohms, and can drop 100 Amperes of current on a peak!

The world class build quality of Coda amplifiers is on display with the S5.5, along with the most beautiful purity of tonality, precise sound-staging, complete liquidity offered by pure class A design, and what might be the best top end regarding details, decays, and a natural shimmering without brightness or any edge at all.

The S5.5 uses extremely wide bandwidth output transistors instead of the usual TO3 devices used in most transistor designs. I own the Coda #16, which is great, but the midrange/high end is taken to another level of musical enjoyment with the S5.5. The S5.5 has a sense of speed/aliveness that is exciting to listen to that you experience in live music. The amp is dynamic as hell, has driven with ease any speaker I have tried it with, hence my nickname of the "Petite Beast". Remember, 50 watts pure class A, can drop 100 amperes of current and only weights 45 pounds.

Teajay (Terry London)

johnah5

Showing 3 responses by tuckia08

Hi Terry,

Does the S5.5 have a preamp preference? Tube, SS, SE, balanced? I know you have a few on hand. Maybe you have rolled them?

This “model” has been around for a long time. First as the S5 and now the S5.5. AFAIK, it received upgraded parts around 2019. Do you think it has been upgraded again?

Does anyone else know the story with the upgrade status? I haven’t reached out to Coda. I don’t want to bother them if others have already.

On paper it looks like a good amp for my speakers. Just looking for a few opinions/answers before I do anything.

Thanks

Stereo Times isn’t popular enough for you? I heard there is a forthcoming review, lol.

I’d pay to take the meters off, otherwise I’d have to tape them over. Don’t need spot lights burning into my retinas. But I’m the kind that turns the fireplace off because it is too bright.

However, a credible review that directly compared current Coda to Pass, Gryphon, Vitus or any other class A amps would be very desirable. Terry has some Pass amps so I’m looking forward to his comments regarding the S5.5. Others have told me that the S5.5 sounds more like the 16.0 than the #8.
 

My speakers are 99db sensitive horn type with 15” woofers. Large amps are too loud on the lowest volume control settings. Finding quality in a smaller package is important for me. The Pass XA 25, Coda S5.5, Vitus SIA integrateds, Gryphon Essence and possibly Westminster REI have been on my radar. A bit of a price spread in this list. Already have an 8 watt SET, but want an SS amp alternative.