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

@5560 I did replace the main fuses, there are actually 2 12 Amp fuses in the back, not one.  I did notice a nice improvement in the sound.  I really like the Acme Audio Labs fuses, they sound great and are much cheaper than the SR fuses I used to use.  I actually think they sound better than the SR Orange fuses.  They sell for $29 each and the company has great customer service, would highly recommend trying a couple and see what you think.

I checked the Acme web site. Looks great.  I plan to pick a few fuses from them. 
Appreciate the recommendation.

Has anyone experienced a channel drop out when powering-on the amp?  The other day when I turned it on, the blue lights came on as usual then the left light went out and the sound of static began to grow from the left speaker.

I quickly powered it down. Waited a minute and started it again. Worked fine this time.

@evank Wondering about your impressions of the S5.5 in tandem with the Aric Super 6SN7. For me the CODA did not pair well with Schiit Freya+ 6SN7, but that is a cheaper preamp. For now I am using SS pre with mind and eyes open to another tube trial if persuasively recommended.

@hickamore

 

The Coda didn’t work out for me. Moved over to Pass Labs XA 25