@jceahodges I've tracked the model 8 and 5.5 for a while now. There was a point when there were few new 5.5 units, then few used units, people try them for a while as the "new model", and/or decide to try other amps and hoping for better speaker matching. Many different reasons and it can be hard to make sense of it some times. There are people who also rotate amps on this site like crazy, trying everything out that is next, new, whatever. Then in good time, they move on to the other next/new thing and not always for great reasons - sometimes it's just something else to do once a year seems to be the average with gear-rotators.
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)
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Hello, Coda S5.5 owner here. The S5.5 runs very mildly warm, it's cooler than my Emotiva AB amp, much cooler than the Schitt Aegir. In fact out of all my amplifier, the S5.5 is the coolest, I have a question, the S5.5 is excellent in all regards but I find it godlike level at transient speed, does others feel the same way? Regarding power cord, I will be trying out the Coda with the newest AE ocean power cord. I will update if it is spectacular. IME class A amps are extremely picky when it comes to power cords. |
I’ve been very much wanting to try the Coda S5.5 amp in my system so I recently bought a used one. Pass Labs XA30.8
✅ Excellent match with the ARC Ref 6 — well above the recommended minimum Coda S5.5
⚠️ Balanced input impedance of 10k ohms is below ARC’s recommended 20k ohms And indeed after a listening session it was a better match even with very inexpensive SE interconnects. There’s some wonderful low end grunt and detail with the Coda. To get the most out of the Coda, what would be the best matching SE interconnects? Are there XLR interconnects that will work well between the ARC and Coda or is that just not a possibility? While I'm not likely to replace the ARC, is there a better matching preamp to use with the Coda either with SE or XLR interconnects? Thanks for your guidance! |
@paulietunes I went from Pass Labs XA30.8 to Coda S5.5. I too have a tube preamp and I am running RCA ICs from my pre to Coda. It’s sounds marvelous (pre prefers RCA). Loved Pass but Coda is slightly more refined at the top end. You have wonderful gear and I’m sure your Fynes will do great with Coda amp. I use Synergistic Research RCAs between pre and Coda. I believe they are silver RCAs and not copper based. |
@sim_audio_nerd thank you for your thoughts on the amps and the SE interconnects. |
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