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

I have/had the Pass INT-250, XA25, XA30.8. This thread inspired me to try the Coda S5.5, which I just purchased second hand. My thoughts are that the S5.5 sounds very much like the XA30.8 in tone, but with greater resolution and speed in the bass and treble. You give up some weight, palpability and ease in the overall sound. Swapping power and signal cables I can make the two sound nearly identical; although you cannot ultimately make the Coda as dense or relaxed as the Pass or the Pass as resolute and lively as the Coda there is a region where the two amps greatly overlap. My impression is that the XA30.8 prefers balanced sources while the Coda plays better with single ended sources. The Coda runs much cooler and is easier to move around, but as others have mentioned the speaker inputs are crossed in the back with the left side on the right of the amp and vice versa. Which amp sounds better to you will likely depend on other components in your chain and personal preference.  

I no longer have the XA25 or the INT-250, but my recollection is that these are much different sounding sonically, with the XA25 lacking the dynamic capability of these others while sounding faster and leaner and less relaxed, particularly in the upper midrange and treble. It still shares the Pass house sound though of great refinement and large center image. The INT-250 was my least favorite. It sounded kind of grey and washed out to me lacking the harmonic richness and colors of the other amps despite sounding overall warm, robust and dynamically powerful.

 ...but as others have mentioned the speaker inputs are crossed in the back with the left side on the right of the amp and vice versa. 

@npdang 

I think it is easier this way: I have ignored the red and white colors that are on the RCA inputs- looking at the front of the unit, if one puts the right RCA or XLR signal input on the right input, and connects the right speaker cables to the right binding posts all is good. 

Hi all,

just curious anyone is using this with LRS+?  I have a small room and always want to try class A.   Thanks