What was your music source gear feeding the serene and the passive?
Great find on a simpler, cost effective, yet capable, passive path! Kudos to you and your friend!
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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Some additional observations on the Serene preamp. I disconnected the Serene from my office system (Magenpan LRS+ and CODA #16) and drove it down to my friends place in Ventura, CA. I wanted to hear the new RAAL 1995 Magna and Immanis headphones. I am a 2-channel guy but the older CA-1a and SR1a are spectacular, and I wanted to hear the new ones that are supposedly way better. I took the Serene because it has a headphone only XLR output on the back. Last week, I spent $200 and bought the required cable from Kitsune. My friend was building a crossover less speaker. It was a prototype and we listened to it with a passive preamp (volume control) that he had also built and my Serene. After just a few minutes I could tell that the Serene was outclassed by the passive. Everything was better across the board. I would expect the same result if I used that same passive preamp with the CODA #16. My friend is thinking of building a balanced 4-input passive with dual XLR outputs. I told him to keep it cheap and let me know. I am keeping the Serene but no longer with the CODA #16. I will move the Serene downstairs to function as a headphone amp and 2-channel preamp. The 2 new phones I heard were amazing. So good that I want to get the one I preferred for rock music, the Immanis. I am not sure how I can pull that off without selling the CODA #16. If it has to go it will, to get the Immanis.
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Thank you Aric for your fast reply and the information. I can picture them better now on their stands; the Spectre 12 w/stands being about the same height as a Magnepan LRS+ . I think that's a great height for the ribbon tweeter too! Excellent! I have been looking at the products you offer and various reviews along with comments on this thread and am very impressed with the products you have to offer, your high quality ethic, and the fact that you have a strong customer focus based on your guidance to customers for their specific applications. Thanks again, and when I am ready to move on changing some of my components, you are right at the top of my list! Thanks again. Best, joe |
@firefly627s Thanks for your interest! The dimensions on the site are for the speakers only and does not include the stands, which are not quite ready yet. They are currently being built by the cabinet maker, out of wood and finished to match the speakers. The speaker will simply sit atop the stands. The stands themselves will be 13” off the floor with the footers included in that height which puts the total height of the speaker at 48”. TJ currently has a different set of stands which put the speakers at roughly this same height for his review process. |
Hey, TJ. Those new Spectre 12 speakers from Aric Audio look really impressive! High quality! In your post you refer to them as a "large stand mount". The Spectre 12’s are very close to the size and weight of a Klipsch Forte 3/4 floor stander. The published dimensions for the Spectre 12 on Aric’s site are 35" x 14" x 13"; is that just for the speaker itself, which I am guessing is the case, or does that published 35" height include the stand as well which accompanies the S-12’s? Anyway, I am curious on the stands that are provided with the Spectre 12’s. If they are not included in that 35" height, how much higher do the included stands elevate the Spectre 12? And are the stands wider and/or deeper than the speaker itself ? Also, do you hard attach the stand to the speaker, or does the speaker simply rest on the stand? What are the stands made of (metal, wood, other?); if wood,do they match the speaker cabinet? In your listening tests how are the off-axis highs from the Spectre 12's Ribbon? If you have the complete dimensions for the stand itself, please share those with us. There were no photos of the Spectre 12 on its stand on Aric’s website unless I missed them. I am of course assuming the stands are not part of the published Spectre 12 dimensions of 35" x 14" x 13" off Aric’s site. Thanks Teajay! Joe |
Also wanted to post my findings on comparing the Accuphase E-380 used as a pre-amp vs using a Holo Audio Serene pre-amp. I am using relatively inexpensive RCA's to connect my E-380 the S5.5. They are good but not at the same level as the rest of my cabling, but I bought them to test the Accuphase as a pre-amp with the understanding that I would either sell the Accupphase and get dedicated pre-amp and connect via XLR or I would purchase a higher end set of RCA's if I wanted to keep the Accuphase. My friend brought over his Serene and we fist listened to the Accuphase and then listened to the Serene using the same RCA's. We found the Serene to be a very good fit with the S5.5 as is the Accuphase. They both sounded very similar but there were 2 main differences. 1. Using the Serene the bass was quite a bit better. Faster and more of it. 2. Using the Accuphase the upper range frequencies had more sparkle and sounded a bit better. I would be happy with either and they both seemed to fit really well with the S5.5. Then we swapped out the XLR connection on his Serene. Once we did that there was a huge difference in overall sound quality, clarity, bass, etc. Everything just got a lot better. It is worth noting that the RCA's I am using are around $100 where the XLR's we tested are around $2,000. So, how much of the difference is in the XLR connection vs RCA and how much is due to the cable? That is the big question. I tend to think about 80%+ is due to the quality of cable but I am not sure. I did just borrow a pair of Nordost Heimdall 2 RCA cables from my local hi-fi dealer and will test this weekend with a higher quality pair of RCAs. I do not know enough to know if RCA or XLR connection from the pre-amp will yield better sound, but will find out in a little while if a nicer pair of RCA's enhances the sound. |
Have had my S5.5 for about 10 days now and wanted to post my impressions after letting it break in a bit. I have the S5.5 plugged into an UberBuss with a Revelation Audio Labs silver power cord. I am using a Lumin T2 streamer going into a Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE DAC. My Accuphase E-380 integrated amplifier is acting as the pre-amp. It only has RCA out so that is how it is connecting to the S5.5 Speakers are Spatial Audio M4 Sapphire open baffle (90db, 4Ohm) Initial thoughts were that the Accuphase had a better mid-range while the S5.5 had a better lower and upper range. After listening for several days and a lot of listening to both I have changed my opinion slightly. I feel that the mid-range on both are roughly the same, meaning they are both Excellent! I would say the Accuphase has good lower and upper ranges and an Excellent mid-range. The S5.5 is Excellent across all 3 ranges. Because of this the mid-range in the Accuphase stands out when you listen to it because it is the star of the show. Not so with the S5.5, the lower range is keeping pace with the mid-range and I would say the upper-range is the star of the show on the S5.5. If I were to rate on a scale of 1-10 I would rate them like so: Accuphase - Lower (7) Mid (9) Highs (7.5) S5.5 - Lower (9) Mid (9) Highs (9.5) The S5.5 does everything the Accuphase does and then improves upon it. The background is blacker, more detail and slightly wider and deeper soundstage. I am extremely pleased with this purchase and would like to thank Terry and everyone else for this thread!
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Hey Everybody, Just wanted to share that I have tested the S5.5 with another speaker I have in for review. Two points here: 1) I have now tried the S5.5 with 5 very different types of speakers and it drove all them superlatively/effortlessly with great musicality. 2) The new speaker I have in-house for a StereoTimes review is Aric's (AricAudio) first commercial design called the Spectre 12. He has been working on this speaker for over 8 years to get it where it is now. Where it is now is mind blowing! It is large stand mount which weights around 80 pounds, six drivers, front ported, Baltic birch cabinet, is 8 ohms and rated at 96 dB efficiency, and goes down to 30 Hz and up to around 30 KHz because of its ribbon tweeter. I'll be writing a review on the AricAudio two chassis reference 2A3 SET amplifier in conjunction with his new speaker. The point I'm trying to make here is that Aric's speaker sounds wonderful with his own great SET amplifier. However, the S5.5, on these speakers sounds like a SET on steroids, retaining the beautiful harmonics/tonality of the 2A3 tube and adds on the drive and dynamics of solid state high current delivery. The S5.5 and Aric's new speaker is a killer combo! You GON members who own AricAudio tube based gear owe it to yourself to hear these speakers being driven by Aric's own amplifiers. Teajay |
Hey aolmrd1241 and vthokie83, You guys are so right on in your remarks regarding the looks and performance of the S5.5. I have been reviewing for close to 15 years and this amplifier charmed this "jaded" reviewer. And to think how many SS amps I have had in for review that cost over 20K that did not even come close to the performance (such as Dagostino - Boulder) of the "Petite Beast" which is such a bargain at its price! Teajay |
tabl10s, Looks are incredibly subjective of course, but I find the CODA S5.5 to be very appealing. The performance of the S5.5 is stellar, and aolmrd1241 said......you'll be missing out on an amazing sounding (and relatively inexpensive for what you get) amplifier. I'm excited every day to put on a new CD and listen to the CODA/Caladan pairing.....a great match |
aolmrd1241 - Great information, thanks for posting.
@Paoz - I think the specs for the CP preamp are listed incorrectly on the website, I think the Output Impedance is the same as the 07x 50 Ohm / 100 Ohm. If you download the manual for the CP it lists them the same as the 07x. The info in the specs on the website for the CP shows 50 kOhms / 100 kOhms. |
Ok, I am going to borrow from Wikipedia, and also add some things I have found to work.
If you think of your preamp as a source, and your power amp as a load, then you may consider that maximum power transfer can occur when the output impedance of the preamp matches the input impedance of the power amp. However, in high fidelity audio, it is typically considered optimum to have a source with low impedance connected to a load with high impedance. In that case, the power that can pass through the connection is limited by the higher impedance (so power transfer is not maximum), but the electrical voltage transfer is higher and less prone to corruption than if the impedances had been matched. When matching preamps to power amps, a general rule of thumb is for the load (amp) input impedance to be at least 10 times higher than the source (preamp) output impedance to provide a suitably flat frequency response. Many prefer using a minimum ratio closer to 20 to 1, or having an amp with input impedance 20 times or more greater than the preamp output impedance. With solid state preamps, this is generally not a problem since most have output impedance of only a few hundred ohms or less, while most SS amps have input impedance of at least 10K ohms. However, you must pay much closer attention when trying to match tubed preamps to SS amps, since many tubed preamps have an output impedance of several thousand ohms or greater. Another thing to watch is how the output impedance spec is reported, since it is sometimes limited to a measurement at a given frequency such as 1K Hz, while the actual output impedance may vary with frequency. It is not unusual for the output impedance of tubed preamps to rise significantly as the signal approaches a lower frequency of 20 Hz, because of the size of coupling capacitors used in the preamp. In these cases, a low frequency roll off can occur whereby, for the same power output, the lower frequencies drop in output compared to the rest of the frequency range, resulting in a loss of deep bass. The good news is that most tubed amps have sufficiently high input impedance to allow the use of most preamps, tubed or SS. Also, for SS power amps, input impedances of around 50K ohms and above are common and these amps should work well with the vast majority of tubed and SS preamps. Only a couple of manufacturers make SS amps with input impedances of 10K ohms (e.g., McCormack DNA500), and a couple (such as Pass) make SS amps with input impedance of 20K ohms. These lower impedance amps would require careful matching with tubed preamps. If you are trying to match a preamp with one of these lower input impedance amps, you should try to find information on your preamp’s output impedance throughout the entire frequency range. Some manufacturer’s report this information and some do not. A good source is a Stereophile review, since JA commonly provides the information as part of his measurements. Others will likely have good suggestions I have missed, but this information should give you a good starting point. |
Hey paoz, The 07x is a great preamplifier. When I reviewed it, and bought it, I put it on the Stereo Times "component of the decade" list. It was the first solid state preamp that rivaled my tube based line-stages in tonality/color and spatiality. The combo of the S5.5 and 07x would be the heart of a reference level system. Teajay |
@aolmrd1241 +1. |
Hey Guys, I did address what is the difference between the Pass Labs XA-25 vs. the Coda S5.5 earlier in this thread. I have owned the XA-25, its a great amplifier, my favorite of the present XA generation of Pass Labs amps, The S5.5 is quieter, more detailed, faster/dynamic, with tighter bass, and a much more airy extended top end. Both are great amplifiers, its a matter of personal taste and synergy with your system. Teajay |
@grk you're right. I verified in the manual, it says this about the front buttons:
So as long as I don't mind walking over to hit the button instead of using a remote, this option will allow me to use any preamp without bypass support. Nice! |
@irave Don't do it...the amp will explode! 😉 If it is a truly balanced design, that should not be an issue. I have a SPL Performer S1200 amp with both balanced and RCA inputs. I also use a tubed preamp with balanced and RCA outputs. (Some preamps and amps run the RCA and XLR inputs parallel, so they are not truly balanced) I use the preamp and amp balanced connections for LP and CD listening and bypass the preamp using the RCA connections while listening to internet radio running directly into the amp. Since I tend to have the tuner on for at least 2-3 hours a day (for background music), it saves wear and tear on the preamp tubes. There is an input switch on the back of the amp for both inputs making the change easy. It appears the Coda has an input switch on the front.
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Sorry if this is a little off-topic, but I’ve been struggling to find good preamp options that have HT bypass. I need the preamp to take bypassed input from a surround processor, and normal input from a streamer. Then it occurred to me. The S5.5 itself has XLR and SE inputs. Is it possible to bypass the preamp altogether and connect the surround processor to the amp SE inputs, while the streamer/preamp is connected to the amp XLR inputs? What will happen if there is a signal being sent from both sources, will it mix the audio or explode? |
Hey vthokie83, You have been a very busy audiophile recently, indeed. However, you have purchased gear from to of my favorite companies and people, Coda (Doug) and AricAudio (Aric). Both offer great performing gear that is well built, and very reasonably priced. Each is a good person who takes care of each and everyone of their customers with respect and on-going support. Well, your wife will ultimately forgive you, I hope, and now you have a very good tube amplifier for variety in the future. I’m really curious about what your impressions will be of the S5.5 with your Motherlode preamplifier. I love my piece and have great fun rolling the 6SN7s, which are my favorite signal tube in a line-stage. Let us know, Teajay |
Teajay, To add to my insanity recently, I also made a decision that has put me in the dog house with my wife. I was on Aric's Facebook page, and noticed that he had one of his Transcend "push-pull" amplifiers up for sale at a really nice discount. This was the same unit that Bob Grossman reviewed for "Enjoy The Music", except Aric is upgrading the caps to Jupiter Copper foils, which he said really transform the amp even further. I'm really done for a while, can focus on building my DIY power and speaker cables that have been waiting for me to complete....and breaking in some equipment. |
Fred, Before I bought the Aric Audio Motherlode XL, I auditioned quite a few preamps. The two that stood out the most for me were the BAT VK-80 and the Backert Labs Rhumba Extreme 1.4. The BAT was out of my price range at $10K (though my friend purchased one which he loves), and in the end I decided I really liked the idea of a 6SN7 preamp. Also I have been blown away by everything I have heard or read about Aric, and my emails and conversations with him have only confirmed that. Really looking forward to that preamp |
I estimate I am about a week out for my Black Coda S5.5.....maybe a bit more due to Easter.........you guys are getting me excited! I shipped out my VAC amp and Preamp today to be sold @ TMR. Deciding on what to do for a preamp, will use my Wavelet II for now. Thanks @vthokie83 for you review, I like a LOT of the music you listed in your report. My amp will only be driving the mid and top range of the Focus XD's....where you state it shines. All good news! |
Hey guys, Isn't it great even with different listeners/personal taste, different equipment in each system, and different acoustic spaces, the sonic virtues/traits of the S5.5 are still clearly heard. Now its around 20 people, through this thread or Emails, stating that the S5.5 is/or might be one of the best Solid State amps they ever bought. Not inexpensive, but what a value at its retail price compared to much more expensive amps that are not built to the same quality or perform at the same level. Remarkable, over 20 new owners and not one disappointed over what they are experiencing with the S5.5! Teajay |
@vthokie83 Great write up! I plan on providing more thoughts on my S5.5 in about a week or so. My write up will be no where as detailed as yours but I can say now after listening to the amp for several days I am hearing the same things that you are. I bet the addition of the Aric Audio pre-amp will take your system to a new level of bliss! |
@vthokie83 thanks so much for your impressions. I guess the Caledons + Coda and soon Aric Audio preamp would be a knock out combination. I should be getting my Coda S5.5 amp soon. It will be paired with Supratek Signature Grange preamp. I will post my impressions when I get the amp in a few weeks.. |
Hey vthokie83, Thanks for your very detailed and informed sharing on the S5.5. I just got off the phone with Aric (AricAudio). You are in for another treat when you get your Motherlode in the near future. The combo of the S5.5 and Aric’s great preamplifier will blow your mind! Thanks again for sharing, Teajay |
Sorry for the extra long delay in getting my CODA S5.5 notes out, but things have taken longer than expected. Not only did I receive the CODA, but my Clayton Shaw Caladans have been breaking in at the same time (about a month old); and I wanted to make sure my notes reflected the CODA as much as possible. To help with that, I have been going back and forth with my Buchardt Audio S400 MKIIs which I have had for two years. My notes are a combination of: Audiolab 6000CDT transport, Denafrips Pontus II DAC, Denafrips Hades preamp, and CODA S5.5 amplifier….back and forth with the Caladan and the Buchardt speakers. Also my current listening room and speaker position is not ideal, so I’m sure it is affecting bass/soundstage. Parts of my notes are re-posted from my original Caladan review....as they apply
Music used for critical listening (all CD, whole album listened to): Poi Dog Pondering “Wishing Like a Mountain and Thinking Like a Sea” & “Pomegranate” – Eagles “One of These Nights” – Nirvana “MTV Unplugged” – Chris Isaak “Heart Shaped World” – Gorillaz “Demon Days” – The Talking Heads “Stop Making Sense Remastered” – Chris Stapleton “Traveler” – 10,000 Maniacs “MTV Unplugged” – Johnny Cash American IV - Supertramp “Crime of the Century” – Dire Straits “Brothers in Arms” – Memoirs of a Geisha “Soundtrack” – The Civil Wars “Barton Hollow” – Atlanta Rhythm Section “Champagne Jam” – Amy Winehouse “Back to Black” Several of the albums I chose for their difficulty. Some can be bright, some can be congested (Poi Dog sometimes up to 16 musicians and vocalists on stage), some to get a variety of genres, and some because I just love the album. First impressions of the CODA: It’s beautiful, solid, well made with high quality components (didn’t expect the WBT fittings), a statement piece…..mine is silver with the gold button option. It’s relatively easy to move this amp around, which was unnerving at first, “there’s no way this amp can produce much power” was a thought that did waft through my head. A couple of buttons for bias (turns on components) and input selector, and 3 LEDs….simple, elegant. I installed the amp using a newly broken in Zavfino Majestic OCC 12 AWG power cable, with Morrow Audio MA4 XLR cables from the Hades preamp. Speaker cables so far have been Anti-Cables 3.1 which I know really well, and are fully broken in. This amplifier is dead nuts quiet. The background is black, and music comes from a much lower base compared to the Denafrips Thallo that it replaced. Listening at lower more comfortable levels is really enjoyable since the difference between black and even lower levels is more dynamic than I’m accustomed to. Crank on the volume and more is more, not just louder more SPL reveals more information in the recording. Relaxed loudness? I did crank it up past my comfort level, but all I got was more really loud gorgeous sound. The amp also never ran hot, certainly not uncomfortably hot….even when pushed to my discomfort level for a full 5 minutes or so. Bass: is punchy, quick, tight, detailed, and effortless…..never ever sloppy or slow. Deep bass is delivered as needed, but I’m not going to be the final voice on that; as neither the Caladans (yet) nor the Buchardts are going to dig really deep down, but I have no reason to believe the CODA won’t be up for the task. Transients are quick and very dynamic, there is nothing slow about this amp at all. Midrange and highs: Holy shite! Now we are playing to the strengths of the Caladans and Buchardts, but this can only be explained as magic, joy, happiness, and whatever descriptive I can think of. Vocals are Ethereal, is the word I’m looking for that I haven’t used before. Oxford definition “extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world”. What a wonderful tone, liquid, vocals are detailed and show every piece of frailty, grit, nuance, breath, emotion, intensity (Chris Stapelton, Natalie Merchant, Johnny Cash, David Byrne, Mark Knopfler, Amy Winehouse, Bruce Springsteen). Vocalists have their own distinct space and separation (multiple vocalists), hang in the air, and completely separate from the music itself. Presented more like what would be common in a live performance, nothing is muddied together. Highs are extremely detailed, airy, and you get the beginning and end of notes….decay is noticeable which I often find hard to notice. One thing that this amp delivers is the ability to “un-jumble” detail, especially on complicated music; with lots of vocalists and musicians present. Every musician and vocalist is present, and separate, and available. More like a live performance where each has their own space on stage and in the performance…..except in a recording. All of this “extra” in vocals and highs comes with no harshness, or sibilance, or edge. The music is more “alive” than I’ve heard in my home, and more what I hear in some of my audiophile friend’s systems that are north of $100,000/$200,000……and certainly not in a $25,000 system. Presentation: Soundstage is wider despite the less than perfect room, going a couple of feet outside of the speakers. Height is there as well, better than normal……and finally some depth. I am positive this will all be improved when I finish my dedicated listening room sometime this year. I’ve said this before regarding the Caladans, but even more so with adding the CODA; the music just seems to be presented from a “stage” of music, and does not come from a pair of speakers. The speakers do not completely disappear yet, they are still there….but I can see me getting there in a better room. The CODA S5.5 is a great addition, and upgrades every single audio aspect versus the Denafrips, and even my Tubes4hifi VTA ST-120 tube amp. As you can tell from the above, I am in love with this amp and what it has been able to do in my home. It plays extremely well with both the Buchardt and Caladan speakers, but the Caladan pairing has a special synergy that brings out the best in both…..bringing each more alive. If you take this as a hype piece without any honest opinion, I’m sorry as that is not my intention. And yes there are improvements to be had, but I truly believe that getting to my properly built, properly dimensioned, and treated room will yield those results. REMEMBER that we are talking about a $6,400, 45 pound class A amplifier here that is attainable for most audiophiles…….this is not some esoteric $50,000 200 pound beast. How can I not be enthralled, my last two purchases (Caladan and CODA) yielded exactly what I wanted and had hoped for….even more At this point I am still using the Denafrips Hades preamp, which is WAY better than I ever gave it credit for….amazing performance for a $1,400 preamp, and fully balanced as well. But it will soon be going up for sale, as I’ve got to make room for the Aric Audio Motherlode XL which should be here in about 4 weeks, and I cannot imagine what that final pairing will be like. I’ll probably not be able to give a detailed review once that is in place, I’m out of superlatives.
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Hey aolmrd1241, I agree, I would always defer to the designer regarding the optimum parameters regarding their pieces of equipment. Doug always is available to get feedback on these types of questions. As I shared above, I tried the S5.5 on pretty inefficient, down to around 82 dB and a nominal 4 ohm rating, speakers and the amp effortlessly drove them in a relatively large space. So parameters like your acoustic space, do you listen at very high volume levels, and the speakers own unique perks are part of the equation. I have had SET amps matched with speakers at times that should have not really worked well, but they turned out to be a great sounding combo. Teajay
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