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.
I drive my CODA S5.5 with an Aric Audio Motherlode XL (adds balanced XLR inputs and outputs), and the combination is ridiculously outrageously good; with all of my amps.
I've also borrowed a Raven preamp, and it too was amazing with my amps (CODA S5.5, Aric Audio Transcend "Push Pull" EL34, and Tubes4hifi VTA ST-120 tube amp running KT-120s).....FWIW, the owner of the Raven slightly prefers his over Aric's Motherlode XL.
It comes down to personal choice, though I still prefer the Motherlode XL.....the Raven is a damn beautiful sounding preamp.....I could live with it too.
@charlieenot sure but Aliexpress? Someone told me about a metal remote for my Supratek Preamp. Love the preamp but the stock remote is like what you find in a dollar store which is a shame. I might get a $30 remote from Aliexpress
@ sim_audio_nerd, are there locations where you can shop for items like the volume control knob? One of my friends had new knobs milled out of brass for his Prima Luna amp. As I recall it wasn't cheap, but a very nice improvement.
Intrigued by the new Spatial Audio Raven preamp. I am sure it's great. @charlieeI agree on the finishes..great if they can offer more. Also, the volume control knob..maybe make it a bit more pleasing, aesthetics point of view..just my opinion.
Thanks guys for the helpful responses. I had no doubts about the LTA and Arics Mother Lode pre amps. Another plus for me is the single box design of the LTA, the two box design is a challenge for placement for me, but not out of the question.
@jceahodges, please do get back with your input on the Spatial Audio Raven after you get to hear it in your system with the Coda amp. No doubt it will be excellent as well. Personally, I hope they start offering a few more wood choices on the base. I'm not a big fan of the two they offer.
@charliee, I have the Coda Model 16 paired with the Aric Audio Motherlode and the results are nothing short of stunning. And both Aric and Doug(Coda) are excellent to work with in regards to their respective knowledge and customer service.
At Terry’s suggestion way earlier in this thread, I purchased an SPL Volume2 as a bridge until I received my Spatial Audio Raven. I’ve yet to receive it, but it should be soon as it’s already busted their estimated ETA. The Volume2 is really clean and just lets the S5.5 show itself for what it is - very good. I’m hoping the Raven brings that sweetness without sacrificing the details I’ve grown accustomed to. I'd be happy to report back once it gets in-house and broken in.
I have heard the S5.5 being driven by the LTA ZOTL and the AricAudio Motherlode. Both are great matchups for the Coda. However, each is different, regardless of which tubes are rolled in. The LTA is very fast, clean, and detailed , but still is musical as can be. The Motherlode is no less detailed, but has a warmer/fuller "sweet" presentation. For my tastes I prefer the Motherlode, depends on your taste and what you are looking for in your system. Like both of them much more than the other two preamps you mention.
Mr. London, if you are still monitoring this thread, what are your top recommendations for pre amps that match well with the S5.5? I have the amp but I am having some difficulty in pre amp shopping understanding what is a great match, and what isn't. The whole gain explanation gets very confusing real quick for me. There are some great pre amps that are very interesting in my price range such as the Spatial Audio Raven, Linear Tube Audio Micro ZOTL, Aric Audio Mother Lode, Cary Audio SLP 05. Yes, all of them are tube, thats my preference.
@charliee - I asked Doug from Coda which fuses to use and he told me 2 of the 12 Amp fuses so that is what I have been using. I didn't pay attention to the values of the stock fuses so am not sure if they were 12 or 16, but since Doug said the 12 Amp fuses were fine I went with it.
I would suggest reaching out to Doug and see what he says.
I just got around to installing the two Acme Audio Labs 12 amp fuses. The factory fuses however are 16 amp, not 12 amp. So I cant use these two Acme fuses, wrong value. So if you installed 12 amp as you posted, you used the wrong value. Unless your amp came with 12's instead of 16's like mine did.
Has anyone using the S5.5 noticed they are playing their music louder than normal?
To try and protect what hearing I have remaining I tend to monitor my listening volumes but have noticed since I purchased the S5.5 I'm listening closer to the 90dBC mark rather than the 80dBC I aim for.
I find it so clean and dynamic, but yet not fatiguing. I think that is why I'm turning it up some, to get the live music feel :) It definitely is a beast with respect to bass, driver control, and dynamics..., at least with my easy to drive Spendor speakers.
@winalovskiIf I were you, I would call Doug Dale at Coda. There's a good chance that he knows how that amp would do with your Puppies. He's a strait shooter. You won't get a sales pitch from him.
Has anyone run Wilson Puppy with Coda s5.5 ? Unfortunately i don’t have any possibility to listen this configuration. My present amplifier needs to be updated/ refurbished. I’m not sure if I want to do it.
I like what you all say about Coda but I don’t want to experiment, I would truly appreciate a little first hand opinion,
I've had Sugden, but not Pass. My S5.5 runs cooler than the Sugden - by how much I can't exactly recall. Bottom line is the S5.5 runs pretty cool in my experience with Class-A. When I turn it off after several hours its warm to the touch, but nothing more than that. I don't drive it that hard so that's a factor too.
I haven't read this whole thread, but wanted to ask whether or not the S5.5 puts out a lot of heat, as do most Class A amps. I have a Sugden, and a Pass XA30.8, so if someone could compare to those, I would appreciate it. Thanks.
@yyzsantabarbara The Legacy Wavelet II is a pre amp so adding a tube preamp would be redundant. My DAC doesn’t have a volume control. The only source into the Wavelet is the XLR's from the DAC.
@fthompson251 The real test to see if a DAC’s volume can hang with a great preamp is to listen at low volume. The only DAC that I found could hang with a great preamp was the Lumin X1 with the Leedh volume control. Even that was not as perfect as my Benchmark LA4 preamp but came close.
The issue was not really sonics but operational. The volume could not increase at the proper increments at low volume.
@charliee No I no longer am getting any preamp. I had conversations with dealers that advised it is not necessary with only 1 connection. I would just be adding more into the chain, need more (expensive) interconnects and power cords. Instead I added a end game (for me) DAC. I am very happy with how the rig sounds now, very happy.
Are you still saving for the Spatial Audio Raven pre amp? I am leaning towards the Atma-Sphere MP3, or a used LTA with level two upgrades. The MP3 is superior, but twice the price, and they do not come up for sale used. Well only very old ones, people keep them.
@sim_audio_nerd I have been thinking the same thing. Well, I don't upgrade very often but since I have made other system upgrades this amp lets them shine through. I just got a new DAC and the change is clearly evident. I love this amp! I've had my amp about 7 months.
I’ve had a number of ARC Preamps. They don’t present any odd output impedance nor, do they lean either direction sonically, so there wouldn’t be any issue with an ARC. I’m going to try a Backert Labs with my S5.5.
I’ve had a number of ARC Preamps. They don’t present any odd output impedance nor, do they lean either direction sonically, so there wouldn’t be any issue with an ARC. I’m going to try a Backert Labs with my S5.5.
@charlieeNo i ssues at all. Have had them in for several months and they are doing great. I also have them in most of my other equipment and have had no issues. I believe Revolution Power is where I ordered mine from.
Did you have any problems with the S5.5 blowing the ceramic fuse? Plus, I can only find one place to buy the slow blow 12A 5x20mm, Revolution Power. Partsconnexion doesn't have that size and spec in stock.
I just pulled the trigger on a black S5.5, and now have to wait for it to be built and arrive. I've never heard a Coda amplifier before, but it meets many of the requirements I'm looking for in my next amplifier.
The list of my most recent amps is AtmaSphere Class D monos, Pass XA30.8, Benchmark AHB2, Bryston 4B3, and Pass X250.8. I enjoyed each one of these as each amp brings its own attributes to the table and outside of the 250.8 is not crazy priced.
I have big expectations for this Coda purchase... :)
@evankWondering 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.
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.
@5560I 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’ve experienced a lift sound quality by replacing factory fuses.
There is a 12 amp fuse for main power supply, in the back of the S5.5. Four other fuses are on top of the circuit boards inside the amp. Replacing all five fuses would be prohibitively expensive. I’m wondering if anyone has replaced just the back fuse and experienced a bump up in sonics? Hopefully the four internal board fuses have less effect on sound.
I also have an S5.5 and it doesn't matter which way you do it, but know that tracks that have specific right and left channel content will be reversed. Knowing that and then hearing it myself... I just couldn't do it. Those songs just don't sound correct any more, but I'm pretty OCD with that kind stuff.
@evankYes you will also need to switch input cables as well. I just ignore what it says on the back and put the left speaker cable and input cable on the left side and the right ones one the right side when looking at the amp from the front. When I asked Doug about this he said it was fine.
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