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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
vthokie83
674 posts
 

tmac1700,

If you have the opportunity, I'd suggest you find a Backert dealer and audition both the Rhumba 1.4 and the Rhumba Extreme 1.4....I think you will find a pretty big difference. The Rhumba Extreme 1.4 is very close to the $13,000 flagship Rhythm in a Rhumba case; Backert confirmed that opinion when I spoke with them.

I found the Rhumba 1.4 was a really nice preamp, but the Rhumba Extreme 1.4 was world class. My opinion is that the Motherlode XL will easily outclass the base Rhumba 1.4, but the Rhumba Extreme 1.4 will give it a run for it's money. I was able to find dealers willing to price the Extreme 1.4 considerably less than the $8,500 list price.

Post removed 
johnah5 OP
228 posts
 

Hey vthokie83,

Both the Backert Labs and AricAudio preamps are great pieces and Andy and Aric are first rate gentlemen. I have owned and reviewed preamps from both companies. The Backert Labs,using 12AU7 tubes, and AricAudio, using 6SN7 tubes offer a different presentation. The Backert Labs is lighting fast, quite detailed without being etchy, very transparent, and very pure in tonality. It reminds me very much of the Linear Tube Audio's David Berning sound. The Aric Audio offers those virtues, but because it uses 6SN7s its midrange  is fuller and a bit more romantic. It really comes down to personal taste and system matching. I personally love the sound of1940's NOS 6SN7 TungSol black glass oval plates in my Motherlode preamplifier.

Because the S5.5 is so transparent you will hear the "flavor" you inject into the system using different preamplifiers or the tubes you select.

Teajay

vthokie83
674 posts
 

Teajay,

I didn't have a chance to compare the Motherlode XL with the Backert, but the Backert Rhumba 1.4 vs the Rhumba Extreme 1.4.....that's why I suggested the demo between the two if near a dealer. The Rhumba Extreme 1.4 would have been my choice had I not gone with the Motherlode XL.

I'll have some short listening notes on the CODA S5.5, I've been able to get about 10 hours listening on it so far.

johnah5 OP
228 posts
 

Hey vthokie83,

Please do share! I'm quite interested in what your experience/take will be on the Motherlode/S5.5 combo.

Teajay

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