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 bought mine from Mike Kay at Audio Archon near Chicago, great guy to deal with.....but have no idea on return policy

but does anyone know how many watts it gets in class a/b?
the pass should reach around 80watts.
according to a stereophile review of the old s5,
It has a power of around 65watts.
Is this also the case for this S5.5 model?
in theory the pass remains more powerful

Hey paoz,

The Pass punches above its very conservative ratings of its watts rating. However, the S5.5 not only is rated 100 watts into 8 ohms but has almost double the current loading of the XA-25. I have both amps and the S5.5 will drive more speakers effortlessly then the Pass Labs.

Teajay