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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
aolmrd1241
1,011 posts
 

Looks aside…you would be missing out on some of the finest sounding audio equipment money can buy!

vthokie83
645 posts
 

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

johnah5 OP
221 posts
 

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

johnah5 OP
221 posts
 

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

fthompson251's avatar
fthompson251
298 posts
 

Today marks 3 weeks since my amp order was received by Coda, the wait is killing me.  Maybe next week. 🙏

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