Class A Coda 15.5 Vitus SS-102 or Gryphon Mephisto

Hi Goldman,

I am a big fan of Gryphon. I also have heard Forte 4, Krell FPB series, Boulder 2060...all extremely good amps in their own right. I prefer the Gryphon the most but i could have easily built a great system around any of the above. Each would require a bit of adjustment. Unfortunately, i have not heard the Vitus but have also heard great things about it.

For me, having endless reserves of power...and yet the nuance and intimacy on jazz is a remarkable feat and one which has made me stay happily with Gryphon from Antileon now to Colosseum. I have a good friend with Vitus Masterpiece Ref who used to own Gryphon Colosseum monos.

If i had to guess blindly, i would go Mephisto as a guess simply because i know people who own the SS102 and have heard my Colosseum...and i also have a few friends who own Mephisto and have heard the Colosseum. So as a guess, i am going to place Mephisto above SS102...but lets face it, that is ultimately a purely personal choice and i admit my bias and those of my friends.

Cannot speak to Coda. Good luck...the best part here is...you probably dont go wrong with any of these choices!

Thanks for posting your impressions. I love the Gryphon Mephisto and would love to go that direction. The only struggle is the space and A/C power requirements for the Mephisto. I'd have to pull two 20 amp dedicated circuits to the amp to do it justice. I'd love to have two sets of binding posts for biwiring with two separate runs. Maybe some Vitus owners can chime in with their experiences and auditions. For now I'll stick with the VAC 160i Integrated. Thanks.

Hi, Goldman: Not sure I can add anything, but my CODA 15.5 gives me everything I want. I have a large room and 4-Ohm speakers, and I still am impressed with everything from simple jazz trios to full-on Wagnerian Symphonies. I use only one stereo amp, since I am a little tight on space, and it is really nice. Never have a need for more juice. One more thing for those interested- I always appreciate dealing with the main man in any of these expensive undertakings. CODA answers their phone in California, usually by one of the owners, and they do what they say they will do. In my line of work, that is key. Straight dealings with the head guy. Add that to the sonics, and we have a long-term winner.

Thanks. I have a high regard for the guys at Coda, and I think their 15.5 looks like the Class A amp to beat. Does your 15.5 run hot? I had an Ayre V3 that was biased in Class A up to 30W and A/B up to 100W, and it ran like a toaster driving 8/6 ohm Proacs. My VAC throws off plenty of heat driving 4 ohm Proac D40R's. How does your 15.5 compare to your previous amps? Dave.

The 15.5 puts out 100W Class A with a chassis temperature that is mildly warm, although individual units will vary. They will tweak up the bias higher if you request it, and it will be hot, but you will only gain around 5W of Class A. Unless you need that extra 5W in Class A to listen at your regular loudness, it does not seem necessary to me. Extra deep bass passages and orchestral bombastics may drive the amp into AB mode above 100W for brief seconds, but your ears will not detect it.

Stay tuned for the Coda S250 to be released in the Winter of 2015. Pure Class A at 250 watts per channel.

I'm not sure of your budget Goldman, but if you're mentioning the Mephisto stereo amp, well that's a $57k amp. At that level, you could also look at the awesome new Vitus SM-011 mono blocks. They're a definite step up from the SIA-025 and have a lot more power/control. The little Vitus amps seem to sound a bit warmer/more romantic than the bigger amps such as the SS-102. That said, the SS-102 sounds very natural, analogue-like and is the most unfatiguing amp i've ever heard. It is the only amp I've heard which tames the older YG speakers tendency to brightness and a 'metalic' sound. Even the little SIA-025 is a peach. It depends on your system needs and how deep your pocket is. One thing to keep in mind; Vitus sounds best with Vitus. If you go for SM-011 mono's or an SS-102, my next upgrade would be an SL-102 pre. Hope that helps!

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