CODA 8 V1

@audphile1 - Apologies for misreading and thank you for the clarification. 

@gochurchgo - I like the amps a lot more than the pres for that exact reason.  Even with the amps, I would encourage you to seek out something more colorful in a pre. A Luxman if solid state, or a CJ or Rogue for tubes.  I’ve not heard a lot of tubes in a very long time so sorry I don’t have more to recommend. 

My experience in general with ESLs for instance really encouraged a tube pre/ss amp combination and the results were pretty glorious with the right speakers.  Coda/InnerSound was no exception and I imagine the benefits of sweetening up the amp with a tube pre still holds. 

@erik_squires I share your opinion of tube preamp paired with a solid state amp.  I haven’t used a solid state preamp since my NAD1300 which was a very long time ago.  My Linear Tube Audio MicroZotl tube preamp isn’t overly warm, but enough so that I think it warms things up a bit.  I like the combination. I guess what is meant by "dry" would be similar to what I would call "cold or thin".  

@erik_squires  thanks and agreed. Although my interest in Coda is the CSiB as I’m downsizing while upgrading.  So perhaps that not the sound I want.

@gochurchgo -  If I was going with an integrated I'd go with Luxman or Ayre.   I own the Luxman, and of all I've heard, including Coda and Pass Ayre is the only one I'd seriously consider swapping for. 

@erik_squires . I hadn’t considered Ayre. Which Luxman are you running? I got to play with a LX-380 and liked it. Was pondering that with some 0/96’s