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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
845 posts
 

piebaldpython,

After hearing my S5.5, and loving it; a friend of mine liked the thought of bridging a couple for his Harbeths. He spoke with Doug at CODA (as did I) who basically told him the same as yyzsantabarbara, bridging the S5.5s is not a good idea.

There is I believe a new System 150/250 coming soon, or is it out already? I'm wondering if it's really the big brother to the S5.5, anyone have any info?

vthokie83
845 posts
 

Sim_audio_nerd,

Congratulations, please do give us some feedback when you can; would love to hear your experience. Mine has been a revelation, hopefully the same in your system

sim_audio_nerd
57 posts
 

I have only 20 hours on the amp..

I want to play it for 50 hours at least before I share my impressions..

 

yyzsantabarbara
4,794 posts
 

There is I believe a new System 150/250 coming soon, or is it out already? I'm wondering if it's really the big brother to the S5.5, anyone have any info?

The System 150 that is supposed to be released to Destination HiFi this month is the next iteration of the old System 150.  There is also an old System 250 that likely gets the upgrade treatment.

I do not think the S5.5 and the System 150 have any connection. More likely the System 150 and the #16 are the closet to each other.

BTW - I solved my #16 being a bit too warm for my speakers by getting a neutral DAC. 

 

 

johnah5 OP
234 posts
 

Hey Guys,

I just submitted my review on the S5.5 to my editor at Stereo Times. I'll let you all know when it goes live on the website.

For yyzsantabarbara, I asked Doug Dale to explain the difference in the S5.5 with the other Coda amps and here's some of what he shared, "The S5.5 uses different transistors then the other Coda amplifiers. This pair of transistors are very similar to those that were used in the System amp architecture but are produced in a way that precludes them being in our other amplifiers."  

There is more information contained in the review. However, the S5.5 could be called a "baby brother" to the prior generation of the System 150 amplifier. The S5.5, not the #16 is closer to the System 150.

Teajay (Terry London)

 

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