cshadow
Any thoughts as to a pre, or am I just wasting my time?
Wasting time/money, if you get "going direct right"
Your Coda TS V2 is a great amp, bi-polar output, no global feedback, just a little local feedback, and has 26db of gain for full output no problem for any source, and it will drive anything, has current output up to 150amps per channel!!!
Going direct from a dac or cd that has volume control is the only way I would go, for the most transparent, dynamic, uncoloured sound.
NB: But you have to do it via the "50kohm unbalanced inputs" as the balanced 1kohm of the Coda is stupid low impedance, too low for a dac’s output stages to push into, suitable for only the "most gutsy of SS preamps" with very low output impedances EG: Krell ect.
Coda Input Impedance
50k Ohms unbalanced /1k balanced.
This from Stereophile: similar for all Coda amps I see.
The voltage gain into 8 ohms was 28.45dB from the unbalanced input, but 1dB lower from the balanced jack. This discrepancy was explained when I looked at the amplifier’s input impedance: a high 47k ohms unbalanced. It was just 1kohm balanced.Cheers George
This will tax many preamplifiers, which like to see an input impedance of at least 10k ohms. And if you intend to use a capacitor-coupled tube preamp with the Coda, make sure you use an unbalanced connection or the bass will be prematurely rolled off.
The Coda low input impedance in balanced mode mandates that care be taken in choosing a partnering preamplifier. Otherwise, this is a well-engineered design that performs well. Impressive.—John Atkinson