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)
He may be referring to this in the manual. Probably just a misprint. It’s also true you can just use inputs / speaker outputs however you want... they don’t know their given names. 🏁
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Hi Terry, Does the S5.5 have a preamp preference? Tube, SS, SE, balanced? I know you have a few on hand. Maybe you have rolled them? This “model” has been around for a long time. First as the S5 and now the S5.5. AFAIK, it received upgraded parts around 2019. Do you think it has been upgraded again? Does anyone else know the story with the upgrade status? I haven’t reached out to Coda. I don’t want to bother them if others have already. On paper it looks like a good amp for my speakers. Just looking for a few opinions/answers before I do anything. Thanks |
Hey tuckia08, Yes, I have tried it with several preamps (SS/tube) single ended or balanced with great success. The S5.5 passes on very clearly what "flavor" each line-stage is providing. Regarding your question about the history of the current S5.5 I recommend that you contact Doug, I'm sure he would be more then happy to provide the details you are seeking, before I give information that might be incomplete. Don't know what speakers you run, but so far I have tried four different pairs of speakers and the S5.5 makes all them shine with great dynamics and musicality. Teajay |
@johnah5 sonically what separates the new 5.5 and the #8? They are relatively close in price. I’m curious as to what would prompt one to select one vs the other. |
Hey gochurchgo, I believe that the S5.5 has a better top end and slightly more midrange transparency/clarity then the #8. Unless you need the extra power of the #8 I would chose the S5.5. I have tried the S5.5 with different speakers and have had no problems reaching high dB levels without attenuation/distortion at all.
Teajay |
