2. amps-preamps
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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
johnah5 OP
235 posts
 

Hey vthokie83,

Congrats! I truly believe you are in for a great sonic treat in the next couple of days. Please, let us know what you think when you get a take on the S5.5 in your system.

Teajay

zlone
652 posts
 

Dr. Michael Bump is a renowned musician and among other things, Professor of Percussion Studies at the Truman State University (Department of Music) and a Director at the Percussive Arts Society Board of Directors.

A professor of percussion studies, I am sure the ears are in great shape.

iovi66
5 posts
 

I had a S5.5, purchased from Mike at Audio Archon. Great guy to deal with. Had the newest and improved transistors according to Doug Dale.  While their website and documentation leaves much to be desired, Doug answered all of my questions and concerns in a timely and respectful manner. It sounded very articulate, clean and detailed and easily drove my Selah Audio Ceramica speakers (6 nominal 4 minimum, 88 dB), however, musically it just never got my toes tapping. Beautiful amp, great build quality, never got more than a little warm, great confidence in its reliability and potential longevity.

But I believe it would have sounded much better with a solid state preamp instead of my BAT VK-51SE tube preamp. Its XLR input impedance is only 10kOhms, so most likely too low and not a good match for an XLR tube preamp. Just wanted to point this out to anyone potentially considering use of this amp with a tube preamp. It sounded better with my Lyngdorf MP-40 as the preamp, but not even close to the overall fidelity level of the BAT tube preamp with the 2 amps I tried with over 100 kOhm input impedances. So I sold it to TMR and it sold within a couple of weeks. Of course, your results may vary with your tube preamp, but I can say, unfortunately, that I found it to be a mediocre match with the BAT tube preamp.

tmac1700
76 posts
 

Doug is a great guy. Really enjoyed all our conversations. 

He made it known to me that he's not to fond of tube gear. I've been having tje same issue looking for a balanced tube preamp..  that 10k impedance is usually low. 

Side note.. every discussion i find on different platforms..where CODA is discussed they are always polite and informative. There are a lot of toxic people I'm this hobby and reading through this discussion is a breath of fresh air. 

vthokie83
851 posts
 

iovi66,

Fair point about the input impedance on XLR. I've already had this conversation with Aric Kimball of Aric Audio, who is building a Motherlode XL preamp for me. He is modifying it to work with the low impedance of the CODA S5.5.....I believe he is adding an additional 1.0uf cap to compensate.

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