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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
audioman58's avatar
audioman58
3,913 posts
 

The benchmark I don’t feel has much meat on the bones .

Krell is a name o watch they have some new models coming out by June 

thierksa 400 is incredibly good but Waay too expensive ver $30 k 

I am told a smaller version  around $13 k is coming out .

a ksa integrated. Would be also great .

yyzsantabarbara
4,577 posts
 

@audioman58 Have you heard the KRELL KSA i400? I have an amazing offer to trade-in my CODA #16 for that amp. I owned the KRELL Duo 175XD and loved it. Moreso, then the CODA #8. I think the #16 has the edge over the 175XD, mainly with power.

Do you have a link to the information on the new KRELL models? A smaller version of the KSA i400 at $13k is in line with what I am considering next for my Livingroom,

- CODA #16 or S5.5 monos

- SimAudio 761 North Collection

- KRELL ?

I moved my CODA #16 to my office, and it is incredible with the Magnepan LRS+ ($1000). I am keeping it there and need an amp for the Livingroom.

yyzsantabarbara
4,577 posts
 

I am waiting to hear back from my CODA dealer about the S5.5 and running it in mono vs the #16. Anybody have an opinion on that?

Maybe I should call Doug at CODA .

 

audioman58's avatar
audioman58
3,913 posts
 

I have heard their ksa 400 it is exceptionally good ,but much too expensive for me. 
my dealer friend casually mentioned these new products. You will not hear about them until they are fully tested li cannot say exactly if they are running on their June release date or waiting until the fall for the Audio shows. I also am very curious.

vthokie83
682 posts
 

yyzsantabarbara,

Give Doug Dale at CODA a call, I spoke to him a few times and he was helpful and great to speak with before I bought my CODA S5.5. I don't want to speak for him, but I think he'll suggest the #16 vs bridged S5.5s

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