I need to mention one more thing that recently improved the sound of my system in a big way. I've been using the Puritan Audio 156 power conditioner for about 4 -years now. Recently I added the Puritan's own Ground Master City and the Route Master to ground all my equipment. Last night I even grounded my Ether Regen which I'm using right before the Pulsar. I had some expectations of improved sound after I read some reviews but I never expected it to be so dramatic. The sound just became clean and the background completely black. The separation between the instruments became real. Highly recommend trying it if you are not using any special grounding setups.
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)
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@vthokie83 what preamp are you using with the S5.5?
Also, to owners of the S5.5, I have read that to put the amp in stand by you hit the bias button on the front and to take it out of stand by hit it again. Once you take the amp out of stand by and start using it, does it take a while to warm up and sound good or is it good right away? I assume when not using you leave it on and just put it into stand by mode? |
minatophase3, I am currently using a Denafrips Hades preamp, which surprisingly has not been a bad combo with the CODA S5.5. I initially thought it would be totally outclassed, but it's held it's own so far....but yes more performance is there to be had. I have an Aric Audio Motherlode XL preamp on order right now, should be about 6 weeks out by now (intially 12 weeks)? I spoke with Aric about the 10K ohm XLR issue, which is the very edge of the Motherlode's comfort level....and he is modifying it for me to be good with the CODA's low XLR load. So far I have not bothered with the stand by as I don't mind burning it in a bit more. I spoke with Doug Dale at CODA, and he said the S5.5s get about a week burning in before they are shipped. |
Very nice pre-amp you have coming! I like the tube sound but don't want any tubes in my system, I have too much tube anxiiety 🙂 So the next best thing is to find a pre-amp that has a somewhat "tube" sound to it. Sounds like the Coda 07x does. I think my Accuphase integrated does as well. Will find out shortly if the Accuphase gets more of the "tube" sound from the amp section or the pre-amp section. My hope is it is from the pre-amp section and I will be happy with it. |
@olesno How do you like your Ulfberhts? I have looked at Tekton offerings in the past and find them interesting. Never heard them in person. What other speakers have you had in the past to compare them to?
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