2. amps-preamps
  3. 188282-170518

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
jceahodges
10 posts
 

@markmuse Thanks for chiming in. I'm in no particular rush, so I've definitely got the time to see all these synergy tests that are happening to come to fruition.

firefly627s
54 posts
 

@markmuse 

          Thank you for your helpful input. I am in no rush as well, and am definitely interested in how the Backert Rhythm/ S5.5 performs vs the Backert/AGD with the speaker(s) you have in your system. Please keep us posted. Thanks again!

yyzsantabarbara
4,871 posts
 

My issue with the 07x was documented here on A’gon a few years ago. I will repeat.

When I first got the 07x I found it a lot noisier than the Benchmark LA4 which I had. The 07x was supposed to an upgrade from that. I used the 07x with the CODA #8. Both were upgrades from the CSiB.

I spoke with Doug about the noise issue, and he initially thought it was my DAC. A Benchmark DAC3B and/or the AufioMagic Tubadour (do no remember). After about a month my dealer asked me to bring it to the Los Angeles store. We put my 07x on top of this 07x and compared. Mine was noisier. We sent my 07x to Doug to diagnose and fix.

Now the dealers 07x was noisier than the Benchmark LA4 I owned. After a few weeks Doug got back to me and said he could not find the issue but could hear the noise. He said he replaced every part except the casework, great service in my opinion. When I got it back the 07x was much quieter but still not silent and I could hear it. I lost $2k selling it but all I could hear from that point forward was the hiss.

Drove me batty, maybe to match the ears.

 

aolmrd1241
1,042 posts
 

Must have been a one off anomaly. I have never heard of such a noise issue with the 07x before! Thanks for the update yyzs…or should I say batman…lol

johnah5 OP
235 posts
 

Hey aolmrd1241,

I agree that was a "one off anomaly". I own the 07x, reviewed it and made it a product of the decade for Stereo Times. It is one of the most quiet/transparent preamplifiers, which allows you to hear micro-details so easily without becoming analytical or edgy that I have ever had in my systems. Great piece.

My experience so far with the S5.5 being driven with either tube based or solid state preamplifiers is that the amp it self is very revealing of the preamp or source gear that is driving it. Therefore, you can "flavor" to your taste by experimenting with the upstream gear. 

Please keep posting your experiences with the S5.5 as you get your piece, so far everyone agrees it's a superlative performer, drives all types of speakers effortlessly, and is a great bargain at its price. I'll use many of these quotes in my published review on Stereo Times in the near future.

Teajay 

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