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
minatophase3
33 posts
 

My S5.5 arrived today!  Plugged it in and waited about 2 hours before listening.  I know it will take some time to break in but I couldn't wait 😀.  Initial impressions compared to my Accuphase E-380 integrated (still using the Accuphase as preamp):  Bass is much tighter, cleaner and there is more of it!  Top end is much more detailed and clear, my Accuphase tends to roll off the highs a bit.  I find the S5.5 to be just slightly to the warm side of neutral, the Accuphase is slightly warmer.  Both sound really good.  Overall detail and clarity easily go to the S5.5 as well as a blacker background.

I will let this break in for a while and report back, but so far it is looking very positive!

johnah5 OP
235 posts
 

Hey minatophase3,

Thanks for sharing your cursory listening experiences with us. So far, what you are hearing makes total sense to me. Both your amps are great, it now will be your personal taste and synergy with your speakers to decide on your "reference".

Have fun and let us know what going on as the S5.5 burns in.

Teajay

johnah5 OP
235 posts
 

Just wanted to share: 

I'm packing up a pair of Analysis Audio Epsilon planar speakers that I reviewed months ago and are going to be packed up to be sent back to the importer. These large planar speakers are only 86dB and a nominal 4 ohms. 

So what the hack, I decided to see what the S5.5 would do at driving them. Well, the speakers were driven effortlessly, and all the virtues of the S5.5 - beautiful high end frequencies, midrange details, total transparency, tight extended bass, and finally an "aliveness" were present and made the panels sing with great musicality.

Teajay

yyzsantabarbara
4,887 posts
 

@hanki Thanks for the follow-up and sorry to hear about the fuse issue. Those things can give some stress. 

@minatophase3 congrats on the S5.5. I think you were the one going to get a Holo Serene from a friend to try out. You are going to love it. I am so blown away by the Serene and #16 combo. Now that I have used this pairing for a while, I think it is the best sound I have ever had in my house. That is with a $1000 Magnepan LRS+ which is not my best speaker. 

 

 

minatophase3
33 posts
 

@yyzsantabarbara Yes, the date has been set, a week from tomorrow I will try the Serene with the S5.5 and compare it to the Accuphase as a preamp.  That should be enough time for the S5.5 to break in sufficiently. 

Will report back with my findings. 

More to discover