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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
markmuse
289 posts
 

Ok. Finally got my AGD Tempo upgraded to L3. If switching back and forth between the AGD and the Coda s5.5 wasn't such a PITA I would probably have a more coherent comparison (I also have 3 pairs of speakers I am switching around as well). But here goes: The Coda does have the sweetest highs I can recall ever hearing - smooth, detailed, refined. The overall presentation is slightly warm. The AGD, though, has a more liquid midrange with a better of delineation of space. Also the AGD has more grip in the lower frequencies - better definition of timbre. 

I have not made a final decision yet, but as it stands I will likely sell the Coda. 

My system: Aurender n200 > PS Audio DSD Mk II > Backert Labs Rhythm 1.3 > amps per above > CS Labs Caladan (will probably sell), Fyne F1-8, KEF Reference 1, and a KEF KC92 sub. 

markmuse
289 posts
 

I should add that I wear hearing aids. This itself has been a journey, finally ending up with Widex. While Widex are the most musical aids I am aware of, there are still some compromises. And getting the audiologist out of their comfort zone to focus on something other than voice was yet another journey. 

fthompson251's avatar
fthompson251
469 posts
 

I have been out of town for 2 weeks so after I get back I will check on the amp/system progress and report back. The last time I listened I was ecstatic at what I was hearing.

milpai's avatar
milpai
2,412 posts
 

@markmuse , I would love to see your system on the "Virtual Systems" page. You have a nice setup going there.

aolmrd1241
1,042 posts
 

Thanks guys for the updates…

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