Which Super Integrated Amp to drive planars?

Rtilden,

Thanks for your detailed response.

Its deeply disappointing to hear (again) about the poor ethics demonstrated by some reviewing magazines. As any marketer will tell you word of mouth is the frequently the best form of promotion, albeit one that's effectiveness can be constrained with limited circulation.

That Coda were willing to modify product is remarkable.

If Coda is coming out with a new integrated i'd be surprised they would call it the CSX - since a CSX product already exists in the form of a stereo power amp?

A number of the products on my shortlist (i.e. BAT, Unico, Pathos) are in fact a marriage between valves and SS. Its clear to me that after trying a number of valve power amps (including some big VTL's) whilst the sing in the mid-range they can't, at least to my satisfaction, control the bass. So SS is required for the PA stage to control the LFT-8's.

I have no doubt that the CSi will exercise full authority over the planars and so the only question that now remains is how well the inter-product synergy works and whether the character of the CSi's sound meets my personal taste. For that i need an audition and i'll be doing that soon.

Kiwi:

Please keep us posted as to how your system sounds with the CSi. As I recall, CODA determined that the higher wattage taps on the transformer (same as used in the CX amp) were not advisable for the integrated; thus they used the lower taps and kept the wattage at 220 (into 8 ohms). One benefit of the 220W version is that it goes higher in Class A (up to about 50W), whereas the higher taps yield about 25W Class A before switching seamlessly to Class AB.

If this is important to you technically, I suggest that you ask CODA directly, as both my recollection and technical knowledge are less than perfect.

03-14-08: Sugarbrie
Blue Circle BmPH (160w - 8 ohm)(260w - 4 ohm).

Do you own one? Do you know how big (VA) the terriod is?