Coda CB vs 2016 07X

I love my #8, had it for about nine months. They need a lot of break in, run it for a week solid before you do any serious listening. It was a big upgrade to my system and now I am wondering if an upgrade to my preamp (Freya) is in order. Posted on this forum yesterday asking for experience in that regard. I am looking at the Coda preamp of course, but it is a bit out of my price range right now. I have seen some positive comments on the Benchmark LA4 when paired with the #8. Following your post with interest. 

A guy said he loved the denaphrips athena with it. But it has no gain...which may be a problem if u play vinyl. Denaphrips has a warm signature...so I’ve also been looking at tube preamplifiers. I have the freya + in another system. Coda CB is what they is in the CSiB. So getting the CB seems counter productive.

@zlone do you run it single ended or balanced? 

I run it balanced. I have been meaning to try it single ended to see if there is any difference, but have not gotten around to it. From memory I think the #8 is 10k input impedance and the Freya is 600 ohm output impedance, so within the 10x rule. 

The Freya+ is OK with the CODA #8. I forgot if this applies to the CODA#8 but with the KRELL Duo 175XD the Freya+ does not go silent when the volume is turned all the way down. I had the same thing happen with my Topping pre90 (Stereophile review should be out online today) so I sold it. With the Freya+ I figure its tubes, so I let it go. The Freya+ will not stay long term with my CODA #8 or KRELL 175XD.

The CODA 07x preamp is great with the CODA #8 and my KRELL. I use the dual XLR outputs to use with my headphones and speakers. The Benchmark LA4 sounds excellent with the CODA #8. It was not that great with the KRELL, but I had COVID that week when I tried it out so maybe that was the reason. I actually prefer the LA4 with the CODA #8 but I need the dual XLR outputs so the 07x stays. The 07x is also much warmer than the LA4. The LA4 maybe not warm enough for some people. There is a 30-day home trial with Benchmark, so you cannot make a mistake trying it for yourself.

A few weeks ago, there was a used CODA CP preamp on USAudiomart. I was debating whether to get that or the Freya+. The dealer who sold me the 07x told me that the CP is sort of like the 07x and an excellent preamp. He suggested I go with the used CP over the Freya+. I should have listened.

Dealer told me the CP and CB are the same...just the CP has the phono stage. I have a hard time believing a 3k pre amp is on par with the 6.5k 07X. He said the CB is the practically same as whats in the CSiB. @yyzsantabarbara have you ever considered a tube pre amp with the no.8?

I was considering ARC LS28. But the 20k minimum impedance matching has me a little nervous.  

Wow. Looks like Coda just raised all their prices. 7200 for the 07X now. 

I am using a tube preamp some days with the office setup. At the moment the CODA #8 is my headphone amp. In a week or 2, I will change it up so that the CODA #8 becomes my speaker amp and my KRELL 175XD is my headphone amp. I rotate these amps every few weeks because they both sound good in both applications. With the speakers, I have 2 preamps ready to go. The CODA 07x and the Schitt Freya+. I just need to switch the XLR cable on the speaker amp to either the cable from the Coda 07x or Freya+.

I have heard the Freya+ with the CODA #8, but that was when the Freya+ was brand new. I thought it was not bad. It had that tube bloom and was very quiet. I need more time to figure out what type of music I like the Freya+ with. The Freya+, with 100+ hours, is not anywhere near the sound quality of the 07x. The 07x is warm like the Freya+ but it also has a lot of details in the mix. The Freya+ is quieter. though However, I do like the no warmth Benchmark LA4 ($2.5K) over the $7200 Coda 07x on the CODA #8. 

I should add that I do like the Freya+ a lot with my Benchmark AHB2 amp when used with my RAAL SR1a headphones. Unfortunately, I had to sell 1 of my AHB2's to fund the KRELL 175XD.

BTW - if anyone is thinking of the CODA #8 vs the KRELL XD stereo amps. I would take the KRELL. The CODA #16 is a different matter. I was planning on upgrading the #8 to the #16 before the CODA price increases on Jan 1, 2022. However, I decided to get the KRELL 175XD instead before the KRELL price increases (I had a great deal). The KRELL 175XD has made me question the need for the upgrade of the CODA #8 to the #16. I am really happy with the #8 now. Not saying any of this makes sense.

I have a Coda #8 paired with an LA4 and it’s an amazing combination.  I previously had a Freya+ and while it’s almost unbeatable for the price and I had quite a lot of fun tube rolling, it wasn’t transparent enough for my liking.  The #8 is a standout compared to other amps that I’ve owned to the point that I can’t see ever letting go of it even if I do upgrade (#16?) in the future.  I would like to try a 07x or a higher end tube preamp for a bit more warmth, but I’m also considering a change to less bright speakers instead to get the same effect while maintaining the crystal clear transparency of the LA4.  

I would like to try a 07x or a higher end tube preamp for a bit more warmth, but I’m also considering a change to less bright speakers instead to get the same effect while maintaining the crystal clear transparency of the LA4.

I had the LA4 and 07x on the same system to the CODA #8 and it was the best of both worlds. Sometimes when that bit of extra warmth is needed I switched to the 07x. I tended to like hard rock with the LA4. Both are good with all music, it was just a matter of preference on a particular day.

My LA4 is now on an all-Benchmark system in the Living room. Which sounds different from the CODA/KRELL system in the office.

BTW - the $600 Topping pre90 sounds like the LA4 on my Benchmark AHB2 amps. Though on other amps I had issues.

I ended getting the CB pretty cheap(hifi cheap lol). Dealer gave me a good deal on a new one. I know it's what's pretty much in the CSiB and I could've saved myself hassle just getting that but I wanted seperates to play around with. I enjoy the Focals I have but there are more I'd like to try. I'm still trying to find my preferred sound and if I'm going to be trying new speakers than a clean neutral sounding pre made sense.   There's a balanced Decware preamp I like the look of. Unfortunately I was told wait time could be anywhere from 8-24 months. It'd be nice to have both preamps. Something about tubes I like. 

https://www.decware.com/newsite/ZTPRE.html

Congrats on the CB. Going separates is better than the integrated. I have the CODA 07x and #8 now and had the CSiB (from 2019) before. Let's hear your impressions of the CB once you have the gear broken in.

Last night, I moved my Schitt Freya+ off the office system. The Freya+ was my second preamp to the CODA #8 and KRELL 175XD office amps. I put the Benchmark LA4 pre back in as the second preamp. I am listening to it today with the CODA #8 driving my Thiel CS3.7's. The LA4 is really my fav preamp on the CODA #8. Maybe not for everyone, but the absence of any sonic character on the LA4 really agrees with me. It cost $2600 with remote.

I was not overly excited about the Schitt Freya+ (tube preamp) on the CODA or KRELL. However, the Freya+ sounds great on my Benchmark AHB2 amp in my living room. The tubes on the Freya+ were not a good match for me with the CODA and KRELL.

yysantabarbara: Just curious if you compared the Freya in solid state mode, tubes off, to the LA4. Any thoughts?

Ive been using matched pair Sylvania 6SN7 6SN7GTA Vacuum Tubes Valves Bad Boy Chrome Dome Top & matched pair General Electric GE 6SN7 6SN7GTB in the Freya + I have. I wish I had more time to A/B test things. Never really planned on using the Freya with the Coda. I am interested what a really good tube pre would sound with it though.  I was looking at the LA4s... don't remember why I decided against it.