Because of reviewing a new piece of gear that is balanced, I changed out my loom of RCA interconnects and went to a full loom of XLR cables because the Coda 07x preamplifier and the #16 are true balanced designs.
The system sounded great being run single-ended. However, by running the #16 balanced, it's overall macro-dynamics and its already vanishing noise floor became even more non-existent!
Question: Anyone reading this, have any of you heard the #16, if so what was your take on this amplifier
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Hey d2girls,
Don't really know what you mean by "lightweight", the #16 has a much bigger power supply then the Pass Labs amps you mention. I have heard the wonderful Pass Labs amps and the Coda performs at that level and does some things better for a lot less money.
I'll get into those details when I write the review. |
I just wrote and submitted my review on the 16.0 to my editor at Stereo Times website last night. I have had in-house many terrific amplifiers for reviewing and personal pleasure.
However, the 16.0, teamed up with its stable mate 07x preamplifier, is a very special music maker, indeed! There is no "BEST" of anything in the world of high-end audio, but the 16.0 is a fabulous amplifier that will compete with any amplifier on the market regardless of price. 100 Watts Class A, along with the ability to drop 100 amperes of current on a peak means the 16.0 has the beauty of a lower watt class A design and the current to drive any speaker load effortlessly. This is a great amplifier!
Hope when the review comes out you all will enjoy reading it for all the details of why I came to this conclusion. |
My go to wires are still the Black Cat Coppertones. However, because of a new DAC I have in for review which is truly balanced, along with the 07x and 16.0 being truly balanced designs also, I'm having great success using different XLR cables in my system. |
Hey smodtactical,
If you order the #16 without meters it retails for $13,000. I still love my Pass Labs XA-60.8's. However, for the reasons stated in my review, the #16 is now my reference amplifier in my large system.
Also: scott888, forgot to include the Tubadour SE III on my equipment list for the #16 review. Yes, I'll talk about the difference in the DACs I'm reviewing and the Audio Mirror piece. |
Hey Lance,
So glad to hear that your "sore back" was worth it because of how much you are enjoying the #16! The #16 is completely grainless with an overall liquidity, is the quietest SS amp I have ever had in for review (that's way you are hearing micro-details you never heard before), and delivers timbres/tonality like a tube amplifier. It reminds me very much of the finest SET 211 amps I have had in-house with it's speed and purity of tonality, yet it also has unbelievable bottom end slam/control because of its massive power supply.
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First, mapman the Coda website definitely needs to be up dated, if you want all the information on specs just call or Email Doug Dale and he will provide the information you are seeking.
Secondly, on to smodtactical questions:
I own Pass Labs XA-60.8s which are great. However, the #16 is quieter, has overall better dynamics/bottom end control, has a more airy top end, offers more transit speed, and takes the liquidity of the Pass Lab’s mono-blocks to even a higher level. This was heard on many different speakers when I was doing the review.
Never have had the Luxman MA 400 amplifier in-house. When I have heard it in other systems thought it was very refined, smooth, and musical. My hunch is that its a touch warmer then the #16, but not as detailed or dynamic sounding. The #16 is a very detailed amplifier, but never sounds analytical, like some of the highly regarded European amps I have heard and did not care for. Another way to address your question, based on your personal taste and the context of your system’s synergy, would you want the overall tonality of the finest SET 211 or 300b amplifier? Both are great, just different, which do you like better? The #16 is like having a 100 Watt 211 SET amplifier regarding overall tonality and speed, the MA 400 would be like a 300B design. |
Hey twoleftears,
No, the Magnus amplifier is the solid state division of Canary Audio. I have reviewed a couple of their pieces (DAC/amplifier) which were very good along with their superlative tube gear. However, this has nothing to do regarding this thread on Coda's new generation of amplifiers. |
Hey markusthenaimnut,
Even if you do not exceed the class A rating of the #8 you still get an overall higher level of fitness /polish to the overall sonic presentation with the #16 amplifier. It takes the already wonderful level of performance of its less expensive sibling to a more effortless level that just sounds more relaxed and musical. I have reviewed both and that's what I experienced. There are at least two other GON members who started with the #8 and went to the #16 with the same experience. |
Hey mapman,
I have 20 amp dedicated circuits and have no problems tripping the circuit breaker turning on any amplifier. I never turn off the #16 and it draws around 230 watts and runs cool for a Class A design. So, I would not call the #16 a "green" design, but not expensive to run. Also you can put it into standby to conserve more energy, it only takes a few minutes to come up to speed because the standby mode keeps the caps charged.
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Hey smodtactical,
I know you are. Excellent amplifier but not in the league of Coda's new generation of amplifiers. |
Hey smodtactical,
Just read this thread and the one on the #8 and it concludes that both are superlative, but the #16 is better or read my original review at Stereo Times for the same conclusion. |
Hey tonnesen,
In the past I had tried the Sander's Magtech on my MG-20's. It drove them easily, but I found the overall sound somewhat dry and the imaging was not as 3D as my Pass Labs amplifiers.
I believe that Coda as the OEM supplier to Sander ended awhile back. So, I have not heard any of the current Magtech amps. However, the current generation of Coda amplifiers are superlative and if I was you, if you can arrange it, I would want to hear the #16 on the 10e ESLs, instead of just Sander's own amplifier. |
Hey kairosman,
Congrats! I'm really glad you are enjoying your #8 amplifier. It's really a wonderful piece and a very reasonable price. |
Hey yyzsantabarbara,
Coda has not up dated their website recently. I'm sure if you call or mail Doug at Coda he will give you all the specs you are seeking. |
Here's some specific specs on the #16 amplifier.
1) Class A operation to 100 watts/ 300 watts A/B into 4 ohms
2) Maximum current: 100 amperes per channel
3) Power supply: 3KVA power transformer/ Dual independent rectification and 280,000 of power supply filter capacitance
4) Weight: 110 pounds |
Finally, got the # 16 in-house after a lengthy delay caused by bad weather according to UPS that made the delivery four days late.
It was definitely worth the wait! The # 16 takes the already wonderful performance of the # 8 to a higher level of finesse and sophistication. What ever Doug and Eric learned/developed in this new generation, starting with the # 8, of amplification pays off in spades with this amplifier.
Even more purity of tonality/timbres, so quiet that the most delicate micro-details just pop out of the mix, explosive overall dynamics, and even more 3D sound-staging with precise layering and space between the players. None of this comes at the expense of sounding analytical like many Solid State amps that offer this type of resolution. This amplifier is way past the "dryness or grain" you still can hear in many solid state pieces, it oozes the sound into the room with total liquidity, and yet is explosive when the music calls for those moments.
I know this is heresy, but what keeps going through my mind is that the # 16 sounds like a SET 2A3 on steroids. The purity of tonality and sheer musicality that a reference level SET amplifiers provide, but with unlimited power and control to drive any speaker with its unbelievable power supply and current! |
Hey yyzsantabarbara,
The # 16 runs warm, not hot, you can comfortably leave your hand on either the top plate or cooling fins.
I have great respect for the Luxman m900u its a full/warmish amplifier. The Coda is far more explosive/dynamic, is overall more transparent and presents the micro-details more clearly. None of this comes at the expense of sounding analytical. It's pretty dead neutral, maybe be a smidgen warm, and is totally silky smooth overall in its presentation. I also believe it creates more air around the instruments with more precise location on the sound-stage.
I will try to get some photo's up in the next few days. |
Last night a fellow music lover came over who is familiar with the performance of my system, with his own musical selections, to hear what the Coda # 16 would change in the sonics of this system.
About an hour of listening, no talking he was mesmerized about what he was hearing, he shared that this was the best the system had ever sounded. Explosive dynamics, expanded accurate sound-staging, and overall natural beautiful rendering of his favorite musical selections. Yes, he thought the # 16 is a great amplifier, indeed! |
Hey yyzsantabarbara,
You are welcome. Please share after you do some auditioning of these great preamps/amps. I still find it hard to believe two aspects about the Coda gear: 1) That based on build quality and performance how reasonably priced their products are. Compared to other very high-end US companies they are really "dirt cheap" when you look at the much higher price tags they charge. 2) This great American company is still somewhat a "stealth" builder of superlative equipment in the US. Highly acclaimed in Europe and Asia, but under the radar here at home.
I contacted Coda about some pictures, and hopefully, Doug will post/link here shortly some quality pictures. Remember, you can get the # 16 with or without meters. The one I have in-house, which is a sexy looking beast, is without meters. |
Hey yyzsantabarbara,
Without getting into a lot of details, I would be very surprised if you liked the Benchmark AHB2, which you owned before, better then the Coda # 8. The AHB2 would not be on my list of favorite amplifiers I have seriously listened to. The # 8 is so much more musical across the board then the Benchmark amplifier. I'm also not a fan of their DACs and preamp.
As I stated in my review on the # 8 its a wonderful piece and insanely priced. You have to spend a lot more money to better it, like the # 16 which is about double the retail price. The # 16 physically is not a "giant" in it's size, but because of its massive power supply is very heavy and dense for its overall dimensions.
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Tomorrow, I'm having some listening guests who contacted me through this thread who want to hear the # 16 amplifier. If there was any burn-in to go through, the # 16 'Killed It" right out of the crate, it's done. Everything I stated before regarding it's superlative performance is of course still there, with a smidgen more of ease and liquidity overall!
If you live in the Chicago land area and want to hear this amplifier, just shoot me an Email and it would be a pleasure to have you as a " listening guest" in the future. |
On Wednesday a guest listener came over to see/hear the Coda #16 amplifier. He has heard every generation of this system as new pieces of gear come into it for reviewing of individual components.
He immediately noticed three changes/improvements in the system with the #16 in place. 1) The overall explosiveness/dynamics along with the extension and control of the bass frequencies were at a higher level. 2) The transparency and the ability to hear the smallest micro-details in the music was more apparent to his ears. 3) The size in all directions of the soundstage, the air between instruments, and the location of these players was a remarkable upgrade. He said, " the system already sounded great before this amplifier, but now the illusion of music is even better". |
Hey roadwarrior75,
On the Tekton and MSMT speakers both the Bricasti M15 and Coda #16 sound terrific. However, for my taste the #16 is more explosive/dynamic, throws a larger sound-stage, and is slightly more detailed without out losing any musicality or beauty to the excellent M15.
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Yesterday, the owner of a great store in the Chicago land area, Toska Audio, and his wife came over to hear the system being powered by the Coda 07x and #16 combo.
Pete at heart is really a "tube" guy, he wants liquidity, warmth, and full bodied imaging. Pat his wife is a great listener who is quite sensitive to even the slightest "brightness/harshness" at all really enjoyed themselves listening to different genres of music. Pete said if it was not for how quiet the system was along with power full bass extension and overall dynamics he would had believed that this was a totally tube based system.
The Coda #16 and the 07x preamp are very special pieces, indeed! |
