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

@paoz

A good question I think others are curious about.  Another poster asked this early on, I easily may have missed it, but I don’t remember it being addressed.  Maybe it will be included in the online review.

Hey Guys,

I did address what is the difference between the Pass Labs XA-25 vs. the Coda S5.5 earlier in this thread. I have owned the XA-25, its a great amplifier, my favorite of the present XA generation of Pass Labs amps, The S5.5 is quieter, more detailed, faster/dynamic, with tighter bass, and a much more airy extended top end. Both are great amplifiers, its a matter of personal taste and synergy with your system. 

Teajay

I bought mine from Mike Kay at Audio Archon near Chicago, great guy to deal with.....but have no idea on return policy