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

It’s those darn bright blue LEDs! How are you dealing with that? Thinking I can cover them somehow that looks tasteful. Got any ideas?

@philefreak 

Yes, black electrical tape. You won’t see it from your listening position, assuming you have a black one. If it is silver, well I don’t know. 

You see my user picture? That is of the yellow star in the centre of the 15.5+ front face with a small square of electrical tape in the centre. Without the tape it is piercing- at least this one has an option to turn it off. 

And congrats!

@teajay 

Can you comment on how the SPL S1200 or M1000 compare to the Coda S5.5 and/or Coda 16? I believe you've had them all "in house" for review...

Thanks!

Does anyone at al lother than Terry London write reviews for Coda? I'm serious. He's the only person reviewing them ever. No Stereophile, No Absloute Sound, Part Time Audiohphile etc. really weird that if they're so good no mainstream credible mag will or has reviewed them -ever as far as I can tell.