Need Amp Advice from the Collective

@markmuse I have not heard the S20 but owned the CODA #8. It seems to me from the web description that is like more similar to the #8 and not the #11 or #16.

General 5 — CODA

Now the #8 is not a Class A (just a bit) unlike the #11 and #16. I like the Schiit Wotan over the CODA #8. It is warmer and as powerful as the #8. More similar than different. The S20 seems be in the same vein as the CODA #8. It seems to have the grunt, but I doubt it has that Class A magic that definitely works wonderfully with Maggies.

The only other Class A CODA amp that fits your weight requirements would be the S5.5 and I was looking at that amp for the Maggies but 50 watts is not enough for Maggies, even with a powerful power supply behind it.

When you hear the #16 on the LRS+ and compare it to the #8 and the Wotan, it is no contest. However, the #16 does not meet your weight requirements. That is why I think the KRELL XD is the one I would try, but it is risky because of the status of KRELL.

What makes you thing the Coda S20 will sound weak? The Dragons aren’t cutting it, but they don’t sound weak. My only problem with Pass is the size and weight. What can you tell me about the sonic qualities of the Parasound?

I based that comment on how weak the Coda No.8 and No.11 both sounded in my system compared to my Parasound A21. That was with them driving my Magnepan 0.7s. The A21 sounded the best with the Maggies by a fairly wide margin. I can’t imagine the additional 50 WPC of the Coda S20 would make a significant difference over the 150 WPC of the Coda 8. Parasound is not quite as resolving, but paired with a very transparent preamp like a Benchmark LA4, it’s transparent enough. I did some free and easy mods to my A21 which seemed to improve that aspect some: dampened the filter caps, improved the xformer shield drain, and tightened all the binding posts from inside the chassis. 

The A21 has a tonal profile that’s similar to the Hegel H190 I owned for a time, but the Parasound has more depth, drive, headroom and instrument separation. Both are on the warm side of neutral (probably too warm for most tube preamps). Paired  my current speakers, Satori Helios Textremes, the A21 provides all the resolution I could ever want. It is the best amp/speaker combo I’ve assembled in the past 20 years, among dozens. The A21 has a distortion profile that’s second-order dominant which I suspect is why it’s so non fatiguing. As you may know, most SS amps are third-order dominant. 

The Pass sound falls somewhat between Parasound and Coda IME. I really enjoyed my time with the Pass XA25 (purportedly their best sounding model) but it was a joke compared to the A21 in driving the Maggies. If I were to ever get the itch to replace the A21, I would probably go for a Pass 250 or 350.

Hope that helps. 
 

markmuse

Take a look at Sanders amplifiers, they are designed to be used with panel speakers, and their specific amplifier needs. High current, huge power, and around 50 pounds.....$5,000 to $6,000.

Reach out to Roger Sanders, he's a bit of a guru when it comes to electrostatics

@helomech Thank you for such complete information. Based upon your description of the A21, it sounds like the Dragon mono's have a similar sonic signature. 

@vthokie83 Thanks for that reminder. I will look into them.

Thank you for such complete information. Based upon your description of the A21, it sounds like the Dragon mono's have a similar sonic signature.

I’m somewhat doubtful they sound similar, because I once owned the Rogue Pharaoh which is a similar topology and it was a complete dog. I compared it to the original Parasound Halo Integrated, which sounded far more powerful despite its lower power rating. I really have yet to come across a Class D amp that controls woofers as well as a good AB amp can. I get that many subwoofers employ Class D, but I suspect that’s mostly due to cost, size and heat, not performance.