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Preview: CODA Technologies new generation number#8 Stereo Amplifier

I have always had a keen interest in hearing a CODA amplifier in my own system for a long time. This company has been in existence for over twenty years. It's if they were a "stealth" product, very few American reviews, built many highly regarded amplifiers for other companies as an OEM source, and most of their products are loved/sold in the Asian/European markets.

I finally was able to set up a review for hometheaterreview.com on their new generation single chassis number#8 amplifier.  Internally, their has been some very important changes in the power supply, along with "kept in house" different part selections through out the entire circuit pathway.  Externally, the #8 has a pair of blue light power meters and is quite a good looking piece of gear. The build quality and parts used are at the highest level.  The number#8 amplifier is 150 watts into 8 Ohms and 300 watts into 4 Ohms.  The first 18 watts is pure class A.  Regardless of the volume levels I play the amp never leaves its class A rating.  Like all Coda amplifiers a special quality is the #8 ability to provide 150 Amperes of current if needed!

Well, the beauty of what this amplifier has brought to my system has lead to all night long listening sessions.  I have owned/reviewed other great SS amplifiers. However, the #8, being driven by the new Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL preamplifier has some special qualities, here are a few:

1) It might be the quietest amplifier I have ever had in my system.  This allows all the micro-details to float out and be heard.  Yet, the #8 never sounds edgy/electrical/mechanical as other very detailed amps can.
2) It's lighting fast and provides the speed and aliveness you find in live music to a higher degree then other amps I have had in my system.
3) The overall tonality is "silky-smooth" with not a touch of grain/dryness.
4) The macro-dynamics overall and the control of the bottom end are superlative.


In my review I'll get into all the details why this is a killer amplifier!  I also think its a "bargain" at it's retail price of $6,500.00.  So, if your in the market I strongly suggest you might want to hear the #8 before you purchase another amplifier.  It's that good.





 
teajay
yyzsantabarbara
647 posts
 
@jujubeez The Anthem ARC is in the separate STR preamp and also the STR integrated not in the separate STR amp.

I am going to do a have a dealer do a DSP shootout for me with Lyngdorf 2170 | Linn SELEKT DSM | Anthem STR in a truly bad room. I will use a separate amp for all 3 demos. That is where an amp like the CODA 8 sounds interesting to me. I heard the Lyngdorf 2170 with $15K Simaudio 860A amp and it sounded superb (no DSP was used). The CODA sounds extremely promising for the same purpose at $6.2K.

Having DSP on the preamp section seems to be the what most companies are doing. There are a lot more companies that have DSP solutions but I am focusing on the 3 above which 1 dealer has for demo.
audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
1,621 posts
 
Yysantabarbera we do believe that the Coda is going to be fantastic so much so we ordered one.

This will give us 3 killer $6k amps the 400 watt Anthem Str, the 175watt Krell XD 175 at $7 and the 150w Coda at 6.2k

The Anthem Str is an amazing deal for $4k preamp dac room corrector.

With the persona 5f that would be one fantastic setup.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ
yyzsantabarbara
647 posts
 
I have been thinking of a CODA for about 6 months now. I was tempted to buy that 50 watt Class A amp they have for $4.5K but I needed a bit more power for the speakers I owned at that time. I am glad I waited and this new #8 sounds interesting. 

I like the idea of a streamer + DAC + maybe room correction hooked up to a separate high quality amp like this CODA #8 is being described.
grk
49 posts
 
Sounds like a great amp! I haven't seen it yet on their website, but I am concerned by the low input impedances into the balanced inputs of their other amps. Some of them are only 1K ohms into a balanced input, but 50K into the RCA inputs. I don't ever recall ever seeing an impedance that low into a balanced input. Teajay - do you know the input impedance of the amp? Of course the LTA preamp has a very low output impedance and therefore the pairing with the CODA amp would not be a problem.
teajay OP
1,333 posts
 
Hi grk,

The unbalanced is 50k Ohms, I don't know what the balanced number would be.  Yes, there is no problem at all with the LTA preamp driving the No.8 in my system.
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