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Chord Electronics ULTIMA PRE Flagship reference quality Preamplifier

£35,000.00
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Chord Electronics a British HiFi manufacture, develop award-winning proprietary processes without compromise; technology at the apogee of its game. They are unapologetically unique: they don’t follow convention, they provide extraordinary sound and a mechanical design to suit your lifestyle.

As with all Chord Electronics products, their avionics heritage inspires only the highest quality: all of their products start life as a single billet of aircraft-grade aluminium. This is just one of the hundreds of processes that help shape their multi-award-winning devices; the same standards, care and attention run through the production of all of Chord electronics units.

When you place an order for a device in the Table Top range and above, your purchase is assigned to an engineer who will begin the process of curating each individual component before carefully crafting the unit to the highest standards. Only once it has passed numerous measured and listening tests, will it qualify for a Chord Electronics name badge. Naturally, this is a bespoke process that takes time, however, during your products’ build, you are more than welcome to ask your retailer any questions that you may have.

Designed to be entirely uncompromising, the Chord electronics ULTIMA preamp is a world-class amplifier with advanced proprietary Chord Electronics technology. A product of three decades of research, design and engineering here in the UK, it benefits from true dual-mono construction with separate ultra-high-frequency power supplies for each channel, giving the best possible separation. With the addition of valuable low-noise circuitry, the noise floor performance is exceptional, at beyond -117dB.

Featuring impressive double-height dimensions, the ULTIMA preamp has been created to perfectly complement the flagship ULTIMA mono power amplifier, also the most advanced in the company’s 30-year history. With wide-ranging inputs and outputs, including balanced connectivity, ULTIMA offers complete flexibility for high-performance partnering equipment, enhanced further by the fascia-mounted separate frequency EQ adjust controls for the left and right channels. Headphone outputs offer further flexibility for late-night and personal listening in style.

Each ULTIMA preamp is hand-made in the Kent factory, with the various stages of build and production carefully overseen by one highly skilled technician. Sensitive internal circuit features are protected by solid milled aluminium shielding to prevent RF interference and Chord Electronics’ legendary UK-produced aircraft-grade aluminium provides a solid and resonance-eliminating enclosure for the electronics within, complemented by the famous Integra Leg System.

ULTIMA is the ultimate expression of the finest high-performance, ultra-fast, ultra-high-power amplifier technology available today.

FEATURES

Inputs & Outputs:

8 Stereo Inputs and 3 Stereo Outputs

  • 4x Stereo Balanced XLR Inputs – Line In 1, Line In 2, Line In 3, and Line In 4
  • 4x Stereo Unbalanced RCA Inputs – Line In 5, Line In 6, Tape 1, and Tape 2
  • 3x Stereo Outputs – Selectable – Either via Balanced XLR or Unbalanced RCA
  • 1x Stereo Balanced XLR AV Bypass Input

SPECIFICATIONS

Frequency Range:

2.5Hz – 200kHz +/- 3dB

Total Harmonic Distortion:

0.002% 20Hz – 20kHz

Intermodulation Distortion:

-125dB on all inputs

Signal to Noise Ratio:

-117dB on all inputs

Channel Separation:

20Hz @ 110dB, 1kHz @ 105dB, 10kHz @ 100dB, 20kHz @ 95dB

Channel Balance:

0.01dB

Input Max Voltage:

17v RMS Balanced – 8.5v RMS Unbalanced

Output Max Voltage:

17v RMS Balanced – 8.5v RMS Unbalanced

Output Offset:

0mV (Both Channels)

Potentiometer Performance:

0dB 0.5dB, -20dB 0.2dB, -60dB 0.24dB (13seconds Full Travel)

Nominal Gain:

All inputs subject to six levels of switchable gain (x0.5, x1, x1.5, x2, x2.5, x3)

Input Impedance:

100 kΩ Balanced – 50 kΩ Unbalanced

Output Impedance:

100Ω (Short Circuit Protected)

Operating Voltage:

85v – 270v AC (50Hz – 60Hz) Auto Switching

Power Consumption:

60w

Dimensions Without Integra Legs:

420mm (w) x 355mm (d) x 310mm (h)

Dimensions With Included Integra Legs:

480mm (w) x 355mm (d) x 350mm (h)

Weight:

30kG

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Testimonials

Bought some Rega Kyte speakers, stands and chords from DB online and they were incredibly helpful. They updated my delivery address very quickly and recommended a longer cut of cables which they did complimentary. They also noticed I didn’t order with banana plugs so called me back to double check, which I did mean to order. When i had some issues connecting my cables and speakers, I called for some advice which they happily gave. Excellent service and next day delivery to London. Thoroughly recommend.

James F.

Probably one of the best companies in the world. They had to special order in the speakers which took a fair bit of time, which is totally understandable, but they kept in touch with me throughout the entire time with updates (even on a Sunday!!!) and once the speakers were with them, they were dispatched and arrived next day.

The entire sound system that I purchased is insanely good, but still not as good as Doug Brady HiFi!

Guy H.

I have recently purchased a HiFi package with Doug Brady and I could not be more thrilled with my experience with them.
When I walked into the store, I was made to feel welcome and was introduced to some of the products. I produces a list of specific items I was interested in and John was really helpful in showing me these items. He set the system up so I could experience it, he made some suggestions which made the package even better. Nothing seemed too much trouble for him, he was very knowledgeable about the products and gave great advice. I didn't feel pressured to buy anything, or didn't feel that he was upselling at any point. I left with an amazing package and I'd like to thank John and the team for the fantastic experience.

Kaylay L.

Author information

It’s now two weeks since I bought home my new system and I wanted to say thanks again for all your help, advice and guidance, not to mention cups of tea. I now have a system that meets all my requirements and sounds fantastic. Special thanks to Jon, who I hope is on the road to recovery from his operation and to Roger, who helped me finalise my choice. The Rega Saturn, Hegel H190V and Dali Rubicon 2 is undoubtedly the best system I have ever owned.

Bryan M