CHORD Alto Headphone/Power Amp Review

[SoundsGood2Me]

X

 

[pathtonowhere]

Ha ha ha!
I remember how Chord representatives said several years ago that they don't do Class D because they can't get the distortions ultra-low enough so they let others that are content with not extraordinarily low distortion do it.
And now....this?!
Me myself I wouldn't buy it because of the looks alone, Chord products look garish and infantile.
I don't mind Amir's recommendation, the measurements are on full display. There are a ton of reviews on the internet that have ONLY the recommendation. Now that would be a problem. Just be grateful and shut up!

 

[voodooless]

Just be grateful and shut up!

Well, nobody said we could not discuss his recommendation…

 

[solderdude]

Use case is, it has up to 4 sockets for 4 different headphones in case you want to conduct A/B/C/D tests or invite your 3 best friends all listening at the same time sitting around the Alto.

Yep, and not only that you can connect 4x (but all using different connectors) 32ohm headphones in parallel and drive all of them to max output level at the same time.
It would be recommended to use headphones with a similar sensitivity though.
4x a 13ohm DCA would also be possible.

And ... could even do that 'of the grid' using a 12V car battery.
Distortion would still be below audible levels.

You would have to fork out a lot of money ... but lets face it ... when you are owning 4x a top level DCA you can also afford this amp.

Not recommend it for today's sensitive low impedance headphones though. One little mistake and they are toast.

 

[Phorize]

It is extremely strange to see a $4,000 distortion generator to be "recommended" on this platform. Maybe it has warm slam, dynamic timbre, textured imaging, and good decay without sibilance, who knows...

It seems like one of those Rotten Tomatoes ratings with 98% from the "critics" and 11% from the audience.

That stated reason for the recommendation was power.

 

[Sokel]

Sometimes it's simpler than it looks.
If I had to choose between a normal distortion pattern under 0.1% THD and a hard clipping one, I would get the former 24/7/365.

Why? Cause the first case is probably inaudible, the second case is not only audible but also dangerous*. It only takes one time to listen to a high crest factor work unclipped vs clipped to know what's the deal.
Not that I like this thing. But I would prefer it if power needs were severe over anything else with nicer numbers but weaker.

*Edit: High power can also be dangerous if not sanely used, it would be silly to get this to drive 103dB sens HP for example, it's like asking for trouble.

 

[solderdude]

it would be silly to get this to drive 103dB sens HP for example, it's like asking for trouble.

103dBV sensitivity high impedance headphones are well suited and safe to use with this amp.

103dBmW efficiency lower impedance headphones might not be a good idea/save to use.

 

[Sokel]

103dBV sensitivity high impedance headphones are well suited and safe to use with this amp.

103dBmW efficiency headphones might not be a good idea/save to use.

I do mean the later, of course.

 

[AtticReclus3]

Why would anyone be surprised on the price.. this is Chord we are talking about.

Also if Emotiva still makes it, they have speaker amps where you can put jumpers in for the headphone output that deliver all the juice towards the 6.3mm

 

[xaxxon]

This "recommendation" is the problem with places that take gifts (even loaners are gifts) to make content. It costs the company money to send out loaners - not just shipping but actual cost of debt or lack of interest on money. It leads to questions as to why the product is recommended.

When the product underperforms for ANY price but especially for its price it really looks sketchy.

 

[kyuu]

This "recommendation" is the problem with places that take gifts (even loaners are gifts) to make content. It costs the company money to send out loaners - not just shipping but actual cost of debt or lack of interest on money. It leads to questions as to why the product is recommended.

When the product underperforms for ANY price but especially for its price it really looks sketchy.

Yes, I'm sure Amir was pressured by Bloom Audio to make a recommendation so he could make content on his own time on a site that is almost certainly a net money sink. C'mon.

 

[amirm]

When the product underperforms for ANY price but especially for its price it really looks sketchy.

From power point of view, this product would rank on top of any such ranking. There is nothing sketchy about that. And power is something I always favor. Nothing new about that either.

 

[amirm]

This "recommendation" is the problem with places that take gifts (even loaners are gifts) to make content.

I have so much stuff to test that I am in no need of more products loaners. This is why you are seeing much faster rate of reviews. I am trying to make a dent in my backlog.

As to my recommendation, I have explained it. And my criteria for it. You can believe it or dismiss it. The core of the review are the measurements which put you in a lot better position to understand this product. Without it, where would you be?

Net, net, the review is a positive thing in the way it informs everyone about the capabilities of this product in a way that you would never have. Whatever led to it, should be something that you celebrate, not complain about.

Finally, this product was a pain to test. First, it had two modes so I had to run two suite of measurements (headphone and speaker). Then it failed in the second test, making me do a bunch of extra work then and the next day to finish the testing. So please don't talk like someone gave me a golden goose or something. Such testing would have cost thousands of dollars if you had sent the product to a testing facility. So any benefit that might come to me, is incidental.

 

[amirm]

Video review added to the OP and this thread: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...r-and-headphone-amplifier-review-video.61389/

 

[xaxxon]

Yes, I'm sure Amir was pressured by Bloom Audio to make a recommendation so he could make content on his own time on a site that is almost certainly a net money sink. C'mon.

I hear you but with anyone else I would just assume it was sponsored. Not here, but anywhere else.

 

[kyuu]

I hear you but with anyone else I would just assume it was sponsored. Not here, but anywhere else.

What is Amir supposed to do? It drives his hard-to-drive headphones effortlessly and sounds great, and he's supposed to conclude it sucks? It's not like he hid or glossed over the issues in the measurements. It's not the first time he's given a recommendation to something that had what appeared to be poor measurements but which he liked in the listening test (or vice versa). He got hate for those as well, even though they weren't loaned by a dealer or the manufacturer (to my recollection). But once again, it seems like people are telling Amir he's not allowed to recommend something even if his experience with it is good. And in this case, even get accused of bias because it was loaned by a dealer, as absurd as that is.

 

[milosz]

This is a cult object.

 

[Wunderphones]

I thought Chord at least made clean-sounding gear, even if it’s too expensive. This is just sad.

 

[Miser_Audioman]

Listening to my Schiit Heretic that I got on closeout for $59, hooked up an SU1, wiim mini, DCA Drop closed Aeons as I read this. A little more than the tax on this Chord for my whole system. Nope, I don’t get why anyone would purchase this, but each his own i suppose.

 

[amirm]

I thought Chord at least made clean-sounding gear, even if it’s too expensive. This is just sad.

Their DACs are very good. The rest are designed by others. The phono stage I tested from them was horrible.