CHORD Alto Headphone/Power Amp Review

[kemmler3D]

This is not the first review where Amir gave something a recommendation even though it had bad numbers in certain areas. In those times I think it's about the product serving a particular purpose (live sound, difficult headphones) well / suitably, not pure performance.

Also, the good thing is we have enough information to form our own opinion here, so Amir sharing his opinion (IMO) is not the same where the reviewer's opinion is all you have to go on.

I would never buy this, the performance is pretty mediocre, the looks aren't for me, and I don't need tons of power for my headphones. I can tell this for myself, because Amir provides all this data.

 

[Alexander Gödde]

IMO, with headphone amps power isn't that important and is generally overrated as a feature. 250 mW is enough to drive most headphones loud enough to cause hearing damage. If you have an unusually inefficient headphone like the HE-6, then sure you need more power. But that is the exception, not the norm. From that perspective, this Chord product is obscenely overpriced. For the same price you can get a pair of SOTA headphones and a much cleaner amp and DAC to drive them.

I constantly run out of power on my Hiby R4 DAP (~500 mW/32 Ohm), with multiple headphones, including the Sennheiser HD800 and, weirdly enough, the Focal Clear OG.

I have a -6 dB pre-amp setting in one channel (slightly deaf in one ear), use EQ, which often requires quite a bit more negative pre-amp (-8 dB is not unusual), and listen to recordings of orchestras (high dynamic range). Granted, part of the issue is lack of gain, since my O2 amp (~600 mW/32 Ohm) on its high gain settings is enough for most use cases. But even there, if I listen to a recording of Mahler's 8th symphony with my DCA E3 (quite low efficiency headphone) I need to switch to the Topping L50 or my old-school Sony integrated amp if I want to get the full effect. I heard this once performed live and, seated in the second row, was completely blown away and incredulous how loud it is in parts.

 

[Tovarich007]

Well, I have to admit i'm feeling puzzled by this review and by the final Amir recommandation.

First, I have to repeat I deeply respect Amir's job in testing and reviewing a lot of different devices, in complete indpedence. That's great for all music lovers and audio enthusiasts.
So this is not a critic towards Amir and ASR.

But anyway, give a recommandation only for the practically unlimited power of the headphone output is a bit strange. First, nobody actually needs such max pwer to listen to headphones, except if one wants to become deaf. Of course, at normal listening levels, this head amp will not produce audible distorsion.

But, except power output and its original style and its rather rugged construction, I can't find any other qualities to this model

The other measured specs are far from very good, to say the least (I admit that at moderate or medium listening levels, it won't be a disaster, sonically speaking). But the price is silly expensive and the power amp is rather mediocre for real power and performance as well. Except if you want to do use it in a secondary monitoring system with cheap limited bandwidth speakers, the like of smal Auratones, I can't see no interest in the power amp section.

Certainly not a product I would buy, for sure.

 

[Lupin]

Well it's another Chord product with the same Chord issue; there's absolutely nothing that justifies the absurdly high price tag for this device.

Although we all "secretly" know that this is targeted at the subjective audiophiles who's only metric for performance/sound quality is the cost of a unit.

 

[Robbo99999]

I constantly run out of power on my Hiby R4 DAP (~500 mW/32 Ohm), with multiple headphones, including the Sennheiser HD800 and, weirdly enough, the Focal Clear OG.

I have a -6 dB pre-amp setting in one channel (slightly deaf in one ear), use EQ, which often requires quite a bit more negative pre-amp (-8 dB is not unusual), and listen to recordings of orchestras (high dynamic range). Granted, part of the issue is lack of gain, since my O2 amp (~600 mW/32 Ohm) on its high gain settings is enough for most use cases. But even there, if I listen to a recording of Mahler's 8th symphony with my DCA E3 (quite low efficiency headphone) I need to switch to the Topping L50 or my old-school Sony integrated amp if I want to get the full effect. I heard this once performed live and, seated in the second row, was completely blown away and incredulous how loud it is in parts.

If some of your recordings are just recorded at a low level and aren't using all of the dynamic range, ie never getting close to 0dBFS then you could use a software playback program to digitally raise the gain for those tracks which will make your headphones easier to drive on those tracks. Different playback software have different names for the settings you'd use to achieve that effect (some playback software can do this automatically with the click of a few buttons, "Replay Gain" and other terms I think for an example - the end result being the music will be played as loud as possible digitally whilst retaining all of it's dynamic range).

 

[AdamG]

Well, I have to admit i'm feeling puzzled by this review and by the final Amir recommandation.

First, I have to repeat I deeply respect Amir's job in testing and reviewing a lot of different devices, in complete indpedence. That's great for all music lovers and audio enthusiasts.
So this is not a critic towards Amir and ASR.

But anyway, give a recommandation only for the practically unlimited power of the headphone output is a bit strange. First, nobody actually needs such max pwer to listen to headphones, except if one wants to become deaf. Of course, at normal listening levels, this head amp will not produce audible distorsion.

But, except power output and its original style and its rather rugged construction, I can't find any other qualities to this model

The other measured specs are far from very good, to say the least (I admit that at moderate or medium listening levels, it won't be a disaster, sonically speaking). But the price is silly expensive and the power amp is rather mediocre for real power and performance as well. Except if you want to do use it in a secondary monitoring system with cheap limited bandwidth speakers, the like of smal Auratones, I can't see no interest in the power amp section.

Certainly not a product I would buy, for sure.

If you look at the “Reader” review Poll score on the first page/post. You will see that the majority of ASR Members agree with you. Amir tries very hard not to let the Product price influence his recommendations. So he recommends, or doesn’t recommend, based solely on “does the device do what it says it does?” and how well or poorly does it compete with similar devices previously tested and measured. @amirm is welcome to correct me if I have misrepresented his views and Review objectives.

 

[iamamadman]

At this price point, you should expect flawless performance. And definitely not a pop when switching on and off. It's ridiculous.

 

[Astoneroad]

...Amir tries very hard not to let the Product price influence his recommendations. So he recommends, or doesn’t recommend, based solely on “does the device do what it says it does?” and how well or poorly does it compete with similar devices previously tested and measured.

Well... sorta... kinda... sometimes... maybe. Not to nit pick... but here's his conclusion for the JBL 590 towers: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/jbl-studio-590-speaker-review.47269/

"Conclusions
There are two different speakers to analyze here: one that costs only $400 each as I bought it vs normal cost of $1,000. At $400, they are incredibly good. They are powerful, with even tonality and bass response that blows away any bookshelf speaker you would buy for $400. At $1000 each, I think there is some pause due to design issues here and there from many resonances to distortion."

I read this as recommended at $400, not so much at $1000. Perhaps the JBL review is an isolated example, I don't know... but it refutes your post, no? Why is the Chord not given the same sniff test results?

 

[AdamG]

Well... sorta... kinda... sometimes... maybe. Not to nit pick... but here's his conclusion for the JBL 590 towers: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/jbl-studio-590-speaker-review.47269/

"Conclusions
There are two different speakers to analyze here: one that costs only $400 each as I bought it vs normal cost of $1,000. At $400, they are incredibly good. They are powerful, with even tonality and bass response that blows away any bookshelf speaker you would buy for $400. At $1000 each, I think there is some pause due to design issues here and there from many resonances to distortion."

I read this as recommended at $400, not so much at $1000. Perhaps the JBL review is an isolated example, I don't know... but it refutes your post, no? Why is the Chord not given the same sniff test results?

I did say He “Tries very hard”. No one is perfect.

 

[Arnas]

Amir is too generous here.

 

[Chester]

People, get over it…..it’s an opinion, nothing more.

 

[brandall10]

What is dis? A Chord for ants???

View attachment 434667

Struck a Chord and it's probably ant minor.

 

[CedarX]

At this price point, you should expect flawless performance. And definitely not a pop when switching on and off. It's ridiculous.

You should be correct… but the audio market is almost opposite: flawless performance is achieved at a reasonable price point, and everything above is usually worse in some aspects (equally flawless at best).

 

[amirm]

Well... sorta... kinda... sometimes... maybe.

It is vast majority of times. But as I have said repeatedly, I make specific allowances at times for say, budget products.

 

[dark132]

Oh, I still like 2qute very much, and I often take it out to listen to jazz late at night. Although it is not as cost-effective as the current DAC. As for the ￥4500 product, it is definitely for those who have money and don't need IQ.

 

[audio2920]

I don't think the power-on thump is an issue.

Who here's feeling brave enough to put headphones on, THEN turn on the 6000mW amp..?

"Oh wait, someone left this thing on maximum volu..........."

 

[JSmith]

Who here's feeling brave enough to put headphones on, THEN turn on the 6000mW amp..?

"Oh wait, someone left this thing on maximum volu..........."

JSmith

 

[Brian Hall]

Why use hard to drive headphones? The HD800S exists, sounds great and is not hard to drive.

 

[damarfi]

I was so "proud" of this forum and Amir because I believe in a scientific approach to evaluating audio devices and I think this forum is of exceptional importance because it breaks down prejudices about ultra-expensive devices and exposes marketing scams. But this conclusion about Chord makes me confused a bit...do not want to go further of that

 

[VientoB]

I was so "proud" of this forum and Amir because I believe in a scientific approach to evaluating audio devices and I think this forum is of exceptional importance because it breaks down prejudices about ultra-expensive devices and exposes marketing scams. But this conclusion about Chord makes me confused a bit...do not want to go further of that

Why are you confused?