Chord Huei Phono Preamp Review

[amirm]

I understand that the conclusion is that my hearing is the problem. .

That's not the conclusion. I said the format itself is so awful that it overwhelms what distortion this thing adds to it. Grove noise for example is well in excess of the noise floor of this phono stage, as bad as it is. Cartridge colorations and distortion can also dominate.

In this case could you take apart with your hearing and confirm the measuring results? Also as a note to add the before the chord Huei I had the Cambridge audio duo

I don't have it to do any experiments with it. The bottom line with this unit is simple: you pay more, get less, and a hard to use device to boot.

 

[amirm]

I am not looking to affirm my gear based on listening. I just want to understand what the measurements mean.

The measurements show that this phono stage is less transparent than countless other phono stages. How well they manifest themselves in an LP format, is anyone's guess. You have signed up to use a format that has many faults. With this phono stage, you are adding to that soup of distortion and noise.

 

[Deleted member 31750]

The measurements show that this phono stage is less transparent than countless other phono stages. How well they manifest themselves in an LP format, is anyone's guess. You have signed up to use a format that has many faults. With this phono stage, you are adding to that soup of distortion and noise.

Fair explanation regarding the vinyl limitations but still is not clear to me. You’ve mentioned that the groove noice is higher than the noise introduced by the component. Is that like measuring the light from a candle inside a very well illuminated room?

 

[Deleted member 31750]

How well they manifest themselves in an LP format, is anyone's guess.

So, are you saying that the measurements are anyone’s guess how will manifest? I don’t really understand. Are you measuring something that can manifest in different ways?

 

[Chrispy]

@CortL curious, how/why did you select that particular phono stage? By reviews? Listening tests of some sort? Aesthetics?

 

[Deleted member 31750]

@CortL curious, how/why did you select that particular phono stage? By reviews? Listening tests of some sort? Aesthetics?

The first think was versatility of setting because I have many cartridges and the gain settings are a good match to all cartridges I have. Secondly that I can connect two amplifiers. The XLR for a long run cable to my main amplifier and the RCA to the headphones amplifier using one or the other but can use both simultaneously. Finally the ability to change settings on the fly without any dip switches. Also the fact that is inherently balanced played a role since my amplifiers are fully balanced designs (true balance). I bought the phono with 30 days return policy but it did what it says and it was quieter in terms of noise from my previous stage which was the Cambridge audio duo. I am not going into the listening because that’s subjective.

 

[Deleted member 31750]

@Chrispy also please allow me to clarify what I mean when I say the huei had lower noise floor. Both units set at 60db gain, same cables, rca out, same distance and connected to a Yamaha AS-3000 fitted with db meters. Without playing music and the volume control at 12 o’clock the Cambridge audio had 5db higher noise.

 

[Vini darko]

My test for signal to noise is plug the device in question directly into my power amp , listen to the noise close to the speaker then turn it on and listen to the noise it generates. I have one device that passes this test. Topping L30 is absolutely inaudible.

 

[Deleted member 31750]

My test for signal to noise is plug the device in question directly into my power amp , listen to the noise close to the speaker then turn it on and listen to the noise it generates. I have one device that passes this test. Topping L30 is absolutely inaudible.

And what this test tells you since you will not be using the device directly to the power amp. Is my assumption right?

 

[solderdude]

Is that like measuring the light from a candle inside a very well illuminated room?

It's like measuring the light bouncing of a wall in a well lit room and the same situation but when the candle is also lit (center of the room).
You won't be able to see/measure the 'extra light' the candle casts on the wall (Chord) but will only see groove noise (well lit room)

 

[Deleted member 31750]

It's like measuring the light bouncing of a wall in a well lit room and the same situation but when the candle is also lit (center of the room).
You won't be able to see/measure the 'extra light' the candle casts on the wall (Chord) but will only see groove noise (well lit room)

So from my understanding based on your explanation do you mean that groove noise levels is far more important than SNR? If you could peak a zero noise would your preference be on SNR or groove noise? Theoretically speaking

 

[Vini darko]

And what this test tells you since you will not be using the device directly to the power amp. Is my assumption right?

It tells me (roughly) how much noise is polluting my device. Its suprising how much variation there is both in audible level and frequencies.

 

[solderdude]

So from my understanding based on your explanation do you mean that groove noise levels is far more important than SNR?

S/N ratio differs per frequency. Groove noise will exceed the background noise of any decent phono stage.
When you hear no to little noise when the needle is not on the disc and you drop the needle you will hear noise that is higher in level.
Depending on the frequency spectrum of the pre-amp noise and that of the vinyl of course.

The lower the pre-amp noise the better the pre-amp is. Noise from the used vinyl will not change.

Noise from the Emotiva is 20dB (4x lower in perceived loudness) than the lowest gain setting of the Chord (MM)

 

[Deleted member 31750]

It tells me (roughly) how much noise is polluting my device. Its suprising how much variation there is both in audible level and frequencies.

That’s clear but what is more important, how much or how the noise will effect your device?

 

[Deleted member 31750]

S/N ratio differs per frequency. Groove noise will exceed the background noise of any decent phono stage.
When you hear no to little noise when the needle is not on the disc and you drop the needle you will hear noise that is higher in level.
Depending on the frequency spectrum of the pre-amp noise and that of the vinyl of course.

The lower the pre-amp noise the better the pre-amp is. Noise from the used vinyl will not change.

Ok, based on what you’ve said that means grove noise is more important in terms of the impact it has in vinyl reproduction. Is that assumption correct? Let’s say buying a well pressed record with wide grooves and low surface noise is more important compared to a phono stage with lower SNR measurements. Would you say this assumption is correct?

 

[JohnYang1997]

Ok, based on what you’ve said that means grove noise is more important in terms of the impact it has in vinyl reproduction. Is that assumption correct? Let’s say buying a well pressed record with wide grooves and low surface noise is more important compared to a phono stage with lower SNR measurements. Would you say this assumption is correct?

Yes.
To take it further, why use vinyl? Digital is better. If you like vinyl that's fine. I'm just suggesting an obvious solution.

 

[Deleted member 31750]

Yes.
To take it further, why use vinyl? Digital is better. If you like vinyl that's fine. I'm just suggesting an obvious solution.

I never said that I like vinyl. We are just discussing the value and information measurements can provide. Let’s stick to the discussion. Is SNR more valuable information or groove noise?

 

[Vini darko]

That’s clear but what is more important, how much or how the noise will effect your device?

That really depends on the level/type of noise when balanced agaist signal level and the amount of gain/attenuation stages it passes through. However that noise isn't in the source music so its the enemy of hifi reproduction. Without a personal apx555 to investigate this I'm left with the typical audiophile paranoias. Currently bigest offender in my system is a behringer eq with it's 62 sliders and 10 pots. Thing is a busy hive of noise

 

[Deleted member 31750]

That really depends on the level/type of noise when balanced agaist signal level and the amount of gain/attenuation stages it passes through. However that noise isn't in the source music so its the enemy of hifi reproduction. Without a personal apx555 to investigate this I'm left with the typical audiophile paranoias. Currently bigest offender in my system is a behringer eq with it's 62 sliders and 10 pots. Thing is a busy hive of noise

So I guess anything below the eq noise threshold introduced to your system will be irrelevant. Right? Let’s say a low source of noise in a very noisy environment?

 

[JohnYang1997]

I never said that I like vinyl. We are just discussing the value and information measurements can provide. Let’s stick to the discussion. Is SNR more valuable information or groove noise?

The point was at cheaper price you can get better equipments regardless of the groove noise. That's why it's a review of a product.

In terms of overall system performance, the noise and distortion of the mechanical parts is usually much higher. The preamp may not be the bottle neck of the system.

But the preamp of this bad performance will cause audible coloration.