Chord Alto headphone amp review and measurements - disappointing for £2,500?

[ToppingSMSL]

Has a lot of power, can be used as a low power speaker amplifier as it has speaker outputs too. But would you want to pay this much for a design like this?

 

[Gray]

would you want to pay this much for a design like this?

No.
But that's because I've never spent that much on any single item (not just hi-fi).

 

[Revolutions]

I would if I wanted one & it sounded good when I heard it.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

I would if I wanted one & it sounded good when I heard it.

What if it sounded no better than one costing £200?

 

[Al ears]

What if it sounded no better than one costing £200?

same old pointless argument.
yes I could get from A to B in my car, if I had the means and opportunity to do the same in a Ferrari would I???

 

[Jasonovich]

I don't think it's really necessary to pay Chord prices for headphones, there are cheaper and much better options out there.
My Singxer SA1 class A solid state head phone costs approx £500, it's silky and has a lovely tone but my tube head phone XDUOO TA-66 for half the price, well ok throw in another £150 for the two custom tubes, is a much more personal experience.

It is all subjective, a friend can listen to both and may prefer Singxer.

I think Chord are aiming for their loyal customer base, perhaps this gives them the license to aim high with their pricing?

 

[nopiano]

Most Chord kit I’ve heard sounds decent, but I loath the ergonomics and the ‘my first DAC’ light up buttons. So I’d never buy one regardless of how it sounds.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

same old pointless argument.
yes I could get from A to B in my car, if I had the means and opportunity to do the same in a Ferrari would I???

In what way is it like a Ferrari? Its distortion measurements arent great. So how was it a pointless argument?

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Most Chord kit I’ve heard sounds decent, but I loath the ergonomics and the ‘my first DAC’ light up buttons. So I’d never buy one regardless of how it sounds.

As decent as other equipment I guess.

 

[Jasonovich]

Most Chord kit I’ve heard sounds decent, but I loath the ergonomics and the ‘my first DAC’ light up buttons. So I’d never buy one regardless of how it sounds.

It is an acquired taste, I must admit, I'm put off by those gob stoppers!

 

[ToppingSMSL]

It is an acquired taste, I must admit, I'm put off by those gob stoppers!

The gobstoppers are terrible. You have to remember what all the different colours mean. Especially on the DACs.

 

[Al ears]

In what way is it like a Ferrari? Its distortion measurements arent great. So how was it a pointless argument?

I have no idea as to its sound quality and nor, I guess, do you. My point was purely price asked for what it does.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

I have no idea as to its sound quality and nor, I guess, do you. My point was purely price asked for what it does.

But we know exactly what a Ferrari is capable of. We can look at performace figures and see that. Same with amps.

 

[nopiano]

As decent as other equipment I guess.

Well, I suppose I was unintentionally damning with faint praise. Excellent, wouldn’t be exaggerating. But I’d still not buy one!

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Well, I suppose I was unintentionally damning with faint praise. Excellent, wouldn’t be exaggerating. But I’d still not buy one!

As excellent as most other amps?

 

[nopiano]

As excellent as most other amps?

I was mostly thinking the DACs - I’ve heard Qutest, TT Hugo, and DAVE and all were superb, even if v expensive. The only amp I’ve heard at a house, as opposed to a show, is one of the big power amps.

I don’t get these headphone amps at all, but I only listen to phones occasionally.

 

[Fandango Andy]

Its distortion measurements arent great.

I'm more interested in how something sounds than how it looks on a graph.

 

[Al ears]

But we know exactly what a Ferrari is capable of. We can look at performace figures and see that. Same with amps.

Agree you can see a set of figures many that mean nothing about it's sonic capabilities that are audible and quite often nothing to define what that kit is like when intergrated into a complete system

 

[Al ears]

I'm more interested in how something sounds than how it looks on a graph.

True, same could be said about all valve amplifiers but it's not until you listen to them you will discover they are not all rubbish.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Agree you can see a set of figures many that mean nothing about it's sonic capabilities that are audible and quite often nothing to define what that kit is like when intergrated into a complete system

If you look at the relevant measurements they will tell you everything about an amp's sonic abilities.

 

[Al ears]

If you look at the relevant measurements they will tell you everything about an amp's sonic abilities.

Unfortunately I would have to disagree, it might tell you what speakers it is capable of driving but absolutely nothing about how it will sound when connected to a pair.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

Unfortunately I would have to disagree, it might tell you what speakers it is capable of driving but absolutely nothing about how it will sound when connected to a pair.

Unfortunately I fully disagree with you there. There's no reason for having the opinion that you do.

 

[abacus]

Measurements show how well designed the item is, and in the review, he points out many of its attributes as well as some of its flaws. (He also says it sounds great)
Is it worth the money though, particularly as cheaper models have just as good sound and better measurements.
A Ferrari is great and crap, a land rover is great and crap, in fact any car is great and crap depending on its usage. (A Ferrari is great on the road or track but crap off road, a Land Rover is great off road, passable on road and crap on track)

Bill

 

[twinkletoes]

If you look at the relevant measurements they will tell you everything about an amp's sonic abilities.

These measurement aren't actually all that bad, even the reviewer said as much in his review on you tube, saying it sounded pretty good and you likely won't hear the problems.

I have yet to see an amp with perfect figures, nothing is perfect. NOTHING

The problem here is you're paying chord tax IE its made in Britain, not by the cheapest bidder in china. Weather you place value in that is a different story and conversation entirely.

In short you can get the same for less.

 

[Jasonovich]

True, same could be said about all valve amplifiers but it's not until you listen to them you will discover they are not all rubbish.

Needle in the record, tubes all harmonic distortion. Some truth in the word?

It falls into the realm of psychoacoustics, how do you measure something that is the workings of our own mental processes?