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

[Jasonovich]

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

Very true Bill, you need to put it into context.

 

[Friesiansam]

If the OP's shoulder chip gets any bigger, he won't be able to fit through doorways...

 

[nopiano]

If the OP's shoulder chip gets any bigger, he won't be able to fit through doorways...

I suppose a thread starting with another forum’s review is likely heading only one way.

ASR is very different to WHF in most respects!

 

[Al ears]

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?

True. You can measure away to kingdom come but it still isn't going to tell you what it will sound like sonically within a system.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

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

The measurements are fine in terms of audibility, however they are no mach for the best at below £1000. This amp is great if you need loads of headphone power and want to drive multiple headphones at the same time. But how many people need either? It's expensive and you just arent getting better sound.

 

[Gray]

ASR is very different to WHF in most respects!

That's true.
I can't really imagine ASR reviewing the sound quality of cables.

 

[Gray]

If the OP's shoulder chip gets any bigger, he won't be able to fit through doorways...

He's more well balanced than you think.
(Chip on both shoulders).

 

[Jasonovich]

In the spirit of OP's opening thread, I like to share Randy's own interpretation. It may or may not be agreeable with your own views but I think it's worth sharing.

View: https://youtu.be/yeqbFYaJisQ?si=tm0RtXLDp9Rp0z76

 

[Jasonovich]

He's more well balanced than you think.
(Chip on both shoulders).

Gonna cash those chips on the roulette table 🙂

 

[Fandango Andy]

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

I totally disagree with your point, but sort of agree with the conclusion.

We can read the stats that will tell us peak power and torque, 0-60 time, top speed, mpg. None of these things tell us how comfortable the seats are, or how much fun it is to drive.

To pick one one stat on cars MPG is measured in a particular way. A typical modern (none hybrid) car will have a tiny engine with a big turbo, and an automatic transmission. It will have a great official MPG, but in the real world you are lucky if you get 65% of the official figure. If however you have lightweight car with a normally aspirated engine, and manual transmission you will get pretty much what the official figures say, sometimes more.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

I suppose a thread starting with another forum’s review is likely heading only one way.

ASR is very different to WHF in most respects!

Well WHF basically do reviews based on how much the audio companies pay them. I wouldnt trust a WHF review in the slightest.

 

[ToppingSMSL]

If the OP's shoulder chip gets any bigger, he won't be able to fit through doorways...

Typical. Attacking the man rather than the point being made.

 

[nopiano]

Well WHF basically do reviews based on how much the audio companies pay them. I wouldnt trust a WHF review in the slightest.

They really don’t do that. They usually only review products that are supplied by manufacturers, but the editorial and advertising is independent.

How much do you imagine Heco paid for this review?!

Home review

Our high hopes for these single-driver speakers have been dashed.

www.whathifi.com

And of course What Hifi are our hosts here!

 

[ToppingSMSL]

They really don’t do that. They usually only review products that are supplied by manufacturers, but the editorial and advertising is independent.

How much do you imagine Heco paid for this review?!

Home review

Our high hopes for these single-driver speakers have been dashed.

www.whathifi.com

And of course What Hifi are our hosts here!

I don't think they're as independent as you think.