Предусилители — Chord PRIMA

The Prima is a five-input preamplifier in the Choral range from Chord Electronics, built by hand in the UK to sit alongside the Étude power amplifiers of the same range. Its body is precision-machined from a solid billet of aircraft-grade aluminium, buyers can pick black or silver, and Chord backs it with a 5-year warranty.

Key specs that matter

Frequency range runs from 2.5 Hz to 200 kHz within plus or minus 3 dB, and Chord quotes the noise floor at minus 93 dB. Output impedance is 100 ohm, and the outputs are protected against short circuits. The unit consumes 30 W and accepts mains from 50 V to 260 V AC at 50 or 60 Hz, switching automatically between voltages. It measures 335 mm wide, 170 mm deep and 65 mm high, and weighs 8 kg.

Engineering and use context

The circuitry is fully balanced throughout, and the signal path stays analogue, with buffering at both inputs and outputs. Volume is handled by a Blue Velvet potentiometer made by ALPS. Power comes from Chord's own Ultra-High-Frequency switch-mode supply, which the company says charges and discharges energy quickly and efficiently. Heat leaves the case by natural convection. The audio board offers six independent input gain adjustments spread across the five inputs, allowing each source to be brought to a similar level. Volume and balance controls sit on the fascia, while push buttons on the top of the case choose the input and engage the tape line for recording from a source. A display in the top panel reports which source is active and the current level, and a porthole lets the owner look at the internal circuit board. Everything can also be operated by remote control.

Pairing

The rear panel carries one balanced XLR stereo input, labelled Main Line 1, and four unbalanced RCA stereo inputs. Signal leaves through one balanced XLR stereo output, with an unbalanced RCA tape output alongside for a recorder. Chord designed the Prima to partner its Étude stereo power amplifier, rated at 150 W RMS per channel into 4 ohm and able to be bridged for 300 W into 4 ohm in mono. Beyond that, the balanced output also suits any other power amplifier with XLR inputs, including the BerTTi from the ULTIMA family.

Alternatives

Chord's ULTIMA PRE 2 is a larger preamplifier with eight inputs, four of them balanced XLR, plus balanced and unbalanced outputs.