IN DETAIL… Chord Ultima Integrated
supplies tend to be smaller and lighter than conventional alternatives and so are easier to package. Take a close look at this amplifier and you will find that the size of the casework housing the electronic circuitry is remarkably modest.
The amplifier’s audio circuitry is Class A/B in nature, and the engineers have worked hard to maintain signal purity throughout. It starts with all the inputs being buffered and filtered to minimise degradation caused by radio-frequency interference and continues with a carefully configured signal path and a generous power-supply arrangement. The amplification sections use Chord’s latest dual feed-forward error-correction circuit, which monitors and corrects distortion before it reaches the output stage, leading to more accurate results. That’s the claim anyway.
A product at this level positively demands a top-quality partnering system. Our sources are the Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer, a Macbook Pro/chord Hugo TT combination and a Technics Sl-1000r/kiseki Purpleheart MC record player. The Ultima Integrated is a line-level unit, so we use our usual Cyrus Phono Signature/psx 2 phono stage to perform the equalisation and additional amplification duties. We try a variety of speakers during the testing process, including our reference ATC SCM50, Wilson Benesch’s Discovery 3Zero (review to come soon) and Wharfedale’s Aura 3 floorstanders.
NATURAL APPROACH
Chord’s earlier generations of amplifiers always impressed to a greater or lesser degree, but some could also be accused of sounding a little cold and sterile. That isn’t a charge that can be levelled at the new-generation models we have heard. The Ultima Integrated combines the precision and speed of the older designs but renders the sound with a naturalness that eluded those early efforts – and most of the current competition for that matter.
As we listen to Holst’s The Planets Suite it is hard not to be impressed by the scale and clarity of the Ultima’s sound. It is clean without ever sounding hard, with the leading edges of notes crisply defined. The orchestra is laid out in front of us with stability; each instrument is given space to breathe and
“We love the effortless fluidity of this amplifier’s dynamics and the responsive way it reacts to any slight shifts in intensity or level”
securely locked in place, even when the music becomes dense. We love the effortless fluidity of this amplifier’s dynamics and the responsive way it reacts to any slight shifts in intensity or level.
Tonally, the Chord is even, though the brand’s sonic signature prioritises articulation over qualities such as richness and authority. Some may prefer the warmer, fuller presentation of rivals such as Mark Levinson’s No.5805 or the cheaper but still excellent PMC Cor. Still, there is no denying the Ultima Integrated’s free-flowing nature or ability to differentiate between interplaying instrumental strands. We can’t help but admire its composure and control, which give the Ultima a stress-free demeanour even when it is put under the cosh. Admittedly, this Chord doesn’t quite deliver dynamic contrasts with the heft of more conventional rivals, but equally, they struggle to match its agility and detail retrieval skills.
We switch to The xx’s Angels and the Ultima continues to impress with its clarity and insight. It conveys the group’s intimate vocals with care, shading the dynamic nuances well and rendering vocal textures convincingly. Here, the amplifier comes across as unforced and pure, leaving little of its sonic signature imprinted onto the sound. The song’s combination of prominent vocals and a sparse but beautiful instrumental backdrop works well with the amplifier’s hands-off approach to music replay.
This impression continues when we switch to Triumphant Winning! by DJ Denz The Rooster. The Ultima Integrated’s revealing nature shows the shortcomings in the production but doesn’t go so far as to make a meal of things. We are fully aware of the recording’s limitations, but equally, the amplifier is happy to let the music’s innate energy and rhythmic drive shine through. In absolute terms, the Chord doesn’t track the music’s rhythms with the skill of the PMC Cor or the (considerably cheaper) Naim Supernait 3, but it still manages to deliver plenty of entertainment. The track’s chunky bass shows off the Ultima’s grip at low frequencies and its ability to punch hard when required. Higher up the frequency range there is no shortage of slam as the Chord flexes its muscle.
This integrated amplifier succeeds in delivering a large dose of the pricier Ultima pre/power’s performance in a more convenient and affordable package. It is a refreshingly straightforward product to use, and when partnered with a similarly talented system is capable of weaving a wonderfully spellbinding sound. So, back to our original question – has Chord got it wrong? We don’t think so.