Responding to demand from computer audiophiles requesting a Chord quality USB cable, the USB SilverPlus launches with no pretensions to technical supremacy through advanced materials or unique construction techniques. It does however benefit from twenty years’ experience in designing cables that make a real difference.
USB SilverPlus is based on the technical understanding and empirical experience that developing successful cables bring.
Inspired by the hand-turned acrylic plugs fitted to the high-end Sarum, Signature and Indigo interconnects, the new VEE Plug delivers demonstrable improvements in performance to all of the Chord interconnects now supplied as standard with the VEE plug. More information and images
The Chord Company has started to deliver its new high-end HDMI cable to retailers. The new Active SilverPlus High Speed HDMI cable with Ethernet replaces Active SilverPlus.
This new cable, fully certified as High Speed in all lengths – and available in lengths up to 15 metres – includes an audio-optimised audio return and Ethernet capability.
It has often been said that designing a budget hi-fi product is far harder than a cost no object state-of-the-art gargantuan product. To design a budget cable that is genuinely a significant improvement over its predecessor is a tough task. To make it better in communication of music as well as traditional hi-fi requirements is…
To follow the success of Chord’s award-winning HDMI Silver Plus, and the recently introduced, performance-on-a-budget HDMI SuperShield, was always going to be an interesting challenge. Chord considers that they have ridden the bucking bronco of performance and have produced a refined thoroughbred that will enhance the viewing pleasure of the enthusiast – the new HDMI Active. Interestingly, the most significant improvements with the HDMI Active are the sound quality of the new cable.
Chord’s new and extremely pretty SuperShield HDMI is available now. It’s targeted at the entry-level end of the specialist market where the performance:price ratio is absolutely critical. But entry-level at Chord is just an expression that means a greater challenge The SuperShield is HDMI 1.3b certified. It uses 26awg oxygen free copper conductors for high…
Decided to use Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, but slightly more unusually the DVD-A rip so the source is 24/96. Unlike quite a few DVD-A’s this one appears to have some content above 22k. Amazing though that given the total available dynamic range they still needed to ‘clip’ the recording. Still sounds rather good though.
To start I compared the standard power supply with the MaplinL54BR. Pleasant surprise, the Maplin delivers a subtlety of delivery that doesn’t emphasise any particular instruments. The original in comparison seems to make the bass line and the hi-hat a little more obvious in the mix of Dreams and decreases the importance of Stevie Nick’s voice.
The experiment was to move the PC outside my listening room and then to use a 5m Chord HDMI and 5m USB cables to control and monitor the PC.
The worry was running a good monitor at 1920 by 1200 over a 5m HDMI cable. Would the image quality be reduced? The image was absolutely fine and so much so that I temporarily tried a 10 m cable which worked just as well.
Performance from the Wadia 170iTransport using the Behringer was absolutely ideal for dinner parties and background music. There was absolutely no chance of anyone being dstracted by any emotion from the music. The best results were with the Behringer upsampling to 24Bit 88.2k before doing it’s D to A conversion.
As designers will often say, designing a product with a strict budget in mind is very often far harder than designing something state of the art. Chord set out to achieve superb performance at a very affordable price. The SuperScreen mains cable delivers wonderful value for money at £65 for a one metre cable. SuperScreen…