Chord Electronics Alto Professional Headphone and Speaker Amplifier

Item code: Alto

The Alto is a powerful headphone and nearfield monitor amplifier, featuring four outputs including a 4.4 mm Pentaconn. With ULTIMA technology for low-distortion performance and compact A5-sized design, it drives both headphones and speakers with prec…
£2,999.00
£2,499.17
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Qty:

SPEAKER CABLES:

A quantity of 2 means you will receive a pair of speaker cables e.g. for your front left and front right speakers. By entering a quantity of 1, you will get a cable for a single speaker e.g. centre speaker and this option also enables you to vary the length (and termination) of your cable for each speaker.

OTHER CABLES:

A quantity of 1 means you will receive a single cable in the case of aerial, satellite, subwoofer, digital coaxial & optical cables and a pair of cables in the case of 2 rca to 2 rca analogue audio cables.

NON-CABLE PRODUCTS:

A quantity of 1 means you will receive 1 of the specified products.

£2,499.17 ex. VAT
Available — built to order, dispatches in 5 - 7 days
Delivery: Royal Mail Tracked 24 FREE  ·  DPD Next Day from £8.95  ·  DPD Saturday from £12.95
Order before 4pm (Mon–Fri) for same-day dispatch
Our promise: 30-day returns · Free burn-in · Built in our UK workshop · 3 Years warranty · Expert support on every order

Chord Electronics Alto Professional Headphone and Speaker Amplifier

 

Introducing the Alto  a compact yet powerful headphone and nearfield monitor amplifier designed to meet the demands of serious audio enthusiasts. For the first time, this amplifier includes a 4.4 mm Pentaconn TRRRS output (pseudo balanced), making it ideal for high-end headphone users seeking improved signal transmission. The Alto supports up to four headphone connections at once, including one 3.5 mm, two 6.35 mm (1/4-inch), and the new 4.4 mm output. This makes it an excellent tool for A/B testing or shared listening experiences. Built with the advanced ULTIMA amplifier topology, the Alto delivers precise sound and low distortion with 25 watts into 8 ohms (50 watts into 4 ohms) for loudspeakers.

It features stereo banana plug outputs, compatible with most speaker cables. At just over A5 in size, its compact form fits seamlessly into a variety of setups from desktop systems to full hi-fi installations. Thanks to ULTIMA’s dual-feed-forward error-correction, the Alto offers clear, accurate audio reproduction that appeals to audiophiles and professionals alike.

 

Specifications

  • 1 x set of XLR inputs
  • 1 x set of RCA inputs
  • 4x headphone outputs (1×3.5mm, 1x 4.4mm balanced jack*, 2×1/4”) *pseudo balanced as the amplifier itself is not a balanced design
  • 1 x pair of banana sockets for speakers
  • 1 x pair of XLR for additional volume control or signal passthrough
  • 1 x 12V DC Jack output for use with other products.
  • Output power (Speakers): 50 W into 4 Ω
  • Output power (Headphones): 2250 mW into 100 Ω
  • THD (Speakers): 0.003 % into 4 Ω
  • THD (Headphones): 0.001 % into 100 Ω
  • Signal-to-noise: 120 dB
  • Frequency response: 6 Hz – 60 kHz
  • Input maximum voltage: 6 V RMS
  • Crosstalk: -95 dB
  • Output maximum voltage: 15 V RMS into 8 Ω
  • Operation voltage: 80-250 V AC auto-switching
  • Dimensions: Length 215 mm, Width 200 mm Height 57 mm
  • Net weight: 1946 g

About Chord Electronics Made in United Kingdom

Chord Electronics Ltd is a renowned British audio company with a rich history and a distinct design philosophy that sets them apart in the industry. Established in 1989 by John Franks, Chord Electronics has gained a reputation for its innovative audio technology approach and unwavering commitment to sonic excellence.

Chord Electronics began its journey by specialising in designing and manufacturing high-performance amplifiers. Their early success can be attributed to the unique implementation of advanced technologies and meticulous attention to detail in constructing their products. Over the years, the company expanded its product range to include digital-to-analogue converters (DACs), headphone amplifiers, preamps, and other audio components.

One of the key aspects of Chord Electronics' design philosophy is its relentless pursuit of audio quality. The company believes in delivering the most transparent, detailed, and engaging sound reproduction possible. To achieve this, Chord Electronics employs cutting-edge technologies and innovative circuit designs. Their products often feature proprietary technologies such as FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), digital signal processing, advanced filtering algorithms, and ultra-precise clocking systems. This combination of cutting-edge engineering and meticulous design ensures that Chord Electronics products deliver exceptional sonic performance.

Chord Electronics also strongly emphasises the quality of materials and craftsmanship. Each product is meticulously designed and hand-assembled in their UK-based facility, with great attention to detail and rigorous quality control. The company uses high-quality components and materials, including custom-made circuit boards and precision-machined casings, to ensure both durability and optimal performance.

Furthermore, Chord Electronics maintains a strong commitment to continuous research and development. Their team of engineers and designers are constantly exploring new technologies and pushing the boundaries of audio innovation. This dedication to advancement and improvement has led to several industry accolades and a loyal customer base.

In summary, Chord Electronics Ltd has a history rooted in innovative design and engineering excellence. Their products result from a meticulous design philosophy focused on achieving the highest levels of audio quality. With their commitment to advanced technologies, attention to detail, and continuous improvement, Chord Electronics continues to be at the forefront of high-performance audio, offering products that redefine the boundaries of sonic reproduction.

 

About Chord Electronics

British maker of DACs and amplifiers, designed, engineered and manufactured in the United Kingdom.

Chord Electronics designs, engineers and manufactures its products in the United Kingdom. The catalogue centres on DACs built around FPGA technology, including the Hugo and Mojo ranges and the desktop Qutest, alongside the Ultima range of amplifiers. It also makes the Quartet upscaler and the Suzi and Suzi Pre.

Read more about Chord Electronics Show less

FPGA technology sits at the centre of the DACs

Chord's DACs use FPGA technology and its own WTA filter, with the Blackbird WTA filter described as improving timing accuracy. The same approach runs through the Hugo, Mojo and Qutest lines, so moving between models changes the size and the connections more than the underlying design.

Compact models, desktop models and an upscaler

The Hugo and Mojo ranges are the compact models, including the Hugo 2, Hugo 2go and Mojo 2. Qutest is a desktop DAC. Quartet is an upscaler, which adds processing in front of a DAC. Together they cover portable listening, a desktop setup and a full system.

Amplification from the same maker

Ultima is Chord's amplifier range, with the Ultima Integrated, Ultima 6 and Ultima Pre 3 among its models, and Suzi and Suzi Pre sit alongside it. That means your DAC and your amplification can come from one maker, which suits a system where you want the two designed to work together.

Why we stock Chord Electronics

Worth saying plainly: Chord Electronics and Chord Company are two separate British companies and we stock both. Electronics build DACs and amplification in Kent. They came in to sit alongside our cable ranges, because at a certain point the limiting factor in your system stops being the cable and starts being what is converting the signal.

Shop all Chord Electronics →

Specifications

  • Output power (Speakers): 50 W into 4 Ω
  • Output power (Headphones): 2250 mW into 100 Ω
  • THD (Speakers): 0.003 % into 4 Ω
  • THD (Headphones): 0.001 % into 100 Ω
  • Signal-to-noise: 120 dB
  • Frequency response: 6 Hz – 60 kHz
  • Input maximum voltage: 6 V RMS
  • Crosstalk: -95 dB
  • Output maximum voltage: 15 V RMS into 8 Ω
  • Operation voltage: 80-250 V AC auto-switching
  • Dimensions: Length 215 mm, Width 200 mm Height 57 mm
  • Net weight: 1946 g

We use Royal Mail 1st Class services for our Standard Delivery.

Orders received before 4.30 pm Monday to Friday are usually dispatched the same day by FIRST CLASS post (unless premium postal or timed courier services are selected), subject to stock availability. This does not apply to custom-length cables and speaker cables as these require a longer timescale to terminate. This also excludes all cables selected for the burn-in service. Please note, we do not process orders on national holidays in the UK. Over 98% of our orders are delivered the next working day including Saturdays.

 

Standard delivery is usually within 2 working days, although 98% of all orders are delivered the next working day including Saturdays. In extreme cases, such as delivery to the Highlands and Islands, this may take 3 days.

 

All items are fully insured and come with an invoice from Future Shop. We use the Royal Mail for delivery of small packages and DPD Local or DHL for items that weigh over 2KG. Items over 2KG are fully insured and will usually be delivered within 48 hours of placing your order subject to stock availability. For international orders, we use FedEx or DHL services where customers have selected this option.

 

 

Please note, special orders for non-standard cable lengths may be subject to longer deliver time-scales. This may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

 

We offer 'Free delivery on orders over £99' subject to the following terms & conditions:

  • Applies only to orders with £99 or more of items (including VAT at the UK rate), at Future Shop
  • Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD or DHL next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK (excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by DPD or DHL).
  • Applies only to deliveries to addresses within mainland UK and Northern Ireland addresses. Applies only to orders that are to be delivered to a single Mainland UK delivery address.
  • You will not be eligible for free delivery on your order if any items are cancelled or returned for a refund, bringing the total order amount below £99. Where items are returned, the refund due will be the cost of the item less any postage costs.
  • We reserve the right to change or discontinue 'Free delivery on orders over £99 promotion at any time.
  • FREE DELIVERY FOR ORDERS OVER £99 OFFER DOES NOT APPLY TO TRADE CUSTOMERS.

 

UK Postal & Delivery Charges - FIRST CLASS

Free UK delivery on all orders over £99*

Weight Price (FIRST CLASS UK POSTAGE)
0g - 1000g £3.95
1000g - 1400g £4.95
1400g - 1800g £5.95
1800g - 2000g £6.95
2000g - 3000g £8.95


* Free Delivery on orders over £99 utilises Royal Mail First Class postal service for items weighing under 2KG. For items weighing over 2KG, we use DPD or DHL next working day services which deliver from 9.00am to 6pm within mainland UK.

Free Delivery for orders over £99 excludes Royal Mail Special Delivery Services and timed next day delivery services by DPD or DHL.

 

Special Delivery UK - Guaranteed Next Working Day

We have 99.9% of the UK covered With Royal Mail Next Day Special Delivery. We guarantee delivery to most UK addresses by 1pm the next working day. This includes Northern Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey. Some places take longer to deliver to but we still guarantee delivery within three working days by 5.30 PM.

 

Please note, Royal Mail Special Delivery for next working day may not be possible where non-standard cable lengths are ordered. If this is the case, the item will be shipped via The Royal Mail Special Delivery service as soon as the cable is custom made.

 

For orders weighing over 2KG, we reserve the right to ship items using Next Day Pre-Noon Courier Services where Royal Mail Special Delivery option has been selected.

 

Channel Islands & Northern Ireland

We accept orders from all Channel Islands including Alderney, Jersey, Guernsey and Sark. Unless you select a premium service, Items weighing under 2KG are delivered using our standard UK delivery option above. For items weighing over 2KG, a surcharge may be applied for all deliveries to the Channel Islands as well as Northern Ireland.

 

European Countries

Deliveries to EU member states are not subject to 20% VAT after December 31st 2020 and therefore the 20% VAT on items is automatically deducted when you log-in, register or proceed to place an order.

 

The customer will be liable for the VAT at the local VAT rate, duty on the import and the brokerage service fee if applicable. This may need to be paid in advance to your local Customs & Excise office or the delivery company before your order can be delivered.

 

We offer the following shipping services:

  • Royal Mail First Class International Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 3 to 5 working days
  • Royal Mail Standard International Mail Services - Items are usually delivered within 7-10 working days
  • DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
  • Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
  • Federal Express International Economy - Item are usually delivered within 48 to 72 hours

We reserve the right to change your shipping method without notification if you select a method that we cannot use for your shipment (for instance, we cannot ship via postal services for items over 2 Kg to International destinations). If we need to change your shipping method, we will choose the least expensive shipping method for your order.

 

Worldwide - Excluding UK & Europe

Deliveries outside of the UK are not subject to 20% VAT and so the 20% tax on items is automatically deducted when you log-in, register or proceed to place an order.

 

If applicable, the customer will be liable for the taxes at the local tax rate, duty on the import and the brokerage service fee. This may need to be paid in advance to your local Customs & Excise office or the delivery company before your order can be delivered.

 

We offer the following shipping services:

  • Royal Mail First Class International Airmail Services - Items are usually delivered within 7 to 10 working days
  • Royal Mail Standard International Mail Services - Items are usually delivered within 15 working days
  • DHL Express International - Items are usually delivered within 24 to 48 hours. DHL orders must be received by 3:30pm for next day service to most destinations in Europe
  • Federal Express International Priority - Items are usually delivered within 48 hours. FedEx orders must be received by 3.00pm in order to ship items the same day, subject to stock availability
  • Where the actual weight of the package significantly exceeds the shipping cost charged on orders, we may write to you for an additional shipping charge. For larger orders, items may be shipped in multiple packets at our discretion

We reserve the right to change your shipping method without notification if you select a method that we cannot use for your shipment (for instance, we cannot ship via postal services for items over 2 Kg to International destinations). If we need to change your shipping method, we will choose the least expensive shipping method for your order.

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Chord Electronics Alto Professional Headphone and Speaker Amplifier

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Frequently Asked Questions

Chord Electronics stands out for its proprietary FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) digital processing, giving complete control over signal handling for unmatched accuracy and detail. Unlike standard DAC chip designs, Chord’s custom code and advanced filtering deliver exceptional transparency and precise timing. Combined with UK-made precision-machined aluminium chassis and rigorous quality control, every product offers cutting-edge technology and long-term reliability.
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FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) technology lets Chord Electronics design their own digital-to-analogue conversion process entirely in-house. Free from the limitations of off-the-shelf DAC chips, they can implement unique filtering, noise shaping, and timing techniques, resulting in more natural, detailed, and lifelike sound reproduction.
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All Chord Electronics products are designed, engineered, and hand-built in Kent, UK. They use high-grade components, custom circuit boards, and CNC-machined aluminium casings to ensure maximum performance, durability, and distinctive styling.
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Yes. A high-quality Chord DAC can dramatically improve clarity, dynamics, and detail from streaming platforms, even at standard resolution. For premium subscriptions with higher bitrate streams, the improvement is even more noticeable, bringing you closer to a high-resolution listening experience.
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Chord Electronics Alto Professional Headphone and Speaker Amplifier

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Chord Electronics
Amplifier
Headphones
Speakers
3.5mm Single
4.4mm Single
RCA Pair
XLR Pair

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