Simon Price
Phono Pre amp
No the Qutest from Chord Electronics has not developed a disease! – this is a new Chord Electronics product coming out of Munich High-End 2019 – the Chord Electronics Huei.
Pronounced Huey, with no common linguistics to ‘Huawei’, the problematic Chinese firm, it’s a new phono stage pre-amp in a miniature Chord type machined aluminium billet, matching the Qutest design.
It has both Moving Magnet (MM) and Moving Coil (MC) functionality, with comprehensive gain and impedance-matching options; Huei’s high- and low-gain switching settings are easily accessible via front-panel controls.
Chord say ; “Huei’s advanced design offers (for the first time in a Chord Electronics phono preamp) ultra-low-noise microprocessor control of its main features, including a convenient memory function. With multiple options for impedance-matching, seven-stage switchable gain and a switchable rumble filter, Huei’s design offers comprehensive compatibility.”
It features both balanced (RCA) and unbalanced outputs (XLR) with RCA inputs.
It’s a shame it won’t be available in silver variants like the old 2Qute type design but hey ho.
It’s going to be available later this year at a price of £990. Watch this space….
Specifications
- Input impedance: 30Ω-47kΩ, 50pF-1uF
- Input noise: 1.1nV/Hz
- Max output voltage: 10V RMS equalisation
- Gain range: 0dBV-75dBV
- Equalisation response: RIAA curve; Equalisation accuracy: +/- 0.1dB
- Frequency response: RIAA curve = 12Hz to 25kHz
- Rumble filter: Rausch Slope -24dB per octave below 50Hz
- Output impedance: 520Ω (resistive)
- Input power supply: 12V 100V to 240V 50/60Hz PSU
- Dimensions/weight: 160mm (W) x 43mm (D) x72 (H); 770g
Chord Say ;
“Entirely conceived, engineered and manufactured in Great Britain, Chord Electronics Huei has been carefully designed to provide turntables with the same high standards of amplification that Chord Electronics has become known for over the past 30 years.
Benefitting from both Moving Magnet and Moving Coil functionality, Chord Electronics Huei offers compatibility with a huge range of cartridges thanks to comprehensive gain and impedance-matching options; Huei’s high- and low-gain switching settings are easily accessible via front-panel controls, introducing welcome flexibility.
Huei’s advanced design offers (for the first time in a Chord Electronics phono preamp) ultra-low-noise microprocessor control of its main features, including a convenient memory function. With multiple options for impedance-matching, seven-stage switchable gain and a switchable rumble filter, Huei’s design offers comprehensive compatibility.
Precision-machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminium billet, Chord Electronics Huei has a similar form factor to the company’s Qutest DAC and also offers a top-mounted viewing window into the illuminated electronics within. The design also shares the same polychromatic control spheres the company has become known for in its digital products. The illuminated front-panel spheres offer direct access to Huei’s gain and impedance settings, selection for MM/MC cartridges and access to the on-board rumble filter.
Chord Electronics Huei is a stylish, practical and high-performance solution for integrating turntables into Chord Electronics’ (and other) systems and features both unbalanced (RCA) and balanced outputs (XLR) with RCA inputs. A high-quality 12V external power supply is also supplied.”
