The design also shares the same multi-color control spheres the company has become famous for in its digital products. The illuminated spheres on the front panel offer direct access to the Huei's gain and impedance settings, MM/MC cartridge selection, and access to the built-in noise filter. The Chord Huei is an elegant, practical, and high-performance solution for integrating turntables into Chord Electronics (and other brands) systems and features RCA inputs and both unbalanced (RCA) and balanced (XLR) outputs. A high-quality 12V external power supply is also included.
Chord Electronics
Chord Huei – Phono Stage for Turntables
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Supporting both MM and MC cartridges , aka Moving Magnet and Moving Coil technologies, Huei offers compatibility with a wide range of turntables thanks to extensive gain settings and impedance matching . Huei’s high and low gain switching settings are easily accessible via the front panel controls, for maximum flexibility.
Huei's advanced design offers (for the first time in a Chord Electronics phono preamplifier) ultra-low-noise microprocessor control of its key features, including a convenient memory function. With multiple impedance matching options, switchable eight-stage gain, and a switchable noise filter, Huei's design offers complete compatibility.
Appearance and assembly
Huei presents itself as a worthy member of the Qutest family. The external structure is a solid block of aluminum machined from solid blocks in typical Chord style (similar therefore to Qutest and Anni). To the sight and touch, Huei, according to the opinions of users and testers, immediately conveys a sense of great quality and manufacturing precision. The front is clean, with four indicators/buttons. The top features a large window that reveals the internal PCB. On the back we find the input and output connections: 2RCA stereo as input and balanced XLR as output.
Performance
Managing the MM/MC cartridge parameters is straightforward: the dedicated selector/display turns red or blue depending on the cartridge type selected, while the gain section provides visual feedback with a spectrum of eight different colors. The gain range is from 21 to 42 dB for MM cartridges and from 49 to 70 dB for MC cartridges. The impedance selector, in turn, features 12 color shades, one for each possible impedance level selected. Overall, the range of adjustments offered by the English brand is truly extensive.
Chord Electronics Interface
Anni looks like a Chord Electronics product. It could be a DAC, an amplifier, a preamp, but it is unmistakably a Chord device . High-quality aluminum casing CNC-machined in the UK and typical polychromatic buttons/control spheres . The usability of the interface is enhanced when the three elements of the Qutest family are linked together. Chord Anni is powered by an external 15V module and benefits from a 12V DC output, capable of powering the Huei phono preamp and the DAC of the series.
A good quality phono preamp for turntables
The Huei is a high-quality phono preamp at a reasonable price. It is recommended for use with a good-quality turntable. While the Huei supports all types of turntables, high-quality vinyl players are recommended for a high-quality overall performance from the entire system.
Qutest + Huei + Years
Chord Huei is a pure phono preamplifier. It is designed exclusively as a turntable preamplifier, from which it receives the delicate input signal. After processing, Huei sends an equally delicate but highly amplified signal to the input of an integrated amplifier. While the choice of integrated amplifier is completely open, Chord Electronics recommends Anni, the small desktop amplifier. Naturally, if the driving or amplification needs require significant power, or if an amplifier with an excellent internal DAC is preferred (the Anni does not have one), it is possible to connect Huei to third-party amplifiers. If a single-brand solution is preferred, Huei will be connected to Anni, which in turn receives the digital signal from the Qutest DAC.
The phenomenal Chord patent. Keys and Interface.
All Chord Electronics devices feature a unique interface designed to combine input and output. These are the famous translucent ball-shaped keys that, on various products, can be pressed and/or rotated, and which simultaneously change color, revealing the necessary information to the eye without having to strain your eyes. A quick glance is enough to understand which input is selected, what the sampling rate is, or which DSP filter is preset...
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We chose this business out of passion, and we continue it with passion. Our experience in music reproduction and live music constantly guides us in the choices we make regarding the products we select for you.