Chord ULTIMA PRE 3 is the HighEnd preamplifier launched in June 2022 by the Maidstone brand. It offers 2 balanced stereo XLR inputs and 3 unbalanced stereo RCA inputs; stereo XLR and stereo RCA outputs. The famous design by John Franks is here in its most updated guise.
The brand new (preview May 2022, available from September) Chord ULTIMA PRE 3 offers high-level pre-amplification performance, at a price level unattainable in the panorama of High Fidelity . The new pre from Chord Electronics reveals itself as a preamplifier with an innovative design that takes advantage of over 30 years of experience of the company in the construction of analog amplifiers.
ULTIMA PRE 3 is the result of a project started from scratch, a completely new design both inside and out. In particular, it benefits from the latest preamplifier technologies developed in-house by Chord Electronics and an aesthetic that is always faithful to the family feeling but at the same time absolutely modern.
One of the major advances made with the ULTIMA PRE 3 takes advantage of recent developments in advanced, low-distortion power supplies. These new devices offer exceptionally low noise and ensure exceptional amplifier operation.
Benefiting from five analogue inputs – two balanced and three unbalanced – plus a separate AV bypass input , all five of the ULTIMA PRE 3’s inputs enjoy individual buffering and are selectively filtered against the potential ingress of radio frequency interference . Selection switching is via sealed, microprocessor-controlled relays.
Full Chord aesthetics!
Externally, the ULTIMA PRE 3 benefits from a completely redesigned front panel. The new fascia offers a perfectly symmetrical design, centred on a circular on/off sphere. Prominent as ever is the company’s familiar multi-colour illumination, providing a clear, simple and immediate indication of the status of the electronics. The volume control knob is flanked by the input selector and the combined balance and AV bypass control.
ULTIMA PRE 3, design and functionality
The chassis is precision CNC machined from solid aircraft-grade aluminum, including the Integra family legs. As an alternative to the legs, black acrylic side blocks are available when purchasing.
The top panel features a design focused on functionality: fully ventilated, enhanced by a dimmable LED light. In addition to its five inputs, the ULTIMA PRE 3's rear panel features balanced and unbalanced outputs, a 12V trigger and an IEC power input, as well as a convenient 5V 3A USB Type-A output for powering peripheral devices, including small DACs such as the Chord Electronics Qutest or Hugo 2.
Preamplifier plus power amp
The new ULTIMA PRE 3 is perfect for a wide range of power amplifiers, including the ULTIMA 5 and ULTIMA 6 stereo power amplifiers or the ULTIMA 2 and ULTIMA 3 mono power amplifiers.
The ULTIMA PRE 3 is 100% hand built in our historic Maidstone factory and is available in Jett black or Argent silver.
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