Chord Electronics has launched its second Ultima preamp following the introduction of the flagship model in 2018. The new Ultima Pre 2 (£12,500) is designed to partner the Ultima 2 and Ultima 3 mono power amplifiers. It directly replaces its predecessor, the CPA 5000. The Ultima Pre 2 uses the company’s striking new aesthetic, with a bolt-less fascia and 28mm-thick aircraft-grade aluminium front panel.
Forming part of the company’s flagship Reference range, the new Ultima Pre 2 has a substantially larger chassis than the company’s standard preamps and features the latest proprietary ultra-high-frequency power supply and ultra-low-noise circuitry, delivering a claimed noise floor performance of below -130dB.
Highly flexible, the new Ultima Pre 2 offers four pairs of fully balanced inputs, four pairs of unbalanced inputs, plus two completely independent record loops. Each input has six levels of gain which can be individually selected to prevent large changes in volume when switching between inputs; all settings are microprocessor-stored, even when the power is removed. For late-night and personal listening, the Ultima Pre 2 also includes two low-distortion, low-noise 6.35mm (¼-inch) headphone outputs. Fully balanced A/V bypass circuitry for direct connections to A/V processors is included, as are 12 V remote triggering outputs.
Chord Electronics’ renowned aircraft-grade aluminium casework, available in Jett Black or Argent Silver finishes, offers a reassuringly high-end enclosure for the electronics. The casework is neatly complemented by the unique, stackable Integra Leg system (Jett Black, Argent Silver or Nickel finishes) which offers a distinctive aesthetic along with the ability to stack with various other full-size Chord Electronics products. A highly polished black acrylic side-block option is also offered as a no-cost alternative to the Integra Legs.