Chord Electronics to UK-debut Quartet Upscaler and ULTIMA PHONOSTAGE at Bristol 2026
Chord Electronics to UK-debut the revolutionary Quartet upscaler and ULTIMA PHONOSTAGE at Bristol 2026...
2 February 2026, Kent, England: British amplification and digital audio expert, Chord Electronics, is set to host the UK premieres of two highly anticipated flagship products: the Quartet digital upscaler and the ULTIMA PHONOSTAGE. The newcomers will be joined by the acclaimed ULTIMA PRE 3 and ULTIMA 3 (monoblocks) in a unique playback system.
Both new products will be showcased in the Kent company’s premium ground floor demonstration space, the SS Great Britain 1 Suite, offering attendees the chance to hear the latest generation of Chord Electronics’ proprietary digital and analogue engineering.
Quartet: a new benchmark in digital audio
Eight years in development, the Quartet is Chord Electronics’ most ambitious digital audio project to date. A highly advanced two-box FPGA-based upscaler, the Quartet boasts an incredible five times the computing power of the partnering DAVE DAC.
The Quartet’s unrivalled processing power centres around 5x 200T FPGAs with over two million lines of bespoke code; the Quartet redefines what is possible with transient timing reconstruction for unparalleled transparency, realism and fidelity.
A dedicated external power supply features the Kent company’s most sophisticated RF filtering so far, ensuring total isolation from mains noise and partnering electronics.
True lossless EQ customisation is offered from the device’s bespoke 108-bit, 705.6/768kHz lossless EQ technology which provides a 10-band shelf adjustment, delivering tonal flexibility across genre, format and recording quality, without the phase distortion typical of conventional equalisers.
(Full details and images will follow when the device is formally launched later in 2026.)
ULTIMA PHONOSTAGE: Chord Electronics’ most advanced phono stage in almost 40 years
On the analogue side, the ULTIMA PHONOSTAGE distils decades of know-how from Chord Electronics’ founder and chief designer John Franks. It adapts the company’s acclaimed ULTIMA amplifier topology for vinyl replay, creating a new reference point for owners of high-performance turntables.
The dual-mono design supports up to three tonearms or turntables simultaneously. Each input is independently configurable, with settings retained in memory after power-down.
An innovative automatic gain reduction system protects speakers and prevents clipping by detecting signal spikes, such as accidental arm drops, adjusting gain instantly.
Two locations at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show
In addition to the main demonstration room, Chord Electronics will also occupy a further space in the Bristol Suite (Ground Floor) where visitors can experience the latest mobile and desktop solutions, including the latest-version Mojo 2, featuring the new 4.4 mm output and USB-C charging, the Hugo TT 2 desktop DAC/preamp and headphone amplifier, plus models from the highly versatile Qutest range.
The playback system in the SS Great Britain 1 Suite will also feature Wilson Audio Sabrina loudspeakers, the latest Michell Gyro turntable, cables by fellow Brits Chord Company, plus a packed Innous music server.
There will also be special show-only offers on the Mojo 2 (v1), Qutest and Hugo 2 DACs.
Web - https://chordelectronics.co.uk/
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