Chord Electronics Expands Analog Horizons at HIGH END Vienna 2026
Posted by The Sound Organisation on Jun 22nd 2026
For decades, Chord Electronics has commanded the high-end digital audio conversation, but their showing at HIGH END Vienna 2026 makes it clear they have no intention of leaving their analog amplification lineage in the dark. As reported by eCoustics Editor-in-Chief Ian White, previews of two distinctly targeted stereo power amplifiers. The full width ULTIMA 7 and the ultra-slim Blade demonstrate a dual-pronged strategy aimed at both traditional high-end listening rooms and premium architectural installations ahead of an official Autumn launch. Reflecting on the impact of these new releases, Ian White notes that, "by scaling this extreme reference topology downward. Chord ensures that their analog resolution remains highly adaptable."
ULTIMA 7: The New Full-Width Entry Point
The upcoming ULTIMA 7 is poised to become the most accessible full-width power amplifier in Chord’s premium portfolio. Visually and physically engineered to perfectly complement the highly regarded ULTIMA PRE 3 preamplifier, White notes that the ULTIMA 7 shares a matching 13cm chassis height. This configuration streamlines the aesthetic layout of high-performance stereo stacks, avoiding the mismatched "police lineup" look common in multi-tier component racks.
- Power Delivery: 135 watts per channel into 8 ohms.
- Core Technology: Built around Chord’s state of the art Dual Feed Forward error-correction topology.
- Sonic Profile: This advanced error-correction circuitry is tuned to instantly rectify signal deviations before they reach the output stage, resulting in vanishingly low distortion levels, rapid-fire transient response, and the signature effortlessly transparent, highly analytical insight that defines Chord solid-state gear.
Blade: High-Efficiency Custom Integration (CI)
While the ULTIMA 7 refines a classic hi-fi form factor, Ian White highlights the Blade stereo power amplifier as a radical departure in chassis design and efficiency for the Kent-based manufacturer. Standing at an incredibly skinny 0.5U rack height, the Blade is engineered entirely to address the strict space, thermal, and channel-density demands of the high-end custom integration and architectural audio markets.
An evolved iteration of John Franks’ Dual Feed Forward technology allows Chord Electronics to master notoriously volatile vertical MOSFETs in a specialized Class G Gallium Nitride (GaN) configuration.
By pairing ultra-fast GaN high-electron-mobility transistors with a Class G multi-rail rail-switching power design, the Blade delivers massive driving power from a shallow footprint while generating minimal thermal dissipation. This makes it an ideal "fit-and-forget" solution for cramped AV racks, structural multi-zone distribution, and premium hidden-speaker architectural systems where traditional, heavy-heat Class AB designs fail to thrive.
The Reference Context
The dual amplifier previews build upon a highly ambitious season for Chord, following the formal introduction of their flagship Quartet upscaler. At the Vienna exhibition, Chord anchored their reference demonstration system with the iconic DAVE DAC, the Quartet upscaler (boasting an all-new Blackbird WTA filter with 4 million taps and a built-in Pulse Array ADC), the flagship ULTIMA PRE preamplifier, and a massive set of ULTIMA 3 mono power amplifiers.
As White emphasizes, by scaling this extreme reference topology downward into the entry-level full-width ULTIMA 7 and condensing it outward into the hyper-efficient GaN Blade, Chord ensures that their analog resolution remains highly adaptable, regardless of space constraints or system budgets. Full specifications, physical dimensions, and official pricing structures for both the ULTIMA 7 and Blade will be fully unveiled in September.