Its rendition of Zero 7’s beautiful I Have Seen is a rare
pleasure, showing the Chord’s refreshing lack of character. It takes an
even-handed approach – throwing out lots of lovely delicate, filigree detail.
Again, I find instruments and vocals located with a vice-like grip, and the
bass is allowed to power along purposefully without disturbing any other part
of the music. Dynamic peaks are well signposted and it lets the music progress
in a lively, enjoyable way.
However, what some folk won’t like about the Chord is
precisely this – music never sounds glorious, passionate or gushing; it doesn’t
tear out its very heart and soul in trying to tell you what’s going on. Rather,
the SMP 1200 MkII sits back slightly, being beautifully detailed, perfectly
poised, refined, subtle and gently powerful without quite rocking out. Then
again, Hi-Fi that gives a larger than life, over-emotive sort of presentation
is invariably flawed in other respects; so it’s a case of swings and
roundabouts. The Chord treads a careful line, thinking discretion to be the
better part of valor.
The new Chord SPM
1200 MkII is physically large.
Bass is always tight and well defined. It is tuneful too,
but not in a Naim sort of way and so doesn’t dominate the proceedings. At the
other end of the frequency range, the treble proves to be very much like the
midband, which is of course to say glass-clear and wonderfully detailed and
delicate. This gives the music a lovely spatiality and airy feel. Everything
feels so even and well integrated and this holds for differing volume levels,
too. There’s no sense of the big Chord having obvious strengths and weaknesses,
or of favoring certain aspects of the music to the exclusion of others.
This is why it is so good both with complex electronica and
also classical; it’s a dispassionate friend that won’t overdo any aspect of the
mix, so you can listen right in, way beyond your room’s rear wall. Cue up the
Linn hi-res recording of the Allegro to Bach’s 5th Brandenburg Concerto, and
the insight and evenness of the Chord is a revelation; it renders the timbre of
the instruments with great skill and accuracy, giving you an authentic sense of
being in the concert hall.
However, play an old scratchy vinyl of Nick Lowe’s glorious
new-wave standard So It Goes, and the Chord won’t quite get you up out of your
sofa and pogo-ing. Suddenly, all that delicacy, balance, and poise aren’t quite
so useful, and instead what’s needed is more of headbanger of an amp. Sure, you
can enjoy the lovely textural elements of the recording, and tap your foot
appreciatively, but there’s a lack of urgency to the proceedings that some will
miss. This isn’t a criticism as much as an observation; there’s no universal
Panacea in high-end amplifiers, and you buy to suit your
taste!
Here’s a beautiful
slice of high-end amplifier exotica that does what it says on the tin.
Conclusion
Here’s a beautiful slice of high-end amplifier exotica that
does what it says on the tin. It has massive power, superlative build and a
sound that befits its price. If you ever wanted an archetypal example of a
great-all-round solid-state amplifier – one that makes the best of the breed’s
strengths and deftly side-steps its weaknesses, this is it. There are a few
other super-amps with just a touch more attitude and some with more finesse –
but the Chord SPM 1200 MkII offers a brilliantly judged balance. Just don’t
forget to wear your shades when you switch it on!
How it compares
Musical Fidelity’s AMS50 (£8,900) is an obvious rival. This
is a massive behemoth of a thing, making the Chord look like a mini-system
component! It’s black, has heavy heat sinking and it weighs a tonne. It gives
50W in full Class A, making one of the most powerful solid-state amps to run in
this mode – that means a lot of heat. Your electricity bill will be shocking.
Sonically, it’s clearer and more incisive than the Chord, but the difference
isn’t huge and the Chord has more wallop should you need it. The Musical Fidelity
sounds a little brighter and more forensic, whereas the Chord is smoother with
a slightly richer tonality.
Pin Chord
Electronics
Our verdict
·
Sound quality: 5/5
·
Value for money: 5/5
·
Build quality: 5/5
·
Features: 4.5/5
·
Like: Superlative design and build; powerful, well-balanced sound
·
Dislike: The lightshow won’t be to all tastes; price!
·
We say: Fabulous all-round, high-end solid-stage power amp.
·
Overall: 5/5
|
Technical
specs
·
Product: Chord Electronics SPM 1200 MkII
·
Origin: UK
·
Type: Power amplifier
·
Weight: 18kg
·
Dimensions (W x H x D): 420 x 140 x 355mm
·
Features: Quoted power output: 2x 350W RMS; Aerospace-grade aluminum
casework; 2x balanced XLR outputs; 2x RCA outputs; Gold-plated WBT speaker
terminals
·
Distributor: Chord Electronics
|
