Chord Electronics DAVE

The Chord Electronics DAVE is the reference-point DAC in Chord's lineup, running 164,000-tap WTA filters on a custom-coded FPGA that no off-the-shelf chip can match. It functions as a DAC, digital preamplifier, and headphone amplifier in a single chassis, designed and built in Kent, England. For listeners who have heard the Hugo TT2 and want to know what happens when you nearly double the processing power, the DAVE is where that question gets answered.

Key Features

• 164,000-tap WTA filter on custom-coded FPGA (vs. 98,304 taps in Hugo TT2)
• Pulse Array DAC technology with 20-element design for vanishingly low noise floor
• Dual BNC inputs for Hugo M Scaler connection at 705/768 kHz upsampling
• USB galvanic isolation to prevent source noise from reaching the DAC
• 768 kHz PCM and DSD512 native playback
• Digital preamplifier with fixed or variable output (XLR balanced and RCA)
• Headphone amplifier with dual 6.35mm outputs
• Full-color display showing sample rate, volume, input, and filter settings
• Inputs: 2x BNC coax, 2x optical, AES/EBU, USB Type B
• Full remote control for volume, input selection, crossfeed, and filter modes

Why We Carry Chord Electronics

Chord Electronics has been doing digital conversion differently since 1989. While every other manufacturer buys off-the-shelf DAC chips, Rob Watts designs custom FPGA algorithms with tap lengths that dwarf anything from ESS or AKM. Their proprietary Pulse Array technology, MOSFET amplification stages, and high-frequency switch-mode power supplies are all designed and built in Kent, England. From the portable Mojo 2 to the flagship DAVE, every product runs code that Chord wrote themselves.

What 164,000 Taps Actually Means

The number that defines the DAVE is its WTA (Watts Transient Aligned) filter tap length: 164,000. Every Chord DAC uses the same fundamental approach, custom FPGA code that reconstructs the analog waveform from digital samples by calculating timing relationships between data points. More taps means more data points informing each calculation, and more accurate reconstruction of the original analog signal. The Hugo 2 uses 49,152 taps. The Hugo TT2 uses 98,304. The DAVE nearly doubles that again. In practical listening terms, the difference shows up as finer resolution of spatial cues, more natural decay on instruments, and a noise floor low enough that very quiet details in recordings become audible for the first time.

Pulse Array DAC

Chord's Pulse Array technology is the output stage that converts the FPGA's processed digital signal into analog. The DAVE uses a 20-element Pulse Array that achieves a dynamic range specification Chord rates at 127dB. This is not an off-the-shelf DAC chip doing the conversion. The FPGA calculates the output, and the Pulse Array executes it with a level of precision that conventional delta-sigma or R2R architectures cannot replicate at this noise floor. The result is a DAC that resolves detail at levels where most sources simply run out of information to give.

DAVE as a Digital Preamplifier

The DAVE operates in two modes: fixed output for use with a separate preamplifier, or variable output where it controls volume digitally and feeds a power amplifier directly. In variable mode, the DAVE's volume control operates in the digital domain at 64-bit resolution, so there is no analog potentiometer degrading the signal path. Balanced XLR and single-ended RCA outputs handle the connection to your amplification. Pairing the DAVE directly with a Chord Etude power amplifier is one of the more common Choral system configurations, eliminating an analog preamp from the chain entirely.

Hugo M Scaler Connection

The DAVE's dual BNC inputs accept the output of the Hugo M Scaler, which upsamples incoming audio to 705.6/768 kHz before the DAVE's WTA filters process it. The M Scaler adds over one million taps of its own processing on top of the DAVE's 164,000, and the dual-BNC connection is the only way to deliver that full bandwidth. This pairing is widely regarded as the highest-performing digital front end in Chord's catalog, and the two units were designed to work together from the start.

Headphone Amplifier

Two 6.35mm headphone outputs on the front panel let the DAVE drive headphones directly. The output stage is powerful enough for most full-size headphones, though dedicated headphone listeners with demanding planars may benefit from adding the BerTTi power amplifier for additional current. For most headphones, the DAVE's built-in amplification is more than sufficient, and it keeps the signal path as short as possible.

Build and Connectivity

The DAVE's chassis is machined from a single billet of aerospace-grade aluminum, a construction method shared across Chord's higher-end products. The front panel features a circular display window showing real-time status: input source, sample rate, volume level, and active filter. Six digital inputs cover every connection standard: two BNC coax (75 ohm), two optical (Toslink), one AES/EBU (XLR), and one USB Type B with galvanic isolation. The USB input handles up to 768 kHz PCM and DSD512 natively. Available in black or silver finish.

The Choral Range

The DAVE is part of Chord's Choral range, a family of components designed to stack and work together as a complete system. The Prima preamplifier, Etude power amplifier, Symphonic phono stage, and Choral Ensemble Stand all share the same form factor and aesthetic. A typical Choral system might be DAVE as the source/preamp, feeding an Etude for speaker amplification, with a Symphonic handling vinyl playback.

The Listening Room Difference

We're a third-generation family business with a brick-and-mortar showroom in Chestertown, Maryland, and a reputation built on exceptional service and relentless passion for hifi. Whether you're visiting in person or ordering online, we bring decades of experience, personalized service, and honest guidance to every interaction. We don't just ship boxes. We help build systems, answer your questions like real humans, and make sure every detail of your setup is right, from the cables to the final connection. Our passion is helping you get the most out of your gear, with support that lasts well beyond the sale.

Chord Electronics DAVE Specifications