Chord Electronics Symphonic

The Chord Electronics Symphonic is a dedicated moving coil phono stage built with the same proprietary power supply technology found across Chord's entire product range. It handles the full range of MC cartridges through four selectable gain settings and six impedance options, extracting every detail from the groove without adding noise from the electronics. If you are running a moving coil cartridge into a Choral system, the Symphonic is the purpose-built link between your turntable and the Prima preamplifier.

Key Features

• Dedicated moving coil design (MC only, not MM)
• Four selectable gain settings for compatibility with a wide range of MC cartridges
• Six selectable impedance settings for optimal cartridge loading
• Rausch slope rumble filter to reduce low-frequency noise from the cartridge/record interface
• Twin viewing portals for at-a-glance confirmation of gain and impedance settings
• Proprietary high-frequency switch-mode power supply
• Choral form factor for stacking with DAVE, Prima, Etude, and Ensemble Stand

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.

MC-Only Design

The Symphonic is a moving coil phono stage. It does not have a moving magnet input. This is a deliberate choice. MC cartridges produce a much smaller signal than MM cartridges (often 0.2-0.5mV vs 2-5mV), and amplifying that signal cleanly requires a different circuit approach. By designing exclusively for MC, Chord optimized the gain structure, noise floor, and impedance matching for the cartridge type that demands the most from a phono stage. If you need MM support, Chord's Huei in the Qutest range handles both MM and MC.

Gain and Impedance Selection

Four gain settings and six impedance options let you match the Symphonic to virtually any MC cartridge on the market. Gain affects how much the tiny cartridge signal is amplified before it reaches your preamp. Impedance affects how the phono stage loads the cartridge electrically, which influences frequency response and tracking behavior. The correct settings depend on your specific cartridge's output voltage and recommended load impedance (both listed in the cartridge's spec sheet). Twin viewing portals on the front panel confirm your current settings at a glance, so you can verify without reaching around the back.

Symphonic Power Supply

Phono MC signals are the smallest signals in any audio system. A cartridge producing 0.3mV is outputting a signal roughly 7,000 times smaller than the line-level output of a DAC. At that scale, power supply noise can easily become audible. The Symphonic uses Chord's proprietary high-frequency switch-mode power supply, which operates above the audio band where its switching noise cannot interfere with the music signal. Traditional linear power supplies operating at 50-60 Hz generate magnetic fields and hum right in the middle of the frequency range where the phono stage is trying to amplify a nearly invisible signal. Chord's approach means the Symphonic amplifies the music, not the power supply.

Rumble Filter

The Rausch slope rumble filter reduces subsonic noise from warped records, turntable bearing rumble, and the mechanical interface between stylus and groove. This low-frequency energy is below what your speakers should reproduce, but it wastes amplifier power and can cause woofer excursion if left unchecked. The filter rolls off the lowest frequencies without affecting the audible bass range.

The Choral Range

The Symphonic shares its form factor with the DAVE, Prima, Etude, and Choral Ensemble Stand. In a vinyl-focused Choral system, the signal path runs: turntable to Symphonic, Symphonic to Prima, Prima to Etude, Etude to speakers. Available in black or silver finish.

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 Symphonic Specifications