Chord Electronics Mezzo Owners manual
welcome
Thank you for buying a Chord Electronics product.
Before you start to enjoy using your Chord Electronics product, please take a couple of
minutes to read how to connect your audio equipment and loudspeakers to your Chord
Choral product and how to maximise your listening experience.
user guide for
power amplifier
MEZZO
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pre-amplifier
PRIMA
The pre-amplifier is the control centre of your system. By connecting your audio sources to
it you can choose the source you want at any particular time and control it.
You can also adjust the balance and volume before the signal is sent to a power amplifier.
Your pre-amplifiers can be operated manually or via any Chord remote control.
power amplifier
MEZZO
The power amplifier is the heart of your system, and your Chord amplifier offers stunning
results providing effortless power across the whole spectrum of music’s tonal span.
phono stage
SYMPHONIC
The phono stage provides the vital conditioning needed for a signal coming from the stylus
of your turntable and hugely amplifies the signal before it is fed to your pre-amplifier.
Combining high performance and ease of use, the phono stage is an important component
in a system that utilises a turntable.
digital to analogue converter
DAC 64
This award winning, state of the art product converts the digital signal coming from your
digital sources (such as a DVD/CD transport) into a suitable analogue signal that can be
fed to your pre-amplifier.
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background
We want you to be confident using your new Chord Electronics product.
You are probably an audiophile with extensive knowledge of audio equipment.
However, you may not be!
So in the following section we explain a few basics to help you get started, or get you back
up to speed if you are a little rusty.
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connecting your equipment
Chord amplifiers are supplied with and designed to be connected using balanced inputs.
The interconnecting cables you use will depend on the available input and output sockets
on your other equipment. We have installed unbalanced inputs on all Chord equipment,
thus enabling you to mix Chord Electronics and other manufacturer’s equipment.
Balanced inputs carry twice the strength of signal of unbalanced inputs and are able to be
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fed down long lengths of cable with less deterioration of signal. They are also less prone to
interference than unbalanced inputs. Balanced inputs have three pins and use Neutric XLR
style connectors. Pin 1 is earth, pin 2 is positive and pin 3 is negative.
Unbalanced inputs use RCA phono connectors, which are gold plated with teflon high
performance dielectric insulators for optimum performance.
speakers
outputs
inputs
outputs
inputs
outputs
DAC 64
inputs
CD Transport Turntable
Basic system diagram
MEZZO
power amplifier
PRIMA
pre-amplifier
outputs
inputs
SYMPHONIC
phono stage
- Amplification
- Switching and
level control
- Data and
analogue
conversion
- Signal
Detection
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when setting up
To ensure that your Chord product works efficiently and safely, please pay particular
attention to the following issues.
ventilation
Your Chord product should have at least 5cm of clear space all around it to ensure a free
flow of air at all times. We do not recommend that you place your Chord product directly
on a carpet as this can damage the equipment through blocked ventilation.
mains lead and plug
All Chord equipment comes supplied with the correct mains lead and plug. This should be
used at all times.
if you need to fit a plug for UK/Europe
Connect the blue wire to the neutral terminal
Connect the brown wire to the live terminal
Connect the yellow/green wire to the earth terminal
if you need to fit a plug for US/Canada
Connect the white wire to the neutral terminal
Connect the black wire to the live terminal
Connect the green to the earth terminal
earthing issues in Europe
In some European countries a hum may occur if your processor is connected to mains
sockets that do not have an earth. If this is the case please ensure that:
1. Your equipment is connected via a multi-way mains block which contains an earth point
at each socket outlet. This is to ensure that the chassis metalwork of each item is
connected together.
2. We recommend that an earthing method for your building is implemented.
3. Use the connecting points on your Chord unit and connect to an available earth point.
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