CHORD 
Power amplifiers
welcome
Thank you for buying a Chord product.
Before you start to enjoy using your Chord amplifier, please take a couple of minutes to read how to connect your audio and visual equipment and speakers to your power amplifier and how to maximise your listening experience.
user guide for power amplifiers
stereo power amplifiers SPM 600
SPM 1200C
SPM 1200E
SPM 4000
SPM 5000
SPM 12000
mono power amplifiers SPM 1400E
SPM 6000
multi-channel power amplifiers SPM 603
SPM 1203
SPM 1900
SPM 2000
SPM 3005
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stereo power amplifiers
SPM 600, SPM 1200C, SPM 1200E, SPM 4000, SPM 5000
SPM 12000
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.
mono power amplifiers
SPM 1400E, SPM 6000
Using two mono amplifiers instead of one stereo amplifier has the advantage that each amplifier can be placed close to the loudspeaker it is driving which reduces signal losses that occur in long lengths of loudspeaker cable.
multi-channel power amplifiers
SPM 603, SPM 1203, SPM 1900, SPM 2000, SPM 3005
Chord’s multi-channel amplifiers offer the perfect solution for those seeking the ultimate audio/visual surround system. A perfect home theatre setup can be achieved by teaming up a Chord multi-channel amplifier with the Chord AV processor and loudspeaker package.
Whether it is 5 channels, 6 channels or adding 3 channels to your existing hi-fi, Chord makes the perfect solution for your demanding home theatre requirements.
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background
We want you to be confident using your new Chord amplifier.
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.
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 and other manufacturer’s equipment.
Balanced inputs carry twice the strength of signal of unbalanced inputs and are able to be 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
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outputs
pre-amplifier
inputs
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audio source |
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CD player |
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tuner |
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when setting up
To ensure that your Chord amplifier works efficiently and safely, please pay particular attention to the following issues.
ventilation
Your Chord amplifier should have at least 5cm of clear space all around it to ensure a free flow of air at all times. When driven continuously at well above average levels, the temperature at the back of the unit may exceed 50ºC. This is normal and no cause for concern, although it does highlight the need for adequate ventilation around the unit. We do not recommend that you place your amplifier directly on a carpet.
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 amplifier is connected to mains sockets that do not have an earth. If this is the case please ensure that:
1.Your amplifier 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.
safety warnings
It is important that your amplifier is earthed at all times via its own mains lead. Failure to do this may be hazardous. The power supply components within the amplifier are designed to be operated at lethal voltages and energy levels. Circuit designs that embody these components conform with applicable safety requirements. Precautions must be taken to prevent accidental contact with power-line potentials. Do not connect grounded test equipment.
These units comply with EN 50081-1 and IEC 801/2
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stereo power amplifiers
connecting your SPM 600
You need to connect the outputs from your pre-amplifier to your power
amplifier and then connect your power amplifier to your loudspeakers. There are two pairs of inputs. You can connect to either the XLR or RCA outputs, but not to both types at the same time. All connections should be made with the power turned off.
connecting to your power amplifier using XLR style inputs:
Use XLR style connectors to connect:
•the Right output from your pre-amplifier to the Right balanced input
•the Left output from your pre-amplifier to the Left balanced input.
connecting to your power amplifier using unbalanced RCA style inputs
Use RCA style connectors to connect:
•the Right output of your pre-amplifier to the Right input phono socket
•the Left output of your pre-amplifier to the Left input phono socket.
connecting your loudspeakers
1.Connect one set of loudspeakers to Right A and Left A, matching +ve to +ve and -ve to -ve on the amplifier and loudspeakers.
2.You can connect a second pair of loudspeakers to Right B and Left B. See Figure A on page x.
3.You can use both A and B to bi-wire your loudspeakers if they allow. See Figure B on page 21.
Note: The WBT rhodium plated 4mm speaker binding posts will accept 4mm banana plugs (WBT-0645 or WBT-0644) or 6mm spades (WBT-0680). Making connections using bare wire is not recommended.
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RIGHT |
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LEFT |
A |
B |
A |
B |
-ve BLACK
+ve RED
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3 |
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3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
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PUSH |
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PUSH |
RIGHT |
RIGHT |
MAINS |
LEFT |
LEFT |
BALANCED |
INPUT |
INPUT |
INPUT |
BALANCED |
INPUT |
PHONO |
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PHONO |
INPUT |
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SOCKET |
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SOCKET |
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stereo power amplifiers
connecting your SPM 1200C SPM 1200E
You need to connect the outputs from your pre-amplifier to your power
amplifier and then connect your power amplifier to your loudspeakers. There are two pairs of inputs. You can connect to either the XLR or RCA outputs, but not to both types at the same time. All connections should be made with the power turned off.
connecting to your power amplifier using XLR style inputs
Use XLR style connectors to connect:
•the Right output from your pre-amplifier to the Right balanced input
•the Left output from your pre-amplifier to the Left balanced input.
connecting to your power amplifier using unbalanced RCA style inputs
Use RCA style connectors to connect:
•the Right output from your pre-amplifier to the Right input phono socket
•the Left output from your pre-amplifier to the Left input phono socket.
connecting your loudspeakers
1.Connect one set of loudspeakers to Right A and Left A, matching +ve to +ve and -ve to -ve on the amplifier and loudspeakers.
2.You can connect a second pair of loudspeakers to Right B and Left B. See Figure A on page x
3.You can use both A and B to bi-wire your loudspeakers if they allow. See Figure B on page 21.
Note: The WBT gold plated 4mm speaker binding posts will accept 4mm banana plugs (WBT-0645 or WBT-0644) or 6mm spades (WBT-0680). Making connections using bare wire is not recommended.
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RIGHT |
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LEFT |
A |
B |
A |
B |
-ve BLACK
+ve RED
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3 |
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3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
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PUSH |
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PUSH |
RIGHT |
RIGHT |
MAINS |
LEFT |
LEFT |
BALANCED |
INPUT |
INPUT |
INPUT |
BALANCED |
INPUT |
PHONO |
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PHONO |
INPUT |
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SOCKET |
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SOCKET |
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stereo power amplifiers
connecting your SPM 4000 SPM 5000
You need to connect the outputs from your pre-amplifier to your power
amplifier and then connect your power amplifier to your loudspeakers. There are two pairs of inputs. You can connect to either the XLR or RCA outputs, but not to both types at the same time. All connections should be made with the power turned off.
connecting to your power amplifier using XLR style inputs
Use XLR style connectors to connect:
•the Right output of your pre-amplifier to the Right balanced input
•the Left output of your pre-amplifier to the Left balanced input.
connecting to your power amplifier using unbalanced RCA style inputs
Use RCA style connectors to connect:
•the Right output of your pre-amplifier to the Right input phono socket
•the Left output of your pre-amplifier to the Left input phono socket.
connecting your loudspeakers
Connect your loudspeakers to the right and left binding posts, matching +ve to +ve and -ve to -ve on amplifiers and loudspeakers.
Note: The WBT gold plated 4mm speaker binding posts will accept 4mm banana plugs (WBT-0645 or WBT-0644) or 6mm spades (WBT-0680). Making connections using bare wire is not recommended.
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RIGHT |
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LEFT |
A |
B |
A |
B |
-ve BLACK
+ve RED
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3 |
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3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
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PUSH |
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PUSH |
RIGHT |
RIGHT |
MAINS |
LEFT |
LEFT |
BALANCED |
INPUT |
INPUT |
INPUT |
BALANCED |
INPUT |
PHONO |
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PHONO |
INPUT |
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SOCKET |
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SOCKET |
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stereo power amplifiers
connecting your SPM 12000
You need to connect the outputs from your pre-amplifier to your power
amplifier and then connect your power amplifier to your loudspeakers. There are two pairs of inputs. You can connect to either the XLR or RCA outputs, but not to both types at the same time. All connections should be made with the power turned off.
The SPM 12000 is designed and must be used with both mains leads plugged into suitable sockets. Ensure that the phase is the same for both leads.
connecting to your power amplifier using XLR style inputs
Use XLR style connectors to connect:
•the Right output of your pre-amplifier to the Right balanced input
•the Left output of your pre-amplifier to the Left balanced input.
connecting to your power amplifier using unbalanced RCA style inputs
Use RCA style connectors to connect:
•the Right output of your pre-amplifier to the Right input phono socket
•connect the Left output of your pre-amplifier to the Left input phono socket.
connecting your loudspeakers
Connect your loudspeakers to the right and left binding posts, matching +ve to +ve and -ve to -ve on amplifiers and loudspeakers.
Note: The WBT gold plated 4mm speaker binding posts will accept 4mm banana plugs (WBT-0645 or WBT-0644) or 6mm spades (WBT-0680). Making connections using bare wire is not recommended.
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RIGHT |
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LEFT |
+ve |
-ve |
-ve |
+ve |
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3 |
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3 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
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PUSH |
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PUSH |
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LEFT |
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RIGHT |
RIGHT |
MAINS |
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LEFT |
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INPUT |
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BALANCED |
INPUT |
INPUT |
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BALANCED |
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PHONO |
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INPUT |
PHONO |
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INPUT |
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SOCKET |
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SOCKET |
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mono power amplifiers
connecting your SPM 1400E SPM 6000
You need to connect the outputs from your pre-amplifier to your power amplifiers and then connect your power amplifiers to your loudspeakers. There are two pairs of inputs. You can connect to either the XLR or RCA outputs, but not to both types at the same time. All connections should be made with the power turned off.
The inputs can be connected as either inverting or non-inverting modes. Connect the output from your Chord pre-amplifier to the right input to give an inverted output, as is normal with other Chord amplifiers.
Connect the output from your pre-amplifier to the left input to give a non-inverting output, when using other makes of amplifier.
As these amplifiers are of mono block construction you should only connect one input. When using a pair of units you need to ensure that all inputs used are non-inverting or both are inverting otherwise the loudspeakers will be out of phase.
connecting to your power amplifier using XLR style inputs
Use XLR style connectors to connect the output of your pre-amplifier to the Right
balanced inverting input.
connecting to your power amplifier using unbalanced RCA style inputs
Use RCA style connectors to connect the output of your pre-amplifier to the Right inverting input phono socket.
connecting your loudspeakers
Connect your loudspeaker to the black and red binding posts.
To bi-wire using two mono power amplifiers see Figure D on page 22.
BLACK
RED
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3 |
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3 |
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1 |
Ground |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
Ground |
2 |
+ve |
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PUSH |
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PUSH |
2 |
-ve |
3 |
-ve |
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3 |
+ve |
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LEFT |
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RIGHT |
RIGHT |
MAINS |
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LEFT |
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NON- |
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BALANCED |
INVERTING |
INPUT |
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BALANCED |
INVERTING |
INPUT |
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INVERTING |
NON-INVERTING |
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INPUT |
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INPUT |
PHONO |
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INPUT |
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PHONO |
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SOCKET |
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SOCKET |
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multi-channel power amplifiers
connecting your SPM 603 SPM 1203
You need to connect the outputs from your AV processor to your power amplifier and then connect your power amplifier to your loudspeakers. There are three RCA inputs. All connections should be made with the power turned off.
connecting to your power amp using unbalanced RCA style inputs
Use RCA style connectors to connect:
•the Right output of your AV processor to the Right input phono socket (green)
•connect the Centre output of your AV processor to the Centre input (red)
•connect the Left output of your AV processor to the Left input phono socket (blue).
connecting your loudspeakers
Connect your loudspeakers to the following binding posts.
•right (green)
•centre (red)
•left (blue).
See Figure E on page 23.
RIGHT CENTRE LEFT
-VE
+VE
RIGHT |
CENTRE |
LEFT |
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INPUT |
INPUT |
INPUT |
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PHONO |
PHONO |
PHONO |
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SOCKET |
SOCKET |
SOCKET |
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MAINS
INPUT
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