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[FS] Chord SPM1600 4 channel power biamplifier

I

IceG

pfm Member
For sale a Chord SPM1600 4-channel power amplifier finished in black with the black wood end cheeks - there is no Trager system. I have the original box too.

Probably built in the mid 1990s. I have owned it for about 20 years and it is still sounding excellent. The amplifier has been totally reliable in all that time with one trip to Chord to replace a small component (cannot remember what) which caused an occasional click.

The amplifier has four separate channels with RCA (unbalanced) inputs for each channel. There are two loudspeaker switches so one can run each stereo pair independently. Power is conservatively rated at 200w/channel so offers the same power as two SPM1000s in one box.

It can be used in the following setups:
- 4 discrete channels (e.g. F/R, F/L, R/R,, R/L), e.g. for home cinema/surround sound applications
- 3 discrete channels with one channel bi-amplified
- 2 discrete stereo channels with each channel bi-amplified
- 2 separate systems with each system separately switched and amplified, e.g. for multi-room installations

Perfect for use with off-board line-level cross-overs or current hungry loudspeakers. I used it with B&W 802 Matrix and 802 Nautilus speakers.

The amplifier is in leafy North London and can be demonstrated with a little notice.

Photos available by private e-mail.

Priced at £1,700 ONO. Prefer pick-up and cash but may consider a remote sale.

Please contact me by PM if you are interested.
 
Weekend bump.

I will offer the Chord amplifer together with the B&W Matrix 802 speakers as a bundle for £2500 cash collected until 3rd January 2023.
 
No good for Naim preamplifiers (per a thread hereabouts)

Better for big B&Ws (per a thread hereabouts)

Perfect if you want to do fancy things with external crossovers (per a thread hereabouts)
 
IceG -

It is incorrect to say that Chord amplifiers are 'no good' for Naim preamplifiers. I've been doing this for years. My main reason s that I think Naim pre-amps are as good as you can get, and so are Chord amps.

Hence, for example, I run an SPM-1900 for A/V, and an SPM-600 in a secondary system.

However, you are quite right to say there CAN be issues.

Naim pre-amp outputs via Din interconnects are 'unbalanced' whereas Chord amp inputs via XLR terminations are 'balamced'.

Consequently, a Naim Din-XLR suitable for (e.g.) a Nap-250 will reproduce loud 'hum' if connected to a Chord professional amplifier.

The workarounds, however, are quite straightforward:

1. If your Chord amp has RCA/Phone inputs as well as XLR (e.g. SPM-1600) or instead of XLR (e.g. SPM-1900) then there is a simple solution - use Din-RCA interconnects.

2. If your Chord has only XLR inputs then you need to buy a bespoke pair of interconnect Din-XLR interconnects, the configuration of which will differ slightly depending on whether your Chord amp(s) are Mono or Stereo.

For further information see my recent Pfm thread on this topic.

In my view Naim preamps and Chord amps when properly coupled are a match that ought to have been made in Heaven!

GLWTS.

Best wishes,

Skyebridge
 
@skyebridge, my comment was entirely tongue-in-cheek but...

(1) thanks for the bump and

(2) thanks for the really useful information should anyone want to set up that combo.

To clarify, my SPM1600 only has RCA inputs as the original two RCA/two XLR configuration was factory modified to four RCA in order to allow the amplifier to be used as a four channel device.
 
IceG,

That's a very good move.

You can buy a 4-Din-to-4xRCA - it is not a difficult cable to manufacture. But it is worth investing in high quality cable, because the SPM-1600 is such a terrific amplifier.

I've got one made by Chord Company for my SPM-1900.

In terms of A/V and Home Theatre, these amps are MILES ahead of the crud produced by the mainstream manufacturers.

Skyebridge
 
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