Chord Hugo the Dave Preamplifier
The DAVE — Digital to Analogue Veritas in Extremis — is Chord Electronics' reference DAC, preamplifier, and headphone amplifier. Three boxes in one chassis, and the only one of them that doesn't involve a compromise.
What separates the DAVE from virtually every other DAC at any price is what's inside: a custom Spartan 6 FPGA running over a million lines of code, implementing a 164,000-tap reconstruction filter. Standard chip-based DACs use a filter with a few hundred taps. Chord's approach — developed by DSP engineer Rob Watts over two decades — addresses the timing errors that conventional DAC designs paper over. The result is a noise floor of -127.5dB and dynamic range to match. On paper it looks like a specification. In a room, it sounds like the recording exists in front of you instead of behind a screen.
$14,950 MSRP
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Return Policy
Return Policy
We offer a 3-day return window on all purchases. Returns made to a credit or debit card will incur a 5 percent processing fee. Shipping costs, both to and from, are the responsibility of the customer if applicable.
After the 3-day window and up to 3 weeks from the date of purchase, items may still be returned, subject to a 20 percent restocking fee.
For shipped orders, customers must notify us within 3 days of receiving the item to initiate a return. Once the item is received back in the same condition it was sent, we will issue a refund minus all shipping charges and a 5 percent credit card processing fee.
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The DAVE — Digital to Analogue Veritas in Extremis — is Chord Electronics' reference DAC, preamplifier, and headphone amplifier. Three boxes in one chassis, and the only one of them that doesn't involve a compromise.
What separates the DAVE from virtually every other DAC at any price is what's inside: a custom Spartan 6 FPGA running over a million lines of code, implementing a 164,000-tap reconstruction filter. Standard chip-based DACs use a filter with a few hundred taps. Chord's approach — developed by DSP engineer Rob Watts over two decades — addresses the timing errors that conventional DAC designs paper over. The result is a noise floor of -127.5dB and dynamic range to match. On paper it looks like a specification. In a room, it sounds like the recording exists in front of you instead of behind a screen.
$14,950 MSRP
8.5/10 - Great Condition. Minimal wear. See photos. No original box or packaging.