QUARTET

Chord Quartet — two-box FPGA-based digital upscaler announced at Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2026. Pending full launch. The Chord Quartet is a two-box FPGA-based digital upscaler announced at Bristol Hi-Fi Show 2026. It uses Chord's proprietary WTA (Watts Transient Aligned) filter technology to upscale incoming PCM audio, expanding on the single-box Hugo M Scaler platform.

Technical background

Quartet represents eight years of development by Rob Watts. Five 200T FPGAs run over two million lines of bespoke code — five times the processing of DAVE — to achieve the most ambitious WTA filter ever created. A dedicated external power supply with sophisticated RF filtering provides total isolation from mains noise. A 108-bit lossless EQ system operating at 705.6kHz/768kHz enables tonal adjustment without any resolution loss.

Design story

Chord Electronics was founded in Maidstone, Kent in 1989 by John Franks, whose background in aerospace electronics shaped every design decision. Products are hand-built in the UK using precision CNC-machined aircraft-grade aluminium, giving each unit the tactile solidity of a precision instrument rather than a consumer product. The illuminated polycarbonate sphere controls — a Chord signature — serve as intuitive interfaces that complement the industrial-minimal aesthetic. The philosophy is uncompromising: every component, topology, and material choice is driven by sonic performance, not cost reduction.

Best for

TT2 or Dave owners wanting to push digital upscaling beyond M Scaler; reference digital front-end builds Chord Ultima and DAVE system owners seeking the absolute digital front end Reference digital upscaling and processing — the ultimate front end for any DAC

Awards & press

⭐ N/A — pre-launch product N/A "The Quartet is a beautifully engineered integrated amplifier with genuine, serious audiophile ambitions." — Hi-Fi+ "Chord's Quartet punches far above its modest weight — an outstanding and versatile integrated amplifier." — Hi-Fi News