Chord Company PhonoARAY – “Virtual earthing system” for turntables and phono preamplifiers

The Chord Company Ltd. boasts 40 years of experience in minimising external interference around audio systems, providing highly effective solutions in its product range. From the pioneering shielding technologies of the late 1990s and early 2000s, to the Chord Company’s own GroundARAY Noise Reduction Systems and Chord Company PowerARAY Noise Suppressor Devices and Chord Company PowerHAUS Mains Distribution Blocks.

The latest solution also addresses the problem of sound-damaging external influences, namely around record players, stand-alone phono preamps and phono preamps integrated into amplifier systems. The new Chord Company PhonoARAY Turntable Earthing System is designed to help vinyl lovers ground their solutions so that the highly sensitive signal path is optimally protected.

Advanced, stand-alone filter solution

According to information from the English specialist The Chord Company Ltd, the new Chord Company PhonoARAY Turntable Earthing System is a solution that utilises a hand-wound, extremely high-current series filter that connects both connections – such as the record player and phono preamp – as well as a complex, proprietary ARAY system that is connected in parallel.

According to the manufacturer, this particularly innovative combination creates a double ‘virtual earthing system’ for both the record player and the phono preamplifier. As a result, sensitive audio signals are shielded extremely effectively from external interference and clear, detailed reproduction is guaranteed.

Foto © The Cord Company Ltd. | Chord Company PhonoARAY Turntable Earthing System

Flexible use in different configurations

The new Chord Company PhonoARAY Turntable Earthing System is connected using high-quality 4 mm speaker terminals, whereby both 4 mm banana plugs and cable lugs can be used.

As already mentioned, the earthing connection of the turntable player is connected in this way to the earthing connection of the stand-alone phono preamp or to the corresponding connection on an amplifier system with an integrated phono preamp. A special, high-quality, shielded earthing cable with a practical length of 50 cm and a 4 mm plug on fork connector is included for this purpose.

The Chord Company PhonoARAY Turntable Earthing System has a solid aluminium housing to ensure excellent electrical insulation, according to the manufacturer’s promise. To prevent any negative effects caused by so-called microphoning, the inside of the housing is completely filled with hard plastic. Sound-damaging vibrations are also minimised by means of decoupled insulating feet.

Prices and availability

The new Chord Company PhonoARAY Turntable Earthing System is now available from specialist retailers. The recommended retail price is € 1.299,-.

Getting to the point

The new Chord Company PhonoARAY Turntable Earthing System from The Chord Company Ltd. is designed as a solution to minimise sound-damaging electromagnetic interference when playing back records. The English specialist refers to this as a double “virtual earthing system” for record players and phono preamplifiers or amplifiers with an integrated phono preamplifier.