Chord Company PhonoARAY Turntable Earthing System

The PhonoARAY is the Chord Company's dedicated turntable earthing solution — conceived to address one of the most overlooked vulnerabilities in an analogue system. A turntable's signal path is extraordinarily sensitive: a moving coil cartridge's output is amplified approximately one million times before it reaches the loudspeakers, and any interference introduced via the earth connection can compromise that delicate signal at its most exposed point. The PhonoARAY provides a controlled, high-quality earth path between the turntable or tonearm and the phono stage, while actively working to reduce the interference that connection might otherwise carry.

ARAY Technology and Filtering

Inside the PhonoARAY, a hand-wound ultra-high-current series filter joins both terminals, addressing interference in the signal path directly. Working in parallel, a complex ARAY system provides what Chord Company describe as a double virtual earth system for both the turntable and phono stage simultaneously. These two elements — the series filter and the parallel ARAY network — operate together to give the sensitive phono signal the greatest possible protection from electromagnetic interference, without introducing anything into the signal path itself.

Machined Aluminium Housing and Microphony Control

The PhonoARAY is housed in a thick-walled machined aluminium billet, chosen for its electrical and acoustic isolation properties. The internal chamber is resin-filled to suppress microphony — the phenomenon by which mechanical vibrations are converted into unwanted electrical noise. Two extremely lightweight, decoupled isolation feet further reduce microphony at the chassis level; the fixing bolts should be loosened before installation to allow full decoupling to take effect.

Connections and Supplied Cable

Connections are made via two high-quality 4mm speaker-style terminals, accepting both 4mm banana and spade connectors. The PhonoARAY is supplied with a dedicated 50cm screened earth cable — terminated 4mm to spade — for use between the PhonoARAY and the phono input earth. For those wishing to upgrade further, optional Clearway, Shawline and Signature earth cables are available separately.

Who Is It For?

The PhonoARAY is aimed at serious vinyl enthusiasts who have already invested in a quality turntable and phono stage and want to address the earth connection as a potential source of interference. It is particularly relevant in systems where multiple analogue and digital sources share the same amplification chain — precisely the kind of environment where a poorly managed earth can cause audible problems. If you are hearing low-level noise or a sense of grunge in your analogue replay that cannot be explained by the cartridge or phono stage alone, the earth connection is worth examining carefully.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind.

The PhonoARAY can be demonstrated in the context of a full analogue system at our Norwich showroom — the best way to hear what a well-managed earth connection actually does for low-level detail and background quietness.

When you get in touch, you'll be speaking with Dave, Chris and Tim — experienced specialists who can advise on this product and your whole system.

Contact us at info@martinshifi.co.uk, call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.