Gold Note is an Italian manufacturer based in Montespertoli, in the hills southwest of Florence. Its history begins with Maurizio Aterini, an engineer, who opened a design studio in 1992 for other audio brands. The B-5 tonearm, which with only a few modifications still equips the company's turntables today, dates back to that period. In 2012, Aterini, his wife Elena Basciano, and his partner Alessio Oronti stopped working for third parties and founded the Gold Note brand. The company designs and assembles in-house, with some of its suppliers sourced in Tuscany.
The catalog covers the entire chain: it includes turntables, tonearms, cartridges, phono preamps, CD players, streamers, integrated amplifiers, preamplifiers, power amplifiers, headphone amplifiers, power supplies, speakers and cables, organized into series that increase in level, such as the 5, the 10 and the 1000.
A distinctive feature is the ability to grow your system without replacing existing equipment. Several electronics accept a dedicated external power supply: the PSU-10, for example, is designed for the PH-10 phono preamp, and the catalog also includes the PSU-5, PSU-10 EVO, PSX-5.2, and PST-10. The PH-10 reads MM and MC cartridges with four gain levels and nine load values, offers RIAA, Decca-London and American Columbia curves, and memorizes settings for two separate inputs.
Vinyl is the brand's original field. Turntables include the T-5, Pianosa, Giglio, Valore 425 Plus, with a 12V synchronous motor and electronic speed control, and the Mediterraneo. The Mediterraneo has a three-ply Italian walnut plinth, a steel and acrylic plate, and is equipped with the B-5.1 tonearm; the Mediterraneo X is the superior version. The upgrade is the B-7 Ceramic tonearm, with ceramic bearings from Germany's GRW. Cartridges include Vasari Red, Gold, and Shibata, Donatello Red and Gold, Giotto, Da Vinci, and ES-78, and phono preamps range from the PH-5.2 to the PH-1000.
The rest of the system includes the CD-5.2, CD-10, and CD-1000 MKII players, the DS-5.2, DS-10 EVO, and DS-1000 EVO streamers, the IS-10 and IS-1000 MKII integrated amplifiers, the P-1000 MKII preamplifier, the TUBE-1006 and TUBE-1012 tube preamplifiers, the PA-10 EVO and PA-1175 MKII power amplifiers, and the HP-5.2 and HP-10 headphone amplifiers. Speakers include the A3 EVO II and A6 EVO II, the Diana series, and the XS-85, one of the brand's first products.
Vinyl lovers can start with the PH-10 and add the PSU-10 later, spreading the cost over time. For a first turntable, the Valore 425 Plus, paired with a Vasari Red cartridge, is a complete system; the Mediterraneo is the choice when you want a significant leap in solidity. Those looking for a compact system can build it around an IS series integrated amplifier and a DS streamer, adding a CD player if their record collection is still substantial. As for cables, the Lucca, Siena, and Firenze lines allow you to wire the power, speakers, and signal using the same brand.
In our Carpi showroom, you can listen to Gold Note products in the listening room and receive advice on matching them with your speakers and other electronics in your system. The same models can be ordered online at audiocostruzioni.com with shipping, asking us for advice first by email if necessary.
