The Italian HiFi brand, Gold Note, has just announced the PH-5, which is the newest addition to the phono stage lineup of the brand. However, the audio specialist had a special target for this phono stage.
It aimed to match the PH-10 and PH-1000 in terms of quality and performance but with a lower price tag. And the main question is, did they succeed?
The Gold Note PH-5 comes with a single RCA input. And you can connect it to either MC or MM cartridges.
The phono stage offers a handful of EQ curves selection, which includes Decca, RIAA, and American Columbia, with Enhnaded Option. Also, there are load and gain adjustments.
Those adjustments will offer you the versatility and flexibility not present in the other phono stages of this price range. But that is not the only highlight of the Gold Note PH-5.
In the Gold Note PH-5, you will notice a touchscreen interface. PH-5 is the first of its kind from the brand that comes with a touchscreen. And this interface will make it easier to access the settings and change the different parameters.
The display is highly responsive as well. Gold Note tweaked the screen to make it change all the options in real time. That means you will be able to hear all the adjustments as you are making them.
Besides that, Gold Note PH-5 also boasts an entirely new design. Thanks to that, it can integrate all the electronics into a single board.
And the overall outlook is pretty impressive, especially considering the fact that this is an affordable phono stage. It looks pretty elegant and should blend well with most of the setups.
That said, you will not be disappointed with the specifications. As mentioned earlier, it comes with three EQ curves.
There is also a subsonic filter, which is 10Hz/36dB octave. Also, the frequency response range of the device is from 20 Hz to 20 kHz on the standard. And in the enhanced, it can offer 20 Hz to 50 kHz.
Other than that, the signal-to-noise ratio is at 89 dB, which is pretty impressive. Also, the THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) is less than 0.05 percent at 1 kHz.
Furthermore, the input sensitivity is at 0.1 mV for MC and up to 10 mV for MM. And there are nine different options for input impedance.
Overall, things are looking pretty great for the Gold Note PH-5. And as it brings a lot of high-end features by keeping the price low, you should definitely put this on your checklist.
Slava is a man of mystery and no-one seems to know exactly where he is at any point in time. When he isn't enjoying writing about all things audio and technical he can be found researching his next project of interest. The man never rests.