Gold Note PH-1000 Phono Preamplifier, Black

The Gold Note PH-1000 is an absolute top-tier phono stage – the unit that sits between your turntable and your amplifier, bringing the tiny signal from the cartridge's stylus up to listening level, equalizing it correctly and as cleanly as technically possible.

According to Gold Note, the PH-1000 is simply the best phono stage the Tuscan house has ever built – and you can feel that in every screw. Here in elegant black, which recedes into any system and lets the engineering speak.

Why the PH-1000?

Because it can do things almost no other phono stage in the world can. Over 40 built-in equalization curves plus four freely adjustable ones mean: you don't just play RIAA records, but also old Decca, Columbia or Telefunken pressings exactly as they were cut back then. Three independent inputs – two RCA, one balanced via XLR – accept MM and MC cartridges alike. And despite all this richness, operation runs through a single rotary control, Gold Note's "Single Knob Control," plus a color display. No menu maze, no fumbling with switches in the dark behind the unit.

What you hear

A phono stage is supposed to do one thing above all: add nothing and take nothing away. The PH-1000 works entirely in the analog domain – digital control is completely separated from the signal path. The result is an extremely low-noise, high-gain sound with the calm and resolution that finally let your cartridge show what it can do. The Class A headphone output is no token feature either: turntable in, headphones on – the signal path from vinyl to ear doesn't get any shorter than that.

Who it's for

For analog enthusiasts and collectors who listen to more than just standard pressings, run several turntables or cartridges in parallel, and want to get the last bit out of their record collection. Bottom line: if you listen to a single modern record through one MM cartridge and are happy with RIAA, you're paying here for possibilities you'll never use. A smaller phono stage does the job just as well.

Do I need the optional tube or power-supply upgrade?

No, the PH-1000 plays fully out of the box. But if you want to push right to the limit: Gold Note offers external power supplies (PSU-1250 / PSU-1000) and an external tube output stage (TUBE-1012 / TUBE-1006) as later upgrades. So you can start small and expand over the years.

Our verdict

The PH-1000 isn't a rational purchase, it's a commitment to the record. Anyone with a serious vinyl collection who wants to hear it without compromise will find one of the most flexible and cleanest phono stages around here. Come visit us in Wädenswil and bring your favorite record – ideally one that wasn't cut to RIAA.

Technical data

• Type: phono preamplifier for MM and MC cartridges, fully analog signal path
• Inputs: 2× RCA (single-ended), 1× XLR (balanced)
• Gain: 14 gain steps (40dB MM / 65dB MC, ±3/±6/±9dB)
• Load resistance: 12 steps (RCA) or 8 steps (XLR), 10Ω to 100kΩ
• Capacitance (MM): 7 steps (0–1000pF)
• Equalization: over 40 EQ curves incl. 4 freely adjustable, Neumann option
• Control: Single Knob Control (SKC) with color display, remote control
• Outputs: RCA, XLR, Class A headphone; optional Class A line preamp with volume control
• Max. output level: 2.5V RMS
• Total harmonic distortion (THD): 0.01%
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 100dB
• Dynamic range: 110dB
• Output impedance: 100Ω (unbalanced) / 300Ω (balanced)
• Upgradeable: external power supplies PSU-1250 / PSU-1000, tube stage TUBE-1012 / TUBE-1006
• Power consumption: 30W
• Dimensions (W×H×D): 430 × 135 × 375mm
• Weight: 12kg
• Finish: Black

Frequently asked questions

What do the 40+ EQ curves on the PH-1000 give you?

Before the RIAA standard was introduced in the mid-1950s, every label cut its records to its own equalization curve. With the PH-1000's EQ curves you hear such historic pressings exactly as they were intended – instead of bending them through the wrong curve. For modern records, RIAA is enough, and of course the PH-1000 handles that too.

Does the PH-1000 suit MM and MC cartridges?

Yes. Each of the three inputs can be set independently to MM or MC, with its own gain, its own load resistance and, for MM, its own capacitance. So you can connect three different turntables or systems in parallel and switch between them at the press of a button.

Why buy the Gold Note PH-1000 at HD Zürisee?

Because a phono stage of this class needs proper setup and a trained ear, not just a shipping box. We set the PH-1000 up to match your cartridge, advise you on the right chain, and are here for you in Wädenswil – after the purchase too. We ship free of charge anywhere in Switzerland from CHF 190.

Goes well with: turntables, cartridges and tonearms.