Mini review of the Gold Note PH-10 phono preamp

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by amgradmd, Aug 15, 2017.

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  1. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    I am using demon dl102 for mono.. works well with old records, with a little wider end. There are plenty of confusing info on a web regarding curves for various labels and years..
     
    cls likes this.
  2. bajaed

    bajaed Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I hear those demon carts are great for death metal.
     
  3. cls

    cls Active Member

    Location:
    los angeles
    Thanks for the info and will look into it. Does anyone have light hum when ph10 is placed near other components? My got slight hum when it was placed near my tube power amp. The slight hum went away when I moved it to different spots. I think the cause was the transformer in the tube power amp. I am wondering if the psu for ph10 will further darken the background for ph10. Another small detail I noticed was that I prefer ph10 gain setting be at 0 db and turn up the volume on preamp to be at about 35% of the total headroom, vs ph10 gain be at +3 db and the volume on preamp to be at about 18% of the total headroom. Also I noticed that the xlr balanced output is about twice as loud as the rca output, this is about right according to the manual, the output on xlr=4v and on rca=2v. So far I am really liking what I hear and may get the psu and then it will be my end game phono preamp for a long time (I hope).
     
    Phil Thien likes this.
  4. Stereolove

    Stereolove Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
    I’ve seen an enormous amount of positive feedback on the Gold Note PH10 plus PSU. Do any forum members know how the GN compares to the Rega Aria. I currently own the Aria, and thinking of upgrading. Thank you
     
  5. JSanders

    JSanders Member

    Location:
    California
    I'm debating between the Gold Note PH-10 or the Musical Surroundings Nova III. Any recommendations or insights (note: they will be paired with a Clearaudio Concept TT + MC cartridge).

    Thanks.
     
  6. teag

    teag Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    How did this problem turn out? I am looking at this unit for possible purchase but this sounds like a serious issue.
     
  7. gestalt

    gestalt Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    Hi, things have been sorted at the factory (a small batch of PSU-10 units were affected; feel free to DM for additional info) and all new units are good to go.
     
    foxtan and DMM714 like this.
  8. psulioninks

    psulioninks Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC Chiefs Kingdom
    Just joined the Gold Note family with the purchase of the PH-10 and PSU-10 from Colin @ Gestalt Audio!
     
    Dubmart, talkingh, Munger74 and 5 others like this.
  9. Audiophilehi

    Audiophilehi Forum Resident

    I have the Gold Note PS-10 and PSU-10. When adding a ground wire from my turntable should I hook up to the PS-10 or PSU-10?
     
  10. psulioninks

    psulioninks Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC Chiefs Kingdom
    I attached mine to the PH-10 and left the PSU-10 without a ground.
     
  11. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    Same. No hum whatsoever. Did not even check that PSU-10 had separate ground. Also my PS-10 is pretty far from PH-10, perhaps 3 feet down ))
     
  12. Audiophilehi

    Audiophilehi Forum Resident

    Thank you both! I will do the same.
     
  13. psulioninks

    psulioninks Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC Chiefs Kingdom
    Mine is located to the left of the PH-10 on the same shelf...no hum here either.
     
  14. psulioninks

    psulioninks Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC Chiefs Kingdom
    So, I have a couple of questions since hooking up and referring to the instructions...it appears my unit does not look/behave as outlined in the manual:

    PH-10

    LED status light:

    Red = Standby
    Blue = On
    Green = Powered by the external power supply (PSU-10)

    PSU-10

    LED status light:

    Red = Standby
    Blue = On

    On either of my units, the ONLY color the status light ever has is blue...I can see no way to put either in the "standby" mode.

    MASTER-SLAVE MODE

    PSU-10 & PSU-10 EVO are designed to work in “Master-Slave Mode” with other Gold Note units. When you turn ON or put in standby the master unit (such as DS-10 or PH-10) the PSU-10 or PSU-10 EVO will do the same so that you don’t have to control every unit manually.

    My PSU-10 is always on (with a blue LED) regardless of whether the PH-10 is powered on or off...and nothing happens to the PSU-10 when I flip the master switch of the PH-10.

    Do others who have these two units find they function like mine, or are yours different?
     
  15. talkingh

    talkingh Vibes Controller

    Location:
    London
    didn't know this either, my two units stay blue the whole time
    will investigate today
     
  16. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    My unit status is always blue, unit powered - some red light inside the unit and when on some green light (in addition to red) inside the unit.
    I cannot even remember this master-slave.. my unit is always on. I see no reason at all to turn anything off (it is 2-3 watts in standby), so I never experimented with different switches.
    Perhaps poor translation or something changed in final product not reflected in manual. And was not fixed because no one really cared.
     
  17. psulioninks

    psulioninks Forum Resident

    Location:
    KC Chiefs Kingdom
    Perhaps. I guess the "standby" mode is just when you press in the round knob on the PH-10 for 3 seconds to turn it off. Aside from the PH-10 screen turning off with the unit, that's the only difference I can see that when it is powered up.

    Also, it doesn't appear that you can check the firmware version while the unit is connected to the PSU-10...is that true?
     
  18. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    On a latest version they display "Ext" in a corner if unit plugged in PSU, and keeps display brightness settings (4 of them) when unit is on and off.
    I do not think they released any new one after it.
     
  19. foxtan

    foxtan Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Hong Kong
    This is a very informative thread about the PH10 & PSU-10........ wish my combo can be arrived within this month........ :whistle:
     
    talkingh, Munger74 and Arknine like this.
  20. JonT

    JonT Mork calling Orson, come in Orson...

    Location:
    London
    Has there been any further clarity on whether Gold Note are using DSP or similar in this unit?

    I do share the concerns re. why the unit gets firmware updates if all the signal processing is analogue? And if more EQ-curves and mono-functionality is due in the future, how can it be the case that the hardware components / circuit design does not already permit this but instead the functionality will come via a firmware update?

    I'm not sure I want my analogue front-end to be converted to 1s and 0s - if I was okay with that I'd buy a DAC and get my music in digital files instead of on vinyl.
     
    Strat-Mangler likes this.
  21. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Surefire bet that it does use some kind of digital processing. Otherwise, it wouldn't need firmware updates. That's basically a confirmation that the EQ curves are treated digitally. Whether that's OK is up to the user but I sure would respect the manufacturer a whole lot more if they just disclosed that info instead of repeatedly insinuating the device is all analog.

    In the end, if it sounds good, it's good. But the A/D D/A conversion possibly can negatively affect the SQ so I think you're doing the right thing to look elsewhere if you have any reservations regarding any conversion whatsoever.
     
    JonT likes this.
  22. Davey

    Davey NP: Portishead ~ Portishead (1997)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    It was discussed some earlier in the thread, I think they are using digital processing for the control of the analog filters, so no A/D conversion of the actual audio signal ... Mini review of the Gold Note PH-10 phono preamp
     
  23. RemyM

    RemyM Forum Resident

    Yeah, i wasn't aware of this, thanks. Used to own a Parks Audio Puffin, which was ok but not mind-blowing. I might save up for Ear Yoshino Phonobox or Sutherland 20/20.
     
  24. Old Zorki II

    Old Zorki II Storm Watcher

    Location:
    near Tampa, FL
    There are no DSP, A/D, etc in PH-10. Their "digital" side controls interface, settings and switching pure analog components.
     
  25. JonT

    JonT Mork calling Orson, come in Orson...

    Location:
    London
    I'm not so sure... any digital processing of an audio signal must of necessity perform an A/D conversion.

    I'd really like to believe this, but in the earlier part of the thread quoted by Davey the CEO of Gold Note Maurizio Aterini says that new EQ-curves and mono-functionality is forthcoming via firmware (so, can the analogue components in the circuit do mono or not? How would a firmware update make that change unless is was DSP?)

    My Graham Slee Accession has multiple EQ-curves and a mono switch... but no requirement to connect it to the internet for "firmware updates"...

    Are there any other Phono Stages (that are not also DACs, etc.) that have USB connectors and firmware updates? I've never seen one!
     
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