Italian manufacturer Gold Note has released an upgraded version of its long-running and well-reviewed Gold Note DS-10 Network Player/DAC/Headphone amplifier.
The upgrade is certainly significant – a quieter and more powerful power supply – but the big news is that the Plus has an analogue input. It’s only via a 3.5mm stereo jack on the rear panel rather than via RCA, but it’s an analogue input and means the DS-10 Plus can now truly be the front end in a high-end system with both digital and analogue sources.
“This upgrade responds to specific feedback from the Gold Note community and gives the captivating Series 10 the perfect integration between the PH-10, DS-10 and PA-10,” said Boris Granovsky, of Absolute Hi End, which distributes Gold Note in Australia. “The DS-10 Plus can now sit proudly at the centre of any stereo system.”
Whereas the older Goldnote DS-10 had two external antennas, one for Wi-Fi and the other for Bluetooth, the new Gold Note DS-10 Plus has only one, because the analogue input now occupies the space the second used to plug in. But the new model still has two antennas, i’s just that the one dedicated to Bluetooth is now internal.
As on the earlier model, all the DS-10 Plus’ functions can be controlled either by the solitary multi-function push/rotary control on the front panel, or via an App. When Stephen Dawson reviewed the Gold Note DS-10 for Australian Hi-Fi Magazine, he was impressed by the quality and power output of the DS-10’s headphone output.
“You’re unlikely to find any headphones on the market that the Gold Note DS-10 can’t drive cleanly to any volume level,” he said. Dawson was also impressed by the sound quality, reporting: “I found the musical performance of the Gold Note DS-10 to be absolutely delightful.”
The other change with the updated model is a significant increase in the retail price, with the new Gold Note DS-10 Plus selling for £2999 ($3699, AU$5690).