Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
Product Strengths
- The XS-85 stands out for its esthetics and curves inspired by Italian architecture and landscapes
- The XS-85 delivers music with the necessary speed, a powerful focus, firm and controlled lower tones, a powerful upper midrange, and natural-sounding high frequencies
- Exceptional build quality and Italian craftsmanship
- The XS-85 features premium SEAS drivers with Nextel treatment
- The XS-85 creates a soundstage that's both expansive and precise
Product Considerations
- The substantial size may require careful room placement
- The premium pricing reflects its flagship status
- The 4Ω impedance requires suitable amplification
Takeaway: The XS-85 speakers are fine-tuned with ravishing Italian esthetics that captivate with their slightly curved appearance and feeling of a true Italian luxurious DNA. The XS-85 delivers music regardless of genre and brings back the art of listening.
All
XS-85
reviews
Manufacturer details
- Frequency Response: 30 - 30000 Hz
- Sensitivity: 89dB SPL 2.83V/1m
- Nominal Impedance: 4Ω semi-resistive
- Crossover: 200Hz and 2200Hz @ 12dB/Oct.
- Suggested Power Amplifier: min. 30W
- Max. Power Handling: 300W RMS
- Tweeter: 1" silk dome driver
- Midrange: 2 x 6" Nextel treated paper cones
- Woofer: 2 x 9" Nextel treated paper cones
- Dimensions: 357mm W | 1280mm H | 665mm D
- Weight: 180 Kg (pair) – net, 200 Kg (pair) – boxed
- Finishes: Black cabinet with Gold leaf, Ultra glossy Italian walnut or Glossy gran piano black side panels
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- Gold Note distinguishes itself through its holistic "systems thinking" approach, meticulously designing each component to synergistically function within a complete Gold Note audio ecosystem.
- The brand's unique design philosophy, inspired by the Italian Renaissance and the Catenary Curve concept, combines aesthetic beauty with functional vibration control and structural integrity.
- Gold Note's phono stages, such as the PH-5 and PH-1000, offer exceptional cartridge matching capabilities, boasting a wide range of gain, impedance loading, and EQ curve options accessible via an intuitive touchscreen interface.
- They offer upgrades that are usually power supplies or tube output stages, often providing a running change in production.
Select products
T-5
- Positioning: The entry-level turntable in Gold Note's lineup.
- Description: Features a compact and practical design with a 15mm ultra-clear glass platter that minimizes noise and enhances detail extraction. Unlike more advanced models like the Valore 425 Plus, uses a manual speed change system, making it ideal for budget-conscious users who prioritize simplicity and portability in smaller spaces.
Valore 425 Plus
- Positioning: A mid-range model offering a balance of performance and affordability.
- Description: Features a 23mm POM platter and a high-torque synchronous motor for stable rotation. Compared to the Giglio, offers a more compact form factor.
Giglio
- Positioning: A high-end turntable with a focus on traditional craftsmanship and modern technology.
- Description: Stands out with its catenary curve-inspired plinth and high-density POM platter, providing exceptional structural rigidity and sound precision. It offers more advanced motor control and vibration reduction compared to the Valore 425 Plus.
Bellagio Conquest
- Positioning: The flagship model, representing the pinnacle of Gold Note's turntable technology.
- Description: With its massive structure and unique thirteen-plinth design, delivers groundbreaking stability and vibration control. It features the longest spindle ever made for a turntable, setting it apart from the Mediterraneo X with its focus on ultimate audio performance and structural innovation.
Our take on the brand
Look inside the brand
Our interview with the brand
What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?
The design of our turntables in the mid and high range relies on a very unique geometry that’s mathematically defined as the catenary curve, a shape that is found across nature (from spider webs to rope statistics) and firstly described by Galileo Galilei in the 17th century. The curve was first leveraged to design load-bearing structures such as arches and bridges since it offers the best rigidity/mass ratio. For turntables, it's an optimal as it provides really high rigidity with minimal mass giving the turntable great stability and resilience while minimising the amount of mass that could store potential energy (such as vibration). As a side effect, it creates a beautiful shape that elevates the design — this is a very Italian approach, developing creative solutions that serve boh performance and aesthetics.
Another key feature is the electric control of the motor leveraging a built-in power conditioning stage with a triple AC-DC-AC conversion to feed the motor with ultra-clean current, which is crucial as our turntables feature synchronous motors (calibrated on the AC).
Lastly, the design of the bearing/spindle is developed to achieve the strictest of tolerance with higher quality materials, and you won’t find similar designs on any turntables in the same price range since it’s extremely expensive to manufacture — it’s a core feature of our turntables that enables superior sound quality even though it’s completely hidden from the eye.
What's your approach to customer support?
We have a dedicated inbox for customer support [email protected] that is monitored 24/7 and a response time of around 24h. Customer should always contact Gold Note directly, our customer support will then manage their enquiry appropriately and put them in touch with the relevant contacts (such as our local distributor) if needed.
We used to rely primarily on our local partners in the past to provide quick support, however we have recently moved to a more centralised approach since we wish to establish a direct contact with our customers and ensure they get all the information directly from the source.
Today we can in fact guarantee fast response time and - since we are the manufacturer - more precise information to determine whether the product needs a simple firmware update, a hardware fix or a replacement.
What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?
Since we manufacture all sorts of sources — from turntable to streamers — we usually to suggest a mix of genres and it’s really hard to narrow it down to just three tracks:
For classical, we love "Dance of the Tumblers" from the Snow Maiden by the Minnesota Orchestra conducted by Eiji Oue (Reference Recordings,1998).
For electronic, our go to is "The Expert" by Yello (Polydor, 2021).
For jazz and vocals, it’s hard to pick between Cassandra Wilson’s "Strange Fruit" (Blue Note, 1995) and "Blues in My Heart” by Fiona Boyes (Reference Recordings, 2020).
What other products pair best with yours?
As a system manufacturer, we design our products to be part of a Gold Note system and therefore that’s the highest degree of synergy you can reach. The idea of designing full systems is generally frowned upon as the main objection inevitably is: if you design all sorts of products, how can you beat a specialist that only makes amplifiers?
The answer is somewhat counterintuitive and I believe it’s not fully understood by the public yet so I’ll briefly summarise it here — engineering audio systems is fundamentally to design ways to manage signals, whether digital or analogue. The knowledge compounds by researching all areas of signal transmission and amplification, and can then be used to improve on designing electronics, loudspeakers or tonearms.
For example: researching and designing a cable leads to gaining insights that can then be deployed when designing PCBs; R&D on phono stages where dealing with low voltage signals and ultra-low noise components will inform the design of amplifiers. This positive loop goes on affecting all areas and increasing the knowhow of the team, leading to better products.
Used
Gold Note
What if you spend more?
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Our summary
Product Strengths
- Unique design where form follows function, resulting in a contemporary and sleek aesthetic
- Incredibly tight, impactful, articulate, and controlled bass response with impressive dynamic power and clarity
- Seamless integration of midrange and tweeter via the M-Array, creating a virtual point source for maximum imaging and soundstage
- Exceptional clarity, transparency, and detail retrieval across the entire frequency spectrum
- Soundstage is incredibly wide, deep, accurate, and immersive with instruments placed precisely in a three-dimensional field
Product Considerations
- Significant power from amplifiers is required to perform optimally, with recommendations ranging from 200 to 1600 watts RMS
- The Hyphn is a large and heavy speaker, needing a decent-sized room and strong flooring
- Sensitivity is rated at 86 dB, which is considered low and necessitates high-power amplification
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Sonus Faber: Hyphn has a far more forward-sounding presentation compared to the more relaxed and recessed soundstage of Sonus Faber
- Vs JBL Everest DD67000: Hyphn's bass is not as 'huge' as some monster high-end speakers like JBL's Everest, but it is tighter and more tuneful
Takeaway: Monitor Audio's Hyphn is a state-of-the-art loudspeaker with a unique design, delivering exceptional clarity, deep bass, and a wide soundstage. If unrestrained performance and a forward-looking aesthetic are desired, the Hyphn is worth considering for an immersive listening experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Product Strengths
- Impressive midbass solidity
- Remarkable fidelity at lower volumes due to the alacrity of its drivers
- Comprehensive and dynamic sound signature with plenty of detail and clarity
- The newly developed tweeter allows for faster response and a frequency range that easily extends to 28,000Hz
- Features a modular design, offering flexibility with passive, iTron active, and all-in-one wireless streaming versions
Product Considerations
- Integrating the Spacehorn subwoofers requires careful alignment
- High-quality source components are needed to match its performance level
- Some reviewers found that the iTron amplification did not produce the requisite bloom and musicality for classical and jazz music
Takeaway: The Avantgarde Trio G3 speaker is a top-tier audio system known for its exceptional sound reproduction and flexibility with different configurations. If you appreciate high-quality audio performance and aesthetics and want a sound system that sounds exciting and sophisticated, it is an excellent option.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Product Strengths
- An all-encompassing sound keeps listeners rooted to their seats
- A unique 360° sound wave design creates a natural balance of direct and reflected sounds
- A truly huge, yet meticulously crafted, soundscape is created
- Not physically evident in the aural landscape, offering a sound that seems to have no origin
- Integration of the woofer's and melon's outputs was far smoother than previous models
Product Considerations
- High-powered amplifiers capable of delivering ample amounts of current are required due to its insensitivity (around 80dB)
- Placement can be tricky, needing more space away from room boundaries than some rooms can provide
- The biggest problem has always been the audible lack of seamless integration between the bass box and the stack of omnis atop it
- A 'chesty, compressed, almost grainy midbass coloration' can be exhibited if placement and other factors are not optimized
Takeaway: The MBL Radialstrahler 101 E MkII loudspeaker offers a distinctive and immersive listening experience thanks to its unique omnidirectional design. It can fill the room with a natural and balanced sound, creating a captivating musical soundscape for the listener.
Video review
Our take on the brand
IT'S ALL IN THE TIMING. The Model Seven XTRM continues a tradition of pushing time-and-phase correct audio reproduction to the ultimate extreme. With new pistonic side-firing drivers matched to the patented mid-range and tweeter, the XTRM brings further clarity and harmonic accuracy in a way that surprised the designers and the expert listening board. Give yourself a treat and take a listen soon. Full XTRM updates are available to the original owner within the USA, and the cost is $30,051 to $45,633, depending on the vintage of your Model Seven.
Our summary
Product Strengths
- Upgradable from older Model 7 versions, representing long-term value for owners
- Features a 'CounterForce Bass' system with opposing woofers to minimize cabinet movement and improve clarity
- Offers extensive bass adjustments for room integration, including 11 trim pots for precise frequency adjustments
- Time-and-phase coherent design ensures that all drivers move in unison
- Provides a relaxed ease and warmth that fosters musical engagement
Product Considerations
- Sensitivity is relatively low at 85dB, requiring a powerful amplifier to achieve its full potential
- Requires careful rake angle adjustment for optimal performance
- Bi-wire capable, the mandatory HP-7 filter costs extra
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs KEF KC-62 subwoofer: Both use counter-opposing force woofers to stop cabinet movement
Takeaway: The Model Seven XTRM is a technologically innovative speaker designed for music lovers. It offers powerful bass, harmonic beauty, and exceptional tonal realism, making it a worthwhile investment for those seeking a high-fidelity audio experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
What competes at this price?
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Each detail of the Signature has been carefully crafted and sees numerous updates over the standard 801, including crossover upgrades and a modified cabinet with a refined downward firing port
- The bass presentation on the 801 Signature was better across the board, it was tighter, a little more pronounced and forward, and definitely more defined
- Bass goes beyond just hitting the low notes, the woofers showcase some of the clearest, most audible detail and texture
- Vocalists and actors have better inflection, greater scale, and detail playing at low volumes
- When properly set up, the Signature is one of the most holographic windows to music experienced
- Speakers need power, the Arcam was impressive and even got the 801s to play loud, but the Macintosh MC312 made the Signature sound flow-like water
Product Considerations
- The Signature's impedance fluctuates wildly, ranging from a nominal 8 ohms and dipping lower than 3, so you need an amplifier that does more than just work
- Placement matters: if placed too close to the wall, the bass response became too pronounced and even boomy at times
- The Signature can come off as bright, and in extreme cases, it might be fatiguing to some
- Poor recordings won't get a free pass, there's bound to be a track or two that's going to leave your playlist rotation
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to the Klipsch La Scala, both speakers excel at the recreation of space in true-to-life dynamics
- Compared to the Wharfedale Elysian 4, the Elysian doesn't play as deep, is richer in the mid-range, and nowhere near as extended up top, so it's not the Signature's equal
- Compared to the Wilson Audio Want Puppy, the two speakers are similar in size, driver complement, build and finish quality, price, and target market
- Compared to the SVS Titan, the Titans sound two-dimensional and fat, compared to the Signature's far more realistic and natural-sounding bass
- Compared to the KEF R11 Meta, the Signature's beefy presence makes for a far grander statement
Takeaway: The 801 Signature is a speaker that elevates the listening experience to another level because it is designed with incredible attention to detail. It will be an emotional and immersive experience to own these speakers.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Powerful and deep bass with fast transient attack and rich tonal shades
- Sweeter-sounding tweeter that integrates more fluidly with the midrange without sacrificing detail
- Balanced and coherent presentation across the frequency range
- Sounds are reproduced with clarity, detail, and dynamic contrasts
- Impressive soundstage imaging with accurately-sized images, providing a wide, tall, and deep soundstage
Product Considerations
- High-quality amplification with plenty of power is required, designed for use with amplifiers of up to 1000W
- Due to its size and the power it requires, it needs to be placed in a large room
- The weight of over 100 kg per speaker can make placement difficult—requiring assistance for lifting and maneuvering, especially on non-smooth surfaces
- The grilles can be a tricky fit
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs 800 D3: Faster and tighter bass register with a sweeter-sounding tweeter and improved decoupling
- Vs 802 D4: More bass, the 802 D4 had better blend
Takeaway:
The 801 D4 is a high-performance speaker known for its powerful and nuanced sound, exceptional imaging, and refined design, and it is capable of delivering a captivating listening experience. It is worth the investment for audiophiles who want detail and high-quality sound.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Alexia V brings many of the qualities of the Chronosonic XVX to a smaller and more affordable loudspeaker
- Spectacular bass performance delivers powerful weight and muscularity without sounding thick or overblown
- Midrange shares harmonic beauty and warmth with the XVX, offering smoothness and ease
- The Alexia V presents real life to the listener in a way that previous versions cannot match
- Every detail of the design and build exudes the highest level of quality and craftsmanship
Product Considerations
- Premium-priced, putting it out of reach for many music lovers
- Alexia V sounds a bit more forward, incisive, and "extraverted" compared to the XVX
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Alexia V shares many sonic characteristics with the Chronosonic XVX, but sounds a bit more forward, incisive, and 'extraverted', the XVX is more subtle, refined, darker in tonal balance, and 'bigger' sounding
- Alexia V is unequivocally superior to the Series 2 in every way
Takeaway: The Alexia V brings many of the best qualities from Wilson Audio's top-of-the-line speakers into a more manageable size and price point. The sound is both powerful and refined, making listening to music an engaging experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Exceptional transparency and is capable of reproducing quiet details with precision
- Accessible and easy sound that draws the listener in
- The EVO-K Hybrid Tweeter is superb, providing silky highs beyond belief, regardless of volume
- Massive, subtly rounded, full-bodied bass which is remarkably deep, and delivers incredibly clear and defined punch
Product Considerations
- A large speaker that will dominate a room, requiring a large listening space to truly sing
- Bass can be somewhat elevated, depending on the room size
- Not exactly modest in its choice of amplifier
Takeaway: The Epikore 11 is a high-end speaker that combines power and refinement to deliver a transparent, detailed and engaging listening experience. It is also well-built with premium materials and is beautifully styled.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Beautifully finished cabinet constructed from heavy metal, using four extruded aluminum panels
- Delivers a presentation that's vivid, refined, and compelling
- Low distortion and an absence of cabinet resonance allows the listener to hear deeper into the music
- Images like a point source, but has three-way midrange clarity and gut-punching bass
- Extremely transparent and uncolored, making it very responsive to changes in upstream components
Product Considerations
- May require careful system matching to avoid revealing flaws in the upstream components due to its high resolution
- Bass response below 30Hz may not be particularly satisfying
- Some reviewers noted that the grilles are sonically intrusive
- Heavyweight hifi typically requires assistance in its unboxing and installation, given the weight and the sheer size of the wooden packing crate in which it's delivered
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to the Magico S3 MKII—the new S3 has been completely revised and re-engineered, using techniques and technologies developed for the M9 flagship, with a 30% quieter enclosure
Takeaway:
The Magico S3 delivers a pure and detailed sound, making music feel vibrant and dynamic, without adding its own color. If you want to really hear what your music and audio equipment can do, the S3 is a great pick.
Video review
Our take on the brand
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