Phono Preamp Reviews

Gold Note's $11,999 PH-1000 is by a considerable margin the most sophisticated, most configurable phono preamplifier that any audio manufacturer has ever produced, at least that I know of. Remarkably, considering all that flexibility and sophistication, using and adjusting the PH-1000 is straightforward.

Despite all that the PH-1000 can do, and all that you can do with it, you'll never get lost in nested-menu dysfunctionality, thanks to what Gold Note calls "SKC" (Single Knob Control)—but before getting into control, let's explore the PH-1000's features and configurability.

The basics: The PH-1000 has two standard single-ended (RCA) inputs and one standard balanced (XLR) input; it came equipped with two line inputs, but I didn't use them. Loading can be set independently for each input, 12 options for the RCA inputs and eight options for the XLR input; see the Specifications sidebar for details.

In addition, there's a third RCA and a second XLR connection, which can be used to fine-tune loading on RCA input 2 (using RCA input 3) and XLR input 1 (using XLR input 2): Just solder loading resistors across an RCA or XLR plug and plug it in. Both balanced and unbalanced outputs are included.

Capacitive loading choices (for moving magnet cartridges) are OFF and 100, 150, 220, 330, 470, and 1000pF. In the "OFF" position, only the cable's capacitance loads the cartridge.

The default gain is 40dB in MM mode and 65dB MC; that gain can be adjusted to six other levels relative to 65dB: –9, –6, or –3dB, 3, 6, and 9dB. So the highest setting is 74dB, which should be enough gain for even the lowest-output moving coil cartridges.

There's also a "mono" setting, phase/polarity inversion, a L–R channel swap function, and a "rumble" filter. There's a headphone jack. The PH-1000 has a volume control ("Preamp" mode) you can use and drive your amplifier directly, or you can use it to fine-tune the preamp-output gain. Or, if you prefer, you can bypass the volume control and run the PH-1000 at fixed output ("Stage" mode).

That's a lot of flexibility, but what really sets apart the PH-1000 from most other phono preamplifiers is its multitude of equalization options, which include, according to Gold Note, "40+ curves."

And now for a digression
Despite what some people claim, once the stereo era began almost every label, foreign and domestic, quickly switched to the RIAA curve.

That includes British Decca and its American affiliate, London Records. Almost all of those records were pressed at the same British pressing plant. They were the same pressing. Only the labels were different. London record jackets say "use the RIAA curve" not to fool anyone but because that was the EQ used in cutting the lacquers (footnote 1). Sorry to have to keep repeating this like, um, a broken record, but the online blowback and charlatanism continues.

Recently, I spent some time with Allan Steckler, who was in charge of the classical division at London Records before leaving for ABKCO, where he oversaw the Rolling Stones catalog. Steckler confirmed all of this. He also told me that Deccas and Londons had different cover art because he didn't like Decca's choices. He declined an on-camera interview, which is too bad because he had stories I assured him I'd not repeat! But I'm digressing from my digression.

Old myths die hard. During a recent Zoom meeting with an audiophile society, I was challenged on the London/Decca pressing myth. A member claimed that Londons weighed less to save on shipping—proof that they were not identical. So I weighed a few London and Decca titles on a digital scale. All weighed within a few grams of each other. Some of the Londons weighed slightly more than the corresponding Deccas.

Another phono preamp manufacturer claims that Prestige and Blue Note used different curves, yet both were cut by Rudy Van Gelder on the same lathe. Please—let's stop the nonsense! End of sermon and digression.

Here are a few of the EQ choices listed by Gold Note for the PH-1000: Capitol; Columbia/CBS; Deutsche Grammophon; Decca London USA; Decca London UK; Decca Mono 78rpm; Epic; HMW; Mercury; RCA Victor; Philips; Elektra; L'Oiseau-Lyre; Parlophone.

Gold Note also avers that "Each curve can be 'enhanced' with our proprietary technology inspired by the Neumann Pole to extend the frequency response up to 50kHz." (footnote 2)

Where does Gold Note get its claim of "40+ curves"? That number results from taking the 18 selectable preset curves, adding four more that you can define yourself by specifying the bass turnover frequency, bass shelf, and treble cut—that's 22—and then by adding the "Neumann Pole" to each one to get to "40+." Other than the $14,500 LOCi phono preamp produced by Millennia Music & Media Systems under a government contract to the Library of Congress, which is far more complicated to use, the PH-1000 is the EQ-selectability champ.

While the user interface is digitally controlled, all signal paths, including equalization, remain strictly in the analog domain using what Gold Note refers to as "audio-grade" components and sealed single switches with the goal of keeping signal paths as short as possible.

If you have a large collection of 78rpm records, or of mono LPs from the pre-stereo era—or if you're a professional (or serious amateur) transcriptionist of early vinyl—then these preset curves could be useful. Otherwise, if you want to use them on stereo-era records, that's fine, go ahead, but that's not how they were cut.

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Footnote 1: George Bettyes, one of Decca's veteran cutting engineers, confirmed this. John Atkinson once visited the pressing plant in Surrey, England and witnessed this for himself. Stereophile published a photo of a London and Decca press order.

Footnote 2: Read Keith Howard's essential discussion of the RIAA curve and this (some say spurious) addition to the standard curve here.