An exploration of the artistry and expertise behind the Mediterraneo X is a journey through Italian craftsmanship.
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Though the hotel halls of Capital Audiofest 2023 were not as busy as some exhibitors might have hoped, the event's listening rooms were filled to the brim with choice equipment, practically overflowing. One piece that captured my attention was a turntable that embodies thoughtful design and contemporary Italian style: the Gold Note Mediterraneo X ($12,999). This elegant turntable combines traditional materials with touch-friendly digital technology in arresting fashion.
Easy setup
The Gold Note Mediterraneo X arrived protected in a robust cardboard package. Four precisely cut foam rubber sections cradled several turntable parts, each illustrated in the accompanying manual.
The tonearm was premounted and calibrated; all I needed to do was follow the instructions regarding platter placement. Gold Note even supplied a thick "lifting eye bolt" that screws into the platter, making moving it from the box to the turntable a breeze. That done, I mounted a VPI Shyla MC cartridge on the headshell, looped the nylon antiskate wire around the provided…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Belt-driven turntable with variable torque motor, touchscreen user interface, and attached, smoked acrylic dustcover. Speeds: 33 1/3 and 45rpm. Platter: 12" (304.8mm), 15.5lb (7kg) aluminum and high-density POM. Wow & flutter: <0.1%. Rumble: –82dB. Motor: 12V synchronous. Tonearm: 9" B-7 Ceramic, gimbal-style with titanium wand, aluminum headshell, and ceramic ball bearing. Total length: 325mm. Effective length: 242mm. Pivot-to-spindle distance: 9". Overhang: 19mm. Offset angle: 24°. Effective mass: 10gm. VTA: adjustable on collar. Azimuth:…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog sources: VPI Avenger Direct turntable with VPI Fatboy tonearm, VPI Shyla cartridge. Thorens TD 124 turntable with The Wand tonearm, Luxman LMC-5 MC cartridge.
Preamplifiers: Marchand Electronics LN 110 (phono), Aurorasound Vida MKII (phono), Sugden LA 4.
Integrated amplifiers: PrimaLuna EVO 400, Triode Labs 45 EVO (in for review).
Power amplifiers: LKV Research PWR-3, Shindo Haut Brion, Pass Labs XA-25.
Loudspeakers: DeVore Fidelity O/baby, Heretic AD614, Volti Audio Razz.
Cables: Interconnects: AudioQuest Mythical Series Pegasus…
There's something about Black Ice Audio (formerly Jolida) that puts me in the frame of mind to enjoy some great tunes. It could be CEO Jerred Dunkerson's welcoming demeanor, or it could be the way the company's tube-centric gear renders smooth, eminently listenable sound without costing a fortune.
The demo system in this room featured two sources: On the analog side, a Pure Fidelity Harmony v.2 ($7995) with a Pure Fidelity Stratos cartridge ($1995) fed a Black Ice Audio F159 phono stage ($1875); on the digital side was the Bel Canto Stream 2 network bridge/DAC ($1999). Both were…
There are always a few truly eccentric rooms at audio shows. And at FIAX 2024, the Davina Loudspeaker commanded one.
I first became aware of this speaker system because my hotel room was adjacent to it, and I noticed the unusual intensity of the sound coming through the walls. My first thought was "so this is what it's like to have a bass addict as a neighbor." I am usually the offender when this happens, but I wasn't in Tampa. Anyway, I am drawn to good bass when I hear it, like bugs to a lightbulb.
Once I saw the speaker system and grasped the concept, I knew I had to…
When standalone digital/analog processors made an appearance a quarter-century ago, they were limited to the CD medium's 16 bits of resolution—at best. These days, almost every DAC can process at least 24 bits, and many models offer between 20 and 21 bits of real-world resolution. Modern models from Benchmark, dCS, Merging, Mola Mola, Okto, and Weiss illustrate not just the skill of the circuit designer but also that of the engineer who laid out the printed circuit board.
One of the first digital processors I encountered that offered 21 bits of resolution was the Weiss DAC202, which Erick…
The clarity of the soundstage was just as superb, as I remember from my time with the DAC502. This was particularly evident on a new album of jazz duets produced by erstwhile Stereophile writer Michael Fremer: Rufus Reid Presents Caelan Cardello (16/44.1 WAV files, Liam Records), one of the last albums mastered by Bob Ludwig before he retired. Reid's round-toned double bass and Cardello's Fazioli piano were palpably present in the rather dry club acoustic, the instruments superbly well-defined in both space and tonal balance.
As I was finishing writing this review a few days…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Roon-Ready, two-channel, digital/analog converter with volume control, color LCD touchscreen, DSP, and remote control. Digital inputs: AES3 on XLR, S/PDIF on RCA jack and TosLink optical connector, USB Type A, USB Type B, Ethernet on RJ45 jack. PCM sample rates supported: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8kHz, and 384kHz, plus DSD64 and DSD128 (not all frequencies are supported with all inputs). Maximum input word length: 24 or 32 bits depending on input. Analog outputs: 1 pair balanced XLR, 1 pair single-ended RCA, all short…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital sources: Roon Nucleus+ music server; Ayre Acoustics C-5xeMP universal player; MBL N31 CD player/DAC; Ayre Acoustics QA-9 A/D converter.
Integrated amplifiers: Audio Research I/50, NAD M10.
Power amplifiers: Parasound Halo JC 1+ monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: GoldenEar BRX, KEF LS50, Q Acoustics 5040.
Headphones: Audeze LCD-X.
Cables: Digital: AudioQuest Vodka (Ethernet). Interconnect: Ayre/Cardas Reference (balanced). Speaker: AudioQuest Robin Hood. Headphones: Nordost Heimdall 2. AC: AudioQuest Dragon Source & High Current,…