Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users

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I.Greyhound Fan

Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« on: 2 Feb 2025, 06:52 pm »
Hi, I am looking at purchasing a Gold Note PH10 or possibly a Hegel V10 phono preamp.  Just looking for more user reviews.

Thanks,

Larry

Bob2

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Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #1 on: 2 Feb 2025, 10:11 pm »
I have a Goldnote PH10. I purchased it new in 2019 from Audio Exchange on Reverb.
Smooth transaction. Shipped well packed and arrived very quickly.

My turntable has 3 arms so The PH10 handles 2 of those. Currently One with an Ortophon 2M Black. The other with a Lyra Delos.
The PH10 has many adjustments and very easy to use. Once you have the settings for each cartridge set, you can switch to either as it saves those settings. I have not purchased the external power supply so I cannot comment on that.

Choice of connections, I use balanced connection to the pre amp. Sound quality is excellent playing through my Audio Research LS26 pre amp to my Odessey stereo Stratos amp to my Focal speakers.
Previous phono pre amp was a Creek audio unit. The PH10 is significantly better sounding.

I.Greyhound Fan

Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #2 on: 2 Feb 2025, 10:32 pm »
I have a Goldnote PH10. I purchased it new in 2019 from Audio Exchange on Reverb.
Smooth transaction. Shipped well packed and arrived very quickly.

My turntable has 3 arms so The PH10 handles 2 of those. Currently One with an Ortophon 2M Black. The other with a Lyra Delos.
The PH10 has many adjustments and very easy to use. Once you have the settings for each cartridge set, you can switch to either as it saves those settings. I have not purchased the external power supply so I cannot comment on that.

Choice of connections, I use balanced connection to the pre amp. Sound quality is excellent playing through my Audio Research LS26 pre amp to my Odessey stereo Stratos amp to my Focal speakers.
Previous phono pre amp was a Creek audio unit. The PH10 is significantly better sounding.

Hi Bob and thanks.  Do you have a balanced TT? I do not and my current cartridge is a MM Nagaoka MP-200.  It is my understanding that an MC is inherently balanced.  I plan on eventually upgrading to a Hana MC in the future and maybe buy a balanced TT.  My current TT is a vintage 1970's Thorens TD-145.  The PH10 will be overkill for now but it should improve an already good sound.  My current phono pre is a Vista Audio phono 2 I believe which is about a 500 dollar preamp.  It sounds very good but I am wanting to upgrade my vinyl rig.  My preamp is a BAT VK51se and amp is a Pass X250, all fully balanced. 

Can you comment on the general tone like warmth?  Some reviews say it has some warmth and others say it is neutral.  I like a slightly warmer sound.  Also, how about the sound stage and transparency?  Does it have a wide and deep sound stage?  I realize that there are other factors that come into play with that however.  My current phono pre, the sound stage seems to extend beyond the side walls and it has good depth.  Just like my Luxman DAC.

Thanks,

Larry

toocool4

Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #3 on: 2 Feb 2025, 11:11 pm »
It is my understanding that an MC is inherently balanced.

MC cartridges are not inherently balanced, in fact no cartridge be it MC or MM is inherently balanced.

Balance connection consist of + signal - signal and ground, I have never seen any cartridge that is made that way.

I.Greyhound Fan

Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #4 on: 2 Feb 2025, 11:48 pm »
MC cartridges are not inherently balanced, in fact no cartridge be it MC or MM is inherently balanced.

Balance connection consist of + signal - signal and ground, I have never seen any cartridge that is made that way.

That is not what I have read.  The signal is isolated from the cartridge chassis ground. But I am certainly no expert.   Below is a quote from one source and a link from Pro-ject.  I am not trying to contradict you, just trying to learn. :)

https://pro-jectusa.com/true-balanced-audio-faqs/


""With the exception of some Moving Magnet (MM) and Moving Iron (MI) designs that ground one end of the coil, the signal from a phono cartridge is “balanced”. The differences are how that signal is dealt with by the phono preamp.

“Some” tonearms also ground one end of each signal coil.

One can test tonearm wiring fairly easily with a multi meter’s resistance setting. Remove the cartridge first, you don’t really want to apply the admittedly small DC voltage from the meter to the cartridges coil.

It is reasonably straight forward to change tone arm wiring (or tone arm cable wiring) to “balanced” if it isn’t.

All Moving Coil (MC) cartridges are “balanced”.

toocool4

Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #5 on: 3 Feb 2025, 12:08 am »
So, you think the + signal & - signal out of a cartridge are inverted as in 180 degrees out of phase?
Don’t believe everything you read.

See attached images.






I.Greyhound Fan

Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #6 on: 3 Feb 2025, 12:12 am »
I don't believe everything that I read.   I always keep an open mind.  I just think that Pro-Ject must know what they are talking about but maybe not.

Bob2

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Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #7 on: 3 Feb 2025, 02:33 pm »
"Hi Bob and thanks.  Do you have a balanced TT? I do not and my current cartridge is a MM Nagaoka MP-200.  It is my understanding that an MC is inherently balanced.  I plan on eventually upgrading to a Hana MC in the future and maybe buy a balanced TT.  My current TT is a vintage 1970's Thorens TD-145.  The PH10 will be overkill for now but it should improve an already good sound.  My current phono pre is a Vista Audio phono 2 I believe which is about a 500 dollar preamp.  It sounds very good but I am wanting to upgrade my vinyl rig.  My preamp is a BAT VK51se and amp is a Pass X250, all fully balanced."

Hi Larry,
my tt does not have balanced connections. Two of the arms have an integral cable with rca connections directly to the PH10.

I do remember reading that M/M Cartridges are balanced but I'm no expert.

My TT utilizes some Thorens parts.

Sound wise the PH10 has great soundstage. Width is wall to wall depth is great. Hard for me to tell if it has a warm sound. Focals aren't
known for warmth.

Keep us updated!

I.Greyhound Fan

Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #8 on: 4 Feb 2025, 02:50 am »
Thanks Bob, I pulled the trigger on the Gold Note.  I bought it used for about 950 dollars from Canada.  That had one at The Music Room for 1250 that was 10 days old in gold.  I went to buy it this morning and it was gone.

I will post a review.

JackD

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Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #9 on: 4 Feb 2025, 03:15 am »
Larry

The EVO PS is still there and they've lowered the price since yesterday.

nlitworld

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Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #10 on: 4 Feb 2025, 03:45 am »
Thanks Bob, I pulled the trigger on the Gold Note.
I will post a review.

Oooh new toys! Keep us posted what you think. :popcorn:

I.Greyhound Fan

Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #11 on: 4 Feb 2025, 04:19 am »
Larry

The EVO PS is still there and they've lowered the price since yesterday.

Thanks Jack.  I saw that ps.  I would love to buy it but I would rather save my money and upgrade my cartridge to a good MC and then a new TT that is balanced.  The PS will have to wait.

How long have you had the Gold Note and how do you like it?

JackD

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Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #12 on: 4 Feb 2025, 04:36 am »
I had one for a little over two years and really liked it.  I sold it off late in 2023 when we started packing things up for the move to Greenville and I was playing vinyl anymore for over a year.  I will probably pick up one again at some point now that things have settled down after the permanent move. For now just using the Vista Phono 2 Mk II i had as a backup and it's doing the job for now. The upgrades Boris made and the elimination of the external PS have improved things over the earlier version.

I.Greyhound Fan

Re: Any Gold Note PH10 or Hegel V10 users
« Reply #13 on: 4 Feb 2025, 02:28 pm »
I had one for a little over two years and really liked it.  I sold it off late in 2023 when we started packing things up for the move to Greenville and I was playing vinyl anymore for over a year.  I will probably pick up one again at some point now that things have settled down after the permanent move. For now just using the Vista Phono 2 Mk II i had as a backup and it's doing the job for now. The upgrades Boris made and the elimination of the external PS have improved things over the earlier version.

I am currently using a Vista phono 2 as well but the older version.  I picked it used for 200.  It sounds great.  It replaced a Bellari VP129 which I liked better once I inserted a special Raytheon Tube from the 1950's that transformed it from mediocre sounding to very good with excellent musicality and dynamics.  Unfortunately the 15 year old Bellari died.  The Gold Note should be a huge step up.  I can't wait.