Gold Note DS-1000 EVO

Gold Note DS-1000 EVO

Super D/A converter, headphone amp and network streamer in one

The Gold Note DS-1000 EVO is Gold Note's flagship digital source, combining no fewer than three components in a single chassis: a super D/A converter, a headphone amplifier and a full-fledged network streamer. At its heart sits a dual-mono DAC architecture that natively handles PCM resolutions up to 32-bit/384kHz as well as DSD512 – reference-level performance for a digital source meant to carry the entire signal path from streaming service to speakers or headphones on its own.

As a streamer, the DS-1000 EVO supports virtually every relevant service and protocol: Spotify and Spotify Connect, TIDAL and TIDAL Connect, Qobuz, Deezer, vTuner, plus Roon Ready and AirPlay 2. Setup and control are handled conveniently through Gold Note's GN Control app for iOS and Android, firmware updates arrive over the air, and Bluetooth 5.0 is on hand for wireless pairing with mobile sources.

The connectivity reflects its ambition as a fully self-contained hub: one coaxial (RCA), two TOSLINK, one AES/EBU, plus USB-A and USB-B digital inputs. On the output side, RCA and XLR line-outs are available, and a dedicated headphone output with two selectable sensitivity levels (High/Low) turns the DS-1000 EVO into a self-sufficient headphone hub as well. A connection for an external tube stage and a separate power supply is also provided.

Within the DS family, the DS-1000 EVO is the technical reference above the more compact DS-10 EVO and the new entry-level DS-5.2 – with the largest chassis and the most elaborate dual-mono DAC in the line-up. For anyone who additionally needs a built-in Class-A preamplifier to drive a power amp directly, plus analogue inputs, the sibling DS-1000 EVO LINE offers exactly that.

What the press says

SoundStage! Australia

„The Gold Note DS-1000 EVO is there, armed to the teeth, among the most powerful digital contenders.“

Edgar Kramer, 1 March 2024

Technical Specifications