Gold Note DS-1000 Evo

The Gold Note DS-1000 Evo is the most ambitious streaming DAC Gold Note has ever designed — a component of reference digital engineering that unites a Dual-Mono AKM AK4493 DAC architecture of extraordinary specification, a fully configurable Class A analogue output stage of discrete design, a professional-grade headphone amplifier with two independently selectable sensitivity levels, and a comprehensive streaming platform of the widest possible format and service compatibility, in a single precision-machined aluminium chassis that represents the absolute summit of Gold Note's streaming and digital-to-analogue engineering. It is a component that does not merely compete with reference streaming DACs of far greater individual cost — it sets a new standard for what Italian analogue and digital engineering can achieve in a single chassis, and transforms the musical performance of any system fortunate enough to receive its signal.

Dual-Mono AKM AK4493 — Zero Crosstalk, Maximum Fidelity

The DS-1000 Evo's digital-to-analogue conversion is entrusted to a Dual-Mono architecture built around two AKM AK4493 converters — one dedicated entirely to the left channel, one to the right — an engineering decision of fundamental sonic consequence that eliminates inter-channel crosstalk at the conversion stage itself, preserves the absolute independence of the two channel signal paths from input to analogue output, and delivers a stereo image of extraordinary width, depth, and precision that single-converter DAC designs of any specification cannot match. The AK4493 converters handle PCM to 32bit/384kHz and DSD to DSD512 — a resolution ceiling of reference ambition that places the DS-1000 Evo's conversion capability well beyond the requirements of any currently available streaming service or high-resolution file format — while MQA decoding ensures that Tidal Masters content is rendered at its full authenticated resolution without any external MQA renderer in the signal chain.

Class A Discrete Output Stage — The Italian Sound

The DS-1000 Evo's analogue output stage operates entirely in Class A — a mode of amplifier operation in which the output devices conduct continuously throughout the full audio cycle, eliminating the crossover distortion artefacts that Class AB designs introduce at the transition between positive and negative half-cycles, and delivering a musical presentation of extraordinary naturalness, low-level detail, and tonal purity that only a true Class A circuit of high engineering ambition can consistently achieve. The output stage is built entirely from discrete, audio-grade components selected individually by Gold Note's engineers for their sonic and electrical characteristics — no integrated circuit operational amplifiers appear in the signal path — ensuring that the DS-1000 Evo's analogue output is free from the sonic limitations that op-amp-based designs impose, and that the musical signal reaches the amplifier input with the full fidelity, dynamic authority, and tonal richness that Gold Note's Italian Sound philosophy demands and delivers.

Switchable Class A Preamplifier — Volume in the Analogue Domain

The DS-1000 Evo features a fully switchable Class A preamplifier stage that controls volume directly in the analogue domain — a design approach of fundamental sonic importance in which the volume control operates on the analogue signal after digital-to-analogue conversion, rather than attenuating the digital signal before conversion and discarding resolution in the process. The Class A preamplifier stage can be bypassed entirely when the DS-1000 Evo is set to DAC mode — delivering a fixed-level output of maximum purity to an external preamplifier or integrated amplifier with no additional active stage in the signal path — while in preamplifier mode it provides volume control of the highest quality for direct connection to a power amplifier such as the Gold Note PA-10, transforming the DS-1000 Evo into a complete streaming preamplifier of reference authority.

Professional Headphone Amplifier — Two Sensitivity Levels

The DS-1000 Evo's headphone amplifier output is of professional 6.3mm specification — a standard that accommodates the full range of audiophile headphones from the most sensitive in-ear monitors to the most demanding full-size planar magnetic designs — and offers two independently selectable sensitivity levels, High and Low, that allow the output level and gain to be matched precisely to the headphones connected. It is a headphone amplifier of genuine reference quality — a fully engineered output stage of Gold Note's own proprietary design that delivers the current capability, dynamic authority, and low noise floor that the finest headphones require to perform without limitation, and a provision that transforms the DS-1000 Evo into a complete personal listening system of extraordinary musical authority in its own right.

Comprehensive Streaming — Every Service, Every Format

The DS-1000 Evo streams through Roon, Tidal Connect, Qobuz, Spotify Connect, Deezer, vTuner, and AirPlay — a breadth of streaming service compatibility that ensures no music library, no subscription service, and no streaming workflow lies beyond its reach. Local library playback via UPnP/DLNA from NAS devices and network-attached storage is fully supported, as is direct USB playback from connected storage devices — while the free GN Control App for iOS and Android provides complete control of all streaming functions, source selection, volume, DAC profiles, and system configuration from the listening position. USB-B connectivity allows direct computer connection for bit-perfect playback of the highest-resolution local files, and the DS-1000 Evo's support for PCM to 32bit/384kHz, DSD512, and MQA ensures that no audio file format presents any limitation to its playback capability.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The DS-1000 Evo is for the serious music lover who demands a streaming DAC of absolute reference ambition — one whose Dual-Mono AKM conversion architecture, Class A discrete output stage, and comprehensive streaming platform place it at the summit of what a single streaming source component can achieve, regardless of price. It is the natural digital heart of a complete Gold Note reference system — partnering the Gold Note PA-10 power amplifier and the Gold Note PH-10 phono stage in a system of extraordinary cohesion and musical authority, and complementing the Gold Note IS-1000 integrated amplifier for those whose system is built around a single amplification component of equivalent reference ambition.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind. We can demonstrate the DS-1000 Evo in our Norwich showroom — streaming from Tidal, Qobuz, and high-resolution local storage, and driving a reference system of appropriate quality — so you can hear precisely what this extraordinary streaming DAC achieves at the summit of Gold Note's digital engineering. When you get in touch, you'll be speaking with Dave, Chris and Tim — experienced specialists who can advise on this product and your whole system.

Contact us at info@martinshifi.co.uk, call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.