Gold Note ES-78

The Gold Note ES-78 is a specialist phono cartridge of genuine engineering distinction — a precision instrument conceived specifically for the playback of 78 rpm shellac recordings, and the only cartridge in the Gold Note range designed to retrieve the musical content of pre-microgroove records with the accuracy, authority, and analogue integrity that this uniquely demanding format requires. Where a conventional LP cartridge will damage a 78 rpm record and retrieve its content with significant distortion and coloration, the ES-78 is engineered from the ground up for the wider grooves, higher tracking forces, and different frequency characteristics of the shellac format — delivering a playback experience that restores the musical character of historical recordings with a fidelity and naturalness that no LP cartridge, however fine, can approach.

Solid Aluminium Body and Direct Cantilever Design

The ES-78's body is machined from solid aluminium — a material chosen for its structural rigidity, high damping capacity, and the dimensional stability it brings to the precision tolerances on which accurate groove tracking depends. The aluminium cantilever is inserted directly into the body in a design that minimises the number of mechanical interfaces in the signal path — reducing the opportunity for resonant coloration and mechanical noise to contaminate the signal retrieved from the shellac groove. The body geometry and cantilever alignment are optimised specifically for 78 rpm playback, ensuring that the ES-78's spherical diamond stylus meets the wider shellac groove at the correct angle and depth for maximum accuracy and minimum surface noise retrieval.

Spherical Stylus — Optimised for 78 rpm Shellac

The ES-78's spherical stylus is the defining engineering choice of this cartridge's design — a diamond geometry selected specifically for its compatibility with the wider groove dimensions of 78 rpm shellac records. Where the elliptical and Shibata profiles of Gold Note's LP cartridge range are optimised to retrieve the fine modulations of microgroove vinyl, the ES-78's spherical diamond sits correctly in the shellac groove, making contact at the precise point where the original cutting stylus impressed the musical signal — retrieving the programme content with accuracy while tracking above the worn groove floor where surface noise is concentrated. The result is a playback experience of genuine historical fidelity: a retrieval of the musical performance captured in the shellac groove that is as complete and as natural as the format allows.

Moving Magnet Generator — 4mV Output

The ES-78's moving magnet generator delivers an output level of 4mV — a standard MM output that ensures seamless compatibility with any moving magnet phono stage, without the need for a step-up transformer or a high-gain MC input. The coil is wound with copper wire to an impedance of 500Ω and an inductance of 500mH, with a suggested load of 47kΩ — the standard parameters of any well-designed MM phono stage, including the Gold Note PH-10, which provides an ideal electrical environment for the ES-78's generator and allows the full musical content of the shellac recording to be presented with complete transparency and authority. Channel separation of greater than 25dB ensures that the stereo — or, in the case of most 78 rpm recordings, mono — image is rendered with precision and spatial integrity.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The ES-78 is for the serious collector of 78 rpm shellac recordings — one who understands that the musical content preserved in the shellac groove can only be retrieved with accuracy and integrity by a cartridge designed specifically for the format, and who wants to hear their historical recordings presented with the fidelity and naturalness that Gold Note's engineering discipline makes possible. It pairs naturally with any of Gold Note's turntables that offer 78 rpm speed — and the Gold Note PH-10 phono stage, with its adjustable loading and gain settings, provides an ideal partnering component. For those exploring Gold Note's broader cartridge range for standard LP playback, the Gold Note Vasari represents the natural starting point, while the Gold Note Donatello offers a compelling step into moving coil performance.

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 discuss the ES-78 and its compatibility with your turntable and phono stage at our Norwich showroom — and our team's deep knowledge of the Gold Note range ensures you will receive advice that is specific to your system and your collection. 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.