Gold Note PSU-5

The Gold Note PSU-5 is the dedicated external power supply designed specifically for the Gold Note PH-5 phono stage — a component of precise linear power supply engineering that removes the principal source of electromagnetic contamination from the PH-5's sensitive low-level analogue circuit, and delivers power of exceptional cleanliness, stability, and dynamic authority through a dedicated connection that transforms the musical performance of the phono stage it serves. Built around a dual-transformer circuit of Gold Note's own design, filtered by a dual-choke inductive stage developed with a dedicated transformer that completely shields the PH-5 from AC noise, and housed in the precision-machined aluminium chassis that defines the visual identity of the Gold Note electronics range, the PSU-5 is not a peripheral accessory — it is the component that allows the PH-5 to perform without the electromagnetic compromise that any shared-chassis power supply imposes, and the upgrade that every serious PH-5 owner will eventually regard as essential.

Dual-Transformer Circuit — Ultra-Clean Power at the Foundation

The PSU-5's power supply circuit is built around two transformers — an engineering decision of fundamental sonic consequence that separates the functions of power transformation and noise filtration into dedicated circuit stages, each optimised for its specific role without the compromises that a single-transformer design inevitably imposes. The first transformer handles power delivery — converting the mains supply to the correct working voltages for the PH-5's three-rail audio-grade power supply with maximum efficiency and minimum electromagnetic radiation. The second transformer is dedicated entirely to the dual-choke inductive filter stage — a circuit of extraordinary noise rejection capability that removes AC contamination from the power supply rails with a thoroughness that passive filtering alone cannot achieve. The consequence is a power supply whose line noise rejection exceeds 80dB and whose common-mode noise rejection exceeds 80dB — figures of reference quality that ensure the PH-5's gain stages operate in an electromagnetic environment of exceptional cleanliness, and that the musical signal they amplify is free from the noise floor contamination, dynamic compression, and tonal colouration that a marginal or shared-chassis power supply consistently introduces.

Three-Rail Audio-Grade Supply — Ultra-Low Noise Regulation

The PSU-5 delivers its power through three independently regulated rails — each served by an ultra-low noise voltage regulator of Gold Note's specification — ensuring that the PH-5's circuit receives precisely the voltage it requires at every moment, regardless of mains supply variation or programme-related load changes. The maximum variation of output voltage across all operating conditions is 0.05% — a figure of extraordinary stability that eliminates the voltage sag and dynamic compression that less precisely regulated power supplies introduce under demanding musical conditions, and that ensures the PH-5's gain stages maintain their operating point, their linearity, and their musical authority with a consistency that only a power supply of this engineering ambition can guarantee. Full power response time of less than 2.5 microseconds ensures that the PSU-5 responds to instantaneous changes in the PH-5's current demand with an immediacy that preserves the timing integrity, transient accuracy, and dynamic naturalness of the musical signal — the qualities that define whether a phono stage sounds genuinely alive or merely technically competent.

Dynamic Power Reserve — Greater Dynamics, Finer Detail

The PSU-5's dynamic power output exceeds 50W — a reserve of power delivery capability that far exceeds the PH-5's continuous consumption of 25W, and that ensures the PSU-5 never approaches the limits of its delivery capability under any musical condition, however demanding. This headroom of dynamic power is not merely a specification of theoretical interest — it is the engineering foundation of the PSU-5's ability to deliver the large, ultra-clean power that Gold Note's engineers identify as the direct cause of the PH-5's greater dynamic range, finer audio detail, and improved realism and stage reconstruction when the PSU-5 replaces the PH-5's internal power supply. A standby power consumption of less than 1W ensures that the PSU-5 can remain permanently connected without meaningful energy cost — a practical convenience that allows the PH-5 to be maintained in its optimal thermal operating condition at all times.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The PSU-5 is for every owner of the Gold Note PH-5 phono stage who wants to hear what their phono stage is genuinely capable of — and for those who are considering the PH-5 and want to understand the full upgrade path available to them from the outset. It is equally relevant to those whose systems are built around demanding, low-output moving coil cartridges from the Gold Note range — from the Gold Note Donatello to the Gold Note Machiavelli MkII — cartridges whose extraordinarily low output signals place the greatest possible demand on the noise performance of the phono stage's power supply, and for which the PSU-5's ultra-clean power delivery is not a luxury but a genuine system necessity. Those considering a more ambitious phono stage upgrade will find the Gold Note PH-10 the natural next step in Gold Note's analogue engineering hierarchy.

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 PSU-5 in our Norwich showroom — connected to a PH-5 and a quality turntable and cartridge — so you can hear precisely what dedicated external power supply engineering contributes to a serious analogue system. 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.