Gold Note Machiavelli MkII Red MC cartridge

This new version of the Gold Note Machiavelli Red MC cartridge was entirely redesigned by the Italian manufacturer. This MkII version meets the highest standards to ensure even greater audio performance.

The Gold Note Machiavelli Red MkII proposes an innovative design partly performed by computer modelling. The objective of the Italian manufacturer is to offer a high performance low output MC cartridge at still an affordable price…

Gold Note spent two years researching and testing to optimise the MC technology, using their expertise during every part of the process.

GOLD NOTE MACHIAVELLI MKII RED: BODY

The phono cartridge has a machined solid duralumin body. It provides perfect mechanical resistance and optimum damping while limiting the formation of resonance or vibration.

The Micro Elliptical stylus on this version is more complex than most Elliptical styli from this range. It’s mounted on a hardened aluminium cantilever.

The generator is designed around copper coils and samarium-cobalt magnets. The generator was limited in terms of winding, allowing the stylus/cantilever assembly to be lighter. And, of course, it also helped to make the internal impedance drop, and thus the output level as well.

GOLD NOTE MACHIAVELLI MKII RED: COMBINATION

A 60-dB gain MC phono preamplifier is required due to the cartridge 0.5 mV output level. This phono preamplifier also requires an adjustable load impedance because the conventional 100 ohms are too low for this Machiavelli Red MkII.

We recommend a load impedance superior to 400 ohms. The weight and tracking force associated with its compliance make this MC cartridge pretty versatile; it’s compatible with most modern and older 9-inch tonearms.

GOLD NOTE MACHIAVELLI MKII RED: TESTING AND LISTENING

The Machiavelli Red MkII MC cartridge provides a reproduction favouring the timbre and substance of the instruments. It may not be the most dynamic and surgical of MC cartridges, but the neutral balance, wide bandwidth and superb transparency make it a reference in the genre!

The Machiavelli Red MkII shows precise tracking capability without any surface noise. Midrange is particularly impressive through its presence and “organic” side.

This cartridge keeps a completely low profile… It preserves a maximum of vivacity and energy from the record groove! Its main asset is clearly the balance, which is close to perfection on many aspects.

Moreover, it’s enough dynamic to reproduce the swing, but also detailed and transparent without providing over definition. It provides a timbre making it lenient towards average-quality recordings.

We can consider the Gold Note Machiavelli MkII Red as one of the best low output MC cartridges in this price range! Would recommend.