Platine vinyle Gold Note Valore 425 Plus

The Gold Note Valore 425 Plus turntable is a souped-up version of the famous Valore 425 Lite turntable. It uses the various elements of the latter while improving several points in order to optimise performance and significantly improve reproduction quality.

It adopts the innovative approach of the 425 Lite while sticking to conventional and therefore approved technical choices!

Gold Note Valore 425 Plus: chassis

The presentation remains sober and tasteful! However, the different finishes provide a very high-end look: silver, Italian walnut, acrylic and lacquered black.

The chassis is cut from 30 mm thick MDF. It has been optimised to offer as little colouration as possible. Half-moon circular cut-outs are present around the bearing in order to break mechanical vibration nodes.

The turntable stands on three specific feet that differ from the usual cones.

Like all Gold Note products, this turntable is entirely handmade in Italy with very high-quality materials.

Gold Note Valore 425 Plus: platter

The 22 mm thick platter is cut from a block of POM. It is combined with a wool felt platter mat. Its spindle is 60 mm long. It is machined with great precision in order to provide accurate rotation without any friction.

Gold Note worked at keeping an extremely small gap between the platter and the plinth of the turntable in order to cancel out the turbulence caused by the rotation of the moving masses. This therefore optimises the rotational stability of the platter.

This platter is driven at its rim by a rectified NBR polyvinyl belt (70 elastic fibres). The motor was developed in collaboration with the brand Mechtex. It is a 12 V AC synchronous model. It is electronically controlled in order to reduce its vibration behaviour and, of course, to manage speed stability at 33 and 45 rpm.

Gold Note Valore 425 Plus: tonearm and accessories

The Valore 425 Plus turntable is fitted with a superb Gold Note B-5 tonearm. This 9-inch model is a slightly more economical variant of the manufacturer's famous B-5.1 model. It naturally allows pairing with many MM cartridges and MC cartridges, and even high-end models.

We have been able to verify its excellent quality several times, which is not unrelated to the reproduction quality of Gold Note turntables.

The Valore 425 PLUS is also supplied with an acrylic dust cover and an excellent phono cable.

Gold Note Valore 425 Plus: test and listening

We tested the Valore 425 Plus with two MM cartridges and two MC cartridges: one Italian MM and MC (Gold Note!) and the other two of Danish origin (Ortofon).

The definition and substance that this turntable gives to instruments and voices give it top-notch musicality. The reproduction enjoys a perfect balance between transparency, dynamics, nuance and breadth.

The soundstage is wide and is heard in a very realistic way, both in width and in depth. It also shows superb composure in the low end of the spectrum with a very realistic swing and rhythmic tracking.

The midrange is the very reflection of analogue reproduction. It is very close to the magnetic tape of a professional tape recorder. Female voices are present and full of emotion. The grain of the voice or the texture of the strings and winds are also perfectly reproduced. The Gold Note Valore 425 Plus is certainly one of the best turntables in this range in this register. Combined with a particularly silky and nuanced treble that gives a magnificent "softness" to the whole.

The Gold Note Valore 425 Plus turntable is a magnificent record player offered in excellent-quality finishes. It offers surprising musicality and performance for a product in this price range.

AWARDS:
HiFi Pig - Recommended
Hi-Fi Choice - Recommended - 2017
On Top Audio - 2017
The Audiophile Man - 8/10 - 2019
HiFi+ - Highly Commended - 2019

FAQ: Everything you need to know before buying the Gold Note Valore 425 Plus turntable

How does the Gold Note Valore 425 Plus differ from the Valore 425 Lite?

The Gold Note Valore 425 Plus turntable is a souped-up version of the famous Valore 425 Lite turntable, taking the elements of the latter while improving several points to optimise performance and reproduction quality. It retains the innovative approach of the 425 Lite while relying on more conventional technical choices that have therefore already been proven by the market. The presentation remains sober and tasteful, but the different finishes offered, silver, Italian walnut, acrylic, or lacquered black, provide a very high-end look. Like all Gold Note products, this turntable is entirely handmade in Italy, with very high-quality materials. You will find it in the manual turntables section.

How are the chassis and platter of this Italian turntable built?

The chassis is cut from 30 mm thick MDF, optimised to offer as little mechanical coloration as possible, with half-moon circular cut-outs around the bearing intended to break vibration nodes. The turntable stands on three specific feet that differ from the cones usually used on this type of product. The 22 mm thick platter is cut from a block of POM and combined with a wool felt platter mat, with a 60 mm spindle machined with great precision to guarantee rotation without any friction. The motor, developed in collaboration with the brand Mechtex, is a 12V AC synchronous model electronically controlled to reduce its vibration behavior and stabilize the speed at 33 and 45 rpm.

Which tonearm equips the Valore 425 Plus and which accessories are supplied?

The Valore 425 Plus turntable is fitted with a 9-inch Gold Note B-5 tonearm, a slightly more economical variant of the manufacturer's famous B-5.1 model. This tonearm allows pairing with many MM cartridges and MC cartridges, including high-end models, which leaves the user plenty of room to upgrade. The turntable is supplied with an acrylic protective dust cover as well as an excellent phono cable, two accessories that avoid immediate additional purchases. The testers were able to verify the excellent quality of this tonearm several times, which contributes largely to the overall musicality of the turntable. To get started with peace of mind, consult your first turntable.

How does the Gold Note Valore 425 Plus perform when listening?

Tested with two MM cartridges and two MC cartridges, including an Italian Gold Note pair and a Danish Ortofon pair, this turntable offers a definition and substance that give instruments and voices top-notch musicality. The reproduction enjoys a perfect balance between transparency, dynamics, nuance, and breadth, with a wide and deep soundstage that is heard in a very realistic way. The midrange proves to be the very reflection of analogue reproduction, with female voices that are present and full of emotion, and a grain of the strings or winds that is perfectly reproduced. This turntable has also received numerous international awards, including a Recommended mention from Hi-Fi Choice in 2017 and a Highly Commended distinction from HiFi+ in 2019, which makes it a real favorite in its price category.