Проигрыватели виниловых дисков — Gold Note Mediterraneo X

The Mediterraneo X is a belt-driven turntable from Gold Note, the Florence company that started out building record players and tonearms. It is a development of the brand's original Mediterraneo, keeping the curved walnut plinth concept while adding a heavier composite platter, a variable-torque motor with touchscreen control and the B-7 Ceramic X tonearm, which is supplied fitted.

Key specs that matter

Speeds are 33 1/3 and 45 rpm with 0.1% tolerance and electronic fine pitch control. Wow and flutter is below 0.1% and rumble is -82 dB, against -80 dB for the standard Mediterraneo. The platter combines machined aluminium and high-density POM, is 45 mm thick and weighs 7 kg. It turns on a 4.3 mm ceramic ball bearing with a Split-Spindle. Drive is by a 70 shore rectified EPDM belt from a 12 V synchronous motor, and power comes from an external 18 V DC supply, with maximum consumption of 27 W. The deck measures 470 x 210 x 360 mm and weighs 25 kg.

Engineering and use context

The plinth follows a catenary curve, the shape Gold Note takes from Renaissance architecture for its rigidity, and is built as a layered structure to damp resonance. The motor is controlled by a Quadral-Core microcontroller that regenerates the drive waveform, and the owner can vary torque in real time from the touchscreen. High torque gives drive closer to direct-drive behaviour, while low torque reduces motor coupling. The motor is decoupled from the plinth by elastomers and held in an aluminium bracket isolated with resin spacers. The B-7 Ceramic X is a 9 in straight arm with ceramic bearings, a 6000-series aluminium headshell, hardwired Litz AWG36 OFC wiring, azimuth adjustment through two micro-bolts and VTA adjustment at the pillar. A timer logs stylus hours, three adjustable anodised aluminium feet level the deck, and a smoked acrylic hinged dust cover and phono cable are included. Finishes include Gold Leaf, with a matt black varnished aluminium upper plinth and black anodised platter, and Italian walnut hardwood.

Pairing

The deck ships without a cartridge, so moving-magnet and moving-coil designs of medium compliance suit the arm. Gold Note's own cartridges, such as the Donatello and Tuscany models, are designed with this arm in mind. A phono stage with MM and MC loading, such as Gold Note's PH-10, completes the front end.

Alternatives

Gold Note's standard Mediterraneo uses a POM platter and the B-7 Ceramic arm in the same curved walnut plinth.