Gold Note CD-5

REVIEW
Chris Kelly
Nov 21, 2025

In the interests of full disclosure, I’d like to clarify my remarks about the Gold Note CD-5: I am a delighted Gold Note customer. I have owned the excellent PH-10 phono stage and matching PSU for several years now. These were purchased with my own funds before the pandemic. I have experienced other products from this Florentine company in my listening room. All have left a lasting, positive impression. Therefore, when the CD-5 arrived, it had much to live up to.

The unboxing ceremony was straightforward. The CD-5 conforms to Gold Note’s now familiar half-width form factor. It also echoes the minimalist fascia design of its siblings. On the top left is a small embossed company logo, and to its right is the CD drawer. There is no greedy slot swallowing your discs here. Below that, and offset to the left of the centre line, is the display, a very crisp monochrome affair. Other than that, we find the IR receiver for the supplied remote control below the logo. There is also the small LED that glows blue when the unit is switched on and ready for action.

Rear panel

The rear panel is neat and functional. On the top left is a pair of RCA output sockets. Next to them is a pair of XLR output sockets (a welcome feature on an ‘entry-level’ player). A socket for connecting the optional external PSU (PSU-10 EVO) and the IEC input socket are also included. The lower array contains output sockets for coaxial and optical cables. Additionally, a USB-C socket is provided for firmware updates, and a reset button is provided.

Once the CD-5 is activated by a three-second finger touch on the left-hand side of the display, all functions are controlled via the remote control. This remote is compact, only slightly larger than a credit card. It comes with a CR2025 installed, and becomes operational once the user removes the small piece of cellophane protruding from the battery tray. Not only is the remote control small, but it is also designed to operate various other Gold Note units. There are buttons labelled AMP, CD, DAC, and PRE.

Communications

To communicate with the CD-5, press the CD button on first use. Granted that other mode buttons are not pressed afterwards to control different units. I would have preferred a slightly larger unit, one that is less likely to get lost down the side of a chair. Ideally, it would be powered by a battery type that most of us keep on hand, such as AAA or even AA. That said, once I had got the hang of it, the remote worked perfectly from across the room. There’s a new remote due, so this quibble is likely resolved.

The review unit’s arrival coincided with that of an integrated amplifier featuring XLR inputs, so I connected the two using my preferred Tellurium Q Ultra Silver II cables. The loudspeakers used were my own Harbeth Compact7ESXD stand mounts, which were also connected with Ultra Silver II cables.

In use

With the CD-5 alive and ready for action, I pressed the CD button on the remote, followed by the Eject button, conveniently located at the top left of the bijou control. After the briefest pause, the drawer opened silently and swiftly. The first disc was carefully placed in the tray, and the CD and Eject buttons were pressed again. The drawer responded with the same silence and alacrity as it did on its outward journey. After a short pause while the table of contents was examined, the number of tracks was displayed.

A further press of the CD button, followed by the Play/Pause button, initiated the music. The Play/Pause button is elliptical and slightly tilted, as is the Stop button adjacent to it. This thoughtful design, characteristic of Gold Note, ensures the button is easy to identify even in a dimly lit room. It eliminates the need to fumble for glasses to read the tiny script on the buttons.

It’s beginning to look a lot like…

The arrival of the CD-5 coincided with the commencement of the “official” Christmas celebrations here at Kelly Towers. It was early December. This serves as my defence for the music—or at least some of it—to which the CD-5 was subjected in its initial weeks in situ. The very first disc played was a perennial favourite here. It has been since its 1995 release on the Arista label. Have Yourself A Tractors Christmas is a collection of festive songs performed by Tulsa’s very own western swing band, the Tractors.

GoldNote_CD-5_ copy

Even straight out of the box, it was clear that the CD-5 is a competent player. This is feel-good music with plenty of boogie appeal, and the band is clearly enjoying themselves as they perform. Some are composed by the band leader Steve Ripley and his bandmates, while others are well-known yet given a Tractors twist. Feet were tapping, and there was likely some singing along. This only occurs when I’m home alone—thankfully for those who would otherwise have to endure the noise.

Mood swing

Changing the mood somewhat, the next disc loaded into the player was Harry Christophers and the Sixteen’s 2016 release, Song of the Nativity, on the Coro label. The opening track is Morten Lauridsen’s ‘O Magnum Mysterium’. It is about as far removed from the Tractor’s rumbustious boogie as it is possible to get. Ethereal, cerebral, and reverent, this is contemplative music of the highest order. The acoustics of the recording venue—the church of St Alban the Martyr in Holborn, London—greatly contribute to the quality of the listening experience. Through the CD-5, the music was by turns subtle and majestic. I sat spellbound through the nearly 74 minutes of music on this disc.

Of course, even in December, there was room for the secular on any playlist here. I had put together an eclectic pile of discs to enjoy. Chosen largely at random, the first selection to be played was Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band’s Greatest Hits, another mid-90s release.

Starting point

If you are not familiar with Bob Seger, this compilation serves as an excellent starting point. He has been a part of the soundtrack of my life since the 1970s. Bob Seger can switch effortlessly between full-throttle rock and melodious ballads. The CD-5 performed admirably, conveying each song with just the right balance of heft and subtlety as needed. A very credible soundstage spread across the room, extending beyond the boundaries of the loudspeaker cabinets. There was height and depth, with every instrument having just the right weight. Seger’s voice received ample air and space.

Space constraints prevent me from elaborating on all the discs that the CD-5 played for us, but suffice it to say that it performed excellently regardless of the genre selected. The sound was never harsh or fatiguing, making extended listening sessions a genuine pleasure.

40 years of discs

I bought my first compact disc 40 years ago, and my most recent purchase was this year. Over those 40 years, I have acquired literally thousands of them. They have provided me with immense pleasure, even though they have been surpassed in convenience and sometimes audio quality. This applies to music streamed from services like Qobuz (my preferred option), Tidal, Spotify, and many others.

Recently, I read that in some markets, vinyl records now outsell compact discs. I am as keen a vinylista as anyone, but having the CD-5 here has reminded me of the absolute cornucopia of music that I have collected on silver discs over these past decades. Yes, the plastic jewel cases in which they were usually packaged are not ideal for ecological and practical reasons. However, the issuing companies have started to use alternative materials, which is good. It has no detrimental effect on the music when all is said and done.

A pleasure

Do not allow minor complaints about the remote control to deter you. I quickly became accustomed to it and now don’t give it a second thought. The player is indeed a pleasure to use. In terms of sound quality, it performs at an extraordinarily high level. Don’t heed the naysayers—the Compact Disc is still alive, thriving, and a viable option more than 40 years since its invention. I am truly delighted that Gold Note envisions a future for the Compact Disc format. They have introduced such a remarkable player to the market in 2024.

The CD-5 is yet another outstanding product from the design studio at Gold Note. The matching power supply will be available later this year. Based on my experience with the PH-10 and other components I have reviewed from Gold Note, I am confident that performance will reach a new level of excellence when integrated with the CD-5. A player like the Gold Note CD-5 is required to maximise CDs potential.