Goldenote Stibbert Tube CD player: luxury vibration isolation

This is no ordinary dangling CD player, oh no; it's a CD player suspended by four conical springs, with a double-chassis the top-plate of which is shaped to resemble a Ferrari F1 steering wheel.  According to creators Goldenote, the Stibbert Tube CD Player teases the very best quality out of your discs by virtue of its twin 6922 tube analog output stage, motor speed fluctuations of less than 0.0001-percent and, just to punish your back, an overall mass of three times its predecessor.

That extra mass leads, apparently, to higher bass resolution.  The Stibbert Tube CD Player is all about isolating the discs from vibrations, and to that end they've used a mixture of 20mm acrylic and high-density steel alloy treated with a diamagnetic black polyvinyl paint.

I doubt my ears are good enough to tell the difference between an unsprung, non-back-breaking CD player, but if you feel differently you can now buy the Italian Goldenote Stibbert Tube CD player in the US.  Priced at $5,030, you'd really have to love CDs, though.

Press Release:

Koetsu USA Introduces New Edition Stibbert Tube CD Player by Goldenote of Italy

Innovative, Unconventional, State-of-the-Art Tube-Based Player Features New Double Chassis, Unique Suspension System, Enhanced Performance and More

CES '09, LAS VEGAS Jan. 8, 2009 — Koetsu USA, the U.S. distribution arm of the world-renowned Japanese cartridge manufacturer, introduces into the U.S. market a new edition of the signature and award-winning Stibbert Tube CD Player, the only CD player isolated from vibration through spring suspension, at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show.

The innovative, unconventional Stibbert Tube CD Player is a tube-based state-of-the-art model providing outstanding digital performance. The new edition employs a newly designed double chassis completely isolated by four conical springs. The chassis is made of a high-density steel alloy treated with a diamagnetic black polyvinyl paint. The mass of the new edition's chassis is three times that of previous versions, enabling higher bass resolution. The new chassis also makes it easier to change tubes and control the grounding path.

Other new or improved technologies introduced into the CD Player include:

  • Dual Speed™ technology that enables the transport to achieve the best sonic performance by reducing its voltage and speed to the lowest possible levels.
  • Zero Clock™, which improves performance by eliminating jitter and clock errors, and includes a very sophisticated digital output filter.
  • Electro Power™ voltage supply, a power system that improves audio performance through an innovative current generator that cleans up the signal going to the analog stage. It guarantees perfect control of the laser pick-up and motor mechanics for disc rotation, with speed fluctuations of less than 0.0001 percent. It also galvanically shields the CD Player.
  • The Stibbert CD Player also features a sophisticated new analog output stage based on two 6922 tubes. The stage uses a true symmetrically balanced tube design to achieve the highest sonic performance. Superior components, such as high quality capacitors and resistors, further raise the bar on standards for digital players in the world market.

    The main plinth of the Stibbert chassis is made of a 20mm-thick black acrylic shaped to resemble a Ferrari Formula 1© steering wheel. Its uniquely curved shape significantly increases the design's structural rigidity, virtually eliminating vibration feedback. The drawer-type transport mechanism is designed to achieve the most stable disc rotation.

    The Stibbert CD Player is available now for a suggested price of $5,030. It can be seen with other outstanding Goldenote and Koetsu USA products in Suite 29-235 at the Venetian Hotel, during CES.

    About Goldenote

    Founded in 1992 and based in Italy, Goldenote manufactures some of the finest audio and video products available, including turntables, tone arms, CD players, amplifiers and speakers. It launched Audio Vox brand products in 1997, and the more ambitious Villa line in 2002. Goldenote innovations include the acclaimed Zero- Clock™, a special digital output filter; Electro-Power™, an innovative system to electronically control speed fluctuations in digital mechanics; and the recent Dual-Speed™ design that enable a CD Player to automatically adjust its speed and reduces the voltage coming to the motor. For further technical information, visit www.goldenote.it

    About Koetsu USA

    Koetsu USA is a vertically integrated distributor of high-end audio products including phono cartridges, tone arms, turntables, preamps, amplifiers, digital players, loudspeakers, cables, racks and other products. Its brands include Koetsu, Chario, Montegiro, Golden Note and Black Note. For further technical information, visit Koetsu USA's Web site at www.koetsuusa.com.