Gold Note IS - 1000 integrated amp

@transience, during the past year, a GN IS100 unit exchanged hands two times, usually not a good sign. Could it be due to the fact an improved version with the better DAC hit the market?

hi @fiza, i generally don't take audiogon market activity as a particular sign of quality or lack thereof; far too often have I sold gear I've ultimately missed terribly, and that's a commonplace.
I believe a spate of super integrateds with more us press (as opposed to eu press) is a factor here, as people invariably buy these instead of the gold note out of novelty and validated curiosity. 
for my part, I also acquired an Ayre EX-8, which is an altogether wonderful unit but very different. Silver vs copper cables (or MC vs world-class MM) would be the apt sonic comparison, the ex-8 being cooler, even more pure and grainless than the already excellent is-1000, and more insightful. the Gold Note IS-1000 is fuller, richer, warmer with deeper bass particularly with the DF setting. They are both extremely compelling and expertly engineered audio solutions.

@transience - do you still have the goldnote integrated . how does it compare it to the ayre ex-8
can you share some comparisons and your observations
anyone else knows if primare i35 is in this league?
also if someone can chime in on simaudio moon 340ix

@transience  - in john darko's review it is stated that goldnote has a fan which turns on higher volumes. is that true?can you let us know if ithat is bothersome or ok?

@harry26 apologies, as I just saw your query. per above, whereas the Ayre specialized in a kind of cooler, grainless perspective (which I enjoyed), with an emphasis on the upper octaves, and is dead silent; the gold note is not as quicksilver pure, but counters with a more tactile, insistent, and physical presence: midband saturation, natural warmth, speed, and emphatic bass (which can be tuned by adjusting the damping factor settings). also, the Ayre's volume pot has a slight channel imbalance at lower volumes; whereas the gold note does not and has a balance function. it is altogether the more versatile amp (especially considering the very refined phono stage). I'm impressed.
as for the fans: I could only tell they were on when I was within a foot or so of the unit to change a record (after playing at the highest preamp gain) and now that I no longer have a turntable and gold note has emended the firmware, the fans are at variable speed rather than on/off so should be dead silent in even the quietest room in the near field. I have heard properly functioning class d smps units make significantly more noise than the fans of the gold note.

Instead of starting another thread thought I’d bump this one with same thoughts. Any new experiences with the IS-1000?

@transience you still enjoying yours or move to something else?