Gold Note IS - 1000 integrated amp

@iasi, in contrast what you said re image depth and bass tightness, @transience mentioned that image depth is not a strong point of GN IS1000 and he also said that bass is "rounded"

@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.