Golden Designs Model Number Guide: Elite, FS, ZF, CED and HEM Decoded

Golden Designs packs a lot into its model numbers: the prefix names the line, the digits usually track the seat count, and the suffix tells you the EMF tier, heater type or wood. The short answer on golden designs elite vs standard: Elite is the same cabin as the standard model with heating panels one EMF tier lower, such as Low EMF to Ultra Low EMF on Dynamic models. This guide decodes Elite, FS, ZF, CED and HEM, plus the DYN, MX and GDI prefixes, using only what Golden Designs' own titles and spec sheets show. Where a code isn't consistent, we say so.

Golden Designs Elite vs Standard: What "Elite" Means

An Elite model is one EMF tier above the standard version of the same cabin. On Dynamic models, the standard version is titled Low EMF and the Elite version Ultra Low EMF: the Dynamic Cordoba (from $2,299) is Low EMF and the Dynamic Cordoba Elite (from $2,499) is Ultra Low EMF. Golden Designs' tier figures are Low EMF at 5–10 mG, Ultra Low EMF at 3–5 mG and Near Zero EMF below 3 mG, measured about 2 to 3 inches from the heating panels.

Elite does not always mean Ultra Low. On the 6-person Monaco, the Elite name goes with the Near Zero version: the Dynamic Monaco 6-person (from $6,895) is titled Ultra Low EMF, while the Golden Designs Monaco Elite 6-person (from $6,999) is titled PureTech Near Zero. So read Elite as "the upgraded EMF version of this cabin", then check the tier word in the title.

In the Golden Designs spec sheets we have for both versions of a cabin (the Dynamic Serena, Lucca, Toscana and Veneto, and the Maxxus S-Line 1- and 3-person), the panel count and feature list are the same, and the heaters' EMF tier is the only feature difference listed. That makes Elite a clean, single-variable upgrade.

The Golden Designs Suffix and Prefix Table

Each code below is decoded only where every matching title or spec sheet in our data agrees.

Reading the Prefix: DYN, MX and GDI

The prefix tells you which Golden Designs family you are looking at, and that sets the options available. DYN models are the Dynamic line, Golden Designs' entry carbon far-infrared range in Canadian hemlock. MX models are Maxxus, the line with hemlock and red cedar versions and the ZF Near Zero models. GDI covers everything sold under the Golden Designs name itself: the Reserve Edition and PureTech full spectrum models, the Monaco Elite, and the traditional and outdoor saunas.

If you are comparing the two infrared families, our Dynamic vs Maxxus comparison puts them side by side, and our Golden Designs sauna review covers every line.

Reading the Numbers: Seat Count and Layout

In most Golden Designs model numbers, one digit matches the seat count, but its position depends on the line. Use it as a quick filter, then confirm capacity in the title.

Dynamic: the digit after the 6 tracks capacity in the models we carry. DYN-61xx models such as the Avila (from $1,999) are 1–2 person, DYN-62xx models such as the San Marino Edition (from $2,299) are 2-person, DYN-63xx models such as the Lugano (from $2,699) are 3-person, and the DYN-6440 Bergamo (from $3,299) is 4-person.

The 6-person Monaco (DYN-6996-01, from $6,895) breaks the pattern.

Maxxus: 206 is 2-person, 306 is 3-person, 356 is a 3-person corner, and 406 is 4-person. Every 356 model we carry is titled corner, including the Maxxus 3-person corner in red cedar (from $4,499).

GDI barrels and outdoor cabins: the last digit matches the seat count, as with the Klosters 6-person barrel (from $6,999) (B006) and the Vorarlberg 5-person outdoor sauna (from $6,999) (GDI-8105).

Trailing -01, -02, -03: these separate versions but don't carry a consistent meaning. The Cordoba DYN-6203-01 is Low EMF far infrared while DYN-6203-02 FS is full spectrum, yet the Versailles DYN-6202-03 is a Low EMF far-infrared model. Compare the full model number, suffix included.

FS, ZF, CED and HEM in Practice

These four codes answer the two questions that move price most: what heats the cabin and what it is built from. FS means full spectrum, carbon far-infrared panels paired with near infrared elements; Golden Designs' FS spec sheets list both, such as 4 carbon panels plus 2 near infrared elements on the 2026 Dynamic 1–2 person FS models. Our far infrared vs full spectrum guide explains the difference.

ZF marks the Maxxus Near Zero EMF models, which Golden Designs titles "Near Zero EMF (Under 2MG)" on several units; the Maxxus 2-person Near Zero EMF (from $3,099) is the entry point. For what those numbers mean, read our Low vs Ultra Low vs Near Zero EMF guide.

CED marks Canadian red cedar. Every Maxxus model we carry without CED is titled Canadian hemlock, and HEM appears on two Near Zero models to separate them from their cedar twins: the 3-person corner in hemlock (from $4,499) versus the Avignon Edition 3-person corner in red cedar (from $4,899).

Golden Designs Elite vs Standard: Side-by-Side Price Pairs

On Dynamic, the Elite upgrade adds a few hundred dollars over the standard cabin, with a bigger step on the 3-person Lugano. These are every Dynamic standard and Elite pair in our catalogue.

Some of these Elite titles read "Ultra Low EMF (Under 3MG)". Golden Designs' Ultra Low tier is 3–5 mG, and that is the figure we use; ask us for the spec sheet if you need the exact reading for one model. For a solo or two-person user, I recommend the Elite version when the gap is a few hundred dollars, since you keep the same cabin and get the lower EMF tier.

Mistakes to Avoid When Comparing Golden Designs Model Numbers

Most mix-ups come from reading similar numbers as the same product. Don't drop the suffix: DYN-6203-01 and DYN-6203-01 Elite are separate products at separate prices, as are MX-K406-01, MX-K406-01 CED and MX-K406-01-ZF HEM.

Don't read "PureTech" as a tier. Golden Designs uses PureTech on Near Zero panels and also on some Ultra Low emitters, such as the 2026 Dynamic Veneto, Lucca and Toscana Elite spec sheets. The tier word (Low, Ultra Low, Near Zero) is what tells you the rating. Don't assume Elite means Near Zero on Dynamic models; there it means Ultra Low. And don't skip the electrical line: our sauna electrical requirements guide explains why a 3-person cabin may need a dedicated 20A circuit.

Find Your Golden Designs Model

Once you know the code you want, compare every model in our Golden Designs collection, or shop by heat type in the infrared saunas and barrel saunas collections. To filter by size first, start with our 3-person saunas collection.

About the author: Jacky Chan is a certified personal trainer, stretch therapist and massage therapist who works with clients on training and recovery, and the founder of Peak Flow Fitness.

Related reading: Golden Designs Sauna Review · Low vs Ultra Low vs Near Zero EMF Saunas · Which Sauna Should I Get? · Barrel Sauna Buying Guide