Gryphon Diablo 333 Integrated Amplifier

I coined myself, a Gryphonist.

My first encounter with a Gryphon Audio Designs product was their Colosseum stereo amplifier. I remembered how majestic it sounded and looked in my audio system. There and then I told their local representative, Reference Audio Singapore/ YY Sound Systems (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd that I be taking it.

Shortly, I realised that they have coming the newer (then) Mephisto stereo amplifier. Therefore, I decided to try that before committing to either model. Soon, I have the Mephisto stereo amplifier driving the Eggleston Ivy Signature flagship behemoth loudspeakers in my audio den.

A pair of Gryphon Mephisto Solo, a Mephisto Stereo (3 x amp) for Eggleston Ivy Signature loudspeakers!

Coincidently in 2013, Gryphon Audio Designs’ Head Honchos, Flemming (Erik) Rasmussen and Valdemar (Thomas) Borsting came for a listen to the entire system, and they liked it and, even wrote me a positive commentary. As boldness has it that I upgraded the stereo amplifier to the Mephisto mono amplifiers (in case you were wondering, I have the Gryphon Audio Designs Mirage preamplifier on loan from Reference Audio Singapore throughout that period). Henceforth, I found myself more inclined into the Gryphon Audio Designs’ “vision, philosophy, objective and sound quality” (the Gryphon route),…and therefore coined myself a ‘Gryphonist‘.

Flemming (Erik) Rasmussen (right) and Valdemar (Thomas) Borsting (left), and yours truly in the middle.

Without long, I decided to go deeper into the Gryphon route,…in 2014 came the Gryphon Audio Designs Pendragon loudspeakers system that consisted of four [4] towers, into my audio system,…which I lived with for two [2] years before the next ultimate upgrade.

When I saw at the Munich High End 2016 that Gryphon Audio Designs launched their ultimate loudspeakers system, the Kodo and being convinced of Flemming’s Gryphon route (of what an ultimate loudspeaker supposed to do),…without hesitation, I decided to invest into them.

Thus, dare I say that being a Gryphonist, that the Gryphon route has been etched into my ‘audio-heart (and ear’).

Flemming supports analoguefellowship.com

Enter the New Age of Gryphon.

After thirty three [33] years in Gryphon Audio Designs, its founder, Flemming Erik Rasmussen has decided to retire,…however, he left behind a number of his avant-garde designs of outer chassis for upcoming Gryphon Audio Designs products (of different categories).

Fortunately, the Gryphon Audio Designs’ Chief Engineer, Tom Moller whom have been with Flemming and the company for more than twenty four [24] years and counting, and also the man behind the electronic designs of most Gryphon Audio Designs products,…remained in the company to continue the Gryphon Legacy.

Photo of Tom Moller courtesy of HiFi Choice Penang.

Tom Moller continued the Gryphon Legacy with the launch of their latest flagships, the Apex stereo and mono amplifiers,…the Commander preamplifier/ linestage,…Ethos CD/DAC player,…Siren phono stage,…and more (to come).

Gryphon Audio Designs Siren phono stage.

All the above Gryphon Audio Designs flagship components were well received, well reviewed and were awarded accolades from various audio reviewers, publications and platforms,…and not to mention, in the audio systems of some rich/est and prominent audiophile worldwide.

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DIABLOs’ Success to Success.

Now, that the successes of the flaghips under his belt, Tom Moller was tasked to revisit the company’s most commercially successful integrated amplifier (with thousands sold worldwide), the Diablo 300 (retail €15,620),…which was ‘based‘ upon the then Gryphon Audio Designs flagships, the Mephisto amplifier (stereo retail €61,750 and mono retail €122,500) and the Pandora preamplifier (retail €35,400).

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Therefore the redesigned new Diablo integrated amplifier was of trickle down technologies and components employed in the Gryphon Audio Designs latest flagships, the Apex amplifier (stereo retail €110,500 and mono retail €221,000) and the Commander preamplifier (retail at €72,300),…thus was born the 50.6kg new Diablo 333 (retail at €26,800).

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Having lived with the previous flagships (Mephisto mono amplifier, Mephisto stereo amplifier, Colosseum stereo amplifier, Pandora preamplifier, Mirage preamplifier, Pendragon loudspeakers) in my audio system (still owning the Gryphon Audio Designs Kodo loudspeakers), (still) being a Gryphonist, and knowing the Gryphon route by heart and ear, I believed that I was readied for whatever the Diablo 333 could ever delivered(?)…

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…and I thought I was readied?

I set up the Diablo 333 powered either the Genesis Series 7 Foxtrot or Minuet loudspeakers, with the Skogrand Cables Silverspine flagship speaker cables. The digital sources employed were the HiFi Rose RS150B streamer (Tidal), Marantz Ki Pearl Lite SA/CD player and the Lyngdorf MP-60 AV processor (Diablo 333 in AV Bypass).

The Diablo 333 remote control.

1) extreme jet black background,

Initial impression of the Diablo 333 was the extreme jet black background behind the entire music presentation,…as if I was staring at nothingness behind the performance. The previous flagship components were similarly having that kind of background,…however, I felt it was more black with the new Diablo 333.

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That piqued my interest and curiosity as to how much improvement the latest Gryphon Audio Designs’ flagships, the Apex amplifier(s) and Commander preamplifier would be (?)

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I was seriously convinced of the extreme jet black background of the Diablo 333, by my surprise of that sudden hit/ whack at the kit drum at the beginning of the track, ‘Walking on the Moon‘ from the album ‘Star Tracks‘ by The Yuri Honing Trio.

(normally I should not and could not be surprised since I knew that track by heart?).

In addition, that black-ness brought about greater value and easier appreciation of the space, distance and separation between the instruments and instrumentalists,…

2)…due to clearer and more distinct delineation of images,

(as if a single source of light shines brighter in a darkened space).

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At the other test track for black-ness, ‘Killing Me Softly‘ from the album, ‘Pearls‘ by Aisyah Aziz where I would check/ not hear the background “behind the vocalist“. The Diablo 333 presented such black-ness which was (an almost) nothingness behind and around the vocalist,…I believed that strengthened her voice and image with greater weight, presence, density, tangibility and vividness,…

3)…to an ‘Almost Touchable‘ sensation,

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It was easier to appreciate the black-ness of a closed recording session compared to a ‘Live‘ recording. However, in the case of the Diablo 333, I believed its black-ness were by electronic design which contributed to its

4)…’quietness‘,…that allowed more ‘resolution of detail‘ from the music to pass through.

Here, at the ‘Live‘ recorded track, ‘A Case of You‘ (from the album ‘Diana Krall-Live in Paris‘), the resolution of detail from the Diablo 333 was so high and intimate that made aloud the lip movement(s) and the breath taken throughout Ms.Krall‘s performance,…audible even amidst the large recording venue filled with ambience, echo, hall effect and audiences’ interactions (to which the Diablo 333 also vividly presented).

Therefore provided a case as if the...

5)…mike feed was directly connected to the Diablo 333“,

I found that the Diablo 333’s high resolution was already transparent to the main vocalist, and equally so to the instrument played and its energy. Here, the piano itself played by Ms.Krall was…

6)…so “alive“,…

…there was differential energy felt from each key played,…and each key and note were equally presented with differential dimension, weight and articulation (the high resolution of detail from the Diablo 333 presented the differences between different key of the piano).

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I even found the Diablo 333 was able to expose the minute nuance that allowed the appreciation of the artists’ emotion(s) poured into the performance.

At the track, ‘Just A Little Lovin’‘ (from the album ‘Just a Little Lovin’‘), the rendition and voiceation of Shelby Lynne were presented with…

7)…vivid emotions at multiple levels,

Here, the Diablo 333 showcased the multi facets and layers of her emotions poured into the singing of the lyric,…I could follow the sudden change/ nuance of tempo, duration, volume and punctuation in her word(s)/ lyrics to express the “different emotions” poured in.

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Through the Diablo 333, ‘all the shoutings, screamings and interactions‘ by the audiences before the singing (of the track), ‘Keith Don’t Go‘, by Nil Lofgren were vivid, proximate and enveloping as if I was part of the audiences. That proved that the Diablo 333 has the power to throw an…

8)…engaging and enveloping sound-stage and sound-scape,

Even behind that involving crowd, every plug at the guitar strings by Nil Lofgren was audible and felt intimate and energised through the Diablo 333,…as if that guitar was being in my hand.

Similarly, Nils Lofgren‘s voiceation too was presented with details,…and what impressed me further was the Diablo 333’s ‘engaging presentation‘ of the ambience and the mood of the audiences (,that followed the emotions of the artist).

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When I played the tempo sensitive track, ‘Liquid Spirit‘ by Gregory Porter, I found my feets started to dance to the tune,…and my body started to move along the energies emanated from the Genesis Series 7 Foxtrot loudspeakers. I believed that the Diablo 333 must be presenting the music at the right tempo,…and with the right Pace, Rhythm and Timing (PRaT) too.

(a Linn dealer once told me that when the body is moving with the music, the PRaT is right?).

In other word, the Diablo 333 was transparent to the tempo and PRaT, thus the…

9)…Spirit of that Song,

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Throughout the track, ‘The Moon‘ by Patricia Barber (from the album ‘Verse‘), I found the double bass enjoyed its tempo, weight and presence throughout the track,…eventhough when the passage got more and more complicated,…with more interventions from other instruments and from the main vocalist ,…as if that instrument were given its own…

10)…time and space,

(of course, the other instruments and the vocalist were given the same…at the value determined by the recording engineer).

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Finally, I played the dreaded test track, ‘Poem of Chinese Drum‘ which would probably damage any inadequate amplifier and loudspeaker. I was glad to report that the Diablo 333 powering the Genesis S7 Foxtrot loudspeakers were more than able to deliver the explosive dynamic slam from those Chinese Drums with,…

11)…wave upon waves of differring bass notes/ slams kept coming without any hint of faltering.

In other word, the high resolution and unfaltering power of the Diablo 333 was able to present the details amidst complicated and bombarding presentation,…the differentiation in note, tone, weight and energy from the wooden sticks hitting the vibrating skin of the Chinese Drums (never sounded like a grouping of Chinese Drums,…and never sounded like mono bass tone).

Some may termed the aboves as the New Gryphon Audio Designs’ Sound Quality (?)

However, I would not go that far as to term it so,…more like an overall big improvement.

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A Gryphon at a Bargain?

Given that a (1) Gryphonist (yours truly) whom (2) knew well the sound quality of the previous Gryphon Audio Designs flagships (Mephisto solo and Pandora), could still be (3) surprised by the improved sound quality of the Diablo 333, (4) raised within him the interest and curiosity over the latest Gryphon Audio Designs flagships (Apex mono and Commander), and (5) retail at only around ten percent [10%] of the total retail of their latest flagships,…was already a given testament…

that the DIABLO 333 is a BARGAIN!

and FAR AHEAD of its Competitors!

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FEATURES SPECIFICATIONS:
  • True Dual Mono configuration
  • Zero global negative feedback
  • Microprocessor-controlled 43-step true balanced relay volume attenuator for best sonic performance featuring only 1-2 resistors in series with signal at all levels.
  • Local Shunt regulators for best noise suppression
  • Ten high power output transistors each channel
  • Diablo 333 utilizes new ultra-fast, low-capacitance pre-driver transistors.
  • Polypropylene capacitors for local power supply decoupling
  • Optional phono stage module, PS3 MM/MC
  • Optional DAC3 module with one USB, 2 x SPDIF, 1 AES and 1 optical input
  • Ultra-short signal path
  • Minimal internal wiring
  • Four-layer printed circuit boards with 70µ copper on all layers
  • Dual Mono Holmgren toroidal transformer
  • PCB-mounted sockets eliminate wiring and shorten signal path.
  • Gold-plated Neutric XLR sockets for two balanced sources
  • Gold-plated phono sockets with Teflon insulation for two inputs and two outputs
  • Gold-plated Gryphon custom-built binding posts.
  • Fixed-level AV throughput for uncompromising integration with surround preamplifier.
  • Input level match
  • 4.3” TFT capacitive touch screen with 4mm hardened glass in front
  • Intuitive menu structure
  • 12Vdc link input and output
  • Infrared Receiver input via input on rear panel
  • Firmware upgradeable via USB 2.0 socket on rear panel
  • Non-invasive protection system
  • Infrared remote control
  • EU CE approval
  • Standby power consumption < 0.5W
  • Designed and built in Denmark
  • Exterior design by Flemming E. Rasmussen
  • Electronics design by Tom Møller
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