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Gryphon Ethos CD player-D/A processor | Review & Measurements - Stereophile

restorer-john

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I have a friend with the Gryphon Diablo integrated (pictured above) into Wilson Audio Sascha IIs. It's a beautifully made piece of gear. If I was looking for a CD player (there aren't many made anymore) and had the money to burn, it'd be a good option.

It is however simply not good enough to omit a de-emphasis filter for the many early classical CDs (and others) that require a correct application of de-emphasis. Surely the ESS D/A can implement that in the digital domain? Even if not, analogue de-emphasis circuitry is simple enough.

He's also into vintage receivers and periodically sends me one for a full restoration.
 
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anmpr1

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The angular design kind of reminds me of the old Sharp digital stuff from two decades back. The Sharp units were expensive enough that even Michael 'mr analog' Fremer could endorse them. LOL

I do wish modern components would incorporate the Silicon Graphics Iris Indigo and Octane case color schemes, like Sharp used.

sub1Bimg.jpg
 

Putter

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Quite agree, you could feed a whole lot of struggling artists for 39K.

I think all the products from this company are ugly, and vastly overpriced.

I suspect you'd also have a greater likelihood of a return on your investment with the RIGHT struggling artist vs. an overpriced already obsolete CD player that also seems to be poorly engineered.
 

Herbert

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Did anyone notice that those High-End player never show the mechanism for years now,
no matter which company?
It is always obscured by the puck, CD, etc.
Guess why - there are no reliable mechs to buy for the High-End companies any more.
This is very likely a Sanyo SF-HD870 mech you´ll find in a thrift shop CD-Player as well.
 

JJB70

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Oh but for the classic old CD players which were ready to play as soon as the loading tray closed, had near silent operation, lasted years and weren't even expensive. I would bet money that my early 90's Sony destroys this thing in terms of design and build.
 

thefsb

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Did anyone notice that those High-End player never show the mechanism for years now,
no matter which company?
YES ❗

Last month I tried to explain how this kind of thing has become so familiar. It is an emergent property of the common constraints on the people and organizations producing the designs.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...onstraints-shape-audiophile-innovation.10334/

If you're into high-end gear for its own sake, like being into cars or wine, then each new product may be interesting one way or another. I've come to see only more of the same.
 

Herbert

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What was good in the beginnings of the CD-era now became a problem.
Inventors / developers like Sony and Philips provided the smaller High-End companies with transports
which were well built and durable. Accuphase as one example completely relied on Sony. In the late eighties,
companies started to cut corners and outsource production. In the end, Accuphase used the very cheap Sony KHM-313.
Even if they wanted, they had no choice. Long before the decline of the CD, the big companies left the market.
AFAIK Daisy laser, a Philips subsidary providing transports to other companies already quit in 2009.
Sony somwhere around 2012 maybe.
This is why there is only Sanyo left with only one type of transport that can read CD and DVD.
So High End companies are only partially to blame. On the other hand:
Patents for CD must have expired maybe already 10 years ago?
Still no High Ender took the chance to build reliable mechanics on their own
 
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