Gryphon Apex Stereo power amplifier Measurements (Stereophile)

[jensgk]

The heavier the better ?

Gryphon Apex Stereo power amplifier Measurements | Stereophile.com

Sidebar 3: Measurements Because the Gryphon Apex Stereo is big and heavy, I drove to Michael Fremer's place in deepest, darkest New Jersey with my Audio Precision SYS2722 system, digital and analog oscilloscopes, and test loads. I preconditioned the amplifier by operating it at 1/8 the specified...

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[noiseangel]

I didn't realise you had started this thread. I accidentally started at the same time. USD99k Gryphon V USD400 Purifi.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Basically another ridiculously overpriced mediocre engineered amp. Especially if compared with Benchmark AHB2 or Purify and many others at a fraction of the price.

The poor IMD and the large differences between the channels and the significant rise in Sinad over about 1W are „remarkable“

 

[Mnyb]

It’s just crap if the performance vary 16dB between channels, just crap even if the otherwise sad performance is not good ( because reasons ) the QC is really bad.

It can even be an cooling issue due to lack of proper feedback ( because reasons ) the channels drift apart due to some thermal differences between channels .

 

[HarmonicTHD]

It’s just crap if the performance vary 16dB between channels, just crap even if the otherwise sad performance is not good ( because reasons ) the QC is really bad.

It can even be an cooling issue due to lack of proper feedback ( because reasons ) the channels drift apart due to some thermal differences between channels .

Yes JA gives the unit the benefit of the doubt that it might be faulty. For 99k I not only would expect better overall performance but impeccable QC, like the manufacturer coming to my house in person with an AP and ensure the correct working. Oh wait they most likely don’t even have an AP but sell amps at three times the price of an AP

 

[DonR]

It's a statement product, like a peacock's feather.

 

[HarmonicTHD]

It's a statement product, like a peacock's feather.

Yeah. And a peacock feather is even better suited to the purpose (of attracting females). I never attracted females with my stereo systems - maybe because I don’t own a Gryphon

 

[DonR]

Yeah. And a peacock feather is even better suited to the purpose (of attracting females). I never attracted females with my stereo systems - maybe because I don’t own a Gryphon

Maybe he already has the sports car and the yacht

 

[Mnyb]

Yes JA gives the unit the benefit of the doubt that it might be faulty. For 99k I not only would expect better overall performance but impeccable QC, like the manufacturer coming to my house in person with an AP and ensure the correct working. Oh wait they most likely don’t even have an AP but sell amps at three times the price of an AP

Hifi should not be cottage industry, every one is handbuilt and "unique" , it works for pottery and cheese and craft beer not for amps

 

[charleski]

Presumably, the left channel's higher levels of distortion and noise and its higher output impedance than the right channel's are sample-specific.

So spending $100k doesn’t stop you having to worry about basic QC issues… A bit amusing considering all the moans about problems with cheap Chinese equipment.

 

[Vacceo]

It's a statement product, like a peacock's feather.

A statement would be deadlifting a couple of those at the same time.

 

[Trouble Maker]

I'm not sure I would even spend $99k on an actual griffin.

 

[FeddyLost]

If Gryphon still did not gone bankrupt, then there are lot of target audience.
Nice to hear that.

 

[noiseangel]

If Gryphon still did not gone bankrupt, then there are lot of target audience.
Nice to hear that.

The people who spend 100k on an amplifier spend exactly zero seconds on ASR. They probably can't read or interpret test and measurements either, hence Gryphon keep going selling overpriced hunks of metal like this. The box looks pretty but the measurements are far from pretty. What really pisses me off is JA and MF always make excuses for these overpriced under performing blocks of metal just to keep the advertising revenue up. Like this amplifier maybe faulty or something. No criticism of the fact that a 100k amp may have not been properly tested before leaving the factory. We'll just gloss over that.

 

[John Atkinson]

JA gives the unit the benefit of the doubt that it might be faulty.

Something that I don't think is widely appreciated is that samples that are submitted to a magazine for review are often much-traveled, especially in these days of supply chain problems. Before an amplifier or a pair of speakers arrives in the reviewer's listening room. they may well have been used at show, in dealer's showrooms, or even spent time in another reviewer's systems. I think it only fair, therefore, to give an amplifier that has worse measured performance in one channel the other the benefit of the doubt.

And with the Gryphon Apex Stereo, the higher levels of noise and distortion in the left channel compared with the right were still low enough in absolute terms not to give rise to audible problems: https://www.stereophile.com/content/gryphon-apex-stereo-power-amplifier-measurements

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

 

[tomita]

Something that I don't think is widely appreciated is that samples that are submitted to a magazine for review are often much-traveled, especially in these days of supply chain problems. Before an amplifier or a pair of speakers arrives in the reviewer's listening room. they may well have been used at show, in dealer's showrooms, or even spent time in another reviewer's systems. I think it only fair, therefore, to give an amplifier that has worse measured performance in one channel the other the benefit of the doubt.

And with the Gryphon Apex Stereo, the higher levels of noise and distortion in the left channel compared with the right were still low enough in absolute terms not to give rise to audible problems: https://www.stereophile.com/content/gryphon-apex-stereo-power-amplifier-measurements

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

Which would be OK if the price was not 100K. At this price level, those technical problems, albeit not audible, are still unacceptable!

 

[Matias]

At that price level the least they could send are factory measurements signed by an employee. Then we would know what was really accepted in quality assurance, and if later it deviates, then sure, blame on the usage elsewhere.

But I agree that someone spending that much on an amplifier couldn't care less about measurements, so....

 

[AdamG]

99k for 2 channels? Or 50k a channel. Wow. It even has sharp spikes to dig holes into your furniture. Spikes on an amp? Or are they Griffon Claws?

 

[RammisFrammis]

Basically another ridiculously overpriced mediocre engineered amp. Especially if compared with Benchmark AHB2 or Purify and many others at a fraction of the price.

The poor IMD and the large differences between the channels and the significant rise in Sinad over about 1W are „remarkable“

It seems well engineered and measures good. It is way overbuilt and too expensive though for what it does and an AHB2 would be better value. I do not think the customers for this amplifier care what we think and they will buy it anyway to go in their McMansions.

 

[RammisFrammis]

Something that I don't think is widely appreciated is that samples that are submitted to a magazine for review are often much-traveled, especially in these days of supply chain problems. Before an amplifier or a pair of speakers arrives in the reviewer's listening room. they may well have been used at show, in dealer's showrooms, or even spent time in another reviewer's systems. I think it only fair, therefore, to give an amplifier that has worse measured performance in one channel the other the benefit of the doubt.

And with the Gryphon Apex Stereo, the higher levels of noise and distortion in the left channel compared with the right were still low enough in absolute terms not to give rise to audible problems: https://www.stereophile.com/content/gryphon-apex-stereo-power-amplifier-measurements

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

At what the amplifier costs I would think that the CEO of the company would supervise a test personally and verify that it operates to specification before it is sent to any reviewer. It comes off like you're making excuses for the company which is not very cool. For this money perfection should be demanded. If Sony can churn out thousands of perfect products at reasonable cost, what is the problem with Gryphon? They're expensive and don't have to play by the rules?