Poise & Finess
Musical Sounding
Neutral but not stark
Build Quality - will last for 2 generations
Full DC operation
Complete left & right seperation - no crosstalk is possible
Is right up there with the Pass Labs + Accuphase + Spectral + Karan and the likes.
The only pre-amplifier that will better the Gryphon will be [IMHO] Goldmund.

Poor Display
Remote it too basic
2 Power Cords & 2 Wall Sockets are needed

Wonderfully 'silent' pre amplifier.
2 chasis build.
Pure DC operation.
Natural & Transparent
Very Communicative, yet in absolute control.

Music Used for evaluation :-

· M.A. Recordings - Begona Olavide / Mudejar MA042A
· Water Lily Acoustics - Tabula Rasa WLA-CS-44-CD
· ECM Records – Making Music / Zakir Hussain ECM – 1349
· Moment Records – Ustad Sultan Khan MRCD – 1006
· Reference Recordings – TUTTI ! RR-906CD
· Telarc – A tribute to Oscar Peterson CD – 83401
· Chesky Records – The Raven / Rebecca Pidgeon JD 115
· Mercury – Essential / Yello 512 390 – 2
- Mary Black - Looking Back - GrapeWine
- Kari Brehms -
- Chris Rea - Road to Hell
- In Praise of Dreams - ECM Records - Jan Garbarek

Customer Service

Gryphon Audio Design needs to appoint a distributor in India.
I need to buy the Cantata to complete my set.

Mazher Bashir JAFFAR
ceo

Mumbai - Bombay - INDIA

Similar Products Used:

·M.A. Recordings - Begona Olavide / Mudejar MA042A
·Water Lily Acoustics - Tabula Rasa WLA-CS-44-CD
·ECM Records – Making Music / Zakir Hussain ECM – 1349
·Moment Records – Ustad Sultan Khan MRCD – 1006
·Reference Recordings – TUTTI ! RR-906CD
·Telarc – A tribute to Oscar Peterson CD – 83401
·Chesky Records – The Raven / Rebecca Pidgeon JD 115
·Mercury – Essential / Yello 512 390 – 2

AUDIO CONSULTING

O :- + 91 22 2470 5500
D :- + 91 22 2471 7372
F :- + 91 22 2470 9500

WWW.SCHWINNAUDIO.COM

Parel Cotton Press Compound,
9/D Elphinstone Bridge Road,
J. B. Marg, Parel [East]
MUMBAI 400 012. INDIA.

schwinnaudio@gmail.com
mazher@schwinnaudio.com

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/hongkong2005/
http://www.stereopal.com/Show_Report_Files/1HKAV.htm

Build Quality
Dual Mono
Full DC Operation
Silent running
Reasonably transparent

Poor Display
Input names cannot be customised
Design is old & arc hake - needs a face lift - like Classe' & Goldmund etc.
Needs 2 power cords & 2 wall outlets.
Along with the power amplifier, 4 power cords & 4 wall sockets are required. Makes a mess at the rear.

This is a wonderful pre amplifier.

I replaced the Pass Labs with the Gryphon Sonata Allegro.
Have been very satidfied with its performance for the past 2 - 3 years.
Build Quality is 8 / 10
It is one of the most silent pre amplifiers that is available in the audio market today.
I would rate this pre as one of the top 10 pre's that one can buy in the current scenario

It works very very well with the Antilion Signature.
The 'auto bias' funstion syncs rather well.
They are a match made to work together.

I am a happy & satisfied custommer.
I just need to buy the Cantata to complete my set.

O :- + 91 22 2470 5500
D :- + 91 22 2471 7372
F :- + 91 22 2470 9500

WWW.SCHWINNAUDIO.COM

Parel Cotton Press Compound,
9/D Elphinstone Bridge Road,
J. B. Marg, Parel [East]
MUMBAI 400 012. INDIA.

schwinnaudio@gmail.com
mazher@schwinnaudio.com

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/hongkong2005/
http://www.stereopal.com/Show_Report_Files/1HKAV.htm

Customer Service

Gryphon Audio Design is a small company.
However, it is very professionally managed.

I just wish that they appoint a 'distributor' for India.
I need to buy the Cantata to complete my set.

Mazher Bashir JAFFAR

04th November, 2006

Mumbai - Bombay - INDIA

mazher@schwinnaudio.com

Similar Products Used:

LIST OF AUDIO GEAR OWNED AND USED :-

SIMAUDIO MOON ECLIPSE CD PLAYER [Serial Number A-211294-CD]
SIMAUDIO P-5 PRE AMPLIFIER [Serial Number A-081291-PRE]
ELECTROCOMPANIET EMC-1 24/192 CD PLAYER [Serial Number 01334]
AUDIOMECA MEPHISTO II CD TRANSPORT [Serial Number 2001045]
AUDIOMECA ENKIANTUS 24/192 DAC [Serial Number 2001073]
METRONOME T1A MK II TRANSPORT + UP SAMPLER
METRONOME C1A MK III TUBE 24/192 DAC
WADIA 861-B CD PLAYER [Serial # 086 130 0343]
BRYSTON BP-25 PRE AMPLIFIER [Serial Number 251744]
BRYSTON 7B ST POWER AMPLIFIER [Serial Number 773775 & 773793]
PASS LABS X-1 PRE AMPLIFIER [Serial Number 010388]
DYNAUDIO CONFIDENCE 5 SPEAKERS [Serial Number 729879 & 729990]
XAVIAN - XN360 SPEAKERS [SERIAL # 31 & 32] - CZECH REPUBLIC
TANNOY - STUDIO MONITOR - ELLIPSE 8 - 230V - GREY - [SERIAL NUMBER 418321 & 418327]
PENAUDIO - CHARISMA MONITOR [Serial Number 0352 & 0328]
PENAUDIO - CHARA SUBWOOFER [Serial Number - 0341 & 0345]
VdH THE SECOND BALANCED INTERCONNECTS 1M
VdH THE FIRST ULTIMATE UNBALANCED INTERCONNECTS 1M
VdH THE REVELATION SPEAKER CABLE 3M
VdH THE MAINSTREAM HYBRID POWER CABLE 2M
XLO ELECTRIC TYPE 4.1B AES/EBU DIGITAL INTERCONNECT CABLE 1M
THE GRYPHON ADAGIO CD PLAYER [Serial # 0401111]
THE GRYPHON SONATA ALLEGRO PRE AMPLIFIER [Serial # 8890099]
THE GRYPHON ANTILION STEREO SIGNATURE POWER AMPLIFIER [Serial # 118]
CAMELOT TECHNOLOGY MERLIN PRO CD TRANSPORT [Serial # 301209]
CAMELOT TECHNOLOGY DRAGON 5.1 PLUS JITTER REDUCER [Serial # 103584]
CAMELOT TECHNOLOGY UTHER D/A CONVERTOR v2 Mk5 [Serial # 501202]
THE GRYPHON GUIDELINE REFERENCE BALANCED INTERCONNECT 1M
THE GRYPHON PSC REFERENCE SPEAKER CABLE 2M
THE ARGENTO VDM MASTER REFERENCE XLR BALANCED INTERCONNECT 1M & 1.5M
THE ARGENTO VDM REFERENCE SPEAKER CABLE 3M
WIREWORLD SUPER ECLIPSE 5 XLR BALANCED & RCA UNBALANCED INTERCONNECT - 1M
JORMA DESIGN JPC 2.5 POWER CABLE - SWEDEN - 2M - ALL ELECTRONICS
DC-CABLE TAIWAN POWER CABLES - CUSTOM TERMINATION [Front End Electronics - Digital]

Balanced, detailed, sweet high, solid bass, tube-like musicality...

No flaws for my ears.

I have owned Gryphon Sonata (the previous generation of Sonata Allegro) for two years. Before it were Accuphase C-290 and Levinson 26s. I temporarily tried Levinson 380s for some time but rather disappointed, quite analytical and not as musical as 26s. Fortunately there was one set of Sonata available at the store and I brought back home for a trial. Woo what a difference!! Balanced, detailed, sweet high, solid bass, tube-like musicality... In a word, no flaws for my ears. This preamp has been in my system and I can hardly imagine what can replace it. I had an opportunity to try Cello Audio Palette, and both my wife and I found the magic disappears. Ad Palette was used as a preamp (without Suite), this comment may be inadequate.

Sonata is a genuine dual-mono design, and need two power cords. I use two NBS Monitor 0, costly but very powerful.

Customer Service

None so far

Similar Products Used:

Jadis JPL, Accuphase C-290, Levinson 26s and 380s, Cello Audio Palette