Gryphon gets no press, but is great.


Gryphon, a product I sold back in the early '90's is magical sounding gear. But according to the Owner Principal designer, he can't get arrested in the U. S. Press. I have emailed an acquaintence (Robert Harley) from my days as Director of Sales for THIEL Audio, about this and he was vaguely aware of some of this, even to the point of saying that he had a memory a negative review. That seems impossible if you read the Worldwide rave press they receive. Plus as an owner of the Callisto integrated, I can verifiy that it runs away from virtually all things (even some separates costing multiples) comparable. Why is it that a product that is so good, from their integrateds, to their separates, doesn't get a better shake in the our country? Marketing has been, in my evaluation poor, and I have shared this with Mr. Rasmussen, but even so, sometimes ground swells of interest have overcome this. Flemming Rasmussen, who is the owner, says, that the U.S. is not a large enough market for "his kind of product", and that Americans may lack the "sophistocation" to appreciate it. He was not being condescendig or vitriolic, just sadly stating his perspective. Of course, seeing all the two channel (brother) audiophiles out there, I can't believe that. What is up, other than poor marketing choices?
Any ideas and thoughts from current or previous owners would be good input. Frankly, while traveling all over the U. S. I never saw it in stores. That is sad given its performance.
lrsky
I remember sometime back in the mid to late 80's, Gryphon was just beginning to advertise and "get a good head of steam" when they were literally shot-down by a scathing review (amp I think) in Stereophile.

Never seemed to recover from that mortal blow.
Our loss here in the USA (& not Gryphon's) & it once again shows Stereophile's myopic view!!
Their gear is very musical, true to the recorded music & very refined in its sound. It is also freaking expensive! OTOH, there are people paying insane prices for Tenor, Lamm, Goldmund, Nagra, AirTight, Accuphase just to name a few. Gryphon is in that same price range & can be equally justified, IMHO.
Bombaywalla,
You are truely an interesting person, with real perspectives. I too am moved to tears with the right music; to me, therein lies the magic.
Gryphon is wonderful. There is too another magical product that I have come to be very familiar with which carries that special "magic" held by a select few. That is the Halcro. A good and great friend of mine who recently passed away suddenly, purchased the Halcro, (I assisted him in acquiring it). On his first listen, he was moved to tears. Admittedly I was too. It is that superior to the typical, flavor of the month difference so often experienced by hopeless dreamers like myself. Even my wife, who could not really care much less, was stunned into silence, only later remarking that in 25 years of listening to my gear, she had Never heard anything like it. Wow.
So thanks Gryphon, and Halcro, two very special products.
Best,
Larry
Hi Lrsky,

Thanks!
Wasn't trying to showy or any such thing; rather, called it like I heard it. I was truely moved by its refined sound.
Budrew: If you liked Callisto 2100, you should listen to Callisto 2200 - you will like it even more.

Personally, I do not like Callisto 2100 (I have had it on loan for over a month) that much - I found it a bit to lean sounding.

Callisto 2200 is much better in this regard, it has much more full bodied sound.

I would rate Callisto on par with other quality integrates like Rowland Concentra (had one for over a year). Not neceserly better, just different "in flavour".

BTW - I visited Gryphon headquaters in Danemark personally :-)