Gryphon vs. McIntosh

What I can say is that much bigger Gryphon combo (Prelude pre plus Encore power, 500Wpc/8ohms) than mentioned integrades pretty easily outperformed both Mac MA7000 and C220/MC501. Actually, the best sounding Mac was MC-275 tube power amp. Speakers was B&W802D, Nagra front-end.

Of course, it doesn't mean anything yet. Current Gryphon integrades may be different sound wise than retired Prelude/Encore combo...

Thanks for your first thought you shared here Zormi! I agree with you that separates like pre and power will outperform any of the above mentioned integrated amps. Due to the limited space I'm seeking for one box only.

I was really amazed with the Gryphon Tabu sound on my relatively cheap system (Canton Vento 807 DC, cheap Marantz CDP) as after 1 hour after the Tabu was warm enough the artists just appeared in my room and I sensed such a control that I never experienced later in my apartment. Great control and grip, great bass response, no sibilance, full body of the instruments, I could hear the wood of the guitar, singers were singing with full lounges. For Tabu they say it is on the dark and warm side, but I just enjoyed what I heard and I'm hard to conclude if that was dark or warm what I heard. It was just a perfect sound for me.
I read some of the articles and some of the opinions on different forums and some of the users say that Gryphon Diablo is a bit different in character than Gryphon Tabu. But I didn't heard it yet and it is also very hard to get the audition here and that's why I'm asking for more insights. I'm asking also how is it with Gryphon Atilla as this is in practice integrated that can be directly compared to Gryphon tabu as it is the same ligue.

Also McIntosh MA7000 is one of the integrated that would sure love to try in my system but again hard to get audition and also it is a huge animal to carry :).

best, d.

I just sold my Jeff Rowland Continuum 500 to a guy who had Mcintosh MA7000. He told me the Continuum was so much better and had nothing which was better than Continuum 500. He used it with Revel Salon. He actually told me it was the best amp he had owned. I have myself owned, the older Gryphon Callisto 2200. I can easily say the Continuum 500 outperforms that amp by far. Tabu amp is not a good amp, don't buy that. The Tabu design was actually was what became NAD S300 amp. Yes, that is true.

I second Inpieces opinion regarding Tabu. Gryphon Callisto 2100/2200 sounds much better, not to mention the latest Atilla.

Great thanks to additional answers Inpieces and Elberoth2. Really interesting to read the points and your opinions. But I presume that all these mentioned amplifiers are very well built and there is a lot about synergy which should be played with. It is also interesting that I read some of the opinions from people coming from Jeff Rowland Coninuum 500 to MA7000 and they say that the sound become more fluid and fuller. Maybe not so detailed as on Jeff Rowland but more listenable on the longer run (they talk about tube like sound). But sure there is a much difference in construction, Continuum 500 is pure D class amplifier and McIntosh MA7000 build with their Autoformers. There is one thing I like about both. They do not produce a lot of heat so they can be put practically everythwre and that is one positive thing I like about them both. Gryphons here are different animals again and it is very important that they have enough space so that the heat can go away. There is one additional thing that I liked about Jeff Rowland Coniuum that it has HT bypass. This is an extra goody that McIntosh MA7000 does not have. HT bypass is a function that is very useful for me. McIntosh MA7000 I listened on SF speakers and I liked it. Also EQ controls can be useful I think, to tune the sound to the best liking. But I'm not sure how in practice really works as I did not have time to deal with that. I personally still don't favor any of the amplifiers mentioned here as I don't know them yet so well but sure your help will provide some additional answers that will at least initiate which amplifier should I listen first. But as said I will not decide on the fly so I will take time also a year if necessary to decide properly.

As far as the Gryphon Tabu is concerned I tried it personally in my home and I also know about its past and the sell of plans and development of NAD S300 that is technically almost identical. I'm also familiar about the difference between them. If I go back to the Gryphon Tabu I found it the best integrated amplifier I heard till today and I also listened some of the extremely expensive seperates combos at friends, some Hi-Fi shows or demo rooms. Gryphon Tabu was a big surprise. At the begining I said ok it is playing well but it was still cold. But after an hour it opened up and it was exceptional good. I remember I was listening some of my reference CDs like Miles Davis Kind of Blue and control and wood of the bas was exceptional well. Trumpeth was so well defined and I could touch it with my fingers. I remember also Rodrigo and Gabriela playing the acoustic guitars and it was like I had them in my room. Wood of the body of the guitar was there. Superb performance with great attack, great control. Sound was so full bodied that I did not listened to equipment anymore but music. There were also no sibilance with Tabu. Sibilinace is one of the things that I want to avoid completely as this is one of the thing that is the most irritating to listen. So with Gryphon Tabu I remember I was just sitting in one position, like I was cemented to my couch. I could not hit the trigger on my remote for the next song. All the CDs I put in my CD player sounded so good.
I really wonder how the Gryphon Atilla can compare to this Tabu if it is even better than this integrated amplifier maybe can be my kind of a treat for my ears?!
Still want to collect more comments, more opinions from you and I enjoy that this opens more ground for thinking and to explore even deeper.

thanks, del.