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Gryphon vs. McIntosh

I just try to get as much information as I can for my next upgrade, so I'm turning here for help from you. With a lot's of reading and also hearing some I came to the selection of a couple of very fine integrated amplifier which are in close line up for my upgrade. But as you all know that auditions are sometimes hard to get I'm also opening this with which I want to get also voice from users that have some of the components mentioned here.

My system consists from main speakers that are Anthony Gallo Reference 3.5 and source mostly used is Musical Fidelity NuVista 3D CDP connected with Cardas Golden Cross ICs.

Here are the amps on the shortlist:

- McIntosh MA7000 (heared on SF Electa Amator II)
- Gryphon Atilla (not heard yet)
- Gryphon Diablo (not heard yet)
- Gryphon Tabu (a bit old but so good; I tested it on my previous system)

So here are some questions for those who maybe have a bit more experiences and chances to some of these amplifiers.

1. Did anybody hear McIntosh MA7000 and compare to any of these above mentioned amplifiers or also maybe other amplifiers that you heard during your time of selection? Why you choose MA7000 or why did you not go for it?

2. For those who have McIntosh MA7000, how do you find the equalizer controls on this fine amp? Do you use it to achieve your likeable sound or you completely disable it? I know that some will strongly support that best is not to use it, but I think that if equalizer controls are constructed the right way they can be in some circumstances also positive.

3. Did anybody audiotion new series of Gryphon amps (Diablo or Atilla) and compare it to older gryphons e.g. Gryphon Tabu? Just to tell you Gryphon Tabu went deeply under my skin when i heard it on my previous speakers, but I'm a bit scared to buy it as it is coming into ages now so you newer know what you can get if you go for the second hand.

4. If you had a chance to compare McIntosh MA7000 or also other McIntosh amps with Grpyhon please come forward with your thoughts.

What I'm looking for, full bodied sound, good control and music with guts :), absolutely should not be bright, sound can be a bit on a dark or warm side.

Many questions I know, but I sure you will make a great help to me and maybe also some other ppl who are also in the doubts where to look for more details.

thanks, del.
delfincek
kiwi_1282001
312 posts
 
Hi Del,

Re definitions, 'dark' is generally taken to mean a warm, mellow, excessively rich quality in reproduced sound. The audible effect of a frequency response which is clockwise-tilted across the entire range, so that output diminishes with increasing frequency.

The counter-tenor is 'light' which is lean in bass and upwardly tilted in the treble.
lrsky
1,118 posts
 
'Dark'...would generally mean, 'lacking air' and a sense of unlimited upper bandwidth...not so, with regard to any description that I would apply to Gryphon.
When I hear live music...me, nobody else, as my experience is unique to me...I am not aware of highs and lows...or any bandwidth...just the music.
For my rather extensive experience with Gryphon...it captures this better than any other electronics I've heard...(solid state).
It simply makes what sounds to me, like music, without any of the fancy nomenclature we tend to apply to those uniquely satisfying moments of real music. It passes the information through the electronics, seemingly unchanged texturally...musically. Nothing is highlighted, nothing is front and center, EXCEPT the musical experience, if I may be so bold as to suggest that something like this is possible.
There are only a handful of pieces of gear that can do something like this...my preferential list...
Gryphon...Five Stars...wonderful
MBL...when set up right the full MBL system is magic...the electronics 'in the same league with' if not the same pew as Gryphon...but I still defer to the Gryphon.

Tubes...for my humble impressions, only VAC makes the cut here...and my praise for them is again uniquely mine...and does not diminish the value of ANY other product...to me, it is the Tube Alternative to Gryphon...as, after all, this IS all about the music.

Good listening,
Larry
inpieces's avatar
inpieces
199 posts
 
I can't understand what you like about Tabu. I am serious, i have heard it to.
I can say one thing i noticed with Gryphon gear though, i have had 4 units myself. I tried Nordost cables and that was a match no other cable came near.
Continuum 500 and MA7000 is not about musical and/ or not.
C-500 opens up a depth the MA7000 will not. It offers air and resolving power that MA7000 do not. Also, it has much more power and control. The MA7000 looks very good, but it is not as good as C-500. Even Backes & Müller used this amp as reference when building active speakers. Thiel uses C-500 with 3.7. If it was un-musical i don't think the guy who bought it would say it was the best he had used with his Revel Saloon.
I know many hear class D and that is like a bad word.
Perhaps the latest Hypex modules or the finished products they sell are good to. It is completely other prices than typical High end price tags. People should look more in to the studio realm. There are many very very good things making High end pricing a bit bizarre.
lrsky
1,118 posts
 
My only issue EVER with Gryphon was their ethnocentric view of Americans and the consuming American public.
These views were by and large, so it seems second hand information (inasmuch as I could glean from conversations with personnel including Rassmussen).
Having dealt with international sales and distribution, up to and including creating international distribution for my own company, I recognize it to be a slippery slope with cultural differences...couple that with agenda laden distribution types in the mix and the view of a buying public could be a daunting set of information to deal with.
A really bad review by the American Press sort of hijacked whatever hopes of successful distribution there may have been...so we in the US have been without these magnificent products essentially since their inception.
A personal note...in 2003 Gryphon had a distributor in NY...I forget the name...I called, acting as an agent for purchase...my friend who I was representing was wildly wealthy and wanted the best, so I reccommended Gryphon...and the distributor laughed at the idea that I would call and attempt to purchase what amounted to $40K to $50K worth of electronics so quickly, not understanding my background with THIEL and having sold Gryphon in my own retail store for several years...but instead of being helpful, they were dismissive and not the least bit professional...one call in particular having reached the American Distributor at 4:00 in the local tavern on a weekday, drinking away the afternoon.
So...one could point fingers at the American buying public, the American Press, OR Gryphon, for their abysmal choice for distribution....I chose the latter.

None of this changes the marvelous character and sound of this product...it was/is, simply the best I've ever heard...and nothing I've heard is remotely close.

Good listening,
Larry
roxy54's avatar
roxy54
8,203 posts
 
Inpieces,
Obvious question...if the Continuum was so good, why did you just sell it?
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