Powerful Tube Amp for SF Strads?

Wow...thanks Downunder...now that's you, Mihalis, Schorly, and two audio stores who don't even sell Gryphon)-- all of whom i respect who all concur that Gryphon Class A SS is unbelievable, even for those who love tubes.

Will be interesting to hear your views on the Antileon. For me, i do not intend to go to the Colosseum level.

In addition to Antileon being more than great enuf for me, i also suspect any changes in the speakers are probably going to trend slightly towards the accurate end...even with tubes in the DAC and Pre, i still prefer to have a slightly darker amp to give me that ability to change speakers to something like used Grand Slamm.

thanks again for great review!

Hi Downunder,
An excellent summary, as written, the Colosseum seems like a true contender. As for the suggestion from your dealer for them to sounding much better balanced, (read between lines) seems to me more like a hint that when used with Gryphon's own pre-amp (in balanced mode of course), the synergy to unleash the amp to fullest potential can be further realized, rather than mere suggestion in context of interconnection type there? Anyway, please do keep us posted on your impressions of the Antileon, and whether or not ultimately you think Colosseum are worth their price difference.
Finally a word of thanks to you, I have just received an e-mail from my long lost friend JR.

Hi Downunder,

I am scheduled to audition Gryphon Antileon Signature and DM100 next Saturday. I have spoken with dealer who is familiar with all 3 (incl Colosseum). DM100 and Antileon Signature are supposedly very close (one A'goner who owns Signature also agreed).
Colosseum is apparently next generation..."Cleaner" according to Mihalis ("less dark") and also according to Gryphon Denmark. Overall, consensus appears to be Gryphon family sound is consistent...hugely powerful and analog. Good luck! Will post once I've heard.

Lloyd

Auditioned the CJ350 today...just to be thorough. Very powerful, impressive dynamic range but does not force its power thru the music...delicate passages just get louder while maintaining their delicacy. The music takes on more brilliance in its volume/dynamics as you crank the volume.

The bass notes (when called for) are very deep and the ability for the amp to maintain sustained and controlled power in those super-low registers is impressive.

The upper and mids were extremely well delineated and soundstaging quite open...but ultimately I missed the fullness of tubes. e.g., Things like handclaps were accurate (but it was that last 10%-15% of fullness that makes u feel like someone is in the room clapping) which was missing. And I really enjoy that fullness from great tubes.

Shane - I concur with your advice on CJ 350...and look forward to auditioning Gryphons next week.

Lloyd,
I understand you. But you are in trouble ... Gryphons is fantastic gear but does not have the fullness of tubes in my opinion. There is a way of making the premier 350 much fuller and more tube like - using the ART preamplifier, unhappily very expensive and nowadays difficult to get.
BTW, I only owned an ART series 2, never listened to a series 3.