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Anyone bought a Gryphon Diablo 333?

Anyone expecting one soon or received theirs?

My biggest question is, does the Diablo 333 have a slightly dark, rich, bassy tone to it, like the Diablo 300 and the Antileon Evo? Or is it the more neutral “Essence” sound?

 

 

nyev
nyev OP
1,031 posts
 

@62truck, @ricky64, I received the Essence in Tuesday and have been running it in continuously (despite Gryphon’s manual indicating it is fully run in in the factory).

As absolutely fantastic as the Diablo 300 is, I do think the Essence is a step up in all respects, as it should be. Aside from watts of course. This is even with my Tambaqui feeding the Essence directly.

Unexpectedly given what others have written about the Essence having less bass than the Diablo, while this is true to a much smaller degree than I anticipated, the bass from the Essence has a tone to it that seems more alive or something. Not sure how to describe, but it’s very satisfying. And the midrange and higher frequencies are a touch more laid back and a touch bigger. Very nice, and easy to listen to - not that the Diablo isn’t. In Class A mode the sound is more resolute, fuller and more present, yet with transparency and separation maintained. Timing is very, very good with very satisfying snappy impact too.

The only flaw I perceive that I expect will be resolved with the Makua is that I am getting far less soundstage depth as compared with the Diablo 300. Due to using my Tambaqui’s digital volume control I suspect. But part of this is attributable to the fact that I’m using the generic power cord on the Essence. My Audioquest Dragon cord is on its way back to me from AQ after being converted to the 20A C19 connector that the Essence requires.

Even with the temporary loss in soundstage depth I’d easily pick this current setup over the Diablo - as great as the Diablo is. I plan to do some back and forth comparisons between the two tomorrow. Tonight I’m just chilling out listening with the Essence currently listening to Kind of Blue, which I thought of playing after seeing another recent thread with the title of this classic. So good. And a full, rich, warm and laid back but also detailed and lively sound - not what I was expecting with the Tambaqui going direct into the amp.

 

 

 

 

nyev OP
1,031 posts
 

Oh, one thing, I definitely notice quite a significant improvement after warming it up in high bias mode for quite a while.  Not quite sure of the actual time yet but it’s over an hour for sure, at least by my ears.  In the first hour and for some time after, even after switching from being warmed up in low bias, the image isn’t quite settled and I don’t get the full resolution in the high frequencies.  But after it gets there, wow.  I knew this going in so not a surprise.  The Diablo 300 definitely warms up faster but it’s not the quoted 45min.  But as stated above, it’s not like it doesn’t sound good when first powered up.  It just gets quite a bit better.

ricky64
28 posts
 

Thanks for the follow up. My experience with the Essence is that the 3D soundstage/depth was very impressive. So, I don't think the amp itself is the limiting factor here. Component interactions are complex and fascinating!

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roccl007
205 posts
 

To add a little substance to this forum here are some comments and reflections about GRYPHON DIABLO 333. I finally had the opportunity to meet the beast on Friday, March 22, 2024 at the Montreal audio show.

 
The room was huge and the whole system look and sounded quite intimidating. The first thing i obviously noticed were the large speakers (AUDIONEC, made in France). The sound with the Nagra turntable was so so
 
With a lack of output Dynamics  the amp being at a level close to 40 on the meter.
 
I shook hands with the owner of Bliss Audio Dragan Reljic a chic guy. I think the presentation was largely sponsored by the manufacturer Nagra. Playback design being the digital source and Nagra the 
 
turntable. The sound is described quite precisely by Robert Schryer (Stereophile). I touched the beast and i was surprised it gave off less heat than my Gryphon 300.
 
I asked to put an organ record but the piece seemed a little too serious for the amateurs on the spot but I remember the sound of the Organ which was in three dimensions almost holographic reverberate
 
Really a full scale sound like in a church (emotional for me). After reading on Gryphon 333 and watching videos I discovered that the belly of the beast has a fan just behind the toroidal transformer in order to 
 
evacuate heat released by even more class A. Also the manufacturer has well designed the heat sinks around the device (guarantee of durability). Here I think that in this integrated amp the manufacturer have put a 
 
5 liter motor of Mustang in a Ford Pinto like a muscle car. Nowhere is this fan mentioned… If it's like in cars, you have to be wary of the first generation introduced. When they introduce the Gryphonn 333 they 
 
where talking about bi-polars SANKEN transistors.
 
Strangely, when they talk about the presentation of the new Gryphon Apex amp, mentioned that they are not Sanken bipolar transistors (those are no longer available) and in the new Apex i read
 
they put Toshiba transistors. What made me a little more perplexed was the notice on page 30 of the Gryphon 333 instruction manual which mentions a possible overheating of one of the two
 
Channels:- "When excessive heat is detected in one or both channels, the Diablo will mute and the amplifier will go in stand-by mode. Normal temperature can resume when the temperature is within safe operating 
 
limits. If a DC/HF is error is detected in one or both channels, the Diablo 333 will mute, and the amplifier will go into stand-by mode ». Notice worthy of a good old muscle car from the 70s whose radiator can
 
Overheat on occasion. So let's hope that Gryphon's latest born will be  as reliable as the entire work. In the new Gryphon 333 there are several elements borrowed from the upper game (APEX). For my part, I would 
 
hesitate to compromise myself on the new 333  and wait with patience for our audio essayists to finally commit to make some credible reviews on this new born.


 

nyev OP
1,031 posts
 

@roccl007 thank you for relaying your account of the Diablo 333 and I suspect the reviews won’t come until Gryphon sends units to reviewers and they have had at least a few weeks or preferably longer to evaluate. I’ve heard a few reviewers say they currently have 333’s on the way to them (Terry at Pursuit of Perfect System is one) so I expect reviews to come within the next couple of months.  

IMO I wouldn’t be too alarmed about Gryphon’s mention of shutdown during overheating, this is likely simply standard safety and self-protection management that is good to see in a well designed product.
 

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