Get a load of this Deceptive add for a Gryphon Amp here on AG


So the title is  Gryphon Essence Stereo Power Amplifier Pure Class A 5 Months Old.

You can read the description for yourself.


I make an offer on the amp. Below is the reply I get from the Seller. Maybe its just me but this kind of selling should be BANNED on AG.  Selling Grey Market gear without putting any of it in the description. Total BS...and he isn't even the owner of the amp.  He's in California but says he's selling for somebody else in Massachusetts.



Thank you for your offer that I can accept.
I have some things to explain:
It's imported, from out-of -US distributor.
Gryphon designed it voltage interchangeable, manufactured 220-240V, then set up by distributor's technician to US 120V so you can just plug ( the power cord ) and play.
Gryphon's warranty is not transferable, made very clear in user's manual Page 25. But don't worry. Whenever in need of service, just send to LA and I will take all things ensuing.
If these are fine with you please let me know then I will accept to proceed.
Will ship to you from Massachusetts by the current ( the only ) owner.


Showing 7 responses by riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook

I sent an offer based on a USA voltage amp which anybody that reads that add would assume.  It was a waste of time because had I known the facts no offer would have been made.  Its also troubling that he is selling the amp for somebody else....3000 miles away from him no less. That alone should be in violation of something in the Audiogon "rule book".  Surprised Im the only one that thinks this behavior is OK and should be allowed.  Must be my twisted ethics of good business practice rearing its ugly head again.
Problem is...starting with STEREO5 post is that the listing has been revised.  Your not seeing the initial listing so your not commenting on the description as it was originally posted.
BELOW is the ORIGINAL Description before he revised it. No mention of selling it for somebody else. No mention of the Original Voltage and that its considered Grey Market here in the USA with no hope for warranty work if something goes wrong. All that stuff was added MANY hours later after I made this a topic of discussion.


Gryphon Essence Stereo Power Amplifier, Pure Class A.  Only 5 Months Old, very new, you can take a look of one of the pictures here showing close-up shining of the biding posts.  Very heavy: W x H x D: 18.5" x 9.5" x 18.1" ( 47 x 24 x 46 cm ), 99.2 lbs ( 45kg ) Shipping dimension and weight
W x H x D: 23.2" x 15.0" x 22.4" ( 59 x 57 x 38 cm ) 125.7 lbs ( 57kg )
For matching this, I have also an Essence preamplifier, about half a year of light use, at 11900.
You might want to read the entire thread.

What questions should I have asked? Clearly I was ready to purchase the amp for the price I offered (which was accepted) based on the information which was provided in the UNREVISED listing. ANYBODY would have assumed by the original listing it was a USA Amp....not a grey market 240V amp. You also would have assumed that the amp was coming from the seller in California....not from somebody 3000 miles away in Massachusetts. It was only AFTER my offer was accepted that all these "New" details were brought to my attention in a separate message from the seller about the voltage change, who the owner of the amp REALLY was and where he lived etc

In case you arent aware if you buy a Grey Market Amp you will be refused service by the manufacturer should anything go wrong with it down the road.
BIG_GREG....BIG difference between a Grey Market Amp and an Amp with No Warranty. If your not the original owner BUT the amp has your country’s voltage and was purchased in your country they will still fix the Amp and charge you for it. If you purchase a GREY MARKET amp they will refuse to work on it PERIOD. Thats a HUGE factor to consider.


Never said SCAM in any of my posts. Was never "outraged". Reading comprehension is clearly an issue with some. We all should be given FULL DISCLOSURE for any item listed on A-gon. It was a Shady and misleading add in its original form
Very simply put the Description should have stated it was a Converted 240V "grey market" amp. Can you imagine if for ever single amp listed on A-Gon you had to ask the Seller what Voltage it is or what market it was originally made for?? All amps listed here for sale are assumed to be USA Models unless specified otherwise. Had the 240V been listed I indeed would have ignored the listing.
Gryphon and Accuphase I can GUARANTEE wont work on Grey Market Units as per their distributors. This is to protect the distributors business model. If you can buy Amps/Speakers from any country without consequences then everybody would be buying them from Europe/Asia where many of the brands are MUCH cheaper. Speakers in particular have no Voltage settings obviously. Accuphase gear costs like 50% of the USA price in Japan (Audio Union etc).   Rules are in place to safeguard/discourage that kind of thing from happening.
Gryphon/Accuphase etc will still work on the gear if there is no warranty as long as its not a "grey market" purchased product. You just have to pay for the repairs out of your own pocket.
They will not work on a grey market product period. Thats the difference between No Warranty vs Grey Market. This is common practice which Im sure almost all distributors of any brand will tell you.
The Seller amended his description many hours later at night. This was posted in the morning. There was no need for me to further communicate with him all that time later. After his initial email to me I told him I wasnt interested once the truth about the origin of the amp came out. Im not buying any product that will be refused service by the manufacturer. Im a gambler by nature but not when $10,000 - 15,000 is involved.
No further reason to discuss this topic as its no longer listed and many dont get the ramifications of buying a grey market product going by their replies.