Gryphon Diablo 300: at the top of Integrated Amps?

If you don't need Gryphon power, the Aries Cerat Diana is one phenomenal integrated.

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Vitus Audio, T&A, Soulution, CH Precision, Tidal, Audionet, MBL all make exceptional gears as well including their integrated amps.

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Yes.....indeed the Dan D’Agostino Momentum analog integrated amp is spectacular and it is expected to be better than the Gryphon Diablo 300 integrated as it costs more than twice as much as the Diablo 300.
I happen to own the D’Agostino Momentum analog integrated amp in my master bedroom setup paired with the Wilson Audio Duette series 2 standmount speakers and with a Linn Klimax DS (with the latest Katalyst DAC architecture) served as my digital front end source component and a Linn LP12 Klimax version turntable with Linn Urika phonostage served as my analog front end.
It is a very special analog integrated amp indeed.

Another very simple all-in-one box solution or a single box solution integrated that impresses me is the Naim Uniti Nova, which is a streamer/DAC/integrated amp currently retails for only $7500 new. It is highly musical very refined sounding unit. 

Did anyone mention the Vitus RI101? Supposed to be much better than the 100 (which already was an excellent amp)

Dag Momentum Integrated was recently compared to the Diablo 300 on the "My long list of Amplifier" thread here on Audiogon. Momentum beat it on every metric...and not be a subtle margin..as it should since its more than twice the price.

+1 on the T&A. 
Dan D'Agostino Momentum integrated.

After reading the following review of the first generation Ypsilon Aelius Monoblocks I would never buy a Ypsilon product (sorry Ypsilon fans).  The reviewer found a glaring fault in the Ypsilon's sound reproduction of complex passages that, IMO, is inexcusable for a company that manufactures high end audio gear.  This fault seems to indicate that their designers just weren't up to the task (sorry again Ypsilon fans).

https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/audionet-max-amplifiers/


On to the integrateds.  Here are the two that I would consider if I were in the market.  Both sound strikingly close to separates, and, the T+A is compared to CH Precision separates and comes out unbelievable close.
Audionet WATT
https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/audionet-watt-integrated-amplifier/

T+A PA 3000 HV
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/ta-pa-3000-hv-and-mp-3000-hv/

I just order my diablo 300 without dac/module, i want to know it will be a good match with wilson audio sabrina?i have denafrips terminator top of the line dac in denafrips im not sure it will be better than diablo dac module?and im using aurender n10 player

Im using audioquest hurricane power cord it will be good with the300?

I hope i can git some answers or somebody allready try somthing i have it will be great to know !!

Last thing if somthing will be better than wilson sabrina (with diablo 300)wich speaker is that and how big will the differance??!! ...thanks..

I've got Ypsilon, CH Precision, Ayre, Thrax, Aavik, Audionet, Rowland, Karan, Devialet and Norma here in Stockholm, Sweden who are all making wonderful products on different levels within the SS and hybrid segment. I've also had the Dartzeel 8550, Gryphon Diablo 300, Moon 700i etc. here earlier amongst others.

I'm happy to answer any question regarding these brands and their integrated offerings.

/ Marcus

Marcus, how would you compare the Norma 140 intergrated amp to other high end intergrated amps ?

No "best/absolutes" in audio, only preferences. It's about your ear and what type of sound you prefer.

@dancastagna  There is NO best, if its coming from someone other than yourself. Only what makes sense for you: given your system, what you want to accomplish, and what your preferences (sound, aesthetics, feature set, price, etc. etc.) are. 

I know this is an old thread but I am shopping for an integrated piece right now and believe there are other that bring different things to the table. would like other take on it. Were would the Lyngdorf TDiA 3400 stand next to Diablo, Ayres, Devialet and any other new release.

What is the best now? and why? 


Dan  

REGA OSIRIS integrated amp

this is a bona fide high-end contender and certainly no pretender.... it is highly recommended, especially with a personal audition .

http://audiofi.net/2012/08/rega-osiris-punching-heavy/

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/amplifiers/rega-isis-and-osiris-661352...

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/rega-isis-osiris-hifi-plus-72/

http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/rega-isis-cd-player-osiris-integrated-amplifier-tas-213/

Diablo 120 is $11k without phono or dac, Diablo 300 is $16k without phono or dac. Unless money is tight I would get Diablo 300. No, have not heard either.

Slightly off topic, but what about the price and performance of the Gryphon Diablo 120:

http://www.gryphon-audio.dk/products/integrated-amplifiers/diablo-120.aspx

Anyone heard this unit? Given my room size...this may be good enough for me. I'm highly interested.

Esoteric F-03A seems, err, kind of interesting.

leeagc.  sorry I don't know this, but the D1000 is from or made by what company?

Greg, I am not at all sure about the future of any company when chief designer resigns, I'll put it like that. I just wouldn't spend a lot, that's why I said "new", with used relatively inexpensive pieces one could take a risk.

D1000 is a one way street - you WON'T be coming back!

That said, the Aavik U300 has swayed a handful of devotees.

One you've tried the truly high end super integrated - saved thousands on cables and found one power cord,  a pair of speaker cables and your favorite transducers is it. All in, done!

@inna,

I am not sure what relevance the passing of Charlie has on the future of Ayre.   His designs live on as will the company IMO.

@inna 

Much appreciated. I do appreciate your insight as well.

Here is a new, at least to me, page on the Diablo 300. Enjoy....

http://www.gryphon-audio.dk/products/integrated-amplifiers/diablo-300.aspx

pokey77, while it's impossible not to do it to a degree I will try to minimize the reaction to what I am about to say by putting it in a subtle way. Top level solid state designs come from Europe. Tube electronics is another matter. 

@greginnh 

I heard the AX-5 Twenty with Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT and QX-5 digital hub just recently in Santa Monica. Decent, but to me, not shockingly great at all. I know some really love this combo, but for me it lacked resolution and bandwidth; it was a little sharp and had no real snap or sparkle and that's not for me. I do respect others find it attractive though.

@inna 

Yes, Charles Hansen passed on very recently. RIP and God bless his family.

Whatever it is, Ayre designer is dead, I understand, and you don't want to buy this company, especially new.

Ayre AX-5 Twenty.   Shockingly great sound.  

A few good videos, including this one, at Suncoast Audio on the Diablo 300.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeQXNimsvqk

And here's the website for Suncoast 

https://suncoastaudio.com/product/diablo-300/

Ckeck out the Ming Da KT 150 tube intergrated amp , Plenty of power , speed, and detailed . Rest of your money lease the new Benz 250 CLA

There has been no mention of the Vitus SIA 025, which in my opinion is the best solid state integrated made.  A dealer friend of mine was looking to pick up either the Gryphon or Vitus lines, listened to them and chose VItus based on a wonderful, real, organic sound quality. Never listened to the Ypsilon, so can't comment . . . .

Also no mention of the stunning Absolare hybrid product. Speaking of hybrids, i own the Pathos Inpol2 pure class A with tube input stage and MOSFET output. Stunning sound quality, but a notch below the Vitus. You can buy Patho's flagship integrated brand new for ~$13k (or buy mine when i list it in another month, perfect condition, for under $4k!)

Why am i selling the Pathos?  Only because i had David Berning build me his push/pull 300B fully balanced, class A ZOTL amp with integrated stepped attenuator volume control.  This is the ultimate "integrated" if you only have a single source and SQ is your bottom line!

Hi Sunny,

Would love to hear the T+A HV series integrated and CD/DAC powering the Sabrina's at your next get together in November.

Agree that the ARC GSi75 is a very good sounding integrated.

I would do audition only with analogue source, a good one. Preferably with Reel to Reel deck. Do you have it in Stockholm too? 

Stockholm's got good hi-fi places. Try to find them in Manhattan.
As I said, excellent sound and build quality should be a given at this level.

I've got Ypsilon, CH Precision, Ayre, Thrax, Aavik, Audionet, Rowland, Karan, Devialet and Norma here in Stockholm, Sweden who are all making wonderful products on different levels within the SS and hybrid segment. I've also had the Dartzeel 8550, Gryphon Diablo 300, Moon 700i etc. here earlier amongst others.

I'm happy to answer any question regarding these brands and their integrated offerings.

/ Marcus, www.perfect-sense.se

I own a Store in Los Angeles. Sunny Components Inc
Look at all the press we got from the LAAS and the accolades for the T+A Integrated Amplifier from the HV Series PA3100HV you can also in future add a power supply on this integrated.
Sounds absolutely amazing. $21,500.00 for $1500 you can add a Phono Stage.
I also love the Dan D Agostino Momentum Integrated Amplifier.
Audio Research makes a couple of amazing Integrated Amplifiers also the GSi75 has a DAC and Phono stage built in.
You must list all your equipment and audition the integrated in your system.

Many companies make great Integrated Amplifiers.

Norma Audio IPA 140........

It's German, never heard of it.
I know this. At this level and for this kind of money I would want something very special. By the way, there is no need for 14 engineers, one is enough.

Analog Domain Isis M75D MKII.
here: https://www.analogdomain.eu/
Best from France.

there are a couple of very nice Kondo's for sale now on Audigon for 20k or less.  That is a great deal.  There are a few other great integrated of course if you are in that price range.

Regards Burmester, no, they are not only into car audio these days.  They just don't seem to be as popular here in the USA as in in the EU.  I have been to their Berlin plant and also Berlin showroom.  They are very much alive and kicking.  Although they are not presently focusing on an integrated. really they are into their lines of separates at various price points.  So while not solely into car audio, I would discount them as high end current builder of integrated units.

However, I would think you might want to add Boulder... very nice integrated.  

There are others I will put into a separate post.

sailboat

Another question, though it may not be a question for those who seek simple solution that doesn't take a lot of space, can you do better with separates? I am not sure, probably not, especially if you need DAC. If not..there might be a slight chance. I don't remember the figures for new LAMMs. I think, it is at least $7k for phono, about the same for the preamp and probably around $20k for hybrid monos. Well, most people I know or heard of, if they can afford $25k electronics they can afford $35k electronics as well.

Diablo 300 - $16000
DAC - $6000
Phono - $2250
Plus sales tax, I presume.

...and whats the full Diablo 300 US price without d/a or phono...

I just checked with the US distributor.

Inna Diablo 300 in Europe is cca 16000Eu which means about 19000dollars, and as Mcintosh cost more expensive in Europe than USA (same goes for lets say Burmester prices in America) i expect that Diablo in America would be in price range of 20-23K dollars without phono and dac...which at least to me dosent look like a bargain...its just great and expensive (but not over priced looking at many other products in market) high end integrated who is getting close with sound quality to uber separates...

Ypsilon phono stage is $26k not $35k as I previously posted, plus a few thousands for step-up transformer. I think, Dimitros could find a way to add phono module to his Phaethon integrated, like Gryphon and others do because unless you listen to master dubs on reel to reel deck you will need another $10k or so to add tube phono. It would make no sense to me to go with transistor phono and hybrid integrated and few would consider adding $26k Ypsilon phono to $25k Phaethon - must be great but too much. At the very least he could probably design that hypothetical $10k phono that would sound great too.
Gryphon Diablo does look like a big bargain, doesn't it? But no tubes and not the same level of sophistication. I heard that some LAMM owners replace their LAMMs with Ypsilon, and this is quite telling - they are usually very loyal to LAMM.

Besides, Diablo 300 is about $16k retail without phono or dac and Ypsilon Phaeton is about $25k, if it makes a difference. Diablo 120 is about $11k.
Dartzeel calls the volume knob a "pleasure button". Sounds quite perverse to me. Anyway, power button is more of a 'pleasure button', I'd say. And the way it looks - yuck.

Inna obviously likes the Ypisilon, and they do make very good gear, howerver, there is another.

We did a comparison of the Thrax gear which is very similar in design and sound quality to the Ypsilon vs the T+A gear and the T+A gear was substantially better. Thrax is a second generation clone of the Ypisilon gear and some people actually prefer the Thrax over the Ypsilon. It is not quite right to say it is a clone, it is just that the two designers of both Thrax and Ypsilon share nearly identical ideas on what a simple elegant circuit should be and the design and layout and sound quality of these two companies products is very very similar.

The Ypsilon/Thrax sound is very refinded and quite open, very beautiful in tonality, the T+A gear sounded almost as magical in the midrange and added far greater bass control and dynamic slam. whil e still sounding nearly tube like in its midrange and overall persepective.

For this reason the T+A PA 3000 HV integrated and its even newer slightly better sounding cousin the PA 3100 HV have been gaining a lot of mommentium in the uber class range of gear.

T+A competes at the uber gear level, Solution, CH Precision, D’Agastino, Boulder, Vitus, yet when compared apple to apples the T+A gear usually costs 1/3-1/5 the price.

For example in the recent Positive Feedback review the PA 3100 HV a $21k integrated was directly compared to a $45k D’agastino Mommentium Integrated and the T+A was in that same level of sound quality.

In the Absolute Sound the older PA 3000 HV an $19k integrated was compared to $120k worth of CH Precision gear, and the reviewer had difficulty knowing which was which upon switching.

Another tibdibt T+A is the single largest high end company in Germany with 110 full time employees and an engineering staff of 14! They have the resources and size to be able to create unique products and can price them more affordably for that reason.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ