Gryphon vs. D'Agostino

In the next couple months, I plan to travel to Omaha, Nebraska to a long-term dealer called The Sound Environment. There I can hear and evaluate the difference in amplification between D'Agostino, VTL, and Gryphon driving Wilson loudspeakers. Wow!! Will report what I hear.

@bar81 
Yes, I did just buy a D'Agostino S-250. And I Love It!! The problem is I have friends. Lol One friend, in whose ears I trust says he prefers the VTL S-400 II over the S-250 on Wilson speakers. Then another acquaintance suggested that the new Gryphon stuff might be best of all. I'm planning a trip to Omaha soon to hear all three in the same room, with the same speakers. Should be interesting...

Hi Aldenberry,
I have not heard the Gryphons.  I talked to a friend who has, one who has heard a Lot of equipment (even more than me), and whose opinion I trust. He told me that Gryphon might be the best solid-state amplifier right now, but at the end of the day, they ain't tubes!

I thought I was kinda settled. Quite happy with the Audio Research Ref 6, which worked Amazingly well with the D'Agostino amp. But a couple of bargains slapped me in the face. Ones that I knew if I didn't Love them, I could even sell them and make some money. The first were a pair of Lamm 1.2 Reference amps. Antiques? NO! Stock, amazing. After months of tube rolling and exploring Every option, Amperex Holland 7308s, in the Lamms, Amazing. Better than the D'Agostino, except in the bass. Sold the D'Agostino. 

Then I found a VTL TL 7.5 III preamp for a Ridiculously low price. Much better than the Ref 6, especially in the highs. No contest on piano. Sold the AR. 

Tube rolling options on the VTL preamp Abound. You can pretty much make it sound however you want. One of my favorites is a Toshiba Japan 12AU7. Who else is running That? Makes the VTL Totally Transparent, with control, and no loss of space or harmonics. Reminds me of the Ayre KX-R Twenty. But better.

So, I'm totally smitten with the VTL preamp. So, why not try a VTL amp? So, I bought a VTL S-400 II. The jury is out on which amp is better, the VTL or the Lamm. Both hugely musical. Both Very Different. For right now, I'm keeping both. And looking for a deal on a pair of Wilson Alexia 2s.

This journey isn't where I predicted it would go. But I'm simply listening with my ears, and keeping the best sounding stuff. Right now the trajectory is Tubes!

System Synergy is So Huge! What works well for me might not work well for you.

When I had the Ayre KX-R Twenty, I had a few amps around. I had a pair of Ayre MX-R Twenties, a pair of AtmaSphere MA-1 3.3s, and an Audio Research Ref. 75 SE. The Ayre preamp was not easy to part with. It was extremely transparent, and dynamic. I only parted with it, eventually, because I sold all those amps for a D'Agostino S-250. The S-250 really sounded fantastic with an Audio Research Reference 6. And I always had the option of running directly out of my Berkeley DAC, so I really had no need for the Ayre preamp. But it was very, very good.