My Long List of Amplifiers and My Personal Review of Each!

3 Weeks ago I remember a slightly used Diablo 300 coming up for sale in NY here on Audiogon...by a Speaker maker no less.  Asking price was 11,500. No idea how much it actually sold for. Will bet he didn't pay 16K for it and take a $5000 loss.

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis8ih6h-gryphon-diablo-300-solid-state?refsource=hifishark

Hey Chazzy,

The Diablo looks like a BLACK Xerox Copier/Fax Machine. If that thing was Off-White or Tan in color you would think it belongs on a secretary’s desk. Im sure it sounds wonderful thou. If they ever redesign its looks to something acceptable I will be sure to pick one up. The fact that MANY people think the looks is a problem (go on other Forums) suggests the company should rethink its design. When people discuss MAC, Luxman, D’agostino or any other high end brands (based on their appearance) you rarely hear that as a reason why somebody WONT buy their product. I dont care if 50-60% of the Audiophile community LOVES the Gryphon looks....You cant afford to have 40-50% not want it simply because its not something they want to be prominently displayed in their room/rack. They are losing plenty of potential sales, including mine, just based on that alone which is NOT good in this small niche audiophile market.

Anybody see the latest Diablo 300 on Audiogon? Listed as MINT with a 11,500 asking price...2nd one in a row listed at that price. The dealer (Percotta in Connecticut) took 9K for it.  

Gryphon Audio Diablo 300 integrated amplifier Mint cust...$9,000.00 Listing Sold

Don't get P.T.Barnum "suckered" into paying Full Retail unless you enjoy losing 5-7K in the blink of an eye.

OP....Here is your quote from 5/19....Just sayin. 

 Dealers DO NOT Give discounts on new gryphon product so don't even try...I've tried and tried lol and you all know I TRY and I failed. If you want gryphon, prepare to pay FULL PRICE unless you buy from Europe. That is like the Louie Vuitton brand. When did you ever see any on sale in their store? Never...just doesn't happen

McIntosh is MID-FI. People buy it for the name without even bothering to listen to other brands...OR they simply cant afford to go up the food chain.  Mcintosh is the Harley Davidson of Stereo Equipment.  Im surrounded by MC dealers and they pretty much confirm everything that the OP has stated. Great Re-sale value but WAAAAY behind the top dogs in quality/performance. When I first ventured into this world I went to a VERY Well known dealership in Delaware.  Of course at the time I thought MC was the best and the salesman did his best to steer me away from MC and get some Audio Research.  Basically they said "We have people like you come in here ALL the time with the predisposition that MC is the best...and that is far from the truth".  So I didnt listen cause I thought it was just a sales pitch and I went home with my MC Amp + Pre-Amp which where the Newest and "greatest" at the time.  What I eventually learned when I opened up my ears and my wallet was that I would never buy another piece of MC again after experience with Audio Research, D'agostino, Ayre etc.   Mcintosh is in the minor league for sure.

"The experts just told us that Mac is mid-fi"

Sure is and it doesn't take an expert to hear it. The C52 is what I brought home that day and it cant touch the Ayre KXR-Twenty, REF 6 or 10, Shindo Pre's Ive had.  Im totally confident that Luxman, D'agostino, T+A, Pass Labs and many others would lay waste to it. The C52 IS good....for a Mcintosh pre which have always been held in low regard...except by MC Fan Boys of course. 2200+ Posts?? A person only learns from listening...not from talking (Typing). Maybe you should spend more time auditioning other brands gear and less time behind the keyboard. Just a thought.

#Redlenses

Do you see photos anywhere in the Audiogon Forum??

MP,

Mac 2301 is over a decade old in technology. I havent been around long enough to know AR equipment from that long ago. For me MAC and AR are in entirely different ballparks and are not comparable. SOTA vs Mid-Fi...and priced accordingly

If your gonna try more tubes you have to absolutely try to get a Demo pair of REF 160M. Hit Mike up and ask to borrow his.

 Might take awhile for them to hit the market cause everybody loves them so much...OR you can move to the PA/NJ Area and you can borrow my Dag 400's, 160M, Ayre KXR-20 Preamp, Audio Note Jinro and a bunch of speakers you've never tried (Audio Note/Joseph Audio Pearl's/O96's/Salk Soundscape 8) ...The move might be cheaper!! :)

You dont want him to try Dag 400’s with the Ref 10. His search might be over...then this will become a SPEAKER page instead. There are several people on the AudioShark Forum that have the Dag 400/Ref 10 setup AND have previously had (or still have) Luxman 900’s as well. They all prefer the Dag 400 with Ref 10 OR the Dag Pre-Amp. Go to the D’AGOSTINO page and read for yourself...don’t take my word for it.

Unfortunately most DAG comments made recently are from somebody that has never heard them...even thou according to him they were available for him to audition but he passed just because of the price tag. Ever notice how people that cant afford certain gear just talk about them out of spite/jealousy/insecurity etc? Sadly misinformation happens all the time and gives some people the wrong impression/ideas about how something actually sounds. That guys Opinion becomes THEIR Opinion and then in later posts (Potentially on other boards) those impressionable people with ZERO Experience with the product state that guys observations as fact. That’s why I appreciate this thread. Im hearing somebodys opinion based on reality...not fantasy/speculation.

Personally even if I couldn’t afford something but was given the opportunity to hear it I certainly would want to....that way I know what to potentially shoot for down the road. Learn what my system could be like. But hey...that’s just me

  Its not MY thread. I dont listen to Violins/Harps so what I hear listening to Classic/Hard Rock wouldnt apply to you (or possibly most) anyway. I traded in my Ayre VXR Twenty towards the 160M's.   

Opinion on GS150 not based on sound quality....based on BUILD Quality and how many had defects and were returned for repair. This is why they have been purged as fast as possible from dealer inventories at maximum discounts.

Techno_Troll,

Your entitled to your opinion. I have serious doubts you have heard either one of them. Point is mute anyway cause you don't have my ears, taste, room etc  If you took a poll of 1000 audiophiles and 999 said the Ayre was better I still wouldn't give a damn. My ears are the only ones that count.

WC...I have a Ref 10 so thats covered.

Troll...Have always considered Luxman...before I even discovered this thread. Got the 900U from a FRIEND who's vast knowledge of equipment based on ACTUAL ownership...not speculation is what sold me. WC just backed up his findings and I appreciate his input because he ACTUALLY owned and listened to it versus many other amps/preamps in his ongoing battle for audio supremacy.

For you to recklessly say that the VXR is superior to the 160M (Without hearing either of them) proves to me that you really don't know Jack and your talking out of your ass....so your opinion about anything isn't even on the map of consideration in my book at this point.

Ive had 4 or 5 Pieces of AYRE...Only the KXR-20 Pre is worth keeping.  Nothing special about the Ayre Amps...although they smoke the Mcintosh gear I have owned or heard. Havent heard them all including the 2301's.

How would you possibly know how much I paid for anything?? This just adds to your Troll reputation.

The VXR I did not pay a premium for....in the 7K Range and it was only 6 months old. At that price it was a screaming bargain. I got 11K in trade for it less than a year later....was that a bad deal Sherlock???

So how much do you know about the ARC 160M?? Do you know its AUTO-BIAS?? What cons are you talking about?? There has been TONS of articles, reviews and auditions by ARC for the past 6 months or so across the USA at multiple dealerships. Have you attended any to give it a listen before passing judgment??

Not sure why you care so much about what I do with my equipment. I retired at 44 and have plenty of time on my hands to experiment and swap in/out as I please. I currently have well over 50 Amps/Receivers of all makes, models, vintage and my inventory changes every month. Should I ask for your permission from now on when I feel like unloading something I no longer want or need...I mean just to make sure I don't make any mistakes again like trading in the VXR towards the 160M.

.

Jafant,

Nope not a audio dealer although I'd like to think I help keep some in business like WC. Retired 10 years ago. Lots of free time on my hands and like trying out new toys every month or so to keep it interesting.

TheZaks/Dave,

   If the equipment/brand in question was actually owned/auditioned by the party calling them Crapola thats one thing. If you've actually read this thread (and other threads certain parties are involved in on Audiogon) in their entirety you would notice certain people talking BS about stuff they have never even heard. Its happened MANY times...this isnt an isolated incident by certain individuals...and I think people are fed up with it quite frankly.   Ive expressed my opinion on MAC Gear cause I have owned multiple pieces out of the 60+ Amps/Receivers etc in my collection.   You might also notice that this party "Steals" or Plagiarizes comments made by others (again...Check his profile for threads he has been involved in) and imparts these tidbits as his own wisdom...when in fact he hasnt owned/auditioned the gear....and he isnt the only one in this particular thread either. That to me suggests an insecure person whose only way to derive self esteem for himself is by appearing to have superior knowledge to others and trashing equipment which is foreign to them. Psychology 101. That equates to being a TROLL in my book so the moniker stands.

Dave,

  Wasn't referring to you at all. Peace

First of all STOP making me into a Jewish Woman (RHEA).

RIAA = Record Industry Association of America. The governing body of the music industry which counts all record sales....just for your info.

Your gonna have to move to the North East to try the Dag's. You will also have to adopt a NJ/NY attitude which is "dont take any S___ from anybody" as Billy Joel always says in Concert. :)

Roxy,

Almost couldnt have said it better myself...except "poor" isn't a word I would have chosen. If someone is completely satisfied with their system regardless of brands in them thats great. I think if most Mac users actually ventured out and experimented with other brands maybe some of that satisfaction they currently have would fade away...maybe not.  I hope I live long enough (and retain my hearing) to try just about everything.  I wanted to try the 2301's but my local dealer...who carries both Mac and ARC...told me I would hate him if he let me buy the 2301's over the 250SE. So as I saved up for the 250SE the superior 160M came out. So I got the Auto Biasing 160M....Im hopefully ALL Tube amps in the future have the hassle free auto biasing. I cant believe that Mac hasnt been able to invent a Tube Amp in the last Decade thats an upgrade over the 2301. Thats a LONG time!!

Jetter,

  This has been addressed by Numerous people already. Some people just like to hear themselves speak. IT is not going away. You would think a Doctor would spend more time treating patients than CREATING new patients who now need therapy due to having to endure his self indulgent posts on this thread.

Perhaps a Go Fund me page for a Mail Order Bride..or at the very least for an adoption at the local dog pound is in order. Not sure I want the blood on my hands thou when the Bride or Dog takes their own life from listening to this incessant over the top babbling. Maybe we can find one of HARRY MUDD's 50 wives from that Star Trek Episode and they can talk themselves to death.  Its sad really. The OP has put 2 years worth of time and effort into this thread and somebody decides to take over the thread and drive most of the "subscribers" away. If this was an episode of Survivor I have no doubt who the majority would vote off the Island. Im sure I would get some votes too for my NE Coast bluntness.