I want to hopefully compare both and see which one I keep. Mephisto won't go on the artesania because I'm not about to take off the feet and embark on any sort of disassemble on an amp this expensive. I'll try the momentum s250 on both stands and see what happens.
Video is getting uploaded (finally).
You'll love Gryphon essence stereo and Fyne audio speakers. Those of you who are subscribed to the channel should get a a notification in about 45 minutes from now. |
Thanks for the above Carey. There is a video releasing tonight at 7pm.EST where I will give more thoughts on mephisto , arc ref6se, Merrill 118s playing more music with arc ref6se and also we hear the Gryphon Essence with Fyne Audio speakers. I recorded these songs over at Suncoast with the same SHURE mic I’ve been using lately. Stay tuned for that update.
Ps. Mephisto is EXTREMELY picky. You can’t feed it McDonald’s and Wendy’s for sources and power. It is the most challenging amp I’ve owned and I totally welcome this. I will be able to learn A TON from it.
If you can barely afford the mephisto, i would say don’t buy it. It needs you to already have/own components that can sing with it. You are bringing Freddy Mercury as a lead singer to your room, but if the rest of your band members are at the same level of CREED then expect a disaster.
Here are some brands that will probably fail miserably if you pair with mephisto:
Lumin
entry level nordost cables
Any audioquest cable except dragon
Any Wireworld cable except platinum
Any Cardas cables (entire line)
Any tricks such as using Y cables or xlr to rca adaptors etc
Standard 15a outlets (20a better)
Cheap stands ( I tried which is why critical mass is coming)
There is absolutely zero tolerance from this amp when it comes to garbage. Premium fuel only or go home.
Also, if you think you are going to put this amp inside some shelf or entertainment unit , good luck with that.
|
@goodsource.
Alexia 2. Odin 1 won’t turn a Sasha Daw into an Alexia 2 and neither will mephisto. NOW is when I can say FACTUALLY, the Alexia 2 kills DAW.
How many pairs of Alexia 2s have you seen listed online vs how many pairs of DAW ? and the Daw is much newer fyi...meaning it should be the one to be listed the least since it came out not long ago. The Alexia 2 came out like 18 months prior to the DAW. |
Ain't no deals on Gryphon. It's s small network of dealers that carry the line and they all inform the distributor when there is someone calling around looking for a deal. The distributor KNOWS and then tells dealers that there is someone looking to steal either an amp or preamp or whatever and then the moment a dealer calls to order the item from the distributor, what do you the distributor asks ? Is this for such and such guy who's been calling around all my dealers for a deal ? Who is this item for ? Etc etc.
That's one way Gryphon remains tightly controlled. I said it before and I'll say it again, once that Colosseum sells, (the one listed) the market will dry and that will be it for quite sometime.
|
|
Tonight I gotta be honest without bs:
The REF6SE with 110hours now and the Merrill audio 118s and Wilson Alexia 2 are devastating me. They are completely making me want to go and sell every damn amp I own including mephisto. They are simply superb. Don't get me wrong, I know exactly what I am doing to help that combo out which I haven't shared just yet BUT i can't believe this. I'm really floored by it. Such a different presentation than the mephisto with arc6se. I have landed on FULL SYSTEM synergy with the Alexia 2. Now, the question will be IF the mephisto is still waiting on the Alexia 2 to fully open up so it can do its thing OR if it simply needs it'd sibling - Gryphon Pandora - in order to sing as it should or does it need a different linestage than the 3 I own here ?
Again, system matching at this level is KEY. One can't jump to conclusions right away so don't start the BS with conclusions about the Merrill besting mephisto etc. If you come with that, I'll say it here: you're full of S*t. You are talking out of your a$$. |
Wilson tends to do this with audio Research, Momentum, and focal does it with boulder amps. All manufacturers always work with another brand to fine tune things. WE THE END USERS are the guinea pigs that are left trying different combos and burning cash. That is part of the hobby though. Ain't a damn thing we can do about it. |
People honestly either don’t listen or don’t watch the videos. I’m sick of repeating myself. I said it AND SHOWED IT ON THE DAMN VIDEO: DO YOU SEE A STAND UNDER THE MEPHISTO? did I not address that I ordered one already ? Did I say anywhere I swapped out fuses on anything ?
I’ll say it differently and maybe with a simpler sentence: MEPHISTO IS NOT OKAY with something in my system and if you watched the video last night, you heard me say THIS.
Yes it does sound good but MY INSTINCT tells me there is something NOT RIGHT or OFF. It feels as if it plays good and then it misses certain instruments or bells and whistles that the Merrill and ARC combo is hitting home runs on.
It is as if you are driving a Porsche 911 at 150 mph and it does not ride better or more "composed" than a Camaro SS does at the same speed. No camaro Ss should ride better than a Porsche 911 at high speeds. Would you accept that fact if you had both cars in your garage ? No right ? You would be trying to figure out if you have low tire air pressure, the right fuel, are the motor mounts shot ? Is something loose ? Etc etc. That's where I am at.
|
It's the same cables you had. The vanta line isn't shipping yet.
Mephisto Is a damn race car. I'm gonna put that son of a gun to fire at full class a bias for 3 days straight without shutting it off and see if it does the vodoo the pass labs xs300 did. I need to breathe, relax, not let it get to me and keep doing my thing with it.
|
Frustrating indeed...
That said, I think today I found the difference maker and why I’ve been struggling.
On a side note: does anyone here know where I can get an adapter that makes a 20a powercord fit into a 15a power amp? Meaning the receptacle on the back of the amp is 15a and I need a 20a power cord to fit in there. I know Amazon has these but I am looking for something of decent quality. Thoughts ? |
i just ordered the voodoo adapters. The trials and games are about to begin. - Gryphon cabling on the way from California
- voodoo adapters coming
- new cable lifters for the entire system
- critical mass stand ordered
- last but not least, i am currently attempting to bring 2 different preamps here.
I am now on a mission and pissed off. Very pissed off. I refuse to let my instinct beat me. |
All-
Mephisto, Merrill or any big amp of mine will never see a power conditioner. I know my variables with both set ups and i think i have found the reason behind the outcome from both systems.
As far as Mephisto vs Merrill: Why throw an amp under the fire without being properly set up? HOW MANY times have i done that in the past and i got flamed for it and now i am being asked to do it? REALLY?
"oh Jay it is on the floor, it has factory fuses, it has factory powercords, it is not under stillpoints, it needs a lamp cord, it needs weights on top, it needs aluminum foil on the heatsinks, etc"
There was one variable that was not kept the same with both set ups and i never thought that it would totally do what it did with the Merrill. I also did not expect for the Alexia 2 to be the microscope that they are.
RIGHT NOW, and for AS LONG AS I OWN Alexia 2, I CAN NO LONGER get away with the sh1T i was getting away with before. Cables that were good before are now just "decent" with the Mephisto and Alexia 2.
They take a MRI of your system and can find the weaknesses internally and totally piss you off. For example, a cable that you probably rated 8/10 before is now a 5 or 6. You can hear the muddiness, muffling effect, lack of bass, collapsed soundstage, etc the minute you select an inferior cable. It is LITERALLY that ruthless with you. I can now talk to you AT LENGTH and in detail the differences between Audioquest Dragon and Hurricane. Before, i only knew there was a slight change in tonality and overall improvement in the soundstage between both. I knew the Dragon was better than the Hurricane, but in this system? man, the change is like taking out a complete dac and replacing it with a new one (not kidding).
What is the best part of this? It is that i will be able to tell you all MORE about what each new and future component will do. I will be able to tell you EXACTLY what a cable brand will do, add, deduct, enhance, decrease, etc. I will be far more articulate with each component’s strengths and weaknesses. Before, i was only able to call out things at a high level, but now i can reach new depths that will let me communicate the effects of everything.
That is the most beautiful part out of all of this and it is what is exciting me deep down. I am "graduating" my hearing to new heights and putting them in front of a clear window without any obstacles.
Did you all get to hear how AWESOME the Merrill Audio Element 118s sounded on my last video or am i the only who thought so? THAT IS EXACTLY what i am talking about; The transparency here let’s you hear so much more than before. When was the last time in any of my videos that you heard the Merrill Audio sound as good as they did on my last video? NEVER. I have received messages through here from people who gave me props for showing what i have accomplished with the class d amp that many doubted. The positive comments on my YOUTUBE channel also keep pouring in regards to the Merrill Audio/ARC REF6 of my last video. That must be telling you all that i am chasing something for the better here. I demonstrated it with Merrill Audio and i will do it with the Mephisto. Mark my words - It ain’t over. |
Wow it’s cool to know there is one more of me with the mephisto lol.
I will get it right. I am glad you are the 100th person that has agreed with my statement on YouTube about not being done when you bring a new component. It just starts and those of you who don’t want to start again, especially when you are changing into a brand new line you have not owned then don’t change.
If what you are you doing is moving up the ladder but you are staying within the same brand then you are most likely "ok" unless the next step up the line is leaps and bounds ahead of your current product. For example, let’s say you own a simaudio 860v1 amp and it sounds amazing as is and with maximum synergy right now, changing to the 860v2 will most likely be a pain free experience and very little will change on the rest of your front end. However, if you went to the simaudio 888 -$120k Monos and you are coming from the 860a, you will need to spend more money on the rest of your system. It’s s whole different league and level. Also, if you have brand "A" amp and want to go to brand "B" then prepare to have to spend more money on something else. Very few components work laterally with other brands, VERY FEW. |
Enjoy the new video. Most of the stuff in it is gone as of today. |
@speedbump.
Thanks for the reinforcement above.
The video I posted just one hour ago shows the untapped potential as well as the incompatibility that might reside within the system. The hard part of the hobby is identifying potential and the easy part is landing on garbage. |
The only thing I can sell right now with my eyes closed is the momentum HD preamp because I have 2 people who want it as soon as I am done with it and I’m not sure I can let go of it just yet.
Everything else I own is not exactly stuff that people are ready to buy with money in hand. Everything costs what a car costs in some cases. |
You think boulder is any different lol. You think boulder is easy to deal with?? I THINK I owned one boulder already...I would know....these are amps not meant for the cry babies. This is next level SH!t. It is for those that pay attention. You think a mephisto or boulder would work with a lamp cord as a power cord ? Or the cables you own in your system? They are messengers... Don't be pissed at the messenger for the letter you got in the mail. It isn't his fault. It is telling you what the rest of your front end is doing. |
Mephisto needs no help with bass. It needs cables that actually do the bass just right. The potential Is there in spades. I smell it. Today you will hear the mephisto with the momentum HD preamp but I switched some powercords around. Watch and see... |
I will eventually try the boulder 2160 and the antileon evo. Those are going to happen but that is very distant. I don’t see them coming anytime soon.
Can I please play with my mephisto? Lol.
Guys, let’s do this together. I want to learn this mephisto. If I were to describe a mephisto, I’d call it a WILD CHILD that needs to be tamed down. THAT IS THE BEST WAY to describe it. It is one of those huge bulls that only qualifed bull riders can ride because if you can’t hang on tightly, it will throw your a$$ off of it and stump on you. it is not the amp for thin skinned people or "soft " personalities. It is that amp that you need to connect with and let it talk to you. WAY DIFFERENT animal. I now realized that before I was riding ponies in terms of behavior. This amp ain't having none of that. If you have kids , this is the kid that loves to contradict you, not listen, jumps off the couch and on top of your bed or gets in fights in school. Patience is key here. |
Hi Ron,
yep you nailed it. I have not met an amp as revealing as this amp. This is why i am packing 5 boxes as we speak since they need to make it to fed ex today. Two preamps out of my 3 preamps have been sacrificed. i will leave it at that.
As far as boulder, i heard that their new stuff is nothing like their new models. I am curious about it, and i am not opposed to bringing their new stuff here to see how they are voicing it now. That said, i am not really focused on that, but rather on the Mephisto right now. If Boulder does happen, it will, but i am not chasing it. If it is meant to be, it will come and i will be ready for it.
By the way, i have a video scheduled to be released on youtube for today at 5pm EST of the momentum hd preamp and the mephisto so that you all can compare against yesterday’s video.
Lastly, could i be nearing the end of my Odin 1 run? let me just leave it at that ! ha ! |
Tecno,
I dedicated the antagonist comments on today's video to you. Hope you enjoyed it. |
I did the unthinkable with the Merrill audios in terms of how good they can sound . Most agree right?
You should go listen to the last 2 videos and compare how the Dag pre sounds with mephisto vs the ARC6SE. Notice how different it is and how the arc REF6SE sounded magical with the Merrills but it struggled with the mephisto. It didn’t sound "right" but this was exposed even more by the momentum HD preamp. That is what I am talking about. At the level of the Mephisto, things need to be at another level. I believe Ron17 mentioned this and I am echoing his words with videos. You can NOT get away with things that you got away with in the past when you are higher up the mountain. The higher you climb, the less oxygen there is and the less room for errors as well.
Tonight’s videos will touch on a few things and reasons why I let go of the components that will be missing on the video. |
@blackcirclerecords:
thanks for the comment above!
@maxima95
who knows man... it is like arguing with my daughter when she wants her youtube to work and you can’t explain to her there is no wifi...(she is 4)
@thezaks:
you could be right and i am currently doing just that. Let it play more and more.
@viber:
You actually agreed with what i said somewhat: I told you that the ref6se is really NOT at the level of the mephisto in some ways. It is an excellent linestage, but with the mephisto there were many things lacking that the Momentum HD easily exposed. The merrill Christine sounds great so far but i dont believe it is in the same league as the momentum based on what i am hearing.
All-
Tonight’s video will also include a comparison of the Wilson audio Alexia 2 vs DAW. MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH ACTUAL OWNERSHIP and not what a damn magazine says or what some trolls fabricate in their heads. I am doing all these videos and typing here while i am also in the middle of meetings (yes i work a 9-5 like most of you) and trying to entertain my daughter throughout the day. Often times, i have to end up doing my listening tests after everyone has gone to bed here (12am-2am) so i can focus and in the meantime the system is playing music all day long before i sit down to listen critically. |
Everything will be explained on tonight’s video. It drops at 7pm Eastern time. Be on the lookout for it. |
|
@flrun
That’s exactly what I have said on several of my videos . Thank you for echoing my words. I'm trying to see what the mephisto is and its dna and then the tweaking begins.
|
At redphu72.
I hope you are doing ok. Long time no see. Awesome Magico m2 by the way. I liked the speaker the few times I have heard it. That said, I don’t believe the krell 403e I sold you will be up to the task. It will work but wont untap the potential of the m2. You’ll need to start looking for something with more class and resolution. Magico m2 are extremely transparent.
|
Ricevs
Sorry to disappoint and not meet your needs. However, I am ok not satisfying yours and satisfying my own personal needs and the many others who find it valuable. Can't please everyone and I am ok with that. Maybe this thread isn't for you ? |
|
Yes once the 1000u Monos are released, I will.... |
Viber...
I never said what I am using with the mephisto on the video that I uploaded today.....never said if it was Merrill or dac direct...
I only presented it to show that there has been a slight improvement when it comes to bass tightness, more dimensionality, etc... It is not all there yet, but I am sure you all can hear certain aspects have improved over the presentation that came from the ref6se and mephisto... |
Anyhow , I just loaded a new video. The level of change between this mornings video and the video from right now is easily heard....yep....that's how crazy transparent things are right now...only thing I changed was....I'll let you all know on tomorrow's video.
|
Maybe because I have a lot of new components off to the right of my listening chair that I haven’t talked about ??? |
Time...many more trials to come.. magnepan 20.7 will be heard with the mephisto at some point... |
Thanks for the questions. I'll answer this question on tomorrow's video. Tomorrow's video is about what I did on both videos and answering some questions.
If anyone has any questions, post them. |
Jeez..you are completing disregarding a ton of amps by saying the mephisto is the only amp to best it...you are saying these amps won't best it:
Luxman 900
Gryphon coloseum
Gryphon antileon evo
Gryphon essence
Simaudio 860v2
Pass labs xs300
Constellation centaur 2
Constellation Hercules
Etc
Etc
Etc
|
Viber,
So that’s like saying, you wouldn’t buy a Mercedes Benz because of how expensive the maintenance is or repairs EVEN THOUGH you admit it being a much better driving experience than the Toyota RAV4?
I mean, for me, if you are buying ANYTHING EXPENSIVE, you have to understand that it’s not just a one lump sum and you’re done.
If you buy a 2 million dollar house, just because you can make the payments, it doesn’t mean you can afford the taxes at the end of the year , the yard work, the pool maintenance, the day it needs a new roof etc. It is UNDERSTOOD that if you own a mephisto, YOU ARE prepared to deal with the added costs that it might bring to the table such as better front end, better speakers, etc. It is IMPLIED that you already know that it will take more effort to own anything in life, not just Amplifiers, and to keep and maintain ownership of anything at the top or near the top of the mountain.
This leads me to believe that you selected the bryston also because it weighs very little and it ships to Canada for repairs plus it has a 20 year warranty and not 100% because it is the best amp out there.
If this is how you PARTIALLY came to the conclusion that this bryston is the best there is, then I want to say you have been taking other facts into consideration that have ZERO to do with sound. This also leads me to believe you have yet to try the big boy amps because of the concern of them being to heavy for you. This is HUGE because this leaves a tremendous amount of amps out of a fair shot. |
|
Viber, you wanna help out with the down payment for the boulder 2160 so I can make that fascinating A/B test a reality? |
Gryphon Mephisto with matching Gryphon cables is about to make an entrance ... Video is being uploaded right now... Grab your headphones... |
Jay received his Gryphon cables today, plugged in only the xlr......he had to go change his drawers 2 seconds after the music started...I’ll leave it at that...more to come...
Gryphon is killing me...i have so much more to tell you all but want to hold it back until I can confirm with my own ears... Only thing I’ll say is the mephisto is FU¢k!Ng SPECIAL.
it is almost surreal at times because it really loves to tease me constantly. One minute it sounds so so and then the next song starts and I feel as if someone took me out of the room and put me inside a bigger room with better electronics. It almost feels as if it is telling me the lyrics of this song that my wife loves:
"All I want is to sing tomorrow and every tomorrow...I know people make promises all the time and then they turn around and break them, but don’t act like it’s a bad thing to fall in love with me, cause you might fu@k around and find that your dreams come true with me...spend all your time and money... Only to fall in love with me"
Yep.. I might be falling in love hard...
If Gryphon is seeing this post, I want to give you all a BIG THUMBS UP.
Many amplifiers, many many hours and thousands of dollars and I am here admitting that I feel as if I am standing at the point of the mountain today.
I feel like as if your DNA is my own:
Clear, transparent, muscular (yep I am if you are wondering), and going about your business regardless of what other brands are doing ( I don't look or post on any other forum so I don't care what others are doing) so yes I feel at home in many ways with Gryphon. THANK YOU |
@goodsource:
I respect that comment. I can understand where you are coming from, but I am a newbie at this level of artillery. Before , I was playing with m16 riffles and now I am with a 50 caliber machine gun. You can’t carry the 50 caliber machine gun and shoot it standing up in the same fashion you can with a m16 riffle. It needs a heavy ass tripod to support it on or it needs to be mounted on a tank or a hummer (HUMV) because of the massive kick and brute force. That said, it causes far more destruction per round fired. As you get up higher, there are going to be levels of requirements that were never asked of you before: more fuel, more bullets if you are firing a Gatling gun. You would expect certain top end machine guns to be able to fire under water right? But that is not the case and you could ask, why can you shoot a 9mm or m16 under water but not the bigger guns ? With so much power? Etc etc. Many arguments you can make about any sort of topic. It is relative and the mephisto is clearly no different. Manufacturers have their reasons and yes we can debate this, but only they know why they do this. Is Gryphon the only who does it ? I’m sure you know the answer to that...
If I were to guess WHY they do this, I'd say partially to get you to buy their entire set up and also because they fine tune their amps to sound a certain way.
I actually am writing my thoughts down about top offerings from different manufacturers and what to be very wary of. Believe, once they know you can afford their top stuff, they know you have the money to spend more and so they build more items that work better with their own stuff. The car industry is notorious for this. Try buying a McLaren and then you find out there is only ONE type of tire size for it and only one supplier. Again, they know they got you hooked and it is up to you to jump ship but often times it is hard as hell. |
|
I know I know...you're trying to justify not having the money to buy an Essence let alone a mephisto...I get it buddy. We all have been there. |
And what is McIntosh? Lol... A light show ? |
Agreed. Let's begin to ignore |
A couple of things: - If anyone thinks the Essence is a Mephisto with less power, put down the crack pipe. It is starting to affect you.
- The reviewer said the Essence is a great amp as long as you have the right size room and efficient speakers and i concur. For most of you out there, this amp will be more than plenty.
- For MOST OF YOU (not all of you), and i am going to make an educated guess here, MOST OF YOU WHO READ MY THREAD have speakers that are probably not as demanding as either my Magnepan or my Alexia 2s. This means, FOR MOST OF YOU this amp is more than sufficient. I would not be shocked if i can count with ONE HAND how many people who read this thread have speakers that are $100k or more (Neoliths, Alexx, XVX, WAMM, Magico M6, etc, etc)
- When i saw the Essence at Suncoast Audio, it did not disappoint one bit. I will be actually uploading another video shortly of the Essence driving the $140,000 Estelon Forza speakers.
- Yes, the reviewer DOES NOT state anywhere on the review that this could be his "game over" or "end of the road" amplifier as he had done with some others, but then again look at all the amps he has heard. Could you blame him? You all did not think he would say that about a $22k amp when he probably has heard in his room amps costing 6 figures?
LASTLY, i want to be very CLEAR, no there will not be a review from me comparing my Mephisto to an Essence here in my room. If you want to make that possible, please purchase the Essence and send it to me and i will be glad to give you my opinion on how it compares IN MY ROOM to the Mephisto. If you want this to be a private review, please message me directly and this way nobody needs to know that you are sending me your Essence or bringing it in person to hear it against the Mephisto. I would refrain from making any public comments of this comparison if the other person wants it that way. i totally get that. I know exactly how this works: i post a comparison of the Mephisto vs Essence and you will get the trash talkers who will say this: "oh my lord that Essence sounded broken in comparison" "oh wow that Essence killed the Mephisto for 1/3 of the price" "oh wow the Luxman would have held its own better against the Mephisto" "Essence is a broken amp tonally speaking from what i heard" etc etc etc I am not going to go through that exercise. Been there, done that. |
I am sure if i call Mike over a Suncoast audio RIGHT NOW and borrow the Essence, he would hand it to me. That is the kind of guy he is, but i will NOT do that to him. Why? so that the "garbage men" begin to talk stupidity here? REALLY? why would i do that to him or any dealer for that matter?
I said it before, i don’t use no 30 day trial on anything if i know i am going to return it after the period is over. i dont take advantage of others like that. I was taken advantage of HERE by a crook who stole my money, but i don’t FOR ONE SECOND do that to anyone. Why pick up something from him that i am not going to buy? I don’t roll like that man... If it comes out of someone’s good will to message me and say "hey Jay, here try it, post whatever, give your impressions, we dont care, etc, etc" then sure i will do that.
One last time, I AM NOT BUYING THE ESSENCE AMPLIFIER. |
@flrun
thanks for the comment above. I am certainly not bitter about what happened to me. I just sometimes DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW some people can live life scamming others and living on eggshells not knowing WHEN they will be buried in prison or simply run into the wrong person who they should have never messed with and who will be vindictive and knock on their door and put an end to their lives. I watch these cartel specials on Netflix and man i DO NOT KNOW how people can live running away like that. Nothing NOTHING feels better than knowing you don’t have to hide from anyone. I get anxiety just sitting at home all day during this pandemic and not commuting to the office like i did earlier this year. I could not survive in prison locked up in a cell and sleeping on the floor. My mind would not be able to handle the lack of freedom. That said, some people do not give a damn about doing others wrong and this is why i am very vocal about this so that you all dont need to go through what i went through. Be proactive about it, check references, use Paypal (yes i know they can be difficult), call the manufacturers, double check phone numbers, check their websites, talk to other people to see if they can vouch for the person you are trying to do business with. The internet has allowed for thieves to be smarter, but if we unite as a community, NONE of them will be successful. If we don't communicate with each other, we WILL LOSE each and every time. Many platforms allow us to expose these people. I am working on a black list with another high profile youtuber, but we need legal advice first and maybe we put this together and flag those that are known to be doing this constantly from all angles. Stay tuned. |
@mr.gray.
I like how you worded everything above. I couldn't have said it better myself. Yes at a certain level manufacturers have tuned everything for you so you don't need to chase anything else and yes Integrateds are extremely attractive because they save you tremendous amount of money but they won't touch their separates. |
