The Gryphon Diablo 300 Integrated Amplifier

Nearly 10 years ago, the Gryphon Diablo brought newfound credibility and respectability to the humble integrated amplifier. Previously the object of widespread scorn from audiophiles, the full potential of the integrated amplifier was finally realised in the Gryphon Diablo, so far ahead of its time that it - with typical Gryphon longevity - remained the absolute reference in its class for a full decade. Gryphon Diablo is quite possibly the most popular High End integrated amplifier of all time. Despite sales of thousands of units, its virtual absence from the second-hand market is a reliable indicator of the extreme loyalty of Diablo owners.
Now, the Gryphon Diablo makes way for the Gryphon Diablo 300, a revitalised iteration of the technologies and components that made it the world’s most award-winning High End integrated amplifier.
In updating the Diablo, the Gryphon engineering team faced a considerable challenge. In addition to Product of the Year awards including Lyd & Bilde (Norway), 6 Moons.com (USA) and Haute Fidelité (France), many of the most critical professional listeners have been inspired to effusive praise, as in this evocative turn of phrase from Hi Fi Choice (UK): ”Sounds like God’s own stereo.”
Fortunately, in designing the Diablo 300, the Gryphon crew had the luxury and privilege of being able to draw heavily on concepts, components and technological breakthroughs that emerged during the evolution of the much lauded Gryphon Pandora preamplifier and Mephisto power amplifier.
The ultra-transparent, fully balanced volume attenuator topology fully exploits the two balanced inputs. Unlike the vast majority of solid state volume controls that typically introduce dozens of resistors in the signal path, the Diablo 300 employs no more than two for any given level setting.
The extreme wideband frequency response of the Diablo 300 extends from 0.5 Hz to 350 kHz and its prodigious 300 Watt (8 Ohms) power output capability represents a significant increase over the original Diablo. The extreme high current capability of the Diablo 300 allows it to double its output to 600 Watts in a 4 Ohm load and deliver a massive 950 Watts into 2 Ohms.
As these numbers confirm, the Gryphon Diablo 300 will remain rock solid when confronted with even the most viciously reactive loudspeaker loads.
Diablo 300 maintains a power reservoir capacity of 68,000 microFarad and employs local active shunt regulators for superior noise suppression compared to the Zener diode regulated low-voltage supplies of the original Diablo.
Because it operates without negative feedback, the Gryphon Diablo 300 avoids both the intrinsic time-delay caused by sending the output signal to the input for a comparator loop and the resulting intermodulation distortion between time-offset signals.
Further highlights include massive, overkill power supplies, high Class A/B bias, state of the art audiophile components throughout, mounted on military specification dual- and four-layer printed circuit boards with virtually no point-to-point wiring.
Diablo 300 utilises new, low-capacitance pre-driver transistors and increased current in the voltage amplification stage for extended bandwidth and increased slew rate. The wire-wound emitter diodes in the original Diablo output stage have been upgraded to non-inductive types.
The power supplies for various amplification stages employ only polypropylene coupling capacitors in parallel with high-grade electrolytic capacitors.
To dissipate heat generated by the increased power of the Diablo 300, the unit is fitted with twice as much heatsink area as its predecessor. The highly efficient recessed heatsink array is cleverly integrated into the smooth exterior for a stylish statement that takes the Diablo 300 architecture well beyond the realm of undistinguished laboratory styling common to so many High End audio components.

Features

• Exterior design by Flemming E. Rasmussen
• Electronics design by Tom Møller
• 2 x 300W (8 Ohm), 2 x 600W (4 Ohm), 2 x 950W (2 Ohm)
• True Dual Mono configuration
• Zero negative feedback
• Microprocessor-controlled 43-step fully balanced relay volume attenuator for best sonic performance based on a minimalist contingent of ultra-precision resistors
• Ultra-short signal path
• Minimal internal wiring
• Military spec. dual-layer and four-layer printed circuit boards with up to 105 micron copper traces
• Dual Mono Holmgren toroidal transformer with vacuum treated core and windings to virtually eliminate mechanical noise
• PCB-mounted sockets eliminate wiring and shorten signal path
• New, high-speed, discrete single-ended Class A input buffer for best possible sonic performance
• Gold-plated Swiss Neutrik XLR sockets for two balanced sources
• Gold-plated phono sockets with Teflon insulation for 3 inputs and 2 outputs
• Fixed-level AV throughput for uncompromising integration with surround preamplifier
• Input level matching to prevent abrupt level changes
• Large Vacuum Fluorescent Display for easy legibility
• Adjustable display lighting (100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, Off)
• Backlit touch-sensitive front panel controls
• 12V DC link input and output
• Flash memory upgrades via key fob
• Local shunt regulators for optimal noise suppression
• Non-invasive protection system
• Infrared remote control
• Input for external infra-red receiver
• Standard power consumption: less than 0.5 W, conforming to latest EU standards
• EU CE approval
• Designed and built in Denmark

Output Power: 300 W (RMS) per channel in 8 Ohm
Output Power: 950 W / 2 Ohm (RMS) per channel
Output Level Single Ended, Max: Sub Out: + 12 dB
Noise, Unweighted, 20-20000 Hz: < - 85 dBu
Noise, A-weighted: < - 88 dBu
Distortion (THD+N): < 1%, 300 W; < 0,05%, 50 W
Input Sensitivity: 0.617 V
Gain: + 38 dB
Bandwidth (- 3 dB): 0 - 350 kHz
Channel Separation: > 120 dB
Input Impedance, Balanced (20 - 20000 Hz): 40 kOhm
Input Impedance, Single Ended (20 - 20000 Hz): 20 kOhm
Output Impedance (20 - 20000 Hz): 0.019 Ohm
Balanced Inputs, pr. Channel: 2 x XLR
Single Ended Inputs, pr. Channel: 3 x RCA
Single Ended Outputs, pr. Channel: 2 x RCA (tape + sub)
Speaker Outputs, pr. Channel: 1 set
Power Consumption: < 0.5 W (Stand-by); 1900 W (Max); 200 W (Idle)
Power Supply Capacity: 2 x 68000 µF
Dimensions: 480 (W) x 460 (D) x 235 (H) mm
Weight: 38.1 kg

Turnaround

Orders will usually dispatched within 2 working days of receiving cleared payment.

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