Gryphon Audio Designs
Encyclopedia
Gryphon Audio Designs is a manufacturer of high end audio equipment located in Denmark
. Gryphon is known for their extremely expensive cost-no-object audio equipment, with few updates and product changes compared to their competition.
preamplifier for record players
. After this preamp (which became the "Gryphon Head Amp") was shown at the 1986 Consumer Electronics Show
it developed sufficient interest in Japan to justify the formation of a sister company, which has become Gryphon Audio Designs. Gryphon Audio Designs became a formal company in 1985, and gradually the importing of audio components into Denmark by 2R Marketing was phased out until it ceased in 1993.
Mr. Rasmussen owns a collection of master reel to reel tapes
from the 1950s and 1960s. These tapes are played on a modified Studer
A80 Reel to Reel tape deck to listen to products as they are being designed, in order to achieve a final product with the desired sound.
Gryphon products are designed by Gryphon Audio Designs in Denmark, but built by subcontractors. Service is accomplished by Gryphon Audio Designs at their facility. To aid in service, the individual circuit boards in each Gryphon product has its own quality control certificate, while the completed unit also has its own quality control certificate. Records of all boards and devices are maintained at Gryphon Audio Designs.
Gryphon products are almost always dual mono, meaning each stereo channel is independent of the other, including separate power supplies and power transformers. Some even have separate power cords.
Gryphon products are almost always black, with black acrylic on the front panel.
Gryphon products typically have a very wide frequency response, much higher than 20 kHz, which is around the threshold of what is heard by humans.
Gyrphon amplifiers have always been pure "Class A" in circuit design, until the introduction of the Gryphon "Encore" amplifier. Class A amplifiers set their output transistor
s to be operated in their most accurate, and most inefficient, range. Gryphon 100 watt per channel Class A amplifiers can literally heat a room, as they dissipate over 400 watts per channel even with no signal applied to their inputs. Gryphon uses large heat sink
s and/or fans in their amplifiers to dissipate this large amount of heat.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Gryphon is known for their extremely expensive cost-no-object audio equipment, with few updates and product changes compared to their competition.
Gryphon Audio Designs history
Gryphon was started by Flemming E. Rasmussen, after he obtained a degree in graphics arts from the Aarhus Art Academy in Denmark and after he had been involved in the local music community as well as employed as a designer for a sportswear company. Mr. Rasmussen first founded 2R Marketing, which was an importer of high end audio products into Denmark, and developed a moving coilMagnetic cartridge
A magnetic cartridge is a transducer used for the playback of gramophone records on a turntable or phonograph. It converts mechanical vibrational energy from a stylus riding in a spiral record groove into an electrical signal that is subsequently amplified and then converted back to sound by a...
preamplifier for record players
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
. After this preamp (which became the "Gryphon Head Amp") was shown at the 1986 Consumer Electronics Show
Consumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...
it developed sufficient interest in Japan to justify the formation of a sister company, which has become Gryphon Audio Designs. Gryphon Audio Designs became a formal company in 1985, and gradually the importing of audio components into Denmark by 2R Marketing was phased out until it ceased in 1993.
Mr. Rasmussen owns a collection of master reel to reel tapes
Reel-to-reel audio tape recording
Reel-to-reel, open reel tape recording is the form of magnetic tape audio recording in which the recording medium is held on a reel, rather than being securely contained within a cassette....
from the 1950s and 1960s. These tapes are played on a modified Studer
Studer
Studer is a Swiss manufacturer of professional audio equipment, founded in Zurich in 1948 by Willi Studer. It is known primarily for the design and manufacture of analog tape recorders and mixing consoles. Studer also produce other technology solutions, such as telephony management systems and...
A80 Reel to Reel tape deck to listen to products as they are being designed, in order to achieve a final product with the desired sound.
Gryphon products are designed by Gryphon Audio Designs in Denmark, but built by subcontractors. Service is accomplished by Gryphon Audio Designs at their facility. To aid in service, the individual circuit boards in each Gryphon product has its own quality control certificate, while the completed unit also has its own quality control certificate. Records of all boards and devices are maintained at Gryphon Audio Designs.
Characteristics of Gryphon products
Gryphon products are almost always black, with black acrylic on the front panel.
Gryphon products typically have a very wide frequency response, much higher than 20 kHz, which is around the threshold of what is heard by humans.
Gyrphon amplifiers have always been pure "Class A" in circuit design, until the introduction of the Gryphon "Encore" amplifier. Class A amplifiers set their output transistor
Transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and power. It is composed of a semiconductor material with at least three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's terminals changes the current...
s to be operated in their most accurate, and most inefficient, range. Gryphon 100 watt per channel Class A amplifiers can literally heat a room, as they dissipate over 400 watts per channel even with no signal applied to their inputs. Gryphon uses large heat sink
Heat sink
A heat sink is a term for a component or assembly that transfers heat generated within a solid material to a fluid medium, such as air or a liquid. Examples of heat sinks are the heat exchangers used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems and the radiator in a car...
s and/or fans in their amplifiers to dissipate this large amount of heat.
External links
- Gryphon Audio Gryphon Audio Designs website
- Gryphon Mikado Review Review of the Gryphon Mikado CD player from Soundstage (on-line) magazine