Antileon Signature Stereo & Sonata Allegro Country

GRYPHON AUDIO DESIGNS
Antileon Signature Stereo
Amplifier & Sonata Allegro
Preamplifier
“...a word about the
build quality :
o u t s t a n d i n g . ”
June 2004
The closer an audio component comes to my ideal of being the best,
the harder it is for me to write about it—this despite my overflowing
admiration for such rare creatures. As a component comes closer
to my ideal, it exposes itself to a diminishing angle of attack for me as
a writer. Whether a brute-force mammoth, a high-tech wunderkind,
or a study in craftsmanship, most products show their best side
much as a model prefers certain aspects of her face or body to be
photographed. There are traits other than the obvious ones neatly
hidden.
The Gryphon Audio Designs components under examination here
have, as if perpetually turned on a dais, denied such a static view.
Granted, your first impression of the $24,000 USD Antileon Signature
Stereo amplifier will be that it is a monster of a component. It is
simply huge— almost 200 pounds in weight and 22.8”W x 10.4”H
x 24”D. It’s dimensionally larger than it appears in pictures due to
its symmetry. (Unlike, for example, Threshold’s SA-12e of yore,
the sheer depth of whose chassis in comparison to its height and width made it unwieldy
to place a n d look at.) The $12,500 Sonata Allegro preamplifier is large, too, but not unwieldy
as it is separated into two 19”W x 5.2”H x 15”D components. Each preamp chassis,
though, is actually a two-box design; the power supply and control unit each contain two
physically separate boxes connected by gold-colored cylinder-shaped sleeves.
But once you get past the immensity of it all, your impression might change. Mine did, as
I concentrated on the actual aesthetic details of the physical architecture. There’s the
black acrylic used on the front panels of each component, so dark as to seemingly lighten
the black anodized-aluminum chassis to the eye. Then you have the multi-layer top plate of
the Antileon Signature Stereo, which seems to give depth and added visual dimension as
you’re looking straight down upon it from above. The Sonata Allegro, with its aforementioned
four individual boxes, is equally interesting—from above you can see the shelf on which it
sits by looking right down upon its divided center: Again, to the eye it alters the perception
of the component; you’ll see depth and dimension without apparent bulk. It’s also impossible
to neglect how all of the materials fit together in such a flowing fashion. That aspect alone
will cause appreciation of the exactitude of the physical design.
Once you start using these components you’ll form another set of impressions. Brute-force
build is not accompanied by brutish ergonomics. The muscle is guided by intellect. For
instance, you can select the level of class-A power produced by the Antileon Signature
Stereo from the amplifier’s front panel— just press either the Bias L (50W class A/150W
class A/B) or Bias H (150W class A) button. For critical listening you might go with the fullbore,
scaldingly hot class A of Bias H. Conversely, you have the option of lowering the
available class-A output, thereby running the amp slightly cooler for less-critical use.
Fu r t h e r, if used with the Sonata Allegro preamplifier and connected with Gryphon’s proprietary
Green Bias Link, you have access to what Gryphon calls “Green Class A.” This feature
adjusts the amplifier bias in relation to the preamplifier’s volume control. You simply have
the amount of class-A power on tap that you might need. Massive power reserves are
ready and waiting—up to 5000Wpc of peak power into a half-ohm load should you need it.
Have you seen the high-tech computer systems used to help diagnose automobile
malfunctions? Gryphon Audio Designs’ version is built in to the Antileon Signature Stereo.
If you’d like for the amplifier to run a series of diagnostics to ensure proper operation, simply
press the Check button on the front panel; once the test cycle is complete, OK indicators
on the faceplate will illuminate for each channel. If the Antileon Signature ever requires
service and is sent back to the factory in Denmark, you’ll have your own record of what
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P 2
GRYPHON AUDIO DESIGNS
Antileon Signature Stereo
Amplifier & Sonata Allegro
Preamplifier
“The Gryphons displayed all of
t h e s e
characteristics
with a
c o n f i d e n t
s t r a i g h t f o rward character
easily
meeting my initial
high expectations. ”
was done inside the amplifier. An internal service log is contained within the upgradeable
m i c r o p r o c e s s o r’s software, so you, or the subsequent owner (if you ever part with the amp!),
will know if that particular unit was repaired or upgraded. Pretty advanced stuff going on in
Scandinavia, I‘d say.
But there is still that o u t w a r d appearance of simplicity that you’ll appreciate. For example,
there are a variety of custom adjustments available to the user of the Sonata A l l e g r o
p r e a m p l i f i e r, but the front panel isn’t cluttered with them. Instead, they’re hidden from sight
behind the dark acrylic faceplate. You’ll only know they’re there by calling them up—
either by the remote or from the front panel— at which time a menu will appear in red
lettering behind the jet-black face; adjustments include level matching for each input, a
default start-up level, and a maximum level so that a miscue doesn’t blow up your speakers.
I was impressed. Just as the physical design reveals layers of well-thought-out detail, so does
the user interface. There just always seems to be more to discover about these components.
Before I describe the sound, here are the rest of the nuts’n’bolts. Both the Antileon Signature
Stereo and Sonata Allegro share a number of design characteristics, such as fully discrete,
pure-class-A, dual-mono, fully balanced circuitry. The dual-mono aspect of the design of
each component is taken to the practical extreme—there are two detachable power cords
and two power switches for both the preamp and amp. The Antileon Signature Stereo is
said to use “zero global feedback,” while the Sonata Allegro eschews “negative feedback.”
Both components have massive capacitor banks for their respective functions. The amplifier
sports twin-tiered banks totaling 440,000 microfarads, while the preamp counters with
33,000 of its own. Internal wiring is kept to an absolute minimum in both units, and where
it is needed Gryphon’s own Guideline Reference gold-embedded silver wire is used.
The Antileon Signature Stereo’s mammoth weight is partly due to the custom-designed
1500W transformers that are potted in epoxy and mounted inside their own shielded
compartment. The Sonata Allegro utilizes custom-made C-core transformers— one for
each channel—each mounted in a separate chassis. The 150Wpc Antileon Signature has
balanced inputs only, but Gryphon does supply a set of high-quality RCA-to-XLR adapters.
Two sets of rugged gold-plated binding posts of Gryphon’s own design are provided for
biwiring. The Sonata Allegro has four balanced XLR and two single-ended RCA inputs
and two balanced and one single-ended output. The multiple outputs make powering
subwoofers and/or multiple amplifiers a snap. The Sonata Allegro, according to the design
brief included with the unit, even has its very own power-line conditioning and voltage
regulation.
Finally, a word about the build quality: outstanding. I have long admired companies that
go above and beyond to deliver a product that is constructed with greater care than most.
It’s one aspect of my Wilson Audio loudspeakers that is obvious before you even hear
them. The Gryphon separates are similarly impressive. Every chassis component is fitted
to the next with precision, while each piece is machined with excruciatingly tight tolerances.
Sheer perfection. Onlookers in your listening room might question why you paid so much
for a Gryphon component, but they won’t question that what they’re looking at is top-shelf
stuff. During the audition period even casual observers in my home commented on the
incredible aesthetic design of the Gryphon gear.
But all of these details would be for naught if it weren’t for the equally impressive sound.
Once the Gryphon Audio Designs tandem was powering and controlling my system, the
sonic attributes of the components revealed themselves in much the same way as the
physical and ergonomic design elements—in stages. The first impression was predictable.
I expect big solid-state electronics to have lots of drive, deep bass, and an immensely
dynamic presentation. The Gryphons displayed all of these characteristics with a confident,
straightforward character, easily meeting my initial high expectations.
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P. 3
GRYPHON AUDIO DESIGNS
Antileon Signature Stereo
Amplifier & Sonata Allegro
Preamplifier
One of my recent musical references, Mickey Hart and the Kodo
drummers performing “Daraijin” from Mondo Head [SACD, Sony/
Red Ink 56111], provides ample opportunity for electronics to fall apart
or shine, especially when driving large speakers capable of deep,
impactful bass and crisp transient snap. The Wilson Alexandria X-2s
were kept under tight-fisted control on this track, starting and stopping
with agility. The deep bass whacks were centered and visceral, and
as physically experienced as I’ve heard over TWBAS. The musical
presentation sounded confident and fully rendered as the bass
rolled through my room in waves—it was clear that lots of refined
power was on tap. This also resulted in a completely stable and
refined soundstage.
“It is the
completeness
of their
p e rf o r m a n c e
that leads to
the magic
of their sound. ”
However, running through some favorite discs, I discovered there
was much more to the Gryphon presentation than what is typically
expected with expensive solid-state electronics. There was a tonally
rich presence; a full palette of colors was available to make the music
sound real, in this case just the opposite of washed out and thin.
Listen to Siberian-born Konstantin Scherbakov performing Rachmoninov’s Piano Concertos
No.2 and No.3 [DVD-Audio, Naxos 5.110013] with the Russian State Symphony Orchestra
and you might wonder just what type of amplifying component you’re hearing; the positive
characteristics that are typically attributed to tube electronics simply ooze from these
bipolar beasts. Piano had appropriate weight and body, the studio acoustic was delivered
with dimensional accuracy, and scale was not a problem. It was almost as if I were
biamping my speakers with a solid-state behemoth on the bass end and a tonally pleasing
tube amp up top. Such was the best-of-both-worlds sound I was experiencing.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Gryphon Audio Designs combo was the palpable
yet huge soundstage that developed in my room. The Wilson X-2 Alexandrias are, in my
experience, without peer in their ability to cast a soundstage that’s as believable as I can
imagine. The Gryphon separates were able to exploit this capability fully, even beyond
what I’d heard with previous amplifiers. Images were locked in place from wall to wall,
though not possessed with razor-sharp edges; instead they were more lifelike than hi-fi,
being full of body and dimensionally accurate at the same time. A fine example of this
characteristic could be heard when playing back Holst’s The Planets as performed by the
Royal Scottish National Orchestra (SACD [Naxos 6.110004]). The r e a l n e s s factor was
incredibly high on “Mars, the Bringer of Wa r,” and as it must have sounded when originally
recorded in the City Halls of Glasgow, Scotland.
Finally I must say that, although it’s hard to objectively quantify, the elusive emotional
connection with some of my favorite tunes grew by important margins. Eva Cassidy’s
soulful performance of Sting’s “Field’s of Gold” (Live at Blues Alley [Blix Street 10046])
is heart-wrenching over any system, but it reached new depths of emotion as played
through the Gryphon electronics. It was the clincher, the point at which I knew I was hearing
audio electronics that bettered anything I had previously heard.
Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
In many ways the Antileon Signature Stereo/Sonata Allegro duo combines the most-soughtafter
qualities of the best electronics I’ve heard: the extension and control of the Halcro
dm68 along with the purity of tone and natural presentation of the Lamm M1.2 Reference
amps. It’s not that they walk a fine line between those two extremes of design, but rather
tread both sides of the line seemingly at the same time. Perhaps the Gryphon separates
are not quite as tomb-like quiet as the Halcros, and I could argue that the Lamms’ m u s i c al
cohesiveness is second to none in my experience, but the Gryphon combo put together
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P. 4
GRYPHON AUDIO DESIGNS
Antileon Signature Stereo
Amplifier & Sonata Allegro
Preamplifier
Gryphon Audio Designs
Industrivej 9
8680 Ry
Denmark
Phone: (45) 86891200
Fax: (45) 86891277
E-mail: sales@gryphon-audio.dk
Website: www.gryphon-audio.dk
a set of strengths that I once thought were diametrically opposed. It is the completeness
of their performance that leads to the magic of their sound.
Which leaves the inevitable question— what is best? At this exalted level, there are no
losers. For The Wo r l d ’s Best Audio System I’m only seeking out gear that holds the highest
promise, so therefore I could argue that a number of electronics that I’ve heard could be
called b e s t. In the right system and to a particular listener, any of them could come out on
top. But to leave it at that would be taking the easy way out.
So perhaps the better question is this: If I had to quit auditioning amplifiers and preamplifiers
today and keep one stereo setup for the duration of my days, which eletronics would I choose
out of all those I’ve heard? The Gryphon Audio Antileon Signature Stereo amp and Sonata
Allegro preamp, without a second thought. They’re the desert-island pairing I’d most like
to be stranded with. And if that happens, don’t come find me anytime soon.
...Jeff Fritz
jeff@ultraaudio.com
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