On the other hand, the Dos Locos cannot equal the Steelhead's musical ease and…
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How does the Dos Locos compare to the Manley Steelhead I've been using so happily for the past several years? To start with, the comparably priced Dos Locos creates a greater impression of transparency and resolves a ridiculous amount of information, particularly with ultrahigh-definition cartridges like the My Sonic Lab. It reproduces bass with extension, heft, and grip that the hybrid Steelhead can't quite match. And it is marginally quieter, though both units are extraordinarily good at controlling noise.
In midsummer 2022, I reviewed the German-made Clearaudio Reference Jubilee turntable, a $30,000 vinyl virtuoso that played music with clear-headed realism, brain-opening transparency, and lifelike speed and dynamics. Its performance was nothing short of exhilarating. It was one of the top three turntables I had ever laid my ears upon.
Of the Reference Jubilee I opined, "The Reference Jubilee's sound combined vivid detail retrieval, forceful dynamics, a delicate, refined top end, and a translucent midrange. [It] combined staggering detail, energy, and forward-flow allied to a 3D stage that…
Setup
The Signature's low weight made for a simple setup on a newly acquired Pangea rack. While my oft-used Kuzma Platis 54 platform worked well for heavier turntables, AV RoomService Ltd.'s Equipment Vibration Protectors (EVP) proved a better match under the Signature's three feet, offering adequate isolation and a more grounded sound. I didn't use the turntable's adjustable feet; they didn't extend sufficiently to deal with the off-pitch floors of my 100-year-old building.
Fine-tuning the tonearm was a straightforward affair. VTA was adjusted by manipulating a recessed grub…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Two-speed, belt-drive turntable available with 9" Clearaudio Tracer Black Carbon Fiber or 9" Clearaudio Signature Black Carbon Fiber tonearms, and external Clearaudio 12V Professional Power Supply. Chassis: medium-density wood fiber (silver/black) or pressure-formed solid wood (wood/dark wood). Top plate: high-tech, satined plastic compound. Bottom plate: medium-density wood fiber. Platter: 1.18" (30mm), 5lb platter made of high-density synthetic material; CNC-machined aluminum subplatter. Motor: 12V DC coreless motor suspended by rubber O-rings.…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog sources: Denon DL-103o, Hana Umami Blue, Ortofon MC Quintet Mono phono cartridges.
Preamplifiers: Rogue Audio RP-7 (line); Tavish Audio Design Adagio, Manley Chinook (phono).
Integrated amplifier: Riviera Labs Levante.
Power amplifier: Rogue Audio Stereo 100.
Loudspeakers: Volti Audio Razz, Voxativ Ampeggio.
Cables: Interconnects: Agent Pur, AudioQuest Pegasus, Triode Wire Labs Spirit II (all RCA). Speaker: Auditorium 23. AC: AudioQuest NRG Z, Triode Wire Labs Obsession NCF.
Accessories: Pro-Ject VC-S2 ALU, Humminguru…
What's in a name? Denmark-based Gryphon Audio Designs laid down a marker when company founder Flemming Rasmussen chose that name in 1985. Browsing through the current Stereophile Recommended Components list, I only found one other manufacturer that utilizes an animal moniker. The imagery summoned by the use of the mythical treasure-guarding Gryphon seems appropriate; a hybrid creature combining features of the eagle and the lion, creatures of strength and speed—this choice underlines some of the aesthetics and performance Gryphon Audio has become known for. The handsome hardcover user's…
When Anthony Chiarella delivered my review sample, we discussed class mobility, among other topics. Anthony pointed out that "The Diablo 333 integrated amplifier is biased to run >10W pure class-A. The old Diablo 300 is only running 5–6W pure class-A. Ideally, Gryphon wanted to achieve the same sonic characteristics as the Apex, by using Toshiba output transistors." A 5W difference may not sound like much, but it actually indeed does sound like much; music reproduction doesn't run that many peak watts over time—sonic quality of those "first watts" makes a lot of difference.
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Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Solid state, class-AB, stereo integrated amplifier. Analog inputs: 2 pairs balanced (XLR), 2 pairs unbalanced (RCA), 1 fixed-level A/V input, USB 2.0 firmware update socket. Outputs: 2 pairs custom gold-plated binding posts, 2 pairs unbalanced (RCA). Controls: 4.3" touchscreen, remote control. Output power: 333Wpc into 8 ohms (25.2dBW), 666Wpc into 4 ohms (25.2dBW), 1100Wpc into 2 ohms (24.6dBW). Input impedance, balanced (20Hz– 20kHz): 50k ohms. Input impedance, single-ended (20Hz–20kHz): 30k ohms. Output impedance: 0.015 ohms. Voltage gain: 38dB.…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog sources: Lyra Etna λ Lambda cartridge, Ortofon Cadenza Bronze cartridge, Pro-Ject Classic EVO turntable, Sumiko Amethyst cartridge, VPI HW-40 turntable with VPI 12" Fatboy tonearm.
Digital sources: Apple MacBook Air running Tidal, Roon, Qobuz; Bricasti M1 Series II D/A processor; Musical Fidelity M1 CDT transport; Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 T.
Preamplifiers: McIntosh C12000, McIntosh MA252 integrated amplifier (used as a preamplifier).
Power amplifiers: McIntosh MC462 Quad Balanced stereo amplifier, McIntosh MA252 integrated amplifier (used as a…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
Typically, though not exclusively, amplifiers employing reduced levels of corrective feedback may also exhibit some thermal drift, a "feature" more common still when the amplifier is also generously- biased. Gryphon's very substantial Diablo 333 is a case in point as distortion (1kHz/10W) gradually reduces from approximately 0.07% immediately after switch on to a…