I'm Baaaaaack.........From Suncoast Audio Sarasota

Congratulations. I have not heard that specific Gryphon product but the ones I have heard were very impressive. You should be pleased with your purchase.

As others have noted it helps when you have a dealer who offers several options and makes them easy to audition.
 
Congratulations are in order, great choice? [emoji1635]

You really cannot go wrong with the Diablo 300, such a great amp.

It’s difficult to imagine a better place to make such a choice than Suncoast Audio. Mike has a very impressive range of gear and speakers on demo.


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bluegrassphile said:
Well wouldn't you know it? It's been confirmed.....I'll give ya a hint..... I'm a chocoholic!! :congrats:I thought I already knew that. But, auditioning a certain amp just confirmed it.

After spending about 5-6 hours listening and listening and listening and listening and auditioning amps at Mike Bovaird's excellent high end audio store (Suncoast Audio)...and we have a winner! We started about 9:00 AM and finished around 3:30 PM. Can't remember the name of the restaurant, but for lunch, Mike took me to eat at a quaint little sea food place and fed me a blackened scallops salad. It was delicious +++++.

Back to the store for more auditions. After auditioning pretty much all the integrated amps in the store and making a final decision on my amp, Mike took me to the $500,000+ (maybe even $1,000,000) room and played a $200,000 Constellation/Magico M3 system and an awesome beyond description, $200,000+ MBL system.

So, can you tell which amp I decided on, based on my hint? This should be easy for most guys here. The first AudioShark to guess the amp gets lunch at the same restaurant Mike took me to. And the meal is on Mike B, Mike M, and Joe ("joeinid") LOL!!! The only catch is you have to go to the Florida audio show in order to collect your reward.

Yes, I got to meet the infamous Joe over Mike's cell phone. Great guy and a very bad influence on me. :rolleyes: Joe probably knew what amp I was going to decide on before I decided. Joe, it was sooooooo much fun meeting and talking to you on Mike's phone Saturday. One mistake I've made during my amp search is not talking with you more about how to make such decisions. But once I had a chance to thoroughly audition all the amps I wanted to listen to, one amp kept tugging on my "ear strings".

OK, so I was just kidding about having to wait until the Florida audio show to know my choice. Although you do have the opportunity to hit Mike or Joe up for a meal.

I know most of you probably couldn't care less about my choice. In that case you can move along, nothing to see here.

But for those who genuinely want to know.....drum roll please.....and the winner is................the Bose Lifestyle..............OK, OK, just joshin' ya. BTW, I used to own one of those in the '90s. Yes, the truth slips out! Don't tell anyone I said that. But that's a whole other thread.....that no one will want to read. Sort of like this one. :D

Oh, yeah, the audition.....and the winner is (another drum roll).....The Gryphon Diablo 300!!!!!!!! Cricket noise, cricket noise, cricket noise. Uh.....the Gryphon Diablo 300!!!!!!! Anybody out there?

Seriously, I am so grateful to both Mikes and to Joe for all their help. Mike Bovaird in particular. He was sooooooooo patient and helpful. I can't say enough great things about Mike. Such a good guy and dead honest. I'm so pumped about my choice.

Yes, it was incredibly fun. But it was not an easy task. The ice cream flavors analogy holds very true here. They were ALL delicious. But, chocoholic that I am, I kept coming back to that creamy, chocolate, sound of the Gryphon D300. I've seen that term used before to describe the D300. Mike even stated he's seen those terms used to describe the D300. But I would use those terms sparingly as the vocals, the mids, upper mids, and top end are actually very open sounding and somewhat air-y to my ears. Not what my ears would call dark or chocolate-y. Just very balanced.

And the bass/bottom end are just so nice and tight and clean and focused...also just the right amount of bass. To my ears the top end is perfect...not too rolled off, not too dark, not too bright.

There just are not enough superlatives to describe the D300. Mike will tell you I came back to the D300 every time after auditioning each of the other amps. There is just something about the D300 that really pleases my ears. Great, huge, sound staging, big dynamic range, very accurate, reproduces everything you want to hear and nothing you don't. Did I say very balanced? I don't know what else to say about it.

We auditioned the following integrated amps using the same speakers I have at home (Harbeth Super HL 5+ 40th Anniversary Models):

Simaudio 340xi, Naim Supernait 3, VAC 170i, Luxman 509x, Hegel H390, Pass Labs int 60, and Gryphon D300. Pretty impressive line up. I now understand what an audiophile is saying when after he auditions several amps, he says he could be totally satisfied with any one of them. That was my situation last Saturday. I can, with complete confidence, say I could be very, very, happy with any one of the amps that I listened to. It was extremely difficult to narrow my choice down to just one amp after auditioning all those incredible sounding precision instruments. We were careful to match volume levels and we used the same room for all amps.

We also auditioned some of the finest DACs and streaming gear money can buy. I'm looking at MSB and Lumin T2 DAC/streamers for the D300. My ears like the MSB slightly, and I mean slightly, better than the D300 internal DAC. The difference between the MSB and Gryphon's internal DAC are very subtle but they are there.

Well, there ya have it. My personal pick of some extremely great sounding integrated amps. But this was not a runaway pick. As you might expect there was another amp, in particular, that really surprised me and made my choice that much more difficult. It sort of sneaked up on me because I didn't think I'd be that interested in it. I was much more interested in it's big brother.

But, was I in for a surprise? The int 60 blew my socks off. Not sure what I was expecting but that amp just really surprised me. Very smooth and, like the D300, very well balanced. Like the D300, it had superb sound staging, dynamics, and balance. I was simply caught off guard with the int 60 and how good it sounded. Like the D300, it was all these things but in a different way...a different flavor. So, if for what ever reason you can't have a D300...maybe because your budget won't allow it, maybe it's just not your flavor. Whatever your reason. Check out the int 60. It will make you smile...big. I highly recommend it. And then there was the NAIM Supernait 3. Huge, open sound. Forget it's "only 80 watts." It's irrelevant. And, there's the VAC. Extremely clean and very discrete across the entire sound stage. I would like to audition the VAC after 30 to 45 minutes of tube warm up. Same with all the amps really. The Simaudio 340ix was surprisingly similar to the VAC even though it was a SS vs tubes comparison. The Luxman 509x is a very "safe" amp. It has just about the right amount of everything. It's an amp that might appeal to the widest population of listeners. Wonderfully built and great sounding. If you're concerned about resale this might be the amp to consider.

The Gryphon Diablo 300. It just checked ALL the boxes and it elicited the most consistent, most positive response to my ears. So sweet sounding all across the frequency spectrum with just the right amount of everything for my ears. I just couldn't be happier with my choice. Thanks once again, Mike. This whole experience will be a lifetime memory. And I don't want to wish my life away, but come on January, LOL!!


Tom
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Still catching up on AS. Is this one of the greatest posts?
 
Shadowfax said:
How was the Luxman?
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Like all the other amps, I could be very happy with the Luxman. To me it was kind of a middle of the road sound. No real weaknesses that I could detect. Very neutral, accurate, and clean. Good sound staging but maybe not as wide or deep as some. The build quality was as good as it gets. Over all I liked it but it didn't reach out and grab me like the Gryphon or int 60 or Supernait 3. BTW, I also really liked the SN3. The Hegel H390 was kind of like the 509x on steroids. And I mean that in a very good way. It almost sounds like I didn't like the Luxman but I really did. It just is a little more laid back than some of the other amps. The VAC struck me somewhat similarly, but what a beautiful sounding piece. I just hope we did the VAC justice. You really need to get those tubes cookin' to really appreciate it. But it sounded superb.

I think to be fair, a caveat.....we did allow all the amps to warm up before auditioning, but definitely not as much as we should. The reason being time restrictions. It already took the better part of a full "work day" to audition and assess all these amps. So we had to sacrifice some warm up time for auditioning time. We could actually hear the amps sound improve as they warmed up. By the time the amps were cooking, 20 to 30 minutes, we had to go on to the next amp. However, we did go back and audition them again. Some of the amps were auditioned 3 times as we started the narrowing down process. Then once more for all the amps before making the final cuts. Now that some time has passed I'm very confident in my final choice...the D300.

But if I had the means I'd own at least one of every single amp I auditioned. Those amps were ALL that good. Not a dud in the whole bunch. My respect and admiration goes out to the amp designers and builders. They pour their hearts and minds into what they do and the competition is very fierce. Sincere thanks to them all for their sacrifices and for giving us such incredible choices. And the same thanks to the dealers on the front lines of the audio wars. Now if I could just add that Pass int 60 to my collection.....??? And, maybe the SN3. Oh yeah, and that gorgeous VAC.....and.....
 
Congratulations Tom! It's outstanding that you found the right match for your ears. Good times ahead....[emoji3]

Love your comments and story above!
 
What a fabulous story. And a great testament to the tremendous value in having a wonderful dealer like Mike guide you through the process and assist you in finding your dream amp. Congrats to you and to Mike for being such a caring and astute dealer and aficionado! Congrats on your Diablo 300. I hope you have many happy years of soulful listening!!!
 
bluegrassphile said:
I am going to have to make a final decision on a DAC. The MSB and internal D300 DAC both sound awesome. I have a very slight preference for the MSB. Not sure if I can swing it or not. If not, it'll be between the D300 internal DAC or maybe the Lumin T2. I really want the MSB. I'll just have to see how everything shakes out financially on paper, then decide whether I can afford the MSB.
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Not having heard Diablo internal DAC, if you could swing it, MSB is a sure bet for long term satisfaction. Especially since you’ll be getting Nucleus, MSB ethernet connection + Roon subscription + a Gagafoil should put you over in the cloud.
 
Agree 100% with everything you said. That MSB sounded soooooooo sweet. The Diablo internal DAC sounded very, very, good. The MSB sounded very, very, very, good. Very subtle differences between the two. Some might even prefer the D300 internal DAC. To my ears, the MSB DAC added just a slight touch more meat and fullness...all in just the right places. However, if you walk into a room with the D300 (with internal DAC) playing and you don't have another D300 with an MSB playing You'll LOVE the D300 with internal DAC. I guarantee it. The MSB and internal DAC are that close.
 
BTW, now that my feeble memory is working a little better after a hectic weekend of travel and auditioning amps, I want to make some comments on the NAIM Supernait 3 and the other amps. The SN3 was just as sweet sounding as the int 60. And if you only considered the robustness and BIG sound of the SN3 it could very easily rival the Pass int 60 for a very close second place to the Gryphon D300.

If a person had to trim the budget a little and couldn't afford the D300, choosing between the int 60 and SN3 would not be easy. They're different sounding amps for sure, the int 60 having that class A sweetness with a little butter and the SN3 being a little more open sounding with a tight, controlled bass. As mentioned earlier, the SN3 has a big, robust sound.

Then there's that Hegel H390 little beast and little brother to the H590. It sure as heck doesn't sound little. I've not heard the H590 but Mike stated they're very similar sounding and the H590 has a slight bit more control in the lower bass and has a tight, polished, sonic personality. Just a little more boisterous personality than, say, the Luxman 509x. Good bass control and strong mids. Great sounding amp.

I kind of wish I had a little more time with the VAC, to allow the tubes a little more warm up time. It sounded better with as each minute that passed but we were starting to run out of time. We did get to audition it twice. Very clear, clean, open, and accurate. The bass was very well controlled and focused. But, for my personal taste, I would like to have slightly more bass. Not a lot. Just a little more. In retrospect, that's why I would like to have warmed the tubes for maybe 45 minutes before auditioning. But I was so excited just to be there I wanted to sample all the candy in one gulp, LOL!!

Back to the Gryphon, back to the Gryphon, back to the Gryphon... That's why I'm confident of my choice. I kept choosing the Gryphon. Kept coming back. The choice to my ears was clear.

It was so clear I knew I had to somehow make room in my budget. I've already purchased my speakers, cables, connects, and shelves. I thought I'd be budgeting just a little more for the second phase of my investment (amp, DAC, and streaming gear) vs the first phase. Turns out I'll be budgeting quite a bit more for the second and final phase. But that's OK. I've come to realize this is a long term investment. My pension will take a little more of a hit. But at least I won't be wondering "what if"? That's my rationalization anyway, LOL!! Now if there is anyone that wants to make a combined Christmas/birthday contribution...??? :congrats:
 
bluegrassphile said:
...Turns out I'll be budgeting quite a bit more for the second and final phase. But that's OK. I've come to realize this is a long term investment...
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well, it is an investment... but an investment in the enjoyment of your time on this planet and in consuming mankind's greatest contribution to itself -- art.

i, at least, am not expecting a financial return... but then i think we all know that by now! ;):D
 
Mike must have known you wouldn't go for the tubes otherwise I'm sure he would have turned it on at 9:00 when you got there to allow it to properly warm up.
 
walesi said:
What a GREAT writeup! And congrats! Having had the Diablo 300 for more than a year now, I too could not be happier with it. And yes, the internal DAC is very, very good. I will be validating that against the MSB Premier soon :)
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That will be an interesting comparison. Please keep us in the loop.


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aKnyght said:
well, it is an investment... but an investment in the enjoyment of your time on this planet and in consuming mankind's greatest contribution to itself -- art.

i, at least, am not expecting a financial return... but then i think we all know that by now! ;):D
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Yup, I agree. But if there was ever a need to get rid of anything some of the amps I auditioned would likely be easier to sell than others. However, that thought wasn't even a factor for me. Completely irrelevant. My top priority was sonic quality based on what my ears liked. Build quality was second in priority. But resale wasn't a consideration for me. Maybe it will be in the future. But it wasn't a factor in my decision.
 
I read this venture into the rabbit hole, I was so very happy to read your progress through the days descriptive... ohhh, the memories. Congrats on your choices & the tones of your quest because we all hear things differently & your preferences are definitely relatable . First time I heard Gryphon was an int. 300 with Summit X speakers that I bought after that.
The only way you can fast forward & land on your feet & feel the love is from an audio dealer like Mike that has some very terrific gear & is able to let you hear it all in the same day. No matter where in the world you are, that is very special for anyone's audio journey to experience what you did in that time.
It is neat to read your post & experience as the memories that you will one day look back on in the same tense as your post has triggered those memories for some of us here & now, to back when we decided to allocate more funds to our hobby/love. Good for you for following your ears. Congrats & enjoy
 
Thank you, sharkmouth, and everyone else for all the kind words. This has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life...learning about and taking on a whole new hobby at almost 70 years old. But it goes right along with my lifetime hobby/profession as a musician. A natural fit. Now I need to be just a little more patient and another dream will soon come true.
 
UltraFast69 said:
Love the excitement, so what’s the entire setup now?


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Hey, UltraFast69!! Sorry I'm about a week late responding to your post. My set up as of early January will be the D300 and Lumin T2 streamer/DAC, a Roon Nucleus, and my Harbeth Super HL 5+ 40th Anniversary Model speakers. Fairly simple and straight forward. Someday I'd really like to have an MSB ADC V streamer/DAC. But that's about it.
 
That’ll be wonderful Tom.

While I had fun swapping gear and playing around, I did waste some money. I’ve had several systems (gear combos) that in hindsight I truly loved. But for some grass is greener ideal and some audiophile angst, blew up my system only to regret it now.

I’m excited to see that you are making well informed and targeted decisions. Smart. We should never lose sight of the fact that it’s the music that brings us joy, not the gear swapping or shiny new boxes.

Thank you so much for bringing new excitement to the forum.
 
bluegrassphile said:
Thank you, sharkmouth, and everyone else for all the kind words. This has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life...learning about and taking on a whole new hobby at almost 70 years old. But it goes right along with my lifetime hobby/profession as a musician. A natural fit. Now I need to be just a little more patient and another dream will soon come true.
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Way to go Tom, never too late. Was a good idea to go check out a number of equally capable sets with different flavors at Mike’s. That way you are making a well informed decision.


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