Munich HIGH END Show Report 2017
Gryphon Audio Delivers Great Sound @ HIGH END 2017
High End Society Munich Germany
HIGH END 2017 Show Report By Steven R. Rochlin

  If there is one thing i can always depend on at HIGH END, it is that Gryphon Audio will once again bring truly incredible sound. Like many companies, they also have a new turntable (sourced from a leading turntable manufacturer). Gryphon Audio had their Kodo speakers as featured last year, and this year it was mated to the company's Coliseum amplifier. It is great to sit through their very enjoyable 30 minute demo. Generally speaking, there is never enough time at shows for such demos, yet when we're talking Gryphon Audio one makes the time available.

Since was was early in the show and i just spent the past 12 hours in two airplanes, it also gives my ears a chance to calibrate as i know these speakers, and Gryphon Audio products, fairly well. What amazes me is the resolution! It is so good that it was very obvious to hear the limitations of 16-bit/44.1kHz CD as opposed to true Hi-Res Music files. Have been feeding my ears Hi-Res Audio nearly exclusively for quite some time so going back to CD seemed like a throwback. Sue it is better than mp3, yet since the CD is decades old tech there is so much better available within today's music landscape.

Fortunately, Gryphon Audio also played a vinyl LP and while I still hear this legacy format's limitations, it was a very nice analog experience. Hopefully the new vinyl format being worked on will make it into the marketplace and thus increase overall dynamic and resolution capabilities of the vinyl LP. According to Gryphon Audio Designs concerning their new Sonett phono stage, "The LP holds a very special place in our hearts here at Gryphon, having been the inspiration for our very first product, the now legendary Gryphon head amp. The LP remains the finest high fidelity medium ever offered for home use with a catalogue of titles..." Their new phono stage draws inspiration from the company's Legato Legacy phono stage yet at a more affordable pricing.

Their Koto Reference Standard loudspeaker system's four-tower response is true wideband from 16Hz to 25kHz and has a separate active crossover network for each channel isolated within the bass tower. There's remote control for Q setting, Bass Level and Low Cut. A grand total of 38 customized drivers, with special attention to reduce edge reflections, seeks to deliver the very best sound quality possible. This symmetrical vertical driver array is also one of my fave setups as it presents a near point-source presentation.

Bottom line is that Gryphon Audio gear delivers the highest of sound quality in every respect. Build quality is among the very best too! During the listening session my note say deep soundscape, fast transients, and resolution so good that, as previously mentioned, you can hear the limitations of the music format being listened to. In hindsight, or should that be hindsound, Gryphon Audio gear produces world-class sound quality. Have said it before and will say it again, when i hot the lotto or IPO, they will be getting a call from Yours Truly for a complete system since our new, and quite large, home can easily handle the Koto speakers size. In fact our immense livingroom needs speakers this large as my vintage/modded six foot high speakers are being swallowed up by the incredibly room(!) they're in.

Anyone have the winning numbers to next week's lotto jackpot?

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