iFi xDSD Gryphon Review
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- Опубліковано 24 лип 2024
- Today we look at the recently released xDSD Gryphon from iFi. It's certainly a fantastic beast and you know where to find it: bloomaudio.com/products/ifi-x...
0:00 Start
1:03 Build, Design, and Packaging
1:41 Front Panel Functions
2:34 Gryphon Configuration
4:26 Back Panel Functions
6:03 Packaging and Accessories
8:01 Gryphon's Sound
9:05 XBass+
11:33 XSpace
13:11 DAC Filters
14:12 Power and Performance
15:04 Over-Ear Headphones
16:23 IEM Performance
18:04 Final Thoughts
In preparation for this review, we tested a number of different headphones with the xDSD Gryphon, including:
64 Audio Duo
Audeze LCD-X/LCD-XC
Audio-Technica ATH-AWAS
Audio-Technica WP900
Campfire Audio Andromeda
Campfire Audio Cascade
Dan Clark Aeon 2 Noire
HIFIMAN Ananda
HIFIMAN Arya
Focal Celestee
Focal Utopia
Kinera Nanna
Kinera Norn
Meze 99 Classics
Meze Elite
Noble Tux 5
#iFiAudio #Gryphon #Review #DAC #HeadphoneAmp #PortableAudio - Наука та технологія
Thank you for this detailed review. You actually reviewed the product unlike most other channels just list the specs. Keep up the good work and make more like this one.
Did not know there was an option to drive data+power through single port. That's more convenient when using on desktop. Great review!! Thanks.
Excellent review - much more thoughtful and insightful than most others out there.
I’ve had the Gryphon for more than a year now and I found your review to be 100% spot on. A review well done. Thank you..!
Hi so you don't think the Gryphon does a warm presentation of the sound? thanks
@@Amadis37 Hi there. I think the Gryphon is on the warm neutral side of things. A nice presentation.
Thanks for awnsering, So I just bought a focal celestee and absolutely love it on my pc's dac(funny but well, it sound was spacious, alive and natural, not congested at all with a nice alive bass presentation it just felt like from bass to highs sound was very even in timbre if it make sense overall very natural ) and just bought an RU7 dongle by cayin to take them outside, and was VERY disapointed. I lost sense of soundstage, imaging was worse, sound was feeling congested over all, sibilence in mid/highs, and lack of bass, overall very unnatural presentation. Do you recognize some of the qualities I heard on my pc's with the griffon? I am musician too by the way :) @@fiddlix
What about chord mojo 2 they have same price. Which is the best?😅😊
@@christopherna1961 I don’t own the Chord Mojo 2….sorry.
There is a firmware update v 1.22 available. Tnis corrected the issue with the volume on 'tidal. This is truly an incredible little unit.Best sounding bluetooth dac/amp I have ever heard.
There should be truth to these because it won't make your headphones wired it will make them wireless but better than wireless more power and high enough overcompensating for decent near lossless sound quality meaning this is a external Bluetooth DAC amplifier better than Sony's DAC amplifier in there own headphones but Sony will never drop a 32bit DAC in there headphones so I don't know it will be way better closer to wired than ever before seen in Bluetooth history
Nice review as always👌
What about connecting a dap to a stereo system to test it differently?
I have an SE100 Astell&Kern and after a couple of weeks I decided to connect it to my sterio just for fun but then I was surprised about the soundquality in a very positive way. It sounded as good as my 6k $ cd player. Ok it's 8 years old but anyway I was really surprised. Since then I mostly listen with the SE100 combi (backes & müller active loudspeaker) using the AK connect app on my phone to play all the stored cds on it. The dap is connected via xlr cables to the pre amplifier to take advantage of best quality transmission.
It is astonishing what these daps tody are capable of. If I connect a cheaper dap like an astell&kern ak70II you heare much more of a difference then comparing to in ears (campfire andromeda gold).
Best greetings from Switzerland, Zurich
Z-reviews mention the Gryphon support optical input and output is that true cause i can't seem to find that info in the manual. thanks
This was great thanks! My Hip-Dac just fried so looking...
Thanks! Sorry about the hip-dac too (is it still potentially under warranty?). The Gryphon is definitely a solid step up if you like the idea of moving towards a more neutral sound signature.
what dacs beats it under 1k? i'm looking for dacs mostly.. but burrbrown sound is interesting and the battery.. but i'm looking for optimal SQ..
is this worth getting for the moondrop variations? or is the xcan or ifi dongle a better choice?
I had the exact same feeling with IEMatch on my iDSD Signature. Drove me crazy A/B'ing it On and Off... I think it's the dynamics that takes a small hit with IEMatch.
@@alexanderchechelnitskiy I tried Gryphon and noticed the same issue with it's IEMatch. Unfortunately, unlike the Signature, Gryphon has a fair amount of noise (with IEMs) from Balanced Out and I'm forced to use IEMatch on this device.
Hey, I've BTR5 2021 and does the gryphon sound 3x better?
Hello...
Thanks for the review.
Do you think the Gryphon would make a good match with the Hifiman Edition XS?
I haven't had a chance to test that combo yet, but I would imagine it would be good if you're looking for a very clean, neutral delivery.
@@BloomAudio Thanks!!
Great review ordered based on your balanced approach to the product they will arrive with the Arya stealth I am praying they have the juice to power the big ass planar.
Update: incredible amp dac as some one who has had so many high end amp and dacs and too many headphones to count I have to say this little beast is probably my favorite audio product ever. Enough power for everything i own and sound and features are 10/10. By the way the hifiman Arya is something special in its own right.
Sold the hifiman arya v3 stealth (incredible) and placed possibly the first pre order in the USA for the Arya organic and I say this because some nice people at a popular website took my order before anyone had even listed it online😅.
Thanks! If it's feeling just a little underpowered with Arya, balanced can make a big difference. We have some 4.4mm balanced cables that will work, or you get this one for like $40: www.amazon.com/NewFantasia-Balanced-Connector-Compatible-Headphones/dp/B08DKJ9YQ7
I have two Hifiman planar headphones now: I can tell you that you really get the best possible performance out of them with as high power an amp as you can
afford or use. Portable is fine, desktop or home type amp is better (1 watt to say, 25 to 50 watts), or a receiver. The planars eat tons of power, the one thing
I hate about them, honestly. That being said, my newer XCan IFI amp drives them fine, just need a bit more cranking of the volume for the planars. I would
think the Gryphon should give even more power for planars, though.
nice review! I just bought the Meze 99 classic and am using it with IFI go blue and love the Xbass on the go blue. So you are saying that the Gryphon doesn't have the same low thick bass boost as the Go blue has? I love a very warm thick sound with substantial low frequencies personally.
I think the Gryphon pairs well with the 99 Classics, but it doesn't have quite the same warm thickness at the bottom that the Go Blu, hip-dac, or micro iDSD Signature does.
@@BloomAudio thank you so much for this info! That just saved me $800. Do you have another device that you could recommend that had the same thick bass boost and warm sound?
@@gordonm6128 I don't know if I saved you $800 based on my next recommendation... :) The micro iDSD Signature is probably more what you're looking for. It far exceeds the hip-dac in terms of power and performance, and still has that lush, organic iFi sound. It doesn't have the Bluetooth or quite the same level of features as Gryphon, but the sound is one of my favorites.
@@BloomAudio ok excellent I will check that out! Keep the great reviews coming !
@@gordonm6128 I don't know if you got the Signature but having downgraded from the Signature to Gryphon, I definitely agree with the above comment. Signature is better sounding than the Gryphon. My Meze 99 Classic sounds flatter on Gryphon but much more dynamic and enjoyable on the Signature.
When I connect my Dan Clarks Aeon into the ifi Gryphon via 4.4 Balanced, I always get distortion. Whats going wrong. Also, is there any DAC / Amp better for those Headphones? Thanks
What kind of distortion are you getting? Is it only at high volumes, or is it something that always happens? Gryphon should be really good with Gryphon through the 4.4mm connection, but Dan Clark headphones can always use more power, so if you're unable to get them up to your preferred volume without distortion, you might want to look at some bigger devices like the xDuoo XD05 Pro or iFi Diablo to add some extra power.
Many thanks for your review, Which one is better xduoo 05 bal or ifi gryphon
I'd take the Gryphon, but if you prefer the Sabre DAC sound over the Burr Brown Multibit DAC, or if you prefer having adjustable gain stages instead of the iEMatch to handle high/low impedance devices, the XD-05 could be a good choice.
Hi, nice review. Whether this Gryphon will be suitable Amp for Hd6xx? My preference of sound is warmer, resolving, more bass, wider, bolder. Whether this will suit for my preference?
Hi, thanks! With the XBass on the bass boost, I think you will find this to be warmer with good bass, but still resolving with a good soundstage, so this may meet your requirements for a DAC.
Okay, thanks for your info. Will have a audition then will decide.
For desktop use with tidal masters, is it as good as topping offerings like the dx5? How do you think they compare in sound for iems?
I think the difference between the Topping DX5 and Gryphon would be more a matter of preference than strictly quality. I haven't thoroughly tested the DX5, but I can say that if you use the iEMatch Gryphon sounds great with most IEMs, but can have a little hiss without the iEMatch,. For over-ears Gryphon, surprisingly has a little bit more power.
Hey hi! I would need an advice! Do you think it would pair well with focal celestee? I love them on my pc's dac, but on for example the RU7 from cayin the soundstage and imaging became BAD, mids and high sibilent to a point you can't listen to them at high volume and the bass was shy, laidback with no dynamics or texture overall very unnatural and unpleasant presentation . (I am sending them back) I want to avoid this. Do you think the Gryphon would do the job for me ? or something else maybe? I just want a balanced sounding device with no sibilence and descent natural bass on the go. thanks for the video, keep it up!
Gryphon is a really solid choice for these. I also really like the iFi hip-dac2. I think it's a little warmer/smoother than the Gryphon, but Gryphon is more detailed and more powerful. Some of the "dongle" DACs like the RU7 sound really good, but get a little bit congested or "narrow" sounding with over-ear headphones.
For Sundara headphone would you prefer this or Diablo? I am not interested in BT. Will I miss Xbass and Xspace feature with Diablo?
I'd recommend Gryphon for Sundara. I find that HIFIMAN headphones in particular get too bright with Diablo, and Gryphon has enough power. The Xbass is nice as well, since Sundara has a notable rolloff in the subbass.
Which is the best portable unit for Sundara in your opinion. I am not interested in Bt but only in sound quality. Which one would you buy if you were me?
Hi, do you think this product will work well with the Empire Ears Odin? Or would you go for the Chord Mojo 2? Thanks
Soundwise they're both great options. I found the Gryphon a little bit more prone to hiss with IEMs than Mojo2, you can use the built-in iEMatch to counteract that, but I know a lot of folks prefer something that's going to naturally manage the impedance or sensitivity well rather than putting an attenuator into the mix.
@@BloomAudio Thank you for your response, you have been a great help 👍
What microphone are you using? I like the sound.
Thanks! It's a Blue Yeti, but in this video I've started doing some basic audio editing, particularly adding a noise gate and doing a little EQ in the upper mids to manage breath noises.
Noob question. I'm an Apple and UA-cam Music user with Sony IER-Z1R's. Would this provide a noticeable improvement over the standard USBC to Headphone adapter?
This is a topic of some debate, but most people who upgrade say there's an immediate, noticeable improvement over the stock dongle with pretty much any headphone or IEM.
Is it possible to charge the ifi while listening without problems? Then I would use it as a desktop device.
Yes, using the USB Dual Port Charge Mode there were no perceptible issues with sound quality or any performance problems with the playback.
Do we use tidal or uapp for max mqa rendering the gryphon can do?
Gryphon is an MQA Decoder, so I believe you can use that with TIDAL for the optimum MQA unfolding.
which one do you prefer ? go blu or gryphon, considering the price and sq
For my typical use, I'd probably go with Go Blu, for the price/performance, but Gryphon is definitely the superior device on a number of technical points.
I think if you're going to carry around something that weighs 7.6 Oz and cost you might as well get an LG v60, which includes a hi-fi DAC amp, can drive 600 ohms, has all the ldac functionality, but also has all the other bells and whistles of a modern flagship phone. You still have 250 to $400 in savings left over if you want to get something with the balanced cable like the qudelix 5K
This is more of a Bluetooth amplifier at this point it will improve your standard Bluetooth quality with plenty of overcompensating on the bit rates but USB C to USB C DAC amplifier will always be lossless period because it's wired connected from the from via USB C to the dac amp but since phones will eventually get rid of Sony won't be getting rid of the headphone jack on there headphones so you could throw this on it and improve LDAC sound quality via Bluetooth
Hi, I see You tested it with Ananda. I own a pair. How did they sound with Anandas? Thanks!
I really like the combo. Ananda is pretty sensitive, so Gryphon has plenty of headroom and create a good soundstage there, and the XBass in Bass mode helps bring up that bit of rolloff that Ananda has in the bass.
@@BloomAudio Thank You. Just bought Gryphon today. I like it. But with Anandas you can't listen all kind of music with that set. If you want some bassy stuff it ain't gonna work, even with bass boost on. I mean, it's listenable but not as pleasurable as maybe with some more bass oriented headphones. But for example, Hans Zimmer "Time" with this combo, I cried, like literally... Jazz, Classic, lighter rock and such sounds amazing. But metal or bass oriented music not as good. I'm speaking here strictly Gryphon+Ananda
I am in dilemma, Gryphon, Mojo 2 or chaper Go Blu
How does it compare to the ifi idsd signature?
So I still prefer the tonality of the micro iDSD Signature over the Gryphon, and it has more output power, but the Gryphon has a bit of a tighter bass, and less of a "warm" sound. I've also found that the 4.4mm balanced sounds a little bit cleaner to me on the Gryphon than on the micro iDSD Signature.
Will this sounds excellent I have had episodes where volume goes to MAXIMUM volume unprompted while using in USB. Very dangerous and unsettling.
Yes, there seems to be some kind of issue with the volume syncing between the Gryphon and the device or app. I haven't experienced it personally, but I've read some reports as well as some workarounds for the issue on headfi.
@@BloomAudio I believe that the issue is a compatibility issue with the Tidal app. I am using Tidal on my Macbook Air M1 and it happens whenever I start playing a new album or playlist. Works fine with Foobar or Apple Music. A real shame as this really is a great sounding device.
@@bookangels it's been fixed in the new firmware
I this better than Creative Sound Blaster X4?
Hi, the Sound Blaster has some features for things like 7.1 audio or mic input that Gryphon doesn't have, but purely for listening to music - especially with high end headphones, the Gryphon provides much better sound quality.
@@BloomAudio So for films tv shows music then their no need for me to buy anything else then ? I do like x4 but im not audio person lol I belive that as pc only then what about the Chord Mojo 2? Im debating if any of these will sound better than cretive x4 on pc ? MEBE SHOWDOWN VIDEO?
@@UmarAbid What matters A LOT more for sound quality is the speakers or headphones. So if you don't use good headphones then there's no point in using a device like this.
Hi! How this dac/amp will work with Audeze LCD-2C?Thanks
Hey, it's really good with the LCD-2C. If possible I'd get a balanced cable due to the impedance. I like the bass+mids boost, as it fills in some subbass and fills in some of the LCD-2C's cut in the upper mids.
This or Chord Mojo 2?
My impression from a combination of the Mojo 1 and very briefly having the Mojo 2 in my possession at CanJam is that the Mojo 2 sounds better - particularly in terms of having more lifelike mids, and stronger imaging, but that the iDSD Gryphon has the edge in the features/compatibility department.
The Mojo 2 is a dud imo. The mids on the Gryphon are better by far - lush & detailed & expansive, and the overall imaging is phenomenal. The Gryphon is the best DAC/Amp I've heard in a long time. I had a careful listen to the Mojo 2 and was disappointed by its performance, otherwise I would have purchased it, simple as that.
@@axelfoley1768 Fair enfuckingnough
@@leoyu1070 the Mojo 2 has a weird sound signature imo. It's neither this nor that, neither here nor there, it doesn't know what it wants to be, it's a confused animal. The soundstage is not as wide as the Gryphon. The midrange is slightly recessed & not as detailed as I had hoped for, the bass lacks texture, and the treble region is slightly metallic in tone. Overall black background but a hue of strange artificial warmth to it.
The Mojo 2 is not my cup of tea
I own a xdsd for 2 month I when to a shop to compare mojo 2 100% confirm xdsd is better then mojo in a lot of way
I really don't understand the big difference in power output between the balanced and SE outputs - 1,000mw vs 320mw. Its understandable if its 1,000mw vs 600mw. Most IEMs come with stock SE cables and to benefit from a DAC/Amp's highest power output you need to spend - and go through the hassle - of getting balanced cables. Why boast of a feature which needs additional expense in order to reap the benefits of using that feature? I got the iDSD Signature instead which although does not have a truly balanced output at least stays true to its claimed 4,100mw max and 1,560mw continuous output.