Battle of the Behemoths: Gryphon Apex Stereo Amplifier VS D'Agostino Momentum M400 MxV Monoblocks
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2024
- #highendaudio #hifi #audiophile
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Check out our interviews with designers and audio luminaries like Daryl Wilson of Wilson Audio, Paul McGowan of PS Audio, Paolo Tezzon of Sonus Faber, Wendell Diller of Magnepan, John Atkinson of Stereophile, Dan D'Agostino of D'Agostino Master Audio Systems, Nelson Pass of Pass Labs and others.
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Edited by: mike@audioexcellence.ca
Great comparison. Love your videos, and I’m very happy when you also use classical music examples.
Just a minor quibble, though, if viewers want to look up this wonderful piece - The Capriccio Italien is by Petr Tchaikovsky - his opus 45 to be specific. NOT Rachmaninoff.
lol. Yes. Another senior moment
The TELARC version is the best I've ever heard.
@@hitechburgAbsolutely! Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati SO nailed it, and coupled with the 1812 Ouverture, it is simply astonishing.
Many thanks for the correction otherwise I could have wasted hours 😮😮😮😮
:)
Hi Adrian, any chance your reviews will have the full panel back? I always enjoyed the discussions and opinions exhibited by you and your team.
Hello Fellow Audiophiles And Friends: Adrian thank you for another wonderful audio review video. I can explain very easily when you said the Apex slaps your face wheteas the Gryphon punches you. Those custom made capacitors in the Gryphon have extremely lage Farad caps vs the Apex that has micro farad caps. The Gryphon that utilizes the larger caps + the Gryphon 's power supply is significantly larger. With larger caps comes considerably more stored energy on tap + the Gryphon 's recharge / recoup time is significantly faster if not instantaneous. Adrian love your channel + your honesty !!!! As always my best to you, your family, & your crew ❤️, TMP from N.J.
Hi! Please note that Gryphon is the manufacturer of the Apex. Did you mean to point out a difference between the Gryphon Apex and the D’Agostino Momentum? I might have otherwise missed the context of your point, i.e., if you were writing generally about all Gryphon models vs. the Gryphon Apex in particular.
@@DrMasonStorm Yes sir, thank you 😊
Great review, as always. I will never be able to afford this level of equipment, so it’s safe for me to watch 😊 A Diablo vs Progression integrated comparison would be another story.
Never say never !
Thanks as always Adrian. Challenge accepted! If you want to go dollar-for-dollar, I’m sure a $200,000 pair of the Apex monos are ready to take on the Relentless 800’s. Fight!
Go ahead……..get ‘em. We’ll wait 😊
lol
The classical piece is, of course Tchaikovsky's "Capriccio Italien". I however among his more fun and optimistic pieces, prefer Tchaikovsky's "Serenade For Strings".
yes another beautiful piece
So glad to meet you and your team in Montreal... and very impressed by the generosity of your suggestions/recommandations. As gentlemen in person than what we "figure" in your videos. Thanks! (PS: but you will cost me $$$ ;) )
Thanks very much!
Hi Adrian, this is my first comment on your posts (which is one of the 2 or 3 that I actually really like). I live in Brazil and back here there's a brand named AUDIOPAX that, in my opinion, puts a lot of million dollars system to shame and it costs "only" $100.000 US dollars for a full system (speakers included).
I would like to know if you ever listened this system and, if so, what is your opinion on it.
To me is the sweetest sound I ever heard. I'm selling a house in order to buy it and spend the rest of my days enjoying the absolute gorgeous sound it produces.
Would love to hear back from you about this brand.
By the way: it's preamp has been considered the best one in the Munique audio show a few years ago.
Quick note re: Capriccio Italien. It's Tchaikovsky, not Rachmaninov. (Yeah, I know, it happens!)
Hi Adrian, first of all, if you're not an ambitious kind of a fellow, then I don't know who is.
Next, in relation to the amplifiers, I would have thought that both playing at reference levels and also at more relaxed lower levels certainly at this price point both should excel. I got the impression that the D'Agostino was not comparable to the Gryphon at low listening levels, but please correct me if I'm wrong in my interpretation of what you were saying.
I've been lucky enough to hear both of those amplifiers, and my pick would be the Gryphon Apex/ Commander combination.
I have Vitus monoblock amplifiers with their accompanying preamplifier. I seem to find the best of both of these two you are comparing today with Vitus.
Great video as usual Adrian, as I've said before, I don't get too much of a chance to watch too many fellow UA-camrs these days, but you are one I make the exception for.👍🎧🙂
The issue is comparing at different levels. Psycho-acoustically, if one component is substantially louder than another, it can be perceived to be better
@adrianlow2114 Yes, that's true, Adrian. We do tend to perceive louder more Dynamics more impact in the music in general as better.
Thanks for the great comparison between these two awesome products. I would love to hear your comparison between the Griffin and Boulder. I know you had one in your presence in the past but it would be coold to hear a comparison with this amp as well. I can't afford any of these, but I do appreciate your honesty. It is refreshing to know you are humble enough to admit mistakes, even if they are novice mistakes. We all make these from time to time, thus your honesty is refeshing. Thanks again.
Thanks for the kind words
Hi Adrian. Another great comparison review. Both out of my budget unless I hit that $1.1 billion Mega Million draw tonight in which case I'll be calling you tomorrow! Personally I would probably lean toward the more forgiving D'Agostino end of the spectrum. Parents never want to admit they secretly have a favorite child.
I've got another one of those interesting artist/album stories I think you enjoy to check out if haven't already heard it... Linda Perhacs and the album is Parallelograms released in 1970. She was working as a dental hygienist and wrote songs in her spare time. A client who was in the music industry was impressed by her demo tape and brought her into the studio and produced the album. The album was a commercial flop and she returned to her dental hygienist career. Nearly 30 years later the album was reissued and she was gradually rediscovered. She finally recorded her second album over 40 years after the first.
Wow! nice. Will look into her
Please do a 333 vs progression intergrated test
How about a shootout between more affordable blue collar monoblocks?
p.p.s I ommited my systems listing on purpose just to spare the keyboard / internet trolls from possible enragement and envy, thus polluting the comments on your awesome video with bad vibes. Cheers again, happy and healthy listening to everyone, regardless whats your set up !
Great explanation of sound, thank you
Enjoyed this!! Any comment on where the Accuphase A300 would compare? Thanks
Great review, now you gotta the integrated amps again with the Diablo 333!!!
yes, when we get the 333
Many thanks for this nice comparison. I prefer DD much more than Gryphon musical signature.
I was really looking forward to your shoot out between Parasound and McIntosh. Is this video coming?
Parasound is no longer distributed in Canada
I have no such worries.
For similar money, I would definitely choose Nagra or Kondo. Maybe Spectral too.
Their sound is overall great, when you need emotion, you've got it. Without disturbing transparency, neutrality.
But that's just my opinion.
Great review, as always:)
Thanks
Oh Lottery Gods, wherefore arth thou!!
Great review once again. It iseems rather impractical to have the Gryphon Apex in a living room setting notably its sheer size and 50c heat generated are real life concerns. On the flip side the DH Maria 800 and Chiara system seems more wife friendly...more suited in a living room setting. Would be rather interesting to hear your views on how the DH Maria system performed and what differences you felt when compared with either the Gryphon Apex or Dan A' Momentum amps which you reviewed here
Would be difficult to make any conclusions; Chiara/Maria 800 is a system. The Maria 800 contains the crossover information for the Chiara. And the Chiara has to be biamplified.
Rotel Michi X5 all day can't go wrong simplicity at it's best keep it simple 🎶🎶🎶🎶🙂
Great comparison. Quick question: did you use the same power cords on both amps? Looking forward to the comparison with the Relentless 800. Would be VERY interesting to compare these with Daniel Hertz Maria 800? Many thanks for sharing
Apex and D'Agostino come with their own power cables, and the connectors are different
@@adrianlow2114 that’s what I thought Adrian hence the question. I think DAG can be improved significantly by a much better power cord. If you get a chance please try Ikigai cables. I suspect you will love them. Thanks for all your great videos. Shame I don’t live in Canada as would be great to have you as our dealer. Many thanks.
@@ashvarma2486Thanks for the kind words!
The hifi salesmens oldest trick: the equipment they want you to buy is played at a higher volume. First met it in the 1980es.😅
Hey Adrian. Enjoyable video as always. I was wondering if you ever had oportunity to listen to Karan Acoustics amplification, especially his latest range topping pre and monos?!? Maybe at a friends place, show or similar . It would be interesting to stack em up against the Gryphon or D'Agostino.
Anyways. Cheers and all the best !
p.s Check out the Apex monos and a Commander in command of Raidho T.D 6 ! You wont be dissapointed.
No, I haven't heard Karan in a system I am familiar with
I knew Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff was a friend of mine. He told me that he prefers the Gryphon Apex.
you wish lol
Now there’s a psychoacoustical guy!! LOL LOL
Great review 👍
Thank you
do you also mean that some amplifier may have a kind of 'sweet spot"? some may sound better at lower volume than some others?
No, simply that in comparing, the louder component may often be perceived to be better
Great test tune for you, its a banger with depth = Sirian Starseed by Bizmik
thanks, will check it out
@@adrianlow2114 Bandcamp they have it
Very good review! BR
Thanks!
@@adrianlow2114 me too i am Adrian ( my name ). BR
@@perfectsoundpursuit007😀
Would you system match one over the other with Sonus faber?
Both are superb with SF, depends on the presentation and outcome you like
Thank you for the reply. Based on your video, I enjoy the faster attack.
Aloha
So, the amps are compared with two different loudspeakers? Or am I wrong?
Same speakers
Why don’t you have Athmasphere amplifiers and/or Pass Labs? And why don’t you have Vandersteen loudspeakers?
I know that Vandersteen had a ”bad” reputation some 15-25 years ago. They sold to much, were not consider to be ”real high end”. Their nr 2 sell very good even today, but now they also have Treo and model Seven and are fully respected as a high end manufacturer.
Having said that I also would like to say that I love your videos. You will not see me as a customer anytime soon. I am living in Sweden and Malmö - Toronto just to listen to hifi is a little long. 🤪
Reference DAC does not work as a pree with Gryphon
pre amp?
What time he go bed?
The D'adastino is very cute and has a better deli department
Nobody can hear the difference with amps costing tens of thousands less...but you do get bragging rights.
Same with cars, right?
D’Agonstino may just be overrated audio jewellery
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you! lol
Bello/Magnifico.💰💰💰💰💰🍾🍾
Grazie!
and then most of us listen at max 89dB with 92-95dB efficient speakers and use 1 watt max.
D'ya all have room for me to land my helicoptor?
He shouldn’t talk about mistakes in set up, that is very common for all reviewers. There’s no sense in talking about it. The damning of a piece of equipment when it’s set up wrong lingers with people who watch these. Also this seems to indicate that the D’Agostino sucks at lower levels. That’s a definite take away from this review. The D’Agostino according to the review sounds muffled, weak,flubby, slow, and dull unless it is played at a certain volume level and I presume up from that point. 79,000 dollars for that?
I guess I didn't communicate all that well. My point is that when you compare products, make sure the levels are similar. In direct comparison, a quick A/B often shows the louder product to be more impressive over the short term.
Comparing D’agostino with Gryphon is exactly like take Chinese EVs to compare with Tesla. It means nothing but only for commercial advertising. Like comparing a donkey with a horse, no matter how much praise words for donkey still cannot convince people, why not bring them out for a ride.
22.75% less 😉
:)
Should i stay or should i go? I am afraid i will have to spend 5000 $ for the power supply cable and 12000 $ or a little less for the speaker cable. And of course some special fuses . I think it is rather sad.