LL21,
It's true...
When Kalliope arrive, I'll let you know.
Nice regards,
Ricardo.
Great!
Gryphon Audio Kalliope DAC
- Thread starter Matej Isak
- Start date
Great!
It's not yet announced, but it will be a product within the new 300-series, where the 321 DAC has recently been released.
http://www.wadia.com/en-us/products/321
My first post on these forums!
I am enjoying reading them.
I have owned several high end DAC's including the dCS (not the latest stack) and the Audio Note DAC 5 signature. I am in the market for an end game DAC and have been auditioning some including the latest Chord's, I have decided to give the Kalliope a try, I have owned Gryphon gear in the past and was impressed by its build quality.
The Kalliope will be here next week for evaulation, its a demo until so will not require any running in.
I am enjoying reading them.
I have owned several high end DAC's including the dCS (not the latest stack) and the Audio Note DAC 5 signature. I am in the market for an end game DAC and have been auditioning some including the latest Chord's, I have decided to give the Kalliope a try, I have owned Gryphon gear in the past and was impressed by its build quality.
The Kalliope will be here next week for evaulation, its a demo until so will not require any running in.
Definitely look forward to hearing your thoughts on this...have heard very good things about it. Big fan of Gryphon amps here having owned the Antileon and now fortunate to have the Colosseum.
I deviated off course and bought a Light Harmonic DaVinci Dual DAC and also a Computer Audio Design DAC built using the legendary Philips 1543 chips in a R2R configuration. I have just sold the DaVinci and have decided to go with the Kalliope, should be picking it tomorrow and will have it in my system on Tuesday. I have the Shunyata Sigma Digital cable that worked wonders with the DaVinci and a custom built music server by Computer Audio Designs.
I had a choice to upgrade the DaVinci to the MK2 specs but decided against that. I have feeling that the Kalliope will be better than them all, at least I have had the experience of different DAC's now, also my system is now fully tweaked and settled down so I will be getting the best out of the Kalliope.
I will post my findings this week, can't wait.
I had a choice to upgrade the DaVinci to the MK2 specs but decided against that. I have feeling that the Kalliope will be better than them all, at least I have had the experience of different DAC's now, also my system is now fully tweaked and settled down so I will be getting the best out of the Kalliope.
I will post my findings this week, can't wait.
Sounds exciting! As a big fan of Zanden which uses the TDA1541A Double Crown, I have not felt the need to move to latest digital though I am very impressed with some. I have read great things about Kalliope and obviously am a big fan of Gryphon. Will be now even more interesting to hear your thoughts after owning TDA1543.
Good luck.
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Decision made, heard the Kalliope along with the other big name DAC's, don't want to name names, but the difference was astonishing, I thought something must have been wrong with one of the other mega DAC's we checked it thoroughly nope, the Kalliope just destroyed it for not only me but the 3 of us. I realise though that at this level it is a matter of personal taste. Some prefer a more analytical sound, I owned a number of high end DAC's and I much prefer an immersive emotional sound. I was more stunned by what I heard from the Kalliope when compared to others than I was the rest of the day comparing different amps etc. Luckily there was a new one in its box that jumped on the plane home with us. Listening at home confirmed it.
The 1543 based DAC sounds good for its price point but its not in the same league. Hooking the Kalliope up to the Shunyata Sigma digital PC and Shunyata power setup took it to a whole other level. I haven't been able to stop listening, getting up at 4am this morning.
End up choosing to run a full Gryphon system, suits my sonic preferences well. The system will be Kalliope, Pandora, Legato Legacy and Power supply into a Mephisto and Wilson Alexia's. Can't see any reason to buy 2 Mephisto's
The 1543 based DAC sounds good for its price point but its not in the same league. Hooking the Kalliope up to the Shunyata Sigma digital PC and Shunyata power setup took it to a whole other level. I haven't been able to stop listening, getting up at 4am this morning.
End up choosing to run a full Gryphon system, suits my sonic preferences well. The system will be Kalliope, Pandora, Legato Legacy and Power supply into a Mephisto and Wilson Alexia's. Can't see any reason to buy 2 Mephisto's
Thank you ! I have a headphone system ATM (albeit its quite large) I am very fortunate to be ablet to look forward to putting together a 2 channel system now. System should together in 8 weeks time.
I have become a refugee from Head-Fi as they don't get high end audio so this is my new home. I am having trouble uploading photos, not sure what is going on as I have been able to in the past. Maybe I have exceeded my quota here?
I have become a refugee from Head-Fi as they don't get high end audio so this is my new home. I am having trouble uploading photos, not sure what is going on as I have been able to in the past. Maybe I have exceeded my quota here?
Decision made, heard the Kalliope along with the other big name DAC's, don't want to name names, but the difference was astonishing, I thought something must have been wrong with one of the other mega DAC's we checked it thoroughly nope, the Kalliope just destroyed it for not only me but the 3 of us. I realise though that at this level it is a matter of personal taste. Some prefer a more analytical sound, I owned a number of high end DAC's and I much prefer an immersive emotional sound. I was more stunned by what I heard from the Kalliope when compared to others than I was the rest of the day comparing different amps etc. Luckily there was a new one in its box that jumped on the plane home with us. Listening at home confirmed it.
The 1543 based DAC sounds good for its price point but its not in the same league. Hooking the Kalliope up to the Shunyata Sigma digital PC and Shunyata power setup took it to a whole other level. I haven't been able to stop listening, getting up at 4am this morning.
End up choosing to run a full Gryphon system, suits my sonic preferences well. The system will be Kalliope, Pandora, Legato Legacy and Power supply into a Mephisto and Wilson Alexia's. Can't see any reason to buy 2 Mephisto's
Big news! And GOOD news! That is fanastic...congrats. AS someone who likes your description of your tastes in digital, as well as your tastes in amplification and speakers!...i can only imagine how it must sound. Look forward to reading about your adventures when its all setup. Enjoy.
Had a good listen to the Colosseum, I used to have one, compared it to the Antileon, found the Antileon to be warmer tonally but I preferred the clarity and speed of the Colosseum. I am told that the Mephisto combines both attributes? Have you had a chance to listen tot he Mephisto? If so what were your impressions vs your Colosseum?
I found that the Antileon seemed tonally warmer in part because of its different approach to the treble...by virtue of having a darker/slightly recessed treble the mids naturally were a bigger part of the presentation. However, dissecting the sound in a shoot-out, i realized it was the more even balance between bass, mids and treble of the Colosseum gave its mids a lesser 'weight' in the overall presentation...but when listening to music with almost ONLY mids, the presentation of both mids was very very similar. Except, as you say, the Colosseum was quieter, clearer and less 'smudge' around the ends of notes.
That said, i did sense a teeny, tiny bit of the Antileon warmth thing WAS in fact due to a slightly greater (as in 3%-5% greater) intensity in the sweetness of the mids at the extremes (solo violin note soaring on a recording)...a very, very beautiful thing which i do not quite get (again 95%-97% of it) with the Colosseum.
As for Mephisto, i have not heard it myself, but yes, i am told by owners and Gryphon-philes it is the best of both...plus an even lower noise floor.
Thank you for your help, appreciate it, I have spoken to a friend of mine who has the mono Mephisto's with his X2's (Bigpond) I have trying to find out if anyone has compared the stereo Mephisto to the Solo's. I am seriously thinking of going for the Solo's. Knowing my disease of Audiophile nervosa that I suffer from its inevitabvlke that one day I think hmm wonder how much better this would sound if.....
However I have recently heard some mono amps (D'Agostino's) and thought the stereo sounded sweeter, my gut feeling is to go for the Solo's however there are zero comparisons between the Stereo's and the Solo's.
However I have recently heard some mono amps (D'Agostino's) and thought the stereo sounded sweeter, my gut feeling is to go for the Solo's however there are zero comparisons between the Stereo's and the Solo's.
Yes! I have spoken online and offline with Bigpond in the past...he has a great system. Clearaudio Statement, ARC Anniversary, AN DAC 5 Special...quite a remarkable system he has set up! And he is a big fan of the mighty Gryphons...i suspect it will come down to taste more than anything electrical. Either amp will drive your speakers without even a struggle. As you found, i also agree the Stereo D'Ag was a touch sweeter, which is something our dealer and distributor here suggested as well.
Hmm interesting, I was led to believe that a stern could bot be converted to a mono later. I will have to ask for clarification from the distributor.
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