Gryphon Apollo Turntable & Siren Phono Preamp

High End Munich 2024 is formally getting underway throughout the Pond in just some hours, however we’ve some extra cool new merchandise to take a look at earlier than the doorways open on the present. Today, we’re going to take a look at a pair of upcoming merchandise from Gryphon — particularly, their Apollo turntable and Siren phono preamp.

According to Gryphon — based by Flemming E. Rasmussen in 1985, and at present distributed in additional than 40 nations worldwide — each the Apollo desk and Siren phono preamp will probably be unveiled on Thursday, May 9, at High End Munich in Atrium 4.1, Room E120. In addition to those two new analog merchandise, the demo system in that room will even include Gryphon’s Commander preamp, Apex mono amps, PowerZone AC optimizer. and EOS 5 loudspeakers. The demo system will probably be wired with Gryphon Vanta cable and mounted on the corporate’s StandArt gear racks.

The Gryphon Apollo turntable is claimed to be the “fruits of a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration” between Soren Slebo of Gryphon’s personal design group, revered turntable designer Helmut Brinkmann, cartridge chief Ortofon, and the Aarhus Technical Institute of Denmark.

According to Gryphon, Brinkmann was “given the chance to create his ‘Dream Turntable’ with out compromise.” Apollo makes use of two of Brinkmann’s proprietary Sinus belt-drive motors positioned 180 levels from one another. As Gryphon famous in an official press assertion, “While the advantages of a number of motors are well-known, overcoming the potential issues of twin motor design required a substantial amount of ingenuity.” Not solely is the Apollo Brinkmann’s first multi-motor turntable, it’s also the primary desk for which he’s developed a digital velocity controller. In addition to synchronizing the 2 motors, Apollo’s controller is claimed to be “extra correct” than analog equivalents, and can “by no means require” calibration. Brinkmann’s strategies for “tender” motor management is one thing that has been refined for greater than 40-plus years.

Based on Brinkmann’s RöNt expertise, Apollo’s bespoke provide employs the proprietary BZ 34 “Tube Rectifier Simulator,” whereas semiconductors change RöNt’s tubes. Apollo tables are stated to have a better output present, enabling two motors to be optimally pushed. A totally discrete, mechanically and electrically separated energy supply with devoted transformer provides the bearing heater and platter gentle.

Apollo’s industrial design, as authored by Gryphon’s Soren Slebo, combines visible magnificence with splendid rigidity and resonance management. Apollo’s chassis relies on a laminated “sandwich” development of anodized aluminum, Kerrock, and “Smart Stack,” a damping compound patented by Denmark’s MENETA Group. Apollo’s motors are fully decoupled from this construction, every mounted by itself, optimized subchassis.

Brinkmann has historically hard-anodized their tonearm tubes as a result of materials’s “very excessive” transmission velocity of sound (9.900m/s), evacuating resonances from the cartridge as shortly as doable. Thanks to a joint analysis venture with Denmark’s Aarhus Technical Institute, Apollo’s arm tubes are diamond-clad (technically, CrN-SD + DLC-TR), and are stated to yield “the quickest sound transmission of any identified materials — 18,000m/s — making certain the quickest evacuation of resonance.”

Gryphon additionally labored with Ortofon to create a cartridge whose efficiency traits have been particularly tailor-made to that of the Apollo. Starting with the MC Diamond cartridge, Gryphon developed a particular DLC-TR coated, SLM titanium physique to match the Apollo tonearm after which tuned cartridge compliance accordingly, leading to what’s often called the Gryphon Black Diamond DLC cart.

Also being launched at High End Munich 2024 is the aforementioned Siren phono preamp (seen above, in a heroic pose), which shares its sculptural, “Nordic Noir” aesthetic with Gryphon’s Apex energy amp and Commander preamp. The Siren’s 4.3in TFT capacitive touchscreen with 4mm hardened glass panel is similar to that of the Commander, as is Siren’s dual-mono Power Supply Unit (PSU). Weighing over 83lb (38 kg), Siren’s “large” PSU options native, totally regulated energy provides for all delicate voltage amplifying phases. In addition to separate left- and right-channel energy provides, a 3rd, purpose-engineered provide for all digital features maintains complete separation of digital and analog sign paths, all the best way again to the AC cords.

Like Apex and Commander, Siren boasts four-layer printed circuit boards with 70µ copper traces. These boards additionally comprise Mundorf MCap ZN capacitors, low-inductance Vishnay resistors, ROHM matched transistors, and ultra-low noise ZETEX transistors. Sensitive audio circuitry is floated on a proprietary isolation base whose “Constrained Layers” of Kerrock, Bitumen, and metal are stated to “optimize part damping and get rid of smearing of advantageous element.”

The Siren phono preamp additionally options true dual-mono configuration, zero world adverse suggestions, and totally discrete, totally balanced circuit topology. Minimal inside wiring and using PC-mount XLR and RCA connectors are meant to additional decrease noise and wiring whereas enhancing product consistency and longevity. In order to maximise system flexibility, the Siren consists of 4 user-selectable inputs — three XLR, one RCA — whereas MC load impedance and enter will be chosen through the distant handset. The 12V buss hyperlinks simplify system power-up and power-down, whereas a rear-panel USB 2.0 socket allows “easy” firmware upgrades.

According to Gryphon, each the Apollo turntable and Siren phono preamp are anticipated to be obtainable by late summer time 2024, with every respective SRP to be introduced shortly.

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