Sonata-AllegroOwner´s Manual

Table of Contents:

Introduction....................... 3The Gryphon....................... 3Sonata-Allegro.................... 4 The Man.............................. 4Made in Denmark............... 4Musical Objectives............. 5The Gryphon Master TapeCollection............................ 5Design Principles................ 5Exterior Design................... 7Manufacture and Assembly. 8

Using Your Gryphon......... 8AC Voltage.......................... 8Burn-in and Warm-up.......... 9Placement........................... 9Balanced Connections....... 9Choice of Cables................ 9Care and Maintenance....... 9Unpacking........................... 10Installation........................... 10Powersupply........................ 10Front Panel & Remote Functions 11Menu functions................... 12AC Fuses............................ 15Warranty.............................. 15

IntroductionWelcome to the global family ofproud owners of fine audio com-ponents from Gryphon AudioDesigns of Denmark. Your newGryphon unit has been painstak-ingly designed to re-create thesound of live music taking placein its original recorded space.Every Gryphon product isdesigned to cater to the needs ofthe most discerning musicenthusiast with sumptuousstyling and superb user-friendli-ness which elevate it above themundane world of con-ventional audio compo-nents.

As audiophiles, themembers of theGryphon design team are con-stantly reminded to keep theirpriorities straight. We are notinvolved in “hi-fi” for its ownsake, but strictly as a means toan end, in the service of our life-long love of the live music expe-rience in all its sonic and emo-tional glory.

Our higher goal is to bring to thelistener a “You-Are-There” sen-sation. In taking up this chal-lenge, the Gryphon designers goback to basics to analyze theessential nature of the live musicexperience. For us, an aware-ness of soundstaging, ambience

and concert hall dimensions arenecessary components.Dynamics and an unambiguoussense of instrument locationeven in the loudest passagesare also high priorities. Toachieve these objectives,Gryphon products offer excep-tional speed and agility alongwith seamless coherence in thetime domain.

Since 1985, Gryphon AudioDesigns has quietly gone aboutthe business of creating finehome audio components. We

know that you will appreci-ate and enjoy the benefitsof our accumulated expe-rience and share our abid-ing passion for music.

The GryphonIn Greek mythology: A fabledcreature, half-lion and half-eagle, combining the power ofthe “King of Beasts” with thegrace of the “King of Birds”. Theguardian of the source of goldand protector of the Dionysiancup of infinite wealth.In the real world: An acclaimedDanish audio engineering com-pany employing cutting edgetechnology and common sensein the pursuit of the purest musi-cal experience. We feel that thegryphon is an appropriate sym-bol for our high sonic goals.

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Sonata-AllegroSonata Allegro form was adevelopment of the classical era.It represents a more open formthan many of the earlier Baroqueforms such as fugues, rondeauform ect.

The ManGryphon Audio Designs is thebrainchild of Flemming E.Rasmussen and the fulfillment ofa lifelong dream to allow thepurest essence of the live musicexperience to be recreated in thehome environment.

Rasmussen holds a degree inpainting and graphic arts fromthe Aarhus Art Academy,Denmark. During his studies,Rasmussen developed closerelationships with the local musiccommunity and designed manyLP covers and concert posters.After graduation, he taught pho-tography and painting anddesigned textiles, before found-ing 2R Marketing, which quicklybecame Denmark’s leading HighEnd audio import company.

Gryphon Audio Designs wasfounded in 1985 as an offshootof 2R Marketing, The first prod-uct, the now legendary GryphonHead Amp, grew from a one-off

spare time project developedonly for the designers’ own homesystems. Although the Gryphonproject was initially strictly ahobby, not an actively pursuedcommercial venture, demandgenerated by reviews and word-of-mouth led to the formal estab-lishment of Gryphon AudioDesigns as a separate corporateentity.

Following the immediate suc-cess of the Gryphon brand, allimport business was phased outin 1993, so that Rasmussencould dedicate his efforts entire-ly to Gryphon.

Made In DenmarkEvery product from GryphonAudio Designs is designed andbuilt in Denmark. This is muchmore than just a geographicalfact. It is also a seal of approval,a stamp of quality. Living in aregion with no natural resources(no oil, coal, precious metals,etc.), the Danes have learned torely on their quick wits andskilled hands. Innovative tech-nology, beautiful craftsmanship,pride in one’s craft and a keeneye for attractive design aresome of the long-standingDanish traditions which are dis-tilled to their finest essence inevery unit that bears theGryphon name.

The Gryphon Head Amp 1985

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Flemming E. Rasmussen painting 1967

MusicalObjectivesWhile scientific method andsophisticated technology play animportant role in our electronicsdesign work, at Gryphon wenever lose sight of the fact thatthe keen ears of an experiencedlistener are the most crucial “cal-ibration tools.” Therefore, everyGryphon product exists for onesimple purpose: to bring the usercloser in the never-ending questfor a more natural and convinc-ing musical illusion.

Every Gryphon design has beenbuilt to cruise effortlessly througheven the most demanding musi-cal passages, regardless of vol-ume level, with a musical pres-entation defined by supremearticulation and immediacy, sub-tle dynamic shading and razor-sharp focus. Refinement anddelicacy are combined withpower and authority for a natu-ral, involving listening experi-ence.

The GryphonMaster TapeCollectionIn the Gryphon listening rooms,we are fortunate to possess a

unique library of more than1,000 original master tapes ofrecordings made during theGolden Age of studio engineer-ing from 1956-1976.

Unlike conventional commercialreleases, our master tapes cap-ture the dynamic contrasts andsubtle inner harmonic structureof the musical event, forcing usto work to a higher standard inour efforts to maintain the integri-ty of the original musical per-formance.

Design PrinciplesWith state of the art technicalequipment and some of thefinest minds in the audio engi-neering field at our disposal, theGryphon brand name continuesto define the highest audiophilestandards of subjective andtechnical performance. The dual mono configurationradically eliminates any possibil-ity of crosstalk or other interfer-ence between channels and pro-vides infinite channel separationwhich contributes to the ability tocreate space, focus, depth andtransparency.

Because the electrical powercoming out of your wall fluctu-ates wildly in terms of voltageand distortion, Gryphon incorpo-rates heavily regulated multi-

Gryphon is located in beautiful tranquil sur-roundings.

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stage power supplies that act aseffective mains conditioning fil-ters. Displays and control circuitsare fed by a separate power sup-ply to isolate any digital noiseartifacts and effectively preventthem from contaminating the sig-nal path.

While the printed circuit boardsin more conventional audio prod-ucts utilize conductor tracks amere 35 um thick, Gryphonemploys at least 70 um traces ofthe highest purity.

Beginning with our very firstproduct, “The Head Amp” allGryphon products have featuredextremely wide frequency band-width, because the ability toreproduce ultra-sonic frequen-cies with no difficulty ensures lin-ear phase across the audible fre-quency range.

The implementation of circuitswith wideband frequencyresponse is a painstakingendeavor in which the actual lay-out and ground pattern of the PCboards are crucial to theachievement of superior sonicperformance with no loss ofinherent stability.

Wideband frequency responseensures the high slew rateessential to the realistic handlingof the ultra-fast transients which

routinely occur in live music andis crucial in recreating the natu-ral decay of musical instruments.Wide bandwidth also improvesphase characteristics, for morecorrect soundstaging and imag-ing.

All Gryphon designs are realizedwith an absolute minimum ofnegative feedback, which whenpresent in large amounts canactually increase TIM distortion.All Gryphon preamplifiers aredesigned with zero negativefeedback. Gryphon power ampli-fiers apply negative feedbackjudiciously for improved linearityand bandwidth.

Gryphon research into the detri-mental effects of magneticallyinduced distorted (MID) has ledto the elimination of magnetiz-able materials wherever possi-ble. To eliminate the effects ofstray magnetic fields, non-mag-netic materials are employedthroughout, with the unavoidableexception of the transformershield box.

The mechanical design of thecabinet and assembly methodsare all carefully calculated toensure minimal resonance,either through the use ofmechanically grounded highmass or decoupling. Vibration-sensitive components, capaci-

Typical Gryphon module

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tors in particular, are thus guar-anteed a non-resonant environ-ment.

The heavy, thick chassis offers avibration-proof environment forthe sensitive electronics insideand provides crucial shieldingfrom a polluted world of low andhigh-frequency radio waves,power-line radiation and otherelectrical interference.Meticulous attention to suchissues makes a significant con-tribution to the relaxing, openand transparent Gryphon sound.

Unique, non-invasive protectioncircuitry offers reliable, fuss-freeprotection without compromisingsignal purity and signal path sim-plicity, with no conventionalrelays in the signal path todegrade or compress sound.

The ground path has been care-fully laid out in order to achievesuperior sonic performance withno loss of stability. Componentlayout has been designed toensure the shortest conceivablesignal path.

Exhaustive investigation under-lies the selection of every com-ponent part and many original,proprietary components are cus-tom-built exclusively forGryphon. Because what is leftout is just as important as what

goes in, an absolute minimum ofinternal wiring is included.

By lavishing attention on eachaspect of the circuit and fullyunderstanding the purpose andbehavior of every single part ofthe whole, our designers canoptimize performance in eachsection, before moving on to thenext step. This ensures simplici-ty, a short signal path and a unityof purpose with a single, well-defined objective: musical purity.

In the interest of ultimate fidelity,tone controls, balance controlsand other unnecessary compo-nents have been banished fromthe signal path.

Exterior DesignFrom the very beginning, everyGryphon product has offeredstunning audio performance,sumptuous styling and superbuser-friendliness, catering to theneeds of the discerning audio-phile who demands musicality,convenience and aesthetics, allwithout compromise.

In every Gryphon product, formfollows function in a unique syn-thesis of aesthetics and practi-cality. Gryphon stands forsophisticated technology with ahigh standard of industrial finishthat also incorporates the best ofhandcraftsmanship.

Gryphon Audio Designs in theoutskirts of the small town of Ry

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The peerless finish, build quality,ergonomics and pride of owner-ship that contribute to the totalityof the Gryphon concept can onlybe fully understood and appreci-ated up close and in person.

Rasmussen’s background in finearts and industrial design givesevery Gryphon product a distinc-tive, luxuriant finish which arisesorganically out of the audio cir-cuit design and the user inter-face for a truly unique integrationof form and function.

Manufacture andAssemblyAt our laboratories and manufac-turing facilities in Denmark, wemaintain full control over everyaspect of development and pro-duction, and the members of ourconscientious staff diligently fol-low each Gryphon model frominitial concept to early prototype,through to final quality control.

Printed circuit boards areassembled by a supplier of pre-cision military and medicalequipment with strict standardsof quality control and pre-inspec-tion of components. Chassisparts are manufactured by aspecialist chosen solely for theoutstanding quality of workman-

ship. In every aspect of everyGryphon product, the samestringent standards of excel-lence apply.

Following a 48-hour burn-in,each product is tested again,before being subjected toGryphon’s custom-developedtransport simulator which simu-lates the inevitable shaking thata product will encounter in tran-sit. The product is placed on topof a very large loudspeakerwhich plays a special CD withlow frequencies which simulatethe vibrations of an airplane.Each unit “travels” the equivalentof 40 round trips from Denmarkto Australia before leaving thefactory.

AC VoltageYour Gryphon unit is especiallymade for the AC voltage of thecountry to which it has beenshipped. If the voltage has beenchanged, the warranty is voidand the product may be unsafeor malfunction.

Correct AC polarity contributesgreatly to optimum performance.If you are not using a three-pin,non-reversible power plug,please experiment with the ori-entation of the plug for optimumperformance.

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Burn-In andWarm-UpYour Gryphon unit has beenthoroughly tested and burned inbefore shipping. Performancewill continue to improve duringthe first 40 – 50 hours of normaluse. After this period optimumperformance will be reachedapproximately 45 minutes afterturn-on. With the exception ofClass A power amplifiers, werecommend leaving yourGryphon components poweredup at all times.

BalancedConnectionsAll Gryphon products uses theAES standard for balanced con-nections.1. Ground2. Positive3. NegativeWe recommend the use of dedi-cated balanced cables. Avoid theuse of adaptors as they degradeperformanc

Choice of CablesBecause your Callisto integratedamplifier is a high-resolutionGryphon audio device, it willimmediately reveal the charac-

teristics and possible limitationsof the other components in yoursystem, as well as those of theinterconnects and loudspeakercables used to connect your sys-tem.Wiring should never be utilizedas "equalizers" to correct errorselsewhere in the system.Instead, any error should be cor-rected at the source, so thatinterconnects and loudspeakercables can be selected solely onthe basis of sonic neutrality. Forthis reason, we employGryphon's own range of inter-connects and cables in everystage of the design of everyGryphon product.

Care andMaintenanceGryphon products are handcraft-ed by individuals who take greatpride in the high level of fit andfinish which we achieve. Tomaintain your Gryphon compo-nents in pristine condition,please follow these simpleinstructions.

Metal surfaces may be cleanedwith a damp cloth. Some productmade for treatment of vinyl inte-riors in cars may be useful. Testthe product on a non-visible sur-face, before using any fluids.

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UnpackingDuring unpacking and installa -tion, please take care to avoidscratching the Gryphon Sonata-Allegro. Hard, sharp objectssuch as tools should not benearby during this process. Youmight want to remove yourwristwatch, rings or other jew-ellery before handling the pre-amplifier. Please keep the car-ton and all packing materials ina dry place for safe future trans-portation.

The following items areenclosed:

1 Gryphon Sonata-Allegro preamplifier1 Gryphon Sonata-Allegropower supply 2 AC power cables2 DC power supply con-

nectors1 pair of white gloves1 acrylic polish1 packing list1 purchase registration-

card1 Green Bias control link(use with Gryphon Antileon orAntileon Solo power amplifiers)

If anything is missing or dam-aged, please contact yourGryphon dealer immediately.

InstallationIn order to minimize any possi-ble risk of electrical interfer-ence, do not place the preampli-fier directly above or below thepower supply. The power supplyconnector allows you to placethem some distance apart. Ifyou wish to place them side byside, please place the powersupply to the left of the pream-plifier as seen from the front.

Power supplyFor each channel, connect aDC connector cable to the sock-et marked DC OUTPUT on thesupply and to the socketmarked DC INPUT on the pre-amplifier. Turn the locking con-nector clockwise to lock firmly toprevent accidental disconnec-tion.

Each channel has its ownOn/Off switch. For optimum per-formance, we recommend thatyou leave the Sonata poweredup at all times. If you choose toturn the Sonata on and off,please remember:

ALWAYS turn the preamplifieron, BEFORE turning on thepower amplifier.

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ALWAYS turn the power amplifi-er off, BEFORE turning off thepreamplifier.

Rear panel con-nectionsMake sure that the power sup-ply is turned off, before makingany connections.

Three balanced XLR inputsmarked INPUT 1, INPUT 2 andINPUT 3 are provided. INPUT 4,TAPE IN and TAPE OUT usesingle-ended RCA connectors.Connect your signal sources tothe appropriate sockets.Your Sonata-Allegro does alsohave a RIAA board ( Legato )option. When you get a Legatoinstalled you will have an inputmore to choose from.

Two sets of balanced XLR out-puts marked OUTPUT 1 andOUTPUT 2 are provided. Theseoutputs allow easy bi-amping ormulti-room operation.

If you are using a GryphonAntileon or Antileon Solo poweramplifier, you may choose toconnect the Green Bias controllink for automatic regulation ofClass A bias to the socketmarked BIAS CONTROL on thepreamplifier and on the poweramplifier. (See menu functions.)

Front panel andremote functionsThe level selected using VOL-UME Up and Down is shownnumerically in the left side of thedisplay.

MUTE turns sound off withoutusing the volume controls.

ON/STANDBY turns the pream-plifier on or activates Standbymode, keeping the preamplifiercircuits fully powered up foroptimum performance for yournext listening session. The redGryphon logo in the displayremains illuminated when thepreamplifier is in standby.

MONITOR is used to listen to atape recorder. If the recorderhas a source/monitor function,this switch may be used to lis-ten to the tape as it is beingrecorded.

Use INPUT Up or Down toselect the source which youwish to hear. The source select-ed will be shown in the rightside of the display.

Menu activated functionsThe Gryphon Sonata incorpo-rates several functions whichare activated via a Menu sys-

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tem. The Menu may be activat-ed either via the remote controlor via the front panel controls.To access the Menu, press bothVolume controls (Up and Down)at the same time. MENU willappear in the display.

Press Input Up or Down to go toany of the menu-controlledfunctions listed in the chart.NOTE: If you go to Save formore than a few second, allnew settings will be stored inmemory and the preamplifierwill exit the Menu. If you are notfinished, activate the Menuagain and continue. If you go toQUIT for more than one sec-ond, the preamplifier will exit theMenu with no new settingsstored in memory. If you acci-dentally Quit the Menu, activatethe Menu again and start over.

When you have made the nec-essary changes for a function,press Input Up or Down to go tothe next function which youwish to change. When all func-tions have been correctlyadjusted, press Input Up orDown until Save appears in thedisplay. After a few seconds, allnew Menu settings will bestored in memory and theGryphon Sonata will exit theMenu. If you decide that you donot wish to make any changeswhile in the Menu, go to Quit.

After a few seconds, the pream-plifier will exit the Menu. Nochanges will be stored in mem-ory. Your personalized, customsettings may be recorded belowfor future reference.

Menu FunctionDefault Setting CustomSetting 1. Channel Balance

B A L 002. Maximum Level

L m a x 443. Start-up Level

L o n 104. Level Match Input 1

C H 1 # 00 5. Level Match Input 2

C H 2 # 00 6. Level Match Input 3

C H 3 # 00 7. Level Match Input 4

C H 4 # 00 8. Level Match Tape In

T A # 00 9.Level match Riaa in

RIA# 0010. Green Bias

G R . B Low11. Display On/Off

D I S P ON12. Save changes, Exit Menu

S A V E

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13. Exit Menu, no changes

Q U I T

Channel Balance If there is achannel imbalance in your sys-tem, this function allows you tocompensate in order to obtaincorrect balance. If you do nothave a balance problem, thedisplay should show the defaultsetting 00, indicating equal levelin both channels.In Menu mode, press Input Upor Down until “BAL” is shown inthe display. If you wish toincrease output from the leftchannel (max. 6 volume steps),press Volume Down until thedesired balance is achieved. Ifyou wish to increase outputfrom the right channel (max. 6volume steps), press VolumeUp until the desired balance isachieved.

Maximum LevelIn Menu mode, press Input Upor Down until “Lmax” is shownin the display. You may nowselect and store in memory amaximum volume level(between 20 and 44) which can-not be exceeded, manually orby remote, until you re-set thisfunction. This effectively pro-tects your power amplifier andloudspeakers from expensiveaccidents.

3. Start-Up LevelIn Menu mode, press Input Upor Down until “Lon” is shown inthe display. You may now selectand store in memory a defaultvolume level which will automat-ically be set by the preamplifierevery time you turn it on.

4.-9. Level Matching - Becausesources can have widely vary-ing output levels, it is often nec-essary to adjust the volumecontrol when switching sourcesin order to maintain the samelevel. The Gryphon Sonata canbe pre-set to automaticallymatch the levels of your low-output sources (typicallyMM/MC or tuner) and high-out-put sources (typically digitalsources such as CD). TheGryphon Sonata executes levelmatching via the volume attenu-ator, with no additional compo-nents in the signal path.To determine whether you needlevel matching, choose a nor-mal listening level using anysource. Then switch to othersources. If the difference inlevel is so great that you needto adjust volume, then youshould create a permanentcompensation using the Menu.In Menu mode, press Input Upor Down to select the sourcewhich plays loudest at a given

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volume setting. Set the levelsetting for this source at refer-ence 00. Switch to anothersource. If necessary, use thevolume controls to turn up thelevel (max. 10 volume steps),so that it matches your loudestsource. Repeat for all othersources.Note: The level match for RIAAinput is ignored if you do nothave a RIAA (Legato) boardinstalled.

Green Bias(Active only when the Gryphon

Sonata-Allegro is used withGryphon Antileon or AntileonSolo power amplifiers.) Attachthe Green Bias control link tothe connectors on the GryphonSonata and your GryphonAntileon or Antileon Solo poweramplifier to control the amplifi-er’s Green Bias setting.In Menu mode, press Input Upor Down until “GR.B” is shownin the display. Select High orLow by pressing Volume Up orDown to determine at which vol-ume settings (between 0 and44) bias will automaticallyswitch to 50%, 75% or 100%Class A. Bias setting dependson volume level and whetheryou select High or Low asshown in the following table:

Bias Low High50% 0 - 10 0 - 1675% 11 - 20 17 - 26100% 21 - 44 27 - 44

10. Display On/Off In Menu mode, press Input Upor Down until “DISP” is shownin the display. Press Volume Upor Down until ON appears in thedisplay, if you want the displayto always be on. Select OFF, ifyou want the display to onlyturn on for approximately 10seconds each time the remoteor front panel controls are used.When you select OFF, the dis-play will not turn off until afteryou press Save to exit theMenu.

Save In Menu mode, pressInput Up or Down until “Save” isshown in the display. After a fewseconds your personalized, cus-tom settings will be stored inmemory and the preamplifierwill exit the Menu.

Quit In Menu mode, press InputUp or Down until “Quit” isshown in the display. After a fewseconds, the preamplifier willexit the Menu. No changes willbe stored in memory.

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AC FusesThe Sonata/Allegro powersup-ply has an AC fuse holder foreach channel.100-120v. countries: 800m AT200 -240v. countries:400m ATDO NOT REPLACE WITH ANYOTHER FUSE VALUE.

WarrantyThe Gryphon Sonata-Allegro iswarranted against failures aris-ing through faulty workmanshipand materials for a period of 5year from date of purchase. Thewarranty is not transferable. Thiswarranty is only valid in thecountry where the product waspurchased. All claims under thiswarranty must be made to thedistributor in the buyer`s countryby returning the unit securelypacked in the original box with allaccessories, postage/freight pre-paid and insured. The unit will berepaired or replaced at nocharge for parts and labor.This warranty remains valid onlyif the serial number of the unithas not been defaced orremoved and if repairs are per-formed only by authorizedGryphon dealers or distributors.It does not cover damage due tomisuse, accident or neglect. Thiswarranty is not valid if the oper-

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ation voltage of the product hasbeen changed. The distributor ormanufacturer, Gryphon AudioDesigns, Denmark, retains theexclusive right to make suchjudgement on the basis ofinspection.The retailer, distributor or manu-facturer of the Gryphon shall notbe liable for consequential dam-age arising from the use, misuseor failure of this product, includ-ing injuries to persons or proper-ty.To qualify, the enclosed warrantyregistration card must be filledout and returned to the manufac-turer within 10 days of purchase.

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