- News
- Posted
Gryphon Antileon Anniversary
The roots of the Antileon amplifier go back to the very beginnings of concludes the Gryphon company and even beyond. The product that would come to be known as the legendary Gryphon Headamp began as a strictly personal, non-commercial exercise, an exploration into how efficiently electronic topology could be translated into sound with all essential musical values intact. Since there were no commercial aspirations behind the project, nothing was ruled out. Extreme, no-compromise dual-mono construction, ultra-wide bandwidth, zero negative feedback, true Class A operation, huge power supplies, and all-discrete components were all essential ingredients in the recipe.
This approach to amplifier design would be the building block of all future designs, the very foundation of the Gryphon DNA, and led directly to the design of the first Gryphon power amplifiers, Gryphon DM 100 (1991-1995) and the monoblock version, Reference One (1992-1996). As the years passed, new parts and the evolving know-how allowed Gryphon's team to further refine their amplifiers. They were always praised for their high degree of musicality and realism and time has allowed Danish engineers to build on these values while increasing transparency and resolution. After an extraordinary lifespan for the mono and stereo versions of the Antileon (1995-2000), Antileon Signature, (2000-2015), and Antileon EVO (2015-2020) power amplifiers, Gryphon Audio Design celebrates this exceptional success limited edition release of the Gryphon Antileon Anniversary, the ultimate refinement of concepts, technologies and components originally developed for the Gryphon Mephisto, the brand's ultimate power amplification statement.
The original Antileon replaced the Gryphon DM100 in its day one of the world's most powerful, true dual mono, pure Class A power amplifiers. The technology and topology that are at the heart of Antileon, now 2 x 150 Watts and 670,000 μF power capacity, have undergone many modifications and refinements over the years, but the fundamental philosophical foundation remains extreme wide bandwidth, outstanding channel separation, and exceptional peak-to-peak current capability to ensure compatibility with even the most viciously reactive loudspeaker loads.
In celebration of Antileon's 25th anniversary, Gryphon offers a special numbered series consisting of 25 stereo versions and 25 monoblock pairs. Each set will include a reproduction of the original Antileon EVO artwork and a special owner's manual with a historical introduction to every Antileon generation written by Gryphon founder Flemming E. Rasmussen. Gryphon Antileon Anniversary is dedicated to the memory of Flemming's good friend and Australian distributor for 33 years, Josef Riediger, who regrettably passed away. An aluminum frame surrounds the display, engraved with "Antileon EVO Anniversary" and the series number, for instance, Serial No. 1/25. On the amplifier top, a golden Gryphon figure is recessed into the massive transformer cover. The Antileon Anniversary is not only a tribute to the amplifier's 25 years but also to the choices made from the very beginning and a homage to the worldwide community of Gryphon owners, who made it possible for the company to come so far. Like every Gryphon product, Gryphon Antileon Anniversary is designed by Gryphon founder Flemming E. Rasmussen and manufactured in Denmark. Info and photos by Gryphon.