Boulder to Gryphon

Cableman

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2013
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Save yourself a fortune: do not upgrade until you got your foundation right! See my post in the Tweaks forum.
I have a similar set-up. The problem is (i) internal resonance/ vibration of the equipment itself (ii) unclean power.
Solve (i) with proper bases/ pucks and (ii) with a power regenerator (I use Isotek Mosaic) and the best power cords money can buy (buy 2nd hand!). But (i) remains paramount. Your system WILL sing!
Re the Isotek. Have you tried now taking it out the system. I auditioned Isotek a while back and found it choked the sound I do agree a filter is necessary though, just not that one.
 

alvinjamur

Member
Dec 14, 2020
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Yes, Sir....I expect to get the full system tomorrow....then a continuous burn in for about 50-70 hrs...then will place speakers properly, spike....take room measurements etc., then will write up stuff...

aLV
 

divertiti

Well-Known Member
Jan 12, 2021
208
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Yes, Sir....I expect to get the full system tomorrow....then a continuous burn in for about 50-70 hrs...then will place speakers properly, spike....take room measurements etc., then will write up stuff...

aLV
Exciting, looking forward to your thoughts
 

alvinjamur

Member
Dec 14, 2020
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Ok!!!
Just got it setup.

I removed the original pucks (feet on Pantheon) and added the Atlas spikes (pucks that came with Atlas box + spikes) onto the Pantheons but am not able to integrate the knurled knob (in case I want to rake). Have had it on now for 20 hrs or so. I’m liking the matchup that I have now more than anything I’ve had before…..

Here’s 3 pix for now…

Waiting on bass traps (4)….
 

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Addicted to hifi

VIP/Donor
Sep 8, 2020
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Ok!!!
Just got it setup.

I removed the original pucks (feet on Pantheon) and added the Atlas spikes (pucks that came with Atlas box + spikes) onto the Pantheons but am not able to integrate the knurled knob (in case I want to rake). Have had it on now for 20 hrs or so. I’m liking the matchup that I have now more than anything I’ve had before…..

Here’s 3 pix for now…

Waiting on bass traps (4)….
Very nice congrats.
 

Down Under

Well-Known Member
Jun 26, 2014
191
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Your room looks great.
Looking forward to your impressions over the next few weeks.
The ribbon tweeter takes quite a while to run in before it sounds its best.
 
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infinitely baffled

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Jul 2, 2015
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Interesting how people react differently to gear. I auditioned the Gryphon Pandora in my room in 2019 and did not like it at all. The preamp I had at the time, ARC Ref40, was IMO much better. The Boulder 1110 was better than the Ref 40. So I now have an all Boulder amp chain (1110/3060) for my YGXVs. But everyone has to reach their own conclusions.

I don't understand the "way too much resolution" view. If the artists put sound on recordings, if the composer wrote the notes in the score, If the orchestra played it, if the singers sang it, don't you want to hear it?

Can you give examples of tracks where you noticed this and tracks that you like better with the Gryphon gear even though there is less resolution?
Chuck when i had both Boulder power amp and 2110 pre amp in my system i experienced a similar effect. Which is why I've stuck with a valve pre-amp.
With the 2110 pre in my system it was more resolving, had more extension at both ends, but was a little too 'Technicolor'.
With the Wavac pre-amp things were completely organic, atmospheric, like the difference between listening in a jazz club at 3am or experiencing the ssme performance in a Dolby thx cinema.
With my love of dynamics and general appreciation of all things Boulder it was surprising to me that i preferred the less dynamic Wavac pre, but it was just more seductive....in the way that folks who mix valve pre-amps with solid state power amps will relate to.

I would dearly love for Boulder to build a valve pre.....but it ain't gonna happen
 

infinitely baffled

VIP/Donor
Jul 2, 2015
1,259
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Scotland
Save yourself a fortune: do not upgrade until you got your foundation right! See my post in the Tweaks forum.
I have a similar set-up. The problem is (i) internal resonance/ vibration of the equipment itself (ii) unclean power.
Solve (i) with proper bases/ pucks and (ii) with a power regenerator (I use Isotek Mosaic) and the best power cords money can buy (buy 2nd hand!). But (i) remains paramount. Your system WILL sing!
You use a power regenerator with a Boulder 3060?
Whenever i tried them with my 2060.5 i found a clear loss in performance.
But then again it's very remote where i live, I'm the only building on the local transformer
 

Derekw14

VIP/Donor
Aug 1, 2018
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Latest Gryphon cables are excellent. Open, fast, dynamic. If you want more relaxed cable but still resolutive enough try Hijiri top cables. The best cable I have tried in the last few years is Boenicke top cable which combines magnificent musicality with openness and great staging.
Boenicke makes compelling gear always.
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
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You use a power regenerator with a Boulder 3060?
Whenever i tried them with my 2060.5 i found a clear loss in performance.
But then again it's very remote where i live, I'm the only building on the local transformer
Wow...talk about an upgrade in power supply! How many people would love to have their own local transformer/substation!!!

Anyway, I have found I prefer the Gryphon Mephisto and now the Robert Koda K160 Monos in the Torus AVR16. They system draws 5.2amps and steady-state leaves the Torus with 50% excess capacity...plus the Torus can handle 10x-20x spikes for peak draws. I know a fellow K160 owner who is using the mega-sized Torus AVR45 or bigger - 45 amps after trying the AVR16 and found that 2 x AVR16 was even better...
 

matakana

Well-Known Member
Aug 26, 2020
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Wow...talk about an upgrade in power supply! How many people would love to have their own local transformer/substation!!!

Anyway, I have found I prefer the Gryphon Mephisto and now the Robert Koda K160 Monos in the Torus AVR16. They system draws 5.2amps and steady-state leaves the Torus with 50% excess capacity...plus the Torus can handle 10x-20x spikes for peak draws. I know a fellow K160 owner who is using the mega-sized Torus AVR45 or bigger - 45 amps after trying the AVR16 and found that 2 x AVR16 was even better...
You can see too that Torus is being used with Audionet in this very fine showroom.
 

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LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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You can see too that Torus is being used with Audionet in this very fine showroom.
Thanks! Which one is that? Looks like AVR 2 series, but not sure which one?

BTW, one heckuva a lot of amazing equipment...Taiko Extreme, Goebel, Audionet Scientific Series, Total DAC and Stillpoints Apertures to start! (We also have 3 stacked that like on either side behind the speakers.)
 

chuck

Well-Known Member
Dec 19, 2011
358
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San Diego
Chuck when i had both Boulder power amp and 2110 pre amp in my system i experienced a similar effect. Which is why I've stuck with a valve pre-amp.
With the 2110 pre in my system it was more resolving, had more extension at both ends, but was a little too 'Technicolor'.
With the Wavac pre-amp things were completely organic, atmospheric, like the difference between listening in a jazz club at 3am or experiencing the ssme performance in a Dolby thx cinema.
With my love of dynamics and general appreciation of all things Boulder it was surprising to me that i preferred the less dynamic Wavac pre, but it was just more seductive....in the way that folks who mix valve pre-amps with solid state power amps will relate to.

I would dearly love for Boulder to build a valve pre.....but it ain't gonna happen
With the 2060, which I had until seven years ago, I tend to agree But the 3060 is in a totally different league. They didn't build a valve pre -- they built an amp that is better without one.
 

Derekw14

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Aug 1, 2018
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Never owned dCS but the few times I heard it, albeit in systems I was not familiar with, I wasn’t swayed. I find DACs often challenging. Liked few of the ones I tried: Lampi Golden Gate (yum), ARC CD9 (first 6h30 based machine I enjoyed, usually don’t seem to like that tube much), my friend’s older Metronome, Aesthetix Eclipse (although a bit colored?) … never heard the recent MSB models which seem to garner rave reviews, but the prices…. Brinkmann Nyquist, same issue. Oh well.
 

exupgh12

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Jul 30, 2019
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has your system room been treated acoustically properly?
we hear system+room intervention not x or y component, too many times I've seen people rushing to replace a component one after the other in the quest to "solve" issues skipping correct room treatment.
 
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alvinjamur

Member
Dec 14, 2020
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All right! After adding Vicoustic Vari Bass, Diffusers, Absorbers (just a touch) and replacing Aperture IIs….spiking Pantheons with Atlas spikes…repositioning closer/toe in…I get the desired response. Here is what I’m looking like right now…. 2A23D138-F6B4-4E4A-8D88-5B4A30755E9E.jpeg CE5AB29C-1EDF-4AE2-A63F-4AEEF835CF2D.jpeg
 

timztunz

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Apr 23, 2018
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nonesup

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Wow !!
 

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