iFi audio xDSD Gryphon

Disclaimer:
This product was provided to me for a review period by iFi Audio in exchange for my impartial and honest opinion. I recieve no compensation and all thoughts and opinions are my own. A special thanks to iFi for coordinating this unit for review.

Non-affiliated product link for those interested:
https://ifi-audio.com/products/xdsd...Wfmc_FU1ZJl6bZat6o-tWluk7fQ5q8q9dkZEtLaAfYUTD

Gear used:
● Samsung Galaxy s22 Ultra
● Samsung dongle
● Various IEMs

Source:
● Listening was done through Amazon Music HD or Ultra HD.

Introduction:
iFi Audio is well known to many audiophiles for their fantastic quality. The company produces many DACs and amplifiers for both portable and desktop use. Last year, I had the opportunity to review the GO bar Kensei, which I absolutely loved. The xDSD Gryphon first debuted in late 2021 and is a feature-packed device. It is currently available through iFi's website for $599, which is no chump change. Let's break down what the Gryphon has to offer and see just why it has stood the test of time.

Unboxing and build quality:
In typical iFi fashion, the packaging is fairly simple and the unboxing is straightforward. Inside you'll find the unit itself, some instructional materials, three cables, and a cloth bag for storage and protection. The Gryphon sports an aluminum body with an OLED display on top and four rubber feet on the bottom. The build quality is quite premium. It has a nice weight balance and feels sturdy in hand. Like many of iFi's products, the Gryphon features a Burr-Brown chipset. It also has Qualcomm’s QCC5100 bluetooth chip for wireless connection. On the front of the unit are the volume/multifunction knob, a settings/XBass/XSpace button, a source toggle button, and both 3.5 and 4.4 outputs. The volume wheel feels good to use and also functions as a mute button when using a wired connection. In Bluetooth mode, it can be pressed once to pause, twice for next track, and three time for previous track. There are LED lights on the front to indicate the sample rate, volume, input, and XBass/XSpace. The back of the unit features two separate USB-C inputs (one for dedicated charging), line in 3.5mm and 4.4mm inputs, and an optical input port as well. Here you will also find the bass/presence toggle switch for the XBass II feature (more on that later). The two seperate USB-C ports make it very convenient to charge the Gryphon while in use. On the underside is the iEMatch toggle which is a great for sensitive transducers. The top of the unit houses the OLED screen for displaying various information and perusing the menu options.

Technical information and features:
●PureWave amplification delivers 1,000mW at 32 Ohms with a powerful max output of 6.7V.

●The following formats are supported:
On USB:
• PCM (768/705.6/384/352.8/192/176.4/96/88.2/48/44.1 kHz)
• DSD (512/256/128/64)
• DXD (768/705.6/384/352.8kHz)
• MQA (Decoder)
On S/PDIF
• PCM (192/176.4/96/88.2/48/44.1 kHz)
• DoP
Bluetooth codecs:
• aptX Adaptive and aptX HD
• LDACTM and HWA/LHDC
• regular aptX and aptX Low Latency
• AAC
• SBC

The Gryphon is absolutely packed with features, including three digital filters, iEMatch, XBass II with three togglable options, XSpace, Bluetooth, and a line-in for use as a standalone amplifier. Those familiar with iFi's stable of products won't find any big surprises here, but I will include iFi's own explanations of these features for the uninitiated.

●XBass II - reinstates the missing bass from open-backed headphones or for recordings that you hanker for bass slam. Under XBass II you can select ‘Bass’ and/or ‘Presence’ so that the upper midrange frequencies are correctly added back into your favourite recording.

●XSpace - adds back the cavernous sound stage of recordings

●iEMatch - our proprietary tech which reduces the annoying hiss from high-sensitivity headphones without losing any dynamic range.

The three built-in digital filters can be cycled through the on-screen menu. They include Bit-Perfect (BP - no digital filtering), Standard (STD - modest filtering, modest pre and post ringing), and Gibbs Transient Optimized (GTO - upsampled to 384/352kHz, minimum filtering, no pre-ringing, minimum post ringing ). Each option conveys subtle changes to the overall sound signature and tuning that are unique to the transducer used.

Battery life:
I averaged upwards of eight hours of use on a full charge of the Gryphon's battery. For me, that is plenty of time, but the Gryphon won't be breaking any records for the longest battery life on the market. Some have cited the Gryphon as having a slower battery recharge rate, but I found that it completed a full charging cycle in just over two hours, which does not seem excessively slow to me. The Gryphon has been around since 2021, so perhaps iFi upgraded its charging capabilities at some point during its production span. Speaking of the battery, the Gryphon also has a USB dual-port charging option that charges the battery to 3.88V and stabilizes; at that point, the device remains powered on without using the battery. This is a great option when utilizing the Gryphon as a desktop source to preserve the life of the battery. During my testing, the Gryphon remained very cool in wired mode but I did notice that it gets warmer when utilizing Bluetooth.

Sound impressions:
With so many built-in options, customizing the sound is one of the Gryphon's major selling points. The three filter options are subtle but distinctly different, and my filter of choice varied with each IEM. Rather than attempting to interpret how the Gryphon impacts each pairing, I will instead share my preferred settings and how these improved upon each IEM's stock tuning.

●Penon Impact - (GTO filter with XBass II enabled) The first obvious difference I hear is the enhanced bass rumble and reverberation offered by the XBass. It takes the Impact's otherwise more mid-bass-focused BA bass response and adds a nice boost to the sub-bass, making it more balanced and fun. This tuning is a better match for pop tracks that benefit from a solid boosted bass. The bass is not only elevated, it also gains improved texture, resolution, and more mid-bass punch. The midrange receives a subtle increase in warmth, improved vocal separation, and a more balanced presentation across both the upper and lower mid-frequencies. Treble notes are slightly crisper and more energetic, likely due to the ESTs benefiting from extra power. The soundstage sounds a bit bigger and deeper as well. Overall, the Impact has a more mature and full sound with a slightly energetic tilt when using the Gryphon with these options.

●Letshuoer Cadenza 12 - (STD filter with XBass II enabled) The Cadenza receives a healthy injection of bassy fun here with the Gryphon. Sometimes adding bass via XBass can lead to an unnatural or artificial-sounding boost, but that is definitely not the case here. The Cadenza 12's drivers easily handle the extra low-end emphasis, gaining a deeper, bolder rumble and reverberation, and more resolution. The rest of the frequency band is also affected, but more subtly. The midrange is pulled back slightly, and the treble is a bit more extended. For me, this pairing and option are more about the added bass emphasis than an overall increase in sound quality. The Cadenza 12 is fairly easy to drive and does not require much power to sound great, but the XBass function really elevates it to a new and fun level for those who find its stock tuning a bit boring.

●Softears Volume S - (STD filter with XBass II and XSpace enabled) For this pairing, I stuck with the low-impedance mode on the Volume S. Obviously, toggling the XBass option will add more bass, but surprisingly, it is not as much as I would have thought, compared to the stock tuning. The XBass enables the Volume S to reach deeper and have more rumble, but it does so naturally, avoiding an artificially boosted sound. The midrange takes a small step back, and vocals are not as forward, but still easily distinguishable in the mix. The midrange also gains a bit of depth and a slight energy boost. The treble is the least affected to my ear, but the XSpace option does add a slight bit of air and energy. With this combination of settings, the Gryphon imparts a healthy dose of bass, energy, and a certain fun factor on the Volume S that is very enjoyable.

●Elysian Diva 2023 - (BP filter) I opted not to use XBass with the Diva since I had already set the dial to the bassiest setting. On the Gryphon, the stock bass gains a slightly deeper sub-bass tilt with more rumble. Surprisingly, the midbass is a little less punchy, and the impact is slightly toned down. However, it has improved texture and resolution. Turning on the XBass function takes it just a notch further and puts the already bassy blue setting on the Diva into gimmicky territory. The upper midrange and vocals sound slightly recessed. It makes the smooth and vocal-focused Diva sound a bit more balanced, but in the process, it loses a little of the forward presentation that makes this set unique. The treble actually gets a little better, to my taste. Any irritating peaks or slightly harsh "s" notes that were present before get smoothed out. The soundstage also sounds deeper. Overall, I like how the Gryphon subtly improves the Diva's bass and treble while imparting a slightly more balanced tonality.

●Elysian Annihilator 2023 - (BP filter with XBass II enabled in presence mode). This combination of options is working magic and really helps bring the Annihilator's tuning more in line with my preferences. It does so while staying true to what makes the Annihilator unique: its bold bass and crisp treble. The bass performance and resolution are noticeably improved over the Gryphon. It sounds much more mature and less gimmicky. In the midrange, utilizing the XBass II presence option really brings vocals more to the forefront and offers better separation. This is a great option if, like me, you find the Annihilator's overall balance to be a bit off. The ESTs also benefit from extra power, and the treble is able to produce more air and extension. It's uncanny how the Gryphon changes the tuning and yet preserves what makes the Annihilator unique. I feel these options offer a more refined and mature take on the stock tuning, with a noticeable midrange boost that suits me much better. However, if you find the bass response lacking compared to the stock tuning, simply toggling the XBass II switch to Bass + presence adds a nice bass shelf.

●Bluetooth vs. Wired - The Bluetooth option is very stable and easy to use. I did not experience any frequent disconnections or signal loss and was able to roam freely up to about 30 yards without issue. The sound quality while using Bluetooth is basically the same, but I did notice a very slight loss of dynamics and resolution. The difference is subtle but still worth noting. Essentially, there is a trade-off: lose a bit of refinement for the convenience of going wireless. I personally prefer a wired connection for the best possible sound quality, but having the option to go wireless is a fantastic feature.

Overall, the sound quality of the Gryphon is excellent. The few consistent tuning changes I noticed throughout my testing were a slight boost to bass and treble extension, and a slight midrange recession. As a testament to its versatility, I was able to utilize the Gryphon's plethora of combination options to enhance each IEM I tested. While it does have the same Burr-Brown chipset that iFi uses in some of its other products, the Gryphon has a slightly different take on its house sound, to my ear. I sometimes find myself missing the usual warmth associated with the other DAC/amps I reviewed (GO bar Kensei and hip-dac 3).

In conclusion:
Like the mythical creature from which it gets its name, the iFi xDSD Gryphon really is an amalgamation of many parts, put together into one unique and amazing creature. It has Bluetooth, line-in capabilities, separate USB-C data and charging ports, and a ton of features to customize the sound to your liking. Just because the xDSD Gryphon has been around for a while doesn't make it any less impressive in today's market. It is a really solid product in iFi's stable, and after spending some time understanding what makes it special, I see why it has stood the test of time. As a purely portable listener, I find the Gryphon to be ever so slightly on the large side, but it is still plenty portable and not much bigger than many DAPs on the market today. It can also transition from portable to desktop use with ease. While the Gryphon is a fantastic device, I might personally opt for the GO bar Kensei instead. Sure, it is less versatile and lacks Bluetooth, but it offers one more filter option, K2HD, a slightly warmer sound, has no internal battery to worry about, and is a little cheaper. The Gryphon's wide array of use cases and options make it a very versatile device and it earns a strong recommendation from me. With an MSRP of $599, it is not cheap, but the Gryphon really could be the one-and-done solution for all your portable and desktop needs.

Introduction

iFi Audio is no stranger to the Head-Fi community having produced unique and interesting products for many years now. This British company has a reputation of building high performance products at quite reasonable prices for what one gets, and today's review of the xDSD Gryphon ($599) epitomizes this design principle.



I'd like to begin my review by thanking Lawrance at iFi for the opportunity to review the xDSD Gryphon. Lawrance provided a new sample for this review which will be returned at its completion.



For this review, I decided to use my iPhone SE Gen 3 as my source, and given the compact nature of the xDSD Gryphon, I decided to go old school and strap my phone to it. I used my FiR Audio Krypton 5 as my headphones. All source material was lossless.

Performance

iFi uses multibit DACs from Burr Brown in the xDSD Gryphon which produce a highly detailed sound without any glare or other artifacts that can distract from one's enjoyment in listening. Low level detail retrieval is plentifully produced creating a huge soundstage on all three axes of depth, height, and width which creates an immersive listening experience that pulls the listener into the their listening, such so, that it encourages one to listen to other albums in their collection with the anticipation that favorite albums will be reproduced in such a manner that its like hearing them for the first time.

One of the features that most will find to be an additive quality to their listening experience is the XBass+ and XSpace filters. The first enhances bass performance without creating a boomy effect while XSpace opens up the soundstage even more. There is one issue with these filters in that when they are engaged, a pop sound is created, sometimes soft, sometimes quite loud, so my suggestion is to not have your headphones connected, or, turn the volume control down so there is no damage to one's ears with their use. I asked Lawrance whether we can expect a firmware upgrade to ameliorate this situation, but I was told there is no plan from iFi to update the firmware to do so.



As one can see from the above connection guide, there are multiple ways in regards to inputs and outputs to use the xDSD Gryphon ensuring connectivity for various uses. iFi includes short cables of varying types so no matter whether one uses an iPhone, Android phone, or a computer, iFi's got you covered.

Conclusion

I really enjoyed my time with the xDSD Gryphon. It has so much flexibility in how it can be used with its controls and connections, I liken it to a Swiss army knife. And its audio reproduction performance is stellar for the reasonable price of admission.

DISCLAIMER

The Gryphon is a loaner from iFi. It will be returned after this review.
It can be gotten here: https://ifi-audio.com/products/xdsd-gryphon/ (no affiliate links).




SPECIFICATIONS/COMPATIBILITY




The Gryphon's engine is a Burr Brown DAC, and this gadget can function as a DAC, amp, pre-amp and Bluetooth device, increasing its versatility tremendously.

It is compatible with multiple music formats, including DSD, PCM, DXD and MQA. PCM can be played up to 32-bit/768kHz via USB (or 192kHz via optical/coaxial), with native playback up to DSD512, and full MQA decoding (up to 384kHz).

The Gryphon is also compatible with myriad Bluetooth codecs, which should please our brethren who use wireless gear. The Gryphon has balanced and single-ended outputs, with the former providing more power. This may be useful for demanding transducers if more headroom is required.


ACCESSORIES

Other than the Gryphon, these are included:
- 1 x USB-A to USB-C cable
- 1 x USB-C to USB-C cable
- 1 x lightning to USB-C cable
- 1 x carrying pouch



The accessories are pretty serviceable, and users of both Android and Apple devices should be covered with the spread. Perhaps only legacy type devices that utilize micro-USB ports or older ports may face an issue, but no biggie getting an aftermarket adapter I guess.

The velvet carrying pouch should prevent scratches on the Gryphon, but it won't prevent drops or knocks, so perhaps a hard carrying case would have been desirable, but this is just nitpicking.


DESIGN/FUNCTION

Fashioned from aluminum chassis with an OLED display, the Gryphon is industrial looking but functional. The build is solid and tough. Measuring 123 x 75 x19 mm and weighing in at 215 g, this device is quite portable on-the-go, with no excessive weight or bulkiness.



A rectangular OLED screen on the top of the DAC/Amp displays audio format, sampling rates, volume, input mode, battery levels and whether the XSpace/XBass II functions are enabled.


The Gryphon has a ton-load of connectors and ports, and these are what they do:



On the front, we have the single-ended (3.5 mm) and balanced (4.4 mm) output ports, with the latter reinforced with gold-plating. No 2.5 mm or 6.35 mm ports are present, but once again, one can easily source for an aftermarket adapter if your cables are in these terminations.



We also have the XSpace and XBass II buttons, volume knob and the input selector buttons on the front. The input selector buttons will switch between USB, Bluetooth, Line-out and S/PDIF options.

The XBass II boosts bass for our basshead friends, whereas the XSpace function is kind of a spatialiser to open up the soundstage. Do explore these functions and see if they are your cup of tea.



The volume knob functions as a power on/off button, an analogue volume control, a mute/unmute control and even accesses the menu setting:


Inside the settings menu, we can select stuff like USB-C port charging/input, screen brightness, BT voice prompting and digital filters. Basically the usual she-bangs that any audiophile would require is included here.

These are the 3 filters included with the Gryphon. Do explore to see what suits your needs, thought the differences in sound are quite subtle to my ears.



This device flashes a different LED colour on the front panel, depending on the audio format/sampling:


The input and volume levels also showcase different LED colours, which is quite useful at a glance:



On the base of this device, we have the serial number and a built-in iEMatch. There are rubberized feet to add grip during usage.



The iEMatch (https://ifi-audio.com/faqs/what-is-the-iematch/) is a nifty tool to match the Gryphon to transducers that have very low impedance (based on the audiophile rule of eights). And the best part is that unlike other impedance adapters, the iEMatch doesn't skew the frequency response of the IEM attached. Thus, this is a very important tool that increases the Gryphon's compatibility with fussy gear eg Campfire Andromeda.

There is some hiss with very sensitive IEMs on this device, so toggling the iEMatch also gets rid of the hiss!


At the back of the Gryphon, we have a bass/presence toggle switch. This affects what the XBass switch at the front changes in the frequency response. Also at the back are the input and digital ports, in addition to the USB-C and charging connectors.




I am glad to report that the Gryphon gets just slightly warm with usage, but nothing very hot or scalding, unlike some competitor devices.

For those that are interested, the Gryphon utilizes many choice components, as detailed in the photos below:




BLUETOOTH



The Gryphon contains a Bluetooth 5.1 module with QCCS100 chipset, supporting 96 kHz HD BT formats including aptXHD, aptX Adaptive, LDAC and HWA/LHDC! During my field tests, the Gryphon was easily recognized by multiple Windows and Android devices, including DAPs (I'm sorry but I do not use Apple devices, so can't comment on this aspect).

Bluetooth range is about 10 metres without obstructions, and 5 metres with obstructions. Sadly, there was some stuttering and occasional drop outs with longer distances or larger obstructions.


BATTERY

On balanced, I can hit about 7 - 8 hours on the Gryphon thru wired connection, using FLAC/WAV files at moderate volumes, which is okayish in my book. Do bear in mind though that with repeated charge cycles, the battery life is expected to go down.

Sadly, the Gryphon takes a whopping 5 hours or so to be fully charged, which is a bit disappointing. That's like a big fraction of the actual play time!

While the Gryphon can be used to play music while charging, it does get slightly hot with this combination, and will also take longer to charge too.


SOUND

The Gryphon bestows a warm-neutral tuning. Perhaps it isn't as warm and analoguish as some other iFi gear, but it still lies on the warmer side, with a thicker note weight than neutral sources. Timbral accuracy is very natural and timbre freaks should have no complaints here.

Indeed, nothing sounds artificial unlike some treble-boosted DAC/Amp rivals, and it is very musical with sibilant-free sonics. The treble and upper midrange are quite restrained. Bass is emphasized, but nevertheless has good texturing with solid sub-bass extension. As alluded to above, bassheads can activate the XBass switch to increase the bass quantity even further.

In technicalities, the Gryphon has an expansive soundstage with superb layering and instrument separation. While it isn't the most micro-detailed compared to some steroid infused competitors that boost the high-end frequencies, there is still decent clarity and resolution available. The keyword to describe this device is "natural". Everything sounds as it should, with a musical signature meeting good technicalities.

Due to the tuning, the Gryphon is an excellent pairing with so-called shoutier or harsher gear - such as the AKG N5005 for example - in taming the upper end. This DAC/Amp can be used for hours on end for a chill and relaxing session, without too many compromises in resolution.

On the balanced output, the Gryphon can provide 1000 mW at 32 ohms and 74 mW at 600 ohm. Thus, it can drive most gear out there, perhaps other than some planar headphones or extreme outliers. Unsurprisingly, this DAC/Amp has more power on the balanced (4.4 mm) port when compared to the single-ended (3.5 mm port), with increased dynamics and headroom heard on balanced, especially for harder to drive gear.

These are my usual acid tests when testing out a new source:
- Final Audio E5000 (low sensitivity at 93dB/mW)
- Sennheiser HD650 (high impedance at 300ohm)
- Yinman 600 ohm (600 ohm impedance and 87db/mW sensitivity)



If the Final E5000 is underpowered, it sounds bloated and untextured in the bass, with one-noted boomy basslines heard. The Gryphon easily aces this tests on its 4.4 mm port, with no smudging in the bass, even with complex bass tracks.



The HD650 sounds boring and undynamic if not juiced well. The Gryphon adequately powers the HD650 to fine dynamics and bass tightness, though unsurprisingly, some desktop level amps might probably do a slightly better job.



The final boss, the Yinman 600 ohm earbuds, has very low sensitivity with a high 600 ohm impedance. The bass can be very nebulous and fuzzy when it is not driven well. The Gryphon can power this behemoth on the 4.4 mm port, though the bass does smear somewhat on complex tracks, with a slight lack of dynamics. Having said that, it is no shame to be unable to juice this earbud, most of my portable sources can't even drive it adequately, and the Yinman 600 ohm probably needs desktop amps with larger power on tap to do justice to the sonics.

The Gryphon has <1.0 ohm output impedance both output ports, allowing it to be paired with fussy sensitive IEMs like the Campfire Andromeda (based on audiophile rule of eights) without skewing the frequency response. As described above, there is hiss with some sensitive IEMs, but toggling the iEMatch easily fixes this.

I did not encounter any EMI with the Android phones and DAPs that I paired the Gryphon with (I'm not an Apple user so I can't test it on those devices though).


COMPARISONS

The Chord Mojo 2 is more neutral and slightly more technical, with better soundstage and imaging.

However, the Mojo 2 has EMI with some phones, and has no Bluetooth function. Importantly, it does not have a balanced output! So for folks who have gear that are primarily terminated in balanced, that might be a bummer. Lay consumers who want convenience with Bluetooth gear might also have to look elsewhere from the Mojo 2. From a versatility and practicality standpoint the Gryphon is a better device IMHO.


CONCLUSIONS



Be it as a DAC, amplifier, pre-amp or Bluetooth device, the Gryphon is a literal swiss army knife portable source that can do most departments to a high level. Build and battery are more than adequate, with decent power on tap to deal with transducers other than demanding tough customer outliers. The Gryphon supports various Bluetooth and music formats, in addition to having filters and bass/soundstage boost options.

I quite appreciate that this device does not get hot during listening, and it has a low output impedance and an in-built iEMatch to cope with finicky low impedance/high sensitivity gear, thus increasing compatibility. Listeners will be greeted with a lush warm-neutral pleasant sound, with great imaging and layering, and top-notch timbre. The Gryphon synergizes well with bright headphones and IEMs, letting one chill to music for hours on end!

There are some areas for improvement, namely, the snail's pace for charging, occasional Bluetooth stuttering and drop-outs, and perhaps very demanding transducers may not be adequately juiced. Additionally, this DAC/Amp is coloured, so folks wanting a dead neutral or brighter source might need to consider alternatives.

Those are small nitpicks in the big scheme of things, and the Gryphon is an excellent all-in-one equipment that audiophiles and lay consumers should consider getting. I am quite sad sending this loan unit back after the review, perhaps I might purchase this baby at the next sale!