iFi xDSD Gryphon - One for All

 

4.5⭐️

+ Great build quality

+ 3 digital filters

+ XBass II and XSpace

+ iEMatch

+ Bluetooth

+ Line in for use as a standalone amplifier 

+ Battery life

+ Carrying/storage bag included

- Slightly recessed midrange

- Sound signature a bit different from iFi's other products 

- A leather case would be nice

- Might be on the larger side of portable for some

- Price 

thaslaya's star rating system:

☆☆☆☆☆ - Fantastic!

☆☆☆☆ - Recommended

☆☆☆ - There are buyers but not for me

☆☆ - Can't see the appeal

☆ - Product is a failure

Disclaimer: 

This product was provided to me for a review period by iFi Audio in exchange for my impartial and honest opinion. I receive 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-gryphon/?srsltid=AfmBOorOYRuWfmc_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.