GRYPHON DIABLO 120

Pre owned. In excellent condition. Free from any noticeable signs of wear. Supplied with remote control, without original packaging.

Stereo integrated amplifier designed to combine the circuit design and sonic characteristics of the Danish brand’s reference electronics in a single chassis. It draws on Gryphon Audio Designs’ experience in developing separate preamplifiers and power amplifiers, incorporating construction techniques derived from higher-end models and a configuration designed to drive even demanding loudspeaker loads.

The design, created by Flemming E. Rasmussen, features a brushed, satin-black anodised aluminium chassis paired with a glossy black acrylic front panel. The geometric surfaces, layered structural elements and material finishes reflect the manufacturer’s distinctive design language. The electronics are designed by Tom Møller and manufactured at Gryphon’s facility in Denmark.

The amplification section uses a dual-mono configuration, with particularly short signal paths, reduced internal wiring and printed circuit boards featuring copper tracks up to 70 µm thick. The 1,300 VA Holmgren toroidal transformer has separate secondary windings for the two channels, each supported by 60,000 µF of filtering capacitance. The output stage uses pairs of Sanken transistors per channel, while the circuitry operates without global negative feedback. Carefully selected connectors, gold-plated contacts and PTFE insulation contribute to a streamlined signal path.

Rated output power reaches 120 W per channel into 8 ohms, 240 W into 4 ohms and 440 W into 2 ohms, demonstrating the driving capability built into the design. Volume control is handled by a 46-step passive relay attenuator managed by a microprocessor. At each listening level, the circuit places a maximum of six resistors in the signal path, with the aim of limiting interference introduced by the volume adjustment process.

The analogue section includes one balanced XLR input and four unbalanced RCA inputs, along with a Tape output. A fixed-level AV bypass function is also provided, with an electrically isolated signal path that allows the amplifier to be integrated into a multichannel system while leaving volume control to the external AV processor. The configuration menu allows the brightness of the fluorescent display, the initial and maximum volume levels, and source names to be adjusted. An infrared remote control, 12 V control connections and firmware updates via flash memory are also provided.

The Diablo 120 can be configured with an optional PCM/DSD DAC module, which can be installed at the time of purchase or added later. Based on the design of the Gryphon Kalliope converter, it adds USB, balanced AES/EBU, BNC coaxial S/PDIF and optical TOSLINK inputs. Via USB, it supports PCM signals up to 32-bit/384 kHz and DSD formats, with compatibility depending on the operating system used. The AES/EBU and BNC S/PDIF inputs accept PCM up to 32-bit/192 kHz, while the optical input supports sampling rates up to 96 kHz/24-bit.

Alternatively, an optional phono module compatible with MM and MC cartridges can be installed to allow a turntable to be connected directly. The two modules are mutually exclusive and cannot be installed simultaneously.

The Gryphon Diablo 120 is designed to deliver dynamic, articulate and well-defined reproduction, while maintaining rich harmonic character and a balanced sonic presentation, even during extended listening sessions. Its substantial power supply, high-current-capable output stage and expansion options allow the amplifier to be adapted to a variety of system configurations, both analogue and digital.

Technical specifications

• Type: Dual-mono stereo integrated amplifier
• Operating class: A/B
• RMS output power: 120 W per channel into 8 Ω; 240 W per channel into 4 Ω; 440 W per channel into 2 Ω
• Gain: +38 dB
• Input sensitivity: 0.390 V
• THD+N distortion: Less than 1% at 120 W
• Bandwidth (-3 dB): 0–250 kHz
• Signal-to-noise ratio: < -85 dB (20 Hz–20 kHz); < -88 dB (A-weighted)
• Channel separation: > 120 dB
• Input impedance: 40 kΩ (balanced); 8 kΩ (unbalanced)
• Output impedance: 0.027 Ω
• Balanced inputs: 1 × XLR per channel
• Unbalanced inputs: 4 × RCA per channel
• Audio outputs: 1 × RCA Tape per channel
• Loudspeaker outputs: 1 pair per channel
• Power supply: 1 IEC C13 inlet; 1,300 VA Holmgren toroidal transformer
• Filtering capacitance: 2 × 60,000 µF
• Output stage: Two pairs of Sanken transistors per channel
• Circuit topology: Dual mono; no global negative feedback
• Volume control: 46-step microprocessor-controlled relay attenuator
• AV bypass input: Available, fixed level
• Control connections: 12 V trigger input and output
• Remote control: Infrared
• Finish: Brushed, satin-black anodised aluminium chassis; glossy black acrylic front panel
• Dimensions (W × H × D): 48 × 17.5 × 42 cm
• Net weight: 26.2 kg