If I’m being perfectly honest, I will say that I’ve been disappointed that The Gryphon products–as stunning as they are–have been shown in mostly static displays over the last couple of years. That means, of course, that I’ve seen The Gryphon many times, but I’ve heard them only occasionally. That was remedied at Munich 2024, thanks to the debut of the new The Gryphon Apollo turntable system.
Words and Photos by Marc Phillips
The Gryphon brought a huge system to Munich, seemingly one of everything, to show off The Gryphon Apollo. While this Danish company was still hampered by alternating demos with the room next door, a common issue at the MOC, I still managed to pinpoint that much-discussed The Gryphon sound. To summarize, this is stunning gear that focuses on the deeper meanings of the music–something that always separates the good from the great in this hobby.
When I first approached The Gryphon Apollo turntable, I immediately noticed the influence of Brinkmann in the design–especially with that Breuer-inspired tonearm. I asked Anthony Chiarella of Specialty Sound & Vision about this and he confirmed that Helmut Brinkmann helped to develop and manufacture the Apollo, but this was a design that was put forward by The Gryphon. One clue that The Gryphon Apollo is something special is suggested by its MSRP of $150K. Brinkmann turntables are among the world’s best, but as far as I know they don’t make anything in this price range.
The Gryphon Apollo turntable quickly addressed such concerns by providing a sound that was huge, open and relaxed, with just a touch of sweetness in the upper registers. Despite the fact that I could only listen to three or four songs at a time thanks to the demo schedule, I found myself venturing into this room over and over just to get a taste of this exquisite sound. The Gryphon Apollo just might be a turntable for the ages.
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