From the Ultra-Res digital stage using the Burr-Brown MultiBit at the core to the PureWave analogue power section pumping out 1,000mW and other things in-between, meet the new iFi xDSD Gryphon.
- Separate Bluetooth + DAC + amp stages: each optimised for maximum performance
- Digital sources via USB, S/PDIF or Bluetooth
- Analogue sources via 4.4mm or 3.5mm inputs
Using the latest QCC 5100 series Bluetooth v5.1 as the starting point, for wireless connectivity, the xDSD Gryphon supports the latest formats:
- aptX Adaptive and aptX HD
- LDAC and HWA/LHDC
- regular aptX and aptX Low Latency
- AAC
- SBC (plain vanilla Bluetooth)
The QC5100 chip for reception > Global Master Clock for jitter > Burr-Brown for DAC conversion.
In terms of wired connectivity, the xDSD Gryphon handles all the formats using a hybrid Burr-Brown DAC chipset which is the same as used in the flagship model, the Pro iDSD Signature.
Supported formats
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
With the OLED display and iFi’s CyberSync operating system combined, all information from format to battery life is available to read. The SilentLine technology, which means the display does not add noise into the system. It can even be set to off if preferred.
The xDSD Gryphon uses the PureWave amplification circuitry. It has 1,000mW at 32 Ohms. With a max 6.7v output. The 4.4mm Pentaconn is for balanced playback. The 3.5mm S-Balanced will drive the SE headphones. And high-sensitivity IEMs, iEMatch will handle those.
XSpace adds back the cavernous sound stage of recordings. XBass II reinstates the missing bass from open-backed headphones or for recordings that lack the bass slam. Under XBass II you can select ‘Bass’ and/or ‘Presence’ so that the upper midrange frequencies are correctly added back into recording.
iEMatch – is iFi’s proprietary tech that reduces the annoying hiss from high-sensitivity headphones without losing any dynamic range.
With digital sources, users can choose between three bespoke digital filters via the on-screen menu: Bit-Perfect, Standard and GTO (Gibbs Transient Optimised), each having a fine-tuning effect on the sound.
Specs
| Inputs | Wireless
Wired (digital) Wired (analogue) |
Bluetooth 5.1 (aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX LL, LDAC, HWA, AAC and SBC Codec)
USB-C Balanced 4.4mm |
| Formats | DSD PCM DXD MQA (Decoder) Bluetooth |
DSD512/256/128/64, Octa/Quad/Double/Single-Speed 768/705.6/384/352.8/192/176.4/ 96/88.2/48/44.1kHz 768/705.6/384/352.8kHz, Double/Single-Speed DXD 384/352.8kHz Up to 96kHz |
| DAC | Burr-Brown | |
| Battery | USB-C charging. BC1.2 compliant up to 1900mA charging current | |
| Dimensions | 123x75x19 mm 4.8″x3.0″x0.7″ |
|
| Weight | 215 grams 0.5 Ibs |
|
| Line Section | ||
| Outputs | Balanced S-Bal (SE) |
6.7V max. (variable) 3.5V max. (variable) |
| Output Impedance | Balanced S-Bal (SE) |
≤200Ω ≤100Ω |
| Balanced S-Bal (SE) |
<110dB(A) @ 0dBFS <110dB(A) @ 0dBFS |
|
| Balanced S-Bal (SE) |
<0.007% @ 0dBFS <0.015% @ 0dBFS |
|
| Headphone Section | ||
| Outputs | Balanced S-Bal (SE) |
4.4mm Pentaconn 3.5mm SE |
| Output Power | Balanced
S-Bal (SE) |
>1000mW @ 32Ω >74mW @ 600Ω >6.7V max. @ 600Ω >320mW @ 32Ω |
| Output Impedance | Balanced S-Bal (SE) |
<1Ω <1Ω |
| SNR | Balanced S-Bal (SE) |
<116dB(A) @ 0dBFS <115dB(A) @ 0dBFS |
| THD+N | <0.005% (1V @ 16Ω) |
Price: 599$