SIREN PHONO PREAMPLIFIER REVIEW – BY DOUG ROBINSON

In Greek mythology, the sirens were lovely women whose voices were so beautiful they could lure sailors to their doom on the rocky shores of their island.

Today, Gryphon Audio has created a modern version of these sirens luring us back to our music rooms to listen again and again. But I digress…

Gryphon Audio was founded in 1985 and represented one of Europe’s first truly high-end brands. The Gryphon Head Amp was their first product, designed to play records to replicate the sound of a collection of the designer’s reel-to-reel tapes played back on a Studer A80 tape deck. It was a big hit, as were the design aesthetics Flemming Rasmussen baked into his product.

The Gryphon Siren Phono Preamplifier is the latest in a line of excellent phono stages from Gryphon. It is less a component and more a statement of intent. Positioned as the analog partner to the Apex power amplifiers and Commander preamplifier, the Siren represents Gryphon’s ultimate effort to extract every bit of music from vinyl grooves.

The Siren breaks from the “set-and-forget” tradition of high-end phono stages by incorporating a high-tech interface typically reserved for line-stage preamps. It offers four user-selectable inputs—three balanced XLR and one RCA. This is a rarity, catering to enthusiasts with multiple tonearms or turntables.

The front panel features a 4.3-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen protected by 4mm hardened glass. From here (or the remote), you can adjust MC load impedance and gain settings on the fly without ever opening the chassis or flipping tiny DIP switches. The values are well chosen to match any cartridge you may want to use. The display can be set to turn off while not being used to reduce noise.

This is a two-chassis system where the power supply alone weighs 83.8 lbs. (38 kg), rivaling many high-end power amplifiers in scale and footprint. The Siren can share the power supply of the Gryphon Commander preamplifier. Inside that power supply are four totally separate power supplies, two for the Commander preamp and two awaiting the Siren Phono preamp. Two power cords ensure dual mono isolation back to the AC power.

Gryphon has applied “over-engineering” as a fundamental philosophy here. The sensitive audio circuitry is “floated” on a proprietary internal isolation base. It uses “Constrained Layers” of Kerrock, Bitumen, and steel to damp mechanical vibrations, preventing the smearing of fine detail that often plagues high-gain phono stages.

The external Dual-Mono PSU features local, fully regulated supplies for every voltage-amplifying stage. With a total capacitance of 74,000µF per channel, the Siren has more “juice” on tap than many amplifiers, ensuring that the delicate cartridge signal is never starved for current.

The Siren adheres to Gryphon’s “no compromise” DNA: True Dual Mono configuration, Zero Global Negative Feedback, and a Fully Discrete/Balanced signal path. It also utilizes four-layer printed circuit boards with 70µ (micron) copper traces—roughly double the thickness found in standard high-end gear—to ensure the lowest possible impedance.

We have listened to the siren for a number of hours after over 100 hours of break-in. Let me say, while I will attempt to describe the “sound” of the siren, or lack thereof, hearing it is the best way to understand what it can do.

Our Siren will be permanently set up in our state-of-the-art room in Omaha. We are currently updating the turntable, arms and cartridges to give customers who may want to audition the Siren a chance to hear a “what’s possible from vinyl” system.

The first thing we heard was a sense of quiet between the notes that many wouldn’t think possible for vinyl playback. This enhanced dynamics, making them feel most explosive when the moment called for it.

A live jazz trio recording, ”Gentle Ben”, featured each instrument delineated in the space of the club while Ben Webster’s sax was up close and personal, every breathy phrase delineated. Goose-bumps.

Listening to large-scale music like the 4th movement of Beethoven’s 9th performed by Solti and the Chicago Symphony was emotional and exhilarating. The orchestra is as wide and deep as it would be listening in a concert hall. I heard myself quietly exclaiming, “Wow.”

This preamp is also fast. Very fast. Cymbals, brushes, and other percussion are reproduced with authenticity and real musical detail and delicacy (not overemphasis). They retain a natural harmonic decay rather than sounding “etched” or clinical.

Instead of imposing a “warm” or “analytical” personality, the Siren acts as a transparent window. If the recording has grit, you hear it; if it has sweetness, it flows through uncolored.

The Greek Sirens’ voices were too beautiful to be listened to safely. Odysseus lashed himself to the mast of his ship so as not to be swayed by their alluring songs. If you visit Omaha and the Sound Environment to hear the Siren, we promise you a safe experience. When you come to listen, just lash yourself down and enjoy the ride.

We have lots more listening to do to get the full scope of what the Siren can do. Hopefully, you can join us for some of that listening in the near future.