The Gryphon handles pretty much every format ever created using a hybrid Burr-Brown DAC chipset which is the same as used in ifi's $3,000 flagship, the Pro iDSD Signature. It handles up to DSD512 and PCM 32BIT/768kHz including MQA.

I’m a big fan of the iFi Burr Brown signature. It’s balanced and realistic – with some nice bottom-end engagement that I miss in other portable DACs. Low frequencies are present and tight, and can always be boosted with the XBass setting if you want more. And it will give you more. I found the Xbass setting more controlled than in the hip DAC that we’ll discuss in a bit for the comparison section. Mids were accurate for the most part – sitting at a comfortable level, not too much, not too little. But there’s some sparkle on the top end that really lends to the clarity of the Gryphon, giving the overall signature a very pleasant sound. It’s natural sounding with great imaging. The noise floor is impressively quiet as well.

I did experience a max volume blowout when connecting the Gryphon to my iPhone only once. It defaulted to the max volume when changing the input selection settings and reconnecting the DAC to the phone. I could not recreate this from happening again, but I'm sure it could. It's best to disconnect your headphones when changing inputs and manually turning the device volume down when you know it is properly connected before plugging back in your headphones.

UPDATE: iFi has released a firmware update that fixes the sound issues. Head over to https://ifi-audio.com/download-hub/ to download the firmware directly, or read about all the updates here.  

MQA: MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) MQA is an award-winning British technology that delivers the sound of the original master recording. The master MQA file is fully authenticated and is small enough to stream or download. The xDSD Gryphon adopts MQA technology to receive and decode MQA audio and provide master-level sound. Visit mqa.co.uk for more information.

Balanced Circuits: It is a superior method to the traditional single-ended circuit approach. Balanced circuits reduce noise and crosstalk. Less Interference – clearer sound. You normally find this set-up in products at the higher end of the price spectrum such as the Pro iCAN but iFi is now using this across its range to produce the best quality audio for all iFi customers.

S-Balanced Performance: The iFi exclusive S-Balanced technology made its debut in the original Pro iCAN. Since then, it has become a significant feature across the iFi range and features as an integral part of the xDSD Gryphon. It delivers maximum performance from both single-ended and balanced headphones. The S-Balanced (single-ended compatible balanced) 3.5mm headphone output delivers the benefits of the balanced connection to single-ended headphones.

SilentLine OLED: The OLED in the xDSD Gryphon sports a SilentLine design. This ensures that there is no electrical noise to interfere with the audio signal. The way its switches between settings has been engineered to ensure sonic transparency – FET-based switching is handled by a microcontroller, which only ‘wakes up’ when the user changes a setting, thus eradicating any sonically deleterious interference.

CyberSync: CyberSync is a software-driven volume control that operates in the analogue domain and the way it synchronizes with any digital source to which the xDSD Gryphon is connected is very different. It provides perfect volume synchronization between the source and the DAC. It detects which operating system (OS) the DAC is connected to – iOS, Android, Windows, Mac OS or Linux – and instructs the source’s OS to bypass its software volume control. Whether the volume is adjusted using the xDSD Gryphon’s rotary control or on the source device, CyberSync ensures the change is performed purely by the Gryphon’s superior analogue control chip, while also displaying the adjustment on the source device’s screen. Volume curves differ between operating systems and apps, but CyberSync ensures perfect synchronization between the source device and the DAC every time.

There are a few devices that iFi develops in the vein of "really great portable DACs." I'm speaking primarily of the Hip DAC2 and the GO blu Bluetooth module. The Hip DAC is going to be the more apples-to-apples comparison here and is designed in much the same way ("flask") just a little smaller. The I/O is reversed on the front, with a power-match button first, which selects the best match for a headphone's impedance and sensitivity in order to generate their highest operational efficiency. The next button is the XBass - note that XSpace and the combo options are not available on the Hip DAC2 like they are on the Gryphon. I will say that the bass boost on the Hip DAC2 affected the music much more prominently than the Gryphon, for better or worse, depending on what type of music you like to listen to. It uses a Burr-Brown chip like the Gryphon, and sonically they sound similar enough - clarity on the high-frequencies, a good amount of mids and low-end with some great dynamics for an entry-level DAC and amp. I can see the XBass setting a must-have for lovers of EDM, R&B, and other bass-heavy genres. But even so, it adds something else to genres like classical too, without covering up the clarity in the mid and high-range. The connections on the back are a male USB-A for audio data and a USB-C for charging. The male type-A connector might throw some people off guard, but you can easily connect to the apple CCK dongle directly this way, without the need for further adapters. Otherwise, it has less I/O than the Gryphon and is not quite as powerful. I see the Hip DAC2 being a great first buy for those wanting to try out something a bit more than their budget dongles, because for one-third the price of the Gryphon, you easily get half the sound if not more.

The thing that is impressive about the lineup of iFi portable amps is the power output. They can put out a ton of power despite their size. Now they’re not gonna power a Susvara, but they’ll do pretty much everything else. The Go blu and hip DAC2 make for some great entry-level alternatives to the Gryphon, but if you want the whole kit and kaboodle – best iFi sound, most features, best I/O, then the Gryphon is a no-brainer.

Comparison with the Diablo coming soon!

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I'm just gonna go ahead and say it: the Gryphon has everything that audiophiles wanted in the Mojo 2. Boom.

The obvious comparison I left for last, as the Mojo 2 is without a doubt what the Gryphon is gunning for. I don’t think it sounds better than the Mojo 2, but I might like the sound better than the Mojo 2 if that makes sense. The Mojo 2 will give you more control over your EQ, but the Gryphon just has easier tone controls that sound great in their own right and some major additional features that you won't find on the Mojo 2 that many people were wanting. To me, it’s the better value, it’s the more versatile DAC and amp, and it has tons of power. Bluetooth, a really great sounding DAC, and a premium experience that I think many will appreciate. I’m glad we picked up iFi here, and I’m really impressed with the Gryphon overall.

What's in the Box

• iFi Gryphon Headphone Amp DAC
• Cloth carrying bag
• USB-A to USB-C cable
• USB-C to USB-C cable
• USB-C to Lightning cable
• Quick start guide
• Warranty

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