background image

While the printed circuit boards
in more conventional audio prod-
ucts utilize conductor tracks a
mere 35 micron thick, Gryphon
employs at least 70 micron
traces of the highest purity. 

Beginning with our very first
product, “The Head Amp” all
Gryphon products have featured
extremely wide frequency band-
width, because the ability to
reproduce ultra-sonic frequen-
cies with no difficulty ensures lin-
ear phase across the audible fre-
quency range. 

The implementation of circuits
with wideband frequency
response is a painstaking
endeavor in which the actual lay-
out and ground pattern of the PC
boards are crucial to the
achievement of superior sonic
performance with no loss of
inherent stability.

Wideband frequency response
ensures the high slew rate
essential to the realistic handling
of the ultra-fast transients which
routinely occur in live music and
is crucial in recreating the natu-
ral decay of musical instruments.
Wide bandwidth also improves
phase characteristics, for more
correct soundstaging and imag-
ing.

All Gryphon designs are realized

with an absolute minimum of
negative feedback, which when
present in large amounts can
actually increase TIM distortion.
All Gryphon preamplifiers are
designed with zero negative
feedback. Gryphon power ampli-
fiers apply negative feedback
judiciously for improved linearity
and bandwidth.

Gryphon research into the detri-
mental effects of magnetically
induced distortion (MID) has led
to the elimination of magnetiz-
able materials wherever possi-
ble. To eliminate the effects of
stray magnetic fields, non-mag-
netic materials are employed
throughout, with the unavoidable
exception of the transformer
shield box.

The mechanical design of the
cabinet and assembly methods
are all carefully calculated to
ensure minimal resonance,
either through the use of
mechanically grounded high
mass or decoupling. Vibration-
sensitive components, capaci-
tors in particular, are thus guar-
anteed a non-resonant environ-
ment.

The heavy, thick chassis offers a
vibration-proof environment for
the sensitive electronics inside
and provides crucial shielding
from a polluted world of low and

Typical Gryphon module

6

Summary of Contents for Legato Legacy

Page 1: ...Legato Legacy Owner s Manual Legato Italian means literally bound together In classical music a composer s instruction to play in a smooth flowing manner without detached notes ...

Page 2: ... Your Gryphon 8 AC Voltage 8 Burn in and Warm up 8 Placement 9 Balanced Connections 9 Choice of Cables 9 Care and Maintenance 9 Unpacking 10 Installation 10 Power Supply 10 AC Fuses 11 AC Power 11 AC Grounding 11 AC Power cords 11 AC Polarity 11 Balanced Cables 12 Lemo Connectors 12 Tonearm Connectors 13 MM or MC 13 Grounding 13 Specifications 14 Impedance Selector 14 Custom Loads 14 Tweak Alert 1...

Page 3: ...to analyze the essential nature of the live music experience For us an aware ness of soundstaging ambience and concert hall dimensions are necessary components Dynamics and an unambiguous sense of instrument location even in the loudest passages are also high priorities To achieve these objectives Gryphon products offer excep tional speed and agility along with seamless coherence in the time domai...

Page 4: ...one off spare time project developed only for the designers own home systems Although the Gryphon project was initially strictly a hobby not an actively pursued commercial venture demand generated by reviews and word of mouth led to the formal estab lishment of Gryphon Audio Designs as a separate corporate entity Following the immediate suc cess of the Gryphon brand all import business was phased ...

Page 5: ...6 1976 Unlike conventional commercial releases our master tapes cap ture the dynamic contrasts and subtle inner harmonic structure of the musical event forcing us to work to a higher standard in our efforts to maintain the integri ty of the original musical per formance Design Principles With state of the art technical equipment and some of the finest minds in the audio engi neering field at our d...

Page 6: ...tics for more correct soundstaging and imag ing All Gryphon designs are realized with an absolute minimum of negative feedback which when present in large amounts can actually increase TIM distortion All Gryphon preamplifiers are designed with zero negative feedback Gryphon power ampli fiers apply negative feedback judiciously for improved linearity and bandwidth Gryphon research into the detri me...

Page 7: ...hole our designers can optimize performance in each section before moving on to the next step This ensures simplici ty a short signal path and a unity of purpose with a single well defined objective musical purity In the interest of ultimate fidelity tone controls balance controls and other unnecessary compo nents have been banished from the signal path Exterior Design From the very beginning ever...

Page 8: ...ted to Gryphon s custom developed transport simulator which simu lates the inevitable shaking that a product will encounter in tran sit The product is placed on top of a very large loudspeaker which plays a special CD with low frequencies which simulate the vibrations of an airplane Each unit travels the equivalent of 40 round trips from Denmark to Australia before leaving the factory AC Voltage Y...

Page 9: ... cor rected at the source so that interconnects and loudspeaker cables can be selected solely on the basis of sonic neutrality For this reason we employ Gryphon s own range of inter connects and cables in every stage of the design of every Gryphon product Care and Maintenance Gryphon products are handcraft ed by individuals who take great pride in the high level of fit and finish which we achieve ...

Page 10: ...back Gryphon forges ahead The Gryphon Legato phonos tage is the fruit of our explo rations into the latest circuit topologies low noise compo nent breakthroughs and power supply innovations in the service of a vast body of musical treas ures that will continue to enlight en the lives of dedicated music lovers for years to come But it is far more than nostalgia that motivates our ongoing efforts to...

Page 11: ...ything is missing or dam aged please contact your Gryphon dealer immediately Installation In order to minimize any possible risk of electrical interference do not place the preamplifier direct ly above or below the power supply The length of the power supply cables allows you to place them some distance apart If you wish to place them side by side please place the power supply to the left of the p...

Page 12: ...n local conditions AC Power Cords Use only a dedicated AC power cord Do NOT use loudspeaker cable or other wire not expressly designed to carry high current Improper cable or cables of insufficient gauge will generate heat and the insulation may melt with disastrous results AC cords DO have an audible effect on sound quality but experiments should be carried out with due consideration to safety Po...

Page 13: ...ration of Lemo Connectors For absolutely superior perform ance the Swiss made Lemo connector was chosen 1 Pair is supplied with the Legato ILLUSTRATION SHOWS CABLE CONNECTIONS AS SEEN FROM INSIDE THE CONECTOR Wiring Schematic EXAMPLE LEFT CHANNEL VERY IMPORTANT THE SHIELD OF THE CABLE MUST BE INSULATED FROM THE OUTER PART OF THE LEMO CONNECTOR SHIELD MUST ONLY BE CON NECTED TO THE SOLDERING POINT ...

Page 14: ...utomatic in the MM position The straps red are located in the center of the Legato circuit board J1 J07 J08 J2 J3 The correct positions are marked on the PC board See fig 1 2 Grounding The Ground wire from the ton earm can be connected to the the cabinet grounding posts Most Audiophiles have learned that there are no clean cut rules when it comes to efficient grounding of Tonearms It pays to exper...

Page 15: ...late The impedance selector is a super high grade socket using removeable gold plated jumpers to secure lasting superior con tact The selector has 6 positions marked on the circuit board Position 1 10 Ohm Position 2 40 Ohm Position 3 80 Ohm Position 4 300 Ohm Position 5 800 Ohm Position 6 47 kOhm See figure 3 Custom Loads Besides these values it is possi ble to load the cartridge with any impedanc...

Page 16: ... it does not sacrifice safety or reliability In the Legato design a number of tweaks can be found and the result is a fine balance that can easily be disturbed We strongly advise against any alteration of the original design it will void the warranty and most certainly not provide more than a difference instead of a real improvement of musical realism We are fully aware of the fun of playing with ...

Page 17: ...een defaced or removed and if repairs are per formed only by authorized Gryphon dealers or distributors It does not cover damage due to misuse accident or neglect This warranty is not valid if the oper ation voltage of the product has been changed The distributor or manufacturer Gryphon Audio Designs Denmark retains the exclusive right to make such judgement on the basis of inspection The retailer...

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