IFi – XDSD Gryphon Headphone Amplifier/DAC

In Your Pocket or on a Desktop, the iFi xDSD Gryphon Headphone Amplifier/DAC Offers Stellar Sound Quality, Bluetooth Capability, Tremendous Versatility, and a Convenient Screen

The iFi xDSD Gryphon Headphone Amplifier/DAC is not your typical portable device — and it’s easy to hear why. Portable DAC/amps tend to be compromised because they focus on a great digital section or a great analog section, but not both. The xDSD Gryphon is different. Just like its mythical namesake, it is actually two beasts in one. Both the DAC and the headphone amplifier are superb. From the Ultra-Res digital stage using the Burr-Brown MultiBit chipset at the core to the PureWave analog power section pumping out 1,000mW and other things in-between, it takes serious headphones to tame the Gryphon.

Using the latest QCC 5100 series Bluetooth v5.1 as the starting point, for wireless connectivity, the xDSD Gryphon is at the bleeding-edge when it comes to formats. Its wireless performance gives wired audio a run for its money. And in terms of wired connectivity, the xDSD Gryphon handles all the formats using a hybrid Burr-Brown DAC chipset for stellar audio quality.

Additionally, a GMT clock is included to reduce jitter and distortion. With full MQA decoding and the ability to handle PCM files up to 768kHz, the Gryphon will unleash epic audio that will leave you mesmerized.

The xDSD Gryphon uses proprietary PureWave circuitry, and with a whopping max 6.7v output, you can bring on the high-impedance headphones because the Gryphon will not break a sweat driving them. And premium, high-sensitivity in-ear monitors will work magnificently, too, as the iEMatch feature will cut out the hiss.

Using XSpace allows you to experience the cavernous soundstage of recordings. XBass II reinstates the missing bass from open-backed headphones or from recordings that just need that extra bass slam. With XBass II, you can select “Bass” and/or “Presence” so that the upper midrange frequencies are correctly added back into your favorite recording.

The iEMatch feature uses iFi’s proprietary technology to reduce 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 Optimized), each having a fine-tuning effect on sound.

The OLED display screen and iFi’s CyberSync operating system combine to usher in a whole new world of user enjoyment. All the information you need is easily displayed on the screen, such as format, source, and battery life. Just as importantly, SilentLine technology means the display does not add noise into the system. It can even be set to off if you prefer that sonic character.

Like all Music Direct products, the xDSD Gryphon Headphone Amplifier/DAC comes with the 100% Music Direct Satisfaction Guarantee.

“The portable DAC market is highly competitive, but the xDSD Gryphon stands out from the crowd thanks to its insightful sound, comprehensive feature set and extensive connectivity. A successor to the EISA Award-winning xDSD DAC, it features iFi Audio’s new OLED screen to keep you informed about input choice, bit rates and more, plus revised, user-friendly controls. Inside, the latest Qualcomm QCC5100 Bluetooth chip supports just about every audiophile codec out there, while hi-res enthusiasts can play their collections via USB or S/PDIF connection. Add in impressively long battery life, an attractive well-built housing, and support for single-ended and balanced headphones, and the xDSD Gryphon is a leader in its class.”
—EISA Award for 2022–2023, Best Product: Mobile DAC

“Switching over to iFi’s patented [XBass II] feature, the Gryphon once again impresses with its improvements in adding effective bass detail to any headphone…. I could immediately tell why this version was superior to past implementations. The bass here isn’t as pushed forward and instead offers a more subtle extension in detail. It works as if the function is to fill in bass texture where the headphone might be missing some.”
—Alex Schiffer, Major HiFi

“Having that screen is so handy, and it’s so easy to use. Just a beautiful product. The execution is absolutely fantastic…. This is just a killer product.”
—Gavin’s Gadgets (YouTube)

Precise CyberSync Control

CyberSync is a software-driven volume control that operates in the analog domain, and the way it synchronizes with any digital source to which the Gryphon is connected is innovative. This technology provides perfect volume synchronization between the source and the DAC. It detects which operating system 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 volume is adjusted using the Gryphon’s rotary control or on the source device, CyberSync ensures the change is performed purely by the Gryphon’s superior analog 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.

S-Balanced Technology

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 is an integral part of the xDSD Gryphon. This technology enables the maximum performance from both single-ended and balanced headphones. The S-Balanced (single-ended compatible balanced) 3.5mm headphone output offers the benefits of the balanced connection to single-ended headphones.

Burr-Brown Chipset

The Burr-Brown True Native chipset allows file formats to remain unchanged, or “bit-perfect.” iFi uses Burr-Brown extensively in its products, having selected it for its natural-sounding “musicality” and True Native architecture.