Scorpio S vs. Scorpio

The Scorpio has never been out of our program, but there were some small changes in year 2017.

The AKM DAC-chip (AK4397EQ) we used in the Scorpio was unfortunately discontinued.

The Scorpio S uses therefore a new AKM DAC-chip (AK4490EQ).

We do not offer an update from Scorpio to Scorpio S. We needed to add the “S” since the units aren’t 100% identical.

Dedication and Devotion

Gryphon Scorpio plays compact disc. Period. Full stop. It does not play video discs of any kind whatsoever, nor does it play any of the so-called “high resolution” audio formats long since given the cold shoulder by music lover, audiophile and mainstream consumer alike.

Gryphon Scorpio is designed unapologetically with single-minded dedication to the compact disc, because this focused approach enables Gryphon Audio Designs to devote all our resources and expertise to releasing the full, unfettered musical potential of CD playback.

Gryphon Scorpio will reveal more of the hidden treasures in your CD collection than any other player, “universal” or otherwise, up to and well beyond its price point. That is its sole mission.

Digital Integrity

Based on comprehensive listening sessions in the quest for the best available digital-to-analog conversion technology without regard to cost or other extraneous considerations, Gryphon Scorpio employs an Asahi Kasei Microsystems Delta-Sigma DAC from the acclaimed designers of the world’s finest professional A-to-D and D-to-A converters.

The advanced DAC at the heart of the Gryphon Scorpio makes a major contribution to the player’s effortlessly natural rendering of a three-dimensional soundscape with exceptional timing and razor-shape detail.

In the interest of extracting the purest, most unadulterated sound possible, timing issues are addressed with two independent, specially designed, temperature-compensated crystal oscillators accurate to better than five parts per million.

Gryphon’s pioneering upsampling technology significantly reduces filter demands on the analogue side of the D/A converter by shifting the spectrum of quantization noise (aliasing) up and away from the range in which it is most detrimental, so that the upper corner frequency of the digital anti-aliasing filter is more than four times that of the standard 44.1 kHz sample rate..

Despite claims made by some manufacturers, upsampling can neither miraculously restore lost information nor generate new information from the original 44.1 kHz source. What properly implemented upsampling can do is eliminate the need for conventional, steep-slope analogue filtering altogether.

In the Gryphon Scorpio, this filter is replaced by a single, silvered Mica capacitor acting as a simple, first-order analogue output filter, preserving the integrity of the audio signal for a pristine presentation staged against an utterly silent, “black” backdrop with a noise floor well below that of the recording itself.

Gryphon Scorpio executes the filter function benignly in the digital domain by employing asynchronous 32-bit/192 kHz sample rate conversion originally introduced in the digital reference standard Gryphon Mikado Signature to ensure greater resolution of fine detail, sharper image focus and extended high-frequency response.

By executing the filter function benignly in the digital domain with asynchronous 32-bit/192 kHz sample rate conversion originally introduced in the digital reference standard Gryphon Mikado Signature CD player, Gryphon Scorpio achieves extraordinary resolution of fine detail, sharp image focus and extended high-frequency response.

Audio Sculpture

Designed as a fitting mate for the potent Gryphon Diablo and Atilla integrated amplifiers, Gryphon Scorpio will stand as an attractive addition to any living space. The front vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) with four lines of 20 characters provides a practical instant overview of disc and player status.

The fine, European transport mechanism is specially constructed for silent running and effective vibration damping. The stylish feel and look of the sandblasted, anodised aluminium disc tray conveys the reliability and stability of this rock-steady, precisely calibrated mechanism.

The fit and finish of the Gryphon Scorpio is classic Gryphon in its subdued elegance and timeless beauty.

Sweet, Soulful Music

It will only take a few moments of listening to appreciate the considerable experience and expertise invested in the creation of the Gryphon Scorpio compact disc player. Every aspect of its mechanical construction, digital circuitry and analogue section has been optimised to extract every recorded musical nuance for the enhancement of your listening pleasure.

Put succinctly, Gryphon Scorpio affords you a transparent window to what is on the disc.