Gryphon Mikado User manual

Mikado
Owners manual
vers. 1.0

Table of Contents:
Introduction....................... 3
The Gryphon....................... 3
Mikado................................ 4
The Man.............................. 4
Made in Denmark............... 4
Musical Objectives............... 5
The Gryphon Master Tape
Collection............................ 5
Design Principles................ 5
Exterior Design................... 7
Manufacture and Assembly. 8
Using Your Gryphon......... 8
AC Voltage.......................... 8
Burn-in and Warm-up.......... 9
Placement........................... 9
Connections........................ 9
Choice of Cables................ 9
AC Switch............................ 10
Remote functions................. 10
Operation............................. 11
Care and Maintenance....... 11
Warranty.............................. 11
Safety Instructions.............. 12

Introduction
Welcome to the global family of
proud owners of fine audio com-
ponents from Gryphon Audio
Designs of Denmark. Your new
Gryphon unit has been painstak-
ingly designed to re-create the
sound of live music taking place
in its original recorded space.
Every Gryphon product is
designed to cater to the needs of
the most discerning music
enthusiast with sumptuous
styling and superb user-friendli-
ness which elevate it above the
mundane world of con-
ventional audio compo-
nents.
As audiophiles, the
members of the
Gryphon design team are con-
stantly reminded to keep their
priorities straight. We are not
involved in “hi-fi” for its own
sake, but strictly as a means to
an end, in the service of our life-
long love of the live music expe-
rience in all its sonic and emo-
tional glory.
Our higher goal is to bring to the
listener a “You-Are-There” sen-
sation. In taking up this chal-
lenge, the Gryphon designers go
back to basics 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 domain.
Since 1985, Gryphon Audio
Designs has quietly gone about
the business of creating fine
home audio components. We
know that you will appreci
-
ate and enjoy the benefits
of our accumulated expe
-
rience and share our abid
-
ing passion for music.
The Gryphon
In Greek mythology: A fabled
creature, half-lion and half-
eagle, combining the power of
the “King of Beasts” with the
grace of the “King of Birds”. The
guardian of the source of gold
and protector of the Dionysian
cup of infinite wealth.
In the real world: An acclaimed
Danish audio engineering com
-
pany employing cutting edge
technology and common sense
in the pursuit of the purest musi
-
cal experience. We feel that the
gryphon is an appropriate sym
-
bol for our high sonic goals.
3

Mikado
1. \Mi*ka"do\, n. [Jap.] The pop-
ular designation of the hereditary
sovereign of Japan.
2. Opera by Gilbert & Sullivan
The Man
Gryphon Audio Designs is the
brainchild of Flemming E.
Rasmussen and the fulfillment of
a lifelong dream to allow the
purest essence of the live music
experience to be recreated in the
home environment.
Rasmussen holds a degree in
painting and graphic arts from
the Aarhus Art Academy,
Denmark. During his studies,
Rasmussen developed close
relationships with the local music
community and designed many
LP covers and concert posters.
After graduation, he taught pho-
tography and painting and
designed textiles, before found-
ing 2R Marketing, which quickly
became Denmark’s leading High
End audio import company.
Gryphon Audio Designs was
founded in 1985 as an offshoot
of 2R Marketing, The first prod-
uct, the now legendary Gryphon
Head Amp, grew from a 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 out
in 1993, so that Rasmussen
could dedicate his efforts entire
-
ly to Gryphon.
Made In Denmark
Every product from Gryphon
Audio Designs is designed and
built in Denmark. This is much
more than just a geographical
fact. It is also a seal of approval,
a stamp of quality. Living in a
region with no natural resources
(no oil, coal, precious metals,
etc.), the Danes have learned to
rely on their quick wits and
skilled hands. Innovative tech
-
nology, beautiful craftsmanship,
pride in one’s craft and a keen
eye for attractive design are
some of the long-standing
Danish traditions which are dis
-
tilled to their finest essence in
every unit that bears the
Gryphon name.
The Gryphon Head Amp 1985
4
Flemming E. Rasmussen painting 1967

unique library of more than
1,000 original master tapes of
recordings made during the
Golden Age of studio engineer
-
ing from 1956-1976.
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 disposal, the
Gryphon brand name continues
to define the highest audiophile
standards of subjective and
technical performance.
The dual mono configuration
radically eliminates any possibil
-
ity of crosstalk or other interfer
-
ence between channels and pro
-
vides infinite channel separation
which contributes to the ability to
create space, focus, depth and
transparency.
Because the electrical power
coming out of your wall fluctu
-
ates wildly in terms of voltage
and distortion, Gryphon incorpo
-
rates heavily regulated multi-
Gryphon is located in beautiful tranquil sur-
roundings.
5
Musical
Objectives
While scientific method and
sophisticated technology play an
important role in our electronics
design work, at Gryphon we
never lose sight of the fact that
the keen ears of an experienced
listener are the most crucial “cal-
ibration tools.” Therefore, every
Gryphon product exists for one
simple purpose: to bring the user
closer in the never-ending quest
for a more natural and convinc-
ing musical illusion.
Every Gryphon design has been
built to cruise effortlessly through
even the most demanding musi-
cal passages, regardless of vol-
ume level, with a musical pres-
entation defined by supreme
articulation and immediacy, sub-
tle dynamic shading and razor-
sharp focus. Refinement and
delicacy are combined with
power and authority for a natu-
ral, involving listening experi-
ence.
The Gryphon
Master Tape
Collection
In the Gryphon listening rooms,
we are fortunate to possess a

stage power supplies that act as
effective mains conditioning fil-
ters. Displays and control circuits
are fed by a separate power sup-
ply to isolate any digital noise
artifacts and effectively prevent
them from contaminating the sig-
nal path.
While the printed circuit boards
in more conventional audio prod-
ucts utilize conductor tracks a
mere 35 um thick, Gryphon
employs at least 70 um 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 distorted (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
-
Typical Gryphon module
6

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
high-frequency radio waves,
power-line radiation and other
electrical interference.
Meticulous attention to such
issues makes a significant con-
tribution to the relaxing, open
and transparent Gryphon sound.
Unique, non-invasive protection
circuitry offers reliable, fuss-free
protection without compromising
signal purity and signal path sim-
plicity, with no conventional
relays in the signal path to
degrade or compress sound.
The ground path has been care-
fully laid out in order to achieve
superior sonic performance with
no loss of stability. Component
layout has been designed to
ensure the shortest conceivable
signal path.
Exhaustive investigation under-
lies the selection of every com-
ponent part and many original,
proprietary components are cus-
tom-built exclusively for
Gryphon. Because what is left
out is just as important as what
goes in, an absolute minimum of
internal wiring is included.
By lavishing attention on each
aspect of the circuit and fully
understanding the purpose and
behavior of every single part of
the whole, 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
Fom the very beginning, every
Gryphon product has offered
stunning audio performance,
sumptuous styling and superb
user-friendliness, catering to the
needs of the discerning audio
-
phile who demands musicality,
convenience and aesthetics, all
without compromise.
In every Gryphon product, form
follows function in a unique syn
-
thesis of aesthetics and practi
-
cality. Gryphon stands for
sophisticated technology with a
high standard of industrial finish
that also incorporates the best of
Gryphon Audio Designs in the
outskirts of the small town of Ry 7

handcraftsmanship.
The peerless finish, build quality,
ergonomics and pride of owner-
ship that contribute to the totality
of the Gryphon concept can only
be fully understood and appreci-
ated up close and in person.
Rasmussen’s background in fine
arts and industrial design gives
every Gryphon product a distinc-
tive, luxuriant finish which arises
organically out of the audio cir-
cuit design and the user inter-
face for a truly unique integration
of form and function.
Manufacture and
Assembly
At our laboratories and manufac-
turing facilities in Denmark, we
maintain full control over every
aspect of development and pro-
duction, and the members of our
conscientious staff diligently fol-
low each Gryphon model from
initial concept to early prototype,
through to final quality control.
Printed circuit boards are
assembled by a supplier of pre-
cision military and medical
equipment with strict standards
of quality control and pre-inspec-
tion of components. Chassis
parts are manufactured by a
specialist chosen solely for the
outstanding quality of workman
-
ship. In every aspect of every
Gryphon product, the same
stringent standards of excel
-
lence apply.
Following a 48-hour burn-in,
each product is tested again,
before being subjected 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
Your Gryphon unit is especially
made for the AC voltage of the
country to which it has been
shipped. If the voltage has been
changed, the warranty is void
and the product may be unsafe
or malfunction.
Correct AC polarity contributes
greatly to optimum performance.
If you are not using a three-pin,
non-reversible power plug,
please experiment with the ori
-
entation of the plug for optimum
performance.
8
Correct AC polarity contributes
greatly to optimum performance.

Burn-In and
Warm-Up
Your Gryphon has been thor-
oughly tested and burned in
before shipping. Performance
will continue to improve during
the first 40 – 50 hours of normal
use. After this period optimum
performance will be reached
approximately 45 minutes after
turn-on. With the exception of
Class A power amplifiers, we
recommend leaving your
Gryphon components powered
up at all times.
Balanced
Connections
All Gryphon products uses the
AES standard for balanced con-
nections.
1. Ground
2. Positive
3. Negative
We recommend the use of dedi-
cated balanced cables. Avoid the
use of adaptors as they degrade
performance.
Choice of Cables
Because your Mikado is a high-
resolution audio device, it will
immediately reveal the charac-
teristics and possible limitations
of the other components in your
system, as well as those of the
interconnects and loudspeaker
cables used to connect your sys
-
tem.
Wiring should never be utilized
as "equalizers" to correct errors
elsewhere in the system.
Instead, any error should be 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.
Placing the
Mikado
1.Do not place the Mikado on
top of power amplifiers or other
components that contains large
power supplies.
2.Pay attention to the routing of
AC cords to keep them from
interfering with audio intercon
-
nects.
3. Keep interconnects as short
as practical possible.
Connections
The backside of the Mikado is
very strait forward and features
A. 1 Pair of analoqe outputs to
9
We recommend the use of dedi-
cated balanced cables.Avoid the
use of adaptors as they degrade
performance.

be connected to any line input
on your pre amplifier or integrat-
ed amplifier. *
B. 1 Pair of balanced outputs to
be connected to any line input
on your pre amplifier or integrat-
ed amplifier. *
C. 1 AES/EBU balanced digital
output to be connected to an
external D/A converter.
D.1 S/PDIF 75 Ohm BNC Coax
connection
* We do not recommend the
use of direct connection to
power amplifiers via a passive
volume control.
AC Master switch
Placed under unit at front.
We know that the Mikado is not
your first CD player and you do
not need to learn how to use
the basic functions of a CD
player.
In the following we shall only
address the more complicated
features of the Mikado
Remote control
functions:
Prog:
a. Push STOP
b. Select track with the numeric
buttons.
c. Press PROG, and the track is
stored.
Repeat b - c to program more
tracks.
Track playtime is shown in dis
-
play to confirm the program-
ming.
If you wish to remove a track
from the program - press the
track number followed by
PROG.
Stand-by
Sets the Mikado in a powersav
-
ing stand-by mode.
Scan:
10 seconds play-back of every
track on disc.
Disc.
Open/close the circular lid.
Time:
1 push - total time played
2 push - total remaining time
3 push - return ( shows status
of single track )
Fast
Increases speed of search but
-
tons.
Rep.
1 Push - repeats the entire disc
2 Push - repeats current track
10
Do never push the lid down by
hand as it will damage the pre-
cision gears and motor that
drives the lift.
The master On/Off switch on
the Mikado is placed on the
underside of the unit near the
front.

Operation:
Playing a CD
Activate the lift that opens the
lid. On the remote control it is
the Disc button - on the Mikado
front it is a symbol illustrating
the lid.
Place the CD firmly. Be sure to
center the disc and place the
CD clamp on top.
Activate the lift to close the lid
again.
Do never try and push the lid
down by hand as it will damage
the precision gears that runs the
lift.
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. To
maintain your Gryphon compo-
nents in pristine condition,
please follow these simple
instructions.
Metal surfaces may be cleaned
with a damp cloth. Some product
made for treatment of vinyl inte-
riors in cars may be useful. Test
the product on a non-visible sur-
face, before using any fluids.
Acrylic surfaces should only be
wiped with a very soft, dry cloth.
Small scratches may be
removed with fiberglass polish.
Fingerprints may be removed
with a damp cloth. Do NOT use
spirits or paper tissue.
Warranty
The Gryphon Mikado is warrant
-
ed against failures arising
through faulty workmanship and
materials for a period of 3 years
( laser/transport 2 years ) from
date of purchase. The warranty
is not transferable.
This warranty
is only valid in the country where
the product was purchased.
All claims under this warranty
must be made to the distributor
in the buyer `
s country by return
-
ing the unit securely packed in
the original box with all acces
-
sories, postage/freight prepaid
and insured. Original sales slip
must be included. The unit will
be repaired or replaced at no
charge for parts and labor.
This warranty remains valid only
if the serial number of the unit
has not been defaced or
removed and if repairs are per
-
formed only by authorized
Gryphon dealers or distributors.
If the voltage has been changed,
the warranty is void and the
product may be unsafe or mal
-
function.
11

12
Warranty does not cover dam-
age due to misuse, accident or
neglect. The distributor or manu-
facturer, Gryphon Audio
Designs, Denmark, retains the
exclusive right to make such
judgement on the basis of
inspection.
The retailer, distributor or manu-
facturer of the Gryphon shall not
be liable for consequential dam-
age arising from the use, misuse
or failure of this product, includ-
ing injuries to persons or proper-
ty.
To secure the best service, the
enclosed warranty registration
card must be filled out and
returned to the manufacturer
within 10 days of purchase.
Alternatively, you may wish to
register online from our website.
www.gryphon-audio.com
To confirm your warraty registra-
tion, you will receive a little
Gryphon token to welcome you
to the family of Gryphon owners.
SAFETY
INSTRUCTIONS
Do not expose the unit to drip
-
ping water or moist.
Placement:
Do not place your Mikado on
top of any heat producing prod
-
ucts, such as power amplifiers
or DACs. If you place the
Mikado inside any Hi-FI furni-
ture or cabinets, there must be
a clearance of a minimum of
10cm (4 inches) above the
product and a minimum of 5cm
(2 inches) along the sides. To
allow a flow of cooling air the
back of the cabinet must be
open. If these guidelines are not
observed, overheating may
result.
Hazardous live
AC power