A preamplifier with a new name and a power amplifier with a legendary reputation: Helios and Antileon Revelation invite us to celebrate the music.
Now there’s a good line: “Gryphon starts where others leave off.” Some competitors might take issue with that, but honestly, the statement isn’t all that far from the truth. The Danish manufacturer’s debut in the mid-1980s was no lukewarm “I can do that, too” product. Instead, it was an ingeniously conceived exotic design, wired entirely with silver and boasting bandwidth extending far beyond the audible range: the Head Amp MC phono head amplifier. From there, Gryphon’s trajectory was steeply upward. Temperatures rose, too, because founder Flemming E. Rasmussen made Class A operation a cornerstone of the brand. In this operating mode, the transistors run continuously at a high bias current and never switch off when a musical signal arrives. The result is a dramatic reduction in distortion. But nothing comes for free: bias current becomes heat, and electric heating is expensive. Gryphon nevertheless chose Class A, deliberately and without hesitation, and soon introduced its first power amplifier, the DM 100: silver-wired, equipped with 1,200-watt transformers, DC-coupled, and delivering 100 watts of pure Class A power—with the bias current adjustable in multiple steps, at least. It was a genuine tour de force in high-end power amplification. And if you look at the brochure for the DM 100 from the early 1990s today, you’ll find that it bears a striking resemblance to the company’s latest power amplifier: the Antileon Revelation.
This is, of course, no coincidence. The Antileon series traces its roots back to the DM 100, making the Revelation the fifth generation by this reckoning. It’s a remarkable family of uncompromising Class A powerhouses, a recurring thread running through the company’s catalog, continually refined and kept abreast of the latest technology. Products of this kind are exceedingly rare today. In other disciplines, you might call them a pièce de résistance; in plain English, it’s a matter of sticking with something because you believe in it and identify with it completely. Gryphon without Antileon? Unthinkable.
At least in name, one component sounds genuinely new: the Helios preamplifier. In principle, it deserves flagship status, since it officially succeeds the Pandora preamp, introduced in 2012. In reality, however, Gryphon established an entirely new reference class last year with the formidable Commander preamplifier. Helios is therefore currently the middle model in Gryphon’s three-preamplifier lineup, combining features of both the Pandora and the Commander.
The new name presumably reflects a thoroughly revised design that borrows elements from the Commander but otherwise looks remarkably clean, almost austere, and decidedly modern. Whereas the Commander’s elaborately damped chassis could warrant an article of its own, the Helios uses beautifully finished aluminum enclosures without unnecessary embellishment. The spike feet are a traditional touch, as are the two expansion slots on the rear for optional DAC and phono modules. Equally traditional is the division into two chassis: one for the power supply (officially designated PSU 5, with an additional output for powering a second component) and the other for the signal circuitry. As with the Commander, the Helios requires two power cords for operation—the ultimate dual-mono configuration.
One technical highlight is the extraordinarily precise volume control, implemented using a network of MELF resistors. A similar arrangement is also used in the flagship Commander preamplifier. The input stage, too, takes its cues from its bigger sibling. During development, particular attention was paid to minimizing interference, with high-quality components playing an important role. Gryphon provides an impressive who’s who of international suppliers, including Vishay, WIMA, and Panasonic, along with details of custom-made toroidal transformers. The Class A circuit dispenses with global negative feedback, and the designers have kept signal paths short and eliminated cable runs wherever possible.
Compared with the previous-generation EVO, the Antileon Revelation has undergone a fundamental redesign. Gryphon’s transition to low-capacitance Toshiba transistors, a process that has been underway for several years, has now reached this model as well. In addition, the entire main circuit board has been revised, and a new input stage built around BJT transistors has been designed. Numerous mechanical details have also been upgraded, including the connectors, internal wiring, and spike feet. The power specifications are impressive: 160 watts into 8 ohms, exactly twice that into 4 ohms, and an effortless 620 watts into 2 ohms. Bandwidth extends from 0.3Hz—virtually DC—to 350kHz. Hats off.
In my listening room, the Helios preamplifier occupies the top two shelves of my equipment rack, precisely where the reference Commander preamplifier sat a year ago. For the Antileon Revelation, whose 22.4-by-23.6-inch footprint and net weight of nearly 200 pounds make my Rowland monoblocks look like toys, I asked the distributor to arrange a suitable support. The result is that the power-amplifier behemoth arrives with Gryphon’s “StandArt” amplifier stand. This custom-designed, elaborately engineered audio furniture can safely be regarded as an integral part of the package. The cost? Roughly 10 percent of the power amplifier’s price. If you’re seriously considering a Gryphon amplifier, don’t even think about cutting corners in the wrong place.
Power is supplied via Gryphon’s own Vanta power cords. Unfortunately, these are included only with the company’s top amplifiers, the Commander and Apex. The excellent, if very expensive, Vanta XLR cables connecting the two components must also be purchased separately. While the preamplifier connects without difficulty to my AudioQuest Niagara 3000 power conditioner, Gryphon strongly recommends plugging the Class A power amplifier directly into the wall, given its maximum power consumption of 2.5 kilowatts. Accordingly, the Antileon is connected to a robust, star-wired power strip without filtering. I’m also glad I opted for generous conductor gauges throughout when renovating my apartment.
The Gryphon Helios features the same excellent touchscreen interface I’ve come to appreciate on the Diablo 333 integrated amplifier and the Commander. Here, it sits within a slightly narrower opening in the front panel, but remains easy to operate. The asymmetrical remote control, machined from black-anodized aluminum, feels secure in the hand. Everything is self-explanatory. Only the power amplifier, with its six buttons, calls for a brief technical introduction. Three are labeled “Bias L,” “Bias M,” and “Bias H.” The distributor explains that when the amplifier is switched on and muted, Bias L (“L” stands for “low”) keeps the Antileon warm and energized. Think of it as standby mode for the serious audiophile. The uncompromising Class A sonic nirvana is then just one button press away, followed by a few minutes of stabilization and warm-up: either Bias M (500 watts of bias power, intended for loudspeakers with medium to high sensitivity) or Bias H (720 watts of bias power, for when things need to get loud and aggressive). The Gryphon components can also manage this automatically through the company’s proprietary Green Bias interface. The preamplifier communicates its output-level setting to the power amplifier via a control cable, allowing the latter to select the appropriate bias level.
Gryphon’s preamplifier and power amplifier are a team: Helios and Antileon, preparation and execution. That’s how I’ve come to think of them, and a brief comparison confirms the impression. With considerable floorboard creaking, the Antileon is rolled aside and my Rowlands are connected. Yes, it’s quite a spectacle once again to hear what these neo-vintage monoblocks from a distinguished manufacturer can do. During my Commander review, I and a considerable number of visitors were thoroughly impressed by the macrodynamics and bass authority injected into the system by that monster preamp. Yet after spending weeks with the Diablo 333 integrated amplifier, I suspected that Gryphon’s own power amplification could take things even further. I was right. Of course, the Helios and Rowland combination once again delivers a spectacularly open presentation, breathtaking dynamic agility, and resolution that reaches into the finest musical details. What’s missing, compared with the complete Gryphon system, is its extraordinary sense of authority and completeness. My wife, a Gryphon fan ever since her first encounter with the Diablo 333, has a vivid way of putting it: a sense of security. That’s how she feels listening to these expressively angular behemoths—secure, free of any uncertainty. She also appreciates the immense detail and vitality. As she tells me this, I can see her lips moving, but I can barely make out what she’s saying because music is playing in the background. Remarkable, since I could swear the volume is no higher than normal conversation level. Gryphon components never sound loud.
With my high-sensitivity Ayon Seagull/c loudspeakers, an unexpected synergy emerges. These floorstanders, fitted with exquisite ceramic drivers from Thiel, have enormous potential. Yet their lean, neutral fundamental character—which can tip into the ascetic under less favorable circumstances—has remained evident with every amplifier I’ve tried. With the Antileon Revelation, they become entirely different speakers. This Class A monument simply doesn’t care what’s connected to the other end of the speaker cable. Every weakness, every shortfall in energy, disappears. The bass is big and full. For the first few minutes, it seems overwhelming; after that, it simply sounds right, becoming something I can no longer imagine doing without. Switching back to the Rowlands was particularly painful in this respect. The midrange and treble radiate warmth, but please don’t mistake that for euphonic coloration. The word “creamy” came to mind on the very first day, and I must immediately reject any suggestion of sugarcoating here, too. The impression arises from an extraordinarily effortless flow that seems to accelerate familiar music. I have to admit that, until now, my love for the Ayons has largely been a matter of the left side of my brain. Now everything comes together as a coherent emotional whole.
On paper, my Rowlands belong to the same power class as the Antileon Revelation. But what do numbers really tell us? The Antileon is the most impressive piece of power electronics I’ve ever encountered. With one exception: the Gryphon Diablo 333. But the Diablo deploys its energy differently. In terms of spatial presentation and holographic imaging, it remains my benchmark. When it comes to sensuality and tonal color, to emotional expression—assuming one can attribute such qualities to a stoic, glowing, nearly 200-pound mass of transistors—the latest generation of the Antileon series is irresistible, a class of its own.
The new Helios preamplifier is the perfect, logical partner. With it, the sun finally rises—there, I’ve said it. It operates with impeccable precision, leaving the power amplifier to deliver the emotional peaks when the two work together. I see a parallel here with the design. The restrained, understated lines, which dispense with the baroque griffin relief on the top panel, are a surprisingly good match for the highly precise, focused sonic character of this world-class preamplifier.
The energy delivered by the Gryphon-powered system also changes where I choose to sit. Until now, I’ve tended to gravitate toward the nearfield, where the soundstage achieves its most holographic effect. With the Danish electronics in place, however, a positively hedonistic sonic richness suddenly demands to be appreciated from farther away. This new perspective reveals an expansive, richly colored tapestry of tones, instruments, voices, and sounds, with nothing lost and nothing rendered indistinct.
A sense of security—that may indeed be the finest description of what music reproduction can achieve when it conveys absolute calm and unshakable stability to the listener. At the same time, this spontaneous choice of words stands in starkest contrast to the idea of high-end audio as an effects-driven spectacle. And that makes it the greatest compliment one could pay these two exceptional components.
Preamplifier Gryphon Helios
Design: fully balanced analog line-stage preamplifier with separate PSU 5 power supply | Inputs: 2 × unbalanced line inputs (RCA), 3 × balanced line inputs (XLR) | Analog outputs: 1 × unbalanced preamp output (RCA), 2 × balanced preamp outputs (XLR) | Features: aluminum IR remote control, 2 × Gryphon Vanta power cords included, extensive touchscreen configuration options, trigger connections, Green Bias control connection, provision for optional DAC3 (D/A converter) and PS3 (phono) modules | Finish: black aluminum | Dimensions (W/H/D): preamplifier 48/17/19 cm, power supply 48/17/19 cm | Weight: preamplifier 14 kg, power supply 18 kg | Warranty: 3 years upon registration | Price: approx. €46,000
Power amplifier Gryphon Antileon Revelation
Design: fully balanced Class A stereo power amplifier | Inputs: 2 × balanced preamp inputs (XLR) | Outputs: 2 × speaker outputs | Features: three-step bias adjustment via pushbuttons, mute button, display-check button, trigger connections, Green Bias control connection | Finish: black aluminum | Dimensions (W/H/D): 57/27/61 cm | Weight: 89 kg | Warranty: 3 years upon registration | Price: approx. €46,200
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