Shoutout to Lawrance and iFi for sending this demo unit, and for their continued support of the blog and channel!
Greetings mate and Welcome aboard. Stuart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions leading to a beautiful audio experience that will make you fall in love with music (NOT gear), all over again, so…
Introducing the iFi xDSD Gryphon, a portable audio solution that aims to redefine your auditory experience.
In today’s review, we’ll meticulously explore various facets of this device, delving into its build quality, features, versatility, sound performance, and overall value.
Stay tuned as we dissect each aspect, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of what the iFi xDSD Gryphon brings to the table in the realm of portable audio and if it’s ultimately worth a purchase in today’s overcrowded DAC market.
At A Glance
iFi xDSD Gryphon
Price: Check Amazon! | Check Apos!
In The Box
iFi xDSD Gryphon
Lightning to USB Camera Adapter (Apple)
USB On-The-Go (OTG) cable (Android)
USB Type-A to Type-C (Laptop)
Carrying Case
Instruction Card
Warranty Card
What makes the iFi xDSD Gryphon stand out?
Well, nothing really, aside from the fact that it’s essentially an xCAN and xDSD rolled into one.
In other words,
it combines the features and the price of both into a sleek, compact package.
Another notable difference between the Gryphon and the older models is a top-lit interface that reveals the following:
- Volume level.
- Battery charge status.
- Format Indicator.
- Input.
You’ll love this added convenience of the Gryphon, which is also longer than both the xCAN and xDSD.
You won’t have to squint your eyes or strain your neck to see what’s on the front-facing panel.
A quick glance on top makes everything super easy to decipher.
In addition to that,
it doesn’t collect fingerprints as the others did and instead looks to be a matte black/grey metallic finish.
Furthermore,
it feels great in your hand and at 0.5 lbs. is rather hefty and robust.
From Lawrance over at iFi in one of his emails to me:
Front Panel
Pressing the settings button (small gear) switches between XBass, XSpace, etc., and is also visible on the interface.
Long pressing the gear button enters you into another settings menu containing the following:
- USB Dual Port Charge
- BT Voice Prompt
- Screen Brightness
- Digital Filter
To change any of these,
just press the volume pot in once and use the scroll wheel to adjust.
To exit, just wait or press the gear button (the button right of the Volume Pot) once more.
The input selector on the far right cycles between Bluetooth, S/PDIF, Line, and USB.
On the left-hand side of the unit there’s your standard 3.5mm single-ended jack and iFi’s usual 4.4mm balanced jack, as well as 2 LED indicators:
One is for audio format (specified above), and the other is your input LED.
For audio format:
- Yellow – PCM48/44.1kHz
- White – PCM768/705.6/384/352.8/192/176.4/96/88.2kHz
- Cyan – DSD128/64
- Red – DSD512/256
- Green – MQA
- Blue – MQA Studio
- Magenta – Original Sample Rate*
For input LED:
- USB – Magenta
- Bluetooth – Blue
- S/PDIF – Green
- Line (Balanced 4.4mm/S-E 3.5mm) – Yellow
Rounding out the front we have the Volume Potentiometer.
Just push and hold to fire up the unit.
It also changes colour depending on volume level which you’ll likely agree was a nice touch.
- Red: -2 to +6dB (100%-92%)
- Yellow: -20 to -3dB (91% – 74%)
- Green: -38 to -21dB (73% – 56%)
- Magenta: -56 to -39dB (55% – 38%)
- Blue: -95 to -57dB (37% – 0%)
- Flashing LED: Mute
In addition to powering the unit on and off as well as being a mute button, the Volume Pot is also an analogue volume control.
Lastly,
Bluetooth pairing should be rather quick and painless.
First press the rightmost button and cycle to Bluetooth.
Then get your phone and go into Bluetooth settings. Press search and wait.
The Gryphon should come up as “iFi Hi-Res Audio.”
Pair and you’re set!
Back Panel
The back panel reveals a Bass, Presence, and Bass + Presence switch that allows you to cycle between the 3.
Next to that is the USB-C (5V) charging input.
Fully re-charging takes 12 hours (standard charger), or 6 (high-powered charger) for a full re-charge.
The LED for battery status:
- Green: >85%
- Yellow: ≤85%
- Red (flashing): ≤10%
Next to that is the USB-C input.
Plug it straight into your laptop via the USB-C to Type-A or use any of the other supplied cables with your phone (Lightning to USB for Apple or USB OTG for Android).
Do keep in mind that iFi supplies a Type-C to Type-C for Android as micro USB is slowly being phased out.
Next to the USB-C input is the S/PDIF 3.5mm Coax/Optical input.
The best part about it?
You don’t really need it to connect to a PS4.
The Gryphon is plug-and-play. So just plug it in via USB and you’re ready!
Gryphon also has a balanced 4.4mm line input/output:
- A) Output (variable) – when the input mode is USB, Bluetooth, or S/PDIF.
- B) Input – when the input mode is line.
In addition to that, you’ve got a standard 3.5mm input/output as well.
- A) Output (variable) – when the input mode is USB, Bluetooth, or S/PDIF.
- B) Input – when the input mode is Line
So as an example, I used a DragonFly Red as a DAC into the Gryphon via 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable.
Just set the Gryphon to Line and switch to the DragonFly in your PC’s settings:
For output mode, just think of active speakers like the Presonus Eris e3.5 or something similar.
The e3.5s are nice because you can use them balanced (TRS) with an audio interface like the Scarlett Solo/2i2, or unbalanced (RCA) with any Amp/DAC that has RCA outs or a 3.5mm line out.
With the Gryphon, just snag an RCA to mini and you’re set.
AFAIK, you can even use your phone to play music through the Presonus with the Bluetooth setting.
Back when I had a 1st generation Scarlett 2i2, I could easily swap between listening on monitors (JBL LSR305) and headphones.
With the Gryphon, the idea is similar.
You can listen on headphones or speakers with essentially the press of a button, and because it’s USB plug and play, you can easily disconnect it from your laptop, walk to the living room, and game or watch movies or shows with whatever streaming platform you use.
Lastly, there’s an iEMatch Switch on the bottom of the unit, meaning even the most sensitive In-Ear Monitors can be matched to the Gryphon.
Sound
- Headphones Used: AKG K702, HIFIMAN HE400se, HIFIMAN Arya, Apos Caspian. More to come!
- Source(s): Spotify, PS4, YouTube, Hulu, etc.
- Playlist: Here!
- Albums: Towards the end!
This is your typical iFi outfit, a cross between neutral and warm.
Again we have the Burr-Brown chip, which is pleasant without bordering on being too sterile (clean) or too gooey (hazy/warm).
Whether or not the XBass sounds “good” entirely depends on the track in question, but I do think that it’s handled nicely; i.e. the boost isn’t overly done like your mom’s meatloaf.
You’ll notice XSpace does result in a marked difference and is ideal for some headphones, but not all.
For instance,
you won’t need it with a K702 as those already do a good job with spacing and separation.
On the other hand,
XSpace really benefits something like an HD600 whose image feels somewhat narrow/closed-in sounding.
I’ve been trying out a free trial of Hulu, and I tested the Gryphon with some headphones and it sounds excellent.
Normally I set it to around -12dB which is just the right amount.
One thing I found interesting in the intro music to Hey Arnold! sounded different than I remember, but this likely has a lot to do with the intimate nature of the headphones; something I was not using back in the mid to late ’90s.
The point is that everything will sound crystal clear, articulate, and detailed; all of which helps with immersion and overall enjoyment in video games and film alike.
If you haven’t listened to some of your old favourite shows with headphones and a good DAC like the Gryphon, you’re really missing out!
You’ll start noticing sounds and subtle details that you may have otherwise missed.
Important Note
Though I (thankfully) didn’t experience this issue, some others reported the volume inexplicably maxing out which can be a disaster for obvious reasons.
As a precautionary measure,
I went ahead and updated the firmware via this link, which you should do as well right away.
Just choose “Gryphon” from the drop-down menu, enter your serial # (it’s on the back of the unit), download the update and you should be good to go.
The volume issue has since been fixed as of the time of this writing, but I haven’t had any issues regardless.
Value
That said, the burning question is “Is the Gryphon worth the money?”
While it does have some useful features, I’m becoming more and more wary of hybrid products like this one that attempt to combine both portability and desktop features into one.
One reason for this is because of the price. $500-600 for the Gryphon is eye-popping, and in my opinion, not worth it.
I can easily get a desktop Amp/DAC with loads of features like the K7 or K11 and a separate portable one like the BTR5 or Go Link for much less.
My other issue is that units like this one and the Q15 are rather bulky and clunky. So connecting one to a phone almost defeats the purpose of having something truly portable, but that’s just my personal preference. Your mileage may vary.
Gaming
If there’s one thing it doesn’t do (and something I thought about after writing this) it’s FPS gaming with a mic.
You can’t use it with a Boom Pro (or something similar) as you can with a G6, which is pretty much made for shooters.
So if you do need a DAC with mic support, I’d look to the G6. The Gryphon is more of a single-player homie.
Final Verdict
Despite the Gryphon being a perfectly serviceable unit, I don’t think the asking price of $500-600 is worth it in today’s crowded DAC landscape.
As alluded to above, FiiO’s Q15 also suffers from the same sorts of issues but is a couple hundred dollars cheaper.
So if you’re dead set on a hybrid unit, the Q15 may be worth a look. Just know that I’m not recommending it.
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this iFi xDSD Gryphon Review.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
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Is the Gryphon worth a purchase? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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Specifications
- Inputs: USB-C, Bluetooth 5.1 (aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX LL, LDAC, LHDC/HWA, AAC and SBC Codec), S-PDIF 3.5mm Coaxial, Balanced 4.4mm, Single-Ended 3.5mm
- Formats: DSD512/256/128/64, Octa/Quad/Double/Single-Speed, DXD768/705.6/384/352.8kHz), Double/Single-Speed DXD, PCM768/705.6/384/352.8/192/176.4/96/88.2/48/44.1kHz, MQA384/352.8kHz, Bluetooth up to 96kHz
- DAC: Bit-Perfect DSD & DXD DAC By Burr Brown
Line Section
- Outputs: Balanced: 6.7V max (variable), UnBAL: 3.5V max (variable)
- Output Impedance: Balanced: ≤200Ω, UnBAL: ≤100Ω
- SNR: Balanced: <100dB(A) @ 0dBFS, UnBAL: <110dB(A) @ 0dBFS
- THD+N: Balanced: <0.007% @ 0dBFS, UnBAL: <0.015% @ 0dBFS
Headphone Section
- Outputs: Balanced: 6.7V max (600Ω), UnBAL: 3.5V max (600Ω)
- Output Power: Balanced: >1000mW @ 32Ω: >74mW @ 600Ω, UnBAL: >320mW @ 32Ω: >40mW @ 300Ω
- Output Impedance: Balanced: <1Ω, UnBAL: <1Ω
- THD+N: <0.005% (1V @ 16Ω)
- SNR: Balanced: <116dB(A) @ 0dBFS, UnBAL: <115dB(A) @ 0dBFS
- Battery: Lithium-polymer 3600mAh
- Power System: Charging via USB-C, BCV1.2 compliant up to 1900mA charging current
- Dimensions: 123 x 75 x 19 mm, 4.8″ x 3.0″ x 0.7″, 215g (0.5 lbs)
- Warranty Period: 12 months
Photo Album
Media
The Outer Worlds (2019)
Gone Girl (2014)
Nip/Tuck (2003-2010)
The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)
Fargo (2014-present)
Thundercats (1985)
Regular Show (2010-2017)
Hey Arnold! (1996-2000)
Animaniacs (1993-1998)
Sinead Harnett – Ready Is Always Too Late (2021)
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Into The Great Wide Open (1991)
J Dilla – The Shining 10 Year Anniv. (2006/2016)
Minus The Bear – Highly Refined Pirates (2002)
Minus The Bear – Menos El Oso (2005)
Mac Miller – Circles (2020)
Jay Dee a.k.a. King Dilla – 2016
Jeru The Damaja – Heroz4hire (1999)
Jay Dee’s Ma Dukes Collection (2016)
J Dilla – Motor City (2017)
From Indian Lakes – Everything Feels Better Now (2016)
Allman Brothers Band – Eat A Peach (1972)
From Indian Lakes – Dimly Lit (2019)
J Dilla’s Delights, Vol. 1 (2017)
Day Wave – Crush (2020)
Blind Faith – Blind Faith (1969)
Minus The Bear – This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic (2001)
America – America (1972)
From Indian Lakes – Absent Sounds (2014)
From Indian Lakes – Able Bodies (2012)
4 comments
hello.im use fiio Q3 MQA with audeze lcd-2c CB, does worth upgrade to gryphon? does will be a better sound and performance ,more details? fiio has xbass and power gain switches. fiio has 160mW and balanced 330mW outputs. audeze 70ohms 101db sensitivity.
Hey Leomnas!
I wouldn’t upgrade for “more details” in the Gryphon, no. You will be disappointed if that’s your goal.
Using Hey Arnold! as a headphone test track.
They say there are no more heroes…
HAHA! So awesome you commented on that specifically! What are your favorite nicktoons?