Gryphon Cantata Owner's Manual

Download

Cantata

Owner´s Manual

Can-ta-ta A musical composition, often using sacret text, comprising recitatives, arisa and choruses.

Table of Contents:

Introduction....................... 3

The Gryphon....................... 3

The Man.............................. 4

Made in Denmark............... 4

Musical Objectives.............. 5

The Gryphon Master Tape

Collection............................ 5

Exterior Design................... 5

Cantata design story........... 6

The Bass............................. 7

The smaller speaker........... 8

The Gryphon Cantata......... 8

The design......................... 9

Choice of Cables................. 9

A long process..................... 9

The Cantata Q Controller..... 10

Best of both worlds.............. 11

The Cabinet......................... 11

The Drivers.......................... 13

Set-up.................................. 15

Assembling the Speaker...... 15

Connecting the Q Control.... 16

Cantata and the listening room 17

Speaker placement.............. 18

Selecting the Q Factor......... 19

Break-in................................ 19

Room placement.................. 20

Manufacture and Assembly 21

Choice of cables.................. 21

Care and Maintenance........ 22

Tweak Alert.......................... 22

Warranty.............................. 23

Specifications...................... 24

Introduction

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

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

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

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

Welcome to the global family of proud owners of fine audio components from Gryphon Audio Designs of Denmark. Your new Gryphon unit has been painstakingly 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-friendliness which elevate it above the mundane world of conventional audio components.

time domain.

As audiophiles, the members of the Gryphon design team are constantly 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 lifelong love of the live music experience in all its sonic and emotional glory.

Our higher goal is to bring to the listener a “You-Are-There” sensation. In taking up this challenge, the Gryphon designers go back to basics to analyze the essential nature of the live music experience. For us, an awareness of soundstaging, ambience

ing passion for music.

The Gryphon

cup of infinite wealth.

bol for our high sonic goals.

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

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

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

Flemming E. Rasmussen painting 1967

The Gryphon Head Amp 1985

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 photography and painting and designed textiles, before founding 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 product, 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 wordof-mouth led to the formal establishment of Gryphon Audio Designs as a separate corporate entity.

ly to Gryphon.

Made In Denmark

Gryphon name.

Musical Objectives

Gryphon product exists for one

From 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

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

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

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

simple purpose: to bring the user closer in the never-ending quest for a more natural and convincing musical illusion.

Every Gryphon design has been built to cruise effortlessly through even the most demanding musical passages, regardless of volume level, with a musical presentation defined by supreme articulation and immediacy, subtle dynamic shading and razorsharp focus. Refinement and delicacy are combined with power and authority for a natural, involving listening experience.

The Gryphon Master Tape Collection

In the Gryphon listening rooms, we are fortunate to possess a unique library of more than 1,000 original master tapes of recordings made during the Golden Age of studio engineering from 1956-1976.

Exterior Design

without compromise.

handcraftsmanship.

ated up close and in person.

Gryphon is located in beautiful tranquil surroundings.

Unlike conventional commercial releases, our master tapes capture 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 integrity of the original musical performance.

of form and function.

dedicated, purpose-built listen

ing room. Most of us listen to

music in a room that also serves

as the living room. There are

several ways to address this

challenge. Here are the most

Cantata prototype

Cantata design story

As with all things known to man, loudspeakers are subject to the laws of physics and to the limita-

tions of human perception. We may bend, manipulate or mask or exploit these laws and limitations, but we cannot ignore them.

In the quest for the finest speaker, music lovers audition numerous models and finally settle on what they believe to be the “best” speaker. What else can you do? But is the “best speaker” truly the best speaker? If you are lucky, you will end up with a speaker that is the best match for a particular room, a speaker that might be a complete disaster when set up in a different room. This explains the differences in opinion about speaker performance. The performance/quality of any given speaker changes radically, depending on its environment.

In general, a loudspeaker can be no better than the listening room allows it to be.

Therefore, the listening room is the most important element in a high performance sound system and for this reason is often referred to as the final frontier. Few people have the luxury of a

common “solutions”… A.

The room can be treated in several ways by using passive and/or active absorbents, bass traps, diffusers and other devices. Unfortunately, these methods are usually expensive, an eyesore in the living room and of limited success. In most cases, they simply change the flavor of the problem.

B. In recent years, sophisticated “room correction systems” have been introduced. The term Room Correction is quite misleading insofar as none of these systems actually correct the room in any real sense. They electronically manipulate the sound of the audio system in order to obtain a better measured match to the room, much like previous generations of equalizers that merely changed the tonal balance of the sound. Unfortunately, they typically introduced a whole new set of problems and are not usually used in high end sound systems. Lastly, a number of correction

systems are basically computers

The most severe problems usu

ally occur in the bass region, typ

ically due to designers’ over-

imaginative attempts to circum

vent the laws of physics. Most

people prefer a speaker with full

frequency response from the

delicate high-frequency shimmer

of a triangle to the lowest notes

of a church organ. All speakers

should ideally provide superior

high frequency performance, but

speakers with full output at low

frequencies require large drivers

and consequently large cabinets

with huge internal volume. Low

frequencies also require move

ment of large amounts of air in

the room. There is little to be

done about these physical facts,

as long as we look at the loud

Another often overlooked fact is

that, although a speaker may be

capable of extended deep bass

performance, its performance

can be easily compromised by

This is a fact that cannot be

changed, and when a large

speaker is used in a room that is

too small, room overload occurs

and the compressed air expands

like waves in water. This is

caused/supported by an

acoustic phenomenon called

“room gain”, the room’s automat

ic amplification of lower frequen

that digitally manipulate the sound for the same reasons. These systems are more sophisticated and can address the task with great precision. However, many critical listeners agree that the digital conversions and extensive signal manipulation involved have a high price, and not just the one on the price tag.

C. The most popular solution is to experiment and mix products with different flavors and especially to seek out a speaker that has a complementary sonic signature to that of the listening room. At best, “neutral” performance is obtained by forces reacting in different directions, hoping for tonal equilibrium. This is an art approaching alchemy and the proud owner’s fragile house of cards collapses if any of the components, especially the listening room, is changed. For many audiophiles, this ongoing quest to find the sonic Holy Grail through constant experimentation is what it is all about.

Most music lovers simply want to listen to great music with great sound without needless hassle.

The Bass

speakers in isolation.

adverse room conditions.

Gryphon Audio Designs in the outskirts of the small town of Ry

cies by 12 dB per octave.

and details without the delay and

“overhang” often found in larger

Again, there are no free lunches

and the trade-offs with the small

speaker are reduced bass and

lower maximum output than larg

Critical listeners with vast experi

ence in listening to different

speakers often comment that

they wish that they could com

bine the soundstage, disappear

ing act and speed of the small

speaker with the bass response

The Gryphon Cantata

At Gryphon we have over the

years made similar observations

and faced the challenge of small

rooms at shows and elsewhere.

We are often asked what speak

ers we use and which speakers

we recommend. Our answer has

always been that we recom

mend the speaker that sounds

best in the room in which it will

be used. When we use the term

“best” we mean correct and real

istic in musical terms, essentially

neutral, but with all the dynamics

and excitement of listening to

live music. We find headroom,

ambience and tonal coherency

to be key elements in the live

The result is what is generally termed “standing waves”. This acoustic amplification of bass is heard as an overwhelming emphasis on the lower frequencies. In audio lingo it is referred to as a “boomy” bass. This type of bass may impress some friends and annoy neighbors but it can hardly be described as high end sound and is certainly not acceptable to the educated listener.

drivers.

er speakers.

HIGH PURITY COPPER FOIL AND PAPER WOUND, WAX IMPREGNATED AIR-CORE INDUCTOR DESIGNEDBY STEEN DUELUND

Smaller Speakers

Many people prefer compact speakers because they usually do not suffer from these problems, but only because their small enclosure and drivers cannot generate enough energy to provide deep bass and consequently excite the room. The smaller speaker often has supe-

rior midrange and high frequen-

cy response simply because

the smaller enclosure provides

ideal working conditions.

Smaller speakers also

often offer a superior

soundstage, allowing

the speaker to disap-

pear as the soundstage extends well beyond the physical positions of the speakers. The generally smaller drivers are faster and reproduce transients

of the larger speaker.

music experience.

Since 1986, Gryphon has manu-

cheap “boom” boxes. The tiny

market for high end drivers is not

commercially attractive to the

At Gryphon we have a design

tradition of seeking out only the

finest components. If we cannot

find them, we make tem, rather

than settle for second best. Now,

we have applied this experience

and uncompromising approach

We assembled a team of experi

enced speaker designers with

original design ideas never real

ized before. We gave them free

reins to design special drivers as

required to meet our ideal speci

A highly respected Danish driver

manufacturer agreed to collabo

rate with us, both as a learning

experience and because of the

prestige involved. We knew that

the audiophile community’s

expectations for a Gryphon

speaker would be high and next

Few people know that this proj

ect started in 1995 and has gone

through different stages, but

always based on the same

design philosophy and theories.

The Cantata design team is the

factured some of the finest amplifiers in the world. Reviewers often describe Gryphon products as neutral, transparent and inherently musical; the choice for the music lover rather than the tech freak. We take pride in this profile. Almost all manufacturers dream of creating a complete sound system from the AC cord to the loudspeaker. This is the only sense in which we must admit to being like other manufacturers. However, a great amplifier manufacturer does not automatically make a great loudspeaker manufacturer. For an outsider, it is easy to underestimate the complexity of loudspeaker design. There are so few parts and it is basically a box with a couple of drivers and a handful of crossover components, so how hard can it be? Indeed, it is easy to make a loudspeaker, that is why there are so many of them and why most are so cheap, but it is very difficult and challenging to create a great speaker worthy of the high end tag. The paradox is that it is the few parts that make it so difficult. There are very few parameters to adjust and the real problem is that almost no drivers are ideal, because they essentially are made for the much larger and less demanding market for

driver manufacturers.

The Design

to loudspeaker design.

fications.

to impossible to meet.

A Long Process

original team from 1995.

acoustic profile defined by differ

ent parameters; in this case, the

crucial parameter is the acoustic

Q of the room. The acoustic Q is

the result of the low frequency

damping of the room Expressed

A loudspeaker also has an

acoustic Q, defined as the match

between the acoustic Q of the

speaker and the acoustic Q of

the room that is the basis for the

ideal interface between speaker

Sometimes this happens by

luck; simply by accidentally find

ing a speaker that SEEMS TO

meet the criteria set by the room.

The Gryphon Cantata

The Cantata provides a clever

solution as an integral part of the

Cantata speaker system. The

sophisticated Gryphon Q con

troller adjusts the Q of the

speaker system to match the

room. The Q controller is devel

oped by the award winning

design team behind the Gryphon

preamplifiers and amplifiers and

is totally transparent and pro

vides only the Q interface. The Q

controller offers multiple options

to match rooms from small to

mid-sized and features both sin

gle-ended and balanced connec

tions. The frequency and phase

response of the Q Controller

Virtually stacked foil capacitor, in totally resonance free construction for loudspeaker crossover filters, designed by Steen Duelund.

The Cantata is the fruit of all our experiments and accumulated observations, a floor-standing speaker with a small footprint and daring contemporary design achieved at no compromise in performance. We chose to build a small speaker, but developed exclusive drivers and patented technologies to provide impressive bass performance, while at the same time diminishing the adverse effect of the listening room by basically designing a speaker that works with the room rather than against it. The well-documented effect of bass amplification due to room gain was a force that could be exploited rather than contained. To put it simply, we wanted to make the room take over when the speaker let go.

“Room gain” amplification

increases as frequency goes

down. This is exactly the

opposite of all speakers that

generate decreasing ener-

gy as frequency goes

down. If the roll-off of the

speaker’s energy is an

exact mirror of the

rooms increased energy, the result is near-linear amplification, in theory all the way down to DC. (This is only true for a sealed enclosure.) The starting point (frequency) for room gain depends on the individual room. Every room has an

in the reverbrattion time.

and room.

Q Controller

matches the high performance

should ideally be the size of a

pinhead and suspended in free

air, while a woofer requires a

large-volume enclosure, the

larger the better. To design a

cabinet to optimally accommo

date both drivers is simply

impossible. To design a cabinet

with acceptable compromises is

very difficult and, finally, to

achieve a result that is visually

pleasing is the greatest chal

We see many “interesting”

speakers with obvious emphasis

on the sculptural aspect. We

even see ingenious devices dis

guised as paintings, plants,

rocks, organ pipes and other

shapes. Camouflaging speakers

to be unrecognizable usually

means that the sounds they

make are also unrecognizable

On the other hand, we find many

no-compromise speaker sys

tems where emphasis is placed

solely on performance in a “take

no prisoners” attitude. These are

often large, strange contraptions

that require a dedicated listening

room or a tolerant family with a

profound acceptance of offen

In the modern home, an expen

sive speaker system should pro

vide the highest quality of sound,

and, at the same time, also be

worthy of its prominent place as

a visually attractive element in

of Gryphon amplification and the very best from other manufacturers. The flexible unit can be interfaced with the sound system in many ways and can work perfectly with integrated amplifiers without preout/main-in connections via the tape loop.

Best of Both Worlds

The result is amazing, groundbreaking performance from a speaker this size. The Cantata combines the best of both worlds, all of the recognized virtues of the small speaker without the constricted low end output. The Cantata offers reference class, real, articulated deep bass response. The smooth, controlled frequency roll-off of the speaker also provides excellent phase characteristics, the fundamental element in obtaining realistic soundstage reproduction and in addressing perhaps one of the most acute human senses, our instinctive ability to locate objects in three-dimensional space based on sound alone.

lenge of all.

as music.

The Cabinet

In many ways, the cabinet design of a speaker is a nightmare of compromises and the ultimate challenge to both audio designer and furniture stylist. To perform at its best, a tweeter

sive furniture.

the living environment in terms

cally “invisible” housing for the

drivers. Extensive internal brac

ing and bitumen damping are

combined with patented manu

facturing techniques to create a

cabinet with extreme rigidity and

The bottom section of the speak

er system employs the same

assembly techniques and

painstaking attention to detail

and is an ideal non-resonant

home for the elaborate passive

crossover. The integrated base

of the speaker system is a com

partment with non-toxic materi

als providing damping and mass

for firm and safe contact to the

The front spike provides ideal

acoustic coupling to the floor,

while at the same time offering

precise vertical adjustment of

speaker alignment. A stainless

steel coaster is provided to pro

tect the floor and any covering.

Speaker connections are the

famous Gryphon binding posts

that accept bare wire, spades or

banana plugs. In keeping with

the clean design philosophy,

connectors are located under

the speaker. The active connec

tion to crossover biasing is also

located here. A discrete redLED

indicates active bias connection.

High-gloss black Methacrylate

and black Nappa are standard

finishes. The side panels are

also available in High-Gloss

of shape, colors and materials. The bass drivers positioned

above and below the tweeter in a symmetrical vertical array in the Cantata are angled towards an imaginary centerline extending from the direct-firing tweeter at the center of the front baffle. Imagine that the three drivers are narrowbeam lasers angled in such a way that the three beams intersect at exactly the same point. The three drivers are also situated on the same vertical axis so that the distance from the center of each drive to the ear is identical. The angling of the bass drivers requires a smooth baffle with no protruding edges that would cause diffraction – edge reflections that can create smearing in the time domain. To ensure a clean transition between the Cantata tweeter and the bass drivers, a 1 kg. block of aircraft- grade aluminum is machined to house the tweeter and provide ideal time alignment to the other drivers. The use of Nappa and Grand Piano felt contributes to a construction with minimal diffraction. From the front of the speaker to the sides, an aluminum extrusion provides a smooth transition. The unique shape of the cabinet and the use of many different materials result in a soni-

high inner damping.

floor.

As a result, many speaker man

ufacturers use the same drivers,

while exerting great effort to opti

mize their performance and

gloss over their inevitable short

In the Cantata, we chose not to

follow this well-trodden path. in

keeping with our uncompromis

ing design philosophy, we placed

sharp focus on driver perform

ance outside their main frequen

cy range. It soon became obvi

ous that we had to make our own

bass drivers. A leading Danish

manufacturer had some good

basic elements and was pre

pared to collaborate with us in

refining them. Together, we cre

ated a 5-inch driver with a coat

ed Kevlar cone and a uniquely

shaped rubber surround for a

perfect transition between cone

and baffle, preventing the usual

turbulence from surrounds that

are merely a circular rubber gas

ket around the driver. The con

ventional soft dust cap was

replaced with a very rigid, light

weight alternative to prevent

deformation or break-up under

stress. On general principles, we

even added an extra set of ter

minals to the cone for perfect

The cast magnesium basket was

designed with maximum ventila

tion between cone and spider to

prevent compression of trapped

black, American Walnut Burl or Black Anodized aluminum. Optional finishes include Vavona Veneer, Ebony Veneer, Perforated Steel, black rubber and other exciting finishes. All veneers are, of course, legal and documented. For a truly customized finish, it is possible to order panels with textiles, carpet, fur, leather or just about anything you can imagine. At Gryphon we will be happy to assist you in creating a unique personalized Cantata System.

The Drivers

At Gryphon, our many years in the amplifier business have taught us that what you don’t do can be even more important than what you do. Elegant simplicity is generally the best solution, but often the most complicated objective to achieve. We also found that in speaker design an alarming number of crossover components is often used for the sole purpose of compensating for poor driver design. We have to face the fact that high end audio is a very small and unattractive business for most large driver manufacturers and that some of the requirements of high end manufacturers are often deemed unrealistic or perhaps even controversial, as they may challenge conventional

wisdom.

comings.

weight and piston symmetry.

air. The spider is extremely flexible. The magnetic system can only be described as generous with 3-4 times the power normally required. The back of the magnetic assembly is vented for zero back compression. The end result is a highly efficient driver with an extremely low Q, with every performance parameter mechanically and electrically optimized.

The oil-cooled tweeter employs a textile dome and is housed in a integrated 1 kg. baffle CNCmachined from a solid billet of aluminum to a specific shape selected after numerous experiments with clay and plaster models. A specially designed stainless steel surround was developed for a seamless connection between dome and baffle. A small removable steel bar provides mechanical protection of the semi-soft dome. Because the well-documented and rightly feared dramatic break-up modes characteristic of Titanium and other metal domes typically require extensive crossover intervention, such drivers are not employed in the Gryphon Cantata, maintaining the pristine simplicity of its design.

Cantata set-up &

Then mount the foot (with the 3

Allen Screws provided) and the

steel tip for the spike. Connect

minals underneath the speaker.

both banana plug and spades.

connected directly to the speak

Connect the DC cable (provided

ready to be raised to an upright

user guide

Unpacking

The following items are enclosed in 3 boxes. 1 Card box and 2 ply-wood crates.

Card box

This user manual 1 Cantata Q-Controller 1 Pair of Gloves 1 Acrylic polish 1 DC Bias cable 1 AC Power cords 1 Warranty card

Ply-wood crate

1 Cantata Reference Monitor 1 Black Aluminium Foot 3 Allen Screws 1 Allen Key 1 Steel Spike Tip

Assembling the speaker

Remove the speaker gently from its wooden transportation enclosure and carefully place the speaker upside down.

your speaker cables at the ter The Gryphon terminals accept

Due to the room adapting design of the Cantata bi-wiring or bi-amping is not possible.

The speaker cables should be er output terminals of your

amplifier.

in the Q-Controller transportation box) and the speaker is

If anything is missing or damaged, please contact your dealer immediately.

standing position.

Connecting the Q

(RCA). Remember to adjust the

inverted by pressing “Invert” on

of the pre-amplifier. The

3. Connecting via the tape

Remember to adjust the switch

of the tape connection of

Controller

The Q-Controllercan be connected in three ways dependent on your system.

1. If CD as your only source

Connect between the source and amplifier (pre- or integrated).

2. If you have several sources

Connect between your preamplifier and your power amplifier.

3. If you use an integrated amplifier

Connect via the tape-loop

1. Connecting between

source and amplifier

connected to the Input of your pre-amplifier or integrated amplifier.

2. Connecting between pre- and power amplifier

You can connect either balanced (XLR) or single-ended

switch “XLR/RCA” on the back of Q-Controller dependent on your choice of cabling. In balanced mode the signal can be

the front panel. For each channel Input of the

Q-Controller is connected to Output Output of the Q-Controller is connected to the Input of your power amplifier.

You can connect either balanced (XLR) or single-ended (RCA). Remember to adjust the switch “XLR/RCA” on the back of Q-Controller dependent on your choice of cabling. In balanced mode the signal can be inverted by pressing “Invert” on the front panel.

For each channel Input of the Q-Controller is connected to Output of the source. The Output of the Q-Controller is

loop

You can connect with a RCA cable (single-ended).

“XLR/RCA” on the back of QController to “RCA”

For each channel Input of the Q-Controller is connected to Output

your integrated amplifier. The

The Cantata has been designed

to reduce the standing waves to

unique Q-Controller to make the

speaker perform better in a non-

For the discriminate listener the

optimal placement of the speak

er in a rectangular room should

manual damping of your room is

the most critical quality of your

adjust the so-called Q of speak

its to how low a Q the speaker

damped room the drivers of the

create the correct level of bass.

Output of the Q-Controller is connected to the Input of your tape connection. Remember to turn on the tape monitor function of your integrated amplifier.

Connecting the QController to the Cantata Reference Monitor

a minimum with its closed enclosure design and the

ideal sized room.

be according to Diagram A on page 20

Finally you must connect the DC cables for left and right channels to the proper “DC Output” connections on the back of the Q-Controller.

A light in the lower part of the speaker will indicate that the DC connection is working properly.

The Q Controller is designed to work only with the Cantata system and can not be used with any other speaker system as it may severely damage the speakers.

The Cantata and your listening room

Dimensions

In a listening room with dimensions less than ideal so-called “standing waves” is the problem of concern.

Damping

As described elsewhere in this

listening room. With your new Gryphon Cantata system the damping becomes less of a problem due to the ability to

er to the Q of your listening room.

As a rule of thumb you should avoid very lively rooms, because there are physical lim

can have keeping its full performance.

With the Q adjusted to a very speakers will work harder to You should in this case avoid

playing at very high levels.

Speaker Placement and

The Cantata also allows you to

speaker. In instances where you

spike until the tweeter is pointed

Adapting the Cantata to

designed to adapt to your listen

The damping of the room is the

listening position far below what

is normal for a speaker the size

ers and room are not aligned.

Toe-in

experiment with tilting of the

Speaker set-up formulas are courtesy of George Cardas.

Placement of your Cantata is critical to the quality of your listening experience.

The Gryphon Cantata should be placed free from walls with as little furniture as possible behind the speakers. The side walls should be acoustically symmetrical and the wall behind the listener should be well absorbing (with for instance tapestry).

The ideal placement in a symmetrical, rectangular room (see diagram on page 20):

The distance from the center of the woofers face to the side walls is: Room Width times .276 (RW x .276)

The distance from the center of the woofers face to the wall behind the speaker is: Room Width times .447

(RW x .447) Your Cantata is designed to

deliver the correct tonal balance and sound image being directed towards the listening position. If you are not the only listener and want a broader listening area you can toe-out the speaker a little bit.

have a high listening position you can tilt the Cantata backward by adjusting the spike underneath the speaker. Adjust to level by rotating the

directly towards your eyes.

your Listening Room

Your Gryphon Cantata is ing room most significant factor influenc

ing on the behaviour of a speaker. By adjusting your Cantata to the actual damping of your room you can extend the bass reproduction in your

of the Cantata. An added bene fit is the absence of “boom bass” so common when speak

See “Case Story” section for more information.

Selecting the Q

While playing uneven LPs your

performance the subsonic noise

To avoid any such deterioration

The filter should also be activat

ed while playing at high levels.

factor

On the front panel your Cantata comes with 3 standard settings, 1 personal setting and a Bypass option.

The Low-Cut filter

playback system might create subsonic noise. Since the Cantata has a very high bass

Q1 for lively rooms Q2 for normal damped rooms Q3 for well damped rooms Q4 your personal setting Bypass for playing loud

To determine the right setting you simply try the three standard settings. These settings will cover most situation.

For the discriminate listener Gryphon will provide a personal Q setting board to be inserted into a vacant slot on the mainboard of your Q-Controller. For your personal Q setting Gryphon Audio Designs has configured a number of boards with different Q settings all allowing the Cantata speaker to deliver its full performance. Your personal Q setting is activated by pressing “Q4”.

will create strong driver movements potentially affecting the overall performance of the speaker.

the Cantata Q-Controller is pro vided with a subsonic filter, which is activated by pressing “Low-Cut” on the front panel.

Break-In

Your Cantata requires 200 hours of break-in at moderate listening levels to get optimal performance.

Contact your dealer for further information.

Room placement

RW x .447

RW x .276

Do not scale

Manufacture and

All Gryphon products use the

AES standard for balanced con

The Encore has selectable RCA

and XLR inputs at the rear panel.

We recomend that you switch off

or mute the amplifier before

changing the input settings.

Factory setting is XLR, Balanced

Because your Encore is a high-

resolution Gryphon audio

device, it will immediately reveal

the characteristics and possible

limitations of the other compo

nents in your system, as well as

those of the interconnects and

loudspeaker cables used to con

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

Assembly

At our laboratories and manufacturing facilities in Denmark, we maintain full control over every aspect of development and production, and the members of our conscientious staff diligently follow each Gryphon model from initial concept to early prototype, through to final quality control.

Printed circuit boards are assembled by a supplier of precision military and medical equipment with strict standards of quality control and pre-inspection of components. Chassis parts are manufactured by a specialist chosen solely for the outstanding quality of workmanship. In every aspect of every Gryphon product, the same stringent standards of excellence apply.

Input Connections

Balanced mode

nections.

1. Ground

2. Positive

3. Negative Single endede mode

( recommended ).

Choice of Cables

nect your system.

Gryphon's own range of inter-

In the best Gryphon tradition we

have spent a huge amount of

time with our prototypes before

we release a new product. We

are obsessed with what we do

and consider ourselves to be

open-minded and are fascinated

by the "Grey area" between logi

cal, technical facts and things we

just hear that make no obvious

technical sense.We will imple

ment them as long as it does not

sacrifice safety or reliability. In

the Antileon design a number of

tweaks can be found and the

result is a fine balance that can

We strongly advise against any

alteration of the original design,

it will void the warranty and most

certainly only provide a diffence,

not a real improvement of musi

We are fully aware of the fun of

playing with AC conditioners,

bricks, platforms, cables and so

on. We appreciate much of it,

but please listen to our intentions

before you go ahead and if you

do, do yourself (and us) the favor

of now and then going back and

listening to the "naked" design

connects and cables in every stage of the design of every Gryphon product.

Care and Maintenance

Gryphon products are handcrafted by individuals who take great pride in the high level of fit and finish which we achieve. To maintain your Gryphon components in pristine condition, please follow these simple instructions.

Tweak Alert

Metal surfaces may be cleaned with a damp cloth. Some product made for treatment of vinyl interiors in cars may be useful. Test the product on a non-visible surface, 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.

easily be disturbed.

cal realism.

as it was intended. Enjoy…

Warranty

ing injuries to persons or proper

To qualify, the enclosed warranty

registration card must be filled

out and returned to the manufac

turer within 10 days of purchase.

Alternatively, you may choose to

The Gryphon Cantata is warranted against failures arising through faulty workmanship and materials for a period of 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 returning the unit securely packed in the original box with all accessories, postage/freight prepaid and insured. 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 performed only by authorized Gryphon dealers or distributors.

It does not cover damage due to misuse, accident or neglect. This warranty is not valid if the operation voltage of the product has been changed. The distributor or manufacturer, Gryphon Audio Designs, Denmark, retains the exclusive right to make such judgement on the basis of inspection. The retailer, distributor or manufacturer of the Gryphon shall not be liable for consequential damage arising from the use, misuse or failure of this product, includ-

ty.

website:

www.gryphon-audio.dk

Technical

and changes on equipment or items

specifications:

Dimensions: Q Control

H.W.D. 13 x 48 x 38

Thank you The Gryphon Team wishes to expess our

gratitude and respect to Mr. Steen Duelund that has served as an endless source of inspiration. All Mr. Duelunds ideas may not be of this world but his visionary mind and calling to explore unchartered territory serve as an inspiration to us all.

A special thank you goes to Mr. Lars Matthiesen for making the bridge between theory and realism.

Frequency Response in Room

24 – 22 kHz ± 3 dB with QController 35 – 22 kHz ± 3 dB with QController bypassed

Impedance

Min. 3.4 ohms Max. 7.8 ohms

Crossover Frequency

2 kHz

Power Handling

200 W per channel

Sensitivity

90dB

Dimensions: Cantata

each Speaker H.W.D. 120 x 40 x 45 cm.

Weight: 80 kgs Shipping weight:

125 kgs each Shipping dimension

74 x 39 x 136 cm

Weight: 9 kgs. Shipping weight

13 kgs Shipping dimension

26 x 56 x 50 cm

Products, features, and specifications are the most recently available at the time of publication and are subject to change without notice. Gryphon Audio Designs reserves the right to make changes and improvements in our products periodically without incurring the obligation to install such improvements

Gryphon Cantata Owner's Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual