Gryphon Antileon Revelation

Gryphon Antileon Revelation Amplifier

The Gryphon Antileon Revelation is a pure Class A stereo and mono power amplifier, and the fifth generation of Gryphon's most celebrated amplifier line. Delivering 160 watts per channel into 8 ohms in stereo configuration, or 180 watts per channel as a monoblock, the Revelation operates without global negative feedback, drawing on more than three decades of Gryphon engineering to reproduce music with absolute transparency and commanding control. Designed and manufactured entirely in Denmark, it is among the most serious expressions of Class A amplification available.

The Antileon Legacy

The Antileon name has been a pillar of Gryphon's identity since the mid-1990s, itself drawing direct lineage from the DM100: the amplifier that established Gryphon's founding principles of true dual-mono construction, pure Class A topology, and the current delivery needed to take authoritative control of any loudspeaker. Each successive generation, the original Antileon, the Antileon Signature, and the Antileon EVO, preserved that essential character while advancing circuit architecture, thermal management, and component quality.

The Revelation arrives at a significant moment for the company, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Antileon series and Gryphon's 40th year of operation. It is not a cosmetic refresh or a minor revision. Entirely new double-sided copper PCBs, a redesigned high-current gain input buffer using bipolar junction transistors in place of the JFET buffers used in the EVO, lower-capacitance transistors, and solid-core silver internal wiring collectively represent the most thorough reimagining of the Antileon platform to date.

Pure Class A, Committed Without Reservation

Unlike Class A/B designs that transition between operating modes, the Antileon Revelation amplifies the entire audio waveform in Class A at all times. Every one of its 40 high-current bipolar Toshiba output transistors is continuously active, a design decision that is thermally demanding and energetically costly, but which eliminates the distortion artifacts introduced at the zero-crossing point in switching topologies. At Bias High, the stereo Revelation delivers its full 160 watts per channel in pure Class A; the mono version reaches 180 watts under the same conditions.

This commitment to full Class A operation carries a corresponding power supply obligation. Each stereo chassis houses two custom-wound 1,150VA toroidal transformers and a 335,000uF capacitor bank per channel. Mono units double the capacitor bank to 670,000uF per channel. The result is a reserve of energy sufficient to maintain stable, clipping-free delivery into reactive and low-impedance loads, with output power doubling as impedance halves: the stereo version delivers 320W into 4 ohms and 620W into 2 ohms, while each mono chassis reaches 360W into 4 ohms and 720W into 2 ohms.

Zero Negative Feedback and Circuit Architecture

The Revelation operates with zero global negative feedback, a Gryphon design philosophy that dates back to the DM100. Negative feedback, while useful for reducing measured distortion figures, introduces time-delay artifacts and phase anomalies that many audiophiles find audibly detrimental. By building sufficient linearity and bandwidth into the amplification stage itself, Gryphon avoids this correction mechanism entirely. The result is a damping factor that remains frequency-independent, preserving loudspeaker control across the full audio band.

The input stage uses a balanced differential Class A circuit followed immediately by a high-speed Class A voltage amplification stage. Gryphon follows the AES standard for balanced connections, with Pin 2 positive and Pin 3 negative, ensuring correct polarity and maximum rejection of common-mode noise. There are no output relays anywhere in the signal path. Protection against DC and high-frequency anomalies is handled by a non-invasive microprocessor-controlled system that monitors the output continuously without placing any filtering elements in the signal path under normal operating conditions.

Internal Construction

Military-specification double-sided copper printed circuit boards, up to 105 microns of copper thickness, provide low-resistance current paths and mechanical stability. Gryphon silver wiring carries signal and power throughout. Premium polypropylene capacitors handle local power supply decoupling at each amplification stage. Transformer casings are shielded, epoxy-damped, and mechanically decoupled from the main chassis to minimize the transmission of magnetic and vibrational interference into the circuit.

Green Bias: Intelligent Class A Management

Class A amplifiers at high bias levels consume substantial idle power. The Antileon Revelation addresses this with a three-position bias system, Low, Mid, and High, giving the listener control over the thermal and electrical operating point based on listening conditions. Bias Mid provides 100 watts of pure Class A, sufficient for most loudspeakers at normal listening levels. Bias High engages full Class A at 160W or 180W for critical sessions.

When paired with a compatible Gryphon preamplifier, the Green Bias link automates this selection. The preamplifier's volume control position sends commands to the amplifier to shift bias upward or downward as the listening level demands, allowing full Class A performance when it matters without sustaining maximum idle dissipation during quiet or standby periods. The Green Bias cable is entirely separate from the audio signal path and has no influence on signal quality.

Chassis Design and Physical Presence

The Antileon Revelation's exterior was shaped by Flemming E. Rasmussen, whose design language has defined Gryphon's visual identity since the company's founding. The chassis retains the strong, unmistakable Antileon silhouette, refined for the Revelation generation with a new Gryphon emblem on the transformer cover and Gryphon's latest proprietary speaker binding posts on the rear panel. The stereo chassis weighs 90 kg and measures 57 x 26 x 60 cm; a mono pair exceeds 180 kg combined. Both configurations ship with spikes and coasters for optimal mechanical decoupling, and Gryphon's own Antileon amp stand is the recommended platform.

The front panel carries a full array of status indicators covering channel health, Green Bias activity, AC phase alignment, temperature monitoring, and fuse status. The soft-start circuit prevents in-rush current from tripping domestic circuit breakers at power-on. A 12V link input enables remote switching from any compatible component in the system. Standby power consumption is under 0.5 watts.

Placement in the Gryphon Product Line

Within Gryphon's current amplifier portfolio, the Antileon Revelation sits above the Essence integrated and power amplifier line and below the Mephisto and Apex, which represent Gryphon's highest tier of power amplification. The Antileon Revelation pairs naturally with Gryphon's Commander or Zena preamplifiers, and the Green Bias system is specifically designed to work in tandem with those products. For loudspeaker partners, Gryphon's own EOS series makes an obvious system-level match, though the Revelation's ability to maintain stable current delivery into any impedance makes it broadly compatible with the most demanding transducers from any manufacturer.

Critical Reception

Reviewing the Antileon Revelation for Enjoy the Music in February 2026, Tom Lyle described the amplifier as delivering "a muscular grip on my speakers" with a transparency he compared to listening through a window with no glass between the listener and the performance. Lyle found the Revelation equally at home with small jazz ensembles, large-scale orchestral recordings, and everything between, and concluded that the emotional connection it conveyed was closer to live music than nearly any amplifier he had encountered.

The Gryphon Antileon Revelation is designed for the audiophile who regards any form of editorial coloration as a departure from musical truth, and who is willing to provide the electrical infrastructure, physical space, and system context that a fully committed Class A amplifier of this caliber demands in return for what it offers.