Gryphon Diablo 333 Integrated Amplifier
The Gryphon Diablo 333 is a dual-mono integrated amplifier and the successor to the Gryphon Diablo 300, which Gryphon introduced at High End Munich in 2015 and which the company describes as having maintained its best-in-class status for nearly a decade. Delivering 333 watts per channel into 8 ohms, the Diablo 333 brings circuit advances drawn directly from Gryphon's flagship Apex power amplifier and Commander preamplifier, representing a significant engineering step beyond its predecessor. Gryphon describes the Diablo 333 as the world's finest integrated amplifier.
From Diablo 300 to Diablo 333
The Diablo 300 earned unanimous critical praise and sold thousands of units over its eight-year production run, setting a standard that Gryphon acknowledges was not easy to surpass. The development of the Diablo 333 was driven by two forces: the availability of new component technologies and the engineering advances made during the development of the Apex and Commander. Circuit highlights from those flagship products have been applied directly to the Diablo 333, including new ultra-fast, low-capacitance pre-driver transistors and output devices that Gryphon states are identical to those in the Apex. The result is ten percent more output power than the Diablo 300, along with what Gryphon describes as both enhanced musicality and superior measured performance.
The Diablo 333 also represents the final chassis design by Gryphon founder Flemming E. Rasmussen, whose formal involvement with Gryphon concluded with this product. The manual notes this directly, making the Diablo 333 the last expression of the Nordic Noir aesthetic he created for Gryphon over more than three decades.
Power and Output Stage
The Diablo 333 delivers 333 watts per channel into 8 ohms, 666 watts into 4 ohms, and 1,100 watts into 2 ohms. Ten high-power output transistors per channel are employed, with ultra-fast, low-capacitance pre-driver transistors drawn from the same parts specified for the Apex. Zero global negative feedback is maintained throughout. The output impedance is 0.015 ohms and bandwidth extends from 0.1Hz to 350kHz.
The power supply is anchored by a dual-mono Holmgren toroidal transformer and a capacitor bank of 68,000uF per channel. Polypropylene capacitors are used for local power supply decoupling at each amplification stage. All circuit boards are 4-layer designs with 70 micron pure copper on all layers. PCB-mounted sockets eliminate internal point-to-point wiring and shorten the signal path.
Volume Control
The Diablo 333 uses a 43-step microprocessor-controlled true balanced relay volume attenuator. Gryphon's manual describes it as a discrete solution based on fixed resistors in an ultra-short signal path, involving a very small number of relays selected for perfect function and what Gryphon calls "sonic invisibility." At all volume levels, only one or two resistors are ever in series with the signal. This technology may produce a faint click at certain volume transitions, which is normal behavior for relay-based attenuators.
Connectivity
The Diablo 333 provides four analog inputs: two balanced XLR and two single-ended RCA, with Input 4 doubling as a dedicated tape input. A tape output and two subwoofer outputs, both single-ended RCA, are provided on the rear panel. The subwoofer outputs are buffered, full range, and deliver completely separate left and right channel signals. Input 2 (XLR) or Input 3 (RCA) can be assigned as a fixed-gain AV bypass input for home theater integration. A 12V link accommodates remote power sequencing with compatible components. The rear panel also accepts an external IR receiver.
Optional Modules
Like its predecessor, the Diablo 333 can be equipped with optional phono stage and DAC modules, both completely redesigned for this generation. Installation must be performed by an authorized Gryphon dealer.
PS3 MM/MC Phono Stage Module
The PS3 is a true dual-mono Class A phono stage with zero global negative feedback and discrete balanced circuitry featuring matched transistor arrays. It supports both moving coil and moving magnet cartridges, with MC/MM selection made via the Diablo 333's front panel menu. MC load impedance is adjustable from 20 ohms to 1,600 ohms via rear panel switches. Gain is 64dB for MC and 42dB for MM. Balanced XLR inputs with gold-plated Neutrik sockets are standard.
DAC3 Digital Module
The DAC3 is built around the ESS ES9039PRO DAC chip with discrete Class A analog output circuitry and zero global negative feedback. It adds five digital inputs to the Diablo 333: USB, AES/EBU, two S/PDIF (BNC), and TOSLINK. USB accepts PCM up to 384kHz/32-bit and DSD up to DSD512. AES/EBU and S/PDIF handle PCM up to 192kHz/32-bit. Seven user-selectable PCM roll-off filters are included. A 12.5 Farad super-capacitor bank powers the USB input, acting as a battery-like supply isolated from the AC mains.
Design and Interface
The Diablo 333's chassis carries the triangular display panel and 4.3-inch TFT capacitive touchscreen behind 4mm hardened glass that defines the current Gryphon visual family. The display operates in two modes: Simple View, which shows input and volume in large font readable from the listening position, and Operation View, which activates upon touching the display and provides full menu access. Custom-made chassis spikes enhance mechanical stability. The aluminum remote handset, sculpted from a block of aluminum in the same style as the Commander remote, replaces the wand-style remote supplied with the Diablo 300. Firmware is upgradeable via a USB 2.0 socket on the rear panel.
Critical Reception
The Gryphon Diablo 333 received the TAS 2024 Golden Ear Award from The Absolute Sound, which described it as bigger, stronger, faster, and more resolving than the Diablo 300, with more finesse, artistry, and emotion, and called it a no-brainer for the award. What Hi-Fi? described it as "a monster of an integrated amp that delivers muscle, authority and refinement in generous doses."
The Gryphon Diablo 333 distills Gryphon's flagship engineering into a single chassis, offering a fully self-contained high-performance system for those who want the performance of the Apex and Commander pairing without the scale, complexity, and footprint of a separates system.
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