CantataOwner´s Manual

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

Table of Contents:Introduction....................... 3The Gryphon....................... 3The Man.............................. 4Made in Denmark............... 4Musical Objectives.............. 5The Gryphon Master TapeCollection............................ 5Exterior Design................... 5Cantata design story........... 6The Bass............................. 7The smaller speaker........... 8The Gryphon Cantata......... 8The design......................... 9Choice of Cables................. 9A long process..................... 9The Cantata Q Controller..... 10Best of both worlds.............. 11The Cabinet......................... 11The Drivers.......................... 13Set-up.................................. 15Assembling the Speaker...... 15Connecting the Q Control.... 16Cantata and the listening room 17Speaker placement.............. 18Selecting the Q Factor......... 19Break-in................................ 19Room placement.................. 20Manufacture and Assembly 21Choice of cables.................. 21Care and Maintenance........ 22Tweak Alert.......................... 22Warranty.............................. 23Specifications...................... 24

IntroductionWelcome to the global family ofproud owners of fine audio com-ponents from Gryphon AudioDesigns of Denmark. Your newGryphon unit has been painstak-ingly designed to re-create thesound of live music taking placein its original recorded space.Every Gryphon product isdesigned to cater to the needs ofthe most discerning musicenthusiast with sumptuousstyling and superb user-friendli-ness which elevate it above themundane world of con-ventional audio compo-nents.

As audiophiles, themembers of theGryphon design team are con-stantly reminded to keep theirpriorities straight. We are notinvolved in “hi-fi” for its ownsake, but strictly as a means toan end, in the service of our life-long love of the live music expe-rience in all its sonic and emo-tional glory.

Our higher goal is to bring to thelistener a “You-Are-There” sen-sation. In taking up this chal-lenge, the Gryphon designers goback to basics to analyze theessential nature of the live musicexperience. For us, an aware-ness of soundstaging, ambience

and concert hall dimensions arenecessary components.Dynamics and an unambiguoussense of instrument locationeven in the loudest passagesare also high priorities. Toachieve these objectives,Gryphon products offer excep-tional speed and agility alongwith seamless coherence in thetime domain.

Since 1985, Gryphon AudioDesigns has quietly gone aboutthe business of creating finehome audio components. We

know that you will appreci-ate and enjoy the benefitsof our accumulated expe-rience and share our abid-ing passion for music.

The GryphonIn Greek mythology: A fabledcreature, half-lion and half-eagle, combining the power ofthe “King of Beasts” with thegrace of the “King of Birds”. Theguardian of the source of goldand protector of the Dionysiancup of infinite wealth.In the real world: An acclaimedDanish audio engineering com-pany employing cutting edgetechnology and common sensein the pursuit of the purest musi-cal experience. We feel that thegryphon is an appropriate sym-bol for our high sonic goals.

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The ManGryphon Audio Designs is thebrainchild of Flemming E.Rasmussen and the fulfillment ofa lifelong dream to allow thepurest essence of the live musicexperience to be recreated in thehome environment.

Rasmussen holds a degree inpainting and graphic arts fromthe Aarhus Art Academy,Denmark. During his studies,Rasmussen developed closerelationships with the local musiccommunity and designed manyLP covers and concert posters.After graduation, he taught pho-tography and painting anddesigned textiles, before found-ing 2R Marketing, which quicklybecame Denmark’s leading HighEnd audio import company.

Gryphon Audio Designs wasfounded in 1985 as an offshootof 2R Marketing, The first prod-uct, the now legendary GryphonHead Amp, grew from a one-offspare time project developedonly for the designers’ own homesystems. Although the Gryphonproject was initially strictly ahobby, not an actively pursuedcommercial venture, demandgenerated by reviews and word-of-mouth led to the formal estab-lishment of Gryphon AudioDesigns as a separate corporateentity.

Following the immediate suc-cess of the Gryphon brand, allimport business was phased outin 1993, so that Rasmussencould dedicate his efforts entire-ly to Gryphon.

Made In DenmarkEvery product from GryphonAudio Designs is designed andbuilt in Denmark. This is muchmore than just a geographicalfact. It is also a seal of approval,a stamp of quality. Living in aregion with no natural resources(no oil, coal, precious metals,etc.), the Danes have learned torely on their quick wits andskilled hands. Innovative tech-nology, beautiful craftsmanship,pride in one’s craft and a keeneye for attractive design aresome of the long-standingDanish traditions which are dis-tilled to their finest essence inevery unit that bears theGryphon name.

Musical ObjectivesWhile scientific method andsophisticated technology play animportant role in our electronicsdesign work, at Gryphon wenever lose sight of the fact thatthe keen ears of an experiencedlistener are the most crucial “cal-ibration tools.” Therefore, every

The Gryphon Head Amp 1985

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Flemming E. Rasmussen painting 1967

Gryphon product exists for onesimple purpose: to bring the usercloser in the never-ending questfor a more natural and convinc-ing musical illusion.

Every Gryphon design has beenbuilt to cruise effortlessly througheven the most demanding musi-cal passages, regardless of vol-ume level, with a musical pres-entation defined by supremearticulation and immediacy, sub-tle dynamic shading and razor-sharp focus. Refinement anddelicacy are combined withpower and authority for a natu-ral, involving listening experi-ence.

The Gryphon MasterTape CollectionIn the Gryphon listening rooms,we are fortunate to possess aunique library of more than1,000 original master tapes ofrecordings made during theGolden Age of studio engineer-ing from 1956-1976.

Unlike conventional commercialreleases, our master tapes cap-ture the dynamic contrasts andsubtle inner harmonic structureof the musical event, forcing usto work to a higher standard inour efforts to maintain the integri-ty of the original musical per-formance.

Exterior DesignFrom the very beginning, everyGryphon product has offeredstunning audio performance,sumptuous styling and superbuser-friendliness, catering to theneeds of the discerning audio-phile who demands musicality,convenience and aesthetics, allwithout compromise.

In every Gryphon product, formfollows function in a unique syn-thesis of aesthetics and practi-cality. Gryphon stands forsophisticated technology with ahigh standard of industrial finishthat also incorporates the best ofhandcraftsmanship.

The peerless finish, build quality,ergonomics and pride of owner-ship that contribute to the totalityof the Gryphon concept can onlybe fully understood and appreci-ated up close and in person.

Rasmussen’s background in finearts and industrial design givesevery Gryphon product a distinc-tive, luxuriant finish which arisesorganically out of the audio cir-cuit design and the user inter-face for a truly unique integrationof form and function.

Gryphon is located in beautiful tranquil sur-roundings.

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Cantata design storyAs with all things known to man,loudspeakers are subject to thelaws of physics and to the limita-tions of human perception. Wemay bend, manipulate or maskor exploit these laws and limita-tions, but we cannot ignorethem.

In the quest for the finest speak-er, music lovers audition numer-ous models and finally settle onwhat they believe to be the“best” speaker. What else canyou do? But is the “best speaker”truly the best speaker? If you arelucky, you will end up with aspeaker that is the best matchfor a particular room, a speakerthat might be a complete disas-ter when set up in a differentroom. This explains the differ-ences in opinion about speakerperformance. The perform-ance/quality of any given speak-er changes radically, dependingon its environment.

In general, a loudspeaker can beno better than the listening roomallows it to be.

Therefore, the listening room isthe most important element in ahigh performance sound systemand for this reason is oftenreferred to as the final frontier.Few people have the luxury of a

dedicated, purpose-built listen-ing room. Most of us listen tomusic in a room that also servesas the living room. There areseveral ways to address thischallenge. Here are the mostcommon “solutions”…

A.The room can be treated in sev-eral ways by using passiveand/or active absorbents, basstraps, diffusers and otherdevices. Unfortunately, thesemethods are usually expensive,an eyesore in the living roomand of limited success. In mostcases, they simply change theflavor of the problem.

B.In recent years, sophisticated“room correction systems” havebeen introduced. The termRoom Correction is quite mis-leading insofar as none of thesesystems actually correct theroom in any real sense. Theyelectronically manipulate thesound of the audio system inorder to obtain a better meas-ured match to the room, muchlike previous generations ofequalizers that merely changedthe tonal balance of the sound.Unfortunately, they typicallyintroduced a whole new set ofproblems and are not usuallyused in high end sound systems.Lastly, a number of correctionCantata prototype

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systems are basically computersthat digitally manipulate thesound for the same reasons.These systems are more sophis-ticated and can address the taskwith great precision. However,many critical listeners agree thatthe digital conversions andextensive signal manipulationinvolved have a high price, andnot just the one on the price tag.

C.The most popular solution is toexperiment and mix productswith different flavors and espe-cially to seek out a speaker thathas a complementary sonic sig-nature to that of the listeningroom. At best, “neutral” perform-ance is obtained by forces react-ing in different directions, hopingfor tonal equilibrium. This is anart approaching alchemy and theproud owner’s fragile house ofcards collapses if any of thecomponents, especially the lis-tening room, is changed. Formany audiophiles, this ongoingquest to find the sonic Holy Grailthrough constant experimenta-tion is what it is all about. Most music lovers simply want

to listen to great music with greatsound without needless hassle.

The Bass 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. Mostpeople prefer a speaker with fullfrequency response from thedelicate high-frequency shimmerof a triangle to the lowest notesof a church organ. All speakersshould ideally provide superiorhigh frequency performance, butspeakers with full output at lowfrequencies require large driversand consequently large cabinetswith huge internal volume. Lowfrequencies also require move-ment of large amounts of air inthe room. There is little to bedone about these physical facts,as long as we look at the loud-speakers in isolation.

Another often overlooked fact isthat, although a speaker may becapable of extended deep bassperformance, its performancecan be easily compromised byadverse room conditions.This is a fact that cannot bechanged, and when a largespeaker is used in a room that istoo small, room overload occursand the compressed air expandslike waves in water. This iscaused/supported by anacoustic phenomenon called“room gain”, the room’s automat-ic amplification of lower frequen-

Gryphon Audio Designs in theoutskirts of the small town of Ry

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cies by 12 dB per octave.The result is what is generallytermed “standing waves”. Thisacoustic amplification of bass isheard as an overwhelmingemphasis on the lower frequen-cies. In audio lingo it is referredto as a “boomy” bass.This type of bass may impresssome friends and annoy neigh-bors but it can hardly bedescribed as high end soundand is certainly not acceptable tothe educated listener.

Smaller SpeakersMany people prefer compactspeakers because they usuallydo not suffer from these prob-lems, but only because theirsmall enclosure and drivers can-not generate enough energy toprovide deep bass and conse-quently excite the room. Thesmaller speaker often has supe-

rior midrange and high frequen-cy response simply because

the smaller enclosure providesideal working conditions.

Smaller speakers alsooften offer a superior

soundstage, allowingthe speaker to disap-pear as the sound-

stage extends well beyond thephysical positions of the speak-ers.The generally smaller drivers arefaster and reproduce transients

and details without the delay and“overhang” often found in largerdrivers.Again, there are no free lunchesand the trade-offs with the smallspeaker are reduced bass andlower maximum output than larg-er speakers.

Critical listeners with vast experi-ence in listening to differentspeakers often comment thatthey wish that they could com-bine the soundstage, disappear-ing act and speed of the smallspeaker with the bass responseof the larger speaker.

The Gryphon Cantata At Gryphon we have over theyears made similar observationsand faced the challenge of smallrooms at shows and elsewhere.We are often asked what speak-ers we use and which speakerswe recommend. Our answer hasalways been that we recom-mend the speaker that soundsbest in the room in which it willbe used. When we use the term“best” we mean correct and real-istic in musical terms, essentiallyneutral, but with all the dynamicsand excitement of listening tolive music. We find headroom,ambience and tonal coherencyto be key elements in the livemusic experience.

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HIGH PURITY COPPER FOIL ANDPAPER WOUND, WAX IMPREGNATEDAIR-CORE INDUCTOR DESIGNED BYSTEEN DUELUND

Since 1986, Gryphon has manu-factured some of the finestamplifiers in the world.Reviewers often describeGryphon products as neutral,transparent and inherently musi-cal; the choice for the musiclover rather than the tech freak.We take pride in this profile.Almost all manufacturers dreamof creating a complete soundsystem from the AC cord to theloudspeaker. This is the onlysense in which we must admit tobeing like other manufacturers. However, a great amplifier man-ufacturer does not automaticallymake a great loudspeaker man-ufacturer. For an outsider, it iseasy to underestimate the com-plexity of loudspeaker design.There are so few parts and it isbasically a box with a couple ofdrivers and a handful ofcrossover components, so howhard can it be?Indeed, it is easy to make a loud-speaker, that is why there are somany of them and why most areso cheap, but it is very difficultand challenging to create a greatspeaker worthy of the high endtag. The paradox is that it is thefew parts that make it so difficult.There are very few parametersto adjust and the real problem isthat almost no drivers are ideal,because they essentially aremade for the much larger andless demanding market for

cheap “boom” boxes. The tinymarket for high end drivers is notcommercially attractive to thedriver manufacturers.

The DesignAt Gryphon we have a designtradition of seeking out only thefinest components. If we cannotfind them, we make tem, ratherthan settle for second best. Now,we have applied this experienceand uncompromising approachto loudspeaker design.We assembled a team of experi-enced speaker designers withoriginal design ideas never real-ized before. We gave them freereins to design special drivers asrequired to meet our ideal speci-fications. A highly respected Danish drivermanufacturer agreed to collabo-rate with us, both as a learningexperience and because of theprestige involved. We knew thatthe audiophile community’sexpectations for a Gryphonspeaker would be high and nextto impossible to meet.

A Long ProcessFew people know that this proj-ect started in 1995 and has gonethrough different stages, butalways based on the samedesign philosophy and theories.The Cantata design team is theoriginal team from 1995.

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The Cantata is the fruit of all ourexperiments and accumulatedobservations, a floor-standingspeaker with a small footprintand daring contemporary designachieved at no compromise inperformance. We chose to builda small speaker, but developedexclusive drivers and patentedtechnologies to provide impres-sive bass performance, while atthe same time diminishing theadverse effect of the listeningroom by basically designing aspeaker that works with theroom rather than against it. The well-documented effect ofbass amplification due to roomgain was a force that could beexploited rather than contained.To put it simply, we wanted tomake the room take over whenthe speaker let go.

“Room gain” amplificationincreases as frequency goes

down. This is exactly theopposite of all speakers thatgenerate decreasing ener-

gy as frequency goesdown. If the roll-off of the

speaker’s energy is anexact mirror of therooms increased

energy, the result is near-linearamplification, in theory all theway down to DC. (This is onlytrue for a sealed enclosure.)The starting point (frequency) forroom gain depends on the indi-vidual room. Every room has an

acoustic profile defined by differ-ent parameters; in this case, thecrucial parameter is the acousticQ of the room. The acoustic Q isthe result of the low frequencydamping of the room Expressedin the reverbrattion time.A loudspeaker also has anacoustic Q, defined as the matchbetween the acoustic Q of thespeaker and the acoustic Q ofthe room that is the basis for theideal interface between speakerand room. Sometimes this happens byluck; simply by accidentally find-ing a speaker that SEEMS TOmeet the criteria set by the room.

The Gryphon CantataQ ControllerThe Cantata provides a cleversolution as an integral part of theCantata speaker system. Thesophisticated Gryphon Q con-troller adjusts the Q of thespeaker system to match theroom. The Q controller is devel-oped by the award winningdesign team behind the Gryphonpreamplifiers and amplifiers andis totally transparent and pro-vides only the Q interface. The Qcontroller offers multiple optionsto match rooms from small tomid-sized and features both sin-gle-ended and balanced connec-tions. The frequency and phaseresponse of the Q Controller

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Virtually stacked foil capacitor, in totally reso-nance free construction for loudspeakercrossover filters, designed by Steen Duelund.

matches the high performanceof Gryphon amplification and thevery best from other manufactur-ers. The flexible unit can beinterfaced with the sound systemin many ways and can work per-fectly with integrated amplifierswithout preout/main-in connec-tions via the tape loop.

Best of Both WorldsThe result is amazing, ground-breaking performance from aspeaker this size. The Cantatacombines the best of bothworlds, all of the recognizedvirtues of the small speaker with-out the constricted low end out-put. The Cantata offers refer-ence class, real, articulateddeep bass response.The smooth, controlled frequen-cy roll-off of the speaker alsoprovides excellent phase char-acteristics, the fundamental ele-ment in obtaining realistic sound-stage reproduction and inaddressing perhaps one of themost acute human senses, ourinstinctive ability to locateobjects in three-dimensionalspace based on sound alone.

The CabinetIn many ways, the cabinetdesign of a speaker is a night-mare of compromises and theultimate challenge to both audiodesigner and furniture stylist.To perform at its best, a tweeter

should ideally be the size of apinhead and suspended in freeair, while a woofer requires alarge-volume enclosure, thelarger the better. To design acabinet to optimally accommo-date both drivers is simplyimpossible. To design a cabinetwith acceptable compromises isvery difficult and, finally, toachieve a result that is visuallypleasing is the greatest chal-lenge of all.We see many “interesting”speakers with obvious emphasison the sculptural aspect. Weeven see ingenious devices dis-guised as paintings, plants,rocks, organ pipes and othershapes. Camouflaging speakersto be unrecognizable usuallymeans that the sounds theymake are also unrecognizableas music.On the other hand, we find manyno-compromise speaker sys-tems where emphasis is placedsolely on performance in a “takeno prisoners” attitude. These areoften large, strange contraptionsthat require a dedicated listeningroom or a tolerant family with aprofound acceptance of offen-sive furniture.In the modern home, an expen-sive speaker system should pro-vide the highest quality of sound,and, at the same time, also beworthy of its prominent place asa visually attractive element in

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the living environment in termsof shape, colors and materials.

The bass drivers positionedabove and below the tweeter in asymmetrical vertical array in theCantata are angled towards animaginary centerline extendingfrom the direct-firing tweeter atthe center of the front baffle.Imagine that the three driversare narrowbeam lasers angled insuch a way that the three beamsintersect at exactly the samepoint. The three drivers are alsosituated on the same verticalaxis so that the distance from thecenter of each drive to the ear isidentical. The angling of the bassdrivers requires a smooth bafflewith no protruding edges thatwould cause diffraction – edgereflections that can createsmearing in the time domain. Toensure a clean transitionbetween the Cantata tweeterand the bass drivers, a 1 kg.block of aircraft- grade aluminumis machined to house the tweet-er and provide ideal time align-ment to the other drivers. Theuse of Nappa and Grand Pianofelt contributes to a constructionwith minimal diffraction.From the front of the speaker tothe sides, an aluminum extru-sion provides a smooth transi-tion. The unique shape of thecabinet and the use of many dif-ferent materials result in a soni-

cally “invisible” housing for thedrivers. Extensive internal brac-ing and bitumen damping arecombined with patented manu-facturing techniques to create acabinet with extreme rigidity andhigh inner damping. The bottom section of the speak-er system employs the sameassembly techniques andpainstaking attention to detailand is an ideal non-resonanthome for the elaborate passivecrossover. The integrated baseof the speaker system is a com-partment with non-toxic materi-als providing damping and massfor firm and safe contact to thefloor.The front spike provides idealacoustic coupling to the floor,while at the same time offeringprecise vertical adjustment ofspeaker alignment. A stainlesssteel coaster is provided to pro-tect the floor and any covering.Speaker connections are thefamous Gryphon binding poststhat accept bare wire, spades orbanana plugs. In keeping withthe clean design philosophy,connectors are located underthe speaker. The active connec-tion to crossover biasing is alsolocated here. A discrete redLEDindicates active bias connection.High-gloss black Methacrylateand black Nappa are standardfinishes. The side panels arealso available in High-Gloss

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wisdom.As a result, many speaker man-ufacturers use the same drivers,while exerting great effort to opti-mize their performance andgloss over their inevitable short-comings.In the Cantata, we chose not tofollow this well-trodden path. inkeeping with our uncompromis-ing design philosophy, we placedsharp focus on driver perform-ance outside their main frequen-cy range. It soon became obvi-ous that we had to make our ownbass drivers. A leading Danishmanufacturer had some goodbasic elements and was pre-pared to collaborate with us inrefining them. Together, we cre-ated a 5-inch driver with a coat-ed Kevlar cone and a uniquelyshaped rubber surround for aperfect transition between coneand baffle, preventing the usualturbulence from surrounds thatare merely a circular rubber gas-ket around the driver. The con-ventional soft dust cap wasreplaced with a very rigid, light-weight alternative to preventdeformation or break-up understress. On general principles, weeven added an extra set of ter-minals to the cone for perfectweight and piston symmetry. The cast magnesium basket wasdesigned with maximum ventila-tion between cone and spider toprevent compression of trapped

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black, American Walnut Burl orBlack Anodized aluminum.Optional finishes include VavonaVeneer, Ebony Veneer,Perforated Steel, black rubberand other exciting finishes. Allveneers are, of course, legal anddocumented. For a truly cus-tomized finish, it is possible toorder panels with textiles, carpet,fur, leather or just about anythingyou can imagine. At Gryphon wewill be happy to assist you in cre-ating a unique personalizedCantata System.

The DriversAt Gryphon, our many years inthe amplifier business havetaught us that what you don’t docan be even more importantthan what you do. Elegant sim-plicity is generally the best solu-tion, but often the most compli-cated objective to achieve. Wealso found that in speakerdesign an alarming number ofcrossover components is oftenused for the sole purpose ofcompensating for poor driverdesign. We have to face the factthat high end audio is a verysmall and unattractive businessfor most large driver manufactur-ers and that some of the require-ments of high end manufacturersare often deemed unrealistic orperhaps even controversial, asthey may challenge conventional

air. The spider is extremely flexi-ble. The magnetic system canonly be described as generouswith 3-4 times the power normal-ly required. The back of the mag-netic assembly is vented for zeroback compression. The endresult is a highly efficient driverwith an extremely low Q, withevery performance parametermechanically and electricallyoptimized.

The oil-cooled tweeter employsa textile dome and is housed in aintegrated 1 kg. baffle CNC-machined from a solid billet ofaluminum to a specific shapeselected after numerous experi-ments with clay and plaster mod-els. A specially designed stain-less steel surround was devel-oped for a seamless connectionbetween dome and baffle. Asmall removable steel bar pro-vides mechanical protection ofthe semi-soft dome. Because thewell-documented and rightlyfeared dramatic break-up modescharacteristic of Titanium andother metal domes typicallyrequire extensive crossoverintervention, such drivers are notemployed in the GryphonCantata, maintaining the pristinesimplicity of its design.

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Cantata set-up &user guide

Unpacking

The following items areenclosed in 3 boxes.1 Card box and 2 ply-woodcrates.

Card boxThis user manual

1 Cantata Q-Controller1 Pair of Gloves1 Acrylic polish1 DC Bias cable1 AC Power cords1 Warranty card

Ply-wood crate

1 Cantata Reference Monitor1 Black Aluminium Foot3 Allen Screws1 Allen Key1 Steel Spike Tip

If anything is missing or dam-aged, please contact your deal-er immediately.

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Assembling the speaker

Remove the speaker gentlyfrom its wooden transportationenclosure and carefully placethe speaker upside down.

Then mount the foot (with the 3Allen Screws provided) and thesteel tip for the spike. Connectyour speaker cables at the ter-minals underneath the speaker.The Gryphon terminals acceptboth banana plug and spades.

Due to the room adaptingdesign of the Cantata bi-wiringor bi-amping is not possible.

The speaker cables should beconnected directly to the speak-er output terminals of youramplifier.

Connect the DC cable (providedin the Q-Controller transporta-tion box) and the speaker isready to be raised to an uprightstanding position.

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Connecting the QControllerThe Q-Controllercan be con-nected in three ways dependenton your system.

1. If CD as your only source Connect between the sourceand amplifier (pre- or integrat-ed).

2. If you have several sources Connect between your pre-amplifier and your power ampli-fier.

3. If you use an integratedamplifier Connect via the tape-loop

1. Connecting betweensource and amplifier

You can connect either bal-anced (XLR) or single-ended(RCA). Remember to adjust theswitch “XLR/RCA” on the backof Q-Controller dependent onyour choice of cabling. In bal-anced mode the signal can beinverted by pressing “Invert” onthe front panel.

For each channel Input of theQ-Controller is connected toOutput of the source. TheOutput of the Q-Controller is

connected to the Input of yourpre-amplifier or integratedamplifier.

2. Connecting betweenpre- and power amplifier

You can connect either bal-anced (XLR) or single-ended(RCA). Remember to adjust theswitch “XLR/RCA” on the backof Q-Controller dependent onyour choice of cabling. In bal-anced mode the signal can beinverted by pressing “Invert” onthe front panel.

For each channel Input of theQ-Controller is connected toOutput of the pre-amplifier. TheOutput of the Q-Controller isconnected to the Input of yourpower amplifier.

3. Connecting via the tapeloop

You can connect with a RCAcable (single-ended).Remember to adjust the switch“XLR/RCA” on the back of Q-Controller to “RCA”

For each channel Input of theQ-Controller is connected toOutput of the tape connection of

your integrated amplifier. TheOutput of the Q-Controller isconnected to the Input of yourtape connection. Remember to turn on the tapemonitor function of your inte-grated amplifier.

Connecting the Q-Controller to the CantataReference Monitor

Finally you must connect theDC cables for left and rightchannels to the proper “DCOutput” connections on theback of the Q-Controller.

A light in the lower part of thespeaker will indicate that the DCconnection is working properly.

The Q Controller is designed towork only with the Cantata sys-tem and can not be used withany other speaker system as itmay severely damage thespeakers.

The Cantata and your lis-tening room

DimensionsIn a listening room with dimen-sions less than ideal so-called“standing waves” is the problemof concern.

The Cantata has been designedto reduce the standing waves toa minimum with its closedenclosure design and theunique Q-Controller to make thespeaker perform better in a non-ideal sized room.

For the discriminate listener theoptimal placement of the speak-er in a rectangular room shouldbe according to Diagram A onpage 20

DampingAs described elsewhere in thismanual damping of your room isthe most critical quality of yourlistening room. With your newGryphon Cantata system thedamping becomes less of aproblem due to the ability toadjust the so-called Q of speak-er to the Q of your listeningroom.

As a rule of thumb you shouldavoid very lively rooms,because there are physical lim-its to how low a Q the speakercan have keeping its full per-formance.

With the Q adjusted to a verydamped room the drivers of thespeakers will work harder tocreate the correct level of bass.You should in this case avoidplaying at very high levels.

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Speaker Placement andToe-in

Placement of your Cantata iscritical to the quality of your lis-tening experience.

The Gryphon Cantata should beplaced free from walls with aslittle furniture as possible behindthe speakers. The side wallsshould be acoustically symmet-rical and the wall behind the lis-tener should be well absorbing(with for instance tapestry).

The ideal placement in a sym-metrical, rectangular room (seediagram on page 20):

The distance from the center ofthe woofers face to the sidewalls is:Room Width times .276 (RW x.276)

The distance from the center ofthe woofers face to the wallbehind the speaker is:Room Width times .447(RW x .447)

Your Cantata is designed todeliver the correct tonal balanceand sound image being directedtowards the listening position. Ifyou are not the only listener andwant a broader listening areayou can toe-out the speaker alittle bit.

The Cantata also allows you toexperiment with tilting of thespeaker. In instances where youhave a high listening positionyou can tilt the Cantata back-ward by adjusting the spikeunderneath the speaker. Adjust to level by rotating thespike until the tweeter is pointeddirectly towards your eyes.

Adapting the Cantata toyour Listening Room

Your Gryphon Cantata isdesigned to adapt to your listen-ing room The damping of the room is themost significant factor influenc-ing on the behaviour of aspeaker. By adjusting yourCantata to the actual dampingof your room you can extendthe bass reproduction in yourlistening position far below whatis normal for a speaker the sizeof the Cantata. An added bene-fit is the absence of “boombass” so common when speak-ers and room are not aligned. See “Case Story” section formore information.

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Speaker set-up formulas are courtesy ofGeorge Cardas.

Selecting the Q factorOn the front panel your Cantatacomes with 3 standard settings,1 personal setting and a Bypassoption.

Q1 for lively roomsQ2 for normal damped roomsQ3 for well damped roomsQ4 your personal settingBypass for playing loud

To determine the right settingyou simply try the three stan-dard settings. These settingswill cover most situation.

For the discriminate listenerGryphon will provide a personalQ setting board to be insertedinto a vacant slot on the main-board of your Q-Controller. Foryour personal Q settingGryphon Audio Designs hasconfigured a number of boardswith different Q settings allallowing the Cantata speaker todeliver its full performance. Yourpersonal Q setting is activatedby pressing “Q4”.

Contact your dealer for furtherinformation.

The Low-Cut filter

While playing uneven LPs yourplayback system might createsubsonic noise. Since theCantata has a very high bassperformance the subsonic noisewill create strong driver move-ments potentially affecting theoverall performance of thespeaker.

To avoid any such deteriorationthe Cantata Q-Controller is pro-vided with a subsonic filter,which is activated by pressing“Low-Cut” on the front panel.The filter should also be activat-ed while playing at high levels.

Break-In

Your Cantata requires 200hours of break-in at moderatelistening levels to get optimalperformance.

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20

RW

RW x .447

RW x .276

Do not scale

Room placement

Manufacture andAssemblyAt our laboratories and manufac-turing facilities in Denmark, wemaintain full control over everyaspect of development and pro-duction, and the members of ourconscientious staff diligently fol-low each Gryphon model frominitial concept to early prototype,through to final quality control.

Printed circuit boards areassembled by a supplier of pre-cision military and medicalequipment with strict standardsof quality control and pre-inspec-tion of components. Chassisparts are manufactured by aspecialist chosen solely for theoutstanding quality of workman-ship. In every aspect of everyGryphon product, the samestringent standards of excel-lence apply.

Input ConnectionsBalanced modeAll Gryphon products use theAES standard for balanced con-nections.

1. Ground2. Positive3. Negative

Single endede modeThe Encore has selectable RCAand XLR inputs at the rear panel.We recomend that you switch offor mute the amplifier beforechanging the input settings.Factory setting is XLR, Balanced( recommended ).

Choice of CablesBecause your Encore is a high-resolution Gryphon audiodevice, it will immediately revealthe characteristics and possiblelimitations of the other compo-nents in your system, as well asthose of the interconnects andloudspeaker cables used to con-nect your system.Wiring should never be utilizedas "equalizers" to correct errorselsewhere in the system.Instead, any error should be cor-rected at the source, so thatinterconnects and loudspeakercables can be selected solely onthe basis of sonic neutrality. Forthis reason, we employ

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Gryphon's own range of inter-connects and cables in everystage of the design of everyGryphon product.

Care andMaintenanceGryphon products are handcraft-ed by individuals who take greatpride in the high level of fit andfinish which we achieve. Tomaintain your Gryphon compo-nents in pristine condition,please follow these simpleinstructions.

Metal surfaces may be cleanedwith a damp cloth. Some productmade for treatment of vinyl inte-riors in cars may be useful. Testthe product on a non-visible sur-face, before using any fluids.

Acrylic surfaces should only bewiped with a very soft, dry cloth.Small scratches may beremoved with fiberglass polish.Fingerprints may be removedwith a damp cloth. Do NOT usespirits or paper tissue.

Tweak AlertIn the best Gryphon tradition wehave spent a huge amount oftime with our prototypes beforewe release a new product. Weare obsessed with what we doand consider ourselves to beopen-minded and are fascinatedby the "Grey area" between logi-cal, technical facts and things wejust hear that make no obvioustechnical sense.We will imple-ment them as long as it does notsacrifice safety or reliability. Inthe Antileon design a number oftweaks can be found and theresult is a fine balance that caneasily be disturbed.We strongly advise against anyalteration of the original design,it will void the warranty and mostcertainly only provide a diffence,not a real improvement of musi-cal realism.We are fully aware of the fun ofplaying with AC conditioners,bricks, platforms, cables and soon. We appreciate much of it,but please listen to our intentionsbefore you go ahead and if youdo, do yourself (and us) the favorof now and then going back andlistening to the "naked" designas it was intended.

Enjoy…

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WarrantyThe Gryphon Cantata is warrant-ed against failures arisingthrough faulty workmanship andmaterials for a period of 2 yearsfrom date of purchase. The war-ranty is not transferable. Thiswarranty is only valid in thecountry where the product waspurchased. All claims under thiswarranty must be made to thedistributor in the buyer`s countryby returning the unit securelypacked in the original box with allaccessories, postage/freight pre-paid and insured. The unit will berepaired or replaced at nocharge for parts and labor.This warranty remains valid onlyif the serial number of the unithas not been defaced orremoved and if repairs are per-formed only by authorizedGryphon dealers or distributors.It does not cover damage due tomisuse, accident or neglect. Thiswarranty is not valid if the oper-ation voltage of the product hasbeen changed. The distributor ormanufacturer, Gryphon AudioDesigns, Denmark, retains theexclusive right to make suchjudgement on the basis ofinspection.The retailer, distributor or manu-facturer of the Gryphon shall notbe liable for consequential dam-age arising from the use, misuseor failure of this product, includ-

ing injuries to persons or proper-ty.To qualify, the enclosed warrantyregistration card must be filledout and returned to the manufac-turer within 10 days of purchase.

Alternatively, you may choose toregister your Gryphon on ourwebsite:

www.gryphon-audio.dk

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Technical specifications:

Frequency Response inRoom24 – 22 kHz ± 3 dB with Q-Controller35 – 22 kHz ± 3 dB with Q-Controller bypassed

ImpedanceMin. 3.4 ohmsMax. 7.8 ohms

Crossover Frequency 2 kHz

Power Handling 200 W per channel

Sensitivity 90dB

Dimensions: Cantataeach SpeakerH.W.D.120 x 40 x 45 cm.

Weight: 80 kgs

Shipping weight: 125 kgs each

Shipping dimension74 x 39 x 136 cm

Dimensions: Q ControlH.W.D.13 x 48 x 38

Weight: 9 kgs.

Shipping weight13 kgs

Shipping dimension26 x 56 x 50 cm

Products, features, and specifica-tions are the most recently availableat the time of publication and aresubject to change without notice.Gryphon Audio Designs reservesthe right to make changes andimprovements in our products peri-odically without incurring the obliga-tion to install such improvementsand changes on equipment or items

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Thank you

The Gryphon Team wishes to expess ourgratitude and respect to Mr. Steen Duelundthat has served as an endless source ofinspiration. All Mr. Duelunds ideas may not beof this world but his visionary mind and callingto explore unchartered territory serve as aninspiration to us all.

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