Overview

The iFi Audio xDSD Gryphon is a premium portable DAC/headphone amplifier using a Burr-Brown DAC, supporting PCM up to 32-bit/768 kHz, DSD512, and full MQA decoding. It includes Bluetooth 5.1 with aptX Adaptive/HD/LL, LDAC, and LHDC/HWA; USB-C and S/PDIF inputs; 4.4 mm balanced and 3.5 mm S-Balanced outputs; plus analog features like XBass II, XSpace, and iEMatch. Rated balanced power is >1000 mW at 32 Ω with <1 Ω output impedance. [1]

Scientific Validity

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Manufacturer specs indicate transparent-level performance: SNR up to 116 dB(A) (balanced), THD+N <0.005% (1 V @16 Ω), and output >1000 mW @32 Ω (balanced), all surpassing audibility thresholds for electronics. [1] Independent lab measurements (L7Audiolab) show THD behavior consistent with the published spec—e.g., around 0.007% (balanced) and 0.015% (single-ended) at 0 dBFS—and document the operation of XBass II/XSpace and IEM-optimized modes. [2] Collectively, the Gryphon achieves transparent reproduction with ample headroom.

Technology Level

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The Gryphon integrates high-rate USB audio, a wide-codec Bluetooth receiver (aptX Adaptive/HD/LL, LDAC, LHDC/HWA), balanced 4.4 mm I/O, and analog enhancement options (XBass II, XSpace) in a compact, battery-powered device. Its feature depth and flexible I/O are strong for a portable unit, though not category-redefining. [1][7]

Cost-Performance

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Comparator (equal-or-better from a user perspective): TOPPING G5. It offers Bluetooth with LDAC, balanced 4.4 mm output, very low measured distortion/noise, and higher rated power (≈1.2 W @32 Ω)—meeting or exceeding Gryphon’s core functions and measured performance relevant to listeners. [3][4]

CP is computed against the cheapest current market price for an equivalent-or-better product: we confirm a representative market (non-coupon) list of 299 USD for G5 (regular price). [4]
CP = 299 USD ÷ 599 USD = 0.499 → 0.5.

Reliability & Support

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iFi provides a 1-year manufacturer warranty and a central Download Hub for drivers/firmware, which has included updates for the Gryphon line. This is industry-standard coverage with ongoing software support; long-term failure statistics remain limited. [5][6]

Rationality of Design Philosophy

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The design focuses on transparent electrical performance with user-switchable, pure-analog enhancements (XBass II/XSpace) and iEMatch to mitigate hiss with sensitive IEMs—measurably addressing real usage problems without relying on unverifiable claims. [2][7]

Advice

Buy the xDSD Gryphon if you specifically want its UI/ergonomics and analog options (XBass II/XSpace/iEMatch) in one unit and value its industrial design. From a purely performance/feature standpoint, the TOPPING G5 delivers equal-or-better measurable results, similar connectivity (including LDAC Bluetooth), and more output power at roughly half the price, so it is the rational default for most users. [3][4]

References

[1] iFi audio — “xDSD Gryphon: Specifications & Features,” https://ifi-audio.com/products/xdsd-gryphon, accessed Aug 2025.
[2] L7Audiolab — “Measurements & Review of iFi xDSD Gryphon DAC/HPAMP” (ZH), key excerpts on THD behavior and feature measurements, https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/ifi-gryphon/, May 29, 2022.
[3] L7Audiolab — “Measurements of TOPPING G5 USB/BT DAC/HPAmp” (ZH), confirming low distortion/noise and high output, https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/topping-g5/, Aug 16–19, 2022.
[4] Apos Audio — “TOPPING G5 Portable DAC/Amp” (regular price shown as 299 USD; sale prices excluded for CP), https://apos.audio/products/topping-g5-portable-dac-amp, accessed Aug 2025.
[5] iFi audio — Warranty policy (1-year manufacturer warranty), https://ifi-audio.com/pages/warranty, accessed Aug 2025.
[6] iFi audio — Download Hub (drivers/firmware), https://ifi-audio.com/support/download-hub/, accessed Aug 2025.
[7] iFi audio — “xDSD Gryphon User Manual Ver1.35” (XBass II/XSpace noted as analog, no DSP), https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0879/9741/5761/files/xDSD-Gryphon-User-Manual-Ver1.35_ok.pdf, accessed Aug 2025.

(2025.8.24)