Gryphon Mephisto Solo - Manual (Page 12)

amplifier to be able to increase
bias and stabilize thermally to
instantaneously track the
dynamics of the input, it would
have to be able to predict what is
going to happen next on the
recording. Auto-biasing can by
nature only respond to some-
thing that has already happened
and the bias will rush up and
down in a desperate attempt to
follow the last note.
Put bluntly, there is no such thing
as a free lunch when it comes to
pure Class A, so we repeat with
no apologies: TRUE PURE
CLASS A means heavy trans-
formers, very large heatsinks,
lots of heat, lots of electricity,
expensive parts and costly
assembly.
While we appreciate and
endorse every effort to conserve
energy and preserve our global
resources, our research into
efforts to obtain Class A perform-
ance from class A/B topologies
makes it clear that there simply
is no substitute for the sheer
magic of pure class A.
However, based on thorough
analysis of typical listening situa-
tions, we have devised Green
bias (green for reduced environ-
mental impact). Green bias
offers TRUE, PURE CLASS A
with considerably lower power
consumption than the traditional
solution.
With the DM100, Gryphon was the first amplifier manufacturer
ever to offer programmable
Class A bias as a means of
reducing power consumption
without compromising Class A
performance.
Green bias in the Gryphon
Mephisto allows the user to
select the amount of Class A at
any given time, taking into
account such factors as speaker
sensitivity, room size , musical
dynamics and overall volume
level.
Green bias improves on our pro-
grammable bias by giving the
fortunate owners of a Gryphon
preamplifier the option of letting
the preamplifier automatically
control the bias.
Instead of a conventional poten-
tiometer, the Gryphon Pandora
Preamplifier employs a 85 positi-
ion volume attenuator which can
be used to select the bias to
match the overall playback level,
thus ensuring pure Class A at all
times.
Unlike signal-sensing "auto-bias-
ing systems" Green bias does
not attempt to follow the signal at
all, the current position of the
volume control determines the
bias setting whether music is
playing or not. In effect, this
means that if the user selects,
for instance, position 46 (
Pandora ) on the volume con-
trol, then the bias will increase to
100% (High Bias) producing 200
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