Does anyone actually know how tariffs have affected the price of Gryphon products?
Replacing my mid-tier Take Five Audio phono cable with the Furutech AG-16 phono cable. I’ve liked the Furutech cable sound so far with my DSS 4.1 speaker cables and DPS 4.1 power cable. Plus, I’ve had a number of DIY cables with their connectors. I am eager to see what kind of improvement the phono cable upgrade will make. Likely receiving end of next week.
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Welcome to the cable rabbit hole! 
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Replacing my Pink Faun usb cable with Inakustik silver 2405 usb. Found a mint condition used one at a great price. Will be delivered this week.
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Update: I just found oot that the right channel pin socket on my tone arm cable was defective and was a loose connection and keep losing contact, so I just soldered it to the cartridge pin and Wow, big improvement in sound! Now LP just blows me away like never before. Now the Playback Designs have to take a back seat as far as SQ is concern. My friend with the PMG Preamp and who is super critical on SQ says my LP system is the best he ever heard in my place. I will be going to his place this Sunday to listen to his PMG for the first time. I am very curious. He claims the PMG also just blows him away over his former CJ Gat he had before, and is looking forward to the release of the new PS Audio phono stage.
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Passlabs X260.8 monoblocks have arrived. Now to give them some time to burn-in before making any judgements.
It was a pleasure working with Jon at Refined Audio in Forest Park, IL. Thanks to @RonP for recommending him. Found out that Jon has been acquainted with Nelson Pass for over 3 decades!
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There’s something thrilling about fixing a problem in your system and getting a huge improvement in SQ. That is one of the addicting things about this hobby. Even the little tweaks like repositioning the speakers that ends up generating a WOW! Glad you were able to get that loose pin socket solved!
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Looking forward to hearing your impressions as these are at the top of my bucket list. Congrats!
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Quite a few of the forum members own Passlabs gear and some have the X260.8’s. I value their opinions!
I can’t believe this either. Orchard Audio Starkrimson 25 Monoblocks (200W@4ohms/2 ohms with ease but less wattage) driving my Final Audio M12 with absolute ease. Sonically more “tubelike” and I swear I’m getting more soundstage width and depth. A bit ‘thicker” sounding than my Ultra’s. This Amp, just like my Ultra’s is wired with ArgentPur solid silver wiring (my doing - not Orchard’s).
I think the secret here is the Impedance flattening circuit inside the Transformer boxes of the M12’s. No compression or distortion either when you “crank it”.
Mighty Mouse Amplifiers indeed !
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Joe
I’ve had a pair since the first of June. With the return policy I went ahead and bought them at the intro price instead of getting involved in the tour. I was actually shocked at how good they are so they are still here. Right now they are driving my Qualio IQ Ultra’s fronted by a Backert Labs Rhumba Extreme 1.4. A friend of mine was here last weekend from Florida and after hearing mine he went home and ordered a pair at the new sale price.
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I know, Eh ! 
. I’ve been using his Ultra’s for 4 years now and can’t believe how much better the 25’s are over the old little Starkrimson Amps are.
I saw Steve’s review of the Qualio’s. An excellent pairing indeed.
Cheers,
joe goswami
My only complaint with the amps is that he didn’t put a 50 cent grounding lug on the amps in the area of the negative speaker terminal for people that want to run their subs speaker level. I’ve brought it up to him twice with no luck and even told him that PSA went back later and added it for the same reason. When I asked him about doing it myself and where would be the best location he informed me he would void the warranty. Kind of childish I thought.
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Got the Passlabs X260.8’s up and running, and I’ve had them powered on 24/7. First impressions? It’s noticeably more punchy and dynamic than the XA60.8. The whole presentation feels a bit more forward too — in a good way. Really fun listen so far
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That’s been part of my hesitation in not moving to the XA160.8 monos. I have a friend who has the XA60.8. We go to each others houses quite often, and near as we can make out (admittedly comparing in different systems) the XA is maybe a bit smoother, maybe a bit more liquid, but maybe a bit less incisive and with a bit less in dynamic performance. Fitted to the right systems, either one sounds great. 
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Synergy is the word of the day; different neither is necessarily better.
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I had XA60.8s for a couple years and I have had the X260.8s for several months.
While I don’t trust my aural memory beyond 30 seconds, I am quite sure that the X260.8 gives up very little if anything in smoothness, midrange liquidity to the XA.
I am absolutely certain and greatly appreciate the superior dynamics of the X260.8 that is produced by the much more robust power supply. That power supply is scaled up to deliver the increased continuous and instantaneous current that 260 watts asks for.
I also have yet to hear imaging definition and depth like I’m getting from the 260, even at very low volume.
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Agreed. Neither is necessarily better than the other. It’s just a question of what one is willing to compromise. So far (and it is still too early), the X260.8’s do not disappoint.
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But if in a name, different is better, lol.
Until the novelty wears off. 
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