Gryphon Colosseum- How good?

Disclosure - I'm a former Gryphon dealer and current Gryphon Mirage preamp owner. Among other Gryphon products, I've owned the Antileon Signature stereo and mono amps. I've not owned a Colosseum stereo or monos, but have heard the Collosseum stereo owned by Rockport Technologies on two occasions. The first was four consecutive days with the small Rockport Alyas while sharing a suite with Rockport at CES 2010. The second was more recently at Rockport's facility, through the bi-amped Arrakis system that Robert Harley wrote so favorably about. In both applications, I thought the Colosseum was outstanding. A little less "warm" than the Antileon Signature monos and with tremendous resolution and coherency. Terribly difficult to fault. Although I haven't lived with a Collosseum in my system, I'd say it belongs on anyone's short list of statement amps.

If the cost difference doesn't deter you, you may want to consider the Mirage over the Sonata pre. Both are excellent, but the Mirage is to the Colosseum, as the Sonata is to the Antileon Signature...just another level up the chain.
Ron Lapporte
Blue Smoke Entertainment Systems

Ron,

thanks for your post...few people are as experienced as you in Gryphon amps from the looks of the many different models you've owned/used. How would you highlight the differences between Antileon stereo and mono? I own the original Antileon (non-Sig) and run a pair of Sonus Faber Strads with them. Your thoughts on mono with them are appreciated!! (Was using CJ Act 2 and am expecting to move to balanced with new ARC Ref 5...thoughts welcome here as well!)

jzach--

2 years ago i got the colleseum monos, paired with the mirage preamp. as both ron and larry alluded so elloquently,the mirage preamp is in a diferent level of performance and should be mated with the colleseum amps, either the stereo or the monos.
at the time this combination was driving the venerable rockport hyperions, with exccelent results.
the colleseums' sound is sweetand smooth with refined power and coherency across the frequency, and with seductive mids to boot....
last year i replaced the hyperions with the tidal sunrays and added a colleseum stereo amp to run them in a bi- amp mode with an actie x/over. the stereo version retains all this maginificant sound of the monos albeit with a bit less of resolution and power (and i do mean a tid bit less!),as to be expected.
every so often we all come across a product that is just right, in every aspect- sonically and visually- imho, and expereince, these latest offerings from gryphon, are such products!

Rlapporte and Ozy, thanks for your input, could you tell me the speed of Colosseum? I love lighting fast power amp!

http://www.avguide.com/blog/the-best-stereo-system-ive-ever-heard