honeywind

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.67 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I bought tabu AT 2 months ago and am enjoying the sound. I'm suprised at it's dynamics and textures considering the price of the amp. I can hear a music now! I've never imagined a sound as good as ever made by integrated amps. Most of all the most surprsing merit of this is that an amzing dynamics and a moothness can go together. The only comparable integrated amp with Tabu is Callisto 2200 of it's own manufature, Gryphon. The Tabu absolutely matches my speaker,AE 1 Sinature very very well. Anyway that's greart! Equipment Speaker : AE 1 Signature Source : FMJ23, Marantz DV12S1 cable : Kimber 1020(source), Van den hul Revolution(Speakers)

Strengths:
Dynamics, smoothness, naturalness & good-looking, etc.

Weaknesses:
the acryl plate(scratch!), heavy

Similar Products Used:
Grphon Callisto 2200

Price Paid:  $3500.00

Summary:
This short review is not about Gryphon Tabu Int. Century this is about power amp Gryphon Tabu TwoOnehunderd taken from Century. I must say that, I think I love it. It is absolutly amazing amp. There is enough power (2x100W 8ohm rms, 2x200W 4ohm rms, 2x300w rms 2ohm)to drive moust of loudspeakers with despot controll.Veight is 25kg with two huge traffoes. Sound is big,soft,dynamic,warm,three-dymensional and organics. The vibrasions of violins,violas and vocals are the first class. I know there is som biger amp, but I do not know eny better then Tabu. Im really happy with it.

Strengths:
Space,vibrations,dynamic,vocals,organic,bass,speed,extension... Balanced

Weaknesses:
heavy,big,expensive

Similar Products Used:
Classe,Electrocompaniet,NAD,Rotel,Marantz

Price Paid:  $4000.00 from offenes ohr berlin

Summary:
The Tabu Century with phono costed new about $6500 in Germany. Six years' later, I wouldn't consider selling my unit for under $7000. I recently auditioned (looking around for my final CD player) a German $7500 amp that the audiopress here toot as 'better' than the Tabu. "Bull!" I had the pleasure of 'finding' my speakers more than ten years ago: the Celestion SL600si. Back then I wanted a 'decent' amp to drive them and purchased (an ex-patriot like me) Larry Whitfields' Escape pre and main. I auditioned them against the ML1+ ML2 driving ML's HQD lsp. Their owner agreed that Escape's sonic thumbprint (ie, not)was pretty good indeed. The Escape Pre is a hard-to-beat line/high level amp (the same goes for its tape)but certainly its weakness is its phono so I had WBE's $1200 unit on for a year. Every time I heard Gryphon's phono I melted; same goes for The Blue Amp, but, hey I don't have $6000 for a phono pre or $10,000 for a pre...
Then my friend Moritz of Offenes Ohr suggested I buy the last Tabu Century with phono that he could get. I've never regretted it; that was over a year ago. At the same time I bought a pair of RS 2.5 (I wouldn't trade them for any other 'RS' unless I won the lottery and could throw money at my HiFi) with 'improved' crossover components (orig wiring!) and 20mm steel 'stands.' O.K., the story goes that the Escape 50 W Class A is one of the best mates for Infinty's RS (doesn't matter which one...) regardless of price. Designed to drive Paul Klipsch's Eckhorn, it happens that the Escape packs the RS as were it the same. O.K., end-of-story: I've never hooked up the Escape to my RS 2.5, nor have I hung the SL600si on my Tabu... Someday, maybe, if I get bored (not!). I 'hate' HiFi, but love music. I've had such great items over the years': eg, Jensen 12" & Wharfdale & Altec 15" triaxials, AR3a. I'm sure my Tabu would pair well with them all. A last mention of the RS 2.5 & Tabu: the Tabu is unable to control the RS 2.5 at all volume settings, ie, there are 'spots' on the volume where the harmony is perfect. "The Tabu is as 'perfect' as I can get for under $10,000. Why would I want to invest more, I'm satisfied as it is." What a relief!
By the way: Gryphon has two new amps, Callistro or whatever and they cost more. They also 'do' things well but, in my opinion, they do not do the 'things' well that I like with the Tabu -- the music sounds like you are listening to a master; the newer version... na ja, not my taste.

Strengths:
magically (?) takes input signal and makes it sound like it is the master and not its copy. It does not sound like electronics, as much as 'other' electronics do. I have the Century version -- it'll power my hard-to-drive Infinty RS 2.5s. I bought the unit because of its phono-board and never regretted it. Self-diagnostic. Balanced input.

Weaknesses:
RC doesn't permit as precise volume control as via per hand on the huge (great idea) control knob -- but I can live with this... Yes, would be nice to have double lsp. outputs but, hey, those provided are about as good as you can get. We can always dream: a second balanced input...

Similar Products Used:
Escape Electronics 50W Class A stereo and mono amps w/Escape preamp. Sonata & Antileon auditioned at time of purchase. Celestion SL 600si/Infinty RS 2.5, Audiomeca Romance with CS Electronics PSN w/Sumiko Blue Point Special van den Hul, 'Lived a year with WBE Diamond 36 HE + Power Supply. Auditioned The Blue Amp phono pre in a Brinkmann/Pass/Alcapella setup.

Summary:
This amplifier(tabu centery) is outstanding in every level. It has everything that a thrue musiclover wants I mean that the music via this goes straight to the heart and soul.
I have listen to a wide area of amplifers that cost a lot more, all with inferior performence.
I would rather rate this one 10 star.

Bottom line: This amplifier has it all.

Strengths:
Everything

Weaknesses:
Absolutely nothing

Similar Products Used:
none

Summary:
I tried the Gyphon Tabu intergrate for the long time.It is very nice intergrate amplifier.If you just want to listen the Hi Fidelity qulaity performance.I highly recommand this for you!Gyphon amplifier have the special sound,warm and have the good extention.Tube have enough power to drive many speakers.When I try the Tabu.I used it to drive the KEF 3/5a,Geniess 300.....Have the very good result! If you want the Gyphon sound and dont want to use Preamp and power amp.I can tell you that is your choice!