Floorstanding loudspeakers — Gryphon Audio TRIDENT II

The Trident II is a three-way floorstanding loudspeaker with a built-in bass amplifier from Gryphon Audio of Denmark, announced in June 2013 at EUR 97,000 per pair before taxes. It replaced the original Trident with a slimmer and taller cabinet and a new AMT tweeter, and current retail prices are GBP 135,000 or about EUR 142,500 per pair. Gryphon places it with the Kodo in its statement loudspeaker group.

Key specs that matter

Each speaker uses an AMT tweeter with a low-mass pleated metal diaphragm, two 5-inch midrange drivers and four custom 8-inch Danish bass drivers with triple-magnet motors and a special cone surround termination. A Class AB bass amplifier inside the cabinet delivers 500 W continuous into 8 ohms per channel. Gryphon rates the response at 16 Hz to 27 kHz at -3 dB, depending on the Q setting and the room. Sensitivity for the mid and high frequency section is 95 dB at 1 W and 1 m, and impedance is 4 ohms. Each speaker is 1,924 mm high, 290 mm wide and 806 mm deep and weighs about 195 kg.

Engineering and use context

Because the woofers have their own amplifier, the external power amplifier drives only the midrange and tweeter through a passive network, which is individually adjusted and uses wax-impregnated air-core inductors and epoxy-potted stacked foil capacitors. The crossover follows Gryphon's Constant Phase principle, keeping all drivers in phase at all frequencies. An integrated Linkwitz-Greiner Q control shapes the bass alignment, and the remote adjusts Q, bass level, low cut and mute. The drivers are placed in a symmetrical vertical array on a curved, time-aligned baffle, and the enclosures are sealed, braced and damped with wool and synthetic materials. A string grille covers the front. The standard finish is black acrylic, with optional side panels and a very wide choice of custom finishes, and the speakers are made in Denmark. The AMT tweeter moves air by squeezing the folds of its pleated diaphragm together, so a large diaphragm area fits into a narrow baffle.

Pairing

The high sensitivity of the passive section means a stereo amplifier of moderate power is enough to drive the mids and highs, since the bass has its own amplifier. Gryphon's own power amplifiers are natural partners. Given its weight and height, the Trident II needs a large room well above 20 m2, and its bass extension makes a subwoofer unnecessary.

Alternatives

The Gryphon Pantheon is a three-way tower without built-in amplification, using an AMT tweeter, two 5-inch midrange drivers, two 8-inch bass drivers and a battery-biased crossover.