Founded in 1985 by Flemming E. Rasmussen as an offshoot of his Danish high-end audio import company 2R Marketing, Gryphon Audio Designs emerged from a spare-time project when Rasmussen's custom preamp shown at 1986 CES generated sufficient interest to justify forming a dedicated company. Rasmussen, who holds a degree in painting and graphic arts from Aarhus Art Academy and previously taught photography/painting before becoming president of Scandinavia's largest sportswear manufacturer's printing plant, named the company after the mythological creature symbolizing unlimited power and graceful ease. Based in Ry, Denmark, Gryphon pioneered external overkill power supplies with extensive mains filtering, true dual mono configuration, and Class A biasing with zero negative feedback designs. The company gained acclaim for combining Rasmussen's fine arts background with industrial design, creating products with distinctive luxuriant finishes that organically integrate form and function. After 33 successful years, Rasmussen retired at an all-time high for the company, handing daily operations to Jakob Odgaard. Gryphon continues manufacturing at their Danish factory, maintaining their reputation for performance, ergonomics, and luxurious design that established them as an iconic Danish high-end audio brand.