Right from their very earliest days, one thing has been consistent about Cyrus products; the half-width form factor. It's as iconic to their look as the prancing horse is to Ferrari. For the first time ever, Cyrus has produced a line of products that are full-width - the 80 series. At the moment, the line includes the 80 Amp, 80 Pre, and 80 Power. The line was first announced at the Munich show last year, and at Doug Brady we had the immense privilege of exhibiting all of these products at the North West Audio Show this year. The pre-power were paired with the Cyrus TTP turntable, 40 series phono, and the Dali Epikore 3 standmounts. With the 80 Amp, we were using the incredible Marten Oscar Trio floorstanders.
The 80 Amp is the first product to get into full production, and we're very excited to have one of the first production models in store already as our demonstrator. It's a really sleek, well engineered unit, as one would naturally expect from Cyrus. The aesthetic and user interface mirrors that of the 40 series, but the larger casework allows for bigger screen options on the front, and, of course, gives the Cyrus engineering more space in which to work their magic.
Per se, the Cyrus 80 is an integrated amplifier, producing 150W of Class A/B power into 8 Ohms, but it also contains a DAC, so you get a full compliment of digital inputs. Alongside the various physical digital connectors, there's BluOS and Roon integration, both of which give full support for all major streaming platforms. On the analogue front, there's a full MM/MC phono stage, as well as four RCA and a set of XLR inputs. You also get both RCA and XLR pre-outs for those running sub-woofers.
Most of the front panel is a touch sensitive display, including the Cyrus logo which does double duty as the main on/off switch. The main display is over 5" in size, and well lit, so it's clearly visible even across a typical lounge-sized room. The chassis itself is a seriously hefty piece of metalwork, and the overall fit an finish is really very impressive.
With that amount of power on tap, the 80 Amp does an excellent job of driving all manner of speakers, including those with quite low sensitivity. Even with tracks featuring really difficult, low bass notes, the 80 Amp keeps everything tight and under control. Tonally, it's really quite neutral.
If you want something that's clean and smooth, that you can listen to for an extended music session without any hint of fatigue, the Cyrus presents an extremely compelling option.
The 80 Amp retails for £5,399, and can be demoed in our Kingsway store from today. The pre/power pairing is due in October, priced at £4,499 for the pre, and £3,999 for the power.