[stuman]

did anybody get a chance to listen to this at the bristol show? very very interested in this product. just wandered what people thought of it??

stu

[phil t]

The Cyrus what?

[stuman]

the new cyrus 8xpd??

[phil t]

Originally Posted by stuman

the new cyrus 8xpd??

If it has the Cyrus family sound then I’ll probably hate it, but I’ve no doubt it’ll get rave reviews and bought by loads of people who have never heard it, some of whom will dislike the sound as much as I do.

[spike99]

Originally Posted by phil t

If it has the Cyrus family sound then I’ll probably hate it, but I’ve no doubt it’ll get rave reviews and bought by loads of people who have never heard it, some of whom will dislike the sound as much as I do.

I am considering a Cyrus 8vs2 myself, what exactly you find so bad?

[stuman]

the last time i listened to cyrus the sound was very "dry" matched up with B&W for instance they may sound very good. but on monitor audio it was a far too harsh sound.

but now that im looking a new speakers and amp then i was thinking of having a listen to B&W with the new 8xpd.

[spike99]

Originally Posted by stuman

the last time i listened to cyrus the sound was very "dry" matched up with B&W for instance they may sound very good. but on monitor audio it was a far too harsh sound.

but now that im looking a new speakers and amp then i was thinking of having a listen to B&W with the new 8xpd.

I am not sure what dry is, I like an analytical sound, I have orderd the Cyrus now anyhow, so will report back. Cables can also make a big difference.

[ssuellid]

Cyrus can be very bright with the wrong speakers, the treble can be uncomfortable to listen to - I found MA were a brand to avoid with Cyrus.

I ended up with Dynaudio speakers as they seem to go very well with Cyrus. Others recommend Spendor, Totem, Audiovector, PMC.

[phil t]

Originally Posted by spike99

I am considering a Cyrus 8vs2 myself, what exactly you find so bad?

The first ting to say is that this is only my opinion.

I auditioned a CD8 connected to a Cyrus integrated (not sure what model) connected to a pair of Castle Sevens. The Castle Sevens were of a similar, but slightly less open, sound to the Castle Avons I had at the time.

I was initially very impressed with the very detailed sound of the Cyrus, but this soon (in less than 1 track of the cd) became very, very fatiguing. A change of cd still left (not literally) my ears bleeding. It robbed the music of any feeling or passion, which for me, kind of missed the point of listening to music in the first place.

People have mentioned that this might have been a miss match with the speakers I was using, but then I wasn’t in the market for a new pair of speakers.

The point I was making in my previous post was that not everybody like the Cyrus sound and it’s a must to audition to find out if you do.

Happy listening.

[phil t]

Originally Posted by ssuellid

Cyrus can be very bright with the wrong speakers, the treble can be uncomfortable to listen to - I found MA were a brand to avoid with Cyrus.

That was exactly my experience, and if you buy on the basis of “Rave Reviews” and you find that to be the case, then you’ve potentially made a very costly mistake.

[ssuellid]

Originally Posted by phil t

The point I was making in my previous post was that not everybody like the Cyrus sound and it’s a must to audition to find out if you do.

I agree. You generally have brighter sounding brands such as Cyrus, or warmer sounding brands like MF or Arcam.

Before you purchase your first bit of hifi equipment you should really find out if you prefer 'bright' or 'warm'.

[Bails]

For what it's worth, I don't find Cyrus to be bright at all. I'd describe its house sound as pretty neutral, with a very clear top end. I certainly wouldn't match Cyrus with bright speakers - I think Monitor Audio would be a catastrophic pairing - but with neutral to slightly warm speakers it sounds very good. And Cyrus has the advantage of providing truly outstanding resolution. With the right speakers, you get incredible detail without fatigue.

[thfcwestlower]

I agree with the previous poster, Cyrus very neutral. I find with very clear neutral speakers their components provide awesome resolution, dynamics, and soundstaging. The likes of MF, Arcam are far more coloured.

I dont own any of the above brands, just my opinion from auditioning.

[russraff]

I agree with the previous poster, Cyrus very neutral.

I would hardly call Cyrus neutral! The Cyrus house sound is certainly dry and bright. There is a forward presentation that can overpower any richness that may be present in the midrange from the recording. However, certain speakers can allow Cyrus components to maintain their bright, detailed, character without becoming fatiguing. B&W CM1's I have heard through a CD6SE and 8vs2 with some success. PMC DB1i's and MA GS10's were awful making Cyrus sound almost grainy (strangely PMC speakers worked superbly with Naim kit that I eventually bought).

Russell

[Medrep1]

I was/am a big cyrus fan, and am eager to upgrade my CD8 to 8SE.

However, hated the cyrus demo. I thought it sounded awful. My new Rotel AV/amp processor even sounded better than it, to my ears anyhow.

I thought it sounded harsh and cold. Imaging was good, but thats it.

So much so im considering switching from cyrus to something else? I love the sound of my CD8, but sometimes it can be so harsh and tiring after a while.

Wasnt impressed with the arcam either. Damien Rice is one of my favourite albums, and that played through the arcam again didnt better what ive heard at home?

The best sounding was the Plinius by far. Beautiful!!!! Didnt get chance to hear many others properly

[phil t]

Originally Posted by stuman

the last time i listened to cyrus the sound was very "dry" matched up with B&W .

Originally Posted by ssuellid

Cyrus can be very bright with the wrong speakers, the treble can be uncomfortable to listen to - I found MA were a brand to avoid with Cyrus.
.

Originally Posted by Bails

For what it's worth, I don't find Cyrus to be bright at all. I'd describe its house sound as pretty neutral, with a very clear top end.

Originally Posted by thfcwestlower

I agree with the previous poster, Cyrus very neutral.

Originally Posted by russraff

I would hardly call Cyrus neutral! The Cyrus house sound is certainly dry and bright.

Originally Posted by Medrep1

I was/am a big cyrus fan, and am eager to upgrade my CD8 to 8SE.

However, hated the cyrus demo. I thought it sounded awful. My new Rotel AV/amp processor even sounded better than it, to my ears anyhow.

I thought it sounded harsh and cold. Imaging was good, but thats it.

So much so im considering switching from cyrus to something else? I love the sound of my CD8, but sometimes it can be so harsh and tiring after a while.

Just to show how varied peoples opinions of Cyrus are, which just shows the importance of an audition before buying.

[stuman]

Originally Posted by phil t

Just to show how varied peoples opinions of Cyrus are, which just shows the importance of an audition before buying.

well consensus is that they are a dry / bright amp. not that varied.

if sombody had said warm bass heavy slow. that would have been a shock.

just thinking that partnered with something like B&W they would be a very potent setup.

[russraff]

Originally Posted by stuman

well consensus is that they are a dry / bright amp. not that varied.

if somebody had said warm bass heavy slow. that would have been a shock.

just thinking that partnered with something like B&W they would be a very potent setup.

I agree. Spendor would be another option, depending on budget. I heard the CM1's with the Cyrus setup mentioned above and they were very good. Better than I thought they would be which was perhaps just a prettier 685.

With regard to the new Cyrus products, I do believe that Cyrus may have overstepped the line a bit with their new pricing. Their range is more expensive than Naim who, in large part, provide the same kind of house sound but with more top end control and (much) better rythm and bass weight. Certainly when I demoed both ranges (prior to the new XP amps, sadly, but with the new SE CD players) Naim was easily the most listenable in terms of not only speaker compatibility but also overall sound presentation. There was more bass but with just as much control and a smoother top end without going onto Arcam like mushiness. Using the CM1's as a speaker, you could make a Naim system for £2100 but the new cyrus range would be £2300. £200 buys a lot of music...

I haven't heard the new Cyrus XP amps, but I would suspect anyone looking for what Cyrus can offer should look at Naim, too. I know when I did, I was very surprised.

Russell

[stuman]

and hopefully the new naim uniti will be a very potent setup paired with B&W or what im more interested in is the ob1i pmc speakers. but, hey just gotta wait to get the demo now. the cyrus 8xps is £500 cheaper but doesnt have CD or audio streaming.

[russraff]

I believe that the Uniti has an amp closely matched to the Nait 5i, so the 8XP should be a large step up (even if I preferred the 5i to the 8vs2). Nevertheless, the Uniti should still be a cracking bit of kit that would drive smaller B&W or PMC speakers. The OB1i's may be a stretch, mind, with those speakers being substantially out of step with either Cyrus or Naim equipment mentioned. I know that the CM1's (and so the larger CM range speakers) did not improve at all going from the 5i to the XP I eventually bought. The DB1's and GB1's did by quite some margin and I can't help thinking the same thing would happen in reverse going for the OB1i's, superb though they are, with an 8XP or Uniti. Perhaps the GB1's/FB1i's may be a better bet?

Russell

[stuman]

ohh sorry, meant the db1i. as a nice compact system?

[russraff]

The DB1i's would be perfect. They lack the bass depth of the MA GS10 or even the CM1, but they are wonderfully open and have timing to die for. Should make a good system.

Russell

[stuman]

would you really rate the B&W CM1 then?? have never had an in length listen?

[russraff]

In a 6 based Cyrus system, yes. The qualities of the CM1 work well to smooth over Cyrus' perceived shortcomings that I noticed, as mentioned previously. The CM1's do have a smooth mid range and a more clear treble than the 6xx series. They remain warmer sounding, though, that some (like me) find rather dull. Don't get me wrong, if I had listened to just the Cyrus system I would have been happy; Cyrus don't make bad kit, after all. It's just that there is a granularity to the sound and a lack of bass extension that, once I compared Cyrus to Naim, became unacceptable. Others will disagree I am sure - I guess that's the point of a demo!

Anyway, yes the CMx range is very good, but you ought to be looking at the 705 to compare with the DB1i, not the CM1. Especially if you are looking at an 8 system. I chose to demo the CM1 in case I could save some money. As it happens I bust the budget and went for the GB1's!

Russell

[stuman]

yeah i guessed that, am currently looking to get a demo of the CM5's as i believe they are supposed to be the replacement of the 705's? MA GS10's looking for maybe the dacmagic aswell. can see myself breaking the budget aswell. as im going to get a demo of the supernait aswell. lol.

[Glawster2002]

Originally Posted by phil t

Just to show how varied peoples opinions of Cyrus are, which just shows the importance of an audition before buying.

But that's true of any manufacturer.

As someone who has had a lot of Cyrus equipment over the years I think how it is demonstrated makes a big difference. I was lucky enough to have someone who really knew the product range and how to strike the right balance with equipment options.

With the launch of the new range of integrated amps there are now some really good bargains to be had. If I was to suggest a "starter" system it would be:

Cyrus CD6 SE
Cyrus 8 vs2

The reason for suggesting the Curus 8 vs2 is because it gives the option of adding a PSX-R power supply, which overcomes a lot of the perceived shortcomings, in terms of presentation, of a standalone 8 vs2. If your speakers can be bi-wired, then an additional 8 Power, to which a PSX-R can also be added, is also an option worth considering.

The same with speaker options. MA speakers can work! Shock horror!!!! But I do think you need to go quite high up their range, in saying that I've often seen Cyrus use MA speakers at hi-fi shows.

It's also worth remebering that it takes a good 20 hours, or more in some cases, of "running in" before you get the best of out of any Cyrus kit.

[russraff]

Originally Posted by Glawster2002

But that's true of any manufacturer.

As someone who has had a lot of Cyrus equipment over the years I think how it is demonstrated makes a big difference. I was lucky enough to have someone who really knew the product range and how to strike the right balance with equipment options.

I agree. I wouldn't call Naim neutral either and know folk who would choose Copland or Arcam any day of the week over Naim. However, if those people have only ever listened to Arcam and Copland, Musical Fidelity may be far too bright (never mind what they'll make of Cyrus...). Any decent dealer will have substantial experience with different brands and will be able to advise on system matching. I listened to a lot of kit before settling on Naim/PMC and found the exercise informative despite having lots of equipment in the past. I would caution, however, that the requirements of a bustling HiFi show are quite different to a home environment and may influence speakers accordingly (strategic alliances not withstanding).

Just to point out, I had an 8vs (not the vs2) and a 7CD player running to Epos M12.2's for several months and enjoyed listening to music through them. Then again, the Epos speakers are inoffensive, albeit with a clear mid, that allowed the Cyrus kit to do their thing without becoming too shouty. I also agree that the MA Gold range is less forward (while remaining forward sounding) than the Silvers making them less likely to cause listening fatigue.

Russell

[spike99]

Originally Posted by russraff

I agree. I wouldn't call Naim neutral either and know folk who would choose Copland or Arcam any day of the week over Naim. However, if those people have only ever listened to Arcam and Copland, Musical Fidelity may be far too bright (never mind what they'll make of Cyrus...). Any decent dealer will have substantial experience with different brands and will be able to advise on system matching. I listened to a lot of kit before settling on Naim/PMC and found the exercise informative despite having lots of equipment in the past. I would caution, however, that the requirements of a bustling HiFi show are quite different to a home environment and may influence speakers accordingly (strategic alliances not withstanding).

Just to point out, I had an 8vs (not the vs2) and a 7CD player running to Epos M12.2's for several months and enjoyed listening to music through them. Then again, the Epos speakers are inoffensive, albeit with a clear mid, that allowed the Cyrus kit to do their thing without becoming too shouty. I also agree that the MA Gold range is less forward (while remaining forward sounding) than the Silvers making them less likely to cause listening fatigue.

Russell

I have got the 8vs2 in situ now and I am struggling with my MA GR 20's. Now I am only feeding this via itunes and an airport, but even SACD and DVD-A becomes hard work in the end. The bright and dry description seems appropriate. Should I look to change the speakers, ot would a PSX-R and 8 power make any difference. I was conisdering a CD player, but do wonder if partnering Cyrus would only make this worse.

[CJROSS]

Cyrus gear is renowned around the hifi forums for being quite bright. I have to agree with this for any Cyrus amplification rig I have heard, many people walk out of 7oaks with Cyrus WHF 5 star systems only to change down the line.

A big factor of getting Cyrus to work for you is getting speakers that gel with them, this is a lot harder than the mags or some Cyrus fans would have you believe.

Always felt that they would suit soft warm italian speakers myself but nope they are gnerally paired with metal tweetered MAs or hard to drive Dynaudios.

[Glawster2002]

Originally Posted by russraff

I would caution, however, that the requirements of a bustling HiFi show are quite different to a home environment and may influence speakers accordingly (strategic alliances not withstanding).

100% agree. I go to The Bristol show as it's a great way of finding out what's out there, what is within your budget, and to some extent allow you to reduce your options. But when it comes to parting with cash you definitely need to arrange a listening with your local dealer and tell them what you're interested in.

Originally Posted by spike99

The bright and dry description seems appropriate. Should I look to change the speakers, ot would a PSX-R and 8 power make any difference. I was conisdering a CD player, but do wonder if partnering Cyrus would only make this worse.

Certainly when I brought my Cyrus 8 I listened to it with and without a PSX-R and there's a noticeable difference with the PSX-R, especially at the two extremes with more bass and a much softer, more rounded treble. I'm very much a cynic when it comes to these things and my wife is totally nonn hi-fi, as long as it "sounds ok" she doesn't care much, but she said straight away the PSX-R made a big improvement to the sound.