Review: Cyrus Audio 40 AMP

For 40 years, Cyrus has been one of the UK’s most distinctive hi-fi brands. Their iconic half-width design has been a counterbalance to ever-larger competitors and, together with Naim and Rega, has proven that size is not decisive for sound quality. With the 40 Series, the company has truly entered the modern and digital age, and the integrated 40 AMP amplifier is a natural place to start to get to know it better.

New design with classic DNA

The 40 AMP shares its half-width shape and logo with previous Cyrus products, but otherwise the design is new. The front panel is dominated by tempered glass covering the entire front, with a minimalist approach broken up by a 5-inch colour display and an elegantly illuminated volume control on the right-hand side.

It all looks premium and modern, while retaining an understated British look.

Connectivity and functionality

On the rear panel, you will find a wealth of connectivity options, both digital and analogue: four analogue RCA inputs, including a dedicated MM turntable input, three digital inputs (two coaxial and one optical), USB-B for computer and HDMI eARC for TV audio.

The outputs include a preamp output for connecting an additional power amplifier, a line output for recording or headphone amplifier, and a 3.5 mm headphone output on the front. There is also a separate connection for Cyrus’ external 40 PSU power supply, which we will return to later.

What the amplifier lacks is support for streaming services. Here you will need to use the Cyrus 40 ST streamer as a supplement.

Bring out the banana plugs

To minimise depth, there are no screw terminals for the speakers. Instead, there are only holes for banana plugs. Two-prong banana plugs are included in the package so that red and black can never be crossed. The user manual states that they must be used and that the cables must never be terminated with separate banana plugs. This is just overprotective nonsense to comply with European safety directives. I inserted the banana plugs directly into the corresponding holes myself without any problems.

The front panel touch controls are elegant and responsive, while the large display provides clear information about volume, selected input and other settings. The system also remembers separate volume settings for speakers and headphones and automatically resumes the last used level when switching between them.

The inner qualities

The heart of the 40 AMP is a class A/B amplifier that delivers 100 watts per channel into 6 ohms. If you purchase the external 40 PSU power supply, the power output increases to 113 watts. That is another three watts. The total price also increases by 65 per cent, bringing us close to the high-end price range. The digital section is based on the best DAC chip from ESS, the ES9039Q2M with 32-bit resolution, and Cyrus claims to have worked long and hard to optimise the surrounding circuits.

The DAC supports high-resolution audio up to 32-bit/384kHz via USB and 24-bit/192kHz via coaxial and optical digital input, as well as DSD formats up to DSD256.

The built-in turntable input for MM cartridges is more than an afterthought, as it is based on Cyrus’ award-winning Classic PHONO with high dynamics and low noise floor.

The sound of the Cyrus 40 AMP

The amplifier has mostly been used to drive the compact Scansonic M20.2 floorstanding speakers, but also the much more expensive Respons Jussi.

The Cyrus 40 AMP sounds both controlled and precise with a neutral approach to music. In addition, the amplifier reproduces the sound image in an unusually open way, unlike anything I am used to in this price range.

I had an eye-opening experience with Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool on Tidal via Roon on my MacBook Pro connected to USB. The album is only available in 16-bit, but nevertheless, the opening track Burn the Witch stands out from the speakers with a wealth of detail. The soundstage is so big and natural, with layered orchestrations presented with impressive separation. Each instrument group has its clear place in a two-dimensional soundstage. Thom Yorke’s voice is presented with perfect balance – clear and centred, but never intrusive.

Moving on to Nick Cave’s Ghosteen, a powerful album in which Cave drowns in grief over the loss of his 15-year-old son a few years earlier, it takes both subtlety and dynamic control to really give you goose bumps. And this is where the 40 AMP shows its strength. The long, floating synth pads are presented with all their atmospheric depth, while Cave’s voice in the opening track Spinning Song stands out with such intensity and emotion that it’s hard not to break down yourself. I am particularly impressed by how the amplifier draws the space around the instruments and gives a strong sense of being present in the recording.

Having a Rega Planar 3 RS turntable with ND5 MM cartridge at my disposal, I connect it to its respective input on the rear panel. Quiet Winter Night by Hoff Ensemble sounds almost as good on vinyl as it does in high-resolution digital format, and the instrumental Blågutten comes across with an organic and natural sound and a fantastic atmosphere. The noise level is remarkably low, so the subtle nuances in Mathias Eick’s trumpet and Jan Gunnar Hoff’s piano come through clearly.

40 ST – separate music streamer

In addition to the turntable, I also connected Cyrus’ own 40 ST streamer. This BluOS-based streamer perfectly complements the 40 AMP, and together they form the ultimate digital music system from Cyrus. The most interesting thing was that the analogue connection from the streamer’s outputs to the amplifier’s line input actually produced even better sound than the digital connection. Although both devices use identical ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M DAC circuits, I feel that the analogue signal path gives more size and ‘nerve’ to the tones. This is particularly noticeable on acoustic recordings, where subtle nuances in the performance come through more clearly. The streamer can also be further expanded with a separate 40 PSU, and although the amplifier probably benefits even more from this, I feel that the soundstage grows in size, while there are ‘even more stars in the night sky’. If that makes sense.

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40 PSU – the secret source

The 40 PSU power supply increases the price of the amplifier by a good 50 per cent, which made me quite sceptical at first. Fortunately, the changes turned out to be more than subtle, and there is no doubt about the differences. The bass has significantly more authority and precision, the midrange is even clearer and more open, and the treble appears with even more detail against a darker background.

The most striking thing, however, is the dynamics. In complex orchestral passages, the amplifier remains calm, even in the most demanding crescendos. The stereo soundstage is more precise with clearer placement of instruments in both width and depth. It’s so easy to hear that you’d think it was two different amplifiers.

With the 40 PSU connected, the 40 AMP moves from being an excellent premium amplifier to challenging products in significantly higher price ranges. It surpasses the McIntosh MSA5500 in both control and quality, and although the Naim Nova PE is more powerful and has an even better beat, it is by no means better in all areas. In particular, few can challenge Cyrus on the big soundstage.

Headphones

It is often a weakness of integrated amplifiers that the headphone output is merely an afterthought. But here too, Cyrus has done a thorough job. Tests with the Sennheiser HD 800 S and Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 reveal a headphone amplifier with exceptional dynamics, detail and control.

Particularly impressive is its ability to drive demanding headphones with authority. Even on complex jazz recordings, the natural dynamics and sense of space are preserved. Piano notes are reproduced with the right touch and reverberation, and even the faintest nuances come through clearly.

Competitors

In the price range around €5,000 (and even more with 40 PSU), the 40 AMP faces strong competition. Without 40 PSU and compared to the Hegel H190V, Cyrus has a more detail-focused sound, while Hegel has more raw power and dynamic control. When the Cyrus power supply is connected, the system steps up a notch and probably has an edge over even the Hegel H400 in pure elegance and resolution.

The Naim Nova PE has a more energetic and forward-looking presentation, while the Cyrus amplifier and power supply seem more balanced and restrained. The McIntosh MSA5500 is simply surpassed by the Cyrus set in terms of pure sound quality, and since it is not more powerful either, the choice is easy.

 

Conclusion

The Cyrus 40 AMP is an amplifier that is easy to love. With state-of-the-art inputs and controls, combined with first-class build quality and functionality that covers all the needs of a modern audio system. The only thing missing is built-in streaming, for which you will need the Cyrus 40 ST.

The price of around €5,000 places the amplifier in a competitive segment, but it justifies the price through its versatility and sound quality. Add the 40 PSU, and the combination becomes an even more compelling package that challenges amplifiers even in higher price ranges.

For listeners who value precision and naturalness over raw power and who want an amplifier that can serve as the heart of a complete, modern sound system, the Cyrus 40 AMP is an excellent choice. This is British hi-fi at its best – refined, rich in detail and with a musicality that invites long listening sessions.