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Cyrus Classic AMP

Integrated amplifier

Relative price

below typical

Among the 59 integrated amplifiers in the catalogue, this one is below typical.

A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.

What it is

Most fields inferred from Cyrus 8a heritage spec (Classic AMP shares output stage topology). Cyrus does not separately publish full electrical specs for current Classic series — community + dealer consensus.

Competition record

Assessed against 19 rivals across the sixty systems: 1 head-to-head won, 59 lost.

Where it gives ground

The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.

  • low-level clarity ×8
  • tonal body ×4

Who it comes up against

Longdog Audio P6100M Biamp 2x2 (4 units)

13 lost · Anchored, Artisan, Characterful, PRaT, Reference, Romantic

Against the Anchored brief, the Longdog Audio P6100M Biamp 2x2 (4 units) keeps the slot decisively.

NVA S80 Stereo

8 lost · Artisan, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Silent Path

Against the Characterful brief, the NVA S80 Stereo keeps the slot decisively.

Audiolab 9000P

5 lost · Anchored, Characterful, PRaT, Romantic, Silent Path

Against the Characterful brief, the Audiolab 9000P keeps the slot decisively.

Sugden ANV 50

4 lost · BBC Sound, Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Sugden ANV 50 keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Cyrus Classic AMP is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the integrated amplifier position.

Leema Hydra II

4 lost · Cavity-Native, Characterful, Romantic

Against the Cavity-Native brief, the Leema Hydra II keeps the slot decisively.

NVA S300 Stereo (Artisan)

4 lost · Artisan, Cavity-Native, Intimate, Reference

Against the Intimate brief, the NVA S300 Stereo (Artisan) keeps the slot decisively.

Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150)

3 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Icon Audio Stereo 30 SE (KT150) keeps the slot clearly.

With the Tom Evans Groove+ SRX MkII, the pairing gives up most on tonal body.

On its own merits the Cyrus Classic AMP is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the integrated amplifier position.

Audio Note P1 SE

3 lost · Intimate, Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Audio Note P1 SE keeps the slot decisively.

EAR Yoshino V12

3 lost · BBC Sound, Vocals-First

Against the BBC Sound brief, the EAR Yoshino V12 keeps the slot decisively.

With the Rega Aura Reference MC, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

With the Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

On its own merits the Cyrus Classic AMP is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

EAR Yoshino 890

2 lost · Intimate

Against the Intimate brief, the EAR Yoshino 890 keeps the slot decisively.

Chord ULTIMA 6

1 lost · Cavity-Native

Against the Cavity-Native brief, the Chord ULTIMA 6 keeps the slot decisively.

Exposure 3510

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Exposure 3510 keeps the slot clearly.

On its own merits the Cyrus Classic AMP is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

Sugden A21 Signature

1 lost · BBC Sound

Against the BBC Sound brief, the Sugden A21 Signature keeps the slot decisively.

With the Naim NVC TT MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

With the Harbeth P3ESR XD2, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

On its own merits the Cyrus Classic AMP is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

Leak Stereo 230

1 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Leak Stereo 230 keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Cyrus Classic AMP is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

Creek 4040A

1 lost · BBC Sound

Against the BBC Sound brief, the Creek 4040A keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Cyrus Classic AMP is the weaker integrated amplifier for that brief.

With the Falcon Q7 Complete@Home, the pairing gains most on bass control.

Quad Artera Stereo

1 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Quad Artera Stereo keeps the slot decisively.

Rega io

0 lost· 1 won · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Cyrus Classic AMP takes the slot clearly.

On its own merits the Cyrus Classic AMP is the weaker integrated amplifier — yet it wins here on fit: the way it sits with the rest of this system under the Twin Arms weighting.

What the reviewers said

Classic AMP with PSX-R2 PSU upgrade path Cyrus Classic AMP positioning· Timing precision
spacious and open What Hi-Fi? 2023· Spatial resolution
dig deep into the production What Hi-Fi? 2023· Presence & articulation
tracking transients... well What Hi-Fi? 2023· Transient attack
doesn't convey the momentum... of class leaders What Hi-Fi? 2023· Dynamic coherence

How it scores

Clarity

  • Spatial resolution 76 from listening evidence

Voice

  • Presence & articulation 76 from listening evidence

Rhythm

  • Transient attack 76 from listening evidence

Bass

  • Bass control 67 from specification
  • Physical impact 63 from specification
  • Bass extension 63 from specification

LowerVolume

  • Low-level noise floor 72 from specification
  • Micro-dynamic resolution 72 from specification
  • Tonal consistency 72 from specification

Specifications

power 8ohm w70.0
power 4ohm w115.0
power classAB
damping factor150.0
line inputs4
xlr inputs0
line input sensitivity mv237.0
line input impedance kohm40.0
has phonoTrue
phono mmTrue
phono mcFalse
phono mm load47kΩ + 100pF
pre outTrue
pre out level v0.48
pre power separablepre_out_parallel
internal bass managementnone
headphone outTrue
notes