Cyrus PHONO/PSX-R2
£1495/£795
Let’s face it, the true hi-fi enthusiast can’t help but tweak. The arrival of Cyrus’s Phono Signature makes that a whole lot easier. This premium phono stage lets the user fine-tune cartridge-matching from the comfort of their favourite listening position – something we haven’t come across before.
The Phono Signature has four inputs, each of which can be optimised. A choice of both balanced XLR and single-ended line-level outputs means that this unit will slot into most systems with ease. PSX-R2 makes all the difference
We play Bob Marley’s Exodus and it doesn’t take long to realise that the Phono Signature has some serious talent. The song’s insistent low-end has good weight and plenty of punch, which gives the presentation a firm foundation to work from. The lows don’t dominate though, and still maintain Cyrus’s traditional values of precision and speed.
At this point it’s time to plug in the PSX-R2, and we realise there’s no going back. Make no mistake, the Phono Signature is certainly one of the best we’ve heard at the price, but adding the PSX-R2 takes sound quality to another plane altogether.
The most obvious change is that the scale of the presentation gets much bigger and the bass gains even more authority. You’ll find improvements across the board from extra layers of fine detail and improved refinement to a more fluid handling of dynamics, both large and small scale.
The Cyrus brand has been built on a long tradition of excellent CD players and amplifiers. Vinyl replay has never been a major part of its output, and we’ve found past phono stages good rather than great. This Phono Signature/ PSX-R2 combination changes that.
It is wonderfully flexible and the ability to fine-tune cartridge loading with the remote works superbly. Most of all we just love the way it sounds.