Cyrus Audio PSX-R2

The very first ‘Night and Day’ HiFi moment I had at HF&MS was swapping in a Naim XPS power supply to my Naim NAC-N 272 preamplifier. At the time I had a pair of fantastic beryllium-heavy Paradigm Persona 3F loudspeakers. The step change in performance was evident. The question today is can this external power supply, the Cyrus Audio PSX-R2, produce the same step up in performance with the Cyrus Audio Classic Amp that has just been reviewed here at HF&MS?

Design

What do Simon Freethy, Chairman at Cyrus Audio, Gordon Ramsey, restaurateur, and I all have in common?  We all agree:

The better the ingredients, the better the meal

Seems pretty obvious to me; Freethy was referring to external power supplies when he said this and it makes sense to have the purest power supply available for such sensitive electronics as those in a HiFi system.

The purpose of an external power supply is to enhance the performance of the host product. It does this by supplying a stable power supply with the exact voltage required, thus ensuring no distortion. Additionally, an external supply offers high current potential, imagine a reservoir of immediately available energy for those dynamic moments. Inside, there is a huge 300VA toroidal transformer with “an enormous current delivery capability”. There is a creditable 30,000 microfarads of slit foil reservoir capacitors available.

Separately an external power supply has greater noise reduction than having the power source in the same chassis. The separate circuits reduce noise in the overall package.

With the Cyrus Audio PSX-R2, you still need to power the Classic Amp so there are two power supplies, the original transformer, now at a lower load, handles the screen, ancillaries, remote control and other matters. the Cyrus Audio PSX-R2 handles the power supply to the sensitive amplification electronics. There is an intelligent loop in the Cyrus Audio PSX-R2 so it knows exactly how much power to deliver.

Quality

The die-cast aluminium chassis is solid, built to last and matches that of the Classic Amp. It retains the Cyrus form factor. Out of the box, there is just a power lead, and the balanced power cable is hardwired at the rear.

The Cyrus Audio PSX-R2 dimensions are (H x W x D) – 73 x 215 x 360 mm, it is 7kg in weight and it is priced at £995 in the UK

Performance

Review Equipment

For this review, I have the same setup as per the Classic Amp, though I have retired the B&W CM7s, as outlined below. I have instead a very lovely-looking (and sounding) pair of Triangle Duetto standmounted loudspeakers. I’m streaming to the Digital input in the Classic Amp with the super clean Chord Electronics 2Go/2Yu combination.

Triangle Magellan Duetto standmounted loudspeakers

…the keen delivery is even more compelling…

The focus here is on the power supply to the Classic Amp, which we have established is a fun, dynamic integrated amplifier. In the previous review, it was clear the CM7s needed to be retired for the purposes of establishing resolution, clarity and tone. I was really after more detail, separation, and musicality from the loudspeaker. Separately, it was hard to gauge tone with the Jerns with the way they are designed so I needed a proper loudspeaker.

The Duetto has been here for a couple of weeks, they are absolutely exquisite in physical terms with heavy and imposing binding posts and forward-facing bass ports. In tone, they have taken time to tune into and I would characterise them as more classical than indie. They are nicely refined in other words.

With the behemoth Moor Amps Angel 6 power amplifier there are bundles of power drive in town and the full depth of the loudspeaker low end is accessible. With the Cyrus Classic Amp, a lot of it is there, though not all. The introduction of the PSX-R2 adds to the weight delivered through the Duetto. Taking the same Musical Interlude Playlist from the Classic Amp review however, there is a tangible increase in the sense of urgency in many of the tracks, perhaps especially, in I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor (Qobuz FLAC 16-bit, 44.1kHz), where the keen delivery is even more compelling.

I referred to the loudspeakers being more suited to a classical/acoustic outlook and sure enough seven and a half minutes of If You Could See Me Now by Oscar Peterson (Qobuz FLAC 16-bit, 44.1kHz) offered a beautiful laconic bass line with the PSX-R2 in place.

Overall

Clearly, the PSX-R2 is adding a further layer of subtlety to this excellent Classic Amp

There is no doubt in my mind that an off-board power supply if it is in your budget, can add hugely to the overall offering. It is an investment in the ingredients that you are using to serve up the finest meal. Clearly, the PSX-R2 is adding a further layer of subtlety to this excellent Classic Amp. Whether you should invest in Cyrus higher up the range only you will know and it depends on what system you already have. As an upgrade, it is well worth considering if you have the means to do so.

Specification

Full details are on the company’s site.