Cyrus Audio 40CD Player Review
I have had Cyrus Audio CD players in my systems for the last twenty or so years, either as part of a complete Cyrus Audio system or as a standalone CD player added to an existing system. They have always excelled with this format and have continued to master playback to the highest of levels, and IMO, they have made some of the best CD players available today. With the new 40CD, the Cyrus Audio brand has undergone a complete refresh and makeover, bringing it bang up to date with a fresh and modern look. Gone are the clunky buttons, and in comes a look that perfectly matches our modern era and twenty-first century, with the iconic Cyrus Audio half-width chassis design.
My very first Cyrus Audio CD player was the CD8, which featured a front-opening drawer that was later replaced with a front-loading slot mechanism, a design choice that Cyrus has continued to use as its preferred method to this day. The Cyrus Audio Servo Evolution technology has brought about improved performance, and I have loved every iteration of their CD players, noticing significant sonic improvements with each and every upgrade. My current Cyrus player is the CD8SE, an older model that still offers excellent performance thanks to its Servo Evolution technology. The Cyrus CDi player I previously had was also one of their finest. They have continued to master the Red Book CD and not been side-tracked by offering SACD playback or USB/DAC inputs, instead staying true to the format and engineering their CD players to provide the best performance for my beloved silver discs.
Build Quality and Features
The quality of the new 40 series of components exudes excellence with such a solid build, featuring a fully anodised aluminium half-width black chassis, and just like the 40 series amplifier, it features the glass front with a 3.5" full colour screen and the touch-sensitive buttons to the left, which highlight once a disc is loaded. I love the way the power on and off button features the Cyrus Audio logo, which is illuminated red when the unit is off. With a simple touch, it powers the unit back on, a very classy touch. A front-loading slot is on the front of the player for your CDs, and that is it, so it has a nice, clean look. Cyrus Audio's Servo Evolution Technology is used to ensure that the data from the disc is retrieved accurately the first time, creating an almost silent noise floor. The power supply on the 40CD player has also been completely redesigned from previous generations. It features nine individual stage regulators, ensuring a smooth and stable power supply that feeds all the necessary components of the CD player with a high-efficiency and a very stable power supply. It features the latest ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M 32-bit DAC chipset and HyperStream IV Dual DAC technology, which has been completely reworked and tuned by the team at Cyrus Audio to provide the very best sound from the player. You also have access to six filters in the DAC, which can be used to shape the sound to your liking; however, I typically use the default settings. On the rear of the player, it features two RCA line inputs and two digital outputs, Optical and Coaxial. There is also a USB-A and Ethernet port, which is only used for upgrading the firmware of the player. Additionally, you have the latest 40 PSU D-type connector to further enhance the player with the high-performance 40PSU upgrade. You are also supplied with the same remote that comes with the 40-amp, so if you have both, one will serve as a backup if needed.
Features
- ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M 32 bit DAC
- 2 x Line Level Analogue Outputs
- 1 x Digital Coax Output
- 1 x Digital Optical Output
- 40 PSU Compatible
- RJ45 Ethernet For Firmware Updates
- USB-A For Firmware Updates
- Size (H x W x D) 88 x 220 x 365 mm (3.46” x 8.66” x 14.37”)
- Weight 5.2kg (11.46lbs)
Setting up the Cyrus Audio 40CD player is straightforward, and using one set of the analogue outputs, I connect it to Input 1 on the Cyrus 40 Amp. I am using a pair of Chord Company Epic interconnects for this review, and Montaudio speaker cables connected to my ProAc D2R speakers, which sit on Atacama stands. As you can imagine, I have been raiding my CD collection and going through a variety of discs and artists that I own, spanning different genres of music, to use for this review.
Sound Quality and Performance
My first album is from an artist I love, and when he went solo, he released numerous great albums that I have added to my collection. This album, "Nothing Like the Sun" by Sting, was released in 1987, and I originally purchased it on vinyl at the time. I also added the CD to my collection, which I pull out every now and then to listen to; having the Cyrus 40CD player was just the excuse I needed to spin it again.
Track 3, "Englishman In New York", is one of my favourites from this album, and the CD40 manages to extract so much detail from this disc with incredible energy and clarity, which was immediately noticeable compared to my older CD8SE player. The music has better timing and pace, which is rhythmically more pleasing in its sound and presentation, allowing for stunning dynamics that make the music even more enjoyable. When the electronic drum section kicks in, it sounds powerful, with significant impact and precision.
Track 4, "History Will Teach Us Nothing," is such a dynamic track. It has never sounded so good with excellent rhythm and timing that it has my feet tapping to the music enthusiastically with the drums and percussion engulfing the sound stage with some stunning sounds that fills my room with exceptional clarity, this has always been a track that I skipped over previously, but listening to it through the CD40 I realise what I have been missing, all of the musical information from the CD captured and translated through this talented player.
Track 6, "Fragile", sounds simply sublime with its sweet, relaxed, yet beautiful sound. The instruments sound extremely natural in presentation, and my ProAc speakers really open up the soundstage beautifully. The CD40 extracts everything from the disc with the guitar providing a rich, tangible and tactile sound that you can feel as well as hear with every pluck of the strings. Sting's vocals sound so smooth with excellent tonal balance, the drums and percussion instruments are so well-defined. The chimes sparkle and shimmer in front of me with excellent resolution. This is one of the most beautiful tracks from this album, and the CD40 manages to elevate its musical enjoyment further. A fantastic album and one of Sting's finest.
The CD40 also feels a lot more responsive in operation over previous Cyrus models with quicker track reading and startup, the display on the screen is brightly lit but also crisp and well defined allowing you to see what is on the display from my seating position, but ultimately, it is the sound quality and the addictive way in which it presents the music that is so appealing.
My next album is from the brilliant Grace Jones, and it's her 1985 release, Island Life, a compilation of some of her best and most loved tracks. This ten-track disc features a mixture and fusion of disco, reggae, and funk. A larger-than-life character in both her acting and music careers.
Track 3, "Do Or Die" was one of my least favourites on the album but hearing it through the CD40 has certainly changed my mind, as it presents this piece of music with some stunning musical prowess, the start of the track has the brass section and drum beats which sounds simply superb, so much pace, timing and a rhythmically engaging performance that you cannot help but love what you are hearing.
Track 4, "Private Life" is a favourite of mine and reggae inspired track and the CD40 does not dissapoint in presenting this track with some incredible resolution and clarity, the drums have excellent depth and power with how they are presented allowing my ProAc speakers to power through this track, the musical information that this player can retrieve is inspiring and with its musical ability never in doubt as it gives this excellent track a good working out.
Track 7, "Pull Up To The Bumper" is a classic disco track which is such a great mix of sampled sounds and music with stunning vocals from Grace Jones, again the energy and drive that the CD40 injects to this track is sublime as it extracts all of the music and delivers it with such clarity and fast-paced dynamics that it’s hard not to let your feet tap to this music, it provides the music in such an addictive way.
Track 10, "Slave To The Rhythm", is an absolutely classic piece of music. The CD40 delivers this track with tons of style and rhythm, ‘excuse the pun,’ from the very start, and the way the sounds move across the soundstage from left to right is truly magical. Then the hard-hitting drum and bass beat kicks in with real visceral power; the Cyrus CD40 delivers it all, and then Grace Jones' vocals, which sound so natural, and provides the music with immense scale and power.
The Cyrus Audio CD40 is an excellent player in every sense. When paired with the 40 amp, it not only looks aesthetically pleasing but also makes for a formidable pairing; the synergy between the two components is highly addictive. Both components have been carefully tuned to work seamlessly together, but the CD40 will easily integrate into any system, thanks to its excellent and musically proficient performance.
Conclusions and Final Thoughts
The Cyrus Audio CD40 is an impressive CD player that manages to extract the pure essence of what makes music so good; rhythm, pace, and timing are all of the highest order. Add to this the excellent dynamics, clarity and stunning bass that this player can produce, and this is most certainly Cyrus Audio's best CD player to date. The 40 Amp and CD40 make for a formidable and compact high-performance system that just oozes class and musicality, which is hard to beat. Adding the 40 PSU to further improve performance only serves to make this player even more desirable.
The Speaker Shack awards the Cyrus Audio CD40 with an Outstanding award and stamp of approval.
Price at time of review: £2,995
Web - https://cyrusaudio.com/
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