Cyrus Audio 40 CD
The Cyrus Audio 40 CD brings silver discs to life with muscular dynamics, crisp timing and a richly smooth, full-bodied balance. The Ear found exceptional micro-dynamic insight and composure in dense mixes, while Pursuit Perfect System praised its punchy bass, layered depth and inviting, fatigue-free musical flow.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
94/100
Build Quality
89/100
Features Usability
85/100
Value for Money
91/100
Pros
Muscular, tonally dense sound with crisp timing, expressive dynamics and impressive low-level detail.
Smooth yet energetic presentation delivers rich vocals, tight punchy bass and strong musical engagement.
Handles complex, loud recordings with organised layering, spatial cues and little sense of digital strain.
Solid aluminium-and-glass construction, adjustable display controls and analogue plus optical/coaxial outputs enhance system flexibility.
Cons
Soundstage can feel somewhat bounded compared with the most expansive external-DAC combinations.
Treble occasionally showed slight grit in upper vocals, and deepest bass lost a little composure at very high volumes.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 94/100
Reviewers find the 40 CD an unusually capable disc player, combining a smooth, full-bodied and relaxed presentation with muscular dynamics, strong timing and impressive insight. It stays composed with dense, loud material while presenting convincing scale, depth and organisation.
Tonal Balance Musicality
94/100
Pursuit Perfect System describes a smooth but not softened sound, with rich and full vocals, tight punchy bass, and an excellent midrange. The Ear similarly hears tonal density, energetic drive and natural weight from brass, while noting that the player remains controlled rather than turning hard or edgy.
Resolution Detail
95/100
The Ear praises the player's fine detail retrieval, almost forensic micro-dynamics and spatial cues, including its ability to distinguish drum textures and unravel complex orchestral cross-rhythms. Pursuit Perfect System also hears excellent detail, strong layering and a notably transparent view into recordings.
Digital Performance
94/100
The Ear reports commendably low ringing and aliasing with the default filter, alongside crisp timing and expressive drive that it finds uncommon among ESS-based alternatives. At high levels, the player avoids digital white-out and retains low-end power, tonal information and clarity.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 85/100
As a dedicated CD player, the 40 CD concentrates on clear physical operation and sensible output provision rather than network functionality. Its crisp display, adjustable illumination and motion-sensitive hiding mode make it easy to accommodate in a listening room.
Streaming Software
85/100
This is a dedicated disc player rather than a streaming source. Review coverage points to a crisp, high-resolution display, touch-sensitive playback controls and independently adjustable screen and button brightness, but says little about longer-term interface operation.
Features Connectivity
86/100
The 40 CD provides line-level analogue outputs alongside coaxial and optical digital outputs, allowing it to work either as a complete player or with an external DAC. It also supports firmware updates via Ethernet or USB-A and can be partnered with Cyrus's optional 40 PSU.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
89/100
Pursuit Perfect System found the formed-aluminium chassis reassuringly solid in hand, despite the player not being especially heavy. The grooved rear section adds to the robust feel, while the toughened-glass front panel gives it a suitably premium finish.
Value for Money
91/100
At around £3,000, The Ear calls the 40 CD a remarkably sophisticated product for the money. Pursuit Perfect System notes that strong performance is never guaranteed at this price, but concludes that Cyrus's long experience with CD players is clearly audible here.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
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Specifications
- DAC
- ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M 32 bit DAC
- Analogue Outputs
- 2 x Line Level
- Digital Outputs
- 1 x Digital Coax 1 x Digital Optical
- PSU Compatibility
- 40 PSU Compatible
- Firmware Updates
- RJ45 Ethernet USB-A
- Size
- 88 x 220 x 365 mm (3.46” x 8.66” x 14.37”)
- Weight
- 5.2kg (11.46lbs)
Manufacturer's Description — Cyrus Audio
The design of high-performance cd players has been one of our key disciplines for many years, and the results speak for themselves. We developed what we call ‘servo evolution’ nearly ten years ago, which focuses on extracting the data on the disc as accurately as possible the first time to create an almost silent noise-floor. This has resulted in our CD players being used as a reference around the world, and the 40 CD continues to push the boundaries of digital playback with our latest integrated cd players boasting our most advanced DAC to date.
The power supply has also been completely redesigned to minimise interaction between the complex mix of signals which includes fast digital audio, sensitive analogue audio, high current servo and system controls. By completely segmenting these circuits the digital control circuits run from a dedicated, high-efficiency supply, whilst other parts of the player are powered from an over-specified universal power supply. Nine individual stage regulators smooth and distribute power within the player according to demand, taking the overall performance of the 40 CD to another level.
Encased in the sleek design of the 40 series aluminium casing, and finished in anodised brushed black with a 3.5” hi-resolution full colour TFT display, the 40 CD really does offer fans of CD playback one of the best products on the market at any price.
Customised DAC design is at the forefront of all digital products from Cyrus, and the 40 CD embodies this approach like never before. Based upon the ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M chipset and HyperStream IV Dual DAC technology, every component has been analysed by our engineering team and the board layout fully optimised to tune the DAC so that we can achieve the highest possible performance.
CD players have a complex mix of signals which includes fast digital audio, sensitive analogue audio, high current servo and system controls. To minimise interaction between these circuit stages the power supply design has been completely segmented. The digital control circuits run from a dedicated, high-efficiency supply, with other parts of the player powered from an over-specified universal power supply.
Nine individual stage regulators smooth and distribute power within the player according to demand.
Even when the 40 CD is packaged with our latest custom designed switch mode power supply, improvements are always possible. To further enhance the experience and provide the 40 CD with the best configuration of power, you can easily connect the 40 PSU external power supply to the 40 CD with a single cable. Providing multiple supplies, all of the output voltages from the 40 PSU are digitally controlled internally, so are extremely stable and virtually noise free.
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- Acton Gate Audio — online and in-store — Cymru, United Kingdom (website)
- Alen Audio — in-store — Extramurs, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- All Elite Audio — online and in-store — Perry Hall, Maryland, United States (website)
- Alpha Audio Pte — online and in-store — Singapore, Singapore (website)
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- Audio Affair — online and in-store — Deritend, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Audio Factory — online — Spain (website)
- Audio Magic - EU — online and in-store — Wola, Województwo mazowieckie, Poland (website)
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