Advanced Audio and Video Systems
8vs - Integrated Amplifier The Cyrus 8vs follows on from the award-winning Cyrus 8 with a new, improved preamplifier topology by Cyrus named ‘vs’. Developed initially for the high-end Cyrus components such as DAC XP and Pre Xvs, this technology is now available in the latest Cyrus Integrated amplifier designs. The ‘vs’ circuit is all about circuit design, and like many of the best ideas, is a relatively simple but ingenious execution. With access to ‘vs’ topology, the team is able to provide a more direct route for the audio signals than equivalent designs. Of course, there is far more to the Cyrus 8vs than ‘vs’ technology alone. The integrated power amplifier, power supply and control circuits are all from the highly regarded Cyrus 8. High output power - The Cyrus 8vs delivers the most power yet from our chassis. Despite the power amplifier delivering a true 70W+70W RMS power into 8 ohms, no compromises have been made elsewhere in the amplifer. True to the Cyrus tradition the chassis also houses a traditionally designed power supply featuring an oversize 330VA power transformer and extra-large electrolytic reservoir capacitors. The performance gains in the Cyrus 8vs have been possible through new higher efficiency power amplifier circuitry, new thermal management techniques and a higher current output stage. High efficiency power Power supply advances – Our designers still unanimously endorse our traditional ‘no-compromise’ approach to power supplies, engineering a high capacity linear power supply built from quality components, with linear regulation for the sensitive preamplifier circuitry. The Cyrus 8vs takes this design policy to an unprecedented level to achieve the sonic and technical performance that is expected from a new generation of Cyrus amplifier. Higher current output stage - When driving real music into a real loudspeaker load, massive currents are demanded from a power amplifier stage. For the Cyrus 8vs our designers have effectively doubled the peak current capability of the power amplifier and halved its output impedance to enable a far greater transfer of energy from the power supply into difficult speaker loads. PSX-R applied to the preamp – The Cyrus 8vs features an unusual strategy for PSX-R upgradeability with the ultra-smooth battery-like DC power of the PSX-R applied directly and only to the pre-amplifier stage through a solid-state switch. The internal power supply is then reserved entirely for the power amplifier. The total separation of power sources moves the system topology much closer to a separate two box pre-power combination when used with a PSX-R. A secondary benefit of this arrangement is Plug ’n’ Play PSX-R connection with no requirement for internal modification when a PSX-R upgrade is added to the system. Audiophile component specification - In the Cyrus 8vs particular attention has been paid to every single signal processing component within the preamplifier stage. Both active and passive components were selected without budgetary compromise and through exhaustive listening tests, delivering an unprecedented level of transparency to the sound. The same scrutiny has been applied to the selection of components in the Pre-Out signal path, essential where the Cyrus 8vs is included in a bi-amplified system. Competent audio engineers will immediately recognise the quality which has been invested ‘under the hood’ of this amplifier. New peripheral circuitry for soft standby switching - Electronic standby switching has always been a feature in Cyrus amplifiers. Electronic switching completely avoids the problems of contact degradation which occur in the speaker relays used in most other manufacturers designs. As these amplifiers age, the relay contacts degrade and contact non-linearity gradually rises, degrading the sound. The Cyrus electronic system works by effectively ‘tri-stating’ the power amplifier to prevent it from delivering any current to the loudspeaker whilst set to standby, completely avoiding the need for a relay in the signal path. Secondary benefits are instantaneous disconnection of the power amplifier from the load if an external fault condition, such as a speaker short-circuit, are detected by the control system. In the latest revision of this system for the Cyrus 8vs, a more sophisticated control circuit soft switches the power amplifier silently between standby and operational modes. Advanced thermal management – New thermal measurement techniques are employed by the computer control system of the Cyrus 8vs to intelligently control the outer skin temperature of the casting, maximising the thermal performance available to the amplifier in any environment. |