Hello,
I had a demo at my local dealer this weekend to listen to the new Cyrus 8XP as it was the clear amp upgrade to complement my relatively new CD8se. As recommended in this month’s what hifi I used the Spendor A5's to compliment the electronics and because they are the most likely speaker upgrade candidate.
So I loaded and listened to a variety of tunes from the likes of Massive Attack, Radiohead, Elgar, Pinkfloyd etc expecting to be overwhelmed by the highly regarded Cyrus electronics, yet this was not the outcome. Instead I found myself distracted by the intricate detail in which the music was presented. Now, this idea of transparency and detail is what I have always appreciated in modern hifi (that is why I went for the Cyrus 8se CDP over the Naim, Roksan, Arcam or Moon alternatives) however following this audition I came to the conclusion that using exclusively Cyrus electronic provides too much of a good thing. The experience wasn't unpleasant by any means but such an analytical character felt as though the music was being dictated rather than expressed, therefore I could not settle and enjoy the music.
As an alternative I tried the Naim Nait XS, yes the level of detail is not at the same level of the 8xp, however enough detail is conveyed from the CD8se. What the XS brings is shear enjoyment to complement the Cyrus detail. There is still a leading edge to each note but everything seems to flow much better than with the Cyrus. Essentially, contrary to expectations, the Cyrus/Naim combo is a pleasure to listen to and works better to my ears.
I suspect many will disagree, but this experience really advertises the requirement audition before you buy.
Cheers
I had a demo at my local dealer this weekend to listen to the new Cyrus 8XP as it was the clear amp upgrade to complement my relatively new CD8se. As recommended in this month’s what hifi I used the Spendor A5's to compliment the electronics and because they are the most likely speaker upgrade candidate.
So I loaded and listened to a variety of tunes from the likes of Massive Attack, Radiohead, Elgar, Pinkfloyd etc expecting to be overwhelmed by the highly regarded Cyrus electronics, yet this was not the outcome. Instead I found myself distracted by the intricate detail in which the music was presented. Now, this idea of transparency and detail is what I have always appreciated in modern hifi (that is why I went for the Cyrus 8se CDP over the Naim, Roksan, Arcam or Moon alternatives) however following this audition I came to the conclusion that using exclusively Cyrus electronic provides too much of a good thing. The experience wasn't unpleasant by any means but such an analytical character felt as though the music was being dictated rather than expressed, therefore I could not settle and enjoy the music.
As an alternative I tried the Naim Nait XS, yes the level of detail is not at the same level of the 8xp, however enough detail is conveyed from the CD8se. What the XS brings is shear enjoyment to complement the Cyrus detail. There is still a leading edge to each note but everything seems to flow much better than with the Cyrus. Essentially, contrary to expectations, the Cyrus/Naim combo is a pleasure to listen to and works better to my ears.
I suspect many will disagree, but this experience really advertises the requirement audition before you buy.
Cheers
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