Neverending story....ended?

[max337]

After selling the Arcam/MA RS6 combo I had, I've picked up a couple of bargains for testing and have thrown my first system together since.

1. I need something to listen to.
2. To test what I want and don't want from my stereo.

I picked up a brand new pair of PMC TB2+ speakers for what I thought was a very good £550 and a Cyrus 6xp for £350.

I first connected to PMC s to the Arcam and the difference was immediate. Felt leaner yet much more detailed. I felt it lost out to sheer bass but what there was was taught, tight and controlled.

I heard things that were previously in the background brought to the fore. For someone who doesn't experiment much with systems it was odd but a good new sound.

Then connected the PMC to the Cyrus. Things seemed to get tighter still. Curious.

I'm not much cop at critical descriptions but its a sound I could enjoy. However, I don't have speaker stands, they are hardly positioned well and am noticing differences between the flac files I throw at it. Both components being new, I'm aware that time is needed to 'burn in' settle, whatever. Some sound awesome and some disappointing. This being the quality of recording or ripping I think.

This combo seems more suited to certain music but then again, it could be any of the above causing this. Depeche Mode for example, has the mids and tops pushed forward, revealing detail and different texture to sounds I know off by heart. Their bass, as mentioned seems thinner. Alas this could simply be how the recording is meant to be.

What a minefield of variables and subjectivity this all is. I'm enjoying it though. 😀

 

[plastic penguin]

What Arc do you have?

I've found with Cyrus they can grate a little over longer periods. Great for short listening sessions, but their tight, detailed presentation can sound a little sterile (this was based on the 8VS2, though).

At the end of the day, there's no magic hi-fi wand. The best sound is the sound you can live with.

 

[drummerman]

What Arc do you have?

I've found with Cyrus they can grate a little over longer periods. Great for short listening sessions, but their tight, detailed presentation can sound a little sterile (this was based on the 8VS2, though).

At the end of the day, there's no magic hi-fi wand. The best sound is the sound you can live with.

Mmmhh, oddly enough, my experience is somewhat different. I do wonder if the name cyrus (sounds somewhat colder than Arcam ... geddit?) has something to do with this pre-conception that cyrus sounds 'lean' and 'bright'?

I find the cyrus sound quite 'dense' and 'solid', depicting the colour of music well (I should know better than getting into this hifi gobbledigug speak). It portrais an even picture.

What you gain by moving to the 8 series is a slightly better balance, less mid orientated and then there's the benefit of the PSX-R.

Arcam, on the other hand, had this somewhat pronounced but very clear treble and a slightly woolly bass with good sound stage at cost to solidity of tone in the middle (A38/28).

Not better or worse, just slightly different.

What is undisputed though is that cyrus amplifiers always measure well and have very low distortion. There is no reason to assume they sound edgy. Much more likely down to the speakers.

Anyway, to the OP; I would just live with the new combination for a couple of weeks and then decide which path to take.

Should the cyrus/pmc fail to satisfy and a cyrus further up the ladder is not wanted, perhaps try BelCanto as an alternative.

Good luck

 

[plastic penguin]

What Arc do you have?

I've found with Cyrus they can grate a little over longer periods. Great for short listening sessions, but their tight, detailed presentation can sound a little sterile (this was based on the 8VS2, though).

At the end of the day, there's no magic hi-fi wand. The best sound is the sound you can live with.

Mmmhh, oddly enough, my experience is somewhat different. I do wonder if the name cyrus (sounds somewhat colder than Arcam ... geddit?) has something to do with this pre-conception that cyrus sounds 'lean' and 'bright'?

I find the cyrus sound quite 'dense' and 'solid', depicting the colour of music well (I should know better than getting into this hifi gobbledigug speak). It portrais an even picture.

What you gain by moving to the 8 series is a slightly better balance, less mid orientated and then there's the benefit of the PSX-R.

Arcam, on the other hand, had this somewhat pronounced but very clear treble and a slightly woolly bass with good sound stage at cost to solidity of tone in the middle (A38/28).

Not better or worse, just slightly different.

What is undisputed though is that cyrus amplifiers always measure well and have very low distortion. There is no reason to assume they sound edgy. Much more likely down to the speakers.

Anyway, to the OP; I would just live with the new combination for a couple of weeks and then decide which path to take.

Should the cyrus/pmc fail to satisfy and a cyrus further up the ladder is not wanted, perhaps try BelCanto as an alternative.

Good luck

DM, as I've mentioned so many times, I had the 8VS2 on home dem twice, but connected to my old RS6s. Have heard the old Cyrus 8 with Dyns Audience, and latterly 8 XP with B&W PM1 and GX100s, which was a vast improvement on my home dem.

 

[adamrobertshaw]

As someone who got carried away (and still gets carried away) with searching for more and more detail, I'll add the following.

My higher end set up in my lounge is the result of bringing my Cyrus and PMC system as far as I think it will go. That is to say enough detail, balance, even tonality and weight to keep me very happy.

My second system, that I'm listening to now, is just right too. No PSX-R, no beefed up pre-amp, no separate power amps. The Monitor Audio GX50, single-wired, feel right at home in this set up.

Previously I'd knackered this second system up by adding a PSX-R and power amp with bi-wire; the results were hard / edgy / tiring on a long listen. Alas the GX50 had become unmatched. But with set back to the beginning, all is well.

So as Drummerman wrote, we'll keep fingers crossed that you find your Cyrus / PMC combo keeps growing on you.

 

[max337]

What Arc do you have?

I've found with Cyrus they can grate a little over longer periods. Great for short listening sessions, but their tight, detailed presentation can sound a little sterile (this was based on the 8VS2, though).

At the end of the day, there's no magic hi-fi wand. The best sound is the sound you can live with.

I have (had) an A85. Its sold but yet to be collected. Very nice and I was extremely happy with it but of course once you hear another, different sounding, system, you think wow, the older one sounded tubbier etc. Strictly speaking that's not necessarily true, more the new system is cleaner, leaner, analytical etc etc.

Everything is a compromise and I seem to have compromised some bass for clarity and detail. I thought that would be a bad thing, but it isn't.

The PMCs have bass but I think from an early age I focus too much on that. Now, I'm probably hearing the tunes more 'accurately'.

 

[max337]

What Arc do you have?

I've found with Cyrus they can grate a little over longer periods. Great for short listening sessions, but their tight, detailed presentation can sound a little sterile (this was based on the 8VS2, though).

At the end of the day, there's no magic hi-fi wand. The best sound is the sound you can live with.

Mmmhh, oddly enough, my experience is somewhat different. I do wonder if the name cyrus (sounds somewhat colder than Arcam ... geddit?) has something to do with this pre-conception that cyrus sounds 'lean' and 'bright'?

I find the cyrus sound quite 'dense' and 'solid', depicting the colour of music well (I should know better than getting into this hifi gobbledigug speak). It portrais an even picture.

What you gain by moving to the 8 series is a slightly better balance, less mid orientated and then there's the benefit of the PSX-R.

Arcam, on the other hand, had this somewhat pronounced but very clear treble and a slightly woolly bass with good sound stage at cost to solidity of tone in the middle (A38/28).

Not better or worse, just slightly different.

What is undisputed though is that cyrus amplifiers always measure well and have very low distortion. There is no reason to assume they sound edgy. Much more likely down to the speakers.

Anyway, to the OP; I would just live with the new combination for a couple of weeks and then decide which path to take.

Should the cyrus/pmc fail to satisfy and a cyrus further up the ladder is not wanted, perhaps try BelCanto as an alternative.

Good luck

Thanks. Yup. I agree, along with all the variables if component matching, cables, speakers and placement I think the human factor does play a part. I was pleasantly surprised by my first listen as was expecting harsh, bright, brittle blah blah blah. This is one thing I can prevent at least. Agreed also about the Arcam sound. At times the highs grated on me. Rare, but with certain music it was constant. As you say, no better/worse just different.

I will be running it in for a good few weeks to see what I think if it ran in. At the minute I'm pretty taken with it and at a bargain price.

I also managed to secure a Rega DAC, new for £300. I'll replace my HRT one with it and see what happens. Sadly the 6xp won't take a PSX but for now I feel I don't need it.

 

[max337]

As someone who got carried away (and still gets carried away) with searching for more and more detail, I'll add the following.

My higher end set up in my lounge is the result of bringing my Cyrus and PMC system as far as I think it will go. That is to say enough detail, balance, even tonality and weight to keep me very happy.

My second system, that I'm listening to now, is just right too. No PSX-R, no beefed up pre-amp, no separate power amps. The Monitor Audio GX50, single-wired, feel right at home in this set up.

Previously I'd knackered this second system up by adding a PSX-R and power amp with bi-wire; the results were hard / edgy / tiring on a long listen. Alas the GX50 had become unmatched. But with set back to the beginning, all is well.

So as Drummerman wrote, we'll keep fingers crossed that you find your Cyrus / PMC combo keeps growing on you.

Cheers. I'm taken with what I have but hope I don't succumb to upgraditis unless necessary.

Your systems both appear excellent and I'm glad you've got the sound you want. In the end. Seems the two companies do mesh well, not to everyone's tastes but what is? I feel something is lacking slightly but that may be me, the track, positioning or newness.

A great start mind!