The long-awaited PSU-XR has landed at Audio T Enfield, and it was most certainly worth the wait! The flagship range from Cyrus continues to grow (not to mention the imminent release of something top secret), and this particular power supply certainly gives you bang for your buck in terms of upgrading your kit.

What did we see?

Cyrus have stuck to their signature, compact design, ensuring it will snuggly fit into any corner of your home or alongside its sibling components on the Hark 3 Modular Hi-Fi Shelf. The once green display has followed suit with the rest of the XR products and is now a lovely light blue colour. Of course the PSU-XR doesn’t have a display screen, instead the blue is used for the standby button when switched on. Like the other gear in the range, it is available in a simple Phantom Black finish.

The PSU-XR draws on their long history of power supply design. Cyrus has always been an industry leader in supplying clean, dependable, and 'stiff' external upgrade power supplies since the first PSX. 'Stiffness' is crucial, as the voltage must stay entirely steady even when huge loads are applied. To supply a startling amount of power, the PSU-XR features the biggest toroidal transformer Cyrus have ever utilised, together with some incredibly efficient load control circuits.

The PSU-XR is capable of delivering 'precise' power needs to three distinct circuits on the host device, considerably improving the performance of any XR product with which it is utilised. Advanced microprocessor controls, relay switching, entirely independent 'grounds' to reduce 'noise transmission,' and a future-proof architecture are just a few of the features.

What did we hear?

We listened to Seal’s classic track ‘Kiss From a Rose’ and I couldn’t think of a more perfect track for the demonstration. We listened on just the i9-XR and CDi-XR first and then again, this time with the PSU-XR. We all heard one major improvement as soon as the PSU-XR was switched on; the sound became more ‘spherical’, meaning along with the sound-stage having ‘width’, it now had plenty of ‘depth’ too. The vocals came forward, and everything just sounded more full.

What are the specs?

image taken from the official cyrus website

1 x Output connector for compatible Cyrus XR products

Low voltage supply
Standby mode +5V DC
Operational +5V DC
Fixed voltage supply
Standby mode 0V
Operational ±24V DC
Variable supply
Standby mode 0V
Regulated ±10V to ±45V DC
Unregulated ±45V or ±56V DC
Size (H x W x D)
75 x 215 x 355 mm (2.95” x 8.46” x 13.98”)
Weight
7.7kg (17lbs)

Say what?!

Whoever said you need to upgrade an entire component in a system isn’t entirely correct. Sure, it will definitely elevate your Hi-Fi to the next level, but what if you don’t want to get rid of a perfectly working amp or CD player? What if it simply needs a bit of a facelift? Well that’s exactly what adding the PSU-XR does. That added bit of power most certainly fills the gap in a soundstage you didn’t know was there, but once you’ve heard it, you can’t really ‘un-hear’ it…

But of course you’ll have to be the judge of that! Pop in for a demonstration and go with your ears instead of your head or heart, trust me - you won’t want to miss out on this one. Contact us to book yourself in!

Give your local Audio T store a call to find out more information about the products listed, and if you’re just passing by, why not pop in and take a look at them too?!

Thanks for reading!

Elena, John & Richard – Audio T Enfield

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

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