The Cyrus 80 AMP: A New Chapter from a British Original
Someone in the showroom last month put it well. "I didn't think Cyrus did full-width." They don't — or rather, they didn't. The 80 AMP changes that, and it changes rather a lot else besides.
Cyrus have been making half-width components in Huntingdon since the 1980s. The format became part of the brand's identity: modular, stackable, distinctly British in its pragmatism. The 80 Series is the first time Cyrus have stepped outside that convention, and the reasons why are worth understanding.
Why Full-Width, Why Now
The half-width chassis was always a constraint as much as a character. Compact dimensions limit power supply headroom, restrict connectivity options, and make it harder to build streaming, DAC and amplification into a single unit without compromises. The full-width 80 AMP chassis gave the engineering team considerably more room — and they used it.
The result is a streaming integrated amplifier that brings together 150W per channel of Class A/B amplification, an ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M DAC with HyperStream IV technology supporting PCM to 24-bit/192kHz and DSD256, and the BluOS streaming platform — all in one box, without an external power supply in sight.
Everything in One Place
The connectivity list on the 80 AMP is not an afterthought. There is a built-in MM/MC phono stage for turntable users, an HDMI eARC input that allows the amplifier to serve as the hub for a television's audio, and a headphone amplifier for late-night listening. A 5-inch full-colour TFT display handles navigation and source switching. Roon Ready certification means it integrates cleanly into a Roon library without fuss.
For anyone who has spent years managing a collection of half-width boxes — separate streamer, separate DAC, separate phono stage — the 80 AMP makes a pointed argument for consolidation. One box, one power cable, one remote.
Not for Everyone — and That's Fine
The 80 AMP at £5,399 sits at a price point where the competition is serious. It is not the entry point to Cyrus, and it is not trying to be. If you want the Cyrus character — precise, controlled, rhythmically articulate — at a lower outlay, the half-width range remains very much available.
What the 80 AMP offers is that same character with considerably more power, more connectivity, and the convenience of a genuinely all-in-one solution. Whether that trade — more capability, larger footprint, higher price — is the right one depends entirely on what you're building towards.
Hear It at Martins Hi-Fi
The Cyrus 80 AMP is available at Martins Hi-Fi and worth hearing against the half-width alternatives to understand what the step up actually means in practice.
Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind. Dave and Chris can advise on how the 80 AMP fits into your system and whether it's the right move for where you're heading. Contact us at info@martinshifi.co.uk, call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.
