Cyrus 40 PPA Phono Preamplifier

The Cyrus 40 PPA is a dedicated phono preamplifier from Cyrus's flagship 40 Series, built for listeners who take vinyl seriously. It accepts up to four turntables simultaneously, supports both Moving Magnet and Moving Coil cartridges, and offers a degree of adjustability and build quality that places it firmly at the top of the phono stage market. If your record collection sits at the centre of your system, the 40 PPA is designed around that priority.

Four Inputs, Full Flexibility

Where most phono stages offer one or two inputs, the 40 PPA provides four — each independently configurable. MC inputs can be adjusted for gain in 5dB steps, along with resistance and capacitance loading, so you can dial in the correct termination for each cartridge without compromise. This matters because a poorly loaded cartridge will never perform at its best regardless of how good the downstream components are. The 40 PPA removes that variable entirely, giving you precise control over every source in the system.

RIAA Equalisation and Signal Path

The RIAA equalisation network is at the heart of any phono stage, and Cyrus have given the 40 PPA a precision implementation that maintains accuracy across the full audio band. The circuit is built around a high-capacity, low-noise DC power supply engineered to deliver extremely wide dynamic range — vinyl's wide dynamic swings, particularly on classical recordings, demand headroom that lesser designs simply cannot provide.

A warp filter is included to reduce bass excursion caused by warped records, protecting loudspeaker drive units from unnecessary stress. A ground lift switch addresses ground loop hum — a practical consideration that is easy to overlook at the design stage and genuinely frustrating to encounter in use.

Balanced and Unbalanced Outputs

The 40 PPA offers both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA outputs, giving you the flexibility to connect to virtually any preamplifier or integrated amplifier. Where your downstream amplification accepts balanced inputs, the XLR connection delivers the cleanest possible signal path and the greatest rejection of common-mode noise — a meaningful advantage at the signal levels a phono stage is working with.

Display, Controls and Remote

The 40 Series fascia design carries through to the 40 PPA: a 5-inch high-resolution TFT display, toughened glass front panel, and hidden-until-lit capacitive touch controls. Stereo output meters with peak hold functionality allow you to set MC gain accurately by eye. The included remote gives full control of the 40 PPA and integrates with other 40 Series components for unified system operation.

The 40 PSU Upgrade

Like all 40 Series components, the 40 PPA is designed to accept the optional Cyrus 40 PSU external power supply. For a phono stage — where the signals being amplified are among the smallest encountered anywhere in an audio system — a dedicated external power supply has a particularly meaningful impact on noise floor and low-level resolution. It is an upgrade worth considering from the outset.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The 40 PPA is for the serious vinyl listener who has invested in one or more quality turntables and wants a phono stage that will not be the weak link in the chain. It suits someone building a complete Cyrus 40 Series system, or anyone whose existing system has outgrown a built-in phono stage. If you are running a high-output MM or a low-output moving coil cartridge, the independent loading options per input make the 40 PPA exceptionally well suited to a multi-turntable setup or a collection of varied cartridges.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martin's 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 know the Cyrus range thoroughly and can demonstrate the 40 PPA alongside a range of turntables and cartridges in our Norwich showroom. If you are considering the 40 PPA as part of a wider Cyrus 40 Series system, or want to understand how it compares to other phono stage options at this level, we are well placed to advise.

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 Martin's page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.