Few names in the world of audio technology are as recognizable as Cyrus Audio.
The history of the manufacturer began in 1984 when the brand was spun off from loudspeaker manufacturer Mission. The goal was to create a sister brand that specializes in electronics to match the Mission speakers. Peter Bartlett, who had previously worked at NAD, was hired for this purpose and took over the management of the new company – a choice that would determine the marque’s fortunes for a long time to come. The very first product, the Cyrus One integrated amplifier, quickly achieved cult status with its outstanding sound quality, but above all with its striking half width design with the characteristic “control lip”, thus cementing the image that pops up in every audiophile’s head at the mention of the Cyrus Audio name even today.
In the years that followed, Cyrus Audio established itself as a major player in the audio industry and made a name for itself as one of the first manufacturers to promote the then brand new CD. The manufacturer’s first CD player, the dAD3, made a splash with its Servo Evolution CD engine. Its concept enabled superior error correction and is still used today, albeit in a form that has seen a number of evolutions.
After Cyrus and Mission each went their own way under different parent companies in the 1990s, Bartlett returned Cyrus to private ownership through a management – Cyrus continues to be a privately owned company to this day.
Under current CEO Nick Clarke, Cyrus continues to pursue its course of technological innovation in the familiar compact guise with the XR and Classic series. Congratulations, Cyrus Audio, on four decades of the iconic compact music boxes.