StereoNET (English)

This amplifier offers excellent sound quality at the price, but in a lovely, small and neat package with excellent build quality.

Trusted Reviews (English)

If it’s sonic fidelity, excitement and entertainment you came for, well, the Cyrus i9-XR is the amplifier for you.

AV Forums (English)

Ed Selley from AV Forums takes us through his thoughts on the i9-XR integrated amplifier.

Hi-Fi Choice (English)

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of what the Cyrus can do is that it is able to rival some equivalently priced designs that are analogue input only, while offering connectivity that they cannot match.

STEREO.de (English)

The XR series scores highly thanks to fine detail and a new, even higher quality level. A highly musical experience!

HiFi & Music Source (English)

I’m bound to say I am enjoying the i9-XR, and it is clearly an accurate, agile, and punchy little thing and it is driving the speakers along with gusto.

Hifi Stars (German)

New Cyrus XR series products come into the market with high expectations. Maintaining the usual compact design of the British manufacturer and at the same time moving into the high-end category of integrated amplifiers and CD players was a technical challenge. The ten years of development work has paid off – the result speaks for itself!”

Audio Test (German)

“Listening to it in combination with CDi-XR is a real joy. Everything is right: imaging, dynamics, fine details, etc.”

Audiotechnique (Chinese)

“It is very exceptional for small system shows an ideal soundstage. The music instruments are neat and organized. Openness, directness and main images served up close personal are the great music presentation from CYRUS.”

Hifi.nl (Dutch)

“Cyrus wants to prove with the i9-XR that you can also expect high-end performance from something that is a fraction of the size of a typical hi-fi device. A mission in which the British largely succeed, because small clearly does not stand for weak here. The small size has some consequences for the user comfort, such as a smaller screen (which is very rich in contrast) and a busy back panel. However, they do not detract from the core values of the Cyrus i9-XR: playing your music in high quality and in a warm, intimate way, even on Goliath speakers that are many times larger than this little David.” 

Stereo i Kolorowo (Polish)

“Although the i9-XR sounds like a typical Cyrus, the overall tangibility and vividness of the sound have been improved here. This modernized aesthetic is best characterized by three simple words: timbre, power and emotion. And the fourth – resolution, because it is present here in a high measure. Therefore, with a clear conscience, I put the newly launched Cyrus i9-XR on an honorary shelf with the inscription “5/5 recommendation”!”

Fairaudio (German)

“This English amplifier is incredibly fast and accurate, without being overly exaggerated or becoming uncomfortable for the listener. For those who prefer cosy and smooth – look elsewhere. That doesn’t mean the Cyrus i9-XR cannot sound smooth, quite the opposite. But its most obvious characteristic is a fast, dynamic sound with excellent definition and clarity. Think of the most powerful version of a Mini.”

AV Guide (Swiss)

“This compact beauty has what it takes to scare many heavyweight competitors. In any case, you never have the feeling that you are underpowered with just 2 x 90 watts. More importantly, the i9-XR drives very good speakers with ease and this results in tonal openness and spatial transparency. The technology takes a back seat when it comes to music reproduction. The integrated HiRes DAC is excellent, as is the phono MM stage which satisfies even more demanding users. The price/performance ratio of this Brit is excellent.”

Hifi & Records (German)

“The i9-XR remains stable with large loudspeakers and is able to drive them with courage. In addition, the amp comes with a wide range of features, including five digital inputs.”

Hifi Review (Chinese)

“The sound has a texture, not particularly strong, and there is no obvious warm sound orientation, just good enough. The hall sound is the same, enough is good enough to bring you a sense of openness, while listening to the huge venue without affecting other frequency range, nor pursuing gorgeous, beautiful, it sounds like that you are listening to the “reality”.”

Hi-fi+ (English)

“At this sort of money, the i9-XR is spectacularly short of alternatives that can rival its level of insight, its well-controlled perkiness or its out-and-out fidelity. The addition of all those digital inputs is a fine and sensible idea, and the quality of its phono stage is not up for question.”

Audio-Vision Online (Hungarian)

“Enthusiasts of Cyrus design and sound character simply must listen to this [i9-XR + CDt-XR] combination if they are curious what the British manufacturer currently offers at the top of its high-end range. For those who adhere to components with classic dimensions, a replacement is worth considering. […] now they offer another compelling argument to change our habits, because in this case the quality of music is also a main focus.”

The Perfect Sound Vision (Chinese)

“The CYRUS i9-XR is the best of the best and the supreme integrated amplifier from the CYRUS product range. The i9-XR is an obvious contender for best one-box performer. Further, it challenges and may even better many of today’s state-of-the-art amplifier front ends in its ability to convey music’s emotional content. That is quite an accomplishment.”

Hifi & Musik (Swedish)

The Cyrus Duo [Stream-XR + i9-XR] was a marvel of airy and dynamically fast sound, which typically characterises electronics with low feedback. Yes, the duo was truly a lively and fresh breeze compared to the (cheaper) streaming amplifiers we simultaneously tested.

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