Well known in the European audiophile community, British hi-fi manufacturer Cyrus Electronics is preparing for the introduction of its brand in America. The company says it plans to use the upcoming 2002 Consumer Electronics Show next month to scout out US dealers and introduce several new products.Cyrus' team of engineers developed Mission's first CD player, the PCM 7000, in 1984, and then created the first Cyrus-branded product the following year, the Cyrus 1 amplifier. Since then, the company has developed an entire line of audio products, including the latest generation of its $7000 Icon loudspeaker, the X4, which will debut at the show.By the early '90s, Cyrus' parent, Mission, had become a listed company on the UK stock exchange, transforming itself into Verity by buying speaker company Wharfedale, among others. By 1995, Verity began development of the NXT flat-panel speaker technology and changed its name to NXT two years later. This move coincided with the decision to sell all of its various manufacturing subsidiaries including Quad, Wharfedale, Roksan, and Mission, with only Cyrus remaining.
In 1998, NXT's Board appointed independent management at Cyrus and formed a separate company, Cyrus Electronics, Ltd. Over the next three years, Cyrus replaced all of its models with fresh designs from the new team now running the company as an independent manufacturer, and by the end of the decade had launched its first AV processor/preamp and loudspeaker. Cyrus' Peter Bartlett explains that, although often seen by those attending past CES shows, the brand as a whole is new to the US public, so many people will be encountering Cyrus for the first time. "More importantly," Bartlett says, "the enthusiasts that remember Cyrus will find a very different company. No longer linked to a mass market speaker manufacturer, we have successfully repositioned ourselves between the audiophile sector and the lifestyle buyers. Our hi-fi products are considered high-end in Europe."Regarding distribution in the US, Bartlett says the company has not appointed anyone as yet. "Our reason for visiting CES is to find the right partner. We want a professional distributor who is capable of understanding our strong culture and can help develop a market in the more forward-thinking audio dealers. We want to start small and grow a dealer network of well-trained, committed dealers." Interested parties may contact Peter Bartlett at p.bartlett@cyrusaudio.com.
