HiFiheadphones
  • Home
  • News
  • Full Reviews
  • Brand Stories
  • Best Of
  • How-To’s
  • Videos
  • About Us
  • Shop
No Result
View All Result
HiFiheadphones
  • Home
  • News
  • Full Reviews
  • Brand Stories
  • Best Of
  • How-To’s
  • Videos
  • About Us
  • Shop
No Result
View All Result
HiFiheadphones
No Result
View All Result

Cyrus Soundkey Review – You Won’t be Fobbed Off

by Steve
February 23, 2018
in Full Reviews
Home Full Reviews

Cyrus Soundkey Portable USB DAC / Amp Review

Initially developed thanks to an ultra-successful kickstarter campaign, the Soundkey by Cyrus promises to upgrade the audio quality of mobile handsets and anything else able to feed it audio data, such as tablets and desktop computers.

Pros:

  • Huge audio upgrade for handsets and tablets
  • Excellent value
  • Tiny!

Cons:

  • Camera kit required for use with iPhones

Cyrus Soundkey

Design and Appearance

This little device is sleek, light and simple; there is nothing much to remark on other than the micro-B USB input and the 3.5mm output. The device is the size of a small cigarette lighter and is available in various colours. Included are two cables (one for micro USB-B and another for USB-A connections); these appear to be decent enough, but are each composed of differing materials. The micro USB-B cable is a fabric covered affair, whilst the USB-A cable is white and plastic coated. Given that this is to be used by Apple users in connection with the often required camera kit, it kind of makes sense.

The Soundkey is powered by the internal battery of the connected device; it does not have its own battery, but its low power consumption will not tax the device’s battery very much.

Durability and Build Quality

The device itself is solid and well constructed; it’s surprising that it only weighs 18 grams. The included cables are robust, and should stand up to a fair bit of use.

Cyrus Soundkey

Suitability for intended application

The Cyrus Soundkey is designed mainly to be used on the go, and the tiny size reflects this. It used to be that any external DAC would need to be strapped to the handset to keep things simple, but the Soundkey can sit on, and just be treated as part of a slightly extended cable given its diminutive presence.

It provides a boost to volume, so ensure your volume level is low on your handset when initially plugging in your earphones. The Soundkey is designed for portable headphones between 16 and 64 ohms which is a great majority of portable headphone/earphone models.

Cyrus Soundkey

Sound

The Cyrus Soundkey provides a much cleaner signal than many in-built DACs; many of which prove to be sound quality bottlenecks in any portable audio chain. This will be more apparent on higher quality earphones and headphones, and of course will open the way for anyone wanting to upgrade their earphones as these will no longer be limited by the internal DAC quality of portable devices.

Tighter, better audio control results in more noticeable harmonics to give music more texture, improved imaging and greater impact. It’s a good alternative to a separate, dedicated audio player if you are happier keeping all your tunes in one place, on your phone.

Summary

If you are wanting to upgrade your portable audio but don’t have bottomless pockets, the Cyrus Soundkey is a clear winner.

Cyrus Soundkey

Tags: androidaudiophilebest ampbest daccyruscyrus ampcyrus daccyrus reviewcyrus soundkeydac reviewiphonemobileportable ampportable DACsoundkeysoundkey dacusb dac

Related Posts

Cleer ARC 3 Review
Full Reviews

Cleer ARC 3 Review

December 9, 2024
Our guide on different options and why you might need the Faller OSKAR
Full Reviews

Our guide on different options and why you might need the Faller OSKAR

May 11, 2023
Faller Oskar
Full Reviews

Faller OSKAR TV Speaker Review

May 10, 2023

Comments 1

  1. Russell says:
    5 years ago

    I suspect my cable from dac to to apple camera cable is kaput..What replacement cable do you recommened.?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Featured Article

HiFiHeadphones Best Buy list

Recent Articles

  • Discover the Final DX6000: Out Now!
  • Final VR3000 Wireless is out Now!
  • iFi iDSD Valkyrie: Take Control of Your Sound
  • Final ZE3000 SV Out Now!
  • Gravastar Now Avaliable via Hifiheadphones
  • The Best Headphones & Earphones for Gaming 2025
  • The Best Headphones for Travelling 2025

Interested in a product?

If you have questions about a product please contact us directly through our contact form

Contact our Experts
Instagram Youtube Facebook
hifi headphones

Join Our Newsletter



Categories

  • Home
  • News
  • Full Reviews
  • Brand Stories
  • Best Of
  • How-To’s
  • Videos
  • About Us
  • Shop

About Hifiheadphones

  • About Us
  • Product Reviews
  • Buying Guides
  • Login

© 2020 Hifiheadphones. All rights reserved. Hifieadphones is a trading name of K&S Technology Limited, a company registered in England and Wales.
Company number: 05631601 A4 Dolphin Way, Shoreham-By-Sea, BN43 6NZ, United Kingdom

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Full Reviews
  • Brand Stories
  • Best Of
  • How-To’s
  • Videos
  • About Us
  • Shop

© 2020 Hifiheadphones. All rights reserved. Hifieadphones is a trading name of K&S Technology Limited, a company registered in England and Wales.
Company number: 05631601 A4 Dolphin Way, Shoreham-By-Sea, BN43 6NZ, United Kingdom

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.