Too cute!!! PS Audio Sprout100.

[Al Acuff]

If we have any Sprout100 owners in our community I'm curious to hear an owner's opinion of the PS Audio Sprout 100 Has anyone here listened to one?

Haven't heard it myself but I'm considering buying this tiny $599 integrated amp to see if it can actually replace pricey, bulky, audiophile type hifi components. I want to downsize without giving up too much sound quality. There's a 30 day trial period during which you can return the unit if not pleased. Low risk so I'll probably take the risk and order one this week.

FWIW I'm thinking the sound can't come close to gear costing ten times as much but it might come close. You don't want to underestimate the value of good engineering. And it's such a kool design. Looks like it's perfect for a small room vinyl system which is what I have in mind, or perhaps for powering a pair of passive studio monitors.

Have you heard this puppy? Please tell me what you think.

[muscmp]

very expensive but may do the trick for you. i had thought about doing the ampcamp diy build by nelson pass, but i have too many other projects in line.

you may want to post on audiokarma to see what recommendations you may receive.

play music!

[Al Acuff]

Nelson Pass is a genius! I built the Pass Labs Pearl Phono stage project and it sounded very nice However it was expensive to build and no resale value.

I pulled the trigger this morning and ordered the Sprout100. When you're comparing it to a preamp/poweramp combo that retails for $5K the $599 price tag seems cheap.

[muscmp]

yes, it is all relative. hope it sounds great.

play music!

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Al Acuff

…Please tell me what you think.

Hi AA

Buy a cheap BlueTooth speaker and only listen to your music through it for a month. Even your inexpensive home TV system will sound genius!!

[Al Acuff]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi AA

Buy a cheap BlueTooth speaker and only listen to your music through it for a month. Even your inexpensive home TV system will sound genius!!

That's true.

I have to admit I got spoiled back when I was an editorial assistant at a hifi magazine here in Santa Fe. I got to borrow and listen to some really wonderful vinyl playback gear. There are systems that can fool your ears by placing the musicians in the room with you. Alas I can't afford that stuff. Ironically, the guys with that kinda money have very little time to enjoy it. They're busy working for the money.

When I listen to music I like to play guitar along with records so I want to hear what the other musicians are playing without working too hard at it. If the playback is clear and detailed it's faster and easier to cop licks.

Very few musicians are audiophiles and that includes famous musicians that can afford the high end hifi gear. No one seems to know why musicians are content to use lamp cord for speaker wire but mostly they are. Audiophiles on the other hand spend thousands of dollars on wire alone. My guess at an explanation is that musicians listen to the music and audiophiles listen to the equipment.

[muscmp]

Originally Posted by Al Acuff

My guess at an explanation is that musicians listen to the music and audiophiles listen to the equipment.

that has always shocked me too as to why musicians don't have good gear. especially since they are not hearing all of the music.

guess i'm rare in that i listen to music but thru a good system.

play music!

[Al Acuff]

Originally Posted by muscmp

that has always shocked me too as to why musicians don't have good gear. especially since they are not hearing all of the music.

guess i'm rare in that i listen to music but thru a good system.

play music!

In my youth I was privileged to sit in on sessions produced by hit record producer Mike Chapman at MCA Whitney. He was producing some frined of mine at the time. That studio had custom monitors that I just loved but when the rough mix cassettes were passed out the musicians and singers ran for their car stereos with their cassettes in hand LOL

There are days when the music biz gives me the blues so bad that I almost forget why I own guitars. Then I put on a record of Merle Travis, Doc Watson, Clarence White, etc. and I fall in love with acoustic guitar music all over again. If a playback system takes me to that place it's a good system regardless of how it measures.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Al Acuff

That's true.

I have to admit I got spoiled back when I was an editorial assistant at a hifi magazine here in Santa Fe. I got to borrow and listen to some really wonderful vinyl playback gear.

Hi Al

Yup, been there and still own some of that equipment.

But once I turned 55 and began playing substantially better, my equipment took a back seat to being around serious player/singers, and students who were making major progress.

I still have a great system in our den (where the TV is) but it's 8 or 9 years old now and long in the tooth (only a 5.1 system). I have to say, when i'm in a high end store and hear the awesome equipment it makes me drool for minute or two, but then when I get home...I adjust quickly.

I have really good headphones and ear-buds, and 70 year old ears, so when I want detailed, flat, high end sound - my equipment outperforms my ears these days.

You knew I was funnin' with you…






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[Al Acuff]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Al
I have really good headphones and ear-buds, and 70 year old ears, so when I want detailed, flat, high end sound - my equipment outperforms my ears these days.

One reason I ordered the Sprout amp is that it has a headphone jack built in. My expensive audiophile line stage preamp has none. Why do designers do that? Do they want us to pay extra for a stand alone headphone amplifier? It sure will be nice to plug in my good headphones and enjoy my music at night with the windows open and no fear of waking my neighbors.

Like you I find it amusing that us old guys (65 here) enjoy high end hifi gear although we probably aren't hearing much beyond 12 KHz. I also agree with you about making music with friends. It's always a thrill. IMO it's the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

[Al Acuff]

The Sprout100 arrived and it sounds great and is easy to use. It can drive my LS50 monitors to rock and roll volumes. I'm running a single sub from the Sprout's subwoofer output.

There's a surprise I didn't expect. It's how much better the DAC sounds compared with the Cirrus DAC built in to my Marantz CD player. The Sprout's Saber DAC sounds better! I'll be using the Marantz 8004 as a transport from now on.

FWIW I would definitely recommend the Sprout100 to a friend. Look how tiny it is compared to my phono preamp and my CD player. It doesn't sound small at all.