PS Audio Sprout100

Just in case anyone is interested, the new PS Audio Sprout100 is now shipping.... I received my first two units in today. Some good upgrades to the 100 over the first Sprout (100 watts, remote control, dsd, analog in, etc).

Sprout100 Integrated Amplifier

 

V1 got good reviews, curious how they did, beyond the specs.

 

Highly recommend Goldprint. Bought my Gibbon 88's there and couldn't ask for a better experience!!

 

I'm never going to be able to adequately explain why their decision to name the phono input "vinyl" enrages me. I actually clicked the link in hopes they changed this on the second revision.

 

At least it uses an ESS Sabre 9016 DAC. That's decent at least.

 

Does it sound better than the 50 w. version ...?

 

I bought the original Sprout (50W) a while back to use in a second system, with intent to give it to my daughter when she gets her own place. Driving a pair of Epos epic2's very nicely. Logical layout and features. Very happy with it.

 

Does anyone know, did they flatten out the original Sprout's LF response? From Stereophile:

I understand that might sound good on some small speakers, but I would not want a piece of electronics with that kind of response built in and non-defeatable.

 

At this point, I guess we either to get used to it, or just die off.

 

According to their new specs, it is +/-1dB from 20-20kHz. So this low hump should be gone.

And speaking of specs, I guess we now discuss amplifier power relative to a 4ohm load? My knee-jerk reaction is to call the Sprout100 a 50WPC amp, and the Sprout a 33WPC amp. You know, using the specified power at 8ohms, not 4.

 

It baffles me why they didn't take the thoroughly modern approach and speak directly to their base and label it "vinyls" input. Really, what were they thinking?

 

The original Sprout had a built in bass boost that you could not disable, or so I read. They thought with the little speakers most buyers would be using the boost would help.The new model has a defeat able bass boost. I'm hoping Stereophile mentioned that in their measurements.

 

100% correct....new Sprout100 has defeatable bass boost (old Sprout did not).

 

I suppose they figured vinyl was intuitive enough for a customer to be able to figure out its where they connect their vinyl player. (Once you hear a person refer to a vinyl player, you're no longer capable of being upset about "vinyls" )

 

Or a vinyl 'deck'.

 

Got to play around with my demo Sprout100 a little yesterday. I was able to put a few hours on it. Really neat little piece of gear (don't know how PS fit everything it can do in that little box! lol)
In short, I'm pretty impressed already with how this thing sounds. I was not a PS dealer at the time of the original Sprout, so I don't really have a reference point as to comparisons b/t the two, but this one is killer for the price point ($599). The included remote control is for sure a good addition.

Anybody looking for an inexpensive bedroom/office/headphone setup, I think this is no-brainer option to consider for sure!

 

PTA just published this review.

Review: PS Audio Sprout 100 DAC/Integrated Amplifier

 

Keep in mind that part of the target demographic of the Sprout are millennials in one bedroom apartments or in dorm rooms. They know "vinyl" better than the term "phono", I'd imagine. So this is probably more to avoid calls into customer support than anything. It would have been funny if they names the "Bluetooth" input as "iPhone" though!

 

Thanks for the heads up!

 

Sure, I understand the rationale, but as a who is just a few years removed from being an old millennial vs. a young gen Xer, I'm pretty sure they'd have been able to figure out the proper nomenclature. Making the decision even more odd IMO is right next to it is a line input marked "analog". So one must be sure not to plug their analog turntable into the analog input or else their vinyls will be too quiet.

I'll offer as the counter-argument that we've all owned preamps or receivers that had a "VCR 2" input, and even inputs marked CD feel quaint to me at this point, so maybe its good to keep up with the times. I'll admit I've never once plugged a phonograph into the phono input.

 

Yeah. I totally hear you. You have to know that this screams "marketing" and probably makes the engineer who designed this lovely piece of kit cringe!! It's really a great little unit. PS Audio makes great amps, especially for the money. I actually have the Stellar M700 monoblocks and they consistently blow my socks off. Metaphorically, of course. Otherwise, I'd have no socks at all, and that would just be weird.

 

It does have som noise problems disabling and enable bass boost and with the headphone and bass boost

 

What do you, or anybody else for that matter, think about the revamped DAC and phono stage?

 

I'm glad to see they made the bass boost defeatable. Now, with a "subwoofer output" is there any kind of high-pass filter provision at all?