I have a suggestion or feedback about the Sprout integrated amplifier

Audio Components Integrateds
1

Hello Everyone :smiley:

I just registered and I did so cause I’ve been learning so much from Paul’s daily video.

Now, as for the suggestion!

The current Sprout100 is 599$ and althought that’s a very good for such a device. I’m pretty sure not everyone can afford that, especially the younger generation that are just getting started in their audiophile career. So I think there should a smaller or simpler Sprout; I call it the Sprout Jr. :slight_smile:

Remove the phono stage cause almost everyone now have most of their music stored in their PCs or they listen via cloud services. Remove the analog input cause in my opinion for those that are just getting started will rarely have a second amplifier or DAC or they want a sprout cause it’s an All-in-one package (what I mean by that is that it can used for loudspeaker and headphones).

I personally would love to get a Sprout100 and so a couple of my friends! If anything, I would even say that it’s the perfect integrated amp for me especially that it’s Class D cause I live in a really hot country. but 599$ is just too expensive for low budget audiophiles. I think 300$ would a perfect price point.

I undertand it’s not as simple as removing features to make it less expensive and that I’m biased cause I can’t afford it but I’m just providing feedback for PS audio to reach a wider customer base :smiley:

2

Maybe,and I say maybe, they could offer the Sprout with options, a build for your needs kind of thing.
Here in the US vinyl is very popular with younger people.
I am guessing that when they compare the Sprout to cheaper integrated amps, it is the phono preamp that they like seeing. I think people new to budget hi end, often use the headphone output on their PC, tablet, or phone. Not really aware of the benefits of the DAC.
Of course being 40 years older than those buying the Sprout as their first hi end component, I could be wrong. In my day an integrated amp came with a phono preamp, as vinyl, a cassette deck, and a tuner, were the norm.

3

I agree. I think they make the sprout customizable but that may impact their production line. Anyways, I know Paul likes the idea. He once mentioned that in an interview with Stereophile.

4

not that this thread is for “all” suggestions or feedback, but…

Loving it so far, but two things I’d change:

  1. Change the input selector to allow it to be controlled by the remote.

  2. instead of “Digital” as an input source, where USB trumps TOSLINK, allow separate input selections for both. (So you can select TOSLINK individually, instead of having to remove/power off USB to use it.)