I’m new here. I have an older Cambridge Topaz SR10, a pair of PARADIGM ATOM V6 BOOKSHELF SPEAKERS and an upgraded Rega planar 2. I like the sound, but even with the Amp cranked up, it’s not terribly loud and the quality of the sound deteriorates a bit. I believe the amp is rated at 85/wpc at 8ohms.
If I added the Sprout100, would I experience a noticeable upgrade in quality of sound and power?
So, I am wondering if I should buy a Sprout100 or if I should be looking at a more powerful integrated amp.
The Atoms are great little speakers, but they do not play all that loud. Played too loud, the sound falls apart. My guess is this is the source of your disappointment as they are easy to drive; i.e., more power is not going to get you more volume.
Thus, while I think the Sprout will sound better, it will not help the Atoms play louder.
Thanks for that feedback. What about that Sprout / Elac Package on the site? Would that be a plus over what I am running?.. I have a max budget of $1000 to $1500 for speakers/amp- I already have a decent TT. I want a nice set up for my LPs and bluetooth would also be a plus, but not necessary.
I do not have the experience do comment on whether the Elac B6.2 speakers play more loudly. Perhaps someone here can compare them with the Atoms.
It may be worth your time to do some Internet searching for reviews of the Elacs to see if anyone comments on their ability to play loud.
Keep in mind however small speaker can only move so much air and you may be looking for a bigger speaker experience than bookshelf speakers can deliver.
I did buy the Sprout / Elac package and it plays plenty loud at work where it is located. I did add a JL Audio sub that wasn’t being used. It is a really nice compact relatively inexpensive system. I have not seen or heard the Atoms so cant comment on any difference. I think that the Sprout combo is also covered by the 30 day return policy but you would have to inquire to be sure.
I had a pair of Paradigm monitors for years and they did a great job at lower levels. Smooth highs and pleasant mids. When pushing their limits, the sound started to collapse and the drivers would distort pretty easily.
The 6.2s with the Sprout will do a better job at higher volumes. To fully get the experience of bigger/more sound, I highly recommend getting a subwoofer in the system. With a sub, you’ll notice being much more content with the sound at lower levels. Your Rega P2 is a fantastic TT and will pair very nicely with the Sprout100.
I had the Sprout for about 3 months and loved it, I have since moved up the PS Audio chain. The Sprout played plenty loud with my Dali Rubicon 2 speakers and I even tried them out with an older set of Elac 6.2’s and they really sounded good. Happy hunting…
You might try the Sprout100 with Klipsch RP-600m bookshelf speakers and a Klipsch SPL-100 subwoofer. I have that combo in my office, and it is a very nice system.
Seems like folks love this Sprout in their office or for a secondary system… or it led them to wanting an even more involved set-up.
Today, I ventured out into town… and we have one good home audio store. I went in and the salesman showed me a several hundred thousand dollar McIntosh System with speakers that match… It cost as much as my house, my car and my college loans from Yale University.
After we negotiated my budget, he showed me the Rega Brio with some Magnepan LRS speakers. These speakers were around $700. The next most affordable pair they had started at around $2100…
In any case, the Brio and Magnepan’s sound so much better than what I currently have.
I wasn’t interested in buying from this store because it is a bit out of my budget. I could probably afford the Brio and Magnepan set up, but the Magnepans are a bit too large and the Brio would require me to spend more money to get a streamer… All of their other combinations brought me into the $3500+ range…
Despite this, I did get extremely excited about the prospect of upgrading my current system.
The Sprout checks off so many boxes for me, but again, if I paired it with some really good speakers under $700, will it reproduce the euphoria I experienced with the BRIO and Magnepans?
The room I am in is approximately 10 feet wide and 25 feet long. Ceiling is 8 1/2 feet. Older house with very solid walls.
I am not looking to shake the house, but I do want very detailed and rich sound at higher volumes.
I would suggest, being patient and supporting your local HiFi shop especially if you enjoyed your experience. If you and other don’t, soon there won’t be any local shops for others to have your experience.
I am sure the Sprout 100 is a great product for the price. But, a switching amp wlll not sound as good a class A/B Rega integrated amp in the treble.
I would suggest you give the Ascend Acoustics CMT- 340 SE’s a look. I have owned a pair for over a decade and used them as the fronts and center in a former HT setup. At 90 db efficient they will give you plenty of volume and solid bass into the low 40’s. The money is spent on the drivers and crossover and not on the utilitarian cabinet. You could buy them, their stands and the Sprout and still be within your budget.
I do believe in supporting local business… I think they are a chain… Overture Audio… In any case, there isn’t a single pair of speakers that I can afford on my budget that would fit in my space… The bookshelves they had started around $2000… I’m more in the $500-$700 range for speakers.
Almost everything is quite out of my price range… They sell Caviar and I am on more of a Sushi budget. They had 3 amps under $2000… with the BRIO being the most affordable at $1100. They had a Rogue and Marantz around $1600… The BRIO was, however, on my list of AMPs to check out. I do like it, but I would have to buy a streamer… So back up to $1500+/- Then add speakers… I’m up to $3000-$3500 if I shop at Overture.
I want to upgrade my AMP and Speakers soon. I have a few bucks now and I am working from home for the next several months.
Some patience would pay off as I am fairly ignorant and don’t want to rush into something and be disappointed later.
You will get a lot of good suggestions from this group. If you need to stay under $1000 for a pair of speakers you might look at Tekton Design. They have a big product line and various cabinet sizes to match almost any room or system. They are also very efficient and will play loud with not much power. Eric is easy to contact and they have a money back guarantee but you have to pay shipping back.
If not universally accepted, please point us towards either a reference switching amp and/or one which is not rolled off -3 db or more by 40k to 50k Hz.
With $500-700 to spend, I would strongly consider used speakers if you are comfortable. Before purchasing, consider what you want the speakers to do beyond your current setup (eg just louder, more bass, sound separation), along with the footprint (how tall, wide, deep) you are willing to consider. I would create a list and rate your priorities.
Once you have these goals, then do as much research as possible on speaker strong points in these areas; ask a bunch of questions and this group will look to guide you as much as possible.
Good luck on your quest - it can be frustrating, but also a lot of fun on this journey.
This was me. Wanted a system for my den/office, and I got a Sprout100 at the end of 2018. It’s a nice, compact, versatile amplifier. Bluetooth, Analog, USB, Phono stage, etc…
But I simply couldn’t find speakers I liked with it (tried PSB Imagine B, Focal Aria 906, Harbeth P3ESR, along with a subwoofer), so I went in search of other amplification. (The Class-D argument I think is valid, but not universal. Some call the sound accurate and clear, others find it thin and lean.)
I found a used Audiolab 8000A integrated amp on craigslist that wound up being half the cost and much more rich, satisfying and involving to my ears. (And everyone’s ears are different amiright?)
I just couldn’t find another place in the house where the Sprout made sense for me. Bedroom, sunroom, workshop and a couple other places I wanted music it was easier (and sounded better) to use powered speakers (specifically Polk Hampdens, using a chromecast audio dongle instead of bluetooth). My kids say if I rescue another pair of Hampdens I’m going to have to get a special permit from the city.
I wound up selling the Sprout to a forum member, who is very happy with it.
That said, I think people have tried KEF LS50’s with the Sprout100 with great success. (And finding refurb/used LS50’s for $600 is pretty common.)
This comes from the days of the original Class-D amplifiers which exhibited a hard sound (just like original transistor amps which were overly bright and brittle). Initial Class-D amps were “buy this module and you too can build an amp,” with predictable results.
But Class-D has moved on in the intervening years. Many now sound superb. Class-D does not mean lean, thin, less than A/B.
Specifically, when reviewing the Sprout, the Stereophile reviewer commented: “I was immediately impressed by the smooth and surprisingly full quality of the sound,” and “[N]othing less than seductive, richly toned fun,” and “Think deep, detailed, a little dark—and delicious.”
