Integrated Amp Reviews

PS Audio Sprout100 integrated amplifier Specifications

Sidebar: Specifications

Description: Integrated amplifier. Inputs: phono (moving-magnet), analog, USB (24-bit/192kHz), digital coax (any sample rate and bit depth to 24/192), Bluetooth (built in). Maximum output power: 50Wpc into 8 ohms (17dBW), 100Wpc into 4 ohms (17dBW).
Dimensions: 6" (155mm) W by 1.75" (45mm) H by 8" (205mm) D. Weight: 2.9 lbs (6.4kg).
Serial number of unit reviewed: Not noted.
Price: $599. Approximate number of dealers: 65.
Manufacturer: PS Audio, 4865 Sterling Drive, Boulder, CO 80301. Tel: (800) PSAUDIO. Web: www.psaudio.com.

COMPANY INFO
PS Audio
4865 Sterling Drive
Boulder, CO 80301
(800) PSAUDIO
www.psaudio.com
ARTICLE CONTENTS

COMMENTS
Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on October 23, 2018 - 11:03am

Another winner from PS audio .......... Keep them coming :-) ...........

HammerSandwich's picture
Submitted by HammerSandwich on October 23, 2018 - 7:28pm

I hope they're in progress, particularly in light of the 2015 model's rather unusual results.

John Atkinson's picture
Submitted by John Atkinson on October 24, 2018 - 4:41am
No measurements planned. Sorry.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

tonykaz's picture
Submitted by tonykaz on October 23, 2018 - 9:48pm

a Class C recommended component? ( or is it made by someone else )

Are we apologizing here or is this thingy an entry level Computer Audiophile device like the cheap ( made in USA ) Schiit stuff?

Seems like everything else PS offers ( and make in Colorado ) is way up on the top of Class A recommended lists.

Tony in Michigan

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on October 25, 2018 - 6:32am

If Sprout100 gets a Class-A recommendation, that would be the end of civilization as we know it :-) .........

Mateo Sanboval's picture
Submitted by Mateo Sanboval on October 24, 2018 - 2:36pm

I appreciate the new review and am wondering what a similarly budget conscious pair of bookshelf speakers be? Preferably well-rounded ones that don't necessarily require a subwoofer and would, of course, match well with the Sprout100. Double bonus points if they don't have a rear firing port as space is very much at a premium in my room.

funambulistic's picture
Submitted by funambulistic on October 25, 2018 - 5:39am

... of the Sprout and Elac Debut 2.0 speakers:

https://twitteringmachnes.com/system-review-ps-audio-sprout100-elac-debut-2-0/

Not bad for $249 speakers!

ChicagoJEO's picture
Submitted by ChicagoJEO on October 24, 2018 - 2:34pm

You state that the new Sabre chip reads signals up to 384 kHz, but the specifications above say the unit will read only up to 192 kHz. What is the source of this discrepancy?

georgehifi's picture
Submitted by georgehifi on October 24, 2018 - 4:59pm

Re: Measurements, JA? new
Submitted by John Atkinson on October 24, 2018 - 10:41pm
No measurements planned. Sorry.
John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Hope they got rid of this BS massive fixed bass boost that JA measured with the earlier one.
https://www.stereophile.com/images/515PSASfig01.jpg

Cheers George

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on October 25, 2018 - 3:04am

HR talks about the 'bass boost' in the review and how to get rid of it :-) .........

georgehifi's picture
Submitted by georgehifi on October 26, 2018 - 12:11pm

"Bogolu Haranath on October 25, 2018 - 9:04pm
HR talks about the 'bass boost' in the review and how to get rid of it"

There's "talk" of a button on the back, but there's nothing to see on the web with some good pics of the rear of the old one, and in pics of this one above.
https://www.stereolifemagazine.com/images/reviews/psaudiosprout/w/PSAudioSprout-02w.jpg

Cheers George

funambulistic's picture
Submitted by funambulistic on October 26, 2018 - 1:15pm

I could not find any info on disabling the original Sprout's bass boost - no switches and nothing in the user's manual.

Regarding the Sprout 100 and it factory default bass boost, Herb wrote, "bass boost is automatically engaged at turn-on... said user must push in the Volume/On/Off knob and hold it there a few seconds..." to turn it off. Also, from the user's manual, "To enable or disable the bass boost simply long press the volume knob to toggle the feature on or off." It does not appear to have any switches other than the Volume/On/Off knob to control the bass boost.

Steveater's picture
Submitted by Steveater on October 27, 2018 - 11:51am

I am a some-what seasoned audiophile and own the Sprout 100. I love it! I'm using it in a small living room with B&W CM5S2s and a MacBook Air. This is the same room that used to have Magnepan 1.5s with ARC LS8mkII / 100.2, linn CD player and a Linn LP12. I have to say that I really enjoy the simplicity of the sprout system and play it a lot more than I did the ARC system. Although I have another room now for my "serious" system (no longer the magnepans - were replaced with KEF) we spend a lot more time in the living room with the sprout. I find that it has plenty of detail, imaging and all the other "audiophile" qualities that seem to make listening to music more like a live experience. This system really does a great job of making music!!!

Bogolu Haranath's picture
Submitted by Bogolu Haranath on October 28, 2018 - 3:12pm

May be HR could review the new Sprout100 with Mini-Maggie desk top speakers :-) ............

Bill Leebens's picture
Submitted by Bill Leebens on October 31, 2018 - 6:52am

The original Sprout was listed in Class C of Stereophile's Recommended Components, and we were proud to have it there. As you can imagine, it's especially challenging to build a moderately-priced component that compares to our Stellar or BHK series components, and I think the PS team has done a terrific job of meeting the challenge---there's a lot of high-quality componentry in that little enclosure!

The boost in Sprout100 is user-defeatable by way of the right-hand knob/on-off/volume control. In daily usage with speakers of moderate size, the boost in the original unit was rarely noticeable or intrusive.

Finally: I will very mildly take issue with Herb's final comment. We've sold thousands of Sprouts and Sprout100s to longtime PS customers who own "Big Boy" systems, who use their Sprouts in offices, vacation homes, simple systems, and have given them as graduation and holiday gifts to their offspring, relatives, and friends. We've also had a rave review from a website devoted to simple tech for the 50+ set. Just a matter of perspective, I guess!

Happy Halloween!

Bill Leebens
Director of Communications, PS Audio

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