The Amazing PS Audio Sprout! The Apple iPhone of Audio

As someone who appreciates quality and brilliant design at an affordable price, I really appreciate PS Audio's Sprout100, which features Complete HiFi DAC Amp, High Resolution High Fidelity Audio for Digital, Analog, Vinyl, and Bluetooth (Real Walnut). You can purchase it through PS Audio's website, an authorized PS Audio dealer, and even through Amazon.com!

PS Audio is known for its quality products but for Frugal Audiophiles (the median income in the U.S. is around $30,000.00) much of what it sells is beyond reach for those on a budget. All you need to do is have sources, including LPs and a turntable, and voila! You'll enjoy amazing sound at a more than reasonable price in 2020 dollars. I wish when I started out with my first stereo, having purchased a Sony integrated amplifier with far less power and quality, that the Sprout existed at that time. I think that many electronics, even affordable ones, are far superior now than anything available last--dare I say it?--century.

Here's PS Audio's official video:

You can find great reviews of the Sprout posted by Stereophile, The Abso!ute Sound and Sound & Vision through the hyperlinks. I'll quote in order below:

I wondered how the Sprout100 would sound in my reference system. It replaced a HoloAudio Spring "Kitsuné Tuned Edition" Level 3 DAC, and Rogue Audio's RH-5 preamp and Stereo 100 power amp. The tiny PS Audio looked disarmingly unserious sitting atop the heavy, monolithic blackness of the Stereo 100. I connected it to my Harbeth M30.2 speakers with Triode Wire Labs American cables, to the Mac mini with an AudioQuest Cinnamon USB link, and to my Linn LP12 turntable with SME M2-9 tonearm. I used the same Ortofon 2M Black moving-magnet cartridge I'd used in my review of the Sprout three years before.

In that review, I wrote that I thought the Sprout sounded liveliest and clearest through its Vinyl input; but through the Sprout100, my Ortofon 2M Black now sounded shy and wallflower-like. The sound was attractive and relatively satisfying, but too well mannered. I have a feeling that the brash, lively brightness of the 2M Black's far cheaper sibling, Ortofon's 2M Red ($99), might offset the tendency of the Sprout100's phono stage to sound a bit dark and rolled off.

 DSD, Tidal, Qobuz

The Sprout100 sounded its most open, elegant, and audiophile best playing Puente Celeste's Nama (M•A Recordings M084A) in DSD. Think deep, detailed, a little dark—and delicious. The 24/176.4 PCM download of Nama sounded almost as fresh, but a tiny bit hard and digital.

All of my best moments with the Sprout100 were not when I listened to fancy top-shelf files, but while streaming contemporary classical recordings. Soprano Patricia Petibon's Nouveau Monde: Baroque Arias and Songs, with Andrea Marcon conducting (24/96 FLAC, Deutsche Grammophon/Qobuz), was nothing less than seductive, richly toned fun. Petibon's exquisite voice soared, and La Cetra Baroque Orchestra Basel played tight and superfast; the little Sprout100 sounded enjoyably musical, if maybe a little too sexy and feminine.

The Abso!ute Sound reviews an older, less powerful model:

How does it function and play? The Sprout produces a much bigger sound than both its name and its dimensions suggest. If you closed your eyes, you’d probably think you were listening to a considerably larger amp, so full-bodied is the presentation.

I thought it would be fun to try out the Sprout across the extremes of loudspeakers, from basic no-fi to über-high end. I was in such a hurry to hear the thing, I’ll admit I went with Bluetooth first. And as an experiment, I didn’t even use close-to-reference-quality speakers—just, uh, vintage Infinity bookshelves from about the time of the Advent receiver, connected with zipcord. In short, near-worst case scenario.

The initial tracks were from an old Red Book CD rip of Calexico’s The Black Light, played back via my iPhone 6’s native music app and, in spite of all the roadblocks I’d thrown in the Sprout’s way, I was astonished by the detail and richness of the presentation. I enjoyed several more tracks that first day (and over the following weeks) and was repeatedly (and pleasantly) surprised by how robust, dimensional, and easy on the ears most music came through—even before break-in, even with low-res files.

Naturally I needed to move on to higher-quality speakers before more sensible evaluation could take place. So, after allowing for more casual listening via Bluetooth, Red Book CD, and some hi-res tracks during a few weeks of break-in, I hooked up the Sprout to a pair of $28k Raidho D-1s—the magnificent two-ways that serve as my current references (coupled with a pair of JL Audio e110s). As I’d just gotten my little GEM Dandy PolyTable set up and installed a Shelter 201 cartridge (the illustrious Japanese maker of moving-coils’ first foray into moving-magnet territory), I began by spinning some vinyl—and quickly realized I needed to turn the little volume knob nearly ¾ of the way up to achieve reasonable SPLs.

A listen to the first side of Rickie Lee Jones’ The Magazine delivered easy, laid-back listening fit for a lazy Sunday afternoon. Although this easygoing pace suggested some occasional want of transient speed and slam (this is a hard-hitting album), almost all instruments sounded sweet and natural, from pretty piano and strings, to delicate triangle tings that made me sit up and take notice. And Rickie indeed sounded like Rickie.

Next I put on Leonard Cohen’s latest release, Popular Songs. The opening track “Slow” had an appropriately languid feel overall, but delivered decent bass and kick-drum separation with good soundstage depth. Violin was sweet and mellow. The Hammond B3 seemed slightly recessed compared to what I’ve heard on some reference systems. Vocals presentation was forward and powerful, but there was just a slight dulling of the sensual voices of the backup singers, which tended to sound more lilting and a touch more present on reference systems (and indeed in person, as I had the pleasure of seeing Lennie and the band on his most recent tour—much to the chagrin of JV, who’s never heard his idol live.) Yet Cohen’s gravelly voice still drew me in, and the easygoing and generally natural midrange kept me listening. It’s worth mentioning that many of these qualities—midrange focus and timbral naturalness, albeit with a somewhat narrower soundstage—tend to be characteristically associated with many moving-magnet cartridges.

Their review of the updated model is here:

The Sprout’s sonic signature resides mostly in neutral territory—especially for a Class D design—but occasionally delivers just a gentle touch of warmth. There was a hint of dryness, too, on certain instruments—cello, for one, but maybe this relates to the combination of the Sprout and the Bonsai’s doped paper cone (or other system factors). Honestly, this little integrated’s sonic shortcomings were few and hard to find fault with, and it certainly defied expectations in this price category (and at times beyond). The degree of detail, dispersion, and naturalism was striking, particularly on well-recorded material. Cat Power’s “Stay” compelled me to lean in and listen closer: You could hear the piano pedals release gently, her diction captured closely, powerful presence, delicate vocal harmonies, and long decays at the end of notes. On “Walk It Back” from The National’s Sleep Well Beast subtle yet clearly distinguishable breaths were audible between Matt Berninger’s baritone vocal lines, adding to the track’s undercurrent of tension and urgency.

Overall, the Sprout100’s ability to coax more spaciousness, lively musicality, resolution, and low-end extension from the natural-sounding Air Tight Bonsais’ full-range drivers was rather astonishing.

As in the original Sprout, the Sprout100’s headphone amplifier was a standout. (An aside: While listening with headphones, I discovered that to turn the bass boost on or off you must unplug the cans first, as the function is tied to the speaker output; the volume level also goes back to a lower preset.) I listened with two pairs of headphones: Sonus faber Pryma with dynamic drivers, and the more upper-tier and harder-to-drive HiFiMan Edition X planar-magnetics, which the amp was more than up to the task of driving, albeit at higher volume levels. Full of pep and bounce, Boris Blank’s “Electrified” amazed, or should I say, electrified me with rapid-fire attacks from a quiet background. I gave in to the urge to crank it up, and the Sprout didn’t flinch. It kept on packing punch and exciting energy with solidity. Layers and effects I’d never heard before jumped out from both channels.

As a vinyl lover, I appreciated the built-in phonostage, though I’d suspect that the Sprout100 would more likely be primarily employed for digital purposes. I still had on hand the excellent MoFi Electronics UltraDeck turntable I’d recently reviewed (Issue 284)—and would highly recommend—fitted with MoFi’s UltraTracker cartridge, a moving magnet that outputs 3.5mV, a figure on the low side of the Sprout’s recommended input (though still within the user manual’s specified range). Compared with the degree of dynamism and detail heard on other modes of playback, the results on phono were polite and even-handed, more laid-back than slamming. Images’ edges were more softly focused. On cuts from the Mobile Fidelity reissue of Pixies Doolittle, “Silver” and “Gouge Away,” I was still nodding my head in time to the beat, backgrounds were quiet, but the presentation felt slightly sluggish, the sonic equivalent of having jet lag—present but not fully alive and awake. Some of this could have been attributed to the lower output of the cartridge, but this was still an entirely respectable and listenable presentation. Post-move system limitations aside, the inclusion of this phonostage is welcome and commendable—and the circuit is bound to perform better with a more ideal moving-magnet cartridge pairing (i.e., one closer to Sprout’s preferred specs). However, when I played those same cuts back on Tidal using Roon on a MacBook Air (running macOS High Sierra 10.13.6) via USB connection, higher resolution returned, as did greater impact, texture, and presence. Attacks, such as the drumkit thwacks on “Gouge Away,” were elevated a notch, as if they’d had a double-shot of espresso or a swift kick in the rear.

Conclusion

 In some ways, the original (and now the 100 version) Sprout could be viewed as a harbinger in its category, predating both the recent upswing in integrated amplifier releases, and the ongoing trend of simplifying componentry and systems while increasing flexibility of functions. What’s more, this full-service integrated also shines in broader crossover appeal. For music lovers just getting started in the hobby—or who just want better sound—the Sprout100 offers quite an affordable, approachable core component. For other audiophiles it could anchor a secondary system in, say, a bedroom or office (headphone amp!).

With the release of its next-generation Sprout100, PS Audio has succeeded in making the tired terms “new and improved” actually mean something by addressing many real-world audio needs. There are upgraded features outside and updated technologies inside. Sonically, you get more headroom, heft, and body, plus greater substance and resolution. Revisiting my review of the original Sprout, I can say that my conclusion still rings true: “The Sprout offers plenty of quality without complication. Just connect the little guy and use the knobs on the front. For simplicity, versatility, portability, and affordability, it’s tough to beat. You get a helluva lot for your money. It’s hard to imagine a more fun, cool component.” With the Sprout100, expect big sound and even bigger bang for the buck.

From Sound & Vision:

Vinyl Me, Please

Since vinyl playback is a big feature of the little Sprout, I made a point of giving some records a spin. Pulling out a clean, vintage copy of Dire Straits’ eponymous first album, I played “Six Blade Knife.” The background was notably silent, and I heard impressive dynamics on this subtle, slinky track, with drums punching cleanly through the speakers and the bass guitar coming across as smooth, yet muscular. Mark Knopfler’s vocals also sounded smooth, and his guitar was detailed and trebly, but not edgy, during solos.

Moving on to heavier material, I played “Bleeding Muddy Water” from The Mark Lanegan Band’s Blues Funeral. The song’s deep, foundational bass had good impact and the detail to be heard in Lanegan’s gruff, breathy vocals gave the singer an almost physical presence. The background keyboards and electronics in this dirge-like track provided a dense, wall-of-sound presentation that the Sprout100’s phono stage—obviously capable of conveying both delicacy and weight—clearly rendered.

 Conclusion

 PS Audio’s Sprout100 is an impressive little integrated amp. With more power, better connectivity, an improved DAC, and, yes, a lower price than its predecessor, the new Sprout has a lot going for it. The key feature that allows it to vault over other ultra-compact AmpDACs is its built-in phono stage, which, depending on your media consumption habits, may or may not be essential. Either way, for [$699], you won’t go wrong with the Sprout100.

But user reviews on Amazon are also worth considering. This two highest ranked reviews are both raves and informative:

For the money...can't beat it. Period.

This little Sprout 100 is fantastic. My previous HiFi system came in at around $40,000. Acquired and upgraded over 20 years. I am an audiophile. This means I am very picky. I bought this sprout 100, thinking it would be returned within 2 days. I could not believe the reviews, so positive, on such a low cost item. Bluetooth, Phono Stage (and a good one for MM), 50 WPC into 8 ohms, 100 into 4, an analog input, digital input, good dac... all for under $600.

I was setting up a small system in my living room area. It consists of Klipsch RP-600M speakers (HUGE bang for the buck here), a Technics 1200GR, Upgraded Sonos Connect going into the digital in of the sprout. Audioquest GO-4 speaker cables and Mackenzie IC's.

I hate to say this but this little system (no sub, had one, didn't like it with this setup) sounds gorgeous. It does have some 3 dimensionality as well. It images if you sit in the right sweet spot but also sounds amazing anywhere I sit as it fills the room with rich, lush, detailed, big sound. Never harsh at all, in fact, it leans warm.

I compared the Sprout 100 to a more expensive integrated, the Musical Fidelity M3si. The M3si seemingly had much more power or gain, something... but it was harsh sounding next to the Sprout 100. No way and this MF piece comes in at $1k more than the little sprout.

I compared it to a couple of $300-$400 tube amps from Amazon here, no contest, the Sprout 100 had a much more audiophile kind of sound. Focused on stage, imaging and separation of instruments like I never heard in any amp under $1000. I normally had to jump to the $2k level to get this kind of separation and detail.

This is the perfect integrated amp for ANYONE wanting to upgrade from those crappy receivers sold at big box stores. For anyone wanting a taste of high end. Anyone who wants a one box solution that will SOUND GREAT.

No this does not compete with a $2500 or $10,000 integrated (I've had them) but for what it is, it is the best I have used.

THE SOUND

With my equipment (listed above) the sound is big, room filling, never harsh, never muffled. It fills my living room with ease and the sound from these $550 speakers is making me feel like I have a $5k system here. I even tested the bluetooth function and wow, amazing implementation. Once hooked up, it remembers your commotion and all you need to do is turn the big metal dial to "bluetooth" and you are ready to stream. It sounds great too though not as good as my modded Sonos into the optical input on the Sprout 100.

THE BASS BOOST

This Sprout 100 keeps the originals bass boost but now you can defeat it with the push of the volume dial. For low volume listening the boost really fleshes it all out, so late night listening really draws you in. I turn it on for low volume, and off for normal listening. I do not need or want a sub. Many see the boost as a negative, I see it as a positive. Some recordings are thin, and this boost mode really makes everything sound so good. When active though the imaging suffers. So for critical listening (and yes, this is possible with a Sprout 100) turn it off, and for background listening or low volume, turn it on. That's what I found to work best and I am glad to have the option.

PHONO STAGE

I had a Puffin phono stage that cost me $450. The phono stage built in the Sprout 100 is fantastic, but only if you have a MM cart putting out 5mv. It's not versatile, at all but for me it beat the Puffin out for sound quality when using my Ortofon Bronze on the 1200GR.

So this replaced my $450 phono stage, no contest. Much more organic and analog sounding than the puffin, and I really tried hard to like the puffin. It just had a sheen and harshness over the sound when compared side by side. I also tried a Mani phono pre and this one was closer to the built in but offered a bit more versatility with cartridge selection. Overall the built in phono pre is amazing sounding, with the right higher output MM cart.

VOLUME DIAL

You have to turn the dial A LOT to get the volume to where you want it. I am not a fan of the way the dial works but it works. I would prefer a beefier dial that works like a normal volume dial.

POWER

I have tested this with the following speakers:

Klipsch RP-600M. These fit the Sprout the best for what I tested it with. The sound is organic, full, clear, and has great imaging for what these speakers cost. Setup is essential! On stands, set up correctly. Otherwise they may sound strident up top or thin. WIth the Sprout 100 and these speakers set up just right the sound gets close to systems costing much much more.

Dynaudio EMIT 10 - These were a tad dull with the sprout as if the sprout did not have the gusto to power them. These did much better with the music fidelity M3si as that amp seems to have more grunt and current but again, it is a brighter sounding amp. These speakers do not do well with the Sprout (well, the Klipsch does better).

Klipsch Heresy III - Perfect match. Sound is clean, clear and protects into the room with amazing fidelity.

Dynaudio Special 40 - These are my speaker of the year for 2019 and the Sprout can do justice to them but to get the most from these $3000 speakers you should have more current and power. The Sprout 100 can power them, and they sound lovely but this speaker requires something more to really appreciate them.

So for me, the combo of the Sprout 100 and the Klipsch Speakers is a knock out win. Again, set up is important. The room is the most important aspect to any HiFi. Then the setup and placement. Then the gear. We can get Hugh dollar sound and pay much less than we think we have to. The PS Audio Sprout is one example of this and a fine one indeed.

PS Audio should be applauded. Never have I seen this kind of value in a HiFi Integrated Amp and yes this amp does give you a small taste of what the high end is. As PS Audio says, it may be a gateway to higher end for some ; )

FIVE STARS.

Lovely Little Amp

The Sprout100 works great. I use it to drive KEF Q100's. It's connected to a turntable and computer (through USB). I also use Bluetooth to connect to my phone and tablet. The 50 watts into 8 ohm speakers is more than enough to reach my preferred volume levels in a midsize room.

A benefit to the Sprout100 is the low pass filter that activates when a subwoofer is plugged into the amp.
This feature is not found in similar integrated amplifiers. I love this feature as I like what a subwoofer adds to the music listening experience, also it relieves my speakers of low-end duties.

The one irritating thing about this amp is a brief static burst that happens when the device is powered on AND the source select is set to either analog or vinyl. I contacted PS Audio and they are aware of this issue. They maintain that the sound is harmless and they are working to dampen the noise for future updates. Although, I would prefer that this static burst didn't occur, the Sprout100 is so great that I don't mind this issue enough to remove a star from my review.

For a GREAT overview of the Sprout100, watch Z-Reviews Sprout100 YouTube video.

*Edit* Turns out that the static burst isn't normal. The manufacturer replaced the amp and the new one works great. No sound switching inputs.

So don't take it from me; I think your own ears, if high quality audio and simplicity in design and operation appeal to you, might convince you to get a Sprout. Only if you have a multi-channel home theater system, then I'll discuss options in the future. Sprout owners, feel free to comment below.