PS Audio has launched a Kickstarter campaign for ’Sprout’, its forthcoming all-in-one integrated amplifier. The Kickstarter campaign on launched at 8:31 am MST on Monday June 16th and was funded in less than an hour. Those after a heavily discounted ‘Sprout’ have until July 16th to nab a bargain. ‘Sprout’ was shown in prototype form at the Munich High End show and the brainchild of Scott McGowan (PS Audio’s Sales Director, and son of Founder Paul McGowan). It contains a 50 watt/channel integrated amplifier, a phono preamplifier, 24/96 asynchronous DAC, headphone amp and a Bluetooth receiver. ‘Sprout’ can thus play music directly from a turntable, any digital input, and wirelessly from a smartphone.
“Most people of my generation—in their ‘20’s and ‘30’s—have grown up with earbuds and cheap plastic home-theater systems, and have no idea how great music at home can sound,” said Scott McGowan. “This product is our first step in growing awareness of awesome home audio—so we think ‘Sprout’ is an appropriate name. We expect big things from this little guy.” The casework is built out of aircraft-grade aluminum, steel and walnut and has a headphone output, 33 watts into 8 Ohm (53W/4 Ohm), MM phono stage and aptX Bluetooth receiver. It measures 15cm wide by 20cm deep.
Backers of the Kickstarter campaign will have the opportunity to sample ‘Sprout’ for as little as $449 (limited to 200 units) before it begins shipping in Q3 2014 to specialist audio retailers and online resellers, where it will sell for an MSRP of $799.99 The campaign can be seen here, and will run for 30 days.
