_stretts Posted June 20, 2014 Share Posted June 20, 2014 Thought some folks might be interested in this or perhaps would like to discuss. A small/compact, simple amplifier for your setup if you like your audio listening clean and uncluttered. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2022604828/sprout-hifi-stereo-amp-that-transforms-the-way-you Kickstarter Price: $450 Retail: $799 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justinraz Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 This is exactly what I am looking for. Thanks for posting. I am going to read more into this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxmartinxx Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 PS Audio is a real company. Why are they crowd sourcing this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castaway Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Something tells me if someone were dropping $800 on a piece of audio equipment, they'd want a hell of a lot more control than "HOW LOUD?" mesi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 So... $800 for 25watts RMS @8ohms? Okay.... I like how their whole argument on kickstarter is "receivers are too big and have too many features and are too complicated to use!" I would never use Bluetooth with any of my stereo equipment.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 And now I'll never buy anything from PS Audio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I'm skeptical of most kickstarter projects to begin with. it should be a tool for a little guy with a great idea to get some funding and exposure. these guys shouldn't need to go begging to put together 36k and their pitch is sort of offensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinch Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Something tells me if someone were dropping $800 on a piece of audio equipment, they'd want a hell of a lot more control than "HOW LOUD?" I know, right? Because quality is measured by the number of knobs. These must really suck then.... Audio Note Ongaku Devialet 240 EAR V12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Burn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biodigitaljazz Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Martin shared my thoughts. Why is an already established audio company asking for money to create a product for people who don't even know what they want? Yet it funded 5x over in 4 days. Like Zach Braff kick starting his movie last year- he probably had that money already. JumpingBean 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
castaway Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I know, right? Because quality is measured by the number of knobs. Didn't say anything about quality. But I still stand corrected. I guess what I meant is that this is geared for people who don't know much about audio, and those aren't the types of people I would imagine spending $800 on an amp (unless they could do more with it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinch Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Putting it like that I gotta say I agree with you. It kind of feels like they couldn't really decide who the target buyer is. Someone who wants a minimalist amp for a budget system is not going to spend $800 on it. Someone who wants to jump from the budget segment into higher-fi, but doesn't really know much, will need something at least bigger-looking (or like you said more versatile-looking) to warrant a $800 price tag. Experienced gearheads will look at the price and specs and realize that (on paper) this seems like an ovepriced "jack of all trades, master of none" type of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Well it is a minmalist amp for $400 right now... or it was even less before. So maybe for those people first? But yeah, this is dumb, and I still hate it and PS Audio now. Which is a bummer because I used to like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8ight Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I feel like this should get the infomercial treatment: Start with a black and white clip of some guy clumsily turning knobs and the tangling cables on a larger amplifier, then cut to full HD as the same guy coolly adjusts the volume on a Sprout amplifier while smiling awkwardly and nodding in approval. Not trying to say anything bad about the amplifier, just their advertising tactic. DukeOfTheEast and tooclosetosee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biodigitaljazz Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I feel like this should get the infomercial treatment: Start with a black and white clip of some guy clumsily turning knobs and the tangling cables on a larger amplifier, then cut to full HD as the same guy coolly adjusts the volume on a Sprout amplifier while smiling awkwardly and nodding in approval. Not trying to say anything bad about the amplifier, just their advertising tactic. Make sure to include shots of him and his family crowded around his cell phone plugged into it. 8ight 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannibal Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I feel like this should get the infomercial treatment: Start with a black and white clip of some guy clumsily turning knobs and the tangling cables on a larger amplifier, then cut to full HD as the same guy coolly adjusts the volume on a Sprout amplifier while smiling awkwardly and nodding in approval. Not trying to say anything bad about the amplifier, just their advertising tactic. I like where this is going.I would also include a woman playing something on her phone, and when it starts, the volume is way too loud! She struggles to find a way to turn it down and just can't figure it out! So, she just pulls the power cord in frustration. And, to add insult to injury, the man fumbling with the cables? He also hurts his back standing up straight after spending "hours" bent over trying to plug in the large bundles of cables in his hands. 8ight 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dethrock Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 After watching the video on Kickstarter, I think this is targeted solely at absolute retards. JumpingBean and tooclosetosee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpingBean Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Pro-ject just came out with this exact thing for like 300 bucks. I'm wholly unimpressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxmartinxx Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Pro-ject just came out with this exact thing for like 300 bucks. I'm wholly unimpressed. I don't see anything on the Pro-ject site that is similar to this. What is it called? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swemoll Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Martin, I believe he is talking about their integrated amplifier, regardless of it not having digital inputs: http://www.needledoctor.com/Pro-Ject-Stereo-Box-S-Integrated-Amp As for this product, kickstarter, video, and product...it's really sad. I don't know how many times a company can straight-up lie to the consumer in one video, but they may be going for a record there. It's just all over the place. The fact that this $800 box can give Scott that "concert in my home" type of experience, yet later on he says that his father and him believe that "the pursuit of live sound is a journey, not a destination." Oh, and this little guy will power ALL the speakers and ALL the headphones? It's all just bogus bullshit that they're throwing out there because they can. I'd punch Scott McGowan right in the jaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxmartinxx Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 That's no where near the same product. The Sprout has a connection via bluetooth and a built in phono preamp. This thing is basically a small Peachtree type amp and at $400ish dollars, I think it's pretty cool. I just think that it's weird that PS Audio, who has more than enough money to finance the creation of a product like this is using Kickstarter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weinerdog Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 I think it's smart for established companies to do this sometimes. They get to gauge demand for something with little or no risk. Many of the Kickstarter backers don't know (or care) if they have the means to launch the product without it, they just like being backers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpingBean Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Pro-ject is releasing a new version of that amp with built in phono. They showed it at CES. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biodigitaljazz Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 KS is at 240k. Think it'll make 1m before it's funded? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_stretts Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 KS is at 240k. Think it'll make 1m before it's funded? they would need to add more pledge levels as they are almost all taken I think *edit* I see the 499's are unlimited my bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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