[rmullins08]

Awesome.  Yea the power cord was hit sometime this morning so its a great value right now.

 

[esteboune]

Yes, i have one of this power cable.
Bought it together with the Ps audio dectet. Great products
 
looking forward to receive the sprout!

 

[Shaffer]

The Sprout is already being offered at ~40% off. Essentially, dealer cost. This tells me that PSAudio's dealers aren't selling the product. A huge red flag.

 

[rmullins08]

Red flag for their pricing, but the reviews for the product have been generally very positive (even at the original MSRP)

 

[esteboune]

The Sprout is already being offered at ~40% off. Essentially, dealer cost. This tells me that PSAudio's dealers aren't selling the product. A huge red flag.

i do not agree, MassDrop is just another way of selling products.
 
they just sold 84 units, i believe they are targeting volume, and penetration on the market.
 
And yes, before buying i read a couple of review of the Spout. Very positive.
 
Nevertheless, the name is terrible! Especially for French!!! 

 

[Shaffer]

i do not agree, MassDrop is just another way of selling products.

they just sold 84 units, i believe they are targeting volume, and penetration on the market.

And yes, before buying i read a couple of review of the Spout. Very positive.

Nevertheless, the name is terrible! Especially for French!!! 

By cutting out the dealers and selling at dealer cost. I worked in this industry. That's not how it's done, if the product is moving. Clearly, it's not.

 

[CJG888]

I suspect a product like the Sprout needs to be associated with a consumer brand. Awareness of PS Audio among the target group will be low.

Everyone (and his dog) seems to be piling into the "all in one with Bluetooth" market at the moment: NAD, Quad, Musical Fidelity, as well as the mainstream electronics brands.

At the end of the day, PS is a specialist, enthusiast brand.

 

[Shaffer]

I suspect a product like the Sprout needs to be associated with a consumer brand. Awareness of PS Audio among the target group will be low.

Everyone (and his dog) seems to be piling into the "all in one with Bluetooth" market at the moment: NAD, Quad, Musical Fidelity, as well as the mainstream electronics brands.

At the end of the day, PS is a specialist, enthusiast brand.

Right, which is why you (as a high-performance manufacturer) don't sell through Massdrop at dealer cost, discounting the brand and alienating the dealers. If the product was truly good, it would be flying out the door.

This is how it usually works in this sector of the market: A manufacturer releases a new product. The sales guy starts calling dealers and offering a demo, either for a free trial or at a demo discount (typically 50%). The dealer takes the product home, listens to it, perhaps also gives it to a trusted employee for an evaluation, and then displays it in the store to gauge the consumer's reaction. The latter happens if the product sounds good. If not, the demo is sold at a steep discount and no more units are ordered. If the Sprout was selling, there would be no need for Massdrop.

 

[rmullins08]

If it wasn't selling through the dealers, is it really alienating them to sell through another avenue?  The product can be truly good, but priced just past the point where it can get enough traction.
 
If Schiit's products were sold through a dealer network with the prices to support the structure, would they have the success they do?
 
PS Audio seems to have done alright for themselves (I have no idea on any sales/revenue figures) on their other product lines, but perhaps the Sprout just didn't quite fit their model enough to be successful in that system.

 

[Shaffer]

If it wasn't selling through the dealers, is it really alienating them to sell through another avenue?  The product can be truly good, but priced just past the point where it can get enough traction.

If Schiit's products were sold through a dealer network with the prices to support the structure, would they have the success they do?

PS Audio seems to have done alright for themselves (I have no idea on any sales/revenue figures) on their other product lines, but perhaps the Sprout just didn't quite fit their model enough to be successful in that system.

The point is, there's a reason PSAudio dealers aren't selling the product.

Schiit's business model is the polar opposite.

 

[rmullins08]

The point is, there's a reason PSAudio dealers aren't selling the product.

Schiit's business model is the polar opposite.

I don't think we are actually disagreeing on anything here, it's just tough online to get a point/discussion across.
 
No disagreement that PS Audio's dealers might not be selling the product, and no argument that Schiit and PS Audio are polar opposites.  I was just thinking maybe Sprout didn't quite fit into PS Audio's price scheme.
 
Had Schiit come out with a product like Sprout (not saying they would based on Jason's comments on BT and combined DAC/Amps in the past), at the price that we have seen it recently with on Massdrop and Amazon with coupon codes, would the reception be different?

 

[sealykojac]

Given that the sprout is a product born online through crowd funding it makes sense to sell them through modern avenues like Massdrop. I don't see this as the product people rush to dealers to purchase. At $499 its a good value backed by good company with a 3 year warranty. It's a tougher sell at $799 when you know that hundreds of people got theirs for $399. Scott from PS even joked about brand recognition in his April blog where the original $499 promotion came from. There are a lot of big brand names selling through Massdrop now at below dealer costs.

 

[Fastnbulbous]

Has anyone experienced issues of buzzing via the headphone jack? It's only noticeable when it's otherwise silent, but it is very noticeable. I've never had that happen with an amp before, and it kind of sucks.  Very disappointing, as otherwise it's the perfect thing for my bedroom - Squeezebox via digital cable, runs my Wharfedale Evo 20 speakers beautifully. But that buzz just might drive me bat****.

 

[CJG888]

Sounds like a grounding issue.

 

[Fastnbulbous]

Does anyone hear any hum at all on this unit? 
 

1. Hum & buzzing is the same when plugged directly into wall.
2. Buzzing not dependent on source -- with digital connection unplugged (shielded Monoprice coax cable) from Squeezebox, it still buzzes, along with analog, bluetooth and phono settings. Actually it's much, much worse and louder on phono setting, though I do not plan to use that setting. Could be relevant.
3. Buzzing does increase in volume when volume is turned up, until about 85-90% of max, it reverts back to the 0 volume buzz, perhaps a protective mechanism? While to some the buzz at zero volume might be somewhat tolerable as a "hum," I have good hearing and I can also hear the clicks which are more apparent as the volume gets louder.

 
I guess next steps are try it without speaker wires connected and try different outlet?