Предусилители — Ampsandsound Kenzie Badlands

The Badlands is a tube-rectified stereo line preamplifier from ampsandsound of Southern California, the maker of the Kenzie headphone amplifiers. The company introduced it at AXPONA 2026 and describes it as an access point to the statement-level results of its Yosemite Preamplifier, which costs USD 20,000. The four-model preamplifier range starts with a USD 2,000 Stereo Preamplifier. The Badlands itself costs from USD 12,000 and rises to USD 15,000 depending on the build, since the Badlands is offered with either point-to-point turret board wiring or a printed circuit board.

Key specs that matter

Both builds provide 16 dB of gain. The turret board version is specified at 15 microvolts RMS of noise, 0.004% THD, 0.007% THD plus noise and a frequency response from 2 Hz (+1 dB) to 70 kHz (-1 dB). The PCB version lowers noise to 4 microvolts RMS, with 0.007% THD, 0.008% THD plus noise and a response of 5 Hz to 80 kHz at -1 dB. Inputs comprise one stereo XLR pair and two stereo RCA pairs, and there is one pair of RCA outputs. The enclosure is 305 mm wide, 254 mm deep and 152 mm high.

Engineering and use context

The circuit is entirely valve-based, with no voltage regulators and no integrated circuits anywhere. Two 12AX7 double triodes form the gain stage and a single 12BH7 acts as the driver. Rectification is done by a tube, and the socket accepts a 5Y3, 5V4, 5U4 or 5AR4, so the owner can choose between these types. The power supply combines a high-voltage transformer wound in-house, a power supply choke and a filament choke, the latter introduced here as a way of regulating the heater supply. Two Cinemag transformers sit at the balanced input. Level is set by a 24-step potentiometer, chosen for precise channel balance. The turret board build keeps the route from input to output minimal. The warranty is lifetime and transferable, provided that service is carried out by ampsandsound.

Pairing

The single pair of RCA outputs is specified to support two power amplifiers at once. Sources can arrive balanced through the XLR input or single-ended through either RCA input. The company presents the Badlands as a bridge for listeners moving from an established personal audio setup into two-channel loudspeaker playback.

Alternatives

The ampsandsound Yellowstone Preamplifier sits above it as a valve line stage listed at USD 25,000.