Justin Weber of ampsandsound must be a busy guy.
For Axpona 2026, his company will launch three new products—the Kenzie Reimagined headphone amp, Badlands Preamplifier, and Stereo 17 power amplifier.
Badlands ($12,000) is a tube-rectified line stage preamplifier outfitted with a pair of 12AX7s, a single 12BH7, and a 5Y3/5V4/5U4/5AR4 rectifier offering three inputs including 1x stereo XLR and 2x RCAs.
The EL-84-based Stereo 17 amplifier ($6000) offers 17 Watts of output power and I’ve yet to meet an EL84-based amp I didn’t like (or love).
The Kenzie Reimagined ($6000), as its name states, is a re-working of ampandsound’s Kenzie headphone amp offering improved “control, space, overall resolution and most importantly usability” according to the company. The Kenzie Reimagined relies on a pair of 1626 tubes, “a WWII-era tube that was used as a transmitter tube in radar installations.”
From the company:
The Kenzie does not use a voltage network, and has more than enough power to drive even the most difficult headphones. We chose 32 ohms and 300-ohm output taps to allow use with the widest variety of headphones
You can get a taste of these new products from ampandsound along with their R2R tube DAC 4.4 in Room 508 next week at Axpona 2026.
Here’s the press release:
A New Chapter in ampsandsound
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 2, 2026 Aliso Viejo, California—ampsandsound is proud to debut three new designs at Axpona 2026: the Kenzie Reimagined, Badlands Preamplifier, and Stereo 17 power amplifier. Together, these pieces reflect a continued evolution of the ampsandsound approach—refined, intentional, and built without compromise.
Following founder Justin Weber’s philosophy of quality above all else, each design focuses on circuit simplicity, tonal balance, and long-term listenability. These are not departures, but a clearer representation of what ampsandsound has always been.
The Kenzie Reimagined builds on one of ampsandsound’s most recognized platform, preserving its intimacy and emotional connection while improving control, space, overall resolution and most importantly usability.
The Badlands Preamplifier offers a new approach to system control and signal integrity. Meant to be the bridge between established personal audio systems and new build outs into 2 channel audio. Built with turret board construction and a minimal signal path, it delivers clarity, weight, and ease without sacrificing musicality. The Badlands demonstrates exceptional performance and quiet operation most surprisingly from an all tube non IC based design.
The Stereo 17 is a 17-watt stereo power amplifier designed for speed, tone, and drive. Its presentation is grounded and effortless, prioritizing coherence and realism over unnecessary complexity. Well-suited for small to moderate-sized systems and speaker efficiency above 92db. Tone without compression.
The DAC 4.4 is a modern interpretation of the classic R-2R DAC reimagined through ampsandsound’s transformer design, circuit refinement, and hand-wired execution. The result is a DAC that favors coherence over complexity, presence over processing, and a presentation that feels grounded, natural, and unmistakably analog.
Each piece is designed to stand on its own, but together they represent a unified vision; that continues to prioritize craftsmanship, serviceability, and sound that invites long listening without fatigue. If you would like to experience the Kenzie Reimagined, Badlands, or Stereo 17, please contact us or visit us at Axpona in Room 508, where these designs will be making their debut.
Company Website: ampandsound