Actually the real hero for making this V3 and ZA series amps possible and also many others such as Ayima, Topping, Smsl, etc, etc is actually good old Texas Instruments for the TPA 3255 class D amplifier chip common to all the above amplifiers, making prices as low as $80 possible with a good minimum from 100w/ch RMS stereo upwards to TI's TPA3255 upper limit of well over 250w/ch in mono channel usage. Texas Instruments actually claims 300w/ch in stereo, and upto 600w in Mono, but I fear nobody had actually recorded such ludicrous claims in independent test output. Nevertheless the sound quality achieved by companies such as Fosi using the TPA 3255 is already upsetting normal Class AB analog amplifiers costing as high as $2 - 4,000 value! So a toast to Texas Instruments and their game changing TPA 3255 Class D amp chip!
I've been using a pair of Fosi ZA3 amps for about two months. Once I got past my manly, muscley pride I realized that they weren't giving up a great deal to my usual Luxman MQ88c. Thanks for that comparison. These things are good enough that when summer temperatures can make my tube amp impractical they'll do as temporary replacements.
Had this same experience when I found out a $200 SMSL amp was basically doing everything my Accuphase could do, minus a bit of smoothness and refinement. Not sure if those qualities will be worth the extra thousands they cost in the future if the budget space continues to explode like it is.
I had 2 V3 mono's with 2x 10A 48V power supplies on order via kickstarter but I decided to wait until the production run units come out for sale. I have 2 V3 Stereo's connected bi-amp so I can turn the bass up or down and have plenty of power. I will get the V3 mono's no matter what eventually, I just don't feel the rush. Your video just confirmed it for me. Great little amplifier the V3 mono will be no doubt, and I will surely enjoy it once I own a pair but I don't see the rush. The V3 stereo's are basically cranked to max volume, my RME ADI2 Dac fs does pre-amp duties. I also bought the p3 tube preamp to play with, shame they used a not so common place tube and the op-amps are not removable without risking damage to the caps located right near by. I just wanted to play with some tubes on the pre-amp. I have a full tube amplifier, actually 2 of them but it's hot in Tokyo and running AC to listen to music just doesn't make sense to me. My tube amps are both safely put away. I love your reviews as I find them the most relatable to how I listen to music, what I think about value. Other youtubers are not so honest with their opinions. Thanks as always!
Another excellent review, thanks. I have a pair on order and am old so I no longer worry about manly muscular pride. For the cost difference I will put up with slightly smothered sound keeping my CPAP machine near by ;)
Fantastic review, I've already ordered a pair of these from Kickstarter, very excited about their arrival. They're replacing a vintage amp which just died on me and will cost about a million £s to repair
Thanks for a great video. So far you have been the clearest on how these perform from all the RUclips reviews I’ve seen. And if it’s 90% as good as the Topping pa7 plus which you compared to an Hegel Amp in one of your videos. It might mean we could Be getting a lot of Amp for not so much money. Thanks for helping us get access to goods quality sound for not so much money.
Nice review, thanks. I have a pair coming in a week or so. In the meantime, I use a ZA3 with a Trigon Snow White II preamp with Focal Aria 936 and the sound is really very good. My Trigon Energy is out for repair so looking forward to comaring the Energy dual monoblock with these 2.
Great review Srbo, thank you! I like what I'm seeing and hearing about these small Fosi/Ayima/etc amps, and I am really tempted to buy a pair of V3s, of course. I just have a tiny dilemma about the word "small": when you see the size of powerbricks they're coming with, you'd have to rethink "small". Anyway, this is just another audiophile puzzle to solve, I suppose.
@@D1N02 If they are anything like the ZA3 you will probably have 2 for the inputs and one for the single channel. At this level, you'll only need to change one in each amp.
@@leetaylor13 make an rca input balanced????? There is a gain switch. That's what it is likely for. I want to know what the two other ones or for. Especially if I can mix match op amps.
Srboljub, I've been going through reviews and I've noticed that you haven't reviewed Fiio K9 AKM. Man, there should be a review from you on this dac/amp. Haha! I specifically would love if you could compare it to SMSL DO400, since how pleased you were with it due to balanced quality of both its dac and amp; in fact, you put it above Topping DX5. Another interesting point for the comparison is that both SMSL DO400 and Fiio K9 AKM have the same price point. Thanks for the great reviews, as usual.
I really appreciate your way of describing how your ears precieve sound. Your videos are a pleasure to take in. Just as much as your music recomendations. I smiled at the showing of the big room when I saw OH MERCY on the Ever Solo. I just spun that CD yesterday.
@@CanuckQuest . Any device with a "variable line level analog output" is a preamp. If the smsl has a volume knob and rca outs then it's already a preamp.
@@CanuckQuest . There are passive preamps that are 1 line in, volume and 1 line out. That's all. They're not even plugged in. They use no power. And they can cost a very pretty penny.
@@TriAmpHiFi Watch out for impedance matching of the output of a passive pre with the input of the V3 monos. I seem to remember the V3 mono has a pretty low input impedance. I have a pretty ancient Creek OBH10 passive pre, old enough for the manual to warn against using it near a CB radio. It has a remote controlled motor to turn the potentiometer. It is remarkably transparent as there are so few components in there. It's also tiny.
@@leetaylor13 . Thank-you Lee. I'm weak on the specifics in the Impedance matching arena so back to the books for me. I appreciate your relevant advice. Thanks again!
Great reviews! Very well articulated, just like the music! 👍 One term/criteria I'd like to hear more is: how's the "musicality" of the amps you review! Thanks and keep it going! 🤘
Thanks! Judging by the measurements on the ASR, these are very impressive "babies"! The only thing is, I would use them in bi-amping for the lower frequency band (up to 1 kHz).
One loudspeaker can be better than two, no jokë! I have a Stereolith M232 audiophile loudspeaker, that incorporates a left and a right Chanel. The mid bass speakers face left and right, and the tweeter faces towards the listener. What you get is a truly the dimensional holographic stereo image, that also travels very far, into other rooms with still incredible detail. They were invented in the 80s by Walter Schupbach. A truly disruptive loudspeaker that sadly is not well known. But, yeah, two girls….
Great review, what is the primary and secondary system exactly? Also, would have been cool to a see comparison to one of the Infineon MA53332MS powered SMSL amps.
Which op amp(s) do you advise to add a little warmth/smoothness, improved soundstage, little bit more emphasis on reverb to the sound without losing clarity/fidelity/details?
Fosi Audio notified the Kickstarter participants that Fosi will provide a noise filter for free to those who bought the 48volt 10amp power supply. They also a a bonus will give two OP amps for free when the amps ship around June 15th. I ordered two V3 Mono Blocks and power supply as a reward for pledging their fundraiser.
Hi, I’m going to make a biamping system. I already have a very good integrated amplifier (Rega ELICIT-R) with good power and good sound. Speakers are 3-way kind. In your opinion, is it better to use Fosi V3 Mono to power low frequencies or medium-hight? So, the question is if this Mono performs better at low or medium-hight frequencies. Thanks for your reply.
Using 2 48v 10a power supplies would probably make them even more dynamic for the lower frequencies. Changing out the Op=amps depending in you source and pre-ampification adds an extra step of flexibility for tweaking your sound. The only thing I worry about is longevity.
Agree on that, they are smaller and do get hot. Looking at the specs of the TPA chip, 48V is stretching it.. That said, I run 2 ZA3's in mono @ 48V and it never gets hot, but of course they are somewhat larger.
Your review has convinced to pay attention to these amps. What do you think about the idea of replacing 2 x Schiit Freya mono (XLR) with 4 x V3 mono (5A power supply) (via XLR Y split) - the Freya(s) struggle to drive my Tannoy XT8F over 80dB, otherwise I'm very happy with them. Where can i find the review of your class D amps mentioned in this review?
@@iiWiReviews👍 Ive heard stereo amps will suffer a little in staging due to crosstalk compared to a mono, as im sure you know. Id imagine getting the volume control would clean it up a bit. Either way these little amps seem the ideal place to save money, allowing for better speakers and sources. You may be aware of the virtual highfi youtube channel by one of the designers of Qualio IQ speakers (i know hes involved anyway) He has very high fidelity recordings of those speakers with different accompanying gear. Hes a big believer in Fossi ZA3 and regularly pairs it with May KTE and T&A 200 Dacs with 7000 euro, highly transparent Qualio IQ speakers. ruclips.net/video/Fy-cVOJNWRY/видео.htmlsi=vzSA4cRTTwcVN7uU
I experienced a whole new level of listening using 2 ZA3 as monoblocks rolling MUSES02 op amp and balanced connection to Holo Audio Cyan 2 DAC and listening on ATC SCM19 bookshelf speakers. My masculine pride was not harmed by any ounce! 🤣 In stereo mode, the ZA3 sounded closed in and with stock op amps, they are probably not the best sounding. So, factoring op amp upgrades, the price will reach that of the Topping PA7+ but perhaps the it could rival the sound quality and in terms of flexibility in op amp rolling. May I also suggest that since 2 is indeed better than 1, try listening again to the V3s & ZA3s in mono configuration with some op amp rolling and perhaps we will have our socks blown again! 😁
@@iiWiReviews 👍 Ive heard stereo amps will suffer a little in staging due to crosstalk compared to a mono, as im sure you know. Id imagine getting the volume control would clean it up a bit. Either way these little amps seem the ideal place to pinch pennies, allowing for better speakers and sources. You may be aware of the virtual highfi youtube channel by one of the designers of Qualio IQ speakers (i know hes involved anyway) He has very high fidelity recordings of those speakers with different accompanying gear. Hes a big believer in Fossi ZA3 (with upgraded Opamps) and regularly pairs it with May KTE and T&A 200 Dacs with 7000 euro, highly transparent Qualio IQ speakers. ruclips.net/video/Fy-cVOJNWRY/видео.htmlsi=vzSA4cRTTwcVN7uU
@@RyanChoo Very Intersting...Cyan 2 into upgrade Fossi monos seems to be really pushing the envelope in high value Sound Quality! One thing that could make the value even higher is if the Cyan 2 behaves in the same way as May in regards to DSD. In the VirtualHifi video i linked with Fossi and May Dac, he mentions in the comment section something very intersting. He found that feeding his May DAC HQPlayer DSD256 from his Macbook Pro sounded better than feeding it HQplayer PCM705 from the 6k Aurilic G2.2 server. (Which is Aurilics highest sample rate) . Using macbook at 705pcm, Aurilic was better ,but once going to DSD, the May Dac (and T&A 200) both use a different DAC circuit for dsd. It makes me think the Cyan 2 might be a similar situation. Of course the Holo Red outputting DSD would be even better than a mabook. But still, its amazing that a Macbook can sound better than a 6k server when the server is limited to (highbit) PCM. It could really add to the already high value.
Reduce risk. Get an idea of interest and have Guinea pigs willing to be early adopters so they can get feedback and tweak if need be before making a larger production run. Just off the top of my head. Just because they're established doesn't mean they're sitting on a lot of spare cash where they can easily absorb some loss if they produce something that doesn't sell as expected.
Hello, can You recommend me a DAC to "balance" my warm amp? Lets say i want to get a little bit more detail of my amp, but dont want to lose musicality. Thanks 😊
So, I've had my eye on the Topping LA-90D as a possible end-game amp but now, of course, these guys are on the scene. I would love to know if someone has been able to listen to both solutions.
Yet another brilliant review, Srboljub. A question for you. Did you experience any high heat issues during use, as it has been noted in other reviews of the V3 Mono amps, that they run very hot. That would be a concern for me about long term reliability.
They do run hot because they seem to use the chasy itself as a heatsink. That said, I was able to touch them and keep my hand without feeling they would burn me (which happens around 50C for people touching metal). That's not a problem for the TI chip, nor for the opamps. Only electrolytic capacitors' life span is shortened by the heat, but if they're chosen well (high temperature rating, high quality) they should last for years before wearing. I haven't open them yet to check that.
I have a few spare Noctua PC fans that I intend to run off 5V USB to fan adapters to add airflow and cooling to the amp case with the V3 monos. Keeping the fan speed down keeps them silent in operation and sips barely any added power consumption.
Hi,your choice from 1-3 Musician Draco,Denafrips 12th and Toping D90III or you have something else requested in the range of 700-1000 EUR? Thanks(Hvala🙂)
Hi. I do prefer D90 III to Draco just slightly and that would be a great choice without a doubt. But my favorite bellow 1000 is still SMSL SU-10 for its big and lush sound signature: bit.ly/3iN87C3 I did a video on it too: ruclips.net/video/jVG7geoiHxk/видео.html I can't say anything about the Denafrips Ares 12th since I haven't tested it. The last one I tried was Ares II and I can say that SU-10 is comfortably better to my ears - more details, more dynamics, yet still very soft and analog sounding and with a big soundstage.
So was that 20 watts with a shared 48V/10A power supply or did you measure that with separate bricks? What's it pulling in idle? I've noticed my ZA3 doesn't really consume much more in action vs in idle but I'd expect standby to actually reduce the draw considerably. That's really disappointing.
I'm looking for a good preamp for this setup. Tubes, maybe but not necessarily. My ''A'' list choices are cost prohibitive but I am willing to spend 5-10X the price of the amps. Schiit Freya comes to mind but something tells me I could do better for under or around 2K.
@@a4rontran Seems like a bargain at the price. Form factor (height) would be an issue for me and one reviewer mentioned a significant amount of background noise.
Srboljub, do you still have your LS50 to test V3 on them? I've had 3 cheap small class D amps in the past and I wonder if this is another overhyped product with thin midrange and lack of energy.
Yes I still have them. Didn't try that combination but original LS50 (non Meta) are very midrange-centric. So with these amps we would need to bring some bassline boldness either trough the preamp or source... Or by adding a sub, which is what I did in my last phase of using them. What class D amps have you tried with them so far and what is the rest of the system?
@@iiWiReviews I had SMSL A300 (quite bad), Sabaj A30a (allegedly SMSL VMV A2 in a different case) which was better, but had very distant midrange even on LS50 Meta, then I tried Topping MX3s which wasn't bad, but a bit underpowered and it sounded thin compared to my Hegel H200, Hegel is not suitable for my desk tho so I'm looking for something smaller. Btw. Lyngdorf TDAI-2170 sounds perfectly fine, no complaints like with the cheaper class D amps. Do you think Fosi V3 Mono is in any way step up from many other cheap amps you had tested?
I drive my pair of LS50 Metas with a pair of ZA3s right now in a pretty decent size room and it plays quite loud without any distortion. I ordered a pair of the V3 Monos to eliminate the load-dependent response issue of the ZA3s (which really only comes into play at frequencies over 13Khz anyway). All that said, if you want proper, full sound from LS50 Meta, it doesn’t matter what amplifier you drive them with-you need to pair them with a good subwoofer. I run an SVS SB-3000 with my LS50 Metas, with a Schiit Freya+ feeding everything. DDC and DAC are Gustard U18 to Musician Draco via I2S. The sound is absolutely sublime set up this way.
can you please talk about equalizer i know that equalizer is a bad word in most audiophiles ears. but if one need/must use a equalizer how would one do it best in terms of sound quality? from a app ? from a real equalizer ? (produkt link?) i want to make a u-shape respons in my setup. thanks
A digital peq would be my preference as long as you aren't using a turntable or some other analog source. Adjusting digital sources in the digital domain will have fewer negative effects than doing so after the dac.
Asking for a friend, how does one connect two 12V trigger cables (from two V3 Monos, to my Wiim PP, that only has one 12V input/output? Is there an adapter or how do I connect both?
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for the link, will keep that in mind. I realize now that the V3s don’t have 12V trigger, the V3M will automatically go into stand by mode automatically if there is no signal and turn on respectively when it detects a signal. I just overthought it and has cleared itself. Up.
Did somebody compare it with Aiyima's A07 Max used in monoblocks? I bet it sounds the same. Price is just the half and only 1 opamp to change in each unit vs 2 to 3 inside de Fosi's
@@a4rontran On the 07 Max used in mono the one closer to the speakers conectors, the left channel, you can take the other one out. I use the Aiyimas without the case with Akliam LC5 connected with dip8 extenders, for me it sounds very good, wide soundstage, non fatiguant, no harshness ans sibiliance in the voices compared with stock opamps and they are cheap. Now i would like to test the Burson V7 classics to compare.
RCA outs on your CD or preamp are left and right (usual red for Right and white for Left). So you just take the R out to the mono amp RCA that powers right speaker. L out vows to the RCA on the amp for the left speaker. It's as simple as that.
There shouldn't be any + and - markings. Each RCA connector has a + (the centar pin) and a - (the outer circle)... But that is a standard you don't need to worry about unless you're making cables.
@@iiWiReviews ok thanks i wish fosi didnt used the color red is confusing and i didnt found any info in the manual online about rca - or + but thanks now i know is not difference
@@iiWiReviews is the right speaker the right that is in front of me when sitting in the chair or the right if i was behind the fosi audio v3 and looking to the chair i use to sit?
Sorry I have to disagree with the Fosi P3 preamp being a 'bottleneck'. I have one driving two ZA3s and it couldn't be more transparent! That's with ATC SCM11 speakers!
High performance stereo pre amps are really difficult to design... The Fosi P3 is certainly excellent value, however it is also certainly a very real limiting factor to your ZA3s reaching their upper limit of performance... This reviewer mentions the Schiit Audio flagship Freya preamp, but their 2nd tier model, Kara at $399 would make excellent upgrade over the Fosi P3 without taking prices too far. I think Fosi has taken the Texas Instruments TPA3255 based class D amp technology as far as they physically can, but has yet to learn to design a good old fashion analog preamp circuit anywhere as good as their achievements on the ZA3, and this new V3 Mono.
@@kevintan2221 Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately the Kara is not $399.... it's £765 in the UK... plus I don't need a headphone amp which is built in. I would consider the Schiit Saga S but you can't get them in the UK! Always out of stock. That's the problem with Schiit products outside of the US....😖
Unless I'm mistaken about the ZA3s in mono mode, even if you have the ZA3s at full volume, this only bypasses the volume controls, but not the ZA3's NE5532 preamp chips. So, I suspect you would get even better transparency if you weren't running the ZA3 preamps through an additional preamp, the Fosi P3. Just my 2 cents worth.
Thanks. I have a ZA3 and plan on getting two V3s to replace it once they are off kickstarter. I have a Geshelli J2s AMK 4499 DAC, the Topping A70Pro, and some Emotive XB2s. It's my near flied desktop setup, so I really don't need a speaker amp with volume control. The A70Pro works just fine as the volume part, I just hope the V3s don't pop when I switch the A70Pro from headphone to pre like the ZA3 does if it's turned up. Also, I hope the V3s don't have the hiss that comes through the tweeter like the ZA3 does when nothing is playing.
@@Gadgetdad007 I don't think I need a $2,700 amp for a system that only costs $1,550. Thanks for the suggestion, but I need something small to fit on my desk with the rest of this stuff.
Sure, you can just invent a part that doesn't exist and complain about it. 🙂But I am getting old and forgetting things, so please refer me to the part of the video where I mentioned any $2000 class AB amp and said anything about these being better than it.
Fosi should have skip the ZA3 stereo and saved me some pain. I have a V3 and a pair of ZA3 doing monoblock duties. The other channels are thus not doing anything except adding weight and space. I am not adding more $$ to the sillyness of this naked grab by Fosi
Would be great if these companies could actually get an adult to simply design something simple, a $99 stereo power amp, no dumb wall wart bricks or features, if its not wall warts its DA convertors and a volume knob or headphone amp or fake meters. Why can none of these companies simply design simply no thrills small boxes. Most of their multiple do it all boxes simply need to be pared down to minimum. A simply dac that converts, a simply pre amp with a few inputs and a volume knob. And a simply power amp with a rocker switch on the front, and input, and an output. All easily done for under $99 per item when you look at their catalogues, allowing anyone interested in budget systems the ability to actually have seperates that are seperate items alowing system builds as they wish.
There is no such amp for sale on AMAZON or anywhere else for that matter. So only you have them. That is not helping me one bit. My point is why are you telling me about something I can't buy?
Kickstarter campaign was ongoing when this review was uploaded. It's finished now but amps will come to Amazon and other stores once preorders are fulfilled.
THANK GOD WE HAVE CHINA!!!! To get this kind of audio performance from traditional "audiophile brands" you had to sell your car. Way to go!! Hi-fi for the PEOPLE as it ever was.
0:00 _"... two is always better than one ..."_ Yeah. You say that like if it was universal. But it's not. Two cakes can be better, or not. Stereo can be better than mono and it can be not. And many have real troubles with only one girl already, what will not be solved by multiplying it by 2. For example I just bought an active nearfield monitor (yes, very fkg stereo) and I got them with a reason, but I just began to think about what if one of them will be broken will I throw out the other too, or will I be able to get another one with the same state of the wearing down like the remaining one ? Why is that good, if we multiply electronic blocks per channel, what could be working as a common part ? Yes, can be reasons, but those reasons are not the "two is always better than one". 'Cause it's not. Not always. Not even usually. Only a can be.
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Actually the real hero for making this V3 and ZA series amps possible and also many others such as Ayima, Topping, Smsl, etc, etc is actually good old Texas Instruments for the TPA 3255 class D amplifier chip common to all the above amplifiers, making prices as low as $80 possible with a good minimum from 100w/ch RMS stereo upwards to TI's TPA3255 upper limit of well over 250w/ch in mono channel usage.
Texas Instruments actually claims 300w/ch in stereo, and upto 600w in Mono, but I fear nobody had actually recorded such ludicrous claims in independent test output. Nevertheless the sound quality achieved by companies such as Fosi using the TPA 3255 is already upsetting normal Class AB analog amplifiers costing as high as $2 - 4,000 value!
So a toast to Texas Instruments and their game changing TPA 3255 Class D amp chip!
You're one of the very few reviewers who compared these directly with your main amp and is also honest about it. 👍💯
I've been using a pair of Fosi ZA3 amps for about two months. Once I got past my manly, muscley pride I realized that they weren't giving up a great deal to my usual Luxman MQ88c. Thanks for that comparison. These things are good enough that when summer temperatures can make my tube amp impractical they'll do as temporary replacements.
Had this same experience when I found out a $200 SMSL amp was basically doing everything my Accuphase could do, minus a bit of smoothness and refinement. Not sure if those qualities will be worth the extra thousands they cost in the future if the budget space continues to explode like it is.
Srboljub - you speak GREAT English, very impressive! Thank you for your detailed and informative review.. All the best, Rob in Switzerland
I had 2 V3 mono's with 2x 10A 48V power supplies on order via kickstarter but I decided to wait until the production run units come out for sale. I have 2 V3 Stereo's connected bi-amp so I can turn the bass up or down and have plenty of power. I will get the V3 mono's no matter what eventually, I just don't feel the rush. Your video just confirmed it for me. Great little amplifier the V3 mono will be no doubt, and I will surely enjoy it once I own a pair but I don't see the rush. The V3 stereo's are basically cranked to max volume, my RME ADI2 Dac fs does pre-amp duties. I also bought the p3 tube preamp to play with, shame they used a not so common place tube and the op-amps are not removable without risking damage to the caps located right near by. I just wanted to play with some tubes on the pre-amp. I have a full tube amplifier, actually 2 of them but it's hot in Tokyo and running AC to listen to music just doesn't make sense to me. My tube amps are both safely put away. I love your reviews as I find them the most relatable to how I listen to music, what I think about value. Other youtubers are not so honest with their opinions. Thanks as always!
Tokyo eh? How big (small) is your room and what speakers are you using?
I lived in Japan for 30 yrs. I know all about houses and apartments.
Another excellent review, thanks. I have a pair on order and am old so I no longer worry about manly muscular pride. For the cost difference I will put up with slightly smothered sound keeping my CPAP machine near by ;)
Fantastic review, I've already ordered a pair of these from Kickstarter, very excited about their arrival. They're replacing a vintage amp which just died on me and will cost about a million £s to repair
Thanks for a great video. So far you have been the clearest on how these perform from all the RUclips reviews I’ve seen. And if it’s 90% as good as the Topping pa7 plus which you compared to an Hegel Amp in one of your videos. It might mean we could Be getting a lot of Amp for not so much money. Thanks for helping us get access to goods quality sound for not so much money.
I certainly look forward to owning a pair. Thank you so much for sharing your perspectives and making purchase choices easier.
Nice review, thanks. I have a pair coming in a week or so. In the meantime, I use a ZA3 with a Trigon Snow White II preamp with Focal Aria 936 and the sound is really very good. My Trigon Energy is out for repair so looking forward to comaring the Energy dual monoblock with these 2.
Great review Srbo, thank you!
I like what I'm seeing and hearing about these small Fosi/Ayima/etc amps, and I am really tempted to buy a pair of V3s, of course.
I just have a tiny dilemma about the word "small": when you see the size of powerbricks they're coming with, you'd have to rethink "small".
Anyway, this is just another audiophile puzzle to solve, I suppose.
One more advantage of the monos is you can place it near the speaker so the speaker cables get cheaper.
Two girls in serial, okay. Two girls in parallel = trouble.
I bought two of this V3 Monoblocks and they are too good for the price. Thanks for your review.
So happy you reviewed these. Thank you.
Excellent review. Thank you 🙌
Can't wait for the Opamps upgrade review.
Someone should do an extensive opamp test. There are three opamps in there. I'd like to know exactly with each one of them does.
@@D1N02 the RUclipsr VirtualHiFi uploaded a video four days ago titled 10 OpAmps tested with HQ sound demo - Op-Amp Rolling - Find the hidden gem !
@@D1N02 If they are anything like the ZA3 you will probably have 2 for the inputs and one for the single channel. At this level, you'll only need to change one in each amp.
@@D1N02 One of them is used on the RCA input to make it balanced. That much I do know.
@@leetaylor13 make an rca input balanced????? There is a gain switch. That's what it is likely for. I want to know what the two other ones or for. Especially if I can mix match op amps.
Srboljub, I've been going through reviews and I've noticed that you haven't reviewed Fiio K9 AKM. Man, there should be a review from you on this dac/amp. Haha! I specifically would love if you could compare it to SMSL DO400, since how pleased you were with it due to balanced quality of both its dac and amp; in fact, you put it above Topping DX5. Another interesting point for the comparison is that both SMSL DO400 and Fiio K9 AKM have the same price point.
Thanks for the great reviews, as usual.
Would be fantastic if you did an opamp test for these, like you did for a DAC. Pozdrav
I really appreciate your way of describing how your ears precieve sound. Your videos are a pleasure to take in. Just as much as your music recomendations. I smiled at the showing of the big room when I saw OH MERCY on the Ever Solo. I just spun that CD yesterday.
Wiim Ultra into a quality tube buffer into a pair of these should be pretty schweet.
What are you thinking? So far I am planning to use the smsl D6s for volume control and Dac/streamer. Do you think I should get a preamp too?
@@CanuckQuest .
Any device with a "variable line level analog output" is a preamp. If the smsl has a volume knob and rca outs then it's already a preamp.
@@CanuckQuest .
There are passive preamps that are 1 line in, volume and 1 line out. That's all. They're not even plugged in. They use no power. And they can cost a very pretty penny.
@@TriAmpHiFi Watch out for impedance matching of the output of a passive pre with the input of the V3 monos. I seem to remember the V3 mono has a pretty low input impedance.
I have a pretty ancient Creek OBH10 passive pre, old enough for the manual to warn against using it near a CB radio. It has a remote controlled motor to turn the potentiometer. It is remarkably transparent as there are so few components in there. It's also tiny.
@@leetaylor13 .
Thank-you Lee. I'm weak on the specifics in the Impedance matching arena so back to the books for me. I appreciate your relevant advice. Thanks again!
Great reviews! Very well articulated, just like the music! 👍 One term/criteria I'd like to hear more is: how's the "musicality" of the amps you review! Thanks and keep it going! 🤘
Thanks! Judging by the measurements on the ASR, these are very impressive "babies"!
The only thing is, I would use them in bi-amping for the lower frequency band (up to 1 kHz).
One thing I was impressed with is the lack of cross talk. And these amps show just how cross talk colors the sound.
One loudspeaker can be better than two, no jokë! I have a Stereolith M232 audiophile loudspeaker, that incorporates a left and a right Chanel. The mid bass speakers face left and right, and the tweeter faces towards the listener. What you get is a truly the dimensional holographic stereo image, that also travels very far, into other rooms with still incredible detail. They were invented in the 80s by Walter Schupbach. A truly disruptive loudspeaker that sadly is not well known. But, yeah, two girls….
I only trust your fabulous and erudite reviews !!!!!!
Great review, what is the primary and secondary system exactly? Also, would have been cool to a see comparison to one of the Infineon MA53332MS powered SMSL amps.
Perfetto, grazie e complimenti per l'inglese...
Audioscience reviewed the mono’s they are much more powerful then v3, especially driving 2 ohms loads in short burst 350 to 400 watts!
With right implementation and design, the TI TPA 3255 as well as the STA 516BE can be made to sound pretty sweet with lots of bang for the buck.
I have Smsl AO200 Mark one. Is this pair better?
Which op amp(s) do you advise to add a little warmth/smoothness, improved soundstage, little bit more emphasis on reverb to the sound without losing clarity/fidelity/details?
Fosi Audio notified the Kickstarter participants that Fosi will provide a noise filter for free to those who bought the 48volt 10amp power supply. They also a a bonus will give two OP amps for free when the amps ship around June 15th. I ordered two V3 Mono Blocks and power supply as a reward for pledging their fundraiser.
A switcher would definitely help out in an AB comparison. Are you using one?
Seems like a better amp than their previous - one disappointment is the small binding posts. Banana plugs are probably required?
Hi, I’m going to make a biamping system. I already have a very good integrated amplifier (Rega ELICIT-R) with good power and good sound. Speakers are 3-way kind. In your opinion, is it better to use Fosi V3 Mono to power low frequencies or medium-hight? So, the question is if this Mono performs better at low or medium-hight frequencies.
Thanks for your reply.
Using 2 48v 10a power supplies would probably make them even more dynamic for the lower frequencies. Changing out the Op=amps depending in you source and pre-ampification adds an extra step of flexibility for tweaking your sound. The only thing I worry about is longevity.
Agree on that, they are smaller and do get hot. Looking at the specs of the TPA chip, 48V is stretching it.. That said, I run 2 ZA3's in mono @ 48V and it never gets hot, but of course they are somewhat larger.
Can you test the AiyimaA70? There are very few videos and I haven't made up my mind to place an order yet.
Your review has convinced to pay attention to these amps. What do you think about the idea of replacing 2 x Schiit Freya mono (XLR) with 4 x V3 mono (5A power supply) (via XLR Y split) - the Freya(s) struggle to drive my Tannoy XT8F over 80dB, otherwise I'm very happy with them. Where can i find the review of your class D amps mentioned in this review?
I guess you've mixed up the name of the amplifiers, as Shiit Freya is a preamplifier.
Hi, love your reviews. Are you comparing V3 Monos to ZA3 as monos or as a stereo amp?
As stereo. I only have one ZA3.
@@iiWiReviews👍 Ive heard stereo amps will suffer a little in staging due to crosstalk compared to a mono, as im sure you know. Id imagine getting the volume control would clean it up a bit.
Either way these little amps seem the ideal place to save money, allowing for better speakers and sources.
You may be aware of the virtual highfi youtube channel by one of the designers of Qualio IQ speakers (i know hes involved anyway) He has very high fidelity recordings of those speakers with different accompanying gear. Hes a big believer in Fossi ZA3 and regularly pairs it with May KTE and T&A 200 Dacs with 7000 euro, highly transparent Qualio IQ speakers.
ruclips.net/video/Fy-cVOJNWRY/видео.htmlsi=vzSA4cRTTwcVN7uU
I experienced a whole new level of listening using 2 ZA3 as monoblocks rolling MUSES02 op amp and balanced connection to Holo Audio Cyan 2 DAC and listening on ATC SCM19 bookshelf speakers. My masculine pride was not harmed by any ounce! 🤣
In stereo mode, the ZA3 sounded closed in and with stock op amps, they are probably not the best sounding. So, factoring op amp upgrades, the price will reach that of the Topping PA7+ but perhaps the it could rival the sound quality and in terms of flexibility in op amp rolling.
May I also suggest that since 2 is indeed better than 1, try listening again to the V3s & ZA3s in mono configuration with some op amp rolling and perhaps we will have our socks blown again! 😁
@@iiWiReviews 👍 Ive heard stereo amps will suffer a little in staging due to crosstalk compared to a mono, as im sure you know. Id imagine getting the volume control would clean it up a bit.
Either way these little amps seem the ideal place to pinch pennies, allowing for better speakers and sources.
You may be aware of the virtual highfi youtube channel by one of the designers of Qualio IQ speakers (i know hes involved anyway) He has very high fidelity recordings of those speakers with different accompanying gear. Hes a big believer in Fossi ZA3 (with upgraded Opamps) and regularly pairs it with May KTE and T&A 200 Dacs with 7000 euro, highly transparent Qualio IQ speakers.
ruclips.net/video/Fy-cVOJNWRY/видео.htmlsi=vzSA4cRTTwcVN7uU
@@RyanChoo Very Intersting...Cyan 2 into upgrade Fossi monos seems to be really pushing the envelope in high value Sound Quality! One thing that could make the value even higher is if the Cyan 2 behaves in the same way as May in regards to DSD.
In the VirtualHifi video i linked with Fossi and May Dac, he mentions in the comment section something very intersting. He found that feeding his May DAC HQPlayer DSD256 from his Macbook Pro sounded better than feeding it HQplayer PCM705 from the 6k Aurilic G2.2 server. (Which is Aurilics highest sample rate) . Using macbook at 705pcm, Aurilic was better ,but once going to DSD, the May Dac (and T&A 200) both use a different DAC circuit for dsd.
It makes me think the Cyan 2 might be a similar situation. Of course the Holo Red outputting DSD would be even better than a mabook. But still, its amazing that a Macbook can sound better than a 6k server when the server is limited to (highbit) PCM. It could really add to the already high value.
I'm guessing the op amps are socketed and swapable. Why do established companies use Kickstarter?
Reduce risk. Get an idea of interest and have Guinea pigs willing to be early adopters so they can get feedback and tweak if need be before making a larger production run. Just off the top of my head.
Just because they're established doesn't mean they're sitting on a lot of spare cash where they can easily absorb some loss if they produce something that doesn't sell as expected.
Allow me to ask.. Could we use 48 volts 10A power supply for 1 pc of this V3 Mono?
Hello, can You recommend me a DAC to "balance" my warm amp? Lets say i want to get a little bit more detail of my amp, but dont want to lose musicality. Thanks 😊
Great opening! ;)
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! My audio vampire! Love your accent!
Great intro 😂
Thanks!
Thank you too!
Tell us about the new Gan Fet amps
So, I've had my eye on the Topping LA-90D as a possible end-game amp but now, of course, these guys are on the scene. I would love to know if someone has been able to listen to both solutions.
The differences in distortion of higher frequencies between LA90 D and this one are EXTREME. You are not getting remotely tge same SQ.
should I trade my SMSL A300 for more heat?
Yet another brilliant review, Srboljub. A question for you. Did you experience any high heat issues during use, as it has been noted in other reviews of the V3 Mono amps, that they run very hot. That would be a concern for me about long term reliability.
They do run hot because they seem to use the chasy itself as a heatsink. That said, I was able to touch them and keep my hand without feeling they would burn me (which happens around 50C for people touching metal). That's not a problem for the TI chip, nor for the opamps. Only electrolytic capacitors' life span is shortened by the heat, but if they're chosen well (high temperature rating, high quality) they should last for years before wearing. I haven't open them yet to check that.
I have a few spare Noctua PC fans that I intend to run off 5V USB to fan adapters to add airflow and cooling to the amp case with the V3 monos. Keeping the fan speed down keeps them silent in operation and sips barely any added power consumption.
Hi,your choice from 1-3
Musician Draco,Denafrips 12th and Toping D90III or you have something else requested in the range of 700-1000 EUR?
Thanks(Hvala🙂)
Hi. I do prefer D90 III to Draco just slightly and that would be a great choice without a doubt. But my favorite bellow 1000 is still SMSL SU-10 for its big and lush sound signature: bit.ly/3iN87C3
I did a video on it too: ruclips.net/video/jVG7geoiHxk/видео.html
I can't say anything about the Denafrips Ares 12th since I haven't tested it. The last one I tried was Ares II and I can say that SU-10 is comfortably better to my ears - more details, more dynamics, yet still very soft and analog sounding and with a big soundstage.
@@iiWiReviews Hvala ti puno,preplaćen sam i rado te pratim redovno.Živio
Does anyone know the imput impedance of the V3 Monos?
Power consumption in stand by mode remains 10w for each unit.
So was that 20 watts with a shared 48V/10A power supply or did you measure that with separate bricks? What's it pulling in idle? I've noticed my ZA3 doesn't really consume much more in action vs in idle but I'd expect standby to actually reduce the draw considerably. That's really disappointing.
@@lisar3944 yes no matter the power supply it's 10w in stand by par unit, 20-23w in use.
@@lisar3944 it's always a way less than class A and class A/B amplifiers
What dac would sound good with these mono amps?
I'm looking for a good preamp for this setup. Tubes, maybe but not necessarily. My ''A'' list choices are cost prohibitive but I am willing to spend 5-10X the price of the amps. Schiit Freya comes to mind but something tells me I could do better for under or around 2K.
Get the musical paradise, yih can upgrade tubes and capacitors to make it sound liquidly smooth
@@a4rontran Seems like a bargain at the price. Form factor (height) would be an issue for me and one reviewer mentioned a significant amount of background noise.
@@mikecees2230 he revised to mk3 already. So far, I don't hear anything hissing
If you chuck in some Burson V7 vivid would it outperform much more expensive amps?
Those amps are very clean and clear sounding, maybe the V7 classics would be a better choice?
I would invest more money in dac and preamp, then for sure u wi have a fine system
Might not fit. I had to cut holes in my V3 stereo to fit the Burson V6 vivids.
Srboljub, do you still have your LS50 to test V3 on them? I've had 3 cheap small class D amps in the past and I wonder if this is another overhyped product with thin midrange and lack of energy.
Yes I still have them. Didn't try that combination but original LS50 (non Meta) are very midrange-centric. So with these amps we would need to bring some bassline boldness either trough the preamp or source... Or by adding a sub, which is what I did in my last phase of using them.
What class D amps have you tried with them so far and what is the rest of the system?
@@iiWiReviews I had SMSL A300 (quite bad), Sabaj A30a (allegedly SMSL VMV A2 in a different case) which was better, but had very distant midrange even on LS50 Meta, then I tried Topping MX3s which wasn't bad, but a bit underpowered and it sounded thin compared to my Hegel H200, Hegel is not suitable for my desk tho so I'm looking for something smaller. Btw. Lyngdorf TDAI-2170 sounds perfectly fine, no complaints like with the cheaper class D amps. Do you think Fosi V3 Mono is in any way step up from many other cheap amps you had tested?
I drive my pair of LS50 Metas with a pair of ZA3s right now in a pretty decent size room and it plays quite loud without any distortion. I ordered a pair of the V3 Monos to eliminate the load-dependent response issue of the ZA3s (which really only comes into play at frequencies over 13Khz anyway). All that said, if you want proper, full sound from LS50 Meta, it doesn’t matter what amplifier you drive them with-you need to pair them with a good subwoofer. I run an SVS SB-3000 with my LS50 Metas, with a Schiit Freya+ feeding everything. DDC and DAC are Gustard U18 to Musician Draco via I2S. The sound is absolutely sublime set up this way.
can you please talk about equalizer
i know that equalizer is a bad word in most audiophiles ears. but if one need/must use a equalizer how would one do it best in terms of sound quality? from a app ? from a real equalizer ? (produkt link?)
i want to make a u-shape respons in my setup. thanks
A digital peq would be my preference as long as you aren't using a turntable or some other analog source. Adjusting digital sources in the digital domain will have fewer negative effects than doing so after the dac.
Asking for a friend, how does one connect two 12V trigger cables (from two V3 Monos, to my Wiim PP, that only has one 12V input/output? Is there an adapter or how do I connect both?
Or does it automatically detect a signal through RCA/Balnced input cable?
There are splitter cables and splitter adapters. For example www.amazon.com/3-5mm-Mono-Y-adapter-Cable-Male/dp/B00I01X9P4
@@iiWiReviews Thanks for the link, will keep that in mind. I realize now that the V3s don’t have 12V trigger, the V3M will automatically go into stand by mode automatically if there is no signal and turn on respectively when it detects a signal. I just overthought it and has cleared itself. Up.
Did somebody compare it with Aiyima's A07 Max used in monoblocks? I bet it sounds the same. Price is just the half and only 1 opamp to change in each unit vs 2 to 3 inside de Fosi's
I prefer the ayima 07 max mono over the fosi za3 mono due to larger sound stage and more neutral sounding.
Which opamp did u switch? The one closer to the speaker terminal or the one closer to the volume knob on the aiyima 07max?
@@a4rontran On the 07 Max used in mono the one closer to the speakers conectors, the left channel, you can take the other one out. I use the Aiyimas without the case with Akliam LC5 connected with dip8 extenders, for me it sounds very good, wide soundstage, non fatiguant, no harshness ans sibiliance in the voices compared with stock opamps and they are cheap. Now i would like to test the Burson V7 classics to compare.
@@tofffsymagic1099 I paired them tube preamp. I really love it.
ya want to hear how well these are then hook up a good set of headphones to them..... plenty of headroom...
Great Thank you Man
is the rca positive or negative how to conect for example a pre amp or cd player via rca when the cd has + and - rca output?
RCA outs on your CD or preamp are left and right (usual red for Right and white for Left). So you just take the R out to the mono amp RCA that powers right speaker. L out vows to the RCA on the amp for the left speaker. It's as simple as that.
There shouldn't be any + and - markings. Each RCA connector has a + (the centar pin) and a - (the outer circle)... But that is a standard you don't need to worry about unless you're making cables.
@@iiWiReviews thanks for the info i was just confuse about the red color on the fosi
@@iiWiReviews ok thanks i wish fosi didnt used the color red is confusing and i didnt found any info in the manual online about rca - or + but thanks now i know is not difference
@@iiWiReviews is the right speaker the right that is in front of me when sitting in the chair or the right if i was behind the fosi audio v3 and looking to the chair i use to sit?
These work great / cool for the summer.
😂😂 2 girls 👏👏👏👏 ❤️ the humor
Could purchase 4 and biamp your speakers if they allow that.
That could actually be a really neat possibility. My two way speakers are set up for that and my tube preamp has three pairs of preamp outputs.
Have a like for the first statement
Sorry I have to disagree with the Fosi P3 preamp being a 'bottleneck'. I have one driving two ZA3s and it couldn't be more transparent! That's with ATC SCM11 speakers!
High performance stereo pre amps are really difficult to design... The Fosi P3 is certainly excellent value, however it is also certainly a very real limiting factor to your ZA3s reaching their upper limit of performance... This reviewer mentions the Schiit Audio flagship Freya preamp, but their 2nd tier model, Kara at $399 would make excellent upgrade over the Fosi P3 without taking prices too far.
I think Fosi has taken the Texas Instruments TPA3255 based class D amp technology as far as they physically can, but has yet to learn to design a good old fashion analog preamp circuit anywhere as good as their achievements on the ZA3, and this new V3 Mono.
@@kevintan2221 Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately the Kara is not $399.... it's £765 in the UK... plus I don't need a headphone amp which is built in. I would consider the Schiit Saga S but you can't get them in the UK! Always out of stock. That's the problem with Schiit products outside of the US....😖
Aune s9c pro into these on paper would be exceptional..
Unless I'm mistaken about the ZA3s in mono mode, even if you have the ZA3s at full volume, this only bypasses the volume controls, but not the ZA3's NE5532 preamp chips. So, I suspect you would get even better transparency if you weren't running the ZA3 preamps through an additional preamp, the Fosi P3. Just my 2 cents worth.
Topping just released the B100 mono. lol
Auto switch on a power amp? always turn on last and turn off first. Good that it has this option anyway.
Power consumption is 10w for each unit in stand by mode
:0-:24,love it, Excellent vid
0:44 ♥
So you could biamp or even tri amp with these…
Amazingly good, compact and inexpensive gear!….but no music this time 👉🏼😢
Hm, I belive there are two songs in the video. Maybe you missed them while skipping.
@@iiWiReviewsthanks!…I'll go back…I watched the whole vid…but…my bad! 😅
How do hook up a sub?
Through a preamp
That's the advantage of two ZA3 s instead.....sub outputs!
Tried all diff ways with many combos, settled on speaker BP's to HL inputs on dual subs
@@tothemax324 That's how I used to connect my subs...unfortunately you cannot do that with class D amps as the negative amp terminal is not grounded.
@@steven2809 You are correct to a point, some like Hypex ncore (i once owned) are grounded at neg output. Or contact fosi
Two girls! :D
(consider this a sub)
Thanks. I have a ZA3 and plan on getting two V3s to replace it once they are off kickstarter. I have a Geshelli J2s AMK 4499 DAC, the Topping A70Pro, and some Emotive XB2s. It's my near flied desktop setup, so I really don't need a speaker amp with volume control. The A70Pro works just fine as the volume part, I just hope the V3s don't pop when I switch the A70Pro from headphone to pre like the ZA3 does if it's turned up. Also, I hope the V3s don't have the hiss that comes through the tweeter like the ZA3 does when nothing is playing.
You should buy a proper amplifier like the Audiolab 9000A 😊
@@Gadgetdad007 I don't think I need a $2,700 amp for a system that only costs $1,550. Thanks for the suggestion, but I need something small to fit on my desk with the rest of this stuff.
I have two ZA3s in mono mode and they don't hiss at all.....
@@steven2809 my single za3 in stereo mode is silent as well.
Better than $2,000.00 Class AB power amp ? C'mon man, it is far away when you talk about the bass slam and resolution..😊😊😊
Sure, you can just invent a part that doesn't exist and complain about it. 🙂But I am getting old and forgetting things, so please refer me to the part of the video where I mentioned any $2000 class AB amp and said anything about these being better than it.
Fosi should have skip the ZA3 stereo and saved me some pain. I have a V3 and a pair of ZA3 doing monoblock duties. The other channels are thus not doing anything except adding weight and space. I am not adding more $$ to the sillyness of this naked grab by Fosi
Because you are obliged to immediate buy anything Fosi comes out with?
Would be great if these companies could actually get an adult to simply design something simple, a $99 stereo power amp, no dumb wall wart bricks or features, if its not wall warts its DA convertors and a volume knob or headphone amp or fake meters.
Why can none of these companies simply design simply no thrills small boxes. Most of their multiple do it all boxes simply need to be pared down to minimum. A simply dac that converts, a simply pre amp with a few inputs and a volume knob. And a simply power amp with a rocker switch on the front, and input, and an output. All easily done for under $99 per item when you look at their catalogues, allowing anyone interested in budget systems the ability to actually have seperates that are seperate items alowing system builds as they wish.
There is no such amp for sale on AMAZON or anywhere else for that matter. So only you have them. That is not helping me one bit. My point is why are you telling me about something I can't buy?
Kickstarter campaign was ongoing when this review was uploaded. It's finished now but amps will come to Amazon and other stores once preorders are fulfilled.
Mine just arrived like 1 hour ago....
....for sale = 2 x v3 monos = you wanna buy mine ?😅😂
I got mine a week ago. Not disappointed. Edit: from the Kickstarter.
THANK GOD WE HAVE CHINA!!!! To get this kind of audio performance from traditional "audiophile brands" you had to sell your car. Way to go!! Hi-fi for the PEOPLE as it ever was.
Yes People’s Republic of China 🇨🇳…an enemy of my country 🤷🏻
Well said. China’s manufacturing is going God’s work
@@ColocasiaCorm child labor…poor working conditions…we must believe in different God’s
@@seanb3303 how does it feel to be the only one who likes your comment
@@seanb3303 Shut it
But…all ‘dem cables esp XLR cannot be clamped practically
2 girls are better than one, lol
Low fi
0:00
_"... two is always better than one ..."_
Yeah.
You say that like if it was
universal.
But it's not.
Two cakes can be better,
or not.
Stereo can be better than
mono
and it can be not.
And many
have real troubles
with only one girl already,
what will not be solved
by multiplying it by 2.
For example I just bought
an active nearfield monitor
(yes, very fkg stereo)
and I got them with a reason,
but I just began to think about
what if one of them will be broken
will I throw out the other too,
or will I be able to get another one
with the same state of the wearing down
like the remaining one ?
Why is that good, if we multiply electronic blocks
per channel,
what could be working as a common part ?
Yes, can be reasons,
but those reasons are not the "two is always better than one".
'Cause it's not. Not always. Not even usually.
Only a can be.
I think you are over thinking it.....😂
Two girls one cup is not better, unless you're German
I never mentioned any cup. That course of toughts is yours to claim and ponder why would your brain lead you there. 😁
@@iiWiReviews 🤣🤣
Think Philippines
One power supply two amps is not good idea
Kind of true, but you can order them with dual PSUs too.