DAC/PRE/MONOBLOCKS UNDER £500 | Fosi Audio ZD3 & V3 Monos

[@fletchermunson6225]

Never before has a modest piece of gear gotten such a professional review.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@fletchermunson6225 thank you kindly Jim 😊👍

[@tunejunky]

simply the best audio presenter hands down. i've worked in the high end audio manufacturing and i've gotten tired of many ongoing tropes in critique. this is a great review of a simple but well made product - a value proposition, that most folks can appreciate. and one that shows that incremental improvements have a high premium. the fact that an "el cheapo" dac is even in the same discussion as the one (built into) the Mission is a triumph.

[@marcocaccia2798]

I have these Fosi V3 monos connected to a S.M.S.L. DO100 PRO dac via XLR with Sparkos op-amps (two for each amplifier). With Sparkos the gain is slightly lowered but the soundstage, detail, depth and separation improve significantly. It seems incredible that such a good sound comes from two such small devices! That said there are some elements to take into account: first of all the amplifiers heat up and should be kept in a well ventilated environment when they are in operation. Secondly I had a problem (like others) with the transistor on the board, the one fixed with the screw on the small heatsink near the XLR/RCA switch, which after a few hours of operation when the amplifier was turned on broke in a corner. Probably a defective batch or an assembly error, however Fosi proved to be very collaborative, promptly reported the problem to the production unit and sent me a new V3 free of charge. In summary, in my opinion they are following an excellent philosophy by following the needs of customers and providing them with good products at competitive prices, I think it is impossible at the moment to find a better product at a lower price.

[@superspeeder]

I upgraded my monos with the OPA1656 op amps. A much more budget upgrade, for sure, but reasonable considering the price of the Fosis. I also use 1/4” TRS to RCA input adapters which bypass the additional amplification stage on the RCA inputs for a cleaner signal path, while also reducing the gain to match better with my subwoofer amplifier. With the budget SU-1 DAC it’s a very satisfying desktop system and uses my PC for volume control through the Toslink input.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@marcocaccia2798 thx for sharing your experience 😊

[@MrAnon-g7m]

Yeah, definitely can't complain at that, i'd like to have cracked it open and see where some of these fires are occurring that people are saying that are happening. It's probably just a transistor like you're saying it's gone inside I mean are we really talking about a fire that flames coming out of it or is it just smoke?

[@superspeeder]

@@MrAnon-g7m lol, I’m sure it’s just a burnt smell. Maximum drama for maximum clicks…

[@bizmofunyuns6463]

I put the v3 mono's with sparkos op amps in my front stage for my home theater and it sounds shockingly good.

[@leeh4722]

You are definitely the best reviewer out there…well done mate.

[@gu1111]

Agree with that ⬆

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍

[@AlphaQ922]

I concur. Won’t be surprised if stereophile and Absolute sound reviewers are subscribers..😊

[@davidatkinson-lifematters4826]

If that's a rant at around 11 minutes, it's the smoothest rant I've ever heard! This is a great, very informative, and helpful review. One thing I might suggest as an improvement is for you to be a tad clearer when comparing the review item with alternatives in your system. Unless the viewer is following a whole series of reviews on the channel, it's easy to get lost.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you 😊

[@petergraves3086]

Good to see a review Tarun of entry/more affordable level equipment with an appropriate performance envelope . Many of my friends are aghast at the cost of some audio equipment (as am I at times) and who only want something easy to use with good sound. I find Chinese equipment to be impressively designed and very reliable and why wouldn't it be as they now build most electronic equipment to some degree .

[@adamcfada5071]

Great video as always. To answer your question- I owned a pair ProAc Response D20R speakers- they had great low bass and airy highs, but the mid/upper bass was lacking which resulted in a thin midrange. I sold them and prefer my old Tannoy M15 speakers which cost a fraction of the ProAcs.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@adamcfada5071 thank you 😊

[@mrsinghsstereos6662]

I bought the stereo version Fosi amp for fun and hooked it up to my stenheim Alumine 3 speakers and the little Fosi did ok . The brand make some interesting gear at very reasonable prices . They also listen to customer feedback and offer early bird deals on new gear . I wish the brand well . To answer your question , I wish my ch precision a1.5 power amp had pre amp and headphone amp functionality .

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@mrsinghsstereos6662 thx for sharing 😊

[@geoffreydebrito7934]

IMO, the natural competitor for the Fosi Audio ZD3 is the new FiiO K11 R2R DAC. The natural competitor to the Fosi V3 Monos are the Topping B100 monos which offer greater clarity and the Schiit Gjallahorns in monoblock configuration, which offer greater musicality, though both at twice the price. I'd suggest to a newbie pairing any of the above with Elac's new Debut 3.0 DB63 Bookshelves @ $449.00 a pair. Cost wise, Vera-Fi Audio's Vanguard Caldera - 10" Active Subwoofer @ $199.00 stands alone. IMO, none of the budget gear being offered matches up in the finer points of audio reproduction. But for entry level gear, cost/performance has been greatly raised.

[@OldGuyHifi]

Did enjoy the V3 mono amps. I thought they performed well, given their limitations. They are sending me a ZD3 which should arrive in the coming days. I am glad to get your take on it. Thank you.

[@jimfarrell4635]

Hi Ed, nice to see you posting here, adding some wisdom, dignity and class to this smooth young whippersnappers channel. 😉

[@OldGuyHifi]

@@jimfarrell4635 Hey Jim. ABA is a great channel. I think he does a great job and he certainly was an inspiration for me to start my own channel.

[@tessie4204]

Best audio reviewer on KZbin!!! NAD M10 V3 and Marantz Model M1 also deserves a good review :)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@tessie4204 thank you kindly 😊👍

[@Ricky-cl5bu]

Great review it’s nice to hear what you think of fosi stuff 😊

[@vicenterojasrosalino4579]

Great review as always. Do you think this fosi zd3 dac and the V3 stereo amplifier would pair well with the acoustic energy AE 100²?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@vicenterojasrosalino4579 thx. They may well do. The AE100 are easy to drive 😊

[@AgentPepsi1]

What an awesome video. Tarun, you hit the nail squarely on the head again. The equipment you have highlighted are certainly not for everyone! I think I will most definitely stick to my Adcom GFA-565 mono-blocs and my Parasound P6 Halo. 😊 I can, however, see the Fosi equipment as a solution where some utilizes a "multimedia" / HT computer in listen room where space is very limited. It would be an innovative, and ultra compact setup. 😊

[@thelowprofile9767]

Hi, when you mentioned Adcom GFA-565 monoblocs, it caught my attention since I also have those units. Unfortunately, one of them stopped working and I have not had it checked by a repairman for a long time. I was wondering if you still have the stock parts of the monoblocs and how the Fosi compares with the Adcom in your case. If you get the chance kindly let me know your thoughts.

[@howardskeivys4184]

I have the Denafrips Venus DAC 12th anniversary edition. It’s a great DAC. Sonically pleasing. The lack of remote control, or, volume.control I can live with. However, I do think the user interface could be more user friendly. Example, there are 2 options assigned to 1 of the buttons, NOS and OS. To access the filters requires so many varied button presses, it’d be easier to learn to play the melodium. If that 1 button would simply toggle between NOS and OS slow filter and OS fast filter, it would simplify things. I also have the Denafrips Athena preamp. It’s an outstanding preamp. It has a 60 stage stepped volume control. It doesn’t offer the extra fine attenuation offered on other preamps like my Kinki preamp which offers 100 infinitely variable steps and only permits you to dim the display, not extinguish it like the Kinki. I also have an Audiolab M-DAC. It has 2 buttons on the chassis or remote, which allow you to shuffle between the input selections. Dedicated buttons for each input would be preferred. But that’s nit picking.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@howardskeivys4184 thank you Howard. Having the Venus too, I agree 😊

[@jimfarrell4635]

I agree entirely about the interface. I have the Terminator Plus and upgrading the firmware then configuring the I2S settings were a massive pain in the butt. So much so I nearly went for the new Hifi Rose DAC, which matches my streamer and has a lovely interface, but I couldn't face going back to a delta sigma DAC after being used to R2R.

[@howardskeivys4184]

@@jimfarrell4635 👍

[@BobbyBass-x6i]

Thanks for the review. Great to see reasonably priced equipment that sounds good. To answer your question, I wish my Holo Audio Cyan 2 DAC allowed one to switch inputs using a control on the front and/or a remote control. Rock on!

[@steve-zschannel2729]

After my previous comment about your reviewing more affordable gear this is a good start, would still like to see you review the SMSL SU-1 though.

[@audiolife5038]

Great review as usual. I bought a pair of Zero Zone TPA 3255 Class D monos with external powersupply on AliExpress. They just blew me away. I now orefer then over my 20 times more expensive AB amp. Go figure.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@audiolife5038 thank you 😊

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

No surprises there. The TPA3255 is earning it's place in "high end" setups.

[@TheNorliss]

Excellent stuff as always, Tarun. I have to be honest, I'm a little wary of all this kind of stuff. It's not so much a question of being snobby or anti-Chinese: this would be ridiculous given how so much consumer electronics goods are made in China these days. I'm sure that a lot of this stuff sounds really good for the money, but I'm more concerned about them from a safety point of view. I've read a number of accounts of these monoblocs overheating with some going pop and I've read of other components by some of the other manufacturers having some significant issues. With cheaper electronics goods, my thought is that if it's something that plugs into the mains, I'd rather not chance it.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@TheNorliss thank you. I appreciate you sharing 😊

[@Diatonic5th]

I had one of my V3s go up in smoke about a week after setting it up in my living room. Thankfully, I was in the room when it died. The manufacturer replaced it right away, and I sold both amps two weeks later😂 I'm not taking any more chances with the safety of my home.

[@jimfarrell4635]

There have been a few reports of burnt out V3s on line. Perhaps because of the high volume sold over a short time, and the hype, people are reporting on the record. Also I do note I have seen KZbinrs simulating smoke in pics, when actually their units just failed. I think this is unfair. My experience with Fosi is that their customer service is excellent. If there is a significant issue with overheating (and there might well be) I expect them to tackle it head on. If they get a reputation for unreliable or dangerous products, they are dead in the water, as they have built a solid rep based on listening to customer feedback.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@jimfarrell4635 thx Jim. I would like to find out from Fosi Ausio what percentage of their customers have had issues with this product 😊

[@TheNorliss]

@@robertkensler2156 I'm not making any claims, simply commenting on experiences reported by others. I own a cheap SMSL DAC and it's been fine albeit powered by USB so I don't have to worry about it being connected directly to the mains. Why get so upset about it?

[@sudipdutt9699]

Happy Dussehra, Tarun

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@sudipdutt9699 to you too 🙏

[@OgamJan]

Most of the stuff I owned in the past had obvious flaws, all of it being budget gear, but it led me to my current set up, and the most significant change I was after were point source speakers. The only thing I wish I would have kept was my Yamaha PF800 turntable with Yamaha MC, that setup didn't need any changing...

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@OgamJan thx for sharing 😊

[@davidcampbell2845]

Thanks for your tireless efforts. Always informative.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thank you kindly David. I really appreciate your support 😊👍

[@filofilo8127]

Great review Tarun. I have an $80 Douk b/t amp with tone controls driving Q Acoustics 2020i's and it's pretty impressive what this category of amp can deliver. Nowhere near my Exposure / Vienna Acoustics combo but for the price it's no slouch.

[@dixter1652]

I have the V3 mono blocks and the ZD3 hooked up to the Hifiman speaker amp adapter for headphones.... the stack will drive any headphone made and they sound good with that setup....

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@dixter1652 thx for sharing 😊

[@MichaelIrons-d5v]

most excellent sir the review, loved the vid.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@MichaelIrons-d5v thank you kindly 😊👍

[@trevorbartram5473]

Hi Tarun, as you mentioned price several times, I've noticed the price of Chinese HiFi escalating recently, ah those clever Chinese. And on price again, I believe it's hard to beat the SMSL A300, AO300 (& derivatives RAW-HA1 & Loxjie A40). The're based on Infineon (rather than TI chips), with excellent peripheral chips & measure well. I have the AO300 & I'm impressed. Whichever you choose, they are well worth a listen, cheers!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@trevorbartram5473 I appreciate the suggestion 😊

[@D1N02]

You perfectly described what is called Sabre glare without saying the word. I think the Muses02 opamp will take the the ZD3 a notch or two up on the DAC ladder. Sparkos too. It will depend on taste and partnering which sounds best to someone.

[@D1N02]

I believe the xlr circuit op-amps inside the mono's are in series, not parallel, having different purposes. So you can mix and match op amps for your pairing needs. I think these mono's are great for drawing people into the hobby at low prices. Once they develop a taste for it they will transcend to better gear that seemed priced much to highly priced before they were drawn in.

[@RobS65]

The price will rise considerably with those opamps. Maybe than the offerings from Rotel or Cambridge audio are a better choice? I use a Fosi ZA3 as a desktop amp, that works great with a small Allo Boss raspberry pi streamer/dac.

[@annebokma4637]

​@@D1N02It sure is nice for beginners, except when the mini blocks go up in smoke. And those stories are coming out more and more

[@D1N02]

@@RobS65 you can get them later. That way it won't hurt so much. Upgrading is part of the fun.

[@D1N02]

@@annebokma4637 will be replaced under warranty and when bought in Europe that is 2 years.

[@damayor62]

Outstanding as always Tarun and it's nice to see the ZD3 performed so well. I've been leery of ChiFi class D amps for years reliability wise and Ron at NRD just had a very bad experience with a V3 mono. I'll stay away from them until reliability is much well documented. As far as what I'd improve in an existing product I have, I'd put a better DAC in the IOTAVX SA3. I love my SA3/PA3 but agree with you on the internal DAC aspect. Thank you and keep up the great work. Cheers...

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@damayor62 thank you kindly. It will be interesting to know if reliability is a problem with these amps. Mine has performed faultlessly so far 😊

[@damayor62]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 I've had a couple of budgetphile friends who bought Douk power amps and they sounded OK but neither lasted more than two years before something went wrong. If I remember correctly they had connector (Speaker & RCA) related issues more so than the amp dying. I know its a different type of device but I've had an SMSL SA300 for a few years and love it for desktop/small room applications.

[@jimfarrell4635]

Ron lost brownie points from me for simulating smoke coming from his V3 when no such thing happened. It just failed and he said it smelled like something had overheated, while he strongly suggested a fire risk without evidence.

[@jdm-uk-yank]

These might make for a great little bedroom system I'm planning. I've got some NOS Optimus LX5 Pro speakers.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@jdm-uk-yank indeed 😊

[@plasticpenguin1]

I like the compact size of Fosi. Other than that, i wouldn't change any of my current system.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@plasticpenguin1 cool 😎

[@brown-eyedman4040]

Great review. And while I feel monoblocs are way sexy, it seems at some (low) price point there's just nothing in it. I've owned receivers, integrated amps, separates and now monoblocs. In my experience, good receivers can sound OK, good integrates sound better, separates raise the bar and monoblocs top the ladder. But separates and especially monoblocs can be complex to operate. My current tube preamp and Class "A" monoblocs do get quite warm. Quite dicey when the temps reach the 90s. (Here in California, we use the proper temperature scale!)

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

A pet peeve, if I may ... Everyone is pairing these TPA3255 amplifiers with bookshelf or standmount speakers. It sells them horridly short. Really hook, up to a pair of LaScalas, L-100s or Elac towers ... you're in for a real treat. The V3 Mono is an honest to goodness 200 watt monoblock... you just might be surprised what it can do when you let it off the leash.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@Douglas_Blake_579 thx for sharing 😊

[@bazzaah]

Hi Tarun' good video thanks. I have to say that I picked up a pair of these for a 2nd system I’m gradually putting together, and just for fun I hooked them into my main system with an RME ADI2 and a Trigon SnowWhite II preamp and the sound is really good, no problem with my Focal Aria speakers either. So they’re also quite at home in a good system too. I’ll take them out and put my Trigon Energy back in but I’m pleasantly surprised about how good the Fosis are. I think maybe the Trigon preamp papers over a few Fosi cracks as running the RME as a preamp yielded a much brighter sound. Anyway, it would be interesting to see how much you could spend on other components before the Fosis become a real limiting factor.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@bazzaah thx for sharing 😊

[@TS-ex4dl]

Good advice. ----Basic quality stuff all round in one box keeps costs down.save space+less wires! My sourses used most are computer and tv arc.HDMI /ADC/DAC(2 boxes) .My speakers are digital DSP (2 boxes) -But a nightmare with 5 remotes mouse and keyboard on the coffee table.! The need to upgrade. One box for all? Meridian Eclipse?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@TS-ex4dl thx 😊

[@ryanchappell5962]

Zero zone made their own version of the TPA 3255 amplifier in a dual mono block with shared power supply. It looks very interesting and is more expensive than the Fosi but clearly a premium product and design. It’s an XLR only input with just one dual opamp that can be replaced in each amplifier.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@ryanchappell5962 thx for sharing 😊

[@annebokma4637]

The only thing I wish most of the products of the past had is my continues ownership. But of a gear hoarder here 🤣😎

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@annebokma4637 very good. Thx 😊

[@MattJoyce01]

Lovely review. So please you mentioned the power supply and cable aesthetics, which is a big minus for me.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@MattJoyce01 thank you 😊

[@marienvanraan760]

Goed gedaan jongen. Trots op je.

[@adaboy4z]

I believe the future is going to be these small chip based amps, dacs due to cost savings. Toss in the bin and buy another for the price of a nice dinner for two. The older gen is dying off who appreciated the big expensive amps, preamps, dacs.

[@marklydon435]

Not for me, I've tried 2 ZA3 mono'd and I can assure you an Exposure 2510 will be much better in most departments.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@adaboy4z they have a market but the sound quality won’t match the best class AB amps I have heard at £1,000 😊

[@adaboy4z]

​@@abritishaudiophile7314 Agreed I love my big powerful amps, preamps with VU meters, knobs, switches

[@yyams]

Long time no speak Tarun:) I'm intensely curious about the recent crop of monoblocks and power amps, particularly the topping B200 / B100 Monoblocks. It'd be great to see more reviews in this area as I'm existing in a very budget-restricted hifi world at the moment! Keep on rockin in the free world Picard out

[@yyams]

There's also some interestying stuff going on with NORD and their hypex class D stuff... Uk based, seem like good value etc.. the hifi world is really spreading out in many new directions these days eh.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thx buddy 😊

[@TheXJRMAN]

I run Dynaudio Special 40's with these mono amps, they sing.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@TheXJRMAN cool 😎

[@jonathanmoore8886]

Great review. Bit of rant here, I don't understand why Denon and Marantz can't put balanced input on their integrated amp. Especially on their integrateds costing 4 to 10 times as much as these fosi audio pieces.

[@thepuma2012]

i think it because of marketing - the buyers they aim at dont use balanced inputs (perhaps)

[@AndreKoningsDjndre]

Hi Tarun ,nice review personally I don’t like the sound of class D ,I am a class a fan my system: Audio Analyse PA 90 special edition amp, cec 5300 cd player, Audio technica record player, schitt mani2 , Floating chameleon 2 speakers, I am thinking to buy a sugden amplifier 🙏🏾

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@AndreKoningsDjndre thx for sharing 😊

[@madcrabber1113]

I would change nothing but I am 57 years old and went down many audio rabbit holes since I was a teenager in the 80's.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@madcrabber1113 thx for sharing 😊

[@boomerscs9193]

I own the V3 monoblocks and have had good results driving my Magnepan 2.5R speakers. I am awaiting delivery of my ZD3, currently using a Topping E70 DAC/Preamp for music listening. Extremely clean sound. I'm interested to see how the ZD3 compares to the Topping which was about twice the price.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@boomerscs9193 please let me know how you get on 😊

[@fletchermunson6225]

What would I change about the upgraded Dynamo Mk III mono tube amps I used to have. I would NOT have sold them.

[@bengleason508]

Please consider reviewing the Arendal 1528 bookshelf.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I appreciate the suggestion 😊

[@moussaobeid]

Killer value!! China is changing the while game in all industries it seems. Audio is just an example

[@adamkorolow9021]

you are reading my mind Tauron. i decided to downgrade fro Arcam Sa30 due tonit dry sound (That I noticed when I compared it to Rega Elex amp). I got v3 s on order now and I also gonna hook them up to chords mojo 2. if i like the sound I will upgrade op amps to staccato or sth else tempering D class sound to make it more analog. i am interedted in VmV d2r from smsl Dac you recently reviewed. how do youbthink it would sound with V3s? my speakers are Dali Rubicon 2.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@adamkorolow9021 I would stick with your Arcam with rheumatoid arthritis Rubicon 2s 😊

[@BillMcAuley1]

What do you think about using V3 monoblocks with Wimm Ultra and Monitor Audio Bronze2 as a third system for my office

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@BillMcAuley1 that would work 😊

[@AlexanderG-mi7ip]

What I would change regarding the equipment I own is that I would not include Bluetooth in my Denon amplifier. The amp sounds nice and warm, I don't have problems with that, but the fact that it has Bluetooth as an option makes it a bit 'cheaper' and less noble in my eyes. I believe in simplicity and quality components, not in gear packed with options, but it's nitpicking, I know...

[@aaronpimanfo4854]

Merci!!!

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@aaronpimanfo4854 merci beaucoup 😊

[@dougg1075]

First thing I would do is paint that v knob black. Maybe dark grey nearly black. Looks cool otherwise. I would be all over those M Blocks, if I needed a small system back in the day

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

You can order the black knobs for the V3. They will fit.

[@frankvisler9596]

Monoblocks also gives other option for placing gear, i am looking at getting back into having some decent hifi, been stuck at near field monitors at my desk and a i am also looking for monoblock options. A setup with monoblocks, which i had before, i see as an option to move amplifies very close to speakers and even expensive speaker cable gets cheap when you maybe just need 1.2 meter in total. thanks for many good videoes with lots of input, i did see a few and i am still looking for option to buy speakers and amplifier(s)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@frankvisler9596 thx for sharing 😊

[@MrBenherrmann]

Regarding op-amps - please be careful which ones you use. Why? I've op-amp rolled extensively with these V3 Mono's, and discovered that although I cherish the use of the Sparkos Labs discrete versions (which I use on most of my class D and DAC products - that allow for op-amp interchangeability), their use in the V3 Mono's resulted in massive overheating of the amp chassis - now go figure? However, when using regular IC-based op amps (with the size and feel of the stock NE5532 versions), all was fine, with the chassis warming up just slightly (moderately at its worst). I don't know if it's a voltage thing or whatever, but when I inserted Sparkos Labs and/or Burson discrete op-amps, both of my mono amps became too hot to the touch and this cannot be good for long term reliability. As a result, I settled for the IC-based MUSES02 in my V3 Mono-blocks and they just fine without the extra heat build-up. I've reported on this issue in a number of feedback reviews I posted. Perhaps one of you "technoweenies" can explain what that cause might be?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@MrBenherrmann there can be a bunch of reasons why they overheated. Unfortunately, too much for this “technoweenie” to get into here 😊

[@kineahora8736]

I prefer the sound of the muses02 to the sparkos with these amps- the muses02 has much more smoothness and relaxed character that calms down the sound. The sparkos have a lot of energy and are better on products that are slow, dark or warm.

[@michaelcampbell9459]

My pair with stock or Muse 02 OA get almost too hot to touch driving maggies at normal medium volumes; one of them even kicks on from standby when I flip a light switch in a nearby room. The V3 Monos are good, even better with Muse 02 OA, but I'm going to get a better amp for my main rig, something smoother and with more power as these still have some glare even though well broken in.

[@kineahora8736]

@@michaelcampbell9459 hmm. Well they’re so cheap that if I don’t like em I can try something else. I only have 1 system… going to get speakers well above their level… What’s the efficiency of the Maggies? That style usu pretty inefficient.. like 85 db. These should be good with a 90 db speaker…

[@willlodge5386]

Could it be something as simple as when you open up the V3 monos you are actually disturbing the thermal paste on the bottom of the chassis which is used to help dissipate heat?

[@SastusBulbas1]

The ZD3 with Arc input will be interesting to watch, but sadly another product ruined by a power brick. That said, it still looks like a nice budget offering if competetively priced, plug the TV in, plug in a pair of active Kali or similar, and shrug off the audiophile comfort blanket.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@SastusBulbas1 the ZD3 has a small wall wart power supply. Upgrades from 3rd market vendors will probably be available 😊

[@reserva120]

So both are a 550 dollars integrated amp .. correct

[@BoRerunn]

Can I fit the Burson opamps in that bad boy

[@kineahora8736]

I ordered this pairing V3 mono and ZD3-with muses02 op amps to replace the stock…hasn’t arrived yet… I will stack them but the will be in my closet where they won’t be seen…

[@kaifa76]

i've read an alarming amount of people who have burnt their v3 mono after a few days of use

[@erickorozco3907]

Me imagino que esas personas los habran echado a una hoguera. Yo tengo un Fosi V3 y los uso con varios tipos de altavoces (Yamaha, Jamo, Cerwing Vega, Sony) y se escucha muy bien. Hay personas que tienen tendencia mitómana

[@willmac5642]

Burson classic op amp cd help dac alot (haven't watched whole review yet tho)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@willmac5642 I hope you enjoy it 😊

[@poyocru]

I'm using class ab amp and subwoofers, but bought v3 last week still waiting for delivery, I'm curious about how good these Chi-Fi class D sounds

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@poyocru please let me know how you get on 😊

[@boomerscs9193]

I've been very pleasantly surprised by the improvement the V3 monos made over my prior class A/B amps. Much cleaner and blacker background.

[@poyocru]

I'm very impressed, so small amplifier makes a good sound, it's very worth budget cheap and great amplifiers, I hope it lasts long lifespan good

[@poyocru]

The only downside it's that my class ab can make better bass (harder and longer deep separated bass) with fosi v3 bass are like I'm listening to a car stereo

[@poyocru]

It feels like a class ab can make lower bass frequencies with a kind of sustaining it along the next notes that are playing

[@horsterer77]

A little while ago, I went from a full 47 Labs setup to a rather more modest SMSL C100 / Fosi V3 combo, amongst other changes. Basically I went full fancy (if perhaps a tad outdated) to full budget. Short version, I'm very impressed by the performance of those two units. However, I paid 100€ for the SMSL Dac and, and 72€ for the Fosi V3 with 48V power supply, shipped (to Germany) and new. Leaving the Dac aside, the two Fosi monos are getting very close to the 300€ mark, and the very competitive segment of 300-500€ dedicated amps. Frankly, I at this price point I'd not even consider Fosi, but look at the various, very well regarded amp offerings from Japan and the UK. While I love the simplicity of my current setup, which is so similar to the 47 labs gear in that regard, I'd probably go proven and convenient integrated over monos at this point. On a side note; the RCA plugs on my Fosi V3 broke recently, which could well have been my own fault, and the Fosi customer service could not have been more accomodating. Finally, thank you very much for the review, very informative and pleasant to watch as always. Also, I'm sure you recall my suggestion from a while ago to perhaps review a Lavardin amp ;). Sweetest sounding amp I've ever heard - looking back through rose tinted glasses at this point though - and it'd be great to hear your thoughts about it, if you'd be interested.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@horsterer77 thank you 😊

[@naibafabdulkobor4301]

No, PFFB is not at all what this review tells us. No ferrite beads involved. It's an additional outer feedback loop (consisting of a couple of caps and resistors) from behind the analogue output filter (consisting of the big inductors clearly visible in the video plus some more caps) to the input stage. This feedback loop (to some extend) counteracts the non-ideal properties of the output filter (increased output impedance, distortion, ...). That's it, plain and simple. The drawback is that some gain of the chip amp is lost.

[@naibafabdulkobor4301]

PS: No op-amps used on the output.

[@juliend8638]

What about the combination of WA3 and WD3 ?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@juliend8638 what about it… 😉

[@boomerscs9193]

I think you mean ZA3 and ZD3. Yes, I think this would be a much better combination both visually and sonically. They have identical form factor and orange knobs. They can be stacked and would only require 2 power bricks vs 3. Also, I think the ZA3 amp has a warmer sound that would better complement the ZD3. It would also be significantly less expensive, at around $300 for the pair.

[@fencerrandy]

Fosi probably should have vented the v3 mono top and bottom like the v3 instead of from the sides. I’ve seen a lot of talk about the v3 mono getting hot and sometimes burning up.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@fencerrandy mine have been fine 😉

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

They won't burn up. They have internal over current, over and under voltage, over temperature and DC offset protections. They will shut off if you get too carried away. There is a problem with interactions in any Class-D amps when sharing a power supply. There is a built in Master/Slave mode to deal with this. But it's not available when the chips are in separate chassis. So just keep them on individual power bricks and you should be fine.

[@fencerrandy]

@@Douglas_Blake_579Erin at Erin’s Audio Corner burned one up in his testing. He was pushing it pretty hard though. Could have been a QC issue as protection should have kicked in before it fried. Just be aware that it has happened.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

@@fencerrandy The issue has been addressed by Fosi. Erin was using full power continuous multitone signals for hours on end, the chip was repeatedly overheating and going into protection then turning right back on because of the "auto" function. Eventually the soft-start circuit failed. That kind of abuse would never occur in day to day listening. In fact, that kind of abuse doesn't even occur in normal full power testing. I do, however, agree that the V3 monos need far better cooling solutions. Taking the coloured plastic inserts out of the side vents is a good start.

[@fencerrandy]

@@Douglas_Blake_579 That's good to know. I didn't see that update. I'm looking forward to working with these when I get around to updating my two-channel setup. I may go with the ZA3 in dual mono though so I can use the Burson V7 Vivid opamps.

[@carlitomelon4610]

Thanks Tarun. Looks like a long interconnect/short speaker cable solution. 5 mins in and i know its not a sound profile for me. Even for a spare bedroom system or to recommend to budding young audio friends. I prefer a 3d warm presentation. Should i keep watching? 🎵🎶🤔🎶🎵

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@carlitomelon4610 thx for sharing 😊

[@jimfarrell4635]

Indeed. That's what I did, and with xlr cables you can get long lengths very cheaply with no signal loss. Hi Carlos! Just noticed it was you. Wise as usual.

[@ColocasiaCorm]

Disappointed you didn’t like the v3 monos. For some of us that’s the closest we’ll ever get to monoblock amps

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@ColocasiaCorm they aren’t bad but there are better options at the price 😊

[@Madmart54]

Great review thanks. Like someone else said-I’d personally change the orange knob for boring black. The orange to me signifies cheap audio but maybe I’m old fashioned. One thing I’d wish to change on my system is the sound stage on my WiiM pro plus. It feels a little constrained but sounds great. The “go buy” demon in my head keeps whispering-Geshelli Labs top spec ops 🤤

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

Thx 😊

[@Taporeee]

I had little knowledge of AV as a hobby. I know a great deal more tha ks to this channel

[@AswinLai]

smsl do have all in one solution AO300, can you them out?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@AswinLai I know, I was referring to Fosi 😊

[@boomerscs9193]

The AO300 doesn't have a coax input, only optical. That's a deal breaker for me. Also, the amplifiers only put out about 100 watts. 😥

[@AswinLai]

@boomerscs9193 it does have coaxial, ya the power output is limited if you using low sensitivity speaker

[@DeMorcan]

The Qutest DAC, I would use something besides a USB mini for power. Anything would be better. It is 2024 and too late to use USB mini connectors.

[@Michel-r6m]

Is that Seasick Steve?

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@Michel-r6m yes 😉

[@Michel-r6m]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 First time I saw him was at Jools Holland Doghouse Blues with Mississippi drum machine 🤠 Also fond of the blues guys JLH and BB King etc. 👍

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@Michel-r6m that is great 👍

[@arfer1470]

Head over to New Record Day, he had one of his Fosi mono blocks randomly die, apparently its quite common

[@ltmund]

So did Erin

[@boomerscs9193]

@@ltmund I think Erin was overdriving his. However, it sounds like New Record Day was merely playing at moderate level. I wouldn't leave them on all the time, especially given how hot they get/stay even when not being sent a signal.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

I can only speak as I find. I don’t look at other reviews of products I have in or coming in. That way I can give my unbiased opinion 😊

[@ltmund]

@@abritishaudiophile7314 And that's why I respect your videos.

[@larrygaines7462]

Their is a monoblock duo on Amazon I added 48vdc 12 amp and fmod 70hz hipass and douk preamp to recoup 3 db loss sub plate is full range with better xover and gain range with parametric eq. Yep it works well.

[@user-xg6zz8qs3q]

I am very pleased with my Creek 4240 amplifier paired with my Bluesound Node (2021). No need for cheap class D mono blocs.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@user-xg6zz8qs3q thx for sharing 😊

[@rapier5]

I'm currently using for full room stereo a Chinese stereo amp fed by a Node for switching and its DAC. But switching alone does not a preamp make. Typically nobody even bothers to test these with preamps and I wonder if this is a mistake. Price appropriate preamps are hard to come by and pairing more expensive ones would defeat the low low cost aspect. However I wish someone would try them with preamps in the $500 range or even higher. I suspect preamps with known qualities like 'warm' or 'analytical' might produce more pleasing results with this class of amps. While a streamer or DAC's output straight to an amp is theoretically better, a simple signal path, that does not make it so. Perhaps some preamp might alter any one of those shortcomings mentioned or just simply be more pleasing.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@rapier5 you can’t expect a front end much better than the Chord Mojo to be used with these 😊

[@goodsound4756]

The thumbnail title reads "did they go too far?" Too far in what regard? This doesn't get addressed in the video. I'd rather feel that this channel had gone too far by reviewing non-audiophile stuff. (No offense intended, tongue in cheek)

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@goodsound4756 too far as in 3 separate boxed as opposed to just one 😉

[@bingdong8571]

monoblocks use chassis as heat sink. It does not work well per reviews

[@Kowinaida]

If space is critical for people just get an Ultimate Ears Hyperboom.

[@markdi2]

pffb is a little more complicated than a ferrite bead

[@garycrant4511]

If you are going to portray yourself as "A British Audiophile", it's "pain in the arse, or bum" not "butt". Thank you very much... Be patriotic, stand up to Americanisation of our precious traditional indigenous swear words. We've sweet FA else left to be proud of...

[@razzman2987]

They blow up all the time 😂 I stick with my MF A1

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@razzman2987 the old MF A1 s had plenty of failures 😊

[@dieseldust27]

I heard the monoblocks are fire hazards 😢

[@Diatonic5th]

They are! I know from experience.

[@leodesforges161]

@@Diatonic5thwhat happened?

[@Diatonic5th]

@leodesforges161 I had one of my V3s go up in smoke a week after I set them up in my living room. Luckily, I was in the room at the time it died. They sent me a replacement, and I sold both amps a couple of weeks later. I'm not taking any chances with my house.

[@gleamtarrest6310]

That would suck!

[@BoRerunn]

I point a small amp at it

[@RP-ms7lu]

I am always doubtful about chinese product quality, also what current they are sending to my expensive speaker is doubtful. And overheating is added risk ,together with no sevice centre. I would continue with my trusted ,well built and flawless denon,yamaha, marantz which gives perfect and melodious sound. If you are hearing superior high quality sound, you quickly notice the flaws and rawness of these chinese toys which may not last beyond 3 years !

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@RP-ms7lu it would be interesting to get Fosi Audios feedback about the reliability of the V3 Monos 😊

[@MikeCho-w9g]

I got mine DOA . This Chinese company just try to play around with customer. They even reply in Chinese to humiliate me. Finally they allow me to ship back with MY OWN EXPENSE. Typical Chinese way’s of business.😢😢😢

[@ianorigbo7617]

First here. Very good vfm

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@ianorigbo7617 thx for watching 😊

[@andrews4379]

500 eu :O too much for japan trash

[@zbyslaw50000]

I paired Aiyima T8 with Advance Acoustic MAA-405 last week and I am more than happy with the result after bad experience with Arcam SA30.... Would Fosi ZD3 make a lot of difference? Aiyima may be a little dull but the sound is very pleasing

[@zbyslaw50000]

With Audiovector M3 Signature

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@zbyslaw50000 thx for sharing 😊

[@TheCharlesAtoz]

Why do you review inexpensive/cheap gear? Don't you want to stay above a certain quality on your channel?

[@thepuma2012]

other people ask for it. For some people who are orientating on the audio equipment, these reviews are still usefull (for comparising). One can learn about the differences in comparison to other equipment in other price class

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@TheCharlesAtoz I am very selective it try to cover a range of price points and pick products that interest me 😊

[@koblongata]

Can't believe you are promoting Chinese brands while China is proping up Russia's invasion

[@Niels133]

Ugly coloured knob.

[@abritishaudiophile7314]

@@Niels133 I like it 😊

[@horsterer77]

I like the orange personally, but I actually put an old-fashioned chickenhead knob on my V3 Stereo, love that look.