Fosi ZA3 vs V3 vs Aiyima A07 Max - Which is the right amp for you?

[@ForeverAnalog]

Which of these amps do you prefer and why? What's the most important feature to you? What should these companies add to their next round of amplifiers?

[@jegermajster]

I think I will go for the ZA3 as I have an XLR-equipped DAC, and would use the RCA-in to hook up my other audio setup to the ZA3, too.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome. What DAC are you using?

[@jegermajster]

@@ForeverAnalog I was able to jumpe onto the 2023 Hi-Fi Hype Train and found money to purchase an Eversolo DMP-A6 (the vanilla flavor version).

[@ForeverAnalog]

@jegermajster awesome! I hope to get my hands on one soon enough

[@jegermajster]

Watch out, though! In my case it required some serious negotiations with the wifey. Working on this type of business agreement can really be demanding :-) @@ForeverAnalog

[@bankruptfilly]

Thanks for diving right into the video and not putting some stupid intro slide or obnoxious music. No bullshit, just right to the point. Love it!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Haha thank you!

[@skaapmeester]

I also just wanted to add, if you use a pre amp with the V3, you will not have the issue that was brought up here about having problems with the volume levels on the V3 and a sub, my V3 is hooked up to some some klipsch towers both with two 8 inch woofers and a single horn tweeter each. And I have my klipsch 12 inch sub connected to the V3 as well. Because I am using a pre amp, I do not have the same issue as is discussed here. So it is a easy way to get around that.

[@michaelwright1602]

Well, I'm a very happy owner of the Fosi V3, and I want to try some mono blocks... But gosh darn it, the ZA3 has now been de-listed over at Amazon, they must have sold one to many... I was wanting to grab a pair, but seeing as they are not going to be available for the foreseeable future, I went and picked up a pair of the Aiyima A07 Max units to try some mono block action with the Zu's... I picked up another 48v power supply too, just so there are no questions. The A07's and power supply will be here tomorrow. Chomping at the bit. And I have been listening to the V3 for many hours, since 0300 this morning, and it continues to amaze me with the sound it is producing, no Class D ear fatigue whatsoever. The sound is very A/B to my ear. Very happy!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome. Enjoy!

[@aiyimaaudio8133]

So how does the aiyima A07max feel?

[@michaelwright1602]

@@aiyimaaudio8133 Nice little amp, good build quality and they pack a punch for their size. they will easily run a pair of Magnepan LRS+ speakers.

[@MechAdv]

ZA3 if you want to use a sub, V3 for basic stereo, A07max for mono.

[@vznquest]

how does the BT30D compare with the V3 for power/sound quality, features aside?

[@MechAdv]

@@vznquest No idea anymore, the chifi scene moves at the speed of light lol.

[@rmzidann]

I watched a few reviews of the stereo version of the Za3 and by far yours was more informative and helpful. Thanks! 👍 However, I suspect the real difference will be more noticeable with mono blocks and the 48 V power supply, which is what I ordered.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks for the kind words and I agree, I’m bummed I couldn’t go further in depth and use as monoblocks. I bet you’re gonna love em!

[@funcionyforma]

Do you get to compare mono block vs stereo mode? Mono blocks made a significant difference? Some have said that it's not that noticible

[@krisquinn7962]

I just bought a V3 and discovered this problem: the 3.5mm output cannot be linked to the main volume. And what's very interesting is that if you connect a CD player to the V3, even if the V3 power is not turned on and you use headphones to connect to the 3.5mm output of the v3, there will still be sound from the CD player.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

3 amps, all with the same chipsets and basically the same designs. If you hook them all up on the same power supply voltages and listen in stereo (for a fair comparison) it is very unlikely you could reliably tell them apart in a blind A-B-C test. Minor feature differences aside... They are, pretty much, the same thing in three different cases.

[@claudiobaldonijr9326]

Just an information : Despite the fact they use the same TPA3255 amp chip, there is another major component not mentioned in the review that can dramatically change the performance of a class D amplifier : The output filter, particularly the inductor. Better inductor (capable of handling higher current at high frequency; expensive) will provide less distortion and far better bass response, and this is easily noticeable specially if you are using large speakers and subwoofers. I have no idea what each one is using, eventually the same, just opening them to say which one is probably better......

[@MarkThomas-hm3ju]

Actually, I like the preout on the Fosi V3 being a line level output. I use it to feed a seperate headphone amp unit.

[@mikecampbell5856]

Great job comparing three amps at once. Tough job for sure. These Class D amps must be getting better and better because The British Audiophile praised the Fosi Audio V3 as well. I have subwoofers with speaker level ins/outs and that makes life a lot easier. Merry Christmas young man!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you!

[@c0mbat15]

Regarding the subwoofer - If you have an active sub then something like the WiiM Pro Plus will act as a preamp and feed the sub from its line outs. Then you can feed one of these amps from the line outs on the sub. Then the ZA3's sub out feature is negated. Plus you will be able to use your subs High Pass Filter if it has one and that means that these amps aren't needing to handle any of the bass (which is the most power hungry frequency). Also, XLR balanced cables are only useful for longer runs right?

[@D1N02]

ZA3. Sub out is a winner and when using it as a mono block xlr is a big pro. You can use short speaker cables. But i will wait a bit longer for the true mono blocks from Fosi.

[@MegaM563]

Drop some 2134 or 2604 opa opamps in it. Standard ones have terrible siblance in the treble. 20 bucks investment. I run two as monoblocks. 380 watts in 8 ohms, they can drive anything. With a quality preamp they can truly shine

[@michaelwright1602]

Another great video! You are one of the best out here right now, at least in my book, the way you present is nothing short of outstanding. Short, informative and to the point, no drama. Well done sir! I just took delivery of the V3 after a friend recommended it... I also picked up the 48v power brick. My initial findings using the WiiM Pro, and a PS Audio DAC/Preamp, and a pair of Zu DW6 Supreme speakers. I found no difference in the power bricks with the Zu's. If there was anything going on, I could not hear any difference at the volumes I listen at. The Zu's are 95dB, and use a Cayin 10 watt EL-84 tube amplifier to drive the Zu's without issue, and they can get ear bleedingly loud. The WiiM Pro... The little V3 was sounding rather thin and lifeless while streaming. So, I got into the EQ of the WiiM and boosted the EQ setting evenly across the board, upping the gain. Well, something just happened, the little Fosi opened up, much better, but still not there... So... I dug up a pair of male XLR to RCA adapters, and plugged them into the PS Audio unit, and plugged in the Blue Jean LC-1 RCA cables and brought the little Fosi V3 to life. That extra line voltage via the XLR output was just what the doctor ordered! So, I would surmise, the TI amp chip inside the V3 is looking for higher line level gain. This jump in gain, or higher input voltage, created a marked difference in overall sound, and not by a little, but a lot. I ordered a Douk Audio line level booster and will give that a shot and see what the V3 is made of. And I have read that elsewhere in regards to the TI amp chip, the more gain, the better it performs.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for the kind words and for sharing your experiences!

[@billkabb]

that's very interesting .. have you use the line level booster yet ? love to hear if makes any difference

[@michaelwright1602]

@@billkabb It did make a huge difference. Worth the $40. The Fosi opened right up, the V3 and the ZA3, I have both.

[@billkabb]

@@michaelwright1602 Thanks for this great info .

[@AdriaanW1966]

My preference is the Fosi Audio V3. Just the bare minimum, but rock solid sound (for this money). I use it as my sound system in my home office.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome! Thanks for watching!

[@MindfulProgramming]

definitely going for the ZA3. I've been wanting something with a 12v trigger input at this form factor.

[@michaelbrown3294]

I have the V3 and have rolled open amps and love it! But hate the sub volume adjustments. So the VA3 looks like a winner for me and I likely will run as monoblocks as the price is still amazing for what you get. Now, it they will do a preamp and a DAC in the same form factor, they will become a true giant killer.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I have a feeling we will start seeing more integrated style amps from these companies in 2024! Thanks for watching and for sharing?

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

ZA3

[@michaelbrown3294]

@@crazyprayingmantis5596 ha. Yes. Fat thumbs.

[@MechAdv]

Add a network streamer and integrated power supply and you’ve got yourself a Wiim amp.

[@gpunique]

What do you mean about the sub volume? Doesn't it adjust with main volume?

[@MichaelManningPA]

I read a lot of these reviews, and I keep saying to myself, "why not just get a Crown XLi1500 Two-channel, Power Amplifier?" It's bridgeable, not "chifi," THD is

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yeah. Pretty much all gear performance can be replicated by another product. To each his own I suppose!

[@joejensen5962]

because the fans sound like an RC jet

[@primopierre]

A pre-amp for volume control is a no-brainer instead of hyping that expensive one simply for a sub volume ctrl. Many of your listeners would have a pre-amp anyways

[@jbrc1322]

Only wish it had a high-pass filter setting when using a subwoofer! Maybe on the next one 😉...

[@ForeverAnalog]

That would be cool!

[@sarkardragon]

it is rare to see any amp with high-pass filters specially on cheap gear. hope they can give us the first one

[@NormYip]

I believe you can wire the subwoofer directly to the mains without the need for a subout. There are many diagrams on Google that show how this is done. And the volume control would affect both your regular speakers and subwoofer.

[@ItsElvis56]

Schiit Rekkr with the Schiit Midgard is what I went with. YES it is way more expensive, but I really enjoy how good the combo is.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I use my Rekkr daily at my office!

[@flyindo]

@@ForeverAnalog You prefer Rekkr instead of Fosi Audio ZA3? I can't imagine the Rekkr sound nearly as powerful as the ZA3? Maybe the Rekkr will sound a tiny tad more musical/analog but not nearly as loud/powerful as a Fosi Audio ZA3 unless i am terribly wrong?

[@ForeverAnalog]

@flyindo I like both for different reasons but don’t buy a Rekkr if you are trying to match the power of a ZA3 lol

[@flyindo]

@@ForeverAnalog It's not pure matching power as in pure numbers but the listening experience. Does the experience of a Rekkr come a little close to a ZA3 or does it sound much less immersive/dynamic? Or would a Gjallarhorn come more close? Or should i just go with a ZA3 if i dont want it to sound weak(er)? Once had a Bluesound Powernode N330 and a Bluesound Powernode Edge which only has 2x 40 watts. It did not go as loud as the N330 ofcourse but the listening experience was the same and those 2x 40 watts were good enough for me (it did not disapoint me).

[@thangadurairaghavelu5454]

Hi Mr.Aaron Great audio explanation 😊 Can you please answer me which one in the 3 very suitable for my Onkyo tx nr 6100 a v receiver sub woofer fecility

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you - I'm not sure I understand why you want to connect to the Onkyo, sorry!

[@maciejmeissner2574]

You mentioned the gjallarhorn. Would you prefer these amp over the gjallarhorn?

[@moviejunkiejohn]

I just got the Fosi v3 with the 48v psu. Gonna try it with my Emotiva t0s. If I don’t like it I’ll just swap them with my Elac debut 2 b62 I’m using for movies. I use one for music and one for movies with a denon htr and jbl sub. It’s a never ending buy sell and trade with equipment lol. Hoping this works for me for a while . I found that I just had to have two different setups to really get best of both worlds.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yeah full disclosure I use a sound bar for movies 😂

[@cosmiccharlie8294]

I recently ordered a ZA3. My intent is to run it with a Emotivs Basx PT2 preamp so I can accommodate more sources. Too bad the PT2 does not have balanced pre outs. If the ZA3 is does not please me I will try a Schitt Vidar maybe.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Good luck! I’m a fan of both Emotiva and Schiit!

[@Panslapper]

Mmm…for my 2 pennies I think the A07 Max represents best value for money here and in all honesty the difference in sound quality between these three amps is marginal. For the price of one ZA3 I could buy 4 x A07 Max amps and have a twin mono block setup! Also the ZA3 gets quite expensive if you go mono with the set up and include the cables, streamer or source and speakers! I think this is where I prefer to steer over towards studio monitors as far as detail and musical honesty goes alongside budget. For example you could buy a pair of JBL 305p mk2 for less than £250 in the UK! The 305p are great units and have plenty of bass, detail, soundstage and great build quality. They have a wide dispersion where sounds are concerned and make a great midfield speaker. I have a pair of 305p bought new within the last two weeks. They do get better sonically over the first couple of weeks too. I certainly don’t need a sub woofer with the 305p and I use them in a 5 x 5m room as anyone would with a HiFi system. I also am slowly building a small monoblock system with the A07 Max as I said earlier these are my current choice for value for money, decent power and flexibility in regards to altering the sound signature with rolling the op amps, which I intend to do.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks for watching and for sharing!

[@tikblang1]

I bought 1 Aiyima too, now I am considering getting another A07 MAX to try the two mono setup. I got it for $48 plus $5 (tax). not regretting it.

[@Panslapper]

@@tikblang1 …the T1 Pro is decent too.

[@tikblang1]

@@Panslapper I see.. I have two pre-amps already.

[@sage11x]

Does no one use high level inputs on subs anymore? You don’t need a dedicated sub out. Just pigtail some 22 awg speaker wire to the sub and: voila! You have a sub controlled by the volume control. In fact, some sub manufacturers advise to use this method for connecting to their subs.

[@volkiruski1221]

Since I promised Fosi to take each new model they are producing every week a new model 🤣🤣🤣 I like them but also the Aiyima ❤ I want it all!

[@ForeverAnalog]

lol love it!

[@aiyimaaudio8133]

Love your comments.

[@raysalamat1509]

I must’ve missed this but do you prefer the Rekkr over the ZA3, soundwise, if your speakers are efficient and you only listen to around 85dB peaks?

[@UlTiReV]

Thank you for the review and comparison. One query is if using ZA3 as monoblocks, how will you connect the subwoofer? Do you then need to have a preamp to manage?

[@robertkensler2156]

Rumor has it thts is what you get! There is not enough demand to make having a true mono block profitable! At the end of the day it really does have to do with profit!

[@f4phantom2500]

dang, i would have been curious to hear a comparison of the ZA3 and the V3 with both using the 48v/5a power supply. i have the 48v for my v3, and i'm not sure if the extra power does anything for the sound signature of the v3, or simply gives it a higher max volume. i always assumed it was designed for the 48v unit, but "made due" with the stock 32v unit. also, i find it peculiar that fosi lists the V3 as having better SNR and THD than the ZA3.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

The sonic difference between 32, 36 and 48 volt supplies is minimal. If you took each of those amplifiers, level matched them, and flipped the power supplies it's unlikely you could reliably tell which supply is currently plugged in.

[@calvinnapier9977]

The ZA3 is the clear winner 🏆 for me. Why they would build a amp without a subwoofer output on the others is very confusing. I'm considering a tube preamp to go between my dac and amp, for a tube sound for my cd player. Heard Paul McGowan of PS Audio saying how a preamp could greatly improve the sound. Any recommendations? It might make a great discussion for your channel.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I’ll think about the tube preamp idea. A lot don’t offer a tube sound like one would hope!

[@calvinnapier9977]

@@ForeverAnalog If you get a chance go watch the video of him talking about it, it was only a few days ago. Also the tube part was my thinking.

[@calvinnapier9977]

​@@ForeverAnalog kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZbKlXiCpa2dgJIsi=T4mKicqOAjbzP6DP

[@EvenHarmonics]

I want a great tube sound also, but many have indicated the best tube sound comes from the amp and far less so from a pre amp, which makes getting the wattage right for low sensitivity speakers

[@calvinnapier9977]

@@EvenHarmonics I was hoping not to replace my solid state Nad amp. There has to be an affordable tube preamp out there somewhere. There doesn't seem to be a lot of info on this subject.

[@keith6872]

This hobby is changing so fast I am afraid to buy anything. I will stick with my old system for now...just enjoy the music.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Nothing wrong with that plan!

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

Me too ... There is a lot of progress in features right now, but the core design and function is not improving at all. They seem to be making many of the same mistakes now as they did when the TPA3255 first showed up in the consumer audio market. I think I'm just going to stay with my modified TB10D and wait for genuine improvments.

[@scottypalmer2158]

I bought early SMSL and Topping. They now take the back seat against Aiyima A07 Max

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

@@scottypalmer2158 Just about any other chip amp right now takes a back seat to any TPA3255 amp. It really is a very good chip.

[@WilsonGasmido]

does the ZA3 has a mono(bridge) or is it just using a single channel in mono mode? cause it only uses the left channel's + and - terminal in mono and not the + terminals of both channels

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

Both the A07Pro and ZA3 share virtually identical circuitry. The TPA3255 chip natively supports 4 x SE (Single Ended), 2 x SE + 1 x BTL (Bridge Tied Load), 2 x BTL and 1 x PBTL (Parallel BTL). That's sum of what it can do. There is no magic and no big difference between them from different companies. In PBTL mode the two bridged stereo channels are tied together to give you more current output -- not more power, more current -- for low impedance speakers. Both amps operate the same way... it's just the designer's choice of which connectors he's using.

[@Gadgetdad007]

You could have just used the 48v power supply that came with the ZA3 on the V3. Doh😮

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

And the A07Max ...

[@Gadgetdad007]

@@Douglas_Blake_579 I wasn’t talking about the Aiyima as that only ships with a 36v power supply.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

@@Gadgetdad007 I meant you can use the 48 volt supply on the A07Max.

[@DartRM27]

​@@Gadgetdad007aiyima sends with 32, 36 and 48v 😌

[@grogmonster2408]

Nice review, for another similar review, any chance of reviewing the SMSL A300 amp, BTL Mono capable at 330 watts ?

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks. I’ll see if I can get my hands on one!

[@codylucente]

You said fosi v3 is 32v 5a which is 150 wattsgiven to amp but can give 100w x2 out. Which is 200w. How is it outputting more power than it is receiving? You stated simular things for all 3 amps

[@HotSause]

Great review. Do you have a recommendation for which cheap class D amp to power add on tweeters that may dip down to 3 ohms? Thanks

[@saulgutierrez5184]

I want to use a passive subwoofer wich one you recommend the fosi or the aiyima, the subwoofer specs are this ones 10" 4-ohm subwoofer polypropylene and mica cone with poly-foam surround stamped steel frame power handling: 50-250 watts RMS peak power: 750 watts sensitivity: 86.6 dB frequency response: 24-200 Hz

[@adsph]

Nice review. If i had to pick it would be the ZA3.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you! The ZA3 is an exciting amp!

[@ismarmeskovic]

to be honest im not fascinated by d class amps.fact is those built around tpa3255 are good enough but still dry and dull for my taste.i have 3 different models of d class amps and they simply have no deepness in sound compare to my nec a7 ab class amp.

[@tikblang1]

forgot to ask. @1:52, Are these max (peak) power or 'Watts rms'? And I'm thinking of feeding this A07 to my 87 Db/ 6 Ohm Speaker? What is the wRMS power on my 6 Ohm assuming the power supply is 36Vdc?

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

With a 36 volt 6 amp supply you will reliably get 80 watts per channel on 6 ohms.

[@moonytheloony6516]

Merry Xmas ! 🎄🎁🎄

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you. Same to you!

[@erichudson3307]

So if im running the A07 max in mono and I want to upgrade the op amps like a sparkos ss3602 would i only need to purchase 2 chips? One for each of the left signals since mono is only using one channel in each amp?

[@tonym8358]

Yes....muses 02 sound better in Aiyima07 Max, and cost less, but for Fosi V3 sparkos labs SS3602 is the way to go.

[@erichudson3307]

@@tonym8358 ok great thanks!

[@birdyflying4240]

The sound difference may be related to the difference in supply voltage. I use two Aiyima 07 and had one on 26 volts and the other for my passive sub on 40 volts. After upgrading to a 48v 10A PS for my first one I heard a big difference in the overall sound. It seems like the TPA needs enough juice to reach its full potential! 32 v 5 A is on the low side, go for at least 36 v 6A but better 48 v.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Great point, thank you!

[@headshotke]

I'm for taking the za3 XLR from Dx5 and subwoofer out!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Great features!

[@dynastyjersh]

With all the discounts and coupon codes on the Fosi Audio website, I was able to get the V3 (48 V) and the P3 for the same price as the ZA3. But as a chi-fi junky … of course I’m still debating if I should have waited:(

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome. The good news is these companies are ready to feed your habit my friend lol!

[@iikatinggangsengii2471]

not really a susvara will do just fine, or better

[@tmdillon1969]

I like the sound on my V3 very much but I question the power ratings on these Chi-fi units. I put the V3 on a pair of CSS Torii that I made and I had to turn them up 3/4s of the way to get any real punch. I put an Aiyima unit on my son's system and it is no match for a 1975 Onkyo receiver that is supposed to have 6.5 watts a side.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Very interesting! Thank you for sharing!

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

It is a question of gain, not power. These TPA3255 amps are locked at 21.5 DB gain ... On the 32 volt supply, it takes about 2 volts of input to clip one of these amps. Where most consumer gear needs less than a volt. When you run into this problem you need to investigate a pre-amp with about 6db of overall gain to get full power.

[@chrisk2512]

​@@Douglas_Blake_579That's a correct point. I own some class d amps like the A07 and the A07 pro and they need a good source with powerful output as you say, in order to perform their best. When I connect them to my motu m4 interface, they play a lot louder and cleaner compared to when I connect them to a phone 3,5mm headphone output for example.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

@@chrisk2512 Yep. This is because the TPA3255 is not a consumer audio chip like the TPA3116 is/was. This is pro-audio stuff being adapted to home use. If you do a wiki search for "Line Level" you will find a very detailed explanation of the difference between PLL (professional line level) and CLL (consumer line level). They are substantially different and the makers of these chi-amps are not compensating for that.

[@tmdillon1969]

@Douglas_Blake_579 the preamp wasn't my problem. Emotiva. I have that running a pair of Bel Canto mono-blocs rated at 40 watts less a side and its really no comparison at all.

[@brendanxtrom]

Thanks for the video. What bands were you in?

[@ForeverAnalog]

Oddly enough I was never in a band but I started an indie record label for several years after college!

[@jd5787]

Hi! Say I get 2 of these za3, can is till use the SW output? What preamp to match them with? Thanks!

[@dost328]

My questions exactly!

[@EmoPear007]

Could you set any of these to auto turn on using a smart power strip? I know the za3 has a 12 volt trigger but I don't think that will work for my use case.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

No it won't. The power switch is not mechanical. It will reset to off whenever it loses DC power from the brick.

[@ElProfe0210]

Tengo una bocina de 6 Ohmios,, es una Panasonic SB-AK-410 por favor, podrias decirme si con el Fosi V3 podría hacer funcionar la bocina que se escuche de gran calidad? Gracias

[@chorchecartagena3934]

Please who did that painting /print art "Check Your Pauls Boutique"? :-)

[@ForeverAnalog]

Nathan McKee - google him - he has a webstore with prints available for purchase!

[@chorchecartagena3934]

Thanks a lot! :-) @@ForeverAnalog

[@Apichart_Wong]

I'm considering buying a Fosi ZA3 but I'm not sure if it has HISS Noise when there's no signal input. I would appreciate it if you would answer my questions. Advance Thanks..

[@ForeverAnalog]

I'm not currently using the amp, but I don't recall hearing a hiss. These units are easy to return via Amazon if you were to buy and discover a hiss you can send back.

[@jazzabana]

Well, here is my 2 cents. I have had aiyima t9, fosi v3 (for a brief moment), aiyima a08 and smsl vmv a1. I think t9 and v3 are in the same tier although v3 is more powerful. I think t9 had a more enjoyable sound due to distortion tubes were creating. I also tube rolled and sound signature changed for something else. Aiyima a08 was better and more powerful than the 2 forementioned amps in every aspect but with an aftermarket power cable. The cable that it comes with was crap. And smsl vmv a1, if a08 was a tier above the v3 than a1 is 3 tiers above the a08. I have to admit that vmv a1 is low powerwise but comes with a quality power cable and it sounds good enough for a nitpicking audiophile that I am. All my experimentation I never used the onboard dacs and bluetooth since I was testing forntheir limits. My main amp is yamaha 2100 btw. which I would consider another 3 tiers up on top of vmv a1. I was still curious what I would get if I would get 2 za3s, but I think I won't bother, I wouldn't think I would be happy with the sound quality.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thank you for sharing your experience and for watching!

[@jimb1580]

Please add timestamps / chapters! ⏱️ Thanks!

[@Leo-u8b6e]

Thank you.

[@yttean98]

Like many HIFI designers and developers and manufacturers e.g. DAC, amplifiers, etc, you won't not be surprised there will Many More models coming from China into the near distant future. Those who WAIT should do so and wait for the features/sound characteristics/power/etc you are waiting for otherwise you will be spending too much money through changing them into the future.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yeah I predict more integrated amps coming soon.

[@yttean98]

@@ForeverAnalog including built-in streamers?

[@yttean98]

@@ForeverAnalog with built-in streamer, their prices will "kill" the oppositions.

[@ForeverAnalog]

@yttean98 hmmm that I’m not sure no feel like WiiM has that market cornered lol. Maybe Bluetooth?

[@yttean98]

@@ForeverAnalog Many Manuf. has BT on their amp already.

[@chrisk2512]

Hi! Nice review as usual and nice points. I guess that with these amps, functionality is the main deciding factor, since their price differences aren't really that big, but as you correctly said, it depends on anyone's needs. So, with that in mind, I would definitely go for the za3, especially for the sub out. I also have a thing for tone controls. I like having them, even though I know that a lot of people disagree. That's why I quiet enjoy my Aiyima a07 pro over my a07. So, For me a " za3 pro" with tone controls would be the perfect amp. Perhaps we will see something like that soon and then I will definitely give it a go. Greetings from Greece!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yeah tone controls would be cool! Thanks for watching!

[@donalonso2785]

I think the Fosi BT20a pro would be in your wheelhouse. It has a real sub out, tone controls and additionally bluetooth.

[@chrisk2512]

@@donalonso2785 True. I have seen the Bt20a but I appreciate the higher quality parts inside the za3 (inductors, conductors etc) that do make a difference from what I have heard from the A07 and the upgraded A07 pro. So, since I already have some gear, I don't mind waiting a bit longer.

[@donalonso2785]

@@chrisk2512 I have the BT20 and it sounds pretty good, but I can't compare it to the other models because I don't own them. I bought it in summer, because it has lower heat dissipation than regular AB amps. But now I have returned to my Marantz PM 6006. I like the warmer sound more I found out.

[@chrisk2512]

@@donalonso2785 Hi there. I don't doubt its good sound. I have watched many positive reviews on KZbin. From what I realized from comparative reviews, the Aiyima offerings have cleaner, more detailed sound whereas the fosi Bt20a is a bit warmer and punchy. I tend to like airy highs, clarity and detail as far as the sound signature that I prefer. That's why I also bought the A07 pro that had the upgraded parts. Just out of curiosity. And I can say that even though the simple a07 is by no means a slouch, I do find the sound of the pro a bit better, especially in the mids and vocals, where the "clinical" class d amps usually suffer. I use them in a near field desk setup with a pair of wharfedales d320 that are a bit warm and I really enjoy the outcome. If the A07 pro had a sub out and a remote, I could easily live with it for quiet a long time no problem.

[@zounds13]

The right Class D amp for me is the RSL iA255.1.

[@ForeverAnalog]

I need to check that out!

[@zounds13]

@@ForeverAnalog I think you'll really like it.

[@dark4o90]

great video

[@ForeverAnalog]

Very kind, thank you!

[@sunilcherianpullockaran8817]

Ironically, your channel name is Forever Analog, and here we have 3 digital amps.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Haven’t heard that one before 🙃 lol

[@muztan3100]

Your ears still hear in what we consider analog, so his channel title hasn't violated the rules just yet... 😊

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yep that’s my ideology here, thanks for sharing 💪🏻👊🏻🙌🏻

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

FWIW ... class D is *_NOT_* digital. They use Pulse Width Modulation which is a technique of encoding the audio signal onto a high powered carrier wave then recovering the amplified signals via an output low pass filter... all done in the analog domain. The "D" designation is simply the next available letter in the alphabet, after A AB B and C classes.

[@viencarlodiego8842]

good day! if i want to run the za3 as monoblocks and want to change the op amps, do i need to change both left and right op amps? thank you!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Great question. I would assume yes but I don’t know 100%. I bet someone here can weigh in and give you an answer soon!

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

If they continued the markings on the PCB from the prototype to release versions, you will need to change the L-OpAmp and R-OpAmp as a pair.

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Yes both

[@viencarlodiego8842]

@@Douglas_Blake_579 ok thank you

[@tranphuocloc7837]

@@Douglas_Blake_579 is this enough space for ss3602

[@robertoviana514]

And what is the power supply that comes with the amp?

[@jackdanyal4329]

why do you need to adjust the volume of sub separately with sub? if your sub has RCA in and RCA out you can create a chain like dac rac out -> sub rca in, sub rca out -> amp rca in. or you can split the signal from pre-amp section of your dac with Y-cable, smth like 2 male rca to 4 rca female

[@ForeverAnalog]

Good point but I think folks new to the game buy these thinking subs are easy to connect and lack of experience proves otherwise, lol. So to have the ZA3 handle it easily for them is a plus.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

On the older amps with a "pre-out" connection, the jack is actually connected to the RCA connectors and is not affected by the volume control. In fact, the earliest version A07 actually labelled it as an Aux In.

[@ke5ufg]

Does the sub out pass both sides to the sub when running mono?

[@marcelwallace8101]

Do we need a preamp for those ? Thanks for your work

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

Strictly ... no. But still recommended.

[@michaelwright1602]

Definitely use a preamp if you have one available, preferably one with a high output voltage to bring the TI amp chip to life.

[@raymondtaylor6966]

The za3. All the way

[@MrSlicer2424]

When using these amps as mono blocks, how does one intergrate a sub? Would you need a signal from both amps?

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

Yep. Take the sub out from the left amp to the sub's left in, and from the right amp to the sub's right in.

[@johnshore3095]

Or stereo subs 😁

[@jsherman999]

Maybe it's been answered already and I haven't found it, but very basically: What's the purpose of running theZA3 as monoblocks if the output power rating only goes up 10% or 20%? Shouldn't the power output almost double in bridge mode? In other words: What's the advantage of buying two and running them in mono mode when the power output is essentially the same? Is this really only meant for people with 2 ohm speakers?

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

Mono does not mean "bridged' ... It only means 1 channel. In the case of these TPA3255 mini-amps they are already bridged in stereo mode. That is, the chip has 4 amplifiers in it... they are bridged into 2 BTL pairs for stereo. The mono mode is PBTL which means "parallel bridge tied load" and it's main purpose is to help the chip supply extra current for low impedance speakers.

[@johnshore3095]

Bass control is where it will be noticed.

[@tesmith47]

What music you tested with, ??

[@seratractivo7231]

How would you utilize the XLR inputs? I wouldn’t be able to connect these two active monitors correct?

[@ForeverAnalog]

Some DACs have XLR connections. No on your actives sorry.

[@trito408]

You can hook your streamer to the XLR and a phono stage to the RCA

[@bmordc]

Have you listened to RSL ia255.1 compared to these amps?

[@ForeverAnalog]

I have not, sorry.

[@vinpin]

does it make sense adding a preamp to it for volume control?

[@ForeverAnalog]

These all have volume control. A preamp would make sense if you want more inputs.

[@vinpin]

@@ForeverAnalog okay thanks, would you recommend the ZA3 for the living room? I was thinbking about buying the Dynaudio Emit 20 with 1 or 2 ZA3

[@barrywilliams606]

How is the volume with these ? Are they very loud

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yep

[@barrywilliams606]

@@ForeverAnalog thanks. On a unrelated question I found the aiymia a07 max on AliExpress 48v power supply. 78.00. would you trust AliExpress?

[@silenozcefas1562]

Hello fosi ZA3 how many watts for chanel 8ohms? And AIYIMA A07 max how many watts for chanel 8ohms ?

[@DartRM27]

Aiyima 36v 8ohms ~ 55w 4ohms ~ 115w You may use it with 48v for have biggest watts 💁🏼✨

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

@@DartRM27 Za3 and A07 and V3 and any other TPA3255 based amp... will all be about the same power.... even in PBTL/Mono mode on 8 ohms... 32v ... 50 watts 36v ... 70 watts 48v ... 100 watts

[@robertkensler2156]

I have 4 Altec Voice of the theater speakers that I will power using a Za3 for each of the speakers! The ultimate surround sound!

[@ForeverAnalog]

Amazing set up!

[@fslim55]

How’s the sound of Fosi V3 with Zu DWX ?

[@ForeverAnalog]

The DWXs belonged to a friend who kindly let me borrow them for review and I didn't have a chance to keep them long enough to test with the V3. I loved the DWXs with low powered tubes so I imagine the large amount of power output from the V3 would drive them fine.

[@ShittyHalfpipe]

Minor Threat ❤

[@ForeverAnalog]

The artist is Nathan McKee - check him out!

[@barrywilliams606]

Are these amps stereo. And can I hook a phono preamp up to them

[@ForeverAnalog]

You can use them as a stereo amp, yes. You can connect a phono preamp.

[@barrywilliams606]

@@ForeverAnalog I really appreciate you giving me good info. Just getting into "audiophile" . Why is it better not to have tone controls?

[@ForeverAnalog]

@barrywilliams606 that’s a matter of opinion. Some folks prefer a direct signal that doesn’t pass through tone controls. I can’t claim to hear that much of a difference

[@barrywilliams606]

​@@ForeverAnalog thanks for all the info. Last question. I have the sony sscs5 bookshelf speakers. Will the fosi v3 or aiyima ao7 work with them

[@Skipow10]

Wouldn't you just use line level to sub on the others, for volume adj? Why would volume adj not work for sub?

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

The A07 and V3 (and a lot of others) line out is actually connected to the RCA jacks on the back and does not pass through the volume control.

[@rflair]

If you're using the Amp at a fixed volume and a DAC as volume control it doesn't matter, the DAC adjusts the volume, so line level will adjust the sub volume.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

@@rflair Yep ... it will work that way too. The problem comes when the amp has the only volume control in the chain.

[@alexpal1495]

Are all these amplifiers able to work after minidsp to power main speaker

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

Yes

[@TR3A]

Yes, that’s what I do. Bluesound Node -> MiniDSP Flex Eight -> A07 -> speakers

[@alexpal1495]

@@TR3A so the bluesound node is a preamp that goes to minidsp. What are the outputs of your minidsp exactly? How do you do volume control of the whole system?

[@TR3A]

@@alexpal1495 The Bluesound Node is a streamer. It’s the music source that I use. It connects to the MiniDSP Flex Eight. The Flex Eight has RCA outputs that are connected to my amps (1 amp for L & R woofer, 1 amp for L & R midrange, and 1 amp for L & R tweeter). I control the volume with the Bluesound Node (either with its remote or via Tidal Connect).

[@johnshore3095]

​@@TR3Awhat not 6 mono amps 😉

[@lithiumlounge6731]

What would the specs be for 8 ohm speakers

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

TPA3255 ... all of them ... 50 w/ch on 32 volts, 75 w/ch on 36 volts and 100 w/ch on 48 volts. Same chip... same results.

[@robertfiorellino6070]

I had my main amp go down and repair was going to take a month or more. I purchased 2 Aiyima A07 Max amps and am using them in mono I mostly listen to CDs & LPs. The pre is an old Forte F45 and the cd player is an Onkyo DX-C390 to an Aires II Dac. The speakers are KEF LS50 Metas. Sounds very good with no need for more power. Very happy with the temporary fix.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Awesome and good luck on the repair!

[@barrywilliams606]

Can you hook up a phone preamp to the za3

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yes you would connect the external phono preamp to the rca input

[@bayuseptian6264]

how about aiyima A03?

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

The A03 is using TPA3116d2 amplifier chips. It is limited to 24 volts input thus you can not expect it to compete with these TPA3255 amplifiers.

[@opus64kbps]

this mf out here describing the sound of each amp while their frequency response measure the exact same

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks for the engagement.

[@sivalingamk4047]

Hi very nice

[@toai2]

these amps don't have bass and treble knobs. Odd

[@ForeverAnalog]

Yeah most tone controls exist in the preamp on an integrated amp and these are solely amplifiers that only allow you to connect one source. One possibility is if you use a wireless streamer like a WiiM product, you can control the tones via the app used by the streamer.

[@higobatman]

Does the Cambridge AXA-25 for $250 sound better than them?

[@ForeverAnalog]

I haven’t had the AXA25 for awhile now and try to not make audio comparisons based solely on memory, sorry!

[@keith6872]

Too many wall warts.

[@richh650]

A quick way to get beyond the totally stupid marketing specs on many of these Class D amps is the following... Wattage = Amperage times Voltage. Their largest Power Supply is 48 volts times 5 amps so that equates to 240 TOTAL WATTS POWER CONSUMPTION THAT IS EVEN AVAILABLE. In addition, most class D amps run around 85% efficient to their output. So multiply that total power consumption of 240 watts by 85% efficiency (.85) and that equals around 204 watts maximum power available. Divide that power by 2 channels and that is about 102 watts per channel maximum that can even be made without using massive capacitors to store energy very short term, which most of these smaller D amps don't have. They are good values for realistic listening of bookshelf speakers but probably not good for floor standers or more difficult impedance loaded speakers.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

Yes and No ... What you say applies perfectly during bench testing where you have it producing sine waves at full power. That is, with zero dynamic range... 100% average power. But that's not how music works. In music you have much lower averages of power. A typical 80s rock song will average 10db of dynamic range and average about 10% power or less with only occasional peaks that approach full power. In fact, most comfotable listening (except for the "earbleed" clan) occurs at about 1 or 2 watts with occasional peaks to 20 or perhaps 30 watts for things like snare or gun shots. In that scenario a 5 amp power supply is more than adequate. As for those massive capacitor banks. Again very helpful in bench testing with linear supplies where you need long term reserves to smooth the DC output. But consider that your average linear supply refreshes it's caps 120 times a second (on 60 hz) but with switch mode supplies that refresh rate is in kilohertz, 60khz is typical here. This has the effect of comparatively magnifying capacitors, so that a 1,000uf cap at 60hz will look like a 500,000 uf at 60khz, when fed by a switch mode supply. Inside the amp itself capacitor refresh is both pure DC and regulated, so much smaller caps again do a much bigger job. Now when we apply that to music, with dynamic range, those caps appear to be truly enormous. Measurements of DC ripple in class-d amplifiers with SMP supplies typically shows only a couple of millivolts on music. All that said... Yes the marketing tactics of these companies are way over the top. Most often they are quoting the absolute maximum "you can do this once" specs to give them big numbers on their ads. My simple suggestion in this case is to look up the spec sheets for the power chip. Search for "TPA3255 spec sheet" and you will find graphs and charts of what the chip can really so.

[@MaybeTiberius]

wattage is kind of overrated tho to begin with. no clue why people still compare who has the biggest wattage in their pants, when in reality, if you have decently efficient speakers, even old 35watt per channel amps are able to drive speakers beyond to 100db wich is really loud allready. if you go for normal listening levels, speakers barely need a few watts.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

@@MaybeTiberius Matter of fact, most 'living room listening" happens at 2 watts or less. With decent dynamic range in your music (i.e. not this brick walled crap they're selling today) you might occasionally hit peaks of 25 to 30 watts for a snare shot or movie effect. Everyone wan'ts 1200 watts when in fact few people need more than 40.

[@RobertoGiobbi]

did you already said however?🤣

[@ForeverAnalog]

lol - it's crazy how I'll go back and edit my videos and think, "why did I keep saying that one word???" - practice makes perfect, I suppose. I always suggest folks turn their camera on and try to explain their favorite gear because, wow, it's a lot harder than we think, ha!

[@drivethrou]

My big 845 amp is way better

[@nivs123]

cool story bro'

[@soongpark683]

몇천 몇만불 짜리 기기에 연결한 소리와 지원 받은 칭찬 일색 리뷰에 속아 몇개씩 구입 중국 상술

[@RP-ms7lu]

Without bluetooth i won't touch.

[@athathsonty2925]

And without a Remote.

[@RP-ms7lu]

@@athathsonty2925 of course! Who sit near this box and change the song and volume ! Anything without bluetooth and remote in this modern time is junk !

[@ForeverAnalog]

Fosi came out with the P3 preamp this year but it didn't have a remote either which was disappointing to me. Some folks just pair a wireless streamer to these amps and use the streamer apps to control volume, etc. That being said, I would like to see a more integrated style amp in 2024 from these companies to address the issues you mention - fingers crossed!

[@MaybeTiberius]

@@athathsonty2925 bro whats up wit people crying about a remote on this thing? a remote would up the price and end up being useless. here is the thing: you need an audio scource right? lets say a wiim... you control the wiim over your phone anyways, just control the volume there. your phone IS the remote here. or use a preamp and use the preamps remote.

[@RP-ms7lu]

@@MaybeTiberius sir, 99 percent of buyer never buy a preamp or bluetooth streamer . Attach these and lots of wire and switches and connections. Also one must know the technical and adjustment to get good sound. Why not buy integrated amplifier or AVR.

[@scrivs1976]

Shill time

[@ericshutter5305]

Can't take an audio channel seriously with amps from amazon and aliexpress ... do US people these day have zero income? probably...

[@ForeverAnalog]

“Zero income” would be a great name for a punk band.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

We should take it, then, that you've never actually listened to these amplifiers ... Oh boy are you in for a big surprise!

[@trauma50disaster1]

no reason to say a shitty snobby comment disparaging low to mid income people. "Do US people these days ahve zero income?" probably look at out country as a whole, doing pretty good compared to where? Where are you that your country beats us in gdp, budget, defense spending, metropolis, the donations in the billions to other countries, I don't know does the US have zero income? Does the rest of the world bet on the US fkn dollar when they want THE most secure haven? The endless trillions spent on wars, the ability to ramp up the US economy in time of need, I don't know you wanna wake the sleeping bear?

[@michaelwright1602]

Many of us simply like to play with this gear, it is pretty amazing the sound these little amps can produce for so little. In fact, the guy that turned me on to this little Fosi V3 is quite the audiophile, his house looks like the back room of a high end audio store. He has more than a few $10,000+ amps laying around, on furniture dollies, unused. And here he calls me and says you have to hear this little amplifier... LOL!

[@flyindo]

@@Douglas_Blake_579 Can a Schiit Rekkr or Gjallarhorn compete with these chinese class D amps you think? Don't think a Rekkr or Gjallarhorn can sound near as powerful?

[@ifeanyidede2106]

Useless review. Wasted the whole time talking about specs instead of details in sound quality.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Thanks for the feedback.

[@EvenHarmonics]

Believe you may have missed some portions

[@johnshore3095]

5:50 sound discussed