What review gear do I actually use?

[@rabit818]

Keeping it real, love it. Love it when you rag or get sarcastic on a product, I wait for it on your videos lol

[@TheAntibozo]

I always enjoy listening to you speak.

[@stevenhoward3358]

My favourite IEM tips are Divinus Velvet

[@middleearthltd]

I noticed you were on Bandcamp So I followed you and joined the crowd

[@AudioMasterclass]

I am indeed. My album ‘Irritating Unboxing Music’ comes out later this year.

[@nerwin]

I'm not an audiophile but I really do like my Fosi V3, I'm damn impressed by it for what it costs and for the size. With the 48v adapter, they power my Elac Debut 5.2 very nicely.

[@pierreduchesne0001]

Epic video. For the next one, please do a review of your turntable. There was this KZbinr who had tried ALL the available models, and who finally only presented Audio-Technica tables, or this other KZbinr, who only talks about the virtues of Fluance, and who is even organizing a draw. By any chance, which cartridge: the Audio-Technica ATN91, ATN95E, Ortofon OM10, 2M Red or the 2M Blue? And please don't forget to emphasize on the warm sound of the vinyl over digital (obviously, heard on the most expansive cartridges)!

[@ropeburn6684]

Don't forget you need a really revealing system to hear the utter superior sound of vinyl. Especially its 12bit equivalent dynamic range. 😂

[@daleboylen6427]

R U sure he has a turntable? He seems to hate vinyl, and analog sound. Seems to hate audiophiles in general.

[@shipsahoy1793]

there are better phono cartridges and styli than the ones that you list, but they're going to be a little bit more money, and you don't want to bother going that route unless you have a decent system with which you can actually appreciate the difference. Don't forget that the quality of the turntable, its isolation, tone arm and the setup are also important factors.

[@AudioMasterclass]

I do have a turntable! Here's my review - kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHeniGqgidSehZI

[@MarkThomas-hm3ju]

The Fosi V3 runs my 2.7 Maggies during the hot summer. I didnt see much sense in the mono version as there are no transformers involved and it might be dubious as to any appreciable gain in sound quality with them especially costing much more. In addition the initial V3s great sell is its quality components and I wondered if they faithfully kept that in the mono version. The V3 is a fantastic buy and the sound quality emanates very well fom the Maggies. It runs cooler than my Class A so it is my summer use amp and when winter comes I will use the Class A monos to heat up the house. I do massage the sound from my Rega CD player using a Nirvana Electronic Works P3 preamp. However in the end the Class A system does have the better sound but really for the price no real complaint on the V3. It will go down in audio gear history.

[@jimdavis5230]

My Dad said that the proof of the pudding is in the obituary notices.

[@madcrabber1113]

I have been self employed since I was in my 20s back in the early 90s and while I have no actual person called boss I do have to answer to customers, government inspectors etc. The best part is I make my own hours and can drop a customer if they are just too insane to make it worth my sanity and time.

[@AudioMasterclass]

I remember a few decades ago saying to a guy who sold fish from a van, “It must be nice not to have a boss”. He replied, “Everyone’s my boss”.

[@EricIolo]

Hi there David! On the subject of IEMs, for the Mackie IEMs you own, please try some Comply Professional foam sleeves. Available in 3 sizes, they are super soft and seal the best. I have tried many different sleeves, and these are by far the most comfortable. You could keep them in all day with total comfort. Their seal is excellent, and they cost around £17 for 3 pairs. Further, when it comes to IEMs, if you are willing to spend around the £500 mark, you will get a pair that will be able to separate instruments within music and hear superb levels of detail that perhaps you have previously not heard in tracks. Lastly, a mention on DACs and using IEMs with smartphones: Impedance! The cheap Apple DAC works really well with low impedance IEMs. I have a pair that are 7 ohms and work great with this DAC. However, I also own a pair that are 40 ohms, and to get the right amount of volume from these, I use a basic Dragonfly DAC. I hope you find the information helpful!

[@ericmc6482]

I can't wait for that 'irritating unboxing music' album lol.

[@danrussell9357]

I think IEMs have become more popular for their neutral sound and secure fit.

[@PrinceFluffy]

What brand of T-Shirt are you wearing ? I like the fit around the neckline, hate those baggy neckline T-Shirts...

[@AudioMasterclass]

Gildan Ultra from eBay. Cheap, cheerful, does the job.

[@CarlVanDoren61]

Elephants 🐘 Large & in Charge 😊

[@paulstubbs7678]

Tik-Tok, you use that - Oh no...... Save your soul.

[@mikrophonie5633]

How does Human Spittoon by Evil Twin sound on that equipment?

[@AudioMasterclass]

Never heard of it.

[@julianmorrisco]

I’m not convinced about the quality of low voltage valves. I’m not saying the box that runs on a wall wart and/or USB C is bad, I haven’t heard it, but years ago I was working with a well known guitarist in Australia to create a guitar pedal with a valve in it, we couldn’t get that ‘tube’ sound out of valves using typical pedal voltages. Now, we had the help of a couple of great engineers but it was in the late 80s and tech has changed. Still, I’ve yet to hear a low voltage pedal with valves that distorts the same way as my all valve guitar amp. Many of them spund great, sure , but why put a valve in a pedal, with all the faff that entails, to not get the valve sound? So, I’m not disparaging the tube box and it sounds like fun but I’m skeptical. Maybe one day I’ll get a listen. I’ve looked on the internet and I’ve not seen any claims that they have used tricks or a high amperage wall wart where they have swapped current for voltage so I assume they are using a starved plate system like almost everyone else.

[@paulstubbs7678]

Easy fix, just step up the volts, there is no reason to limit yourself Although the concept of a guitarist 'stomping' on an effects pedal containing a fragile glass tube does worry me, it's probably better off on the amp stack, where mains power and high voltage is way easier.

[@buriedbits6027]

I am not sure if you read the comments and this is an off the wall request. Can you review (without buying) a cooling fan that can be mounted on an integrated amp. I know that Noctua has a single product, NV-FS2. Can you recommend this product, it seems a bit on the expensive side and I am wondering if it is generally a good idea to keep things cool especially as some of us live in a climate changed world and with ambient temps being quite hot I wonder if not keeping things cool might shorten the life of an integrated amp. I trust your perspective.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

The first step is to find out if your gear is getting too hot. Get an infrared thermometer and take readings from the case and/or heat sinks. Case temperatures up to about 50c are generally pretty safe as are heat sink temperatures up to 80c. Still a little extra airflow is never a bad idea. Far and away the simplest fix is to make sure your devices aren't crowded into an enclosed space with no natural airflow. A heat sink in an enclosed space becomes a heater ... so you want plenty of free air around your equipment. Also keep the heat producing gear away from the other stuff. For example: Stacking a pre-amp on top of a power amplifier might look good, but it can sometimes lead to overheating both devices. IF your equipment does need a little help, forced air is the way to go... The best way is to build cabinetry that has in-built fans. Push cool air in at the bottom and pull hot air out of the top. On a piece by piece basis you can add external fans beside or on top of your gear, to enhance it's natural convection airflow. In either case you can use any quiet computer case fan for the job. You don't need some expensive purpose made monstrosity... just your basic 120mm case fan will do a fine job. A little DIY effort to run the wiring and a 9 volt 1 amp power supply and you should be good to go. One power supply will probably run half a dozen fans, if you need them.

[@idwalwilliams3713]

V3 for me lol

[@utube4andydent]

Earphones I have two pairs. A pair of Bayer DT250 250 ohms and a pair of Bayer 250 32 ohms. So why two pairs. I was told by a radio station manager that I had to have the right impedance of face a blowing up my headphone or b blowing up the station mixing desk. You can guess which the radio station guy was more worried about. I'm using the 250 ohm pair as they have a richer bass but it's a bit over powering. So that's my short story of how and why I came to have the two headphone same but very different.

[@shipsahoy1793]

I'd rather use over the ears cans, open back, or closed back when isolation matters.. earbuds never fit right for me. IEM's ? ok for on stage, but at home ? no thank you

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

Bit of a Fosi fan are we, David?

[@AudioMasterclass]

It would be easy to interpret an element of cynicism into your question. To be clear however, the deal is they send me the stuff, I review it. If it fits into my workflow I use it. That’s all. Same as all my other reviews.

[@Douglas_Blake_579]

@@AudioMasterclass LOL .... just being a bit of a smartarse. Fosi makes some pretty good stuff.

[@afnDavid]

I can not imagine why you are asking strangers what to do! If you really need someone to tell you what to do now then you need adult supervision to tell you what to do all the time.

[@AudioMasterclass]

Engagement dear boy. It's polite to engage with people you associate with, such as I do with my subscribers and viewers. Did no adult ever tell you that?

[@rciacocca162]

​@@AudioMasterclass Lol, sir... True..true..

[@RaymondReeves-db8dr]

TLDW

[@AudioMasterclass]

Haha. Did you know that among KZbinrs it's considered good retention if 40% of viewers watch to the end. Congratulations, you're flocking with the 60% sheep.

[@RaymondReeves-db8dr]

@@AudioMasterclass Do you remember your comment to me that read "TLDR" Well David take some time out of your busy schedule and read this. I bought a Fosi V3 and a Fosi SK01 purely because of your reviews about them. Now does that not stroke your ego enough or would you also like some commission. Since then I have unsubscribed from your channel and haven't watched anything. This latest review suddenly popped up as a recommendation . The subject looked interesting, sadly I couldn't get any further than the first 5mins. Take some advice and watch a "Mend it Mark" post. You just might learn how to be a human being. BAAAAA!

[@johnsmith1474]

I don't get why reviewers commonly go through a tortured, long-winded statement about whether they are paid. (Getting stuff is getting paid, and getting a relationship with a company sans actual $ is getting paid too.) Nobody cares if you are paid or not, or believes you about it beyond being polite. Why not instead just state whether you are honest? Thusly: "I was paid for this, but because I am honest and it sucks, the manufacturer probably wants their money back!" A paid review can & should be just as honest as an unpaid review just as a workman paid up front can do his work with peace of mind. In fact once you are paid, you are more free to say what you will than if you are unpaid and hoping to be paid in the future ie "... hey did see how kind I was about that mediocre product?" If a product sucks and you say so it's not like you want to be in bed with that manufacturer in the future anyway. PS The Gold Standard in hard-ass reviewing is Hambini, an aerodynamics engineer who reviews bikes & components. I suggest you give a watch, he is also a Brit and quite a bit of fun when he gets revved up against a junk product.

[@AudioMasterclass]

Your statement does seem to be a little more long winded than mine, if I may say so. I know from my comments however that there is a significant amount of distrust about paid reviews, not just the money but the other two quite weighty elephants I mentioned. Just last week I rejected a deal that involved all three beasts. It’s not just a matter of honesty or integrity. It’s too much bother.

[@johnnydingo8680]

Do you use your own ears ? 😂

[@MarkThomas-hm3ju]

The Fosi V3 runs my 2.7 Maggies during the hot summer. I didnt see much sense in the mono version as there are no transformers involved and it might be dubious as to any appreciable gain in sound quality with them especially costing much more. In addition the initial V3s great sell is its quality components and I wondered if they faithfully kept that in the mono version. The V3 is a fantastic buy and the sound quality emanates very well fom the Maggies. It runs cooler than my Class A so it is my summer use amp and when winter comes I will use the Class A monos to heat up the house. I do massage the sound from my Rega CD player using a Nirvana Electronic Works P3 preamp. However in the end the Class A system does have the better sound but really for the price no real complaint on the V3. It will go down in audio gear history.