The Fosi V3 Mono surprised with its very powerful and clean delivery. It really rocks. If you are interested in purchasing them please support the channel and use the following links until 10-8-24. Fosi Audios 7th Anniversary Promotion 20%OFF is going on now, my viewers get an exclusive discount, For a 5% additional discount use CODE: FANANANSOFF. This will get you a total of 25% off for V3 MONO. www.ebay.com/itm/Fosi-Audio-V3-Mono-Power-Amplifier-PFFB-3255-Home-Audio-Monoblock-Class-D-Amps-/296661219980?nordt=true Or Amazon: amzn.to/3BvpTU0 with the same 20% off
This one surprised me. I thought for sure no way were you going to like it. I was wrong. Glad I was. I have a Fosi BT20A Pro and I tell ya it’s pretty good. Also have upgraded ps. Haven’t rolled op amps yet. Great take thanks Ed.
I’d also recommend investing in a “chip puller” tool for those who are into removing DIPs from sockets. It’s cheap and worth it to avoid damaging pins.
Cool stuff. I didn't realize you can roll the op amps on it. I like how you give the value proposition compared to purchasing other gear. Keep it up, makes reviews more enticing as many of us would like to know what it takes to upgrade to the next tier to avoid parallel upgrade.
Glad you liked these, Ed. I bought a pair as a way to dip a toe into Class D and they were offering great discounts on Kickstarter. I've paired mine with a Schiit Saga 2 preamp, which is price appropriate, and I really think they do a good job. Not sure how much more SQ they can squeeze out of the TI 3255 chip. For a starter, a second, or a third system they are very decent. They don't beat out much more expensive amps but they really do help to democratise hifi.
Every Old Guy needs a theme Song!! A.I. will provide ....if it doesn't take us out 1st My personal build of a enhanced (2x)TPA3255 should be completed this week
I got a pair of ‘em… with individual 48 v power supplies-gonna open ‘em up and replace the op amps with the muses02-they need a little chill in the treble… Gonna need some thermal paste or sheets
@@OldGuyHifi whose brand of DIP8 sockets do you recommend. There are quite a number of manufacturers and all manner of quality-I would like of course machined pins and at least 3 micron gold-plated OFC copper. But often the pins are nickel-plated brass or phosphor bronze. Do you think these things make a difference? Actually would any sort of socket degrade sound over just putting the op amp directly into the circuit board socket? Or do people just use these temporarily when rolling to see what they like, then remove them once they choose and put the op amps in directly?
@kineahora8736 I seriously don't think it matters having "high end" sockets. No matter what type of socket/chip is being plugged into the PC board, it is getting plugged into the least expensive socket the manufacturer could get. I like the Dip 8 risers because it protects the chips pins and makes it easier to plug/unplug. I wouldn't over think this. Thanks so much.
Hello, you should buy the Fosi Audio Power Filter. Its only 14 euro and filters your power supply. I used also and results are very good. More details etc. Greetz Paul Netherlands
Interesting timing! Out of curiosity, a few days ago I connected my BT20A Pro (48v GaN) to my Martin Logan Motion 60XTi and I was impressed. The little boxes sure pack a good punch. Regards. Congratulations, I see you are on your way to 10K subscribers!
@@OldGuyHifi I am sure they should sound better. I did buy the 48v GaN power supply with my BT20A Pro. The PS does make a difference. It’s connected to my Mac using NHT Superzeros. Not complaining for my desk system. When I want to listen to 2 channel music in my study I use my Marantz Stereo 70s with the Wharfdale D225. I really like the 70s HDMI ports which let me hook an AppleTV and an i7 Mac Mini I use as my roon core. I have my old Samsung 55” TV in the study which also connects to the 70s. I need to work on converting our 4th storage bedroom into a music room for my Dayton Audio HTA-200. Thinking, and just thinking right now, I may consider getting a pair of Linton for the music room. I heard a demo of the HTA-200 with the Linton and really liked it.
Thanks so much for this just-in-time review and your perspectives. These are certainly on my wish list to fit into my current setup alongside my MA 500 mono's. As always, an in-depth and very relevant opinion. Stay well, Sir.
I was quite impressed with these. Especially for the money. They didn't exhibit that Class D harshness many other amps do. Let me know if you get some. Thanks my friend.
Currently using these with the SMSL SU-1 DAC on my PC desktop setup. PC does volume control over Toslink. Super affordable and VERY impressive sound. Considering what most people will use for near field desktop speakers, I’m not sure you’d ever need more than these? I’m using them with Energy RC Minis (about 15 years old) and the whole setup is fantastic.
Great review! These drive my Golden Ear Triton 7s very well. They were better than my Onkyo receiver in direct mode. They were slightly better than my class A/B Crown amp. The Crown amp had around a half DB advantage around the 30 Hertz region but the Fosi sounded slightly better in the lower mid-range. The Auto on feature gave the Fosi the advantage for the hidden system in the living room.
My wife and I were talking about a small, portable, outdoor system to stream music to in the summer. Something we can carry in and out without too much issue. Two of these, plus a Wiim mini and a couple of Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 might fit the bill.
Hi Joseph. If I may.. make a recommendation for your scenario.. for your patio/outdoor Streamer/DAC/Amplication/Portable affordable system, I recommend: WiiM AMP + Micca RB42 speakers, 14/12 AWG OFC speaker cables with GOLD plated banana plugs - easy to build. Here’s why ;) - that’s what I have in my medium size bedroom for TV/Music, while it is also my portable music/TV system I can quickly take out and bring to a vacation home(s) in the summer and hook it up to a TV’s HDMI ARC port for way better audio than any internal TV speakers and most soundbars. Then it’s quick and easy to unplug a couple cables and move it all outside with ease. Beats my Harmon Kardon $400 BT speaker. Unless you already have the Polks, Miccas sound fantastic with OFC speaker cables though, as I was going to return them when I used the cheap CCA copper clad aluminum cables, never again 😅 Also, Amazon is having a Prime Deal sale Oct 8-9. Last time WiiM AMP was $240 instead of $300 on Prime Day sale. That’s a good streamer, DAC and AMP, that isn’t easy to beat. Now I am considering Fosi V3 monos myself, but that’s for other room(s) and I have to do some trickery and run/make pre-outs on my Denon AVR that doesn’t have them for any channels, just speaker and sub outs, but that’s my adventure, maybe I’ll make a video on it. 🤔 WiiM mini needs a DAC, the DAC inside it, is maybe good for garage background music. SMSL SU-1 is a cheap OK DAC that needs a $70 clean/linear PSU to actually sound good, as it sounded like every DAC below $150 that comes with usb-c cable to power it and not even a wall wart / phone charger, which is crap power anyway. I owned SU-1 during the return window. Remember, with WiiM AMP you also get a remote control to skip, pause and adjust either an integrated AMP volume or a digital pre-amp volume if used as a streamer only, very convenient. And the big one - WiiM AMP has a USB out port into which you can connect any USB DAC. WiiM ULTRA may get it via FW upgrade 🤷♂️. The AMP also has advanced/customizable subwoofer output. And the ancient SPDIF inputs are there for backup, as they are inferior to USB, mostly for the clock signal - if the DAC is not in the same box as the streamer. Never use RCA-inputs on any WiiM products, I mean unless if you’re cool with WiiM converting your analog signal to digital, then back to analog again… 😅🤦♂️ Could be useful if the analog source is in another room, while needing to play its source on another or multiple WiiM devices. Hope this helps - I only need to unplug 2 speaker cables and one power cable, and the system is free, easy and quick to move around. And the thing you don’t want to hear… 😅 imagine how many power cables, power adapters, interconnect, speaker cables a system of WiiM mini, SU-1, iFi iPower PSU, V3 Monos is going to have? That you’re thinking of moving in/out of your patio during the summer… 😮💨😉 Thx Ed for your Fosi video, I remember to send you an Eversolo DMP-A8 for review. I’m honoring it shortly after Black Friday deals, maybe it will be a deal or I’ll get it anyway! 😅 -IvanITpro 😉
I really wanna check out those little amps, Im mostly a vintage audio guys but these have piqued my interest for sure.. Love the content and btw that mickey mouse album is awesome!!!!
I bought a pair each with it's own power brick thinking it would be great but to my ears at least it was way to bright. I do not have bright and harsh speakers but I did use a schiit lyr 2 as a pre so maybe you have to be careful with pre amps. My favourite class d amps are from the UK company temple audio. They make class d amps fully made in the UK at affordable prices and they are not bright or harsh sounding. Their amplifier called one is beautiful. Anyway loving your channel.
Thank you. I also love a British Class D amp, my Cambridge EVO150. I only had the Sparkos Gemini as a pre and it does have a tube so it did sound good. I did try it with the FiiO K11 R2R DAC/Pre and it still sounded good on my old KEFs. Thanks for watching and commenting.
I really liked these too - the big power supply they sent me that was meant to power both was really noisy, but once I used separate power supplies, they sounded great. Do you think it's odd to use one PS for monoblocks? I've always thought the point was to keep the channels separate from noise so using one PS seems like a strange option, something I noted in my video.
I agree, but I guess some people complained about the clutter with 2 PS boxes. I got 2 PS with the ones they sent me. Oh well. Hope your flea market stuff went well.
Hi Ed, you're covering something I've been researching recently. Warm case temperatures & large electrolytic capacitors is a long term reliability concern. All Class-D amps use feedback. Lack of PFFB is easily compensated with a high quality capacitor added across the terminals of >4 Ohm speakers. A comparison of the sound quality of the V3 stereo vs mono at 'normal' listening levels would be nice. Also, we'd like your opinion of Infineon MA5332MS based designs (Loxjie A40, SMSL A300 & AO300) as they represent better value. Cheers!
So I did fell asleep in the middle a lttle, but that was all me. Had a long day and actually a bit too tired to watch a video. ut I liked it nonetheless, It would be so easy just to remain anti class-D but more and more offerings are becoming interesting, not only the expemsive ICE of nCORE. Thanks! Yoy still got my thumb!
@@OldGuyHifi Great video, how close do these get to the ICE and NCore or Purifi class D? Are they very close or is there a pretty big sound quality gap?
Big gap. These are rudimentary devices compared to ICE, NCore or Purify modules. They work great for their price and sound better than most entry level products from Sony, Pioneer and the like. They are only "giant" killers in that context.
No worries. The are both Class "D" amp modules that are used in more expensive amplifiers. A brief over view: ICEpower (Intelligent, Compact, Efficient power) amplifier module was developed by ICEpower A/S, a Danish company that specializes in high-performance audio solutions. ICEpower was founded in 1999 as a joint venture between Bang & Olufsen and Karsten Nielsen, a researcher from the Technical University of Denmark. The goal was to create highly efficient, compact, and powerful audio amplifier modules. PS Audio and several others use ICE power. As for NCore: NCore amplifier modules were developed by Bruno Putzeys, a renowned audio engineer. He created NCore technology while working at Hypex Electronics, a Dutch company known for its high-performance amplifier modules. NCore is an evolution of Hypex's earlier UCD (Universal Class D) amplifier technology, which Putzeys also developed. NCore amplifiers are highly regarded for their excellent audio performance, combining the high efficiency of Class D amplification with significantly improved sound quality, characterized by low distortion, high damping factor, and excellent linearity. My Cambridge Audio EVO150 uses NCore as does NAD, and many others. The TI chip based "Fun Fi" products are good given their limitations. Great for second systems and the desktop. Great question, long answer. Thanks for watching.
Nice review Ed. How do these Fosi class D amps compare to amps from Orchard Audio? Why would I pay the premium for Starkrimson amps or mono blocks over the Fosi?
Errol, there is no comparison. These are nice little chip based amps that work good on a desktop but can not even come close to the performance of the Starkrimson amp. Like comparing a VW Bug to a Porsche. Yes the engine is in the same place and they both have 4 wheels but that's the only things they share. The OA stuff is far superior. Thanks for the view my friend.
Hey, great review! I have a question, you say you would take these over any 600$ or less integrated amps. I have a Peachtree Nova 150 that doesn't fit my space and I want to sell it and get something else. These really interest me as they are small and easy to fit into smaller spaces which would be huge for me. Currently my Nova 150 is hanging from the bottom of my desk lmao. Would these be a good alternative?
They sound quite good and are plenty powerful. You would need a good Pre-amp or DAC Pre-amp on the front end maybe a Schiit Magni. Be aware there are two large power supplies that you will to fit under desk. Each is about 8"x4"x2". If that is ok, you are good to go. Let me know what you decide. It would help out the channel if you used this link to purchase. amzn.to/4fsJPph Thank you so much.
I have a regular stereo V3, and I can't seem to find anyone who can explain the pre-amp out it has on the back. Can you give me an example of how I'd use that? Thanks!
Nice! The big Nichicon caps are 63V (as opposed to just 50V) so there is good headroom with the 48V power supply. Do they offer a 48V 10A PSU? You don't mention the gain switch - it looks like 31dB and 25dB? It may be this only affects the RCA single ended input? The Little People "Mickey Mouse Operation" recording is not on Qobuz ... but it is on Bandcamp!
Neil, I could find much info on the gain switch so I just glossed over it. I am glad you found that album. For giggles, I will hook them up to those Blue boxes I have and will let you know. Thx.
@@OldGuyHifi - 25dB is already higher gain than many amps, so if I had to guess, that is the better option? I am curious how various amps sound with them, for sure.
A few things you didnt mention or maybe i missed it. Soundstage, imaging, bass control/detail, sibilance. Yes its clean, yes it has some power. But there is much more to the enjoyment of music that for me this amp never had for me.
@@OldGuyHifiHaha ok. Yeah I just emailed them. I'll let you know if I hear anything sooner. The reason I want to know is because I'm bi-amping my speakers with 4 V3 monos. I have 4 burson v7 vivids to go in them. I want to put them in the best op amp position for it's characteristics. I don't want to buy 4 more vivids so I want to go with a cheaper op amp for position 3.
Does your sub have RCA (line level) inputs and outputs? Does it have speaker level inputs? 1> If the sub only has a single RCA input then run a "Y" connector out of the preamp and split the signal that way. 2, If it has RCA in & out then run the RCAs from the preamp to the sub then from the sub to the amps. That way you can use the subwoofers built in crossover. 3. If it has speaker level inputs and outputs then connect it the same as above just with speaker signal. 4. If it only has a single speaker lead input just connect an extra pair of cables to the speaker terminals and get the signal that way. Connect the sub to the same binding posts as your regular speakers is not an issue as the amp won't see the sub as any kind of a load. Does that make sense? Thanks.
Stan, I am sorry to see you go. Just because it was built in China doesn't make it junk. I would guess that you own a lot of things made in China, your TV, your laptop, your phone, etc. I am no fan of the PRC, but that is where these devices are made. For someone just starting out in the hobby with a limited budget, this may be their best option. Don't they deserve to know if it is good or bad? Would you reconsider?
@@OldGuyHifi Can't satisfy every person out there. Everyone has an entry point in stereo type listening, some can make the jump to better equipment some can't. The ChiFi class D are less expensive, less obtrusive and light. Throwaway too if something breaks. I don't know how reliable these are in comparison to traditional class AB. The Keces E40 I have been using for 4 years nearly straight has been reliable as any but wasn't cheap either. Swapping chips to say a Sparkos ups the SQ, per my experience. If I didn't have the amps I have and I still havn't gotten around to the CA-1, I had been eyeing the Musician Monoceros Pre with a couple of the small class D amps which have come to market. Still considered budget in this hobby but well over a grand. I don't think the small class D amps are capable of alot of current output and may still not drive some speakers demanding higher current to sound good. I have had speakers like that. While it worked with the Elac is surprising but cool. At this point, I would still wonder about reliability too. The Hegel I have is very good but also very heavy. As is alot of 70s gear, huge and heavy. My smaller and lighter dream system could for example consist of say a Jeff Roland int. 120 with a suitable pre, perhaps the Monoceros which purportedly adds a bit of warmth without sacrificing the mids and highs? New its currently outside my budget and more than my current speakers need. But, we can wish. Lots of good amps out there. But for people just entering the market or upgrading to the next level or two, especially today, gear over a grand and more remains outside their budget. If I didn't have any gear and were starting out but could afford up to a grand or so price range, the Iota SA40, Emotiva products and the venerable Outlaw integrateds are getting alot of attention. Then there's gear being marked down for new models as well. So, I enjoy hearing you evaluating all types of gear at all prices to see what your thoughts are. While I am not a fan of the PRC either, this isn't the forum to discuss politics and even with that, I would buy a product from there if I felt it was a good product (ex., my Topping D70s and Aune X18th dacs). If I were in the market today, I would strongly consider a Geshelli, among a few others. I am more hesitant to buy outsourced gear but have in the past. I now "prefer" when a brand makes its products in house in their home country even it costs more, but good performance is available with outsourced budget gear. I have that too. No guarantee of better performance or one will like something better even if built in-house. I bet 90% plus of all the gear out there is outsourced, and almost all in the budget category. For many people, it won't be an issue and will be the place to start, if not even find gear one can live with long term.
The Fosi V3 Mono surprised with its very powerful and clean delivery. It really rocks. If you are interested in purchasing them please support the channel and use the following links until 10-8-24.
Fosi Audios 7th Anniversary Promotion 20%OFF is going on now, my viewers get an exclusive discount, For a 5% additional discount use CODE: FANANANSOFF. This will get you a total of 25% off for V3 MONO.
www.ebay.com/itm/Fosi-Audio-V3-Mono-Power-Amplifier-PFFB-3255-Home-Audio-Monoblock-Class-D-Amps-/296661219980?nordt=true
Or Amazon: amzn.to/3BvpTU0 with the same 20% off
This one surprised me. I thought for sure no way were you going to like it. I was wrong. Glad I was. I have a Fosi BT20A Pro and I tell ya it’s pretty good. Also have upgraded ps. Haven’t rolled op amps yet. Great take thanks Ed.
That intro song is fantastic!
Thank you.
I’d also recommend investing in a “chip puller” tool for those who are into removing DIPs from sockets. It’s cheap and worth it to avoid damaging pins.
Agreed. I have one on order. Thx.
Just found you. Like your style. Very informative review. Well done.
Welcome. I hope you would consider subscribing. Thanks.
Cool stuff. I didn't realize you can roll the op amps on it. I like how you give the value proposition compared to purchasing other gear. Keep it up, makes reviews more enticing as many of us would like to know what it takes to upgrade to the next tier to avoid parallel upgrade.
I am glad you enjoyed it. I really was impressed by these little amps. They sounded very good, especially for the money. Thx my friend.
Glad you liked these, Ed. I bought a pair as a way to dip a toe into Class D and they were offering great discounts on Kickstarter.
I've paired mine with a Schiit Saga 2 preamp, which is price appropriate, and I really think they do a good job. Not sure how much more SQ they can squeeze out of the TI 3255 chip.
For a starter, a second, or a third system they are very decent.
They don't beat out much more expensive amps but they really do help to democratise hifi.
I agree. They are great for a beginner. Thanks.
Every Old Guy needs a theme Song!!
A.I. will provide ....if it doesn't take us out 1st
My personal build of a enhanced (2x)TPA3255 should be completed this week
Interesting indeed thanks for posting
KCB👍🇬🇧🙂
Thanks for watching.
I had the VA3. I must say I enjoyed using the Schiit tube headphone amps ans Preamps for the VA 3. warmed it up a bit
I got a pair of ‘em… with individual 48 v power supplies-gonna open ‘em up and replace the op amps with the muses02-they need a little chill in the treble…
Gonna need some thermal paste or sheets
Roll up your selves and have fun. Thx.
@@OldGuyHifi whose brand of DIP8 sockets do you recommend. There are quite a number of manufacturers and all manner of quality-I would like of course machined pins and at least 3 micron gold-plated OFC copper. But often the pins are nickel-plated brass or phosphor bronze. Do you think these things make a difference? Actually would any sort of socket degrade sound over just putting the op amp directly into the circuit board socket? Or do people just use these temporarily when rolling to see what they like, then remove them once they choose and put the op amps in directly?
@kineahora8736 I seriously don't think it matters having "high end" sockets. No matter what type of socket/chip is being plugged into the PC board, it is getting plugged into the least expensive socket the manufacturer could get. I like the Dip 8 risers because it protects the chips pins and makes it easier to plug/unplug. I wouldn't over think this. Thanks so much.
@ Me overthink something?🤣🤣 Naaaaah🤣🤣
Hello, you should buy the Fosi Audio Power Filter. Its only 14 euro and filters your power supply. I used also and results are very good. More details etc.
Greetz Paul Netherlands
Thanks for the tip!
These would make a great system, especially for the money. Ed, your transitions at 6:40 and 12:54 are awesome.
Thanks John.
Interesting timing! Out of curiosity, a few days ago I connected my BT20A Pro (48v GaN) to my Martin Logan Motion 60XTi and I was impressed. The little boxes sure pack a good punch. Regards.
Congratulations, I see you are on your way to 10K subscribers!
Thank you Ralph. I I have a couple of the BT20As and these mono amps are much better sounding. New tech and a chip per channel.
@@OldGuyHifi I am sure they should sound better. I did buy the 48v GaN power supply with my BT20A Pro. The PS does make a difference. It’s connected to my Mac using NHT Superzeros. Not complaining for my desk system.
When I want to listen to 2 channel music in my study I use my Marantz Stereo 70s with the Wharfdale D225. I really like the 70s HDMI ports which let me hook an AppleTV and an i7 Mac Mini I use as my roon core. I have my old Samsung 55” TV in the study which also connects to the 70s.
I need to work on converting our 4th storage bedroom into a music room for my Dayton Audio HTA-200. Thinking, and just thinking right now, I may consider getting a pair of Linton for the music room. I heard a demo of the HTA-200 with the Linton and really liked it.
@@rafacq I like the Lintons very much. I am trying to get a pair of the Super Dentons in for review.🤞
Thanks so much for this just-in-time review and your perspectives. These are certainly on my wish list to fit into my current setup alongside my MA 500 mono's. As always, an in-depth and very relevant opinion. Stay well, Sir.
I was quite impressed with these. Especially for the money. They didn't exhibit that Class D harshness many other amps do. Let me know if you get some. Thanks my friend.
@@OldGuyHifi I will do. Thank you, Sir.
Currently using these with the SMSL SU-1 DAC on my PC desktop setup. PC does volume control over Toslink. Super affordable and VERY impressive sound. Considering what most people will use for near field desktop speakers, I’m not sure you’d ever need more than these?
I’m using them with Energy RC Minis (about 15 years old) and the whole setup is fantastic.
I do like the Su-1. I also have one on my desktop. I like those AKM chip sets. Thx for returning to the channel.
Another great review. I like the fact that you can swap out the Op Amps.
Great review! These drive my Golden Ear Triton 7s very well. They were better than my Onkyo receiver in direct mode. They were slightly better than my class A/B Crown amp. The Crown amp had around a half DB advantage around the 30 Hertz region but the Fosi sounded slightly better in the lower mid-range. The Auto on feature gave the Fosi the advantage for the hidden system in the living room.
They are fun amps for sure. Thx for tuning in.
Thanks Ed. Great review of a product that deserves a listen.
Digital Dan my friend, thank you so much.
There are also 2 hex screws on the botton that needs to be removed to pull out the board.
Yes. Thank you.
Thanks for the review. Very interested in these because of their price range and opamp swapping.
I am glad you got something out of the video. Thx.
If I was in the market for a separate Amp, I'd definitely have to give Class D a look. Great review
Thanks Jim.
Love the new theme song!
My wife and I were talking about a small, portable, outdoor system to stream music to in the summer. Something we can carry in and out without too much issue. Two of these, plus a Wiim mini and a couple of Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 might fit the bill.
That sounds like a great little system. If you do it, let me know how it works out. Thx for watching and commenting.
You may need to purchase a small DAC and the small DAC I recommend is the SMSL SU-1 as this will increase the dynamics.
Hi Joseph. If I may.. make a recommendation for your scenario.. for your patio/outdoor Streamer/DAC/Amplication/Portable affordable system, I recommend: WiiM AMP + Micca RB42 speakers, 14/12 AWG OFC speaker cables with GOLD plated banana plugs - easy to build.
Here’s why ;) - that’s what I have in my medium size bedroom for TV/Music, while it is also my portable music/TV system I can quickly take out and bring to a vacation home(s) in the summer and hook it up to a TV’s HDMI ARC port for way better audio than any internal TV speakers and most soundbars. Then it’s quick and easy to unplug a couple cables and move it all outside with ease. Beats my Harmon Kardon $400 BT speaker. Unless you already have the Polks, Miccas sound fantastic with OFC speaker cables though, as I was going to return them when I used the cheap CCA copper clad aluminum cables, never again 😅
Also, Amazon is having a Prime Deal sale Oct 8-9. Last time WiiM AMP was $240 instead of $300 on Prime Day sale. That’s a good streamer, DAC and AMP, that isn’t easy to beat. Now I am considering Fosi V3 monos myself, but that’s for other room(s) and I have to do some trickery and run/make pre-outs on my Denon AVR that doesn’t have them for any channels, just speaker and sub outs, but that’s my adventure, maybe I’ll make a video on it. 🤔
WiiM mini needs a DAC, the DAC inside it, is maybe good for garage background music. SMSL SU-1 is a cheap OK DAC that needs a $70 clean/linear PSU to actually sound good, as it sounded like every DAC below $150 that comes with usb-c cable to power it and not even a wall wart / phone charger, which is crap power anyway. I owned SU-1 during the return window.
Remember, with WiiM AMP you also get a remote control to skip, pause and adjust either an integrated AMP volume or a digital pre-amp volume if used as a streamer only, very convenient. And the big one - WiiM AMP has a USB out port into which you can connect any USB DAC. WiiM ULTRA may get it via FW upgrade 🤷♂️. The AMP also has advanced/customizable subwoofer output. And the ancient SPDIF inputs are there for backup, as they are inferior to USB, mostly for the clock signal - if the DAC is not in the same box as the streamer. Never use RCA-inputs on any WiiM products, I mean unless if you’re cool with WiiM converting your analog signal to digital, then back to analog again… 😅🤦♂️ Could be useful if the analog source is in another room, while needing to play its source on another or multiple WiiM devices.
Hope this helps - I only need to unplug 2 speaker cables and one power cable, and the system is free, easy and quick to move around. And the thing you don’t want to hear… 😅 imagine how many power cables, power adapters, interconnect, speaker cables a system of WiiM mini, SU-1, iFi iPower PSU, V3 Monos is going to have? That you’re thinking of moving in/out of your patio during the summer… 😮💨😉
Thx Ed for your Fosi video, I remember to send you an Eversolo DMP-A8 for review. I’m honoring it shortly after Black Friday deals, maybe it will be a deal or I’ll get it anyway! 😅 -IvanITpro 😉
I really wanna check out those little amps, Im mostly a vintage audio guys but these have piqued my interest for sure.. Love the content and btw that mickey mouse album is awesome!!!!
Thank you so much for the kind words. I do like that album a lot.
good stuff. I prefer this theme song over the 'female' vocalist, although i'd just find a little jazzy tune or something. YMMV.
I bought a pair each with it's own power brick thinking it would be great but to my ears at least it was way to bright. I do not have bright and harsh speakers but I did use a schiit lyr 2 as a pre so maybe you have to be careful with pre amps.
My favourite class d amps are from the UK company temple audio. They make class d amps fully made in the UK at affordable prices and they are not bright or harsh sounding. Their amplifier called one is beautiful.
Anyway loving your channel.
Thank you. I also love a British Class D amp, my Cambridge EVO150. I only had the Sparkos Gemini as a pre and it does have a tube so it did sound good. I did try it with the FiiO K11 R2R DAC/Pre and it still sounded good on my old KEFs. Thanks for watching and commenting.
What a catchy intro!
A little B roll.
I really liked these too - the big power supply they sent me that was meant to power both was really noisy, but once I used separate power supplies, they sounded great. Do you think it's odd to use one PS for monoblocks? I've always thought the point was to keep the channels separate from noise so using one PS seems like a strange option, something I noted in my video.
I agree, but I guess some people complained about the clutter with 2 PS boxes. I got 2 PS with the ones they sent me. Oh well. Hope your flea market stuff went well.
@@OldGuyHifi thank you - it was a very busy day and we sold a lot of records!
@@ForeverAnalog That's awesome. Congrats.
Hi Ed, you're covering something I've been researching recently. Warm case temperatures & large electrolytic capacitors is a long term reliability concern. All Class-D amps use feedback. Lack of PFFB is easily compensated with a high quality capacitor added across the terminals of >4 Ohm speakers. A comparison of the sound quality of the V3 stereo vs mono at 'normal' listening levels would be nice. Also, we'd like your opinion of Infineon MA5332MS based designs (Loxjie A40, SMSL A300 & AO300) as they represent better value. Cheers!
I don't have any reasonable experience with the Infineon chips. Sorry. If I can get some I will review them. Thanks for the view.
@old guy whose DIP8 sockets did you get? Were you able to find gold-plated copper? I didn’t see these anywhere…
Try here: www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/omron-electronics-inc-emc-div/XR2A-0811-N/1829589?PMax%20Supplier_Focus%20Supplier&Cj0KCQjwsoe5BhDiARIsAOXVoUtrRCBMGSfZRoX5ekQXqL_Ql_L8qfBxSKULExW58wmpWABzCe6q5CEaAnlNEALw_wcB&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsoe5BhDiARIsAOXVoUtrRCBMGSfZRoX5ekQXqL_Ql_L8qfBxSKULExW58wmpWABzCe6q5CEaAnlNEALw_wcB
So I did fell asleep in the middle a lttle, but that was all me. Had a long day and actually a bit too tired to watch a video. ut I liked it nonetheless, It would be so easy just to remain anti class-D but more and more offerings are becoming interesting, not only the expemsive ICE of nCORE. Thanks! Yoy still got my thumb!
Thank you. These little chip amps won't catch up to the ICE or NCore stuff. They are fun on the desktop. Thx. Go to bed.
@@OldGuyHifi Great video, how close do these get to the ICE and NCore or Purifi class D? Are they very close or is there a pretty big sound quality gap?
Big gap. These are rudimentary devices compared to ICE, NCore or Purify modules. They work great for their price and sound better than most entry level products from Sony, Pioneer and the like. They are only "giant" killers in that context.
@@OldGuyHifi pardon my ignorance but what are ICE and NCore?
No worries. The are both Class "D" amp modules that are used in more expensive amplifiers.
A brief over view:
ICEpower (Intelligent, Compact, Efficient power) amplifier module was developed by ICEpower A/S, a Danish company that specializes in high-performance audio solutions. ICEpower was founded in 1999 as a joint venture between Bang & Olufsen and Karsten Nielsen, a researcher from the Technical University of Denmark. The goal was to create highly efficient, compact, and powerful audio amplifier modules. PS Audio and several others use ICE power.
As for NCore: NCore amplifier modules were developed by Bruno Putzeys, a renowned audio engineer. He created NCore technology while working at Hypex Electronics, a Dutch company known for its high-performance amplifier modules.
NCore is an evolution of Hypex's earlier UCD (Universal Class D) amplifier technology, which Putzeys also developed. NCore amplifiers are highly regarded for their excellent audio performance, combining the high efficiency of Class D amplification with significantly improved sound quality, characterized by low distortion, high damping factor, and excellent linearity. My Cambridge Audio EVO150 uses NCore as does NAD, and many others.
The TI chip based "Fun Fi" products are good given their limitations. Great for second systems and the desktop.
Great question, long answer. Thanks for watching.
Nice review Ed.
How do these Fosi class D amps compare to amps from Orchard Audio? Why would I pay the premium for Starkrimson amps or mono blocks over the Fosi?
Errol, there is no comparison. These are nice little chip based amps that work good on a desktop but can not even come close to the performance of the Starkrimson amp. Like comparing a VW Bug to a Porsche. Yes the engine is in the same place and they both have 4 wheels but that's the only things they share. The OA stuff is far superior. Thanks for the view my friend.
Hey, great review! I have a question, you say you would take these over any 600$ or less integrated amps. I have a Peachtree Nova 150 that doesn't fit my space and I want to sell it and get something else. These really interest me as they are small and easy to fit into smaller spaces which would be huge for me. Currently my Nova 150 is hanging from the bottom of my desk lmao. Would these be a good alternative?
They sound quite good and are plenty powerful. You would need a good Pre-amp or DAC Pre-amp on the front end maybe a Schiit Magni. Be aware there are two large power supplies that you will to fit under desk. Each is about 8"x4"x2". If that is ok, you are good to go. Let me know what you decide. It would help out the channel if you used this link to purchase. amzn.to/4fsJPph Thank you so much.
I have a regular stereo V3, and I can't seem to find anyone who can explain the pre-amp out it has on the back. Can you give me an example of how I'd use that? Thanks!
I don't have any experience with that unit. Sorry. I took a quick look and it would be great to output to a powered subwoofer. I hope that helps. Thx.
Class D
Yes. That's true.
need to do some groveling to understand how different from za3 monos
I don't understand what you are getting at.
@@OldGuyHifi v3 monos vs Za3 monos. Strengths of each
My own answer: PFFB as the key differentiator
Nice! The big Nichicon caps are 63V (as opposed to just 50V) so there is good headroom with the 48V power supply. Do they offer a 48V 10A PSU? You don't mention the gain switch - it looks like 31dB and 25dB? It may be this only affects the RCA single ended input?
The Little People "Mickey Mouse Operation" recording is not on Qobuz ... but it is on Bandcamp!
Neil, I could find much info on the gain switch so I just glossed over it. I am glad you found that album. For giggles, I will hook them up to those Blue boxes I have and will let you know. Thx.
@@OldGuyHifi - 25dB is already higher gain than many amps, so if I had to guess, that is the better option?
I am curious how various amps sound with them, for sure.
@@NeilBlanchard I will let you know.
Just noticed, Ed, I don't think you mentioned you have to remove the screws underneath before you slide out the board.
Yeah. I forgot.
A few things you didnt mention or maybe i missed it. Soundstage, imaging, bass control/detail, sibilance. Yes its clean, yes it has some power. But there is much more to the enjoyment of music that for me this amp never had for me.
I get it. I found it to be just fine on the desktop. Thank you for the view.
When you were playing past 85db how many Ft from speakers?
About 11 feet.
Anyone know what the op amps at position 2 and 3 do?
I will try and find out. Everyone in China is on holiday until the 7th. So I may need a couple of days.
@@OldGuyHifiHaha ok. Yeah I just emailed them. I'll let you know if I hear anything sooner. The reason I want to know is because I'm bi-amping my speakers with 4 V3 monos. I have 4 burson v7 vivids to go in them. I want to put them in the best op amp position for it's characteristics. I don't want to buy 4 more vivids so I want to go with a cheaper op amp for position 3.
Hi Ed, really liked the intro. But don't like the V3 sorry.
Thank you. No worries. You don't have to like it.
Enjoy your channel. How would you connect an active sub?
Does your sub have RCA (line level) inputs and outputs? Does it have speaker level inputs?
1> If the sub only has a single RCA input then run a "Y" connector out of the preamp and split the signal that way.
2, If it has RCA in & out then run the RCAs from the preamp to the sub then from the sub to the amps. That way you can use the subwoofers built in crossover.
3. If it has speaker level inputs and outputs then connect it the same as above just with speaker signal.
4. If it only has a single speaker lead input just connect an extra pair of cables to the speaker terminals and get the signal that way. Connect the sub to the same binding posts as your regular speakers is not an issue as the amp won't see the sub as any kind of a load.
Does that make sense? Thanks.
They are so tiny.
Yes,
Just unsubscribed from your channel , as soon as you stop hawking chifi junk will be back
Stan, I am sorry to see you go. Just because it was built in China doesn't make it junk. I would guess that you own a lot of things made in China, your TV, your laptop, your phone, etc. I am no fan of the PRC, but that is where these devices are made. For someone just starting out in the hobby with a limited budget, this may be their best option. Don't they deserve to know if it is good or bad? Would you reconsider?
@@OldGuyHifi Can't satisfy every person out there. Everyone has an entry point in stereo type listening, some can make the jump to better equipment some can't. The ChiFi class D are less expensive, less obtrusive and light. Throwaway too if something breaks. I don't know how reliable these are in comparison to traditional class AB. The Keces E40 I have been using for 4 years nearly straight has been reliable as any but wasn't cheap either.
Swapping chips to say a Sparkos ups the SQ, per my experience. If I didn't have the amps I have and I still havn't gotten around to the CA-1, I had been eyeing the Musician Monoceros Pre with a couple of the small class D amps which have come to market. Still considered budget in this hobby but well over a grand.
I don't think the small class D amps are capable of alot of current output and may still not drive some speakers demanding higher current to sound good. I have had speakers like that. While it worked with the Elac is surprising but cool. At this point, I would still wonder about reliability too.
The Hegel I have is very good but also very heavy. As is alot of 70s gear, huge and heavy. My smaller and lighter dream system could for example consist of say a Jeff Roland int. 120 with a suitable pre, perhaps the Monoceros which purportedly adds a bit of warmth without sacrificing the mids and highs?
New its currently outside my budget and more than my current speakers need. But, we can wish. Lots of good amps out there. But for people just entering the market or upgrading to the next level or two, especially today, gear over a grand and more remains outside their budget. If I didn't have any gear and were starting out but could afford up to a grand or so price range, the Iota SA40, Emotiva products and the venerable Outlaw integrateds are getting alot of attention. Then there's gear being marked down for new models as well.
So, I enjoy hearing you evaluating all types of gear at all prices to see what your thoughts are. While I am not a fan of the PRC either, this isn't the forum to discuss politics and even with that, I would buy a product from there if I felt it was a good product (ex., my Topping D70s and Aune X18th dacs). If I were in the market today, I would strongly consider a Geshelli, among a few others.
I am more hesitant to buy outsourced gear but have in the past. I now "prefer" when a brand makes its products in house in their home country even it costs more, but good performance is available with outsourced budget gear. I have that too. No guarantee of better performance or one will like something better even if built in-house.
I bet 90% plus of all the gear out there is outsourced, and almost all in the budget category. For many people, it won't be an issue and will be the place to start, if not even find gear one can live with long term.
Great comment and you make some very valid points. Thank you for sharing your experience & thoughts.
That's pretty narrow minded there Stan. Enjoy the hobby.
@@Feliciano12v Thx buddy.