The vu-meters are a bonus, a nice gimmick. But the real purpose of this thing is to a-b compare two sets of speaker and/or amplifiers. There the remote control makes all the sense. It's not a weak try on somewhat weird pre-amp, like Z would like to see...
I got the NEOHIPO ET30 it's larger and more lighting options. I made up a pair of phono to banana plug, so it works with headphones and speakers straight from my DAC.
I use the older version of this to switch between either a tube or solid state amp on either headphones or speakers. I love it for that even it the meters don't dance when driving easy loads. Like the Dude's rug, it really ties the system together. Trying to control speaker level volume would be a huge task. You'd need resistors that are rated higher than whatever amp you plug into it.
@kristophergurley585 And not only that. It isn't the only problem. By connecting the resistor in either series or parallel, you'd change the whole impedance and characteristics of crossover, hence sound signature
I mean yeah but with the Optical Splitter and separate cheap amp. You wouldn't be. That is my mental workaround. Since the Digital signal is preserved.
Hey Fosi, how about a "VU Meter (ONLY) with RCA inputs" version without Speaker/Amp selector features in same design? It'll be much cheaper and more affordable... Black background looks nice but it'll be PERFECT with a "White Needle" btw.
@@fosiaudio XLR and optic seems useless for my usage scenario. It'll be OK with only one (1) RCA input for me as I'll be feeding it from an AMP (or AVR) That 1 RCA variant will be the cheapest but definitely the best-selling model for sure 👌
The knob is for calibration. You have 2 completely different amps. Use identical amps & calibrate them identical & the meters will be the same if the load on each amp is the same. Otherwise you need to calibrate the 2 different amps to read the same on the meters, so that you are level matched.
I kick started this for the VU aesthetics and to compare speakers and amps. Very surprised I can not hear the slightest difference between my A07 and vintage Yamaha.
Douk VU2 looks like a very similar product, but is unlabeled meters and is RCA line level (VU3 looks like their speaker level version). Granted, the Fosi case is much nicer looking. Another way to use this if you're on an AVR or a multi-zone stereo receiver, is to use the second zone and send the same input to both zones if it does matrixing. Depending on the receiver you may have both line and speaker level outs for the second zone.
ALSO Another OrchardAudio OPEN HOUSE is this weekend! SAT the 16th, facebook.com/events/s/-orchard-audio-open-house-audi/375114398614602/?mibextid=9VsGKo I will drag the $6000 set of MonAcoustics Platimon Speakers to play around with!
Great review, mine arrived today but cannot get enough gain to get needles in the middle. knob turned all the way so the VUs just move a little at the start of the display. Don’t want to send back 🤔
Hi Z. Another cracking review! The inuendo is just subtle enough to be funny without causing offence. A fine line well trod, then! Re metering, I have always been deterred by the knowledge that, no matter how good the kit, a little bit of signal goodness is leached off to drive the displays. These days however, the use of a digital 'splitter' to drive your metering [ the meter must have LINE LEVEL inputs] makes for a paranoid free experience. To be fair, you did touch on the possibilities of Toslink in your piece. I hope Fosi et al., are listening. This is the way I have gone. Regards. Keep 'em comin' Phil.
Why is this product being interpreted as a traditional pre-amp? That is not the purpose of this device. It doesn't need a DAC or a myriad of inputs. Get a traditional Pre-amp for that. This is to switch between pairs of speakers and pairs of amps. This makes A/Bing Amps and Speakers a heck of a lot easier. If you are like me and use an AVR for day to day stuff, but would like a dedicated 2 channel amp for music, this makes switching between the two pretty straightforward. This fits in the chain between a pre-amp and two amps or between the amp and two speakers.
This doesn't go between pre and power. But I think you didn't mean to say that. I am getting a device like this to switch between solid state home theatre and tube hifi use on one pair of speakers. I am going to get something like little bear to switch between amps and pre amps. Also handy for xlr cinch.
Where does one get something like that box you have with the Calrad meters in it? I'm having a hard time even finding something like that. I have this LC30 and the meters not moving under low volume is crap. IDK why they did that.
These meters are cool but I would be more interested in a meter that would give you a true "RMS" reading. I'm wondering if you hooked it up to an amplifier with watt meters and calibrated with that and then moved the LC30 to a different amplifier using speakers with the same load if the meters would be accurate then...
Is there a speaker A+B option? My old Sony receiver has this option and the ability to blend the qualities of 2 sets of speakers is extremely fun and so long as the sensitivity is well matched it's like having an entirely different set of speakers. I have a pair of sansui sp1500s and a pair of B&O RL140s and together they are my favorite speaker. I would love being able to do this with all my amps
Why are no reviewers speaking on the 2 amps 1 speaker functionality? Almost all of my integrated/receivers already have A and B speaker outs which provide speaker A/B, I want to A/B amps. If the back is all banana plugs how in the hell am I supposed to switch my audio source and amp at the same time. Or am I missing the one RCA input that the Amp switching section uses to A/B amps?
Loved the review, would be nice to have something like this, if it left the sound untouched. I feel like this important factor wasn't discussed. How much is the signal degraded by going through this extra piece of gear. Minimal or very noticeable? Douk audio has a meter unit that severely breaks down the quality of the sound.
I mean I didn't notice anything. It seems like a pretty basic circuit. To really test I'd need 10 of them.. Chain them together and measure the degradation and divide by 10.
its a matter of changing the sensing resistor , if you have bunch of crazy equipment so sure some of it wont work ,but if you have 1000 speakers like here , im sure you can change 2 resistors in the device to make it work for you , or even put 900 degrees POT on it , so you have more range , make it work for you ,you cant buy everything , for some things you need knowledge .
The Yelow-Black combo is LIT. Love it. And I love just how it is and what it does. Sorry, do not agree with any of the recommendations Z is suggesting. It is just an Amp/Speaker selector with VU meters. There is absolutely no reason for it to have digital inputs or volume control and anything of that kind. Although I wonder how it would react if its connected to a REC Out from one of those older Preamps/Integrated amps.
Wow, I saw the thumbnail and thought they were gonna be several hundreds. Would totally get but not for my use case so yeah.. They look great for the price!
@@fosiaudio I use Abyss Diana Phi planar headphone and a dynamic driver headphone. I have a tube amp setup and a solid solid state setup. This VU meter seems pretty cool.
I want the black meters (like my soul) but I don’t see that as a buying option. I hope it wasn’t just for the jumpstart and that one won’t be in production.
@@ZReviews I tried them all, the only one that was available was through AliExpress but for some reason they couldn’t ship that particular one to my location 😢 It must be that black soul of mine 🤣 Thanks for the response Z …Appreciate it.
This needs at the very least, an RCA switch along with the speakers. I have one on order, but am really questioning this purchase, no matter how cool it looks.
Digital ins and outs for the LC30 would keep the signal clean and non-limited. My use case is USB in, Dante to Q-SYS loudspeaker controller for my active crossovers, Dante to Focusrite Rednet A16's, and then into amps. I would want the audio to pass digitally through a VU meter just because I want those pretty VU meters. It's a beautiful product. I just don't want to be limited by power or by adding another piece of equipment in the analog chain. I'd rather my signal convert and go straight into an amp.@@fosiaudio
NO! NOT VU Meters! Get it straight! They are Power meters! You do not want VU meters! They would suck and likely burn out if directly connected to an amps output! e.g. 0VU is 1.228V which into an 8ohm speaker is 0.188498Watts! Dump the typical 20 -60V (80-300W) into one and it would smoke! Plus VU Meters are designed to respond slowly to not overshoot. Not to peaks. The spec is from 1942.
so the meters dont tell you the actual watts. they dance and provide a visual show. if you think of it that way, is it worth the price ? meters that mean nothing ? not so sure.
your video is invaluable showing people what this device really does. its a speaker /amp switcher with a VU meter that really means nothing. honestly, thanks for letting us know. I had no idea. for me it looks cool, but its a no.
Uhhhhh just planning to use two fosi tb10d's with four speakers. Two subs to one tb10d, n two polk audio ts100 speakers to the other tb10d. N both tb10d's to the fosi lc30 n call the case to be closed. Yea? I just want the fosi lc30 to tear my living room walls down. Yeah? Oh P.S. I already ordered it 😊 It plays both amps simultaneously? Yeah?
Why would anyone want wattmeters for headphones.? That is not the intent. It is for AB switching with power meters thrown in. Having a uncalibrated knob to adjust sensitivity shows it is actually for pretty, not studio monitoring. Having AB switching is really practical, lets say to have different speakers/amp for home theater & music. Fosi did good again.
Your "optical" idea isn't a good idea (*why*) bEcAUSe it will need a internal DAC to decode whatever optical signal you pass through. I would think it would be a form of stereo PCM, but it would be soooooo limiting for a device like this. What would be the BEST configuration: Analog Line level input with colorless pass-thru. The analog needles with a +20db pad setting AND digital representation that can be changed to show peak freeze and falloff. If you'd want to get fancier, integrate a balanced source switcher just like the "One Little Bear MC3" (two balanced stereo sets, one RCA) and take the meter reading from the input. In addition to that, it would be AMAZING if you could add a customizable headphone amp with quarter-inch jack on the front of the unit. The Headphone amp allowing it to be a stand-alone unit, the switcher allowing it for studio integration. Headphone amp would have to be the most colorless one possible, only volume allowed. No volume control on the outputs, because it should be controlled by a mixing board or device prior to reaching this VU Meter unit. The above would be EXCELLENT for recording studios and audio enthusiasts. Power supply would have to be an external 24v supply to make it worthy. I agree with the VU needle dampening.
Actually pretty useless if you are interested in quality sound. Added noise, distortion and unwanted switching in the output to the speakers. No way to calibrate them without extra equipment. It would be better if you inserted them in a variable output via RCA han isolated RCA calibrated to the output of the preamp in reference to your specific amplifier. This was an awful long review about what is essentially visual eye candy only with NO reference to sound volume, power output or quality.
Power output passes through the unit. Quality didn't seem to be effected, and without more advanced testing I didn't want to make a guess at distortion added. It should be a simple relay dealing with higher voltage and not really an issue.
Why so complicated? Why cant it just take RCA signal from some pre-out and use that? Most people only care about the dials moving, not what it actually shows :D
@@ZReviews I just think it would sell more and would be much cheaper with a simple RCA :P I haven't seen many other products like this, only some DIY stuff sold on ebay
@@NisuUunothat's why they made it my dude, it's a specialty product that isn't just cobbled together. It's a speaker/amp switcher that would be a godsend for SOME people's systems that have the need for it.
@@johnstump2433 jep, most chinese stuff comes out the same factory, just name is changed. Like with those small tube "preamps" that are sold with various names, like FX Audio, Douk, Fosi
so they are there for nothing the VU meters, just efect,it´s not a discoteque why would one loose quality to increase noise so to see needles going up and down just for nothing, the switch as i heard in other video seem to not work as expected ,where is the input output specifications and using bananas, that is for 13 year old kids that start now to have interest in music
Ridiculous in 2024 that such a useless product should is made. This product should have a Digital facia with the ability to display a buffet of options. It should have digital inputs with the unit working in tandem with an App that you can input information for monitoring both speakers and amplification input. True “switching” capability would make this unit well worth 500 Bucks. With a real compliment of RCA/Digital- In/Outs as an opposed to just Speaker in and outs. With a robust App, you should be able to have multiple options for A/Bing, Amps and Speakers simultaneously. And yeah a remote makes A/B’ing much easier!!
Yeah, I never bought one. Not only do they need to be line-level, but they are also a weird size-too big for a desk and too small for a rack or Home Theater. Hopefully, they will do the other version. Until then, there is Douk Audio, and they are great, especially for the price. That being said, I still prefer to run a separate signal through any of these. I run SMSL 8Us that put out a signal to all, so balanced goes to the amp, and RCA goes to the Douk (which also does balanced and is metal for under $100). Works great. #ding
Totally useless meters I could "use" a modern low level / pre-amp level bar-graph meter though, connected directly to an HDMI output One with a faster response than my ancient Pioneer Fluoroscan meters One that is at least 18" wide and between 1-2" tall One that is OLED or micro LED Most Important > > One that AUTO-ADJUSTS for the input signal Exact Dead Center of the meter is always Average RMS 75% of meter is always average Peak 75 - 100% is max peak hold range Infinite Custom Colors for the metering segments and background colors Dozens of factory display styles to choose from (Including Custom User Generated Display Styles) Basically, just a thin / wide ultrafast 240hz display that autoadjusts to the levels every single audio file on my drive as soon as I select the file to play (Manual adjustments for live music as opposed to file based playback) If it detects clipping in the audio file itself, a virtual clipping indicator lights up These new dumb meters are worthless at any price
A low level digital optical switcher is a dumb idea for a high power analog amplifier switcher Metering software for a regular LCD computer display is also dumb because they never get it right or it gets in the way of using your monitor as you normally would A small thin ultrafast meter designed only as an audio meter is the way to go It could have small pop-out (keyboard style) legs for placing the meter on your desktop, and a rackmount kit for Live monitoring on the go Auto adjustment would only work with either a USB or HDMI input with "pre-recorded" music, and manual adjust is needed for live sound using either RCA or 1/8" analog inputs A purpose built meter is what is needed, everything else is just a gimmick
They should’ve made VU meters instead of power meters; big difference between the two. If there were a calibration switch of some sort to set for either VU or Power…..
So is everybody OK with meters all of a sudden? I like 'em too but the snobz never did. One small reason for the popularity of vintage. For a while there everyone was putting meters in their amps. Then the corksniffers came and told everybody they weren't cool and they were useless and everybody stopped putting meters in their amps and while they were at it they deleted tone controls from the preamps. Tone controls and meters are sacrilege to today's cork sniffing arbiters of taste.
The Reel to Reel is making a comeback as older Audiophiles of the Vinyl age die off. The 80's Yuppies are now the spendy seniors so all that fun stuff can make a return.
Hahaha. Good point re the popularity [or otherwise] of metering. Regarding the use of tone controls, well, I have always found them to be... problematic. Now I say this as someone who grew up in the analog age. Where, what with often poor design, heaviness of function and all the resultant phase anomalies, tone controls usually did more harm than good. Happily these days, excellent examples of subtle, anomaly free tone controls - as implimented in the digital domain - are a reality. I personally eschew the traditional use of tone controls. But I do apply digitally derived EQ filters to the signal chain in order to remove room response anomalies. All in an effort to achieve the goal of the ideal, perfectly flat sound curve. I certainly do not regard myself as a "corksniffer", Haha. For one: I don't, I suspect, have enough disposable income to qualify. And two: I am teetotal. Regards.
![Get VU meters in your system and in your life [Fosi Audio LC30]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/eKH0QT0FqvA/mqdefault.jpg)
![Get VU meters in your system and in your life [Fosi Audio LC30]](/img/tr.png)
⭐Fosi LC30 ------------------- fosiaudioshop.com?sca_ref=5031967.bHKupIGyCT (Check Here)
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The vu-meters are a bonus, a nice gimmick. But the real purpose of this thing is to a-b compare two sets of speaker and/or amplifiers. There the remote control makes all the sense. It's not a weak try on somewhat weird pre-amp, like Z would like to see...
And yes, I was screaming at the TV trying to get that across to him.. lol
I don't need a speaker switcher, let alone an amp switcher... But would like to see anyone make cool looking VU meters for the same price...
@@paradoxworkshop4659 You can just use it as VU meters.
I got the NEOHIPO ET30 it's larger and more lighting options. I made up a pair of phono to banana plug, so it works with headphones and speakers straight from my DAC.
This thing? amzn.to/3Vas5YL Yeah that does look super cool and seems to have the adjustments I was asking for.
@@ZReviews, yeah, had it a few months now, love it, feed it with single ended out from my D70 Octo (in DAC mode).
How’s the build quality? Does the mic input work well?
@@Rand0mhob0 Build quality is very good, the Fosi looks as if the finish is better. I have not used the mic.
But couldn't they have hired a designer? The fonts, the everything. If you buy it for the looks, it should look good.
I use the older version of this to switch between either a tube or solid state amp on either headphones or speakers. I love it for that even it the meters don't dance when driving easy loads. Like the Dude's rug, it really ties the system together.
Trying to control speaker level volume would be a huge task. You'd need resistors that are rated higher than whatever amp you plug into it.
They killed my fucking amp.
@kristophergurley585
And not only that.
It isn't the only problem.
By connecting the resistor in either series or parallel, you'd change the whole impedance and characteristics of crossover, hence sound signature
I run a Luxman L-550AXII, also with meters. They look nice dancing around. 😀
Like it. Visual image is the most important factor of audio.
I have a problem with putting stuf in the signal path, where it is not needed.
I mean yeah but with the Optical Splitter and separate cheap amp. You wouldn't be. That is my mental workaround. Since the Digital signal is preserved.
some people need their oscilloscopes, vu meters, spectrum analyzers, graphic equalizers, and amp switches.
Hey Fosi, how about a "VU Meter (ONLY) with RCA inputs" version without Speaker/Amp selector features in same design?
It'll be much cheaper and more affordable... Black background looks nice but it'll be PERFECT with a "White Needle" btw.
That's great, how many RCA inputs? But as Steven said, a version with RCA, XLR and optic should be great?
@@fosiaudio XLR and optic seems useless for my usage scenario.
It'll be OK with only one (1) RCA input for me as I'll be feeding it from an AMP (or AVR)
That 1 RCA variant will be the cheapest but definitely the best-selling model for sure 👌
@@Boorock70 1 RCA input and output with 2 VU meters? Just for decoration?
@@fosiaudio That's so RIGHT ! 👍
2 inputs please, I mean, stereo? But other than that, yes please. And put the controls on the back.
The knob is for calibration. You have 2 completely different amps. Use identical amps & calibrate them identical & the meters will be the same if the load on each amp is the same. Otherwise you need to calibrate the 2 different amps to read the same on the meters, so that you are level matched.
I kick started this for the VU aesthetics and to compare speakers and amps. Very surprised I can not hear the slightest difference between my A07 and vintage Yamaha.
That is a good praise of the A07 I think.
Love the blue vu meters on my Technics SU-G700 integrated amp. I can stare at them all day.
Douk VU2 looks like a very similar product, but is unlabeled meters and is RCA line level (VU3 looks like their speaker level version). Granted, the Fosi case is much nicer looking. Another way to use this if you're on an AVR or a multi-zone stereo receiver, is to use the second zone and send the same input to both zones if it does matrixing. Depending on the receiver you may have both line and speaker level outs for the second zone.
I have the vu3 set up with my zone 2. It keeps it out of the signal path and lets me set the meter response separate from the actual speaker volume
ALSO Another OrchardAudio OPEN HOUSE is this weekend! SAT the 16th, facebook.com/events/s/-orchard-audio-open-house-audi/375114398614602/?mibextid=9VsGKo I will drag the $6000 set of MonAcoustics Platimon Speakers to play around with!
Man, have you heard of TC Electronics M Stereo?
VU + Oscilloscope + Spectrum Analyzer + Loudness meter with optical input. I have it, I like it.
Not quite as sexy as I was hoping.
Is this an integrated amplifier? I'd love to find an affordable, dual VU/wattmeter integrated amp with a nice volume control knob!
These are amp/speaker switch boxes. I have the DOUK version. Great for comparing amps and speakers.
Great review, mine arrived today but cannot get enough gain to get needles in the middle. knob turned all the way so the VUs just move a little at the start of the display. Don’t want to send back 🤔
Hi Z.
Another cracking review! The inuendo is just subtle enough to be funny without causing offence. A fine line well trod, then!
Re metering, I have always been deterred by the knowledge that, no matter how good the kit, a little bit of signal goodness is leached off to drive the displays.
These days however, the use of a digital 'splitter' to drive your metering [ the meter must have LINE LEVEL inputs] makes for a paranoid free experience.
To be fair, you did touch on the possibilities of Toslink in your piece. I hope Fosi et al., are listening.
This is the way I have gone.
Regards.
Keep 'em comin'
Phil.
Do you mean add a Toslink input and output?
No matter what I buy I want to see the back. This is why I started buy things from Crutchfield, they show you every side of the item.
Why is this product being interpreted as a traditional pre-amp? That is not the purpose of this device. It doesn't need a DAC or a myriad of inputs. Get a traditional Pre-amp for that. This is to switch between pairs of speakers and pairs of amps. This makes A/Bing Amps and Speakers a heck of a lot easier. If you are like me and use an AVR for day to day stuff, but would like a dedicated 2 channel amp for music, this makes switching between the two pretty straightforward. This fits in the chain between a pre-amp and two amps or between the amp and two speakers.
This doesn't go between pre and power. But I think you didn't mean to say that.
I am getting a device like this to switch between solid state home theatre and tube hifi use on one pair of speakers.
I am going to get something like little bear to switch between amps and pre amps. Also handy for xlr cinch.
If I have 2 monoblock aiyima 07max vu meter can work?
Where does one get something like that box you have with the Calrad meters in it? I'm having a hard time even finding something like that. I have this LC30 and the meters not moving under low volume is crap. IDK why they did that.
Soooo …. There’s no way to make this unit work with powered speakers correct?
These meters are cool but I would be more interested in a meter that would give you a true "RMS" reading.
I'm wondering if you hooked it up to an amplifier with watt meters and calibrated with that and then moved the LC30 to a different amplifier using speakers with the same load if the meters would be accurate then...
Any idea when the dark screen version will be available? I've only seen the standard.
I wasn't sure if they were releasing simultaneously.
Thanks for the explanation. I heard the VU meters didn’t operate well.
Is there a speaker A+B option?
My old Sony receiver has this option and the ability to blend the qualities of 2 sets of speakers is extremely fun and so long as the sensitivity is well matched it's like having an entirely different set of speakers. I have a pair of sansui sp1500s and a pair of B&O RL140s and together they are my favorite speaker. I would love being able to do this with all my amps
Why are no reviewers speaking on the 2 amps 1 speaker functionality? Almost all of my integrated/receivers already have A and B speaker outs which provide speaker A/B, I want to A/B amps. If the back is all banana plugs how in the hell am I supposed to switch my audio source and amp at the same time. Or am I missing the one RCA input that the Amp switching section uses to A/B amps?
Loved the review, would be nice to have something like this, if it left the sound untouched. I feel like this important factor wasn't discussed. How much is the signal degraded by going through this extra piece of gear. Minimal or very noticeable? Douk audio has a meter unit that severely breaks down the quality of the sound.
I mean I didn't notice anything. It seems like a pretty basic circuit. To really test I'd need 10 of them.. Chain them together and measure the degradation and divide by 10.
Send a link to the black vu face if possible
Apparently on their site, Ali Express and Ebay. They are selling new their as well.
When will we see the review for the TA-66? Thanks.
It is filmed. Patrons getting it soon and then public shortly thereafter
Cool. This amp came out of nowhere. Looking forward to comparison with 26/26S, Darkvoice and Drop 84.
@@ZReviews
Can’t find the black one?
Ebay, Fosi direct and AliExpress apparently
Like the old vintage amps I love.
its a matter of changing the sensing resistor , if you have bunch of crazy equipment so sure some of it wont work ,but if you have 1000 speakers like here , im sure you can change 2 resistors in the device to make it work for you , or even put 900 degrees POT on it , so you have more range , make it work for you ,you cant buy everything , for some things you need knowledge .
Is this the one that kills tube amps?
The Yelow-Black combo is LIT. Love it. And I love just how it is and what it does. Sorry, do not agree with any of the recommendations Z is suggesting. It is just an Amp/Speaker selector with VU meters. There is absolutely no reason for it to have digital inputs or volume control and anything of that kind. Although I wonder how it would react if its connected to a REC Out from one of those older Preamps/Integrated amps.
Just trying to give alternatives.
Wow, I saw the thumbnail and thought they were gonna be several hundreds. Would totally get but not for my use case so yeah.. They look great for the price!
What is your use case? Headphones?
@@fosiaudio I use Abyss Diana Phi planar headphone and a dynamic driver headphone. I have a tube amp setup and a solid solid state setup. This VU meter seems pretty cool.
The meters on the Fosi are marked power. Isnt a power meter different from a VU?
I mean they can mark them anything they want. How they react is completely up to the source.
I want the black meters (like my soul) but I don’t see that as a buying option. I hope it wasn’t just for the jumpstart and that one won’t be in production.
Ebay, Aliexpress and Fosiaudio direct has a few.
@@ZReviews
I tried them all, the only one that was available was through AliExpress but for some reason they couldn’t ship that particular one to my location 😢
It must be that black soul of mine 🤣 Thanks for the response Z …Appreciate it.
will this make the sound worst?
Amp to LC30 to speakers… seems pretty effin simple to me
This needs at the very least, an RCA switch along with the speakers. I have one on order, but am really questioning this purchase, no matter how cool it looks.
Can I know why do you need a RCA switch along with the speakers? I thought someone may think it is an amplifier if it has both RCA in and speaker out.
Why isn’t this available in black meters anywhere Z? WTH?
Nice piece of gear to show off
Please review Schiit Gjallarhorn's in mono, with speakers and Tungsten 😅
Big meters are just super cool.
If it had digital in and out, THAT is what I want. AES/EBU and fiber.
Digital in and out for your DAC? Can I know what is your use case?
Digital ins and outs for the LC30 would keep the signal clean and non-limited.
My use case is USB in, Dante to Q-SYS loudspeaker controller for my active crossovers, Dante to Focusrite Rednet A16's, and then into amps.
I would want the audio to pass digitally through a VU meter just because I want those pretty VU meters. It's a beautiful product. I just don't want to be limited by power or by adding another piece of equipment in the analog chain. I'd rather my signal convert and go straight into an amp.@@fosiaudio
NO! NOT VU Meters! Get it straight! They are Power meters! You do not want VU meters! They would suck and likely burn out if directly connected to an amps output! e.g. 0VU is 1.228V which into an 8ohm speaker is 0.188498Watts! Dump the typical 20 -60V (80-300W) into one and it would smoke! Plus VU Meters are designed to respond slowly to not overshoot. Not to peaks. The spec is from 1942.
If I have separate DAC, I would need to change connections to secondary amp manually, right?
The DAC has nothing to do with this. This only swaps SPEAKER AMPS.
@@ZReviews Is this device pointless then if the DAC is separate and can be connected to only one amplifier at a time?
lc 30 works with 8 ohms ?
yeah it should be fine with all common and even uncommon impedance values.
so the meters dont tell you the actual watts. they dance and provide a visual show. if you think of it that way, is it worth the price ? meters that mean nothing ? not so sure.
I mean.. THEY DO LOOK COOL
@@ZReviews Would you buy a 1:1 scale model of a Ferrari for 200 000 dollars just because it looks cool?
your video is invaluable showing people what this device really does. its a speaker /amp switcher with a VU meter that really means nothing. honestly, thanks for letting us know. I had no idea. for me it looks cool, but its a no.
Uhhhhh just planning to use two fosi tb10d's with four speakers. Two subs to one tb10d, n two polk audio ts100 speakers to the other tb10d. N both tb10d's to the fosi lc30 n call the case to be closed. Yea? I just want the fosi lc30 to tear my living room walls down. Yeah? Oh P.S. I already ordered it 😊 It plays both amps simultaneously? Yeah?
I want it to change the sound! Should be a preamp with tubes with a bunch@ all connections!! It needs to get me laid!!
Douk audio vu3 makes one that I uses for two years
hey zeos, are you gonna review the iloud precision series? they looked interesting given the reputation the micros and mtm had
I have tried to reach out in the past. I will sick pasta on them today.
Ina wearing Frieren's outfit is very fitting, they sound so similar 🐙
Were you surprised that the thing came without a power brick? Just a USB cable.
See Ina as wallpaper. We buy. Them's the rules.
Why would anyone want wattmeters for headphones.? That is not the intent. It is for AB switching with power meters thrown in. Having a uncalibrated knob to adjust sensitivity shows it is actually for pretty, not studio monitoring. Having AB switching is really practical, lets say to have different speakers/amp for home theater & music. Fosi did good again.
Your "optical" idea isn't a good idea (*why*) bEcAUSe it will need a internal DAC to decode whatever optical signal you pass through. I would think it would be a form of stereo PCM, but it would be soooooo limiting for a device like this.
What would be the BEST configuration: Analog Line level input with colorless pass-thru. The analog needles with a +20db pad setting AND digital representation that can be changed to show peak freeze and falloff.
If you'd want to get fancier, integrate a balanced source switcher just like the "One Little Bear MC3" (two balanced stereo sets, one RCA) and take the meter reading from the input. In addition to that, it would be AMAZING if you could add a customizable headphone amp with quarter-inch jack on the front of the unit. The Headphone amp allowing it to be a stand-alone unit, the switcher allowing it for studio integration. Headphone amp would have to be the most colorless one possible, only volume allowed. No volume control on the outputs, because it should be controlled by a mixing board or device prior to reaching this VU Meter unit.
The above would be EXCELLENT for recording studios and audio enthusiasts.
Power supply would have to be an external 24v supply to make it worthy.
I agree with the VU needle dampening.
Douk Audio VU2 is what you really want
I have that and like it but this one is bigger and has higher power handling
And here I go buying things I don’t need again... yup the 5 seconds review was right.
Display on my TV with HDMI Video Out please.
I spy a TA-66.
Actually pretty useless if you are interested in quality sound. Added noise, distortion and unwanted switching in the output to the speakers. No way to calibrate them without extra equipment. It would be better if you inserted them in a variable output via RCA han isolated RCA calibrated to the output of the preamp in reference to your specific amplifier. This was an awful long review about what is essentially visual eye candy only with NO reference to sound volume, power output or quality.
Power output passes through the unit. Quality didn't seem to be effected, and without more advanced testing I didn't want to make a guess at distortion added. It should be a simple relay dealing with higher voltage and not really an issue.
Bummer - was interested until I was reminded of my late pre-teens with useless f-bombs...
What an awful review. Fosi didn't help themselves here.
Why so complicated? Why cant it just take RCA signal from some pre-out and use that? Most people only care about the dials moving, not what it actually shows :D
I mean it is simple it is just using a system most people won't be. Fosi is still a speaker amp company first. Which is why they went with this.
@@ZReviews I just think it would sell more and would be much cheaper with a simple RCA :P I haven't seen many other products like this, only some DIY stuff sold on ebay
@@NisuUunothat's why they made it my dude, it's a specialty product that isn't just cobbled together. It's a speaker/amp switcher that would be a godsend for SOME people's systems that have the need for it.
@@NisuUuno
It is the exact same product (function wise with the meters) as the Douk Audio VU3 that has been on the market for years.
@@johnstump2433 jep, most chinese stuff comes out the same factory, just name is changed. Like with those small tube "preamps" that are sold with various names, like FX Audio, Douk, Fosi
so they are there for nothing the VU meters, just efect,it´s not a discoteque why would one loose quality to increase noise so to see needles going up and down just for nothing, the switch as i heard in other video seem to not work as expected ,where is the input output specifications and using bananas, that is for 13 year old kids that start now to have interest in music
Ridiculous in 2024 that such a useless product should is made. This product should have a Digital facia with the ability to display a buffet of options. It should have digital inputs with the unit working in tandem with an App that you can input information for monitoring both speakers and amplification input. True “switching” capability would make this unit well worth 500 Bucks. With a real compliment of RCA/Digital- In/Outs as an opposed to just Speaker in and outs. With a robust App, you should be able to have multiple options for A/Bing, Amps and Speakers simultaneously. And yeah a remote makes A/B’ing much easier!!
Def an option.
GoPro mic was WAY better. Honestly, the picture was clearer with better color as well. This does have better macro tho.
Im still working on the Color corrections and studio lighting to accomodate the new camera. BUT the audio is something I have to deal with.
Also the angle was wrong for this one. I have to manually set it everytime and I got it wrong for 4 of the latest recordings.
Meters are useless in connection with speakers, and I find them visually distracting.
You like 'em, you can keep 'em.
It makes more sense not to have volume.
Yeah, I never bought one. Not only do they need to be line-level, but they are also a weird size-too big for a desk and too small for a rack or Home Theater. Hopefully, they will do the other version. Until then, there is Douk Audio, and they are great, especially for the price. That being said, I still prefer to run a separate signal through any of these. I run SMSL 8Us that put out a signal to all, so balanced goes to the amp, and RCA goes to the Douk (which also does balanced and is metal for under $100). Works great. #ding
Way too expensive for what it is, just under 200 ? Overpriced and no real non sponsored/paid reviews out for it yet.
I mean for looks and build its worth the $150. But it is a hard unit to integrate into a lot of setups.
Douk Audio VU22
those look sick, too bad I don't like speakers
you can run these vu meters with a photo-to-banana plug cable for headphones & speakers.
I cant get my mind around meters that mean NOTHING....
Bouncy BOUNCY!
@@ZReviews ok. OKAY. we like BOUNCY BOUNCY!
Totally useless meters
I could "use" a modern low level / pre-amp level bar-graph meter though, connected directly to an HDMI output
One with a faster response than my ancient Pioneer Fluoroscan meters
One that is at least 18" wide and between 1-2" tall
One that is OLED or micro LED
Most Important >
> One that AUTO-ADJUSTS for the input signal
Exact Dead Center of the meter is always Average RMS
75% of meter is always average Peak
75 - 100% is max peak hold range
Infinite Custom Colors for the metering segments and background colors
Dozens of factory display styles to choose from (Including Custom User Generated Display Styles)
Basically, just a thin / wide ultrafast 240hz display that autoadjusts to the levels every single audio file on my drive as soon as I select the file to play
(Manual adjustments for live music as opposed to file based playback)
If it detects clipping in the audio file itself, a virtual clipping indicator lights up
These new dumb meters are worthless at any price
A low level digital optical switcher is a dumb idea for a high power analog amplifier switcher
Metering software for a regular LCD computer display is also dumb because they never get it right or it gets in the way of using your monitor as you normally would
A small thin ultrafast meter designed only as an audio meter is the way to go
It could have small pop-out (keyboard style) legs for placing the meter on your desktop, and a rackmount kit for Live monitoring on the go
Auto adjustment would only work with either a USB or HDMI input with "pre-recorded" music, and manual adjust is needed for live sound using either RCA or 1/8" analog inputs
A purpose built meter is what is needed, everything else is just a gimmick
No im not buying it, cuz it's like fake brake vents on a "sports" car..one little step before a hairpice. They didn't get it.
I mean I love VU enough to keep it around. BUT I think I want to make it more purposeful and maybe work on a Collab towards that end.
They should’ve made VU meters instead of power meters; big difference between the two. If there were a calibration switch of some sort to set for either VU or Power…..
Do you know if it would work with 2 za3 in mono?
@@chrisnotyourbusines7739 they will not go over the maximum wattage so they should work just fine
thanks@@ZReviews
They really arent though
Not Cool? Need more info on what they aren't
So is everybody OK with meters all of a sudden? I like 'em too but the snobz never did. One small reason for the popularity of vintage. For a while there everyone was putting meters in their amps. Then the corksniffers came and told everybody they weren't cool and they were useless and everybody stopped putting meters in their amps and while they were at it they deleted tone controls from the preamps. Tone controls and meters are sacrilege to today's cork sniffing arbiters of taste.
The Reel to Reel is making a comeback as older Audiophiles of the Vinyl age die off. The 80's Yuppies are now the spendy seniors so all that fun stuff can make a return.
Hahaha. Good point re the popularity [or otherwise] of metering.
Regarding the use of tone controls, well, I have always found them to be... problematic.
Now I say this as someone who grew up in the analog age. Where, what with often poor design, heaviness of function and all the resultant phase anomalies,
tone controls usually did more harm than good.
Happily these days, excellent examples of subtle, anomaly free tone controls - as implimented in the digital domain - are a reality.
I personally eschew the traditional use of tone controls.
But I do apply digitally derived EQ filters to the signal chain in order to remove room response anomalies.
All in an effort to achieve the goal of the ideal, perfectly flat sound curve.
I certainly do not regard myself as a "corksniffer", Haha.
For one: I don't, I suspect, have enough disposable income to qualify.
And two: I am teetotal.
Regards.
Jesus Christ, enough with the "literally"... every other word is "literally".