Fosi Audio ZA3 (on sale!) amzn.to/3wC83fk Yamaha AS301 amzn.to/3V2TKdV Yamaha AS301 howl.me/cjWnduNs1ib (Crutchfield) We Find Out what is the Best Cheap and Affordable Amp that punches way above their prices check out my other channel www.youtube.com/@cheapwatchman_official Intro graphics by johnvilardi.com Support the Channel! Shop on Amazon amzn.to/3W8vsgK Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt Join the best hifi community out there! patreon.com/cheapaudioman TRY ROON www.rofjdjk3ns.com/33G977/2CTPL/ Tidal Deal bit.ly/3siuqSF Amazon Unlimited Music Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9 Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt Best Buy Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH amzn.to/3GkNaop CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P
Skylabs Audio sent me here, greetings from Japan. I bought the ZA3 to stand in for my Sansui AU-7500 during a servicing. Don't need D/A... mine did come with the 48v power supply included and even with that I somehow got a discount tossed in, end result about the same $150 or a tad less. Running as originally equipped, no Op-amp upgrades... man really for the price I'm certainly not complaining. It most definitely lights up my desktop Dalis just fine, and when the Sansui slides back into the stack I'm sure I'll keep the Fosi on hand to play with more. Subscribed, and thank you.
Great video Randy! Yamaha 801 owner and have always been happy with its character. But more importantly, I am ECSTATIC to hear you finally include brief snippets, ala Zeos, of the songs you mention! I’ve been waiting for years of watching CAM! Please please keep doing this!🙏
I added the A-S301 to my garage system. Klipsch AW650, Polk PSW10 and the J2 4493. My neighbors are listening to quality sound..like it or not! Randy rules!!
@@cheapaudiomanI was actually considering the ZA3! Pretty obvious if it cant beat the yamaha its been hyped up WAY beyond its capabilities. I appreciate the review sir, thank you!
Your production value with cameras, lighting, editing, and shot selection has improved SO MUCH over the years especially in the last two. Great job with the opening montage. You are taking it to another level lately and it is noticed and enjoyed. Great review. Lots to think about when I consider what’s next after my A07 and sscs5
I love my Yamaha A-S301, it’s my first amp, but it sounds great to my ears with my KEF LS50 Metas. And I love the robust design. Thanks for sharing your experiences :)
Really cool intro Randy! Love it😀🇸🇪 And nice to see a quality review comparing a really cheap small "new" amp compared to an older, bigger and more established amp. I got Yama as a winner here..
I'm running 2 ZA3s in mono from my dac's balanced out into a passive preamp then into the ZA3 for my Wharfedale Diamond 225s. Because it's essentially all separates, I used a volt/ohm meter to set the level of my source @ 1kHz and did the math with minimum impedance (4.2), not nominal!, to get 25W from the ZA3s @ 10.2V measured at the banana plugs (I knew there's no way the 225s were taking the 27.5V to achieve 125W from the ZA3s and live to tell the tale). The max voltage output for the ZA3s from my DAC was 34.9V @ 0.5V (unbalanced) and north of 44V @ 1V (balanced). For the $ I spent , I'm blown away by how good it sounds compared to my integrated Sherwood RX4105 (100Wx2) they replaced. The system has taken on an entirely different character.
Mr Randy has preached his way into Portugal. After getting the Yamaha A-S301 I managed to buy a pair of Polks Reserve R200 for 380 euros... new! I feel like I stole the whole setup, it's that good! Thanks and keep up the excellent work. 🇵🇹
Hey estou em Portugal também e no mercado para comprar amp e colunas. Esse set era o que estava a pensar ou então as Dali spektor 2. Como estás a achar esse teu setup? Que leitor de cd tens?
@@gxvault4166 Hey, tudo bem? Olha, antes de comprar ouvi/vi tudo o que consegui de vídeos a comparar colunas. Ao inicio estava até mais inclinado para umas Elac debut 6.2, mas depois de as "comparar" com as polk no YT pareceu-me que conseguiria tirar tudo o que quisesse das polk. Antes tinha umas edifier r2750db (3 vias) e até estava com algum receio de as polk não reproduzirem música com tanta transparência por serem só de 2 vias, mas garanto que com este setup yamaha+polk consigo fazer do som o que quero. Da Dali, considerei ainda as Oberon 3, mas no final, para os meus ouvidos, as polk destacaram-se por serem mais neutras. Não ouço muitos CD, é mais vinil (Pro-ject debut III) e Tidal, mas quando meto um CD é num leitor de DVD 4K básico da Sony e só com esse tenho um som fantástico. Compraria o setup novamente? Sem dúvida! Ah! E os 60W por canal do yamaha chegam e sobram.
@@gxvault4166 Hey, tudo bem? Olha, estou muito satisfeito com o meu setup. Inicialmente tinha pensado comprar colunas de 3 vias porque gosto muito da forma como soam, mas depois de muita pesquisa e de comparar dezenas de colunas em todos os vídeos que consegui, concluí que as Polk tinham o tipo de som que queria, e não me enganei. Além disso, o Yamaha permite uma equalização muito ampla, uma vez que para além do bass e treble, ainda tens o loudness progressivo. Basicamente, ouves o que queres como queres. Também tinha considerado umas Dali, mas as Oberon 3, mas pareceram-me mais equalizadas/menos neutras do que as Polk. Em termos de espectro sonoro, as Polk reproduzem frequências graves como nunca tinha imaginado, para além de uns médios e agudos muito transparentes. Finalmente, em termos de potência, os 60W/canal do yamaha chegam e sobram para o que a maioria das pessoas vão alguma vez precisar. A conclusão a que chego é que voltaria a comprar este setup sem pestanejar. Espero ter ajudado
Just got the ZA3, SU-1 and a pair of Sonys SS-CS5 for $67 open box at Best Buy for a nice desktop setup...pumped to start digging into Hi-Fi! Appreciate all your videos helping me begin to understand components and speaker differences!
Definitely love these shootout comparisons recently. I do wonder though how much of the overall conclusions about sound are down to the integrated DAC on the Yamaha. I realize it's part of the 'included equipment' with the Yamaha, but what about a comparison of the DACs being the same? Use the Cambridge or the Wiim Pro for the DAC and see how they stack up?
Can't agree more tbh, I bought the A-S501 myself, which is basically a better A-S301 from what i've gathered, and i'm extremely pleased with it. it sounds exceptionally good, both on dynamics and tonality. and it doesn't falter either, not even when you crank it up. it will perform the same as on lower volumes.
The ZA3 is really interesting when compared to the V3. The soundstage opens way up but in my speaker paring and space that was both good and bad. The vocals just moved somewhere behind my speakers in a way I thought was impressive but I didn’t like it. Also the low end just disappeared with the ZA3. I lost all the richness that the V3 had. The ZA3 is better but so darn different. I ended up ordering a Rotel A11 Tribute. I was running the Denafrips Ares II DAC and the Wiim Pro into the V3 and ZA3.
I just got a SMSL AO300 and use WIIM Mini as source via optical to a pair of Monitor Audio Silver in a small room. It sounds very clean and the bass builds in with volume. Low volume is a bit bass light but separation and imaging is good.
Thank you for the information. I have been looking for an odd setup receiver. I want something that can do phono, FM, TV input, and two channels with sub-output. This setup is for my trailer, so it's a small setup (2 bookshelf speakers and one 10-in sub)
Putting the hype in perspective: With all the noise about these little amps I had enough Amazon credits on my card that I ordered a couple A07 MAXs that I might use for my home office book shelf. Same chipset as the Fosi. But just for the fun of it I tried hooking these up to my B&W 801s really see what they can do. Bridged mono at low volume they sound much better than I expected even if they were a bit lean on the bottom end. Acoustics and vocals sound good. That is the best part. As the volume is turned up the bass stays where it was and you just get more mid to high in contract to my Classe amp which is just obliterates these amps in dynamics, ease and bottom end wallop. The A07 MAXs sound similar to the NAD, Rotel amps. With a good sealed sub they work pretty well in my book shelf. I really like them
First 8 hours with a stock ZA3 in stereo with a P3 preamp on a pair of Emotiva B2+'s tied in the P3 with a lighting to RCA cable on my office setup and pretty damn impressive.
Don’t need op amps as they don’t really change anything in the sound. Just add an equaliser or a sound processor into your system then you can use it with future hifi you buy.
@@Gadgetdad007 I got some much less expensive Muses 8820 opamps (cost for both less than 30 euros) which I will eventually try out as I am curious, but I think you are correct that an eq or dsp is an investment worth considering. Especially for those of us with "challenging" rooms. I have to say, though, that straight out of the box, the za3 sounds smoother than any other class d amp I've tried so far. I don't think it's as spacious as some others, but for me? Avoiding shrill high end is way more important. With an eq I'd be able to work this out more easily, I have no doubt.
I have been a fan of Yamaha for decades. I love the sound. My current main amp is an older RXV-630 running in 6 channel input mode, basically as a small power amp. It is old, and will die so I have been looking for a decent 6 channel power amp for under 500. Does such an animal exist? It will have a Schiit SYN as the preamp
@@eddiechan1681Yamaha is a so so company. The Fosi really is a little gem that punches way above its weight. Take some advice from those that have purchased the ZA3.
I wonder if the za3 had an advantage with the su-1 DAC? I'd like to see this test done with the same DAC feeding both amps. Or 3 amps 1 za3 with the sparkos vs without vs 301, next video? 😃
I’m enjoying the combination of the V3 with an Ampapa A1 phonostage, which comes with tone controls and an extra RCA input for a DAC. Quite a nice way to cover all bases with low cost seperates
Yamaha for me. My work desk set up is the AS801 paired with the Pro-ject Speakerbox 5s. Want to add a sub, but turning the bass all the way up on the amp takes hip-hop 90% of the way there. Any other music (rock, classical, jazz) and I just leave the bass at noon or 1300.
This was an excellent comparison and it demonstrates my feelings about Yamaha. I had always wanted to get a Yamaha because I know of the quality and build. They don't look cheap either. However, when it came to the sound, yes, they have good bottom end, but the upper mids and top is quite veiled and not as sparkly. You would need a VERY top end heavy speaker to balance it out. I am talking Klipsch here. But even so, I had found that Sansui had a much nicer mids and high end, but also having some bottom too and that was always my favorite brand. To hear how the ZA3 performed in comparison to the Yamaha is very promising. Pitting a tried and true company with what most would consider "just another Chi-Fi" amp and having the imaging and sound stage outperform it says quite a bit for the small amplifier that wants to be big. It does seem as the Sparkos op-amps are not an option here, but probably a necessity. Still, it is an upgrade that one can do down the road. Many thanks, Randy, for this review. Nice to see you getting back to your roots and doing comparisons on stuff that most of us could afford. Also the fact that the ZA3 could go high enough in volume to make you think twice about it running for any length of time on those $1500 speakers brings a smile to my face. I mean at that price, if those speakers can't handle it, then it is definitely not worth spending that kind of money on them. At $1500, the speaker better be double woofer floor standers. Just my 2 cents.
I think most people are not familiar with amplifier input sensitivity, the volume pot is not linear. You can measure the voltage on preouts of most amps and even at 70/80 percent the voltage is below .5v and then it can jump to 2+v at full volume.
I have two of the ZA3s. One powers Magneplanar LRSs, and the other powers two 18" open baffle subs. I use a Minidsp SHD to crossover between them at 120hz. I have plenty of power for my smallish room.
Love the rack Randy, I have the same... Also, just received the Sparko op amps for my Fosi V3, will be ordering two of the ZA3's when they get back in stock. I cannot believe the SQ out of the stock V3, cannot wait to get the Sparkos in.
Or the A-S801, which has more power and better DAC w/usb for $300 less than the R-N800. You do get built in streaming and YPAO room correction for the extra $300. These two amps should be compared…
Add a Fosi P3 Infront of the ZA3, works amazingly well. Seems we only get the bigger PSU in the UK anyway, at least through Amazon. A Pair of ZA3's actually drive my Martin Logans better than my Audiolab 8000M monos.
Thank you for this video, I have been comparing amps lately and this was a very useful comparison. Where are you at on the RSL IA255.1 amp? I see you did a review when it was first released and I haven't heard you mention it again. How does it compare to the ZA3 considering it does have tone controls as well as a high-pass filter when paired with a subwoofer.
Love your stuff, Randy. The Sparkos op amps are mentioned repeatedly but not factored into the price comparison used on this video. Add $160+ to the mix and the Yamaha becomes more appealing to some folks.
@@cheapaudioman Be nice if you could find a nice external tone controls at an affordable price. I think that might put the za3 over the top. But then again the yamaha has that built in so..
Quite hard to find « cheap ». I tried the little schitt 4 bands (250€, already not cheap) and was not totally satisfied, it can add some rumble if pushed. Ok for 2 to 4 db corrections.
@@olivierleroy6983 the struggle is real! I had an eq when i was a kid that performed surprisingly well. Dual band i think 10 band eq. Ran it to an old Realistic silver faced integrated receiver. It was night and day. I crossed the right channel for my subs, really good sound. I think it was an ASD or ADC brand i cant really remember but ive tried alot of eq's since then and non of them have even close to the same effect. I remember dialing it in by ear and just having it perfect with a pair of JBL bookshelves with a titanium tweeter, highs just sparkled dialed not to be to bright. I think 2600 series, i could be wrong. Of course that was 32 or so years ago i was 12 lol..
I'm still rocking old stool Knobsound amp and sub amp with a fossil audio 6j1 pre and coupled with my diy monitors. ( which are the best speakers in the world )it sounds amazing .... I can only imagine how good these new class D amps are . 👍
I've been looking at the AS301 as an upgrade for an Aiyima A07 (with Sparkos mod), but I'm thinking it might not be as big an upgrade as I thought. Lol, your taste in music is funny. I was a big 90s music guy for ages but listen to a massive variety of modern and old music these days.
I would love to see a video comparing the WiiM Amp+phono pre-stage to the A-S301+WiiM Mini combo. What would also be great is to include what upgrade paths both have with their pro's and con's. Reason why? Because starting in that 400-500€ setting, a lot of people (me included) want to plan ahead on how to upgrade in the future, and it is really hard to compare these two options.
I have both. I have a WiiM amp in my bedroom for convenience. I love the form factor and it’s a very good deal for everything you get, sounds good to boot. In my living room, I have a WiiM Pro Plus and the Yamaha AS-301. I’m running Polk R200s on both setups. The Yamaha 301 WiiM Pro plus combo absolutely obliterates and destroys my WiiM amp. The difference is night and day. But I still like my WiiM amp but I don’t love it. I love the convenience aspect of it more than the sound. Which is why I’m keeping it, because for $270, you can’t beat it and if you have nothing else to compare to, then it’s good enough. The moment you compare it to something better, You can’t unhear the difference.
I just ordered a pair of Fosi ZA3 to use as mono blocks, driving the woofers in a multi-amped setup. I'm curious to see how they compare to my 150 watt, class a/b mono pro amps that I've been using.
I have an old yamaha rx-v520 which I use in 6channel mode. My source is my external soundcard, the Asus xonar U5. I have tried the Fosi BT20A, back and forth with the yamaha. The soundstage is better on the Fosi, you really can pinpoint every instrument/singer, and the highs are more sharp. The Yamaha on the other hand has more weight, it is just pleasant to listen to. I prefer the sound of the Yamaha. If this amp goes bang before I can put enough money into the piggybank for a Yamaha 3060, I will go with the ZA3 temporarily. /speakers are B&W DM301 DM305 CC3 ASW300 /
So since many of us have a dac or two or three, just out of curiosity, how would the sound compare if you input the music through the same dac(s)? One to the fosi and one to the yamaha.? In other words, if you had a second, equal dac to listen to both, would that improve the yamaha? Would it just come down to the op amps in the fosi?
As long-time audio guy (EE, Tech, musician, audio shop owner), I wonder why there aren't more reasonably-priced separate preamps and power amps available as in the past. In earlier times, one could get the best of both worlds by getting a preamp to compliment your power amp and even sonically best match with your speakers. Swapping these key components was part of the fun on the road to nirvana. (Of course so was circuit modification).
i have a few of the fosi amps and they are fine at their price point. but, when you are beyond experimenting with toys and want to really listen critically or just flat out enjoy, spend the money cuz you get what you pay for in this industry.
I might wait for Fosi to do a better pair of mono amps before I pull the trigger on monos. As you said, more low end weight & accurate bass texture is just as important to me as clarity, detail and soundstage. If this is what Fosi can do with a $150 monoblock, imagine what they can do when putting together a $300 one.
Nice little comparison. How about the SMSL AL200?, that one hasn't been featured in anything for awhile Personally I like it more than the V3 and is up there in features with Yamaha.
Would love to see you review the Rega BRIO. All it does is...amplify. Old school brick, 50 WPC, Class A/B high current power. Phono input, several analog inputs and a power cord. That's it. No USB, no bluetooth, no DAC just clean power. Supposedly. Manufactured in the UK. $1100...spilts the diff between the amps you're reviewing here. Rega says it doesn't need tone controls they put the resources into the...amplification. Built to last decades. My Rega Planet CD player is still going at 27 years. Unfortunately there is no way to audition things anymore unless you buy them. So we have to rely on reviews. Maybe they will send you one to look at. My tube amp is going to pass away soon...
Yet another video where I make a request for a good desktop setup for use with a streaming setup on PC? I'm coming from a Logitech Z13 and I want a better quality sound, not so flat. Right now I'm looking at Fosi ZA3 + SU-1 + PSB Alpha P3.
Someone compared the ZA3 to The NAIM Supernait 3. The Supernait 3 was better, but not by much. But the Supernait is 5000. Two FOSI ZA3 in mono were as good as the Supernait 3. And test was done with the stock opamps. Two ZA3's with the GaNFet powersupplies and Sparkos will probably be hard to beat.
Hi, very nice video. I have a question for you: up to $1000 which Yamaha amplifier would you recommend or which one you like the most? Thank you. Maurizio
The SMSL SU-1 is the weak link in this setup. My problem is that I don't really like the Wiim pro plus DAC either. The Yamaha smokes the ZA3's in the lower end for sure. Randy is spot on. The fullness and low end punch and authority are lacking on the Fosi ZA3 in comparison. I have both. The Yamaha AS301 really is a great unit. Hard to beat for $350. I have not had the opportunity to run the Fosi ZA3 in mono yet. Some folks say that is really where it shines.
Liked the video! Can I request a comparison of the Fosi Audio ZA3 with the Emotiva BasX A2m. Like the Yamaha AS301, the Emotiva is a little more money than the ZA3, but it includes a headphone amp. Thanks for the great content-
I think a pre amp would make a big difference with the fosi but then you be adding money. Short story I put a $60 aiyma tube pre amp on a crown xsl 1002 that I got for my diy subwoofer, I wanted to try it for stereo and with the cheap pre amp it sounded good. So maybe just a cheap pre amp would improve the sound quality
I like seeing the equipment on the rack, and the setup - and I listen to the songs as you mention them; and then come back hear what you have to say about the amps. For me, it is the context that makes the review more useful. Edit - one suggestion - if you tried the SU-1 on the Yamaha that would help us parse out the differences in the amps. It might be the case that the soundstage and layering of the ZA3/Sparkos is partly the DAC?
Good question, using the same DAC does make sense. But don't underestimate the influence of the Sparkos op amps. I've substituted IC op amps (and good B-B op amps to boot) with the Sparkos op amps, and they really are that good!! I'd still concur with the findings regarding frequency, spatial and time domain performance aspects of the superb Sparkos op amp equipped headphone and speaker amplifier units. 👌
@@robinkleinsteuber5217 Oh - I am a YUGE fan of Sparkos op-amps! I own a number of dual mono SS2590 units; which are even better than the already great SS3602.
I am fascinated that some need to crank the za3 way up to get reasonable volume. Is this partly a function of the dac and/or pre-amp used? My "problem" with the za3 is that it's so hot right out of the gate that with my dac (topping d70s) in pure dac mode, I can only turn the za3 up a hair before it's too loud for normal listening. I had to attenuate the dac to -5 db to get any range out of the volume knob on the za3, and even then I can only go up to around 9:00 on the pot. I get even better range if I attenuate -10 db but then I think it starts to lose something, as the dac is held back. This is the only thing that bugs me about it! This unit was delivered with the February run - not sure if that has anything to do with the difference?
I hope this isn't to stupid a question, but would I be able to use my Schiit Magni as a pre-amp for with 2 of these in mono? And if I do them in mono, can I still use the sub out, and if so which one? Or do I have to use both for LR bass?
Hey Randy. My ZA3 coming in mail today. Plan on buying a Geshelli J2s DAC. Want to upgrade to Sparkos Opamps. Would you put those on the ZA3 or J2s...or both?? Thanks!!
Try them in the ZA3 first, then the DAC. Or, order the Gashelli with the Sparkos and pick up an extra pair for the ZA3. I would start with the Fosi. I just received my Sparkos today, will get them in this weekend.
In my view I say save up to a Rega IO or Brio I guess it sounds more as if the orchestra is playing in your room so I guess the tone sounds more real and it has the best vinyl input in that price class 🤔
I’ll reply because I’m a recovering noob. The Wiim is just a source with no amplification in it. Wiim allows him to stream music into the system. Wiim is a streamer. Speakers are passive and need amplification. In comparison most crappy Bluetooth speakers out there are powered and have crappy amplifier built in to system. Most good speakers that audiophiles prefer are passive speakers and need a separate amplifier. Randy was comparing the amplifiers which all have different features and characteristics. Hope that helps.
Can you review the Yamaha R-N303BL? Technically not a Amp, but a receiver. But it is loaded with features and I would love to learn how it compares to the Yamaha AS301
The RN303 is a great all-rounder at the price, great features. The biggest disadvantage are limited upgrade paths due to the lack of pure direct mode, so all analog input goes through its budget ADC and then back to analog through its internal DAC. It's still so good overall, that I'm looking to buy suitable dedicated speakers for it to do my casual listening although I already have a much more resolving system for emersive listening.
I think it is time to do some testing of the ZA3 or other Chinese mini power amps, or Chinese mini integrated amps and their power amp sections, with preamplifiers. Preamps may be the most ignored component. It would be fascinating to compare the likes of the ZA3 with output straight from a streamer/DAC and then used with a preamp into the ZA3. I think there may be a lot of work to do here in that a ZA3 with some preamps may put it another level up, and be equal to but cheaper than $1000+ integrated amps. Maybe not so let's fine out.
I have the V3, ZA3 is on backorder... I use a PS Audio Stellar DAC/Preamp, and used the XLR outputs using XLR to RCA adapters into the V3, with a WiiM Pro as the source, out to a pair of Zu DW6 Supreme speakers, and was quite honestly very impressed. I could easily compare this to more expensive amps when I upped the line level input to the V3 via the XLRs, as it really opened up. I have a line level booster and a pair of Sparkos I am going to play with this weekend. I think this little V3 is going to be hitting way above its price point in short order. I have the 48v power supply. Very cool little amps, with internals you will rarely see on even more expensive amps.
@@michaelwright1602 exactly what I was saying. The thing is one would be spending a lot more on the preamp but so what if you get credible $1000 dollar sound for $500? Well that's cheap. I mean if possible my list of preamps is zero. I have to take a look. You see I thought analog straight from a streamer should be great. No, that's all wrong I think.
@@rapier5 My buddy has the V3, and this week he is using a GD Audio DAC/Preamp out to a pair of Fritz Carbon speakers, around $7000 for DAC and speakers. And yes, he is using a WiiM Pro+ to stream. He says the V3 is blowing his mind in regards to cost vs SQ... This guy knows his gear, he is chomping at the bit for his ZA3 to arrive. This guy's house looks like a high end HiFi shop, he has gear laying around that would blow your mind. Furniture dollies with amps of all kinds in his basement, and they are not Emotiva. ;-)
I'm of the mindset that the DAC has higher influence on sound stage than the amplifier. Also with tone control on the Yamaha, knowing true zero is near impossible. This could lend the Yamaha greater depth on the bottom.
I think a better comparison would be the Arylic BP50 pre pugged into the ZA3 and than compare that to the Yamaha. This combo with the 48v psu is $250 USD and the Yamaha is $350. The lack of a decent preamp from Aiyima and Fosi is the reason I have stayed away from buying either of their power amps.
Ive messed with cheap Chinese stuff, and it's great, but when you get into the next tier of equipment, there's a big difference. I moved up to a Cambridge amp and there's no comparison.
could you check pioneer a40 ae? I believe (for my ears) it is both more powerful and detailed than as-301 and 501. maybe it would be interesting to compare. Also 30 W on Pioneer is the most powerful 30 W I have ever heard :)
Okay, I have to sneak in this question: if I'm only running XLR inputs from an smsl dac, how many sparkos op-amps do I need to buy? Just the one for the balanced, or all three?
Help! I need a pair of passive bookshelf speakers that are 10" tall, I plan to use them to listen to CDs in my study as I sit in my recliner. I would not want to spend more than $400. I also need an amp with blue tooth, to go with the speakers. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you!
What about Yamaha A-S701. It can be found for $600 new and nearly half that used. Coax in to Hifiberry Digi+ on pi3/4. Then again for about $1000 you can get the used A-S1100 which sounds better in every possible way.
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I bought the ZA3 to stand in for my Sansui AU-7500 during a servicing. Don't need D/A... mine did come with the 48v power supply included and even with that I somehow got a discount tossed in, end result about the same $150 or a tad less.
Running as originally equipped, no Op-amp upgrades... man really for the price I'm certainly not complaining. It most definitely lights up my desktop Dalis just fine, and when the Sansui slides back into the stack I'm sure I'll keep the Fosi on hand to play with more.
Subscribed, and thank you.
Great video Randy! Yamaha 801 owner and have always been happy with its character.
But more importantly, I am ECSTATIC to hear you finally include brief snippets, ala Zeos, of the songs you mention! I’ve been waiting for years of watching CAM! Please please keep doing this!🙏
I added the A-S301 to my garage system. Klipsch AW650, Polk PSW10 and the J2 4493. My neighbors are listening to quality sound..like it or not! Randy rules!!
Very nice!
@@cheapaudiomanI was actually considering the ZA3! Pretty obvious if it cant beat the yamaha its been hyped up WAY beyond its capabilities. I appreciate the review sir, thank you!
Old school CheapAudioMan amp battle for the win!
I went for the AS501 and a pair of Elac DBR-62s. I can't imagine needing or wanting more.
Your production value with cameras, lighting, editing, and shot selection has improved SO MUCH over the years especially in the last two. Great job with the opening montage. You are taking it to another level lately and it is noticed and enjoyed. Great review. Lots to think about when I consider what’s next after my A07 and sscs5
I love my Yamaha A-S301, it’s my first amp, but it sounds great to my ears with my KEF LS50 Metas. And I love the robust design. Thanks for sharing your experiences :)
Very nice!
Really cool intro Randy! Love it😀🇸🇪 And nice to see a quality review comparing a really cheap small "new" amp compared to an older, bigger and more established amp. I got Yama as a winner here..
I pulled the trigger one the SVS wireless pro soundbase thanks to your review video and I cant be happier with it so far!
Are you still enjoying the SVS?
Randy, you put a lot of listening time and thought in to this for us and explained your summary and conclusions . You cracked on and got it sorted
Keep up the absolutely best reviews on YT
I'm running 2 ZA3s in mono from my dac's balanced out into a passive preamp then into the ZA3 for my Wharfedale Diamond 225s. Because it's essentially all separates, I used a volt/ohm meter to set the level of my source @ 1kHz and did the math with minimum impedance (4.2), not nominal!, to get 25W from the ZA3s @ 10.2V measured at the banana plugs (I knew there's no way the 225s were taking the 27.5V to achieve 125W from the ZA3s and live to tell the tale). The max voltage output for the ZA3s from my DAC was 34.9V @ 0.5V (unbalanced) and north of 44V @ 1V (balanced). For the $ I spent , I'm blown away by how good it sounds compared to my integrated Sherwood RX4105 (100Wx2) they replaced. The system has taken on an entirely different character.
I love the format and content of this video. Keep this format going, Randy!
Happy Birthday! Have some coffee on me!
wow! thank you, my friend. Still sad about Chicago though...
Mr Randy has preached his way into Portugal. After getting the Yamaha A-S301 I managed to buy a pair of Polks Reserve R200 for 380 euros... new! I feel like I stole the whole setup, it's that good! Thanks and keep up the excellent work. 🇵🇹
Hey estou em Portugal também e no mercado para comprar amp e colunas. Esse set era o que estava a pensar ou então as Dali spektor 2. Como estás a achar esse teu setup? Que leitor de cd tens?
@@gxvault4166 Hey, tudo bem? Olha, antes de comprar ouvi/vi tudo o que consegui de vídeos a comparar colunas. Ao inicio estava até mais inclinado para umas Elac debut 6.2, mas depois de as "comparar" com as polk no YT pareceu-me que conseguiria tirar tudo o que quisesse das polk.
Antes tinha umas edifier r2750db (3 vias) e até estava com algum receio de as polk não reproduzirem música com tanta transparência por serem só de 2 vias, mas garanto que com este setup yamaha+polk consigo fazer do som o que quero.
Da Dali, considerei ainda as Oberon 3, mas no final, para os meus ouvidos, as polk destacaram-se por serem mais neutras.
Não ouço muitos CD, é mais vinil (Pro-ject debut III) e Tidal, mas quando meto um CD é num leitor de DVD 4K básico da Sony e só com esse tenho um som fantástico.
Compraria o setup novamente? Sem dúvida!
Ah! E os 60W por canal do yamaha chegam e sobram.
@@gxvault4166 Hey, tudo bem? Olha, estou muito satisfeito com o meu setup.
Inicialmente tinha pensado comprar colunas de 3 vias porque gosto muito da forma como soam, mas depois de muita pesquisa e de comparar dezenas de colunas em todos os vídeos que consegui, concluí que as Polk tinham o tipo de som que queria, e não me enganei. Além disso, o Yamaha permite uma equalização muito ampla, uma vez que para além do bass e treble, ainda tens o loudness progressivo. Basicamente, ouves o que queres como queres.
Também tinha considerado umas Dali, mas as Oberon 3, mas pareceram-me mais equalizadas/menos neutras do que as Polk.
Em termos de espectro sonoro, as Polk reproduzem frequências graves como nunca tinha imaginado, para além de uns médios e agudos muito transparentes.
Finalmente, em termos de potência, os 60W/canal do yamaha chegam e sobram para o que a maioria das pessoas vão alguma vez precisar.
A conclusão a que chego é que voltaria a comprar este setup sem pestanejar. Espero ter ajudado
Just got the ZA3, SU-1 and a pair of Sonys SS-CS5 for $67 open box at Best Buy for a nice desktop setup...pumped to start digging into Hi-Fi! Appreciate all your videos helping me begin to understand components and speaker differences!
Definitely love these shootout comparisons recently.
I do wonder though how much of the overall conclusions about sound are down to the integrated DAC on the Yamaha. I realize it's part of the 'included equipment' with the Yamaha, but what about a comparison of the DACs being the same? Use the Cambridge or the Wiim Pro for the DAC and see how they stack up?
Great Comparison Review Randy!!!
Can't agree more tbh, I bought the A-S501 myself, which is basically a better A-S301 from what i've gathered, and i'm extremely pleased with it. it sounds exceptionally good, both on dynamics and tonality. and it doesn't falter either, not even when you crank it up. it will perform the same as on lower volumes.
If I only buy the Fosi, I won't know the difference between the two.
The ZA3 is really interesting when compared to the V3. The soundstage opens way up but in my speaker paring and space that was both good and bad. The vocals just moved somewhere behind my speakers in a way I thought was impressive but I didn’t like it. Also the low end just disappeared with the ZA3. I lost all the richness that the V3 had. The ZA3 is better but so darn different. I ended up ordering a Rotel A11 Tribute. I was running the Denafrips Ares II DAC and the Wiim Pro into the V3 and ZA3.
I just got a SMSL AO300 and use WIIM Mini as source via optical to a pair of Monitor Audio Silver in a small room. It sounds very clean and the bass builds in with volume. Low volume is a bit bass light but separation and imaging is good.
Thank you for the information. I have been looking for an odd setup receiver. I want something that can do phono, FM, TV input, and two channels with sub-output. This setup is for my trailer, so it's a small setup (2 bookshelf speakers and one 10-in sub)
Putting the hype in perspective: With all the noise about these little amps I had enough Amazon credits on my card that I ordered a couple A07 MAXs that I might use for my home office book shelf. Same chipset as the Fosi. But just for the fun of it I tried hooking these up to my B&W 801s really see what they can do. Bridged mono at low volume they sound much better than I expected even if they were a bit lean on the bottom end. Acoustics and vocals sound good. That is the best part. As the volume is turned up the bass stays where it was and you just get more mid to high in contract to my Classe amp which is just obliterates these amps in dynamics, ease and bottom end wallop. The A07 MAXs sound similar to the NAD, Rotel amps. With a good sealed sub they work pretty well in my book shelf. I really like them
First 8 hours with a stock ZA3 in stereo with a P3 preamp on a pair of Emotiva B2+'s tied in the P3 with a lighting to RCA cable on my office setup and pretty damn impressive.
Definitely looking into getting th we ZA3 with Sparkos. Thank you very much for this info, your time and sharing this with us all.
Don’t need op amps as they don’t really change anything in the sound. Just add an equaliser or a sound processor into your system then you can use it with future hifi you buy.
@Gadgetdad007 many thanks for your time and reply. I would like to get the Sparkos op amps just to validate for myself all the hype.
@@Gadgetdad007 I got some much less expensive Muses 8820 opamps (cost for both less than 30 euros) which I will eventually try out as I am curious, but I think you are correct that an eq or dsp is an investment worth considering. Especially for those of us with "challenging" rooms.
I have to say, though, that straight out of the box, the za3 sounds smoother than any other class d amp I've tried so far. I don't think it's as spacious as some others, but for me? Avoiding shrill high end is way more important. With an eq I'd be able to work this out more easily, I have no doubt.
I have been a fan of Yamaha for decades. I love the sound. My current main amp is an older RXV-630 running in 6 channel input mode, basically as a small power amp. It is old, and will die so I have been looking for a decent 6 channel power amp for under 500. Does such an animal exist? It will have a Schiit SYN as the preamp
I love Yamaha equipment and especially the silver faced versions of the A-S501/701/801. I think the A-S301 only comes in black…and that’s too bad!
The Fosi, cheap HiFi route is more fun
@@eddiechan1681Yamaha is a so so company. The Fosi really is a little gem that punches way above its weight. Take some advice from those that have purchased the ZA3.
I wonder if the za3 had an advantage with the su-1 DAC? I'd like to see this test done with the same DAC feeding both amps. Or 3 amps 1 za3 with the sparkos vs without vs 301, next video? 😃
I’m enjoying the combination of the V3 with an Ampapa A1 phonostage, which comes with tone controls and an extra RCA input for a DAC. Quite a nice way to cover all bases with low cost seperates
Yamaha for me. My work desk set up is the AS801 paired with the Pro-ject Speakerbox 5s. Want to add a sub, but turning the bass all the way up on the amp takes hip-hop 90% of the way there. Any other music (rock, classical, jazz) and I just leave the bass at noon or 1300.
Great video too Randy…one of your best
Thank you kindly
Thanks for the tip on perfect circle
This was an excellent comparison and it demonstrates my feelings about Yamaha. I had always wanted to get a Yamaha because I know of the quality and build. They don't look cheap either. However, when it came to the sound, yes, they have good bottom end, but the upper mids and top is quite veiled and not as sparkly. You would need a VERY top end heavy speaker to balance it out. I am talking Klipsch here. But even so, I had found that Sansui had a much nicer mids and high end, but also having some bottom too and that was always my favorite brand. To hear how the ZA3 performed in comparison to the Yamaha is very promising. Pitting a tried and true company with what most would consider "just another Chi-Fi" amp and having the imaging and sound stage outperform it says quite a bit for the small amplifier that wants to be big. It does seem as the Sparkos op-amps are not an option here, but probably a necessity. Still, it is an upgrade that one can do down the road. Many thanks, Randy, for this review. Nice to see you getting back to your roots and doing comparisons on stuff that most of us could afford. Also the fact that the ZA3 could go high enough in volume to make you think twice about it running for any length of time on those $1500 speakers brings a smile to my face. I mean at that price, if those speakers can't handle it, then it is definitely not worth spending that kind of money on them. At $1500, the speaker better be double woofer floor standers. Just my 2 cents.
The ZA3 is not "gutless", if you want higher gain from the volume knob, use the XLR inputs. I can't even go past halfway because it's so powerful!
It needs that extra bit of line voltage, and then she wakes up!
I think most people are not familiar with amplifier input sensitivity, the volume pot is not linear. You can measure the voltage on preouts of most amps and even at 70/80 percent the voltage is below .5v and then it can jump to 2+v at full volume.
@@harisjaved1379 I just received a line input booster, and a pair of Sparkos for my V3, time to play!
I have two of the ZA3s. One powers Magneplanar LRSs, and the other powers two 18" open baffle subs. I use a Minidsp SHD to crossover between them at 120hz. I have plenty of power for my smallish room.
Love the rack Randy, I have the same... Also, just received the Sparko op amps for my Fosi V3, will be ordering two of the ZA3's when they get back in stock. I cannot believe the SQ out of the stock V3, cannot wait to get the Sparkos in.
Return of The Cheap Audio Man !!!😉. Thank to you sir.
Warmer Maybe because the Yamaha’s tone controls add coloration?
was running the Yamaha in pure direct with tone control completely bypassed
I think the DAC in the new all in one Yamaha NR series is improved. Would be great to see a review on the 800
Or the A-S801, which has more power and better DAC w/usb for $300 less than the R-N800. You do get built in streaming and YPAO room correction for the extra $300. These two amps should be compared…
Another great video, I always forget to thumbs up, so thumbs up after watching.
Add a Fosi P3 Infront of the ZA3, works amazingly well. Seems we only get the bigger PSU in the UK anyway, at least through Amazon. A Pair of ZA3's actually drive my Martin Logans better than my Audiolab 8000M monos.
Douk t8 pro is also a nice preamp for the za3
Ampapa A1 phonostage also works for tone controls, and as a source switcher. Enjoying the combo so far
The Yamaha also has a phono pre-amp. That might be a selling point for some.
It is for me. I'm moving from powered klipsch r51pm bookshelf to klipsch rp600m plus sub
D like to hear your thoughts on the ZA3 and RSL amp paired with heco arrora 300 and Elac DBR on both amps.
Thanks Randy!
I see that you like vanilla fudge, Tim on the fender bass (thank you) break song.
Thank you for this video, I have been comparing amps lately and this was a very useful comparison.
Where are you at on the RSL IA255.1 amp? I see you did a review when it was first released and I haven't heard you mention it again. How does it compare to the ZA3 considering it does have tone controls as well as a high-pass filter when paired with a subwoofer.
I want a giant killing unicorn dammit. LOL
exactly. A unicorn killing giant would be terrible!
Love your stuff, Randy. The Sparkos op amps are mentioned repeatedly but not factored into the price comparison used on this video. Add $160+ to the mix and the Yamaha becomes more appealing to some folks.
I did mention it. fosi + smsl su1 + (2) sparkos comes to about $300ish. check back in the video
@@cheapaudioman Be nice if you could find a nice external tone controls at an affordable price. I think that might put the za3 over the top. But then again the yamaha has that built in so..
Quite hard to find « cheap ». I tried the little schitt 4 bands (250€, already not cheap) and was not totally satisfied, it can add some rumble if pushed. Ok for 2 to 4 db corrections.
@@olivierleroy6983 the struggle is real! I had an eq when i was a kid that performed surprisingly well. Dual band i think 10 band eq. Ran it to an old Realistic silver faced integrated receiver. It was night and day. I crossed the right channel for my subs, really good sound. I think it was an ASD or ADC brand i cant really remember but ive tried alot of eq's since then and non of them have even close to the same effect. I remember dialing it in by ear and just having it perfect with a pair of JBL bookshelves with a titanium tweeter, highs just sparkled dialed not to be to bright. I think 2600 series, i could be wrong. Of course that was 32 or so years ago i was 12 lol..
I'm still rocking old stool Knobsound amp and sub amp with a fossil audio 6j1 pre and coupled with my diy monitors. ( which are the best speakers in the world )it sounds amazing .... I can only imagine how good these new class D amps are . 👍
I've been looking at the AS301 as an upgrade for an Aiyima A07 (with Sparkos mod), but I'm thinking it might not be as big an upgrade as I thought. Lol, your taste in music is funny. I was a big 90s music guy for ages but listen to a massive variety of modern and old music these days.
What about using the eq on the WiiM to adjust the sound signature on both amps?
I would love to see a video comparing the WiiM Amp+phono pre-stage to the A-S301+WiiM Mini combo. What would also be great is to include what upgrade paths both have with their pro's and con's.
Reason why? Because starting in that 400-500€ setting, a lot of people (me included) want to plan ahead on how to upgrade in the future, and it is really hard to compare these two options.
I have both. I have a WiiM amp in my bedroom for convenience. I love the form factor and it’s a very good deal for everything you get, sounds good to boot. In my living room, I have a WiiM Pro Plus and the Yamaha AS-301. I’m running Polk R200s on both setups.
The Yamaha 301 WiiM Pro plus combo absolutely obliterates and destroys my WiiM amp. The difference is night and day. But I still like my WiiM amp but I don’t love it. I love the convenience aspect of it more than the sound. Which is why I’m keeping it, because for $270, you can’t beat it and if you have nothing else to compare to, then it’s good enough. The moment you compare it to something better, You can’t unhear the difference.
I just ordered a pair of Fosi ZA3 to use as mono blocks, driving the woofers in a multi-amped setup. I'm curious to see how they compare to my 150 watt, class a/b mono pro amps that I've been using.
I have an old yamaha rx-v520 which I use in 6channel mode. My source is my external soundcard, the Asus xonar U5. I have tried the Fosi BT20A, back and forth with the yamaha. The soundstage is better on the Fosi, you really can pinpoint every instrument/singer, and the highs are more sharp. The Yamaha on the other hand has more weight, it is just pleasant to listen to. I prefer the sound of the Yamaha. If this amp goes bang before I can put enough money into the piggybank for a Yamaha 3060, I will go with the ZA3 temporarily. /speakers are B&W DM301 DM305 CC3 ASW300 /
So since many of us have a dac or two or three, just out of curiosity, how would the sound compare if you input the music through the same dac(s)? One to the fosi and one to the yamaha.? In other words, if you had a second, equal dac to listen to both, would that improve the yamaha? Would it just come down to the op amps in the fosi?
Always love Yamaha, if Fosi added a Loudness control it would be a killer amp
I have the Wiim Pro Plus. How does its DAC compare to the Yamaha's internal DAC? (Which I've bought and is being shipped
As long-time audio guy (EE, Tech, musician, audio shop owner), I wonder why there aren't more reasonably-priced separate preamps and power amps available as in the past. In earlier times, one could get the best of both worlds by getting a preamp to compliment your power amp and even sonically best match with your speakers. Swapping these key components was part of the fun on the road to nirvana. (Of course so was circuit modification).
You should review the yamaha as501 integrated amplifier
i have a few of the fosi amps and they are fine at their price point. but, when you are beyond experimenting with toys and want to really listen critically or just flat out enjoy, spend the money cuz you get what you pay for in this industry.
How’s the Yamaha RN303 compare to the AS301? Probably similar sound w maybe more distortion but lots of network features
The AS seriesis the better amp. Ad what u want to it. Save your money for an as 1100 build system around it
I upgraded to a schitt modi 3 for my as301. Makes a big difference.
So it is all about money? Dont spend 800 bucks or more for an amp? I bought used amp from the 90s and love it. So why you go from Yamaha
@@harveybanister4502 good choice. All Schitt equipment makes my ears bleed
I might wait for Fosi to do a better pair of mono amps before I pull the trigger on monos. As you said, more low end weight & accurate bass texture is just as important to me as clarity, detail and soundstage. If this is what Fosi can do with a $150 monoblock, imagine what they can do when putting together a $300 one.
Both units look pretty good. Good comparison as always. Well done.
Nice little comparison. How about the SMSL AL200?, that one hasn't been featured in anything for awhile Personally I like it more than the V3 and is up there in features with Yamaha.
Would love to see you review the Rega BRIO. All it does is...amplify. Old school brick, 50 WPC, Class A/B high current power. Phono input, several analog inputs and a power cord. That's it. No USB, no bluetooth, no DAC just clean power. Supposedly. Manufactured in the UK. $1100...spilts the diff between the amps you're reviewing here. Rega says it doesn't need tone controls they put the resources into the...amplification. Built to last decades. My Rega Planet CD player is still going at 27 years. Unfortunately there is no way to audition things anymore unless you buy them. So we have to rely on reviews. Maybe they will send you one to look at. My tube amp is going to pass away soon...
If the za3 had a selectable high pass and low pass then yes it would be a giant killer.
Yet another video where I make a request for a good desktop setup for use with a streaming setup on PC? I'm coming from a Logitech Z13 and I want a better quality sound, not so flat. Right now I'm looking at Fosi ZA3 + SU-1 + PSB Alpha P3.
My za3 is fed by a m300se DAC balanced.
$129 for the m300se.
Super cheap setup.
Someone compared the ZA3 to The NAIM Supernait 3. The Supernait 3 was better, but not by much. But the Supernait is 5000. Two FOSI ZA3 in mono were as good as the Supernait 3. And test was done with the stock opamps. Two ZA3's with the GaNFet powersupplies and Sparkos will probably be hard to beat.
I've seen that one. Better is probably different or subjective, as many also favored the ZA3s. Anyway, stellar performance for a ridiculous price.
Where would one obtain a GaNFet power supply of adequate quality?
@@noahandky3019Fosi sells them in their shop.
@@34332I think his speakers are more sensitive than The Sonus Fabers Randy uses
@@D1N02
Yes, 89 vs 86 dB @ 4 Ohm. However, that shouldn't be a big issue for the ZA3. Best to use XLR, like another commenter said.
I'll with Robert Plant or Layne Staley as the greatest male vocalist in rock. Thanks for your channel - it rocks!
I can't refute either of those nominees. I love them all
Just got mine today, I’m going to test them against Aiyima mono amps
Good stuff thanks Randy!
Hi, very nice video. I have a question for you: up to $1000 which Yamaha amplifier would you recommend or which one you like the most? Thank you. Maurizio
The SMSL SU-1 is the weak link in this setup. My problem is that I don't really like the Wiim pro plus DAC either. The Yamaha smokes the ZA3's in the lower end for sure. Randy is spot on. The fullness and low end punch and authority are lacking on the Fosi ZA3 in comparison. I have both. The Yamaha AS301 really is a great unit. Hard to beat for $350. I have not had the opportunity to run the Fosi ZA3 in mono yet. Some folks say that is really where it shines.
Liked the video! Can I request a comparison of the Fosi Audio ZA3 with the Emotiva BasX A2m. Like the Yamaha AS301, the Emotiva is a little more money than the ZA3, but it includes a headphone amp. Thanks for the great content-
did you try the SMSL DAC into the Yamaha?
I think a pre amp would make a big difference with the fosi but then you be adding money. Short story I put a $60 aiyma tube pre amp on a crown xsl 1002 that I got for my diy subwoofer, I wanted to try it for stereo and with the cheap pre amp it sounded good. So maybe just a cheap pre amp would improve the sound quality
I like seeing the equipment on the rack, and the setup - and I listen to the songs as you mention them; and then come back hear what you have to say about the amps. For me, it is the context that makes the review more useful.
Edit - one suggestion - if you tried the SU-1 on the Yamaha that would help us parse out the differences in the amps. It might be the case that the soundstage and layering of the ZA3/Sparkos is partly the DAC?
Good question, using the same DAC does make sense. But don't underestimate the influence of the Sparkos op amps. I've substituted IC op amps (and good B-B op amps to boot) with the Sparkos op amps, and they really are that good!! I'd still concur with the findings regarding frequency, spatial and time domain performance aspects of the superb Sparkos op amp equipped headphone and speaker amplifier units. 👌
@@robinkleinsteuber5217 Oh - I am a YUGE fan of Sparkos op-amps! I own a number of dual mono SS2590 units; which are even better than the already great SS3602.
@@NeilBlanchard Yes, 100% 👍 Happy listening! 😊🍺
I am fascinated that some need to crank the za3 way up to get reasonable volume. Is this partly a function of the dac and/or pre-amp used? My "problem" with the za3 is that it's so hot right out of the gate that with my dac (topping d70s) in pure dac mode, I can only turn the za3 up a hair before it's too loud for normal listening. I had to attenuate the dac to -5 db to get any range out of the volume knob on the za3, and even then I can only go up to around 9:00 on the pot. I get even better range if I attenuate -10 db but then I think it starts to lose something, as the dac is held back. This is the only thing that bugs me about it!
This unit was delivered with the February run - not sure if that has anything to do with the difference?
The fosi audio bt 30d pro will push a passive sub, pick up a cheap car sub it's awesome !
Have you ever thought about testing a Niles SI 2100 amp? They're 419$ on crutchfield, 100 watts x 2 channels
Would you get the Fosi closer to the Yama if you played with the EQ on the wiim, or is it how it renders the bottom end in terms of sound quality?
I hope this isn't to stupid a question, but would I be able to use my Schiit Magni as a pre-amp for with 2 of these in mono? And if I do them in mono, can I still use the sub out, and if so which one? Or do I have to use both for LR bass?
Hey Randy. My ZA3 coming in mail today. Plan on buying a Geshelli J2s DAC. Want to upgrade to Sparkos Opamps. Would you put those on the ZA3 or J2s...or both?? Thanks!!
Try them in the ZA3 first, then the DAC. Or, order the Gashelli with the Sparkos and pick up an extra pair for the ZA3. I would start with the Fosi. I just received my Sparkos today, will get them in this weekend.
@@michaelwright1602If you can let me know if you hear much of a difference. As a za3 owner I’ve wondered if they make much of a difference. Thanks
In my view I say save up to a Rega IO or Brio I guess it sounds more as if the orchestra is playing in your room so I guess the tone sounds more real and it has the best vinyl input in that price class 🤔
I'm a noob, what do the za3 or Yamaha provide after the wiim? Couldn't you just run speakers out from the wiim and only use that?
I’ll reply because I’m a recovering noob. The Wiim is just a source with no amplification in it. Wiim allows him to stream music into the system. Wiim is a streamer. Speakers are passive and need amplification. In comparison most crappy Bluetooth speakers out there are powered and have crappy amplifier built in to system. Most good speakers that audiophiles prefer are passive speakers and need a separate amplifier. Randy was comparing the amplifiers which all have different features and characteristics. Hope that helps.
@@davidhires7403 thanks David, it does! I knew he was doing it for a reason just didn't know why, makes sense on the wiim.
Can you review the Yamaha R-N303BL? Technically not a Amp, but a receiver. But it is loaded with features and I would love to learn how it compares to the Yamaha AS301
The RN303 is a great all-rounder at the price, great features. The biggest disadvantage are limited upgrade paths due to the lack of pure direct mode, so all analog input goes through its budget ADC and then back to analog through its internal DAC.
It's still so good overall, that I'm looking to buy suitable dedicated speakers for it to do my casual listening although I already have a much more resolving system for emersive listening.
I think it is time to do some testing of the ZA3 or other Chinese mini power amps, or Chinese mini integrated amps and their power amp sections, with preamplifiers. Preamps may be the most ignored component. It would be fascinating to compare the likes of the ZA3 with output straight from a streamer/DAC and then used with a preamp into the ZA3. I think there may be a lot of work to do here in that a ZA3 with some preamps may put it another level up, and be equal to but cheaper than $1000+ integrated amps. Maybe not so let's fine out.
I have the V3, ZA3 is on backorder... I use a PS Audio Stellar DAC/Preamp, and used the XLR outputs using XLR to RCA adapters into the V3, with a WiiM Pro as the source, out to a pair of Zu DW6 Supreme speakers, and was quite honestly very impressed. I could easily compare this to more expensive amps when I upped the line level input to the V3 via the XLRs, as it really opened up. I have a line level booster and a pair of Sparkos I am going to play with this weekend. I think this little V3 is going to be hitting way above its price point in short order. I have the 48v power supply. Very cool little amps, with internals you will rarely see on even more expensive amps.
@@michaelwright1602 exactly what I was saying. The thing is one would be spending a lot more on the preamp but so what if you get credible $1000 dollar sound for $500? Well that's cheap. I mean if possible my list of preamps is zero. I have to take a look. You see I thought analog straight from a streamer should be great. No, that's all wrong I think.
@@rapier5 My buddy has the V3, and this week he is using a GD Audio DAC/Preamp out to a pair of Fritz Carbon speakers, around $7000 for DAC and speakers. And yes, he is using a WiiM Pro+ to stream. He says the V3 is blowing his mind in regards to cost vs SQ... This guy knows his gear, he is chomping at the bit for his ZA3 to arrive. This guy's house looks like a high end HiFi shop, he has gear laying around that would blow your mind. Furniture dollies with amps of all kinds in his basement, and they are not Emotiva. ;-)
I'm of the mindset that the DAC has higher influence on sound stage than the amplifier. Also with tone control on the Yamaha, knowing true zero is near impossible. This could lend the Yamaha greater depth on the bottom.
I think a better comparison would be the Arylic BP50 pre pugged into the ZA3 and than compare that to the Yamaha. This combo with the 48v psu is $250 USD and the Yamaha is $350. The lack of a decent preamp from Aiyima and Fosi is the reason I have stayed away from buying either of their power amps.
In this price range I’d pick up the monolith m2100 power amp, and a decent DAC with volume and tone controls.
Ive messed with cheap Chinese stuff, and it's great, but when you get into the next tier of equipment, there's a big difference. I moved up to a Cambridge amp and there's no comparison.
could you check pioneer a40 ae? I believe (for my ears) it is both more powerful and detailed than as-301 and 501. maybe it would be interesting to compare. Also 30 W on Pioneer is the most powerful 30 W I have ever heard :)
Okay, I have to sneak in this question: if I'm only running XLR inputs from an smsl dac, how many sparkos op-amps do I need to buy? Just the one for the balanced, or all three?
Help! I need a pair of passive bookshelf speakers that are 10" tall, I plan to use them to listen to CDs in my study as I sit in my recliner. I would not want to spend more than $400. I also need an amp with blue tooth, to go with the speakers. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you!
What about Yamaha A-S701. It can be found for $600 new and nearly half that used. Coax in to Hifiberry Digi+ on pi3/4. Then again for about $1000 you can get the used A-S1100 which sounds better in every possible way.