Bravo indeed for a wonderful real-world audio reviews favouring hidden secret audio products which many among music lovers & hifi enthusiasts would appreciate the bargain aspect without compromising sonic performance. Thanks HiFi Zone!
Thank you so very much for these reviews on the clones out of China. I have always been very interested in these amplifiers but have not felt confident to purchase them until now. I look forward to your comparison videos
@@divadgnol67 i own the fm300a, don't know about the dartzeel. im also getting the weiliang a100 1969 clone with the vu meters, pure class a for about $200
Access the music indeed…….., I certainly for one appreciate your honesty in regard to having the means to afford better…., yet doing this as a service to us, and more importantly the music itself.
The layout of my system (and especially the wiring) is centered around two monoblock power amps. So, when I got tired of my 20+ year old tube monoblocks needing yearly maintenance, I looked on Ali to find replacements. Although there are FM Acoustics clone monoblocks on Ali, some of them are quite expensive. I came VERY close to buying TWO of the FM300 and using them just to run one channel per side-which I suppose would be the equivalent of the dual transformer single chassis version, and even with doubling the cost, this still would have been a relatively inexpensive option and still fit in with the wiring of my system. But I didn't for the simple reason that my 200+lb speakers require high current (my tube monoblocks were 300+ wpc) and I was uncertain that even when ran in the single-channel mode if the FM300 would have enough grunt. So, in the end, without any previous owner feedback I took the gamble and got a pair of Goldmund 29M 'clones' that have 350 wpc into the 4-ohm load of my speakers. These have proven to be wildly successful and in some ways match or even slightly better my $25,000 tube amps. For a cost of $1800, including taxes and shipping. I got the version with the upgraded filter capacitors (a $200+ option). Before I bought these I went around and demo'd power amps in the local 2nd hand market in the $2000+ price range, and none of these came close to what these 29M clones do. I suppose the price of these are somewhat higher than the amps you tend to buy to review on your channel...but if you did want to take it up another notch, these come highly recommended. BTW I have owned solid state power amps up to $30,000 in the past and while I cannot compare them directly, they are in the same system. And I can say that these amps give up very little compared to them. www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805946236269.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.85.5fcb1802Szadmx&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa
@@rontoolsie Thanks! I've added them to my bucket list. I can see some really nice stuff inside. I'm also on the lookout for powerful amp/amps as my Logans drop down to as low as 1.2Ohm in treble and they are a very difficult load being electrostats. Thanks again!
Aaaah never noticed she made the video :) Sneaky beast, always tries to get behind the furniture with my audio stuff and sleeps in the cable mess there :)
Thank you. Looking for your sound comparisons. I have the Dartzeel Pro and this Fm300a in a heavy case version with dual transformers... My Dartzeel has an inbuilt MBL type preamp which I should silence, it does sound a bit generalized now, for a true comparison. The Dartzeel then or just the basic Dartzeel power Amp clone I would have to check again. Your assessments seem to hit the spot. The feet on this Amp are really small.
@@Rasenkrieger yes they are so small that's just funny :) As for DartZeel clones, I've asked in the shops about MBL pre version and almost all of them said that it's not a best combination and that D5PRO, this "upgraded" version is best sound quality wise (bests also D9 with XLRs)
Man, I'm well into what you are doing here. Have you ever watched the British audiophile? With your technical knowledge and potentially huge equipment choices you could build a very impressive Chanel, it's already excellent (I don't want that to sound like a criticism) You already have a very interesting and pretty original concept, saving us money and time. It feels like you are in this for us :-) I'm going to wait for a few more reviews, see which is your favourite and buy it !!! Thankyou very much.
@@GarethNewell love your comment, thank you! Yes I'm familiar with British Audiophile, I love his British manner, it absolutely reminds me of my time in Cambridge :) As for channel I've realized a few months ago that during my chasing rabbit journey I've had so much equipment along the way, that I could really help others - same way as I was looking for and getting help from reviews and web forums. So now I'm trying to share. For example my KZ headphones reviews get minuscule number of views: but I do them and will do, not for the views, but because I believe KZ does great stuff in affordable hifi and this may actually help out - even if just a few guys :) Thanks again!
@@k4syx It's so good to see somebody reviewing amplifiers that we can take a risk on without getting in debt. I really enjoy the technical breakdown in the British Audiophiles Chanel. For me it creates trust because he can discern between the technical differences in amps. Even though technical knowledge does not necessarily translate to a discerning ear it still generates trust in his observations of sound quality. Here is where I see similarities in your channels :-) Your equipment however is significantly cheaper, that is where you potentially excel for those on a tighter budget.
@@GarethNewell Thank you! British Audiophile also started from cheaper stuff if you'll take a look at early videos. I remember first seeing his video on used Audiolab separates :)
Thank you for the review. Would you consider doing a video on the Sugden A21 Classs A clone amplifier? It would be interesting to compare it with the Musical Fidelity A1, Class A clone. Thank you! 🙏🏼
I ordered the weiliang a100 which is 1969 clone with the vu meters pure class a. Will see how it sounds to fm300a, i mean the fm300a already sound very sweet and organic, would be interesting
@@MasterofPlay7 please do share your thoughts on that - I was reading that 1969 is not the last word in airiness at the top end, so this was not my first choice. Sudgen is interesting, but again, some comments on the web were saying that A1 was better :)
@@k4syx what worries me about these small class A amps is that in absolute terms, they have a weak link, some electrolytic coupling cap at the output. Changing that a little bit could help out
Thank you for the review. I have owned this amp for about 2 years. I have had always had a hum problem and other reviewers have noted this and suggested some remedies. I also had an early power switch failure and this was very expensive to fix. I tried the supplier/seller but they said then had no replacement switch. Crap. Can you please post links to the manufacture as I would like to get some parts for the FM300A including for my failed FM 255 preamp. That would be very helpful. Other wise this stuff is just junk.
The one I have is manufactured by BRZHifi, you can reach them for spares. But what version of the clone do you own? And whats your mains voltage? In my case theres no hum whatsoever, nothing - dead quiet, but there was a discussion in the DarteZeel clone review comments that this hum may be caused by mains voltage as a few guys that reported it were UK based and they had like 250V there? Is you clone same inside as the one I have - how does it look when you compare the parts and pcb?
I have the 220v model of this amp and no problems with hum . I have used the preamp on the Nad7150 also a rotel RC-971 and a chinese marantz 7 6Z4*+ECC83*2+ECC82. I changed the 12ax7 tubes to Gold lion and made a big difference.
@@davejames737 PSVane premium selection make the best tubes at the moment. My EL34's Philips Holland versions are better than anything else I have tried. cheers.
I just got this from FunKenya store thx to the positive review here. I got ground hum where my previous amp was ok. I moved the FM300A to same board as the dac and the hum is gone. But some low hiss remains. I’ll put some remarks in a new post.
Have watched your video and it was interesting as always ! I have ordered the luxury version of this amplifier, the one with 2 transformers. It’s still on its way and I’m very curious how it will sound in my setup. I’m also contemplating ordering the FM255 preamplifier because I expect there will be some synergy between the two because they are made for eachother. That leads me to my question about the best way to set the volume. In my setup I set my DAC to a fixed volume in Roon which means all the way up and adjust the volume via my current preamp. But the FM300A has a (dual) volume knob and of course the preamp itself also has a volume knob. Do you use the preamp for fine adjusting the volume but if so where then to set both volume knobs of the FM300A ? Looking forward to your comparison video with the Dartzeel and Accuphase clones.
It's the same, you can set the volume knob or position the speakers so it is balanced, for me i set the same LVL on both volume knobs and adjust the speakers, just trust your ears
Please share you thoughts when you'll get the luxury version. As for the volume setting I would try to check the graphs for thd vs output and try to set the amp volume somewhere near the sweet spot of lowest thd (as long as it wouldnt be too quiet) and then fine tune it with pre - having DAC set to 100% vol. In general I dont like having separate volume for both channels and setting the balance via my ears. In MF clone I've bypassed volume setting completely.
Yes, I will share my experience with you after receiving my new amplifier. By the way, in your video you mentioned using the NordOst Blue Heaven speaker cables because this brand would go well with FMA amplifiers. Which did you prefer, your AudioQuest Dragons or the NordOst cables ?
@@benvanbaaren7483 both were almost on the same level, with Dragon slightly better. But the price difference favors Blue Heaven (-nishlike chineese fake)
I promised to give some feedback on my new FM300A amplifier and here it is : I use open baffle speakers with 4x 10” bass drivers per side so an amplifier with good bass control is almost a prerequisite. Fortunately my new amp does all that, it has a firm grip over the drivers and the bass sounds very controlled but also bouncy and articulated. I cannot compare my luxury version to the basic one because I have never heard that one. This means it’s difficult to tell if it sounds better and if so how much. I would think however that using two transformers has advantages over the one transformer in the basic version especially where channel separation is concerned. You can expect an even better soundstage. I guess it also improves dynamics since the two 300 watt transformers are together more powerful than the one transformer in the basic amp although the amps are specced the same. The luxury version will have more headroom I think. The casing looks very nice, it is larger than the basic version and it is also a lot heavier, not surprising knowing there are two transformers inside. I put it on the scale and it read some 18,5 kg. The sound is indeed holographic especially with live recordings you hear the venue in which the performance takes place. Like you said it sounds very natural, no aggressiveness or harsh sounds anywhere even at high volume. Voices are beautiful and there is loads of detail. Dynamics are explosive and there is punchy bass. Also there is no hum whatsoever. Large scale classical music sounds more involving than ever. I have also experimented with volume setting. My current preamp is a MBL6010D that has high gain. You don’t need to turn up the volume knob very far to go loud. Therefore I bought some RCA attenuators that give you the opportunity to widen the volume range which is supposed to give better sound. I set the volume on the FM300A and the preamp by ear. Not sure if I reached the final setting yet, I’m still experimenting. I can’t measure THD or anything since I don’t own any measuring equipment. Oh, and I also bought an Accuphase 40th anniversary power cable and RCA interconnects on AliExpress to pair with the amplifier. To be honest I bought it purely based on looks but hey, for € 30,00 and € 20,00 respectively what do you have to loose ? Fortunately the combination of these cables with the amp and preamp proved a very well made match. A warmish sound but not syrupy, still lots of detail and not too rounded. Just how I like it. I use to listen for hours and with this amplifier I do not suffer from any listening fatigue. By the way, having dual volume knobs can be an advantage if your speakers are not set up symmetrically. In my situation the left speaker is much closer to the side wall than the right speaker. That can cause an imbalance in the sound stage which you can compensate for by raising or lowering the volume for a specific speaker. Can’t wait for you to review the FM255 preamp. If it is positive I will order one for myself. I expect good synergy with the FMA300 and my guess is it will even sound better than with my MBL preamp which is no slouch either. I can safely say that my current amplifiers are the best sounding since I started with this hobby 50 years ago. And what’s more is that they are also the cheapest….
It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on how these clones compare to new hifi amps. I’m curious to know what you would you have to spend to get similar sound quality from the new stuff. Thanks!
Thats an excellent question, I may do a video on that actually. In short: these are tremendous value. For example for this price here (520USD) you would be able to get some entry level Rotel (maybe) or something like entry level Audiolab cut in half :) In both cases all clones tested so far would wipe the floor with them. These all are state of the art designs, and the parts quality got even better since they've been designed. And lets agree on the fact that for A, AB class there was little revolutionary desings lately. I dont even think youd be able to get ANY a class amp other than diy for a price comparable to MF clone :)
@@k4syx I wonder how this would compare to new high quality parts but low budget amps like the popular (giant killer?) Galion TS A75, Topping B200 mono amps, Fosi V3 Mono amps with upgraded opamps, etc?
@@michaelcampbell9459 Good question. Havent heard the Galion and B200. V3 Monos and other TPA3255 based amps (except the BTL dual mono I've tested) are not even in the same ballpark (though very good for the money!)
@@k4syx How close is the XLR BTL dual mono you mentioned and are they the ZeroZone ones you reviewed and liked? Do they get very close to this FM300a or is the FM300a still a good bit better? Asking as I prefer mono amps with short speaker cables vs longer cables to one stereo amp if possible; plus class D probably runs even cooler than this A/B amp.
@@michaelcampbell9459 Yes d class will be cooler and more practical. FM300A has better, sweet mids, BTLs are more precise and detailed. Very different sound presentations, though both excellent. Depends on your preference. On the other hand, BTLs are so cheap that I'd recommend getting them anyway just to taste that flavor:)
Yes I have a plan for comparison video after I will check out E405 with review: So I may help you guys to choose the best option for your specific needs (and thats not only SQ, as for example MF clone - that sounds superb! - is just not able to drive my electrostats, and thats pretty important thing ;))
Did you try to pair fm300 with c245 ? If yes ican you please (in very short way ) give us your opinion .I have fm300 in parts and c245 is going to be delivered today. Thx
@@jarkos6019 no, not yet, had no time for that yet - I was getting review done and published just a day before I've left on holidays. I will try to check them out together, I'm also gunning for FM255 to hear a full set.
Thanks for reviewing so clear. Take the right choice is, as you hve described in the video, a very personal thing. I heard your review of th d5 pro. Both are possibilities for me. Now I pilot my Magneplanar 2.7 QR with a Studer A68. The phono stage is a FM 122 RS preamplifier. Maybe you hav an idea in witch direction the sound would go with one or the other. Thank you for answering 🙂
@@ndalsass Hello! D5PRO for details and power, FM300A for more "musicality" but less dynamic and details. It's very personal choice as they both are great and it's not like the differences are like night and day. But I think Maggies will love some additional power ;)
Thank you for this great and long 😉 review video. Looking forward to the combination with the FM 255MK2. And also what to do with the two volume knobs on the FM 300A in combination wit the pre amp. Thank you again. Regarding the soundstage of the 300A, is it wide? And another question, if that’s fine with you, does the FM300A sounds “warm”?
Hi! Thanks :) As for your questions: scene is precise, if the recording is wide, it will be wide, if its intimate, it will be smaller. Which is good in my book because its not "stretching" recording to be always wide no matter what. As for "warm". The mids are very natural and also the bass doesnt bleed, so there is no excessive midbass. And this means its not "warm" in this bad, blanket-on-the-speaker way. But its not overly analytical and dry: so I'd say its natural with a hint of (positive) warmness - if that makes sense to you?
I recommend changing the fuses, they significantly affect the sound and there are a lot of them here. It is better to put a more powerful one at the input - 10 amps.
@@michaelche2800 my plan is to replace fuses in the one (or two? Or more?) that I will finally decide as best in my setup. I don't want to buy fuses for all of them, just for keepers.
thanks for your review! you are the only one reviewing china clones on youtube! i own a pair of martin logan, do you think this will work well on that load? or would the dartzeel d5 be better?
There's also a few guys from Germany testing those ;) For Logans go for DartZeel, it will be slightly better purely because they need more power to shine. FM300A works with my Ascents I too, but it's not that airy as with any other, regular dynamic speakers. Airy electrostats=power!
Great review! Long awaited. A couple of notes: don’t misunderstand the input sensitivity with being powerful, that is totally unrelated. Also, it can’t be considered a dual mono construction since the transformer is shared by the two channels. A suggestion: if you want to pair it with a preamp I would personally look for a FM155 which is not balanced (and pretty cheap!). I had FM255, excellent preamp but I would pair it with FM711 to keep the chain fully balanced from input to output. Other than that I really enjoyed the video!!
@@Ashareth57ye Thanks! Yes of course input sensitivity has nothing to do with output power, sorry if I've babbled something like that there (?) Yes it's not fully dual mono, though there are supposed to be separate windings for both channels. But it's not 100prc pure dual mono, though very close. I'm targeting 255 because later maybe I will go for 711 too, so this would be easier on my budget (altogether). Thanks!
@@k4syx if you aim at getting the 711 then 255 is the perfect choice! And I’m sure you will enjoy it greatly (at least I did) The next step will be 266 and the new pair of mono blocks 111 😊
@@Ashareth57ye I'm hoping to hear all of them in some point in time, that's why I want to reasonably choose the path. The problem is number of different 711s, I will need to try to choose by looking at internal photos...
@@Ashareth57ye looking forward to opinions on what is available. There are those who heard Fm300a s and Fm255 who said the versions are not all that good. My confidence in the force is growing, though
Good review so I had to buy one and have about 25 hours play. At this early stage it sounds ok but definitely warm, and rolled off. Bass is tight and has some punch but not quite as low and punchy as my little class D XTZ Edge A2-300. Imaging and staging aren’t much different to XTZ at this point which is pretty good. I guess I underestimated the XTZ. I expect the detail, clarity and staging of FM300A to improve with burn in but am a bit worried the bass quantity won’t be what I was used to. I could live with that, it’s still muscular. It looks beautiful, does sound good and I will keep using it.
Sounds lovely now after over 150hours of white noise and some music. Image is clear and deep. Top has detail but is gentle and refined. Lower bass has improved slightly. Burn in will continue but I’m already very happy. I forgot to say previously I experienced ground buzz plugging straight into the wall but buzz is gone when I plug into the same filtered power board as the dac (no active preamp).
@@Jay-x5i you're almost there with 150h on the clock, just a few more but you already have like 95prc of the final state. It really is a gem, I like your description for treble, these are very good words, it really is gentle and refined!
@@k4syx No worries here. Only my cat and she loves them all. Also, I noticed on the photo of original FM 300, it looks like 4 HiFi Tuning fuses installed.
Great review! It reflects my experience with the amp as well, big holographic soundstage and sweet organic sound. I heard from the German TH-camr that the FM preamp pairing with fm300a will have a ground loop and humming issue?
Very interesting to hear about the soundstage collapsing with lower volume levels. Have you ever run into that with other amps? I wonder if it could be indicative of some problem with the volume pots?
@@Wright00000 No, that's the first one, and it was dependent on the input signal level even with in pots in one place. I guess it needs some minimum input voltage level to be driven properly. In a way it was fun experience: hearing your music go from 3d to flat cardboard cutout :)
@@Rasenkrieger yes, that would solve the problem too, but it was enough to just raise volume on DAC (it still wasn't too loud), it's definitely input signal level issue. But this was fun! Like unexpected feature of going from 2d to 3d, all included in base price ;)
Thank you for this review bringing what seems like another excellent amplifier to my attention. Well done. If you haven't already done so, could you also compare the sound quality with the Cayin tube amp ? Thank you for expressing your thoughts on so-called high-end gear and ,as you put it, 'art'. They are similar to mine. I tended to use words or ideas like magic, musicality, flow., naturalness , joy. The original would be unattainable to me, due to price. I care nothing for displaying an impression of wealth or status. Re channel balance: My right ear seems to have poorer hearing than my left. So I guess having the facility to compensate via independent volume control for each channel would be good for me. I am enjoying your videos. Cheers
Hi! Thanks! As for Cayin, this is totally different beast. With better tubes listening to it is like getting shots of dopamine straight in to the brain. But its not able to drive my electrostats, so it does its magic with my smaller speakers. Also, while its addictive and pure pleasure, I need something more "real" if thats making any sense. But Cayin is here to stay, totally. Ive already spent more for tubes than Ive paid for the amp :D
thank you for your review! I understand that it is not easy to compare this with the D5 pro. I did get the D5Pro and this one blew my mind. I do not need that much power, so also the FM300A would be great I think. I find the d5pro not that "clear" in the mid and highs. How would you compare them? Also do you think you can put two FM300A on each other without Heat problems? The D5Pro gets really really hot! Am thinking about a setup for my home theater.
@@jonasstolz1311 this one stays very cool under load so two piled together will be perfectly fine. As for D5PRO - for how long did you burn it in? Clarity comes at the end and it's like revelation. Comparing them would be more like comparing different flavors, I plan to do video comparing all of them.
@@jonasstolz1311 just play music, leave it on 24/7 if you can, to make it quieter connect speakers do that one of them will be out of phase and let them stand facing (touching) fronts one to another. Leave it like that for 7-10 days (seriously) and see the difference. It's basically like listening for it normal way for about a year or more. Look for my older video explaining how to set the speakers. There's another video focusing on my amps procedure as there was more questions like yours. Let it play and enjoy the results!
I have the d5 pro and also the higher version (gold version) of the FM300A. I prefer the FM300A, it's a lot cooler while the d5pro gets hot and I find the FM300A sounding a little warmer, which I like more.
Great review. Thank you. You mentioned the fm300 performs best at louder listening volume..from how many dBA is that? How difficult is it to balance the volume on both chanels since this fm300 has 2 volume knobs? Someone mentioned its quite cumbersome.
Thanks! It was more about input level signal and volume level combination. I've had amp set to ~2.5 on the knob scale and dac was ~60% (of XLR 4V, but I dont know if scale there is linear). It needs some math or just a multimeter and 15 minutes of spare time for some experiments. But this is something that you are able to judge by ear - the change is rapid and very strong
Hi HiFi Zone. Love your channel and reviews, amazing work. Thinking of one of the clones, between D5Pro, Accuphase Clone and FM300A. My speakers are Dynaudio Heritage Special, they do love high current amps. I really love listening at low to mid volume levels. Is there any of these amps you will recommend for Dynaudio? My music preferences are mostly Jazz and vocal music. Diana Krill is a classic example and always a good reference. Thank you Dziekuje I Pozdrawiam. Piotrek
@@maskapl Hi! Thank you! For that kind of music I think I would go for FM300A (loving the mids there). E405 will be a more versatile choice (plus it has XLRs!), very very close second place, but for Diana's vocals FM clone will be better. And it's almost 2x cheaper!
I've always wondered what's inside the two black containers, it should be the input buffer, but I'm worried about the fact that they don't have acronyms and that they break, what do you do?
@@attiliobrunetti6565 you can get them on Ali or eBay and they are not that expensive, you can also disassemble the broken ones on your own, I really don't think the replicas are also sanded down inside
@@nigeltrigger4499 yeah some of them do have actual AP measurement! Not this one though (or I haven't seen them yet), but I've lately found AP data for DartZeel!
I wanted to buy the fm300a and also the fm255. However, I am worried that these black boxes may fail. Can you provide the purchase link for these modules?@@k4syx
@@maxrider2887 I'll do a video on that so I'll try to get measurements there (fair warning: may be a while because of lineup of amps waiting for review)
Hello! Thank you very much for your videos. I would like to know in your opinion which would be more suitable for classical and jazz music lovers, this fm300a clone or the dartzeel d5 pro?
Hello again, a bit of technical related question, please advise the optimum figure in mV on this FM300A clone's bias setting after an hour period playing music. Hope some FM300A clone owners outthere would share their helpful experience to set the bias most ideally to enjoy music more engaging. Thank you fellows!
It looks like there are 2 volume stereo potentiometers used here as mono, so it will be really easy peasy to rewire/resolder to use only one in stereo mode… also please tell me jak ma na imie twoj kotek? Pozdrawiam!
@@yellow_noise3 LOL she's Dotty! Because of all the dots :D Yes I am thinking about bypassing pots there, will get to this in some free time. Ideally I would try to go for some jumpers for flat cable connectors - so this mod would be quickly reversible
@@k4syxAs discussed at 16:33 duration, you stated the factory bias setting on the left channel measured at 11mV whilst the right channel showed at 23mV. Then what is the ideal figure to allow the amp performing at its best compromised running between class AB and class A operation for the most balanced sonic performance? When the bias setting has been settled, then there is a separate trimpot to proceed adjusting the DC output to get zero mV going to speaker outputs. BTW those adjustments should be carried out after the amplifier getting warmed up by playing music for an hour.
I guess we are expected to believe it sounds great on account of the pretty pictures and the pep talk. My thing is, buying this is a pure gamble. You don`t know how it sounds, you don`t know if it will fit in your current system and if not you`re stuck with it, as it has practically no resale value.
Thats why I started my channel, to share view from someone real who had to buy it with his hard earned money. Before each purchase Im spending tons on time reading and reading and searching on the web to make it less gamble - none of my purchases was accidental or random. But your right about the parining - its the same with new, branded gear. It always sounds great in the shop or in the audio show setup, right? So you always need to hear it on your own terms anyway. And this way we get to resale value: I'm pretty sure this will go in ten minutes once potential buyer will actually hear them (as long as I would want to sell them which is not something I can see coming - especially that they were, honestly, comparing to European brands, dirt cheap)
@@k4syx Well said. You`re right and providing a service. But........my real problem lies in the fact that this is a faker. You can call it all you want, but this is just stealing a brand name and using it for something completely different and calling it a clone.
@@brugj03 Yes, absolutely, using brand names is going a bridge too far - stating that the desing was "derived from" is fine, but placing brands, logotypes - not fair at all (to say the least).
@@brugj03I appreciate your integrity. This channel provides links (almost exclusively) to designs that no longer belong to the company. They are in the public domain, as their patents have expired. They are ‘ clones’ of the original designs and in some cases have better parts due to the march of time. You are right about the risks of buying from China. To me, that’s is part of the beauty of this channel is that it helps to lessen that risk because a trusted reviewer is listening for me. I have limited choices, as even the ‘Best Buy’ in our town has closed.
Everything from my collection pairs well. Granted, my all speakers have similar sound signatures: Dali Ikon 1MK2, Dali Opticon 1, ML 35XTI, ML 15i, Wharfedale Diamond 12.3, ML Ascent I and some very nice Cambridge Audio bookshelfs that I can't remember the model number now. No bad pairings here, but I don't have speakers that would have Focal like treble or excessive warmness.
Not now, no need for that. They are probably real so no point in changing them unless I would like to go for something way better. I may think about MKP bypasses but thats something I want to try with MF clone first (and I need to read on this more)
Great review. Sorry if I missed it but whai is input impedance (my tube pre amp requires at least 20K ohms and prefers more)? Can it drive my low efficiency low impedance Maggies? And last, how hot does the amp get? Is the temperature and sound quality generated related to the volume setting of the amplifier (my current class A amps are killing me)? Thanks
Sorry no data on input impedance, measures as 2kOhm, but thats with regular meter for resistance only. As for driving Maggies - its able to drive my ML electrostats so you should be perfectly fine. Its quite cool actually, during burn in it was keeping 37-39 C and that is very low compared to basically anything else. Temperature wasnt changing much with volume (though I never went past 5 on scale to 10, as I love my hearing). Sound quality depended more on input signal level, this baby likes playing loud - it invites you to raising volume more and more ;)
Thanks for the info. Please confirm you stated 2k ohm, not 20k. I've heard there are some amps that that invite you to increase the volume, as the clarity and SQ seem to get better and better. Is that the case here? Supposedly, lower distortion allows you to listen louder?
@@HotSause yes it's 2k (I know, it's low, but I was checking this with my meter so remember that this is only R component of Z measured with DC current). Full Z should be higher (I don't believe its just 2k) but I have no way to measure it home and there was no manufacturer data on it. On the other hand, since this looks like 1:1 clone, maybe we should just look for FM data on this. Second thing - yes that's the case, when paired with my Martin Logan it was more and more fun to get it louder and louder!
I have a question. For now I have a open baffle setup with Lii Song 12 full ranger speaker and W-15 woofer, I run them in two separated amp with no passive x-over, 1. My amp is an old Sansui Au-717 integrated amp, my dac is an Holo Cyan 2. I've read a lot of review about the FM-300a, and I don't know if it will be a better match with my speaker than my old Sansui amp. It sound good, but my amp is old. My next goal for the moment is to by a good preamp, the Musical paradise mp701, because the preamp on the Sansui is not very good. Do you think the Fm300a is a better amp than my Sansui Au-717 ?
I'd love to help you with that, but I havent heard AU-717. On the other hand, FM300A is based on really, really good hi end (not hifi, but hiend!) construction, so there's really good chance it will be better.
@@demart28 sure, I think I've mentioned them in video as this was on my list. Sources were Singxer SU-6 to Gustard X26PRO and Semibreve AK4499 based DAC - DSD and FLAC files from my 100prc passive htpc with lps, power cable: fake WEL, signal - fake Thunderbird RCA, speaker cables - fake Dragon and fake Blue Heaven. Now I'm sure it's in the video because I've mentioned Blue Heaven as cheap and great pairing :)
Hi guys. I’ve received this amp last Thursday. Today when I unplugged it for a minute and then plug it in again it blows up fuse, replaced with spare, the same one, which came with amp, and done it again. Any ideas?
Disconnect everything, open the case, look for obviuos shorts on cables and connectors. Disconnect wires leading to speaker taps, try to power on the amp (yes you may need a bag of spare fuses). You probably have some short there. Also, reach to shop you got his one from (was that the one from my link?) and tell them what happens, they may send you replacement channel PCB - try to talk with them and ask for support!
@@k4syx thank you for your time to reply. I found that someone else, in comments, on other FM 300A review on youtube, has the same experience. I did reach to the shop, same as you ordered from, and they asked me to open the case and measure transformer on in and out, based on that, they said that transformer is faulty. They will send me whole unit replacement. Its great, but kind of scary that its happening without reason. Shame, as I wanted to say how nice it was sounding. I have quite a lot much more expensive equipment and never happened anything like that to me. When I open the case, everything looks perfect, no obvious signs of something burned. Got another pack of 10 fuses, and I tried like you advice, disconnect and connects few internal cables from transformer, and keep blowing fuses. Thank you
@@moussaobeid yes I do, I just have some new contenders joining the tournament. And I got some matching preamps for some of these amps so I plan also to compare them in full sets
Is there anyone tech savvy enugh to tell Me whether this design is OK to use mono REL sub via three high level wires connected to the speaker outputs? Or will it probably go into protection mode? Thanks!
Thank You for replying. 3 wire speakon connection: th-cam.com/video/YIenhBQEtE4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=VIPGvJHQ5MPRazj_ Sometimes dual mono topography doesn't like this kind of mono sub connection. The sub starts to hum or the amp goes into protection mode or fries its circuit and burns down the preamp aswell. My Schiit Aegir isn't dual mono, but doesn't like some RCA-speaker cable combinations, when the 3 sub wires are connected. Very weird, I know. When I order this FM, I guess I'll have to get to know the hard way. Thank You for making Your awsome videos. 😊
@@estonianpunk ok I get it now. The problem is they assume gnd is same for both l&r speakers (which is normal for AVR and integrated amps) so you don't have to use 4 wires as 3 will be enough. But in the case of d class and dual mono amps this may end badly. Honestly, I wouldn't try this before measuring voltage difference between (-) posts of speaker amps and even then I probably wouldn't be brave enough to try it with any serious amp I would care about...
@@GentielioGaming mine came with UPS parcel service, these do not get lost as easily as regular post packages. You got it from the seller I've linked in the desc?
Good news. I just received an email from bpost to pay for the customs. That means it will get to my door once i paid. I'm still on a trip until sunday so i will wait a few days before i pay as it is safer the package arrives when i'm home.
@@ChicagoRob2 Thank you! Its very powerfull when it comes to current delivery and it really seems to be 1:1 clone. Maybe there's someone over the web that has real FM300A and 805s (I had classic 705s with stock stands myself, lovely speakers!)
Yes, theres a strong DIY community that tries and designs new stuff and breeds new great designers. There's also a reason why patents are expiring - so we can build upon the designs and move forward. And there's "the wheel issue" - I prefer round ones, as they work pretty well, even though I can be called copy cat ;) Cheers and enjoy the music!
Bravo indeed for a wonderful real-world audio reviews favouring hidden secret audio products which many among music lovers & hifi enthusiasts would appreciate the bargain aspect without compromising sonic performance. Thanks HiFi Zone!
Thank you for yor kind words!
Thank you so very much for these reviews on the clones out of China.
I have always been very interested in these amplifiers but have not felt confident to purchase them until now.
I look forward to your comparison videos
Thank you!
Yea not many English reviewers out there, but many Germans are buying these clones
@@MasterofPlay7
Do you have any opinion about which one I should buy? The dart zeel clone or this one?
@@divadgnol67 i own the fm300a, don't know about the dartzeel. im also getting the weiliang a100 1969 clone with the vu meters, pure class a for about $200
@@divadgnol67 i don't own the dartzeel but i have the fm300a as described, i ordered the weiliang a100 too so we'll see
Access the music indeed…….., I certainly for one appreciate your honesty in regard to having the means to afford better…., yet doing this as a service to us, and more importantly the music itself.
@@NosTubes58 Thank you!
The layout of my system (and especially the wiring) is centered around two monoblock power amps. So, when I got tired of my 20+ year old tube monoblocks needing yearly maintenance, I looked on Ali to find replacements. Although there are FM Acoustics clone monoblocks on Ali, some of them are quite expensive. I came VERY close to buying TWO of the FM300 and using them just to run one channel per side-which I suppose would be the equivalent of the dual transformer single chassis version, and even with doubling the cost, this still would have been a relatively inexpensive option and still fit in with the wiring of my system.
But I didn't for the simple reason that my 200+lb speakers require high current (my tube monoblocks were 300+ wpc) and I was uncertain that even when ran in the single-channel mode if the FM300 would have enough grunt. So, in the end, without any previous owner feedback I took the gamble and got a pair of Goldmund 29M 'clones' that have 350 wpc into the 4-ohm load of my speakers. These have proven to be wildly successful and in some ways match or even slightly better my $25,000 tube amps. For a cost of $1800, including taxes and shipping. I got the version with the upgraded filter capacitors (a $200+ option).
Before I bought these I went around and demo'd power amps in the local 2nd hand market in the $2000+ price range, and none of these came close to what these 29M clones do.
I suppose the price of these are somewhat higher than the amps you tend to buy to review on your channel...but if you did want to take it up another notch, these come highly recommended. BTW I have owned solid state power amps up to $30,000 in the past and while I cannot compare them directly, they are in the same system. And I can say that these amps give up very little compared to them.
www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805946236269.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.85.5fcb1802Szadmx&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa
@@rontoolsie Thanks! I've added them to my bucket list. I can see some really nice stuff inside. I'm also on the lookout for powerful amp/amps as my Logans drop down to as low as 1.2Ohm in treble and they are a very difficult load being electrostats.
Thanks again!
I agree with your rand.
There is a little more to it, but in general i agree.
Love your reviews.
Thanks!
Looking forward to the comparison! Great channel.
Thank you for the review. I just ordered one today.
@@christophedecavalla2941 You're welcome!
Please share your thoughts on it when it will arrive, but give it some time for burn in. And enjoy it! :)
Great review. Waiting for the comparison.
Thanks!
Nice review and nice cat
Aaaah never noticed she made the video :) Sneaky beast, always tries to get behind the furniture with my audio stuff and sleeps in the cable mess there :)
Thanks! Love your channel! 🍻
Thank you!
Have wondered about these clones and really enjoying these reviews. Looking forward to comparison videos. Please enjoy a beer on me!
@@Wright00000 Thank you, I surely will!
excellent, ty for the review :)
Thank you. Looking for your sound comparisons. I have the Dartzeel Pro and this Fm300a in a heavy case version with dual transformers... My Dartzeel has an inbuilt MBL type preamp which I should silence, it does sound a bit generalized now, for a true comparison. The Dartzeel then or just the basic Dartzeel power Amp clone I would have to check again. Your assessments seem to hit the spot.
The feet on this Amp are really small.
@@Rasenkrieger yes they are so small that's just funny :)
As for DartZeel clones, I've asked in the shops about MBL pre version and almost all of them said that it's not a best combination and that D5PRO, this "upgraded" version is best sound quality wise (bests also D9 with XLRs)
@@k4syx I really do need to get this MBL integrated circuit preamp board bypassed... OK!
Beautiful.
yes, I really like the finish, even the greenlit power button doesnt look bad after all :)
Man, I'm well into what you are doing here.
Have you ever watched the British audiophile?
With your technical knowledge and potentially huge equipment choices you could build a very impressive Chanel, it's already excellent (I don't want that to sound like a criticism)
You already have a very interesting and pretty original concept, saving us money and time. It feels like you are in this for us :-)
I'm going to wait for a few more reviews, see which is your favourite and buy it !!!
Thankyou very much.
@@GarethNewell love your comment, thank you! Yes I'm familiar with British Audiophile, I love his British manner, it absolutely reminds me of my time in Cambridge :)
As for channel I've realized a few months ago that during my chasing rabbit journey I've had so much equipment along the way, that I could really help others - same way as I was looking for and getting help from reviews and web forums. So now I'm trying to share. For example my KZ headphones reviews get minuscule number of views: but I do them and will do, not for the views, but because I believe KZ does great stuff in affordable hifi and this may actually help out - even if just a few guys :)
Thanks again!
@@k4syx It's so good to see somebody reviewing amplifiers that we can take a risk on without getting in debt.
I really enjoy the technical breakdown in the British Audiophiles Chanel. For me it creates trust because he can discern between the technical differences in amps. Even though technical knowledge does not necessarily translate to a discerning ear it still generates trust in his observations of sound quality. Here is where I see similarities in your channels :-)
Your equipment however is significantly cheaper, that is where you potentially excel for those on a tighter budget.
@@GarethNewell Thank you!
British Audiophile also started from cheaper stuff if you'll take a look at early videos. I remember first seeing his video on used Audiolab separates :)
Thank you for the review. Would you consider doing a video on the Sugden A21 Classs A clone amplifier? It would be interesting to compare it with the Musical Fidelity A1, Class A clone. Thank you! 🙏🏼
Agreed
I ordered the weiliang a100 which is 1969 clone with the vu meters pure class a. Will see how it sounds to fm300a, i mean the fm300a already sound very sweet and organic, would be interesting
@@MasterofPlay7 please do share your thoughts on that - I was reading that 1969 is not the last word in airiness at the top end, so this was not my first choice. Sudgen is interesting, but again, some comments on the web were saying that A1 was better :)
@@k4syx what worries me about these small class A amps is that in absolute terms, they have a weak link, some electrolytic coupling cap at the output. Changing that a little bit could help out
Thank you for the review. I have owned this amp for about 2 years. I have had always had a hum problem and other reviewers have noted this and suggested some remedies. I also had an early power switch failure and this was very expensive to fix. I tried the supplier/seller but they said then had no replacement switch. Crap.
Can you please post links to the manufacture as I would like to get some parts for the FM300A including for my failed FM 255 preamp. That would be very helpful. Other wise this stuff is just junk.
The one I have is manufactured by BRZHifi, you can reach them for spares. But what version of the clone do you own? And whats your mains voltage? In my case theres no hum whatsoever, nothing - dead quiet, but there was a discussion in the DarteZeel clone review comments that this hum may be caused by mains voltage as a few guys that reported it were UK based and they had like 250V there? Is you clone same inside as the one I have - how does it look when you compare the parts and pcb?
I have the 220v model of this amp and no problems with hum . I have used the preamp on the Nad7150 also a rotel RC-971 and a chinese marantz 7 6Z4*+ECC83*2+ECC82. I changed the 12ax7 tubes to Gold lion and made a big difference.
@@davejames737 PSVane premium selection make the best tubes at the moment. My EL34's Philips Holland versions are better than anything else I have tried.
cheers.
@@davejames737 tube rolling is great fun and a serious danger to your wallet! :D
I just got this from FunKenya store thx to the positive review here. I got ground hum where my previous amp was ok. I moved the FM300A to same board as the dac and the hum is gone. But some low hiss remains. I’ll put some remarks in a new post.
Have watched your video and it was interesting as always !
I have ordered the luxury version of this amplifier, the one with 2 transformers. It’s still on its way and I’m very curious how it will sound in my setup.
I’m also contemplating ordering the FM255 preamplifier because I expect there will be some synergy between the two because they are made for eachother.
That leads me to my question about the best way to set the volume.
In my setup I set my DAC to a fixed volume in Roon which means all the way up and adjust the volume via my current preamp.
But the FM300A has a (dual) volume knob and of course the preamp itself also has a volume knob. Do you use the preamp for fine adjusting the volume but if so where then to set both volume knobs of the FM300A ?
Looking forward to your comparison video with the Dartzeel and Accuphase clones.
It's the same, you can set the volume knob or position the speakers so it is balanced, for me i set the same LVL on both volume knobs and adjust the speakers, just trust your ears
Please share you thoughts when you'll get the luxury version. As for the volume setting I would try to check the graphs for thd vs output and try to set the amp volume somewhere near the sweet spot of lowest thd (as long as it wouldnt be too quiet) and then fine tune it with pre - having DAC set to 100% vol. In general I dont like having separate volume for both channels and setting the balance via my ears. In MF clone I've bypassed volume setting completely.
Yes, I will share my experience with you after receiving my new amplifier. By the way, in your video you mentioned using the NordOst Blue Heaven speaker cables because this brand would go well with FMA amplifiers. Which did you prefer, your AudioQuest Dragons or the NordOst cables ?
@@benvanbaaren7483 both were almost on the same level, with Dragon slightly better. But the price difference favors Blue Heaven (-nishlike chineese fake)
I promised to give some feedback on my new FM300A amplifier and here it is :
I use open baffle speakers with 4x 10” bass drivers per side so an amplifier with good bass control is almost a prerequisite. Fortunately my new amp does all that, it has a firm grip over the drivers and the bass sounds very controlled but also bouncy and articulated. I cannot compare my luxury version to the basic one because I have never heard that one. This means it’s difficult to tell if it sounds better and if so how much. I would think however that using two transformers has advantages over the one transformer in the basic version especially where channel separation is concerned. You can expect an even better soundstage. I guess it also improves dynamics since the two 300 watt transformers are together more powerful than the one transformer in the basic amp although the amps are specced the same. The luxury version will have more headroom I think. The casing looks very nice, it is larger than the basic version and it is also a lot heavier, not surprising knowing there are two transformers inside. I put it on the scale and it read some 18,5 kg.
The sound is indeed holographic especially with live recordings you hear the venue in which the performance takes place. Like you said it sounds very natural, no aggressiveness or harsh sounds anywhere even at high volume. Voices are beautiful and there is loads of detail. Dynamics are explosive and there is punchy bass. Also there is no hum whatsoever. Large scale classical music sounds more involving than ever. I have also experimented with volume setting. My current preamp is a MBL6010D that has high gain. You don’t need to turn up the volume knob very far to go loud. Therefore I bought some RCA attenuators that give you the opportunity to widen the volume range which is supposed to give better sound. I set the volume on the FM300A and the preamp by ear. Not sure if I reached the final setting yet, I’m still experimenting. I can’t measure THD or anything since I don’t own any measuring equipment.
Oh, and I also bought an Accuphase 40th anniversary power cable and RCA interconnects on AliExpress to pair with the amplifier. To be honest I bought it purely based on looks but hey, for € 30,00 and € 20,00 respectively what do you have to loose ? Fortunately the combination of these cables with the amp and preamp proved a very well made match. A warmish sound but not syrupy, still lots of detail and not too rounded. Just how I like it. I use to listen for hours and with this amplifier I do not suffer from any listening fatigue. By the way, having dual volume knobs can be an advantage if your speakers are not set up symmetrically. In my situation the left speaker is much closer to the side wall than the right speaker. That can cause an imbalance in the sound stage which you can compensate for by raising or lowering the volume for a specific speaker.
Can’t wait for you to review the FM255 preamp. If it is positive I will order one for myself. I expect good synergy with the FMA300 and my guess is it will even sound better than with my MBL preamp which is no slouch either.
I can safely say that my current amplifiers are the best sounding since I started with this hobby 50 years ago. And what’s more is that they are also the cheapest….
Will do. Thanks mate
It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on how these clones compare to new hifi amps. I’m curious to know what you would you have to spend to get similar sound quality from the new stuff. Thanks!
Thats an excellent question, I may do a video on that actually. In short: these are tremendous value. For example for this price here (520USD) you would be able to get some entry level Rotel (maybe) or something like entry level Audiolab cut in half :) In both cases all clones tested so far would wipe the floor with them. These all are state of the art designs, and the parts quality got even better since they've been designed. And lets agree on the fact that for A, AB class there was little revolutionary desings lately. I dont even think youd be able to get ANY a class amp other than diy for a price comparable to MF clone :)
@@k4syx I wonder how this would compare to new high quality parts but low budget amps like the popular (giant killer?) Galion TS A75, Topping B200 mono amps, Fosi V3 Mono amps with upgraded opamps, etc?
@@michaelcampbell9459 Good question. Havent heard the Galion and B200. V3 Monos and other TPA3255 based amps (except the BTL dual mono I've tested) are not even in the same ballpark (though very good for the money!)
@@k4syx How close is the XLR BTL dual mono you mentioned and are they the ZeroZone ones you reviewed and liked? Do they get very close to this FM300a or is the FM300a still a good bit better? Asking as I prefer mono amps with short speaker cables vs longer cables to one stereo amp if possible; plus class D probably runs even cooler than this A/B amp.
@@michaelcampbell9459 Yes d class will be cooler and more practical. FM300A has better, sweet mids, BTLs are more precise and detailed. Very different sound presentations, though both excellent. Depends on your preference. On the other hand, BTLs are so cheap that I'd recommend getting them anyway just to taste that flavor:)
It would be helpful to understand how these amps compare with each other - there are so many choices!
Yes I have a plan for comparison video after I will check out E405 with review: So I may help you guys to choose the best option for your specific needs (and thats not only SQ, as for example MF clone - that sounds superb! - is just not able to drive my electrostats, and thats pretty important thing ;))
Cant wait for the 405 review!
Yes me too, it needs to finish burn-in and I need some vacation ;) But I am very very curious aout 405 alone and paired with C245 I own!
Did you try to pair fm300 with c245 ? If yes ican you please (in very short way ) give us your opinion .I have fm300 in parts and c245 is going to be delivered today. Thx
@@jarkos6019 no, not yet, had no time for that yet - I was getting review done and published just a day before I've left on holidays. I will try to check them out together, I'm also gunning for FM255 to hear a full set.
Thanks for reviewing so clear. Take the right choice is, as you hve described in the video, a very personal thing. I heard your review of th d5 pro. Both are possibilities for me. Now I pilot my Magneplanar 2.7 QR with a Studer A68. The phono stage is a FM 122 RS preamplifier. Maybe you hav an idea in witch direction the sound would go with one or the other.
Thank you for answering 🙂
@@ndalsass Hello! D5PRO for details and power, FM300A for more "musicality" but less dynamic and details. It's very personal choice as they both are great and it's not like the differences are like night and day. But I think Maggies will love some additional power ;)
Thank you for this great and long 😉 review video. Looking forward to the combination with the FM 255MK2. And also what to do with the two volume knobs on the FM 300A in combination wit the pre amp. Thank you again.
Regarding the soundstage of the 300A, is it wide? And another question, if that’s fine with you, does the FM300A sounds “warm”?
Hi! Thanks :)
As for your questions: scene is precise, if the recording is wide, it will be wide, if its intimate, it will be smaller. Which is good in my book because its not "stretching" recording to be always wide no matter what.
As for "warm". The mids are very natural and also the bass doesnt bleed, so there is no excessive midbass. And this means its not "warm" in this bad, blanket-on-the-speaker way. But its not overly analytical and dry: so I'd say its natural with a hint of (positive) warmness - if that makes sense to you?
A guide how to bypass the volume controls would be cool.
@@gebreeze yes, when I'll get back from vacation I'll try to figure it out smart and reversible way
I recommend changing the fuses, they significantly affect the sound and there are a lot of them here. It is better to put a more powerful one at the input - 10 amps.
@@michaelche2800 my plan is to replace fuses in the one (or two? Or more?) that I will finally decide as best in my setup. I don't want to buy fuses for all of them, just for keepers.
thanks for your review! you are the only one reviewing china clones on youtube! i own a pair of martin logan, do you think this will work well on that load? or would the dartzeel d5 be better?
There's also a few guys from Germany testing those ;)
For Logans go for DartZeel, it will be slightly better purely because they need more power to shine. FM300A works with my Ascents I too, but it's not that airy as with any other, regular dynamic speakers. Airy electrostats=power!
@@k4syx thanks !
What preamp did you use? Thanks. Great review
None: DAC was always connected directly to amp.
Try jc2 thanks me later
@@maxrider2887 ^^^^^ (What he said!)
Great review! Long awaited. A couple of notes: don’t misunderstand the input sensitivity with being powerful, that is totally unrelated. Also, it can’t be considered a dual mono construction since the transformer is shared by the two channels. A suggestion: if you want to pair it with a preamp I would personally look for a FM155 which is not balanced (and pretty cheap!). I had FM255, excellent preamp but I would pair it with FM711 to keep the chain fully balanced from input to output. Other than that I really enjoyed the video!!
@@Ashareth57ye Thanks! Yes of course input sensitivity has nothing to do with output power, sorry if I've babbled something like that there (?)
Yes it's not fully dual mono, though there are supposed to be separate windings for both channels. But it's not 100prc pure dual mono, though very close.
I'm targeting 255 because later maybe I will go for 711 too, so this would be easier on my budget (altogether). Thanks!
@@k4syx if you aim at getting the 711 then 255 is the perfect choice! And I’m sure you will enjoy it greatly (at least I did)
The next step will be 266 and the new pair of mono blocks 111 😊
@@Ashareth57ye I'm hoping to hear all of them in some point in time, that's why I want to reasonably choose the path. The problem is number of different 711s, I will need to try to choose by looking at internal photos...
@@Ashareth57ye looking forward to opinions on what is available. There are those who heard Fm300a s and Fm255 who said the versions are not all that good. My confidence in the force is growing, though
Good review so I had to buy one and have about 25 hours play. At this early stage it sounds ok but definitely warm, and rolled off. Bass is tight and has some punch but not quite as low and punchy as my little class D XTZ Edge A2-300. Imaging and staging aren’t much different to XTZ at this point which is pretty good. I guess I underestimated the XTZ. I expect the detail, clarity and staging of FM300A to improve with burn in but am a bit worried the bass quantity won’t be what I was used to. I could live with that, it’s still muscular. It looks beautiful, does sound good and I will keep using it.
Let it play, 25h is still nothing. Wait for 200-250h, just leave it playing 24/7 if you can
Sounds lovely now after over 150hours of white noise and some music. Image is clear and deep. Top has detail but is gentle and refined. Lower bass has improved slightly. Burn in will continue but I’m already very happy. I forgot to say previously I experienced ground buzz plugging straight into the wall but buzz is gone when I plug into the same filtered power board as the dac (no active preamp).
@@Jay-x5i you're almost there with 150h on the clock, just a few more but you already have like 95prc of the final state. It really is a gem, I like your description for treble, these are very good words, it really is gentle and refined!
Another winner! Thanks Can one ever own too many amplifiers
Though WAF factors falls down rapidly with the size of the amp pile ;)
@@k4syx No worries here. Only my cat and she loves them all.
Also, I noticed on the photo of original FM 300, it looks like 4 HiFi Tuning fuses installed.
Great review! It reflects my experience with the amp as well, big holographic soundstage and sweet organic sound. I heard from the German TH-camr that the FM preamp pairing with fm300a will have a ground loop and humming issue?
Yes I have a ground loop hum in mine.With any preamp or source.I bought an iFi Ground Defender plug in socket that fixed it.Should not have to though.
How was detail resolution of FM clone?
@@JRadian very good, very sweet and organic sounding, big holographic soundstage as I'm listening to it right now and everyday
@@MasterofPlay7 .
How does someone get sweet and organic sounding, big holographic soundstage
from a Mono recording?
@@TriAmpHiFi why would you listen to mono?
Very interesting to hear about the soundstage collapsing with lower volume levels. Have you ever run into that with other amps? I wonder if it could be indicative of some problem with the volume pots?
@@Wright00000 No, that's the first one, and it was dependent on the input signal level even with in pots in one place. I guess it needs some minimum input voltage level to be driven properly. In a way it was fun experience: hearing your music go from 3d to flat cardboard cutout :)
@@k4syxit may be in need of a preamp to drive it. Maybe
@@Rasenkrieger yes, that would solve the problem too, but it was enough to just raise volume on DAC (it still wasn't too loud), it's definitely input signal level issue. But this was fun! Like unexpected feature of going from 2d to 3d, all included in base price ;)
Thank you for this review bringing what seems like another excellent amplifier to my attention. Well done.
If you haven't already done so, could you also compare the sound quality with the Cayin tube amp ?
Thank you for expressing your thoughts on so-called high-end gear and ,as you put it, 'art'. They are similar to mine. I tended to use words or ideas like magic, musicality, flow., naturalness , joy. The original would be unattainable to me, due to price. I care nothing for displaying an impression of wealth or status.
Re channel balance: My right ear seems to have poorer hearing than my left. So I guess having the facility to compensate via independent volume control for each channel would be good for me.
I am enjoying your videos.
Cheers
Hi! Thanks! As for Cayin, this is totally different beast. With better tubes listening to it is like getting shots of dopamine straight in to the brain. But its not able to drive my electrostats, so it does its magic with my smaller speakers. Also, while its addictive and pure pleasure, I need something more "real" if thats making any sense. But Cayin is here to stay, totally. Ive already spent more for tubes than Ive paid for the amp :D
The cat sweet!
@@FDKAUSW Yes she absolutely is! :)
thank you for your review! I understand that it is not easy to compare this with the D5 pro. I did get the D5Pro and this one blew my mind. I do not need that much power, so also the FM300A would be great I think. I find the d5pro not that "clear" in the mid and highs. How would you compare them? Also do you think you can put two FM300A on each other without Heat problems? The D5Pro gets really really hot! Am thinking about a setup for my home theater.
@@jonasstolz1311 this one stays very cool under load so two piled together will be perfectly fine. As for D5PRO - for how long did you burn it in? Clarity comes at the end and it's like revelation.
Comparing them would be more like comparing different flavors, I plan to do video comparing all of them.
@@k4syxthank you for your answer. Did not know, that I have to burn it in. How long would be good and what do I have to do?
@@jonasstolz1311 just play music, leave it on 24/7 if you can, to make it quieter connect speakers do that one of them will be out of phase and let them stand facing (touching) fronts one to another. Leave it like that for 7-10 days (seriously) and see the difference. It's basically like listening for it normal way for about a year or more. Look for my older video explaining how to set the speakers. There's another video focusing on my amps procedure as there was more questions like yours.
Let it play and enjoy the results!
@@k4syx I will be looking to that compaction vidéo :-)
I have the d5 pro and also the higher version (gold version) of the FM300A. I prefer the FM300A, it's a lot cooler while the d5pro gets hot and I find the FM300A sounding a little warmer, which I like more.
Great review. Thank you.
You mentioned the fm300 performs best at louder listening volume..from how many dBA is that? How difficult is it to balance the volume on both chanels since this fm300 has 2 volume knobs? Someone mentioned its quite cumbersome.
I listened to mine around 50-60db
Thanks! It was more about input level signal and volume level combination. I've had amp set to ~2.5 on the knob scale and dac was ~60% (of XLR 4V, but I dont know if scale there is linear). It needs some math or just a multimeter and 15 minutes of spare time for some experiments. But this is something that you are able to judge by ear - the change is rapid and very strong
Hi HiFi Zone. Love your channel and reviews, amazing work. Thinking of one of the clones, between D5Pro, Accuphase Clone and FM300A. My speakers are Dynaudio Heritage Special, they do love high current amps. I really love listening at low to mid volume levels. Is there any of these amps you will recommend for Dynaudio? My music preferences are mostly Jazz and vocal music. Diana Krill is a classic example and always a good reference. Thank you Dziekuje I Pozdrawiam. Piotrek
@@maskapl Hi! Thank you! For that kind of music I think I would go for FM300A (loving the mids there). E405 will be a more versatile choice (plus it has XLRs!), very very close second place, but for Diana's vocals FM clone will be better. And it's almost 2x cheaper!
Thanks a lot for your reply. I think we all can’t wait for next review 😂
I've always wondered what's inside the two black containers, it should be the input buffer, but I'm worried about the fact that they don't have acronyms and that they break, what do you do?
@@attiliobrunetti6565 you can get them on Ali or eBay and they are not that expensive, you can also disassemble the broken ones on your own, I really don't think the replicas are also sanded down inside
It would be great to use some test equipment and get some THD metrics etc and compare them with the original.
@@nigeltrigger4499 yeah some of them do have actual AP measurement! Not this one though (or I haven't seen them yet), but I've lately found AP data for DartZeel!
Where can I buy these black boxes if they break? Thx
For scientific purposes i´ve opened one up recently. (destroying it on the way)
There is nothing in there prone to die soon.
Servicing clones is always a risk
Aliexpress and ebay. Those guys have these worked out and you can buy them as ready made modules, they are also not very expensive.
I wanted to buy the fm300a and also the fm255. However, I am worried that these black boxes may fail. Can you provide the purchase link for these modules?@@k4syx
What bias quiescent mv you set to your speakers out put. I set it 17.5mv but my amplifier didn’t heat up.
@@maxrider2887 I haven't got the time to play with bias (yet, as I'd like to do a video on that as it's easy) so can't answer that (yet) :(
@@k4syx waiting
@@maxrider2887 I'll do a video on that so I'll try to get measurements there (fair warning: may be a while because of lineup of amps waiting for review)
Hello! Thank you very much for your videos. I would like to know in your opinion which would be more suitable for classical and jazz music lovers, this fm300a clone or the dartzeel d5 pro?
@@edsonhiratani6257 Hi! Thanks :)
For these genres I would go for FM300A of even musical Fidelity A1 clone if the output power will be enough
@@k4syx Thank you very much for the fast response, it helped me a lot. Best wishes.
Hello again, a bit of technical related question, please advise the optimum figure in mV on this FM300A clone's bias setting after an hour period playing music. Hope some FM300A clone owners outthere would share their helpful experience to set the bias most ideally to enjoy music more engaging. Thank you fellows!
Lol you don't need to set the bias, is class ab amp not tube amp
It looks like there are 2 volume stereo potentiometers used here as mono, so it will be really easy peasy to rewire/resolder to use only one in stereo mode… also please tell me jak ma na imie twoj kotek? Pozdrawiam!
Well you want to have DC speaker output component as low as possible, if thats what youre asking for?
@@yellow_noise3 LOL she's Dotty! Because of all the dots :D Yes I am thinking about bypassing pots there, will get to this in some free time. Ideally I would try to go for some jumpers for flat cable connectors - so this mod would be quickly reversible
@@k4syxAs discussed at 16:33 duration, you stated the factory bias setting on the left channel measured at 11mV whilst the right channel showed at 23mV. Then what is the ideal figure to allow the amp performing at its best compromised running between class AB and class A operation for the most balanced sonic performance? When the bias setting has been settled, then there is a separate trimpot to proceed adjusting the DC output to get zero mV going to speaker outputs. BTW those adjustments should be carried out after the amplifier getting warmed up by playing music for an hour.
Power button looks like it's from an industrial machine
Yes but that was the thorny beauty of original FM300A as well =)
for sure I go and buy this FM300A but i'm also very curious how the FM255/266 pre-amp clones sounds
FM255 is on the way, I will test it sometime in September probably if it makes here and I will have enough spare time
@@k4syx awesome
I guess we are expected to believe it sounds great on account of the pretty pictures and the pep talk.
My thing is, buying this is a pure gamble.
You don`t know how it sounds, you don`t know if it will fit in your current system and if not you`re stuck with it, as it has practically no resale value.
Thats why I started my channel, to share view from someone real who had to buy it with his hard earned money. Before each purchase Im spending tons on time reading and reading and searching on the web to make it less gamble - none of my purchases was accidental or random. But your right about the parining - its the same with new, branded gear. It always sounds great in the shop or in the audio show setup, right? So you always need to hear it on your own terms anyway. And this way we get to resale value: I'm pretty sure this will go in ten minutes once potential buyer will actually hear them (as long as I would want to sell them which is not something I can see coming - especially that they were, honestly, comparing to European brands, dirt cheap)
@@k4syx Well said. You`re right and providing a service.
But........my real problem lies in the fact that this is a faker.
You can call it all you want, but this is just stealing a brand name and using it for something completely different and calling it a clone.
@@brugj03 Yes, absolutely, using brand names is going a bridge too far - stating that the desing was "derived from" is fine, but placing brands, logotypes - not fair at all (to say the least).
@@brugj03I appreciate your integrity. This channel provides links (almost exclusively) to designs that no longer belong to the company. They are in the public domain, as their patents have expired. They are ‘ clones’ of the original designs and in some cases have better parts due to the march of time.
You are right about the risks of buying from China. To me, that’s is part of the beauty of this channel is that it helps to lessen that risk because a trusted reviewer is listening for me.
I have limited choices, as even the ‘Best Buy’ in our town has closed.
Hi, Elite question. Did you measure the amperre (amps) or do you know the number ?
@@tobywanxxx Amps like in the current draw? For power consumed in idle and when playing?
I'm not sure if I got that right?
Which speakers have the best synergy with this amp?
Everything from my collection pairs well. Granted, my all speakers have similar sound signatures: Dali Ikon 1MK2, Dali Opticon 1, ML 35XTI, ML 15i, Wharfedale Diamond 12.3, ML Ascent I and some very nice Cambridge Audio bookshelfs that I can't remember the model number now. No bad pairings here, but I don't have speakers that would have Focal like treble or excessive warmness.
PLEASE for FM ACCOUSTIC , after proper burn in, pleass do a SOUND QUALITY CHECK on this.
HOW ABOUT FM PREAMP ?
Its on the way to me, stay tuned for FM255Mk2 review :)
How does this amp perform vs the Musical Fidelity A1?
A1 is a bit airier in the top, both have this magic midrange, bass on FM300A is tightier (theres a big output power difference)
@@k4syx Thanks for your prompt reply. Appreciate your hard work!
Does anyone know where you can buy these two black boxes in case of failure? thanks.
@@isavepro2011 Look for them on Ali and eBay, I've seen them and they were not expensive
Thank you
What do you think about changing the capacitors?
I suggest changing the power cable, it will sound different
Not now, no need for that. They are probably real so no point in changing them unless I would like to go for something way better. I may think about MKP bypasses but thats something I want to try with MF clone first (and I need to read on this more)
@@MasterofPlay7 YES thats actually important, I forgot to mention that in review, this amp reacts in a very good way to good power cable!
Great review. Sorry if I missed it but whai is input impedance (my tube pre amp requires at least 20K ohms and prefers more)? Can it drive my low efficiency low impedance Maggies? And last, how hot does the amp get? Is the temperature and sound quality generated related to the volume setting of the amplifier (my current class A amps are killing me)? Thanks
Sorry no data on input impedance, measures as 2kOhm, but thats with regular meter for resistance only. As for driving Maggies - its able to drive my ML electrostats so you should be perfectly fine. Its quite cool actually, during burn in it was keeping 37-39 C and that is very low compared to basically anything else. Temperature wasnt changing much with volume (though I never went past 5 on scale to 10, as I love my hearing). Sound quality depended more on input signal level, this baby likes playing loud - it invites you to raising volume more and more ;)
Thanks for the info. Please confirm you stated 2k ohm, not 20k.
I've heard there are some amps that that invite you to increase the volume, as the clarity and SQ seem to get better and better. Is that the case here? Supposedly, lower distortion allows you to listen louder?
@@HotSause yes it's 2k (I know, it's low, but I was checking this with my meter so remember that this is only R component of Z measured with DC current). Full Z should be higher (I don't believe its just 2k) but I have no way to measure it home and there was no manufacturer data on it. On the other hand, since this looks like 1:1 clone, maybe we should just look for FM data on this.
Second thing - yes that's the case, when paired with my Martin Logan it was more and more fun to get it louder and louder!
Please do a review about Quad 405.
Thank you.
I saw them a couple of times, they even have Quad logos and chassis similar to originals. You think they are worth trying?
@@k4syx I heard and compared with hood 1969 and a100 golden hood 1969 Quad 405 sound better for me.
@@maxrider2887 how would you describe difference? What's better? Sounds interesting!
@@k4syx test in a same place with same speakers
Very tidy beard you’ve there young man……, you’re wearing it well.
@@NosTubes58 Thanks!
That was a "good beard day" though the best compliment is "young"! :D
I have a question. For now I have a open baffle setup with Lii Song 12 full ranger speaker and W-15 woofer, I run them in two separated amp with no passive x-over, 1. My amp is an old Sansui Au-717 integrated amp, my dac is an Holo Cyan 2. I've read a lot of review about the FM-300a, and I don't know if it will be a better match with my speaker than my old Sansui amp.
It sound good, but my amp is old.
My next goal for the moment is to by a good preamp, the Musical paradise mp701, because the preamp on the Sansui is not very good.
Do you think the Fm300a is a better amp than my Sansui Au-717 ?
I'd love to help you with that, but I havent heard AU-717. On the other hand, FM300A is based on really, really good hi end (not hifi, but hiend!) construction, so there's really good chance it will be better.
@@k4syx Ok thank it will help me for the futur.
I will see the D5 pro video DartZeel NHB-108 that must be a good power amp too.
@@osezchanger1596 stunning, actually! Feel free to ask any questions if you'll have something on your mind!
Can you please write down your music sources/components used in the listening session?
@@demart28 sure, I think I've mentioned them in video as this was on my list. Sources were Singxer SU-6 to Gustard X26PRO and Semibreve AK4499 based DAC - DSD and FLAC files from my 100prc passive htpc with lps, power cable: fake WEL, signal - fake Thunderbird RCA, speaker cables - fake Dragon and fake Blue Heaven. Now I'm sure it's in the video because I've mentioned Blue Heaven as cheap and great pairing :)
Hi guys. I’ve received this amp last Thursday. Today when I unplugged it for a minute and then plug it in again it blows up fuse, replaced with spare, the same one, which came with amp, and done it again. Any ideas?
Disconnect everything, open the case, look for obviuos shorts on cables and connectors. Disconnect wires leading to speaker taps, try to power on the amp (yes you may need a bag of spare fuses). You probably have some short there. Also, reach to shop you got his one from (was that the one from my link?) and tell them what happens, they may send you replacement channel PCB - try to talk with them and ask for support!
@@k4syx thank you for your time to reply. I found that someone else, in comments, on other FM 300A review on youtube, has the same experience. I did reach to the shop, same as you ordered from, and they asked me to open the case and measure transformer on in and out, based on that, they said that transformer is faulty. They will send me whole unit replacement. Its great, but kind of scary that its happening without reason. Shame, as I wanted to say how nice it was sounding. I have quite a lot much more expensive equipment and never happened anything like that to me. When I open the case, everything looks perfect, no obvious signs of something burned. Got another pack of 10 fuses, and I tried like you advice, disconnect and connects few internal cables from transformer, and keep blowing fuses. Thank you
so this one with Accuphase C245 preamplifier by BRZHIFI is a good combo ?
@@wdsoft yes, but wait for a bit longer as I got FM255Mk2 coming my way.
Sad-looking speaker binding posts...
@@raynerstuelgalid yes, quite cheap, some area for cheap improvement :)
Can this amp be used as a power amp like the Musical Fidelity A1? I remember you bypassed the volume pots in the A1.
Yes I think so, you can always bypass volume pots.
Are you still planning to do a comparison video of the clone amps you have?
@@moussaobeid yes I do, I just have some new contenders joining the tournament. And I got some matching preamps for some of these amps so I plan also to compare them in full sets
Great stuff looking forward
¡Gracias!
You're welcome, thank you!
Is there anyone tech savvy enugh to tell Me whether this design is OK to use mono REL sub via three high level wires connected to the speaker outputs? Or will it probably go into protection mode?
Thanks!
@@estonianpunk three? Why three? (I'm not familiar with REL but my b&w has all four high level inputs for both channels)
Thank You for replying. 3 wire speakon connection:
th-cam.com/video/YIenhBQEtE4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=VIPGvJHQ5MPRazj_
Sometimes dual mono topography doesn't like this kind of mono sub connection. The sub starts to hum or the amp goes into protection mode or fries its circuit and burns down the preamp aswell. My Schiit Aegir isn't dual mono, but doesn't like some RCA-speaker cable combinations, when the 3 sub wires are connected. Very weird, I know. When I order this FM, I guess I'll have to get to know the hard way.
Thank You for making Your awsome videos. 😊
@@estonianpunk ok I get it now. The problem is they assume gnd is same for both l&r speakers (which is normal for AVR and integrated amps) so you don't have to use 4 wires as 3 will be enough. But in the case of d class and dual mono amps this may end badly. Honestly, I wouldn't try this before measuring voltage difference between (-) posts of speaker amps and even then I probably wouldn't be brave enough to try it with any serious amp I would care about...
@@k4syxThanks, I'll keep it in mind.
Hopefully this is enough for a 🍺
Thank you! It is :)
My fidelity A1 clone is still at customs in my country since the 9th of july. It seems i have to contact the seller as it might be lost.😢
@@GentielioGaming mine came with UPS parcel service, these do not get lost as easily as regular post packages. You got it from the seller I've linked in the desc?
@@k4syx Yes from the link. Mine got to the netherlands first with postnl and the to my country Belgium with bpost.
@@GentielioGaming that's strange, postNL is usually rock solid, maybe try to contact them directly?
@@k4syx I will when i get back from my vacation.
Good news. I just received an email from bpost to pay for the customs. That means it will get to my door once i paid. I'm still on a trip until sunday so i will wait a few days before i pay as it is safer the package arrives when i'm home.
What is the resistance of the Alps input attenuators?
I'll try to find some time today to measure or read it from the case for you today
@@k4syx Thank you. There should be something written on the back of the case; it’s not convenient to measure, don’t worry.
@@michaelche2800 yes it should be specced on the case but it cant be printed underneath and I may not be able to see it :D
@@k4syx I ordered this amplifier and thought about immediately ordering a good double attunuator. If you can't see the inscription, don't worry.
Is this class A or Class AB?
AB, so it's quite cool and doesn't get really got.
How do the sonics compare to the A1 clone?
A1 is a bit airier in the top, both have this magic midrange, bass on FM300A is tightier (theres a big output power difference)
@@k4syx Thank you. I’ll bet the FM300A would drive the hell out of my 86dB B&W Matrix 805s. Love the channel - keep doing God’s work.
@@ChicagoRob2 Thank you! Its very powerfull when it comes to current delivery and it really seems to be 1:1 clone. Maybe there's someone over the web that has real FM300A and 805s (I had classic 705s with stock stands myself, lovely speakers!)
Bought both A1s and Fm300a dual T. Fm300a Way way way better than a1.
@@maxrider2887 gotta try it and compare with my regular FM300A now:)
Clone = copy cat. Why not design your own? Who will design originals in the future ?
When something is very good you dont need to do new Bullshit ✌️😎
Yes, theres a strong DIY community that tries and designs new stuff and breeds new great designers. There's also a reason why patents are expiring - so we can build upon the designs and move forward.
And there's "the wheel issue" - I prefer round ones, as they work pretty well, even though I can be called copy cat ;)
Cheers and enjoy the music!