Just for fun: which would you pick? (A) Schiit Fraya+ and 4 x Fosi v3 mono ….or…. (B) Unico Primo If I’m adding correctly, the (B) option runs about $600-ish more, but the two stacks are getting close to apples vs apples? (This is really a test to see if I am starting to understand…)
I just purchased mine delivery is set for 11/15/24. My first external DAC. Why couldn’t I just use to one that came with my early 90’s pioneer cd magazine? Thanks Mr. Audioman! Listening room: Denon DRA-37 - A: Polk monitor series 5 B: Infinity quadrapole surround - New Polk powered Sub - Sony precision cinema progressive - Very cheap Bluetooth (Fosi on the way) What should be my next upgrade? Look for me on your patreon, as soon as I figure that out
@ Cheap: the muses02 and Sparkos are generally considered by users their favorites -muses more smooth and chill, sparkos more energy. Muses $20/per, Sparkos $80. The 5532 is considered a very good choice as well for like $2.
When you hit the switch on the bottom the volume control is defeated but the numbers still go up and down but no volume so you can plug it in and check that out as did another reviewer I like that Fosi takes the time to listen to their community in the design of their components This DAC was under discussion for a long time and Fosi listened to suggestions and actively asked for suggestions I advocated for a sub-out as this can serve as a preamp but maybe next time
@@fosiaudio I run two sub woofers in a chain It really does not need to be a true sub out, i.e. low frequency, but a line level out like 3.5 mm plug at minimum to go along with a pre-out
@@middleearthltd Em, thank you, yes a sub-out is needed for such situations, and maybe a variable crossover can be better? By the way, ZA3 has sub-out, if you have.
Seems like a great product! I just wish they would have added a sub output with bass management. That is one thing I love about my Arylic BP 50, it has HDMIARC plus bass management. It is not balance, but I don’t have a balanced amplifier at this point.
Have a Fosi V3. Was convinced an amp is pretty much just an amp. However, now my 13 year old Arcam Solo Amp/CD player (Class A/B) has started working again (bought second hand recently), I have to concede that the sound with the Arcam (would cost circa £2,000 today) is way way better. Not what I thought or wanted the outcome to be...My Speakers are DALI Opticon 1 (Mk 2) and source is a Wiim Pro Plus..
I'm not knocking Fosi or any budget-ish product. I think it's great that we have decent products at all price ranges. But there really is better sounding products out there besides WiiM's, Fosi's, Aiyima's, etc. All wonderful products for there price. I feel that people get a little carried away when they rave about them though. One can pick up a used Rotel or Arcam from the 90's & get a lower noise floor.
Great Review on a very interesting product!!! It's nice to have the ability to change its sound/performance via op-amp or power supply swaps. I like that alot! P.S. Nice Watch!
It's going to be easier to design flexible crossover points, slopes, phase shifts, delay, and sub EQ into a digital product. Doing it on an analogue amp is going to be basic, or very expensive to do it well.
@leetaylor13 I am using a WiiM Ultra as my DAC. I used the rca outs to my Emotiva power amp, feeding my JBL L100s and using the sub out feeding my 2 SVS 12s. I am really enjoying the WiiM and the built-in room correction.
@@bobtowncarguy82 Sounds good. I'm guessing the Ultra doesn't allow setting up the configuration so that the sub out and associated filters only work on some of the outputs. I'd want to run the analogue output from 20Hz up with the sub output muted. I'd want to run one of the digital outs to an external DAC, power amp and speakers, say from 60Hz up with the sub out doing up to 60Hz. Having to switch outputs and filters separately would be a real pain. Can you confirm the Ultra doesn't offer the convenience I'm looking for?
I wonder if this would be an massive improvement over my Fosi Audio DS1. I'm a noob at dacs. Only heard the DS1 and the SMSL SU-1 and the SU-1 sounded so clean that it made my set up kinda flat and hollow sounding. Given I just stream from Spotify so yeah...
No issues with the amp/DAC combo because with the ZA3, you get the analog input. With a manual switch albeit, but my analog source is the record player, so I am getting up anyway lol. One of the biggest reasons I went with the ZA3. I also have the SMSL M300SE which is very similar, but no HDMI, but more importantly to me (desktop setup, no TV) a balanced headphone amp on the front.
Have a bluesound node 2i connected to an April Music Stello da100 signature dac ( its an old one) , To be honest , i strugled the first time to hear a difference with or without stello dac , It was only when i disconnected it , that i heard it , With dac : more refined sound, with a bit better separation, and better bass response ( deeper and detailed) . Having Said this , is not night and day with or without dac ….. By the way does somebody know ir Theres a way to upgrade the stello da100 ??? Diy speaking!
Might have missed it in the review... but does it have HDMI CEC on the HDMI ARC port? This would allow volume control from your Smart TV. In other words, you wouldn't need to keep the ZD3's remote on the coffee table.
@MrAnon-g7m That's cool. Thanks for letting me know. I already picked up a Wiim Amp instead of the ZA3+ZD3 combo based on Fosi support's answers. The Wiim Amp might not be as powerful as the Z stack, but it gets the job done at the volumes we listen.
I just bought Fosi Audio BT20A Pro and a set of speakers. I am a bit confused. Can i use it with my setup? This channel made me a audiophile in the end :)
@@huljaxful You dont need a DAC for your record player, if your record player dont have a phono stage, then you can have a look at fosi audio Box X2; If your record player has phono stage, just connect to BT20A PRO via RCA cable.
Kind of off topic but I just updated my wifi system to a Mesh based system and the Wiim Pro Plus 2 seems to sound much better to my old ear. Anyway you can speak to the differences, if any, between a 5G and Mesh based wifi setup?
I’ve managed to get one. It’ll be here. God only knows when it’ll be here, but I bought free Bluetooth volume controls why I don’t know might put one in a box and leave it in the drawer as a spare
Stupid question here. What's the HDMI input for? I use an Apple TV as my streaming source. I suppose I could use an HDMI splitter and send one signal to my TV and the other to a DAC. Do most people just use the apps on their TV and send the audio out via HDMI?
I recently bought the Fosi ZA3 amp which thankfully comes with a sub-out paired with my Arylic BP-50 pre-amp using mainly for the DAC and they sound quite well but the problem i have with the Arylic is the LED display decided to not come on anymore, i found through customer reviews that the dead LED issue is a common problem with many customers, buyer beware!!! so i decided to buy the ZD3 on pre-sale at $143, does anyone know if the ZD3 have a tone control feature? via the app?
So could i run this ZD3 with my MC101? Since the ZD3 is just a dac right? Also can i run this ZD3 Dac over a MC351? Does that even work since the MC351 already has an in built DAC? Question? What would even happen if you ran another DAC over the MC351?
I heard a recording on some high end mics and it sounded bass heavy. Also heard this on another review, they told it to be very punchy in the bass. Can you confirm? Would love for you to compare this with the wiim ultra , wiim pro plus and the sms su1😉
Looks good. I slept okay last night, even though I was waiting for this video since yesterday. All good. Only now I’ve gotta wait for your DAC Comparison. I’m enjoying your approach to this. Keep going!
I'm guessing when the DAC comparison video is out there will be a "this other DAC looks interesting but isn't with me yet. I'll try to get a video review out for it within a week or so" moment. At the rate Fosi, Topping, SMSL etc churn out new generations of products there'll be something new out every couple of months to compete for your attention.
Thanks Randy! Ya I just preordered mine, missed out on the volume knob, oh well😊. This’ll keep me from getting the WiiM ultra and a separate dac, for now😊. The lack of a sub out almost kept me from ordering tho, we’ll see if that matters later…
Op-amps are operational amplifiers and they’re the bit that does the actual amplification of the audio signal to line level. Some of them are engineered to have different sound characteristics. So like tubes, you can swap them out and see if you like one better than the other.
They are small computer chips. They can be soldered directly on the printed circuit board, in which case they cannot be changed, or they can be put into little sockets which allow you to pull them out and swap in alternatives. Those little chips do the heavy lifting and amplify the signal. They can sound different from each other, depending on various factors. Some are made specifically for audio equipment with an emphasis on accurate reproduction.
@@mccririck01 but of course they are. They’re sold on the basis of their sound characteristics. In the video Randy even shows us some of the descriptions.
Can’t help but notice that you’re a lover of metal music, do you have any favorite speakers/amps that you would recommend particularly for metal?? I’m looking to purchase a setup soon but don’t wanna go past $1500. I’d imagine a lot of speakers are voiced more towards hip hop and pop music, big, huge and boomy bass, and that a lot of that wouldn’t translate well to metal music which has lots of double bass kick and often down tuned guitars.
For metal music of any genre, rock and hard rock and for $1500, I'd go with integrated amps from Yamaha like the AS501 or the stereo amp/receiver RN600A and Cambridge Audio AXR85 and AXR100 or 100D. Good class A/B amps, with good dynamics, good wattage and a decent to good, digital section. That'll be between 5 and $700 max. As for speakers I'd try to spend around 8 to $1k. From Monitor Audio, Paradigm, Polk, Q Acoustics, Dali, Elac, Acoustic Energy and Mission. I've no idea whether you're after floorstanders/towers or bookshelves, so I can't be more specific with models from each brand. Also, I've no idea whether you need sources (streamer, cd player etc).
@@Yiannis2112 Appreciate the response, atm I’m leaning towards the klipsch nines, I like that they’re all in one and I don’t need to buy any external device, I also like that they can easily connect to a tv via arc, that’s one thing I should’ve mentioned, is that I’d also like to use the speakers for movies/tv. I’m still not opposed to passive speakers plus an amp route though, so I’ll look into your suggestions as well, cheers
@@UroboricNate Well sure, powered speakers have their advantages too and can be a good solution. After all its either active or passive...All in one, hdmi arc in the case of the 9s, good built, good looks, real wood veneer, EQ, plenty of power, remote, 8inch woofers, sub out and they come with their own stands. On the other hand, I'd strongly recommend to listen to them, if possible. Klipsch speakers in general are bright. Metal music has a lot of cymbals, lead guitars and quite often, high pitch vocals. Klipsches might be a bit too much. Impressive at first, but may be fatiguing after a while. That's why I didn't recommend speakers from them and let's say, also from Focal or B&W. Another thing is, you're "getting married" to a speaker/amp combo and you're stuck with it. That, not only prohibits you from experimenting with other gear in the future, but if your amp goes bad, you'll have to send the thing for service and you're left without a system. Finally, their amp is class D. Nowadays class D is plenty good, but for the warm side of neutral that heavy rock music has to have, the "cold" analytical character that many of them still possess, might not be to your liking. That's why I believe you have to give them a listen before deciding. Despite having custom EQ, and speaker placement control, I still think it'll be essential to give them a listen. Good luck with everything!
@@Yiannis2112 if anything, I’d almost be more concerned with the highs and mids struggling to cut through, cause a lot of metal I listen to has very low tuned guitars, tons of double kick bass drum, and super low guttural growling vocals, so I’d imagine it wouldn’t be hard for things to turn into a muddy mess, especially with my initial concern of speakers being voiced more towards pop and hip hop, people who love that music seem to really value a type of bass that wouldn’t sound good for a lot of the music I listen to, hopefully I can listen to a pair before purchase like you said though, that would be ideal
@@UroboricNate One thing I left out and may be very important, is that the 9s are two way speakers. With 900 to $1k you can buy 3 way towers. That is a big deal, especially for contested and constantly busy music like heavy metal.
Looks fine. Probably sounds fine too. If the Douk Audio HiFi ESS9038Q2M.... measures as "the end of the line" ( no where to go up ), this one should also be fine
Nice looking unit that matches up with the ZA3 AND it is balanced! However, in terms of a preamp, I like the Wiim Ultra more. I was surprised to hear you say that this unit sounds better than the Wiim Ultra. But, I guess when it comes to a DAC, I am probably going to go with the Geshelli Labs J2 with the AKM 4499 chipset. As I understand, that would even beat out a Denafrips unit.
This DAC/preamp should have had a 4-5v output over RCA to fully drive their 3255 based amps that really need a lot of voltage to reach their max power at 1% distortion.
How cool would it be if instead of a black remote that looks like every other damn newish device remote I have it would be volume knob matching orange. I dont know, I just wish there was some variety in my remotes.
Op amps and chifi are the new trading cards. God can you imagine sitting there switching out op amps like a maniac thinking your $140 dac is going to transform? Just buy a nice ladder dac and enjoy the music.
@@primalscream46 I read " the DAC I want is a geshelli lab j3 or dayzee". It doesn't say which one that you bought or swapped op amps unless I am missing something
Fiio makes a 12V/15V (switchable on the back) linear power supply for around $60-80 (same price as the iFi filtered wall worts) and it's awesome. It would totally work with this DAC or just about any other 12V/15V DACs. You should pick one up and try it out on some of your DAC/Amps that you have. I bought one a few months ago for my Fiio R7 and after A/B'ing it for a few days, I can say that it does make a pretty big difference, especially on more resolving iems and headphones.
Not to be a partypooper, but I use HDMI for multi channel sound formats and currently have 3 receivers with this capability and don't see or understand the need for HDMI on a DAC at the moment. Thank you for this introduction and your perspectives. Take care, Sir.
I’ve watched lots of your videos and I don’t think that you’ve mentioned that you were sponsored by Fosi before. I would like you to let us know how much money they give you. I did buy the Fosi za3 based on your videos and now I feel a bit ripped off to be honest.
@fosiaudio A large community of sim racers use Simhub software for tactile immersion/haptics. What we need is an amp with 6-8 independent channels. Connecting 7.1 soundcards into Multichannel inputs. The Nobsound M5 is an example that works but I believe Fosi could do better.
@@Mr_Latte_UK We have a fosi audio HT4S, but it is 4.1, so what you need is 7.1? Can I know what sim racers are you using, and how will you use it? Actually, we are very interested in this domain.
I got mine DOA . This Chinese company just try to play around with customer. They even reply in Chinese to humiliate me. Finally they allow me to ship back with MY OWN EXPENSE. Typical Chinese way’s of business.😢😢😢
I like where Fosi is going in terms of design and features with this DAC. Looks like the perfect partner with ZA3 for a minimalist system. Next I'd like to see a actual pre-amp in a chassis thats 50% bigger so it can have proper IO (onboard DAC, several inputs, and multiple outputs) for a full size living room system. Then pair that with a matching true power amp (dual mono TPA3255 maybe) in a single chassis to match that pre-amp.
50% bigger can be too small for such a preamp if you want Balanced inputs and outputs. But if you dont want balanced inputs and outputs, thats a great idea.
@@fosiaudio The exact size isn't important, whatever it needs to be to have 3 or more inputs, a preamp and subwoofer output, and remote. Basically something that is going to be more usable in full sized living room setup. Right now there is plenty of power but usability is very limited by amps like the ZA3. Also, personally I don't think XLR is particularly useful. I would much rather have two RCA inputs for the price and restate of a single XLR output.
I don't take Audioman seriously as he is many times wrong on so many levels similarly to ZReviews, their opinions are strictly subjective and not supported by any measurements... but both are entertaining AF to watch, just take what they say with a grain of salt. After all UA-cam is their source of income and they have to push merchandise to make money 🤷♂️
This would have been perfect for my setup... if only it had at least one analog input so I could run my phono preamp through it. I could still use it to bring my computer audio to my ZA3 (using the input switch), but it would have been nice to be able to control the volume via the remote for all sources.
I am still here rocking out with my fosi audio K5 dac amp that was brought to my attention from this channel, you rock man
Just for fun: which would you pick?
(A) Schiit Fraya+ and 4 x Fosi v3 mono
….or….
(B) Unico Primo
If I’m adding correctly, the (B) option runs about $600-ish more, but the two stacks are getting close to apples vs apples? (This is really a test to see if I am starting to understand…)
I just purchased mine delivery is set for 11/15/24. My first external DAC. Why couldn’t I just use to one that came with my early 90’s pioneer cd magazine? Thanks Mr. Audioman! Listening room: Denon DRA-37 - A: Polk monitor series 5 B: Infinity quadrapole surround - New Polk powered Sub - Sony precision cinema progressive - Very cheap Bluetooth (Fosi on the way)
What should be my next upgrade? Look for me on your patreon, as soon as I figure that out
Use the volume unit with your WiiM Ultra for volume and tracks
Would be nice for my garage or shop
All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz-and I'm fine...
Spicoli
Hmm…
ZD3 + 3602x3 + LPS = $500.
Geshelli J3 Pro = $529
If you don’t need the preamp features…
@ Cheap: the muses02 and Sparkos are generally considered by users their favorites -muses more smooth and chill, sparkos more energy. Muses $20/per, Sparkos $80. The 5532 is considered a very good choice as well for like $2.
When you hit the switch on the bottom the volume control is defeated but the numbers still go up and down but no volume so you can plug it in and check that out as did another reviewer
I like that Fosi takes the time to listen to their community in the design of their components
This DAC was under discussion for a long time and Fosi listened to suggestions and actively asked for suggestions
I advocated for a sub-out as this can serve as a preamp but maybe next time
He didn't even test that? Can believe a word from this guy
What do you use the sub-out for?
@@fosiaudio I run two sub woofers in a chain
It really does not need to be a true sub out, i.e. low frequency, but a line level out like 3.5 mm plug at minimum to go along with a pre-out
@@middleearthltd Em, thank you, yes a sub-out is needed for such situations, and maybe a variable crossover can be better?
By the way, ZA3 has sub-out, if you have.
@@fosiaudio I what I was looking for are RCA inputs , it has everything else
Great video. Does anyone else not like it when a stack has two different volume knobs? I never know which to use and what to set the other one to.
Seems like a great product! I just wish they would have added a sub output with bass management. That is one thing I love about my Arylic BP 50, it has HDMIARC plus bass management. It is not balance, but I don’t have a balanced amplifier at this point.
What do you do with the sub-out? Subwoofer?
@@fosiaudio Yes, a sub-out with some type of bass-management is always handy! Makes integrated a sub with your speakers a lot easier!
@@TheFrugalAudiophile A sub out like ZA3?
@@fosiaudio Yes, like that, but with some bass management settings for crossover.
I'll admit it I like the circular window and the orange knob. Life is too short to have a collection of look alike little black boxes.
Very cool. I don't need one but still very cool. Almost wish I did need one.
Have a Fosi V3. Was convinced an amp is pretty much just an amp. However, now my 13 year old Arcam Solo Amp/CD player (Class A/B) has started working again (bought second hand recently), I have to concede that the sound with the Arcam (would cost circa £2,000 today) is way way better. Not what I thought or wanted the outcome to be...My Speakers are DALI Opticon 1 (Mk 2) and source is a Wiim Pro Plus..
I'm not knocking Fosi or any budget-ish product. I think it's great that we have decent products at all price ranges. But there really is better sounding products out there besides WiiM's, Fosi's, Aiyima's, etc.
All wonderful products for there price. I feel that people get a little carried away when they rave about them though. One can pick up a used Rotel or Arcam from the 90's & get a lower noise floor.
Fosi has been great for those who just want to get real speakers going. But you can definitely get better sound than them.
@@Commander_Strider yeah. There obviously is a market for them. Many people love them...& at the end of the day as they say, is all that matters.
Great Review on a very interesting product!!! It's nice to have the ability to change its sound/performance via op-amp or power supply swaps. I like that alot!
P.S. Nice Watch!
@Cheapaudioman, will you compare it to the SMSL PS100 DAC with the HDMI ARC input? I'm still waiting on your review of that piece of equipment
So not having a sub preout is a bummer. Does it matter if you use the sub out on the za3 vs if there was on the DAC?
It's going to be easier to design flexible crossover points, slopes, phase shifts, delay, and sub EQ into a digital product. Doing it on an analogue amp is going to be basic, or very expensive to do it well.
@leetaylor13 I am using a WiiM Ultra as my DAC. I used the rca outs to my Emotiva power amp, feeding my JBL L100s and using the sub out feeding my 2 SVS 12s. I am really enjoying the WiiM and the built-in room correction.
@@bobtowncarguy82 Sounds good.
I'm guessing the Ultra doesn't allow setting up the configuration so that the sub out and associated filters only work on some of the outputs.
I'd want to run the analogue output from 20Hz up with the sub output muted.
I'd want to run one of the digital outs to an external DAC, power amp and speakers, say from 60Hz up with the sub out doing up to 60Hz.
Having to switch outputs and filters separately would be a real pain. Can you confirm the Ultra doesn't offer the convenience I'm looking for?
@leetaylor13 It has a Hz filter for the sub out.
@@leetaylor13 It has been working well for my needs, I would read up on it to verify.
Do you wear your watches in duel mono?
I agree with you, why don't they put several analog RCA input in their products?
I wonder if this would be an massive improvement over my Fosi Audio DS1. I'm a noob at dacs. Only heard the DS1 and the SMSL SU-1 and the SU-1 sounded so clean that it made my set up kinda flat and hollow sounding. Given I just stream from Spotify so yeah...
Can you review some Cerwin Vega speakers ?
No issues with the amp/DAC combo because with the ZA3, you get the analog input. With a manual switch albeit, but my analog source is the record player, so I am getting up anyway lol. One of the biggest reasons I went with the ZA3. I also have the SMSL M300SE which is very similar, but no HDMI, but more importantly to me (desktop setup, no TV) a balanced headphone amp on the front.
Have a bluesound node 2i connected to an April Music Stello da100 signature dac ( its an old one) ,
To be honest , i strugled the first time to hear a difference with or without stello dac ,
It was only when i disconnected it , that i heard it ,
With dac : more refined sound, with a bit better separation, and better bass response ( deeper and detailed) .
Having Said this , is not night and day with or without dac …..
By the way does somebody know ir Theres a way to upgrade the stello da100 ??? Diy speaking!
Might have missed it in the review... but does it have HDMI CEC on the HDMI ARC port? This would allow volume control from your Smart TV. In other words, you wouldn't need to keep the ZD3's remote on the coffee table.
According to Fosi's web chat ZD3 does not have CEC volume control. If your tests show otherwise I'd love to know.
@MrAnon-g7m That's cool. Thanks for letting me know. I already picked up a Wiim Amp instead of the ZA3+ZD3 combo based on Fosi support's answers. The Wiim Amp might not be as powerful as the Z stack, but it gets the job done at the volumes we listen.
@MrAnon-g7m Yikes! Glad I went for the Wiim Amp then. Thanks for the update.
I just bought Fosi Audio BT20A Pro and a set of speakers. I am a bit confused. Can i use it with my setup? This channel made me a audiophile in the end :)
What is your audio source?
@@fosiaudio i have a record player which i use with RCA connection but i primarily use Bluetooth connection with my phone and Amazon music.
@@huljaxful You dont need a DAC for your record player, if your record player dont have a phono stage, then you can have a look at fosi audio Box X2; If your record player has phono stage, just connect to BT20A PRO via RCA cable.
I have the same Amp; paired with WiiM Ultra and love it!!!
Hi! I have a Wiim Ultra, do you think that with the Fosi Po 100 Pro and this Fosi DAC I will improve the sound a lot? thanks so much
How does the combo ZD3 and ZA3 (total around $300) compare to an Onkyo TX-SR393 ($240 right now on Amazon)?
Kind of off topic but I just updated my wifi system to a Mesh based system and the Wiim Pro Plus 2 seems to sound much better to my old ear. Anyway you can speak to the differences, if any, between a 5G and Mesh based wifi setup?
Please compared to the topping d50 iii -- I've had my eye on the d50 iii to pair with my Fosi Audio ZA3 but then this came out.
1:05 Looks like Johnny Five
incredible value, match with a laptop and powered speakers and instant system.
If it has HDMI ARC, does it has CEC? How does CEC behaves: volume, on/off control?
Off Topic - any plans to review the new Schiit Audio Saga 2 any time soon??? Thanks
I’ve managed to get one. It’ll be here. God only knows when it’ll be here, but I bought free Bluetooth volume controls why I don’t know might put one in a box and leave it in the drawer as a spare
Stupid question here. What's the HDMI input for?
I use an Apple TV as my streaming source. I suppose I could use an HDMI splitter and send one signal to my TV and the other to a DAC. Do most people just use the apps on their TV and send the audio out via HDMI?
Use two HDMI cables one from appletv to the TV and the other
I recently bought the Fosi ZA3 amp which thankfully comes with a sub-out paired with my Arylic BP-50 pre-amp using mainly for the DAC and they sound quite well but the problem i have with the Arylic is the LED display decided to not come on anymore, i found through customer reviews that the dead LED issue is a common problem with many customers, buyer beware!!! so i decided to buy the ZD3 on pre-sale at $143, does anyone know if the ZD3 have a tone control feature? via the app?
No, ZD3 dont have a tone control.
So could i run this ZD3 with my MC101? Since the ZD3 is just a dac right?
Also can i run this ZD3 Dac over a MC351? Does that even work since the MC351 already has an in built DAC? Question? What would even happen if you ran another DAC over the MC351?
I heard a recording on some high end mics and it sounded bass heavy. Also heard this on another review, they told it to be very punchy in the bass. Can you confirm? Would love for you to compare this with the wiim ultra , wiim pro plus and the sms su1😉
Looks good. I slept okay last night, even though I was waiting for this video since yesterday. All good. Only now I’ve gotta wait for your DAC Comparison. I’m enjoying your approach to this. Keep going!
I'm guessing when the DAC comparison video is out there will be a "this other DAC looks interesting but isn't with me yet. I'll try to get a video review out for it within a week or so" moment.
At the rate Fosi, Topping, SMSL etc churn out new generations of products there'll be something new out every couple of months to compete for your attention.
Thanks Randy! Ya I just preordered mine, missed out on the volume knob, oh well😊. This’ll keep me from getting the WiiM ultra and a separate dac, for now😊. The lack of a sub out almost kept me from ordering tho, we’ll see if that matters later…
What do you do with the sub-out?
If i got the zd3 and 2 v3 monoblocks for my speakers, would i still need a za3 to run a subwoofer?
Is your subwoofer active or passive?
Same question. I have an active sub.
OK, what’s an opamp and why would you want to swap it out (and yes, I already googled this and it didn’t make any sense to me).
Op-amps are operational amplifiers and they’re the bit that does the actual amplification of the audio signal to line level. Some of them are engineered to have different sound characteristics. So like tubes, you can swap them out and see if you like one better than the other.
They are small computer chips. They can be soldered directly on the printed circuit board, in which case they cannot be changed, or they can be put into little sockets which allow you to pull them out and swap in alternatives. Those little chips do the heavy lifting and amplify the signal. They can sound different from each other, depending on various factors. Some are made specifically for audio equipment with an emphasis on accurate reproduction.
Thanks!
@@Sparklepony I do not believe they are "engineered to have different sound characteristics".
@@mccririck01 but of course they are. They’re sold on the basis of their sound characteristics. In the video Randy even shows us some of the descriptions.
Can’t help but notice that you’re a lover of metal music, do you have any favorite speakers/amps that you would recommend particularly for metal?? I’m looking to purchase a setup soon but don’t wanna go past $1500. I’d imagine a lot of speakers are voiced more towards hip hop and pop music, big, huge and boomy bass, and that a lot of that wouldn’t translate well to metal music which has lots of double bass kick and often down tuned guitars.
For metal music of any genre, rock and hard rock and for $1500, I'd go with integrated amps from Yamaha like the AS501 or the stereo amp/receiver RN600A and Cambridge Audio AXR85 and AXR100 or 100D. Good class A/B amps, with good dynamics, good wattage and a decent to good, digital section. That'll be between 5 and $700 max.
As for speakers I'd try to spend around 8 to $1k. From Monitor Audio, Paradigm, Polk, Q Acoustics, Dali, Elac, Acoustic Energy and Mission. I've no idea whether you're after floorstanders/towers or bookshelves, so I can't be more specific with models from each brand. Also, I've no idea whether you need sources (streamer, cd player etc).
@@Yiannis2112 Appreciate the response, atm I’m leaning towards the klipsch nines, I like that they’re all in one and I don’t need to buy any external device, I also like that they can easily connect to a tv via arc, that’s one thing I should’ve mentioned, is that I’d also like to use the speakers for movies/tv. I’m still not opposed to passive speakers plus an amp route though, so I’ll look into your suggestions as well, cheers
@@UroboricNate Well sure, powered speakers have their advantages too and can be a good solution. After all its either active or passive...All in one, hdmi arc in the case of the 9s, good built, good looks, real wood veneer, EQ, plenty of power, remote, 8inch woofers, sub out and they come with their own stands.
On the other hand, I'd strongly recommend to listen to them, if possible. Klipsch speakers in general are bright. Metal music has a lot of cymbals, lead guitars and quite often, high pitch vocals. Klipsches might be a bit too much. Impressive at first, but may be fatiguing after a while. That's why I didn't recommend speakers from them and let's say, also from Focal or B&W.
Another thing is, you're "getting married" to a speaker/amp combo and you're stuck with it. That, not only prohibits you from experimenting with other gear in the future, but if your amp goes bad, you'll have to send the thing for service and you're left without a system.
Finally, their amp is class D. Nowadays class D is plenty good, but for the warm side of neutral that heavy rock music has to have, the "cold" analytical character that many of them still possess, might not be to your liking.
That's why I believe you have to give them a listen before deciding. Despite having custom EQ, and speaker placement control, I still think it'll be essential to give them a listen. Good luck with everything!
@@Yiannis2112 if anything, I’d almost be more concerned with the highs and mids struggling to cut through, cause a lot of metal I listen to has very low tuned guitars, tons of double kick bass drum, and super low guttural growling vocals, so I’d imagine it wouldn’t be hard for things to turn into a muddy mess, especially with my initial concern of speakers being voiced more towards pop and hip hop, people who love that music seem to really value a type of bass that wouldn’t sound good for a lot of the music I listen to, hopefully I can listen to a pair before purchase like you said though, that would be ideal
@@UroboricNate One thing I left out and may be very important, is that the 9s are two way speakers. With 900 to $1k you can buy 3 way towers. That is a big deal, especially for contested and constantly busy music like heavy metal.
you seem to be a fosi fan..... Yukka yukka yukka 😆😆. Gotta love that bear with the dad jokes.
Orange accents match klipsch speakers 😉👌
I never thought of that 😸
@@michaelrossmaessler200 now you have to think about that
@@yournightmare9999 What is seen can not be unseen 👀
Haha, I think so.
I like it. Bypass is probably like Marantz Direct mode. Really needs a sub out tho.
Looks fine. Probably sounds fine too. If the Douk Audio HiFi ESS9038Q2M.... measures as "the end of the line" ( no where to go up ), this one should also be fine
Nice looking unit that matches up with the ZA3 AND it is balanced! However, in terms of a preamp, I like the Wiim Ultra more. I was surprised to hear you say that this unit sounds better than the Wiim Ultra. But, I guess when it comes to a DAC, I am probably going to go with the Geshelli Labs J2 with the AKM 4499 chipset. As I understand, that would even beat out a Denafrips unit.
I don't understand the decision to not add one or two RCA inputs. It needs those in order to compete with the wiim ultra.
This DAC/preamp should have had a 4-5v output over RCA to fully drive their 3255 based amps that really need a lot of voltage to reach their max power at 1% distortion.
Can’t the ZA3s be monoblocks?
How cool would it be if instead of a black remote that looks like every other damn newish device remote I have it would be volume knob matching orange. I dont know, I just wish there was some variety in my remotes.
A total orange remote?
Op amps and chifi are the new trading cards. God can you imagine sitting there switching out op amps like a maniac thinking your $140 dac is going to transform? Just buy a nice ladder dac and enjoy the music.
Switching op amps does make a difference. The DAC I want is a Geshelli J3 or Dayzee. Can change out multiple op amps and really Taylor the sound.
@@primalscream46what DAC did you change the op amps on and what difference did you hear?
@@BostonMike68 it's listed in my comment
@@primalscream46 I read " the DAC I want is a geshelli lab j3 or dayzee". It doesn't say which one that you bought or swapped op amps unless I am missing something
Cheap DAC? Check. Doesn't suck? Check. With HDMI?! Oh, Mycroft! I am so IN!! Wait. This isn't clickbait, is it?
What isn't?
Also, who cares?
Half the hobby is watching this guy and a few others show us the way.
@@paradoxworkshop4659 you have to find your own way, this guy is a salesman that gets paid to separate you from your money
B-roll clip on top of the lens was a weird Johnny 5 moment there.
Just me? Ok.
I saw Wall-E instead of Johnny Five.
@@joelcarson4602 generational differences maybe?
@@joelcarson4602I saw Wall-E right before reading your comment
very cool they using a smart watch display and interface, very smart.
Does the remote pause Bluetooth and pc usb media players ?
Yes.
Fiio makes a 12V/15V (switchable on the back) linear power supply for around $60-80 (same price as the iFi filtered wall worts) and it's awesome. It would totally work with this DAC or just about any other 12V/15V DACs. You should pick one up and try it out on some of your DAC/Amps that you have. I bought one a few months ago for my Fiio R7 and after A/B'ing it for a few days, I can say that it does make a pretty big difference, especially on more resolving iems and headphones.
Not to be a partypooper, but I use HDMI for multi channel sound formats and currently have 3 receivers with this capability and don't see or understand the need for HDMI on a DAC at the moment. Thank you for this introduction and your perspectives. Take care, Sir.
It's for those who only want a two channel setup for their tv
Pls review fosi bt30d pro ❤
I’ve watched lots of your videos and I don’t think that you’ve mentioned that you were sponsored by Fosi before. I would like you to let us know how much money they give you. I did buy the Fosi za3 based on your videos and now I feel a bit ripped off to be honest.
…ZA3 is a gem, you’re fine
Ordered one with your link 🤘
Display - kind of reminds me of pump blocks for a CPU in a water-cooled build.
Preordered mine this morning.
Thank you for your great support.
Ship’s October 🤞🏼
When is the rolling opamps video
Nice job comma Randy. Entertaining as always. This shill business is a bunch of hooey. Never thought it never will.
FOSI PLEASE, consider offering a mini amp that has 5.1 multichannel inputs 6x 50W would be loverly
If Douk Audio can do it, you can do it better.
Must it supports Dolby atmos?
Or just an amplifier with 6 channels like fosi audio HT4S?
@fosiaudio A large community of sim racers use Simhub software for tactile immersion/haptics. What we need is an amp with 6-8 independent channels. Connecting 7.1 soundcards into Multichannel inputs. The Nobsound M5 is an example that works but I believe Fosi could do better.
@@Mr_Latte_UK We have a fosi audio HT4S, but it is 4.1, so what you need is 7.1? Can I know what sim racers are you using, and how will you use it? Actually, we are very interested in this domain.
@@fosiaudio Can I contact you directly in some way?
Honestly, if a manufacturer advises opamps for different genres of music, I’m starting to get serious doubts about their technical expertise.
@@starbase218 Right.
It's great they added HDMI but why didn't they also go with USB-C? It's so much more convenient.
Get the holo audio cyan 2 on the show
Does it come over a power supply?
Of course.
Bipass the volume control, its a preamp smdh
I got mine DOA . This Chinese company just try to play around with customer. They even reply in Chinese to humiliate me. Finally they allow me to ship back with MY OWN EXPENSE. Typical Chinese way’s of business.😢😢😢
Orange man likes this
I like where Fosi is going in terms of design and features with this DAC. Looks like the perfect partner with ZA3 for a minimalist system.
Next I'd like to see a actual pre-amp in a chassis thats 50% bigger so it can have proper IO (onboard DAC, several inputs, and multiple outputs) for a full size living room system. Then pair that with a matching true power amp (dual mono TPA3255 maybe) in a single chassis to match that pre-amp.
50% bigger can be too small for such a preamp if you want Balanced inputs and outputs. But if you dont want balanced inputs and outputs, thats a great idea.
@@fosiaudio The exact size isn't important, whatever it needs to be to have 3 or more inputs, a preamp and subwoofer output, and remote. Basically something that is going to be more usable in full sized living room setup. Right now there is plenty of power but usability is very limited by amps like the ZA3.
Also, personally I don't think XLR is particularly useful. I would much rather have two RCA inputs for the price and restate of a single XLR output.
@@PhillioDoede Thank you for your suggestions, yes, we are already have lots of simple power amps. I think we need to develop some integrated amps.
Hip hop ai is the new way.
I don't take Audioman seriously as he is many times wrong on so many levels similarly to ZReviews, their opinions are strictly subjective and not supported by any measurements... but both are entertaining AF to watch, just take what they say with a grain of salt. After all UA-cam is their source of income and they have to push merchandise to make money 🤷♂️
Cheap cost, who wants to pay twice 😮
Yep! My next wife I will look for frequency response . Perhaps audio science review could even start a dating app
Fosi shill man 😂 its junk
Coffee is disgusting.
This would have been perfect for my setup... if only it had at least one analog input so I could run my phono preamp through it. I could still use it to bring my computer audio to my ZA3 (using the input switch), but it would have been nice to be able to control the volume via the remote for all sources.
Yeah I think you're not the only one with that question. I wouldn't be surprised if there next DAC has one
Does it come over a power supply?
Of course.