I purchased this after watching your video. I received it yesterday and spend some time incorporating it into my system with much anticipation. It looks great, appears to be a nice build quality, but VU meters are worthless. I have to crank sensitivity up all the way and then volume to uncomfortable level to barely get the needle to move. Reading other reviews on Amazon (only a few because pretty new product) most mention the same thing. It works well to switch amps and speakers but there are some trade offs to get that that are not worth it if the VU meters are worthless. Trade offs: - have to turn on and off a separate component - I can’t listen to two amps and two speakers at the same time (yes, sometimes I do this) - it’s another component that requires a lot of wiring (8 in / 8 out), with cable management and space - approximately $150 cost with tax All would be worth it if the meters worked. They suck so I will be returning.
That’s stinks it’s not working for your situation. The wiring is a pain. I just leave it on all of the time. I guess I’m just used to the wiring because I’ve been using switchers for so long
@@cheapaudioman thanks for your response. All the trade offs would be acceptable if the VU meters worked. The amplifiers I have hooked into the system are a Yamaha as801 and a Marantz 2230. The speakers are JBL L100 and Belle Klipsch. I don’t understand the sensitivity control if at turned up fully it will still not move the needle unless the volume is uncomfortably loud, and then it doesn’t move them very far. If I’m going to rock out that loud I want to see those needles jumping past half! I was hoping I just had a defective one and I could return and get one that worked, but after seeing other reviews with the same complaint, I realized this is how they are designed. I do wonder if Fosi is aware of the issue and applied a fix to yours before sending it to you for review. I keep an open mind with Chinese offerings for HiFi equipment but sometimes they are their own worst enemy shedding the @cheapchinesecrap handle. Thanks for introducing these products to us and I will surely try more items hoping for better results.
I remember using the VU METER / SPEAKER SWITCHER in the stereo shop soundroom, back in the late 70's. Extremely useful for comparing speakers, but also the wattage inputs into tge epeakers. I was listening to more expensive speakers, to the ones that I could only afford. Imagine listening to only 1/2 to 1 watt / channel and still hearing incredible sound quality. Fast forward to today and I still require to win the lottery for my want system. I still own my 1979 stereo system.
As long as it still sounds good and let's you enjoy your music, there's nothing wrong with a good old system. That said, yeah... The stuff I want is out of my reach too.
Please use your influence with Fosi to get them to make a 7 ch AV class D amp with 150-200W for the main speakers and 100W on the surrounds. No need for the .1 ch because most subwoofers are powered, and that would reduce the cost somewhat.Then, they might consider a preamp/dac/switcher (no tone controls) to match it.
The problem is going to be with the power available from an outboard power supply. A 24V, 5-amp supply is good for 70 watts per channel and most 24V chips are only good for about 50W per channel; even though it's a 120VA supply, the RMS power you can deliver into a load is limited by the peak-to-RMS ratio of a sine wave where Vrms is 0.707*Vpeak; the Vpeak is the 24V available from the supply. So you will need a 36Vrms power supply which is already not common, and then you will need multiples to make enough output to feed the amp full power on all channels. What you're describing is not impossible, it just involves compromises.
Ultimately by the time you bought enough Fosi amps to get 7 monoblock channels and upgraded them to get them loud enough for a real room and to fix the opamps, you can already buy an absolute ripper of a real class A/B Monoprice balanced power amp, and not need an entire cabinet just to hold the power bricks.
Bouncing needles and variable lighting improves sonic quality, depth, sound stage and the soul happiness of any audiophile. Thanks so much for your review and introduction to this piece of kit. Certainly added to the wish list. Stay well, brother. All the best.
THANK YOU!!! I already had the little bear in my cart, but quickly decided to buy the fosi instead. It actually looks really good! Keep up the good work, man. I appreciate you and the work you’ve put into bringing us relevant information and practical value enhanced products. It means a lot to those of us who love to listen. Thanks again, Rock on! 🤘🏼
Attempting to disconnect an inductive load from a circuit while current is flowing is a recipe for damage. Electrical engineer here. Exercise care, friends.
The differences between two working amps are generally so miniscule that it's a moot point. The differences between two speaker types then again is substantial. We're speaking of differences of orders of magnitude.
I own a bunch of computer KVM switches so this is right up my alley. I had a speaker switch box from Realistic in the 80s but lost it moving when I was in college. Awesome product recommendation Randy and I'm going to Amazon to order it now. Thanks man. EDIT: Alan Rickman was not just some actor but an extraordinary actor in that one. (paraphrasing line from film)
You already sold me the yamaha A-S301 along with the Polk Reserve R200, and they work very well together! But with this content quality, it's getting harder and harder not to be an equipment switcher every other week 😵 Thanks again for this amazing YT channel!
@@cheapaudioman Oh, that is just what I've been doing for the last weeks. Listening and rediscovering, thanks to this equipment. Really couldn't thank you enough Randy. Watching this channel is like going to a doctor you trust - you that everything is gonna be juuuust fine 😁
I would guess that the vast majority of buyers will use to hook up a stereo integrated amp and an av receiver to the same front speakers, currently that’s a pain to do, and almost always no remote control.
Thanks, this is exactly what I need! I presently have 2 amps & 2 sets of speakers that i want to switch between, plus it's gorgeous. I went to the link & they're sold out. I got one on ebay & whichever seller it was had 2 left. Similar price and said free shipping but I got charged ten bucks (I probably chose a faster shipping or something but maybe watch your checkout in case). It came to around $165 with tax & the $10-ish shipping.
I bought the Douk on your advice and it's one of my favorite devices. I don't use it daily because there's noticeable signal ephery. It's not a deal breaker for testing but direct wiring is cleaner. Maybe the Fosi has addressed that with better isolation? In any case I'll say right now that my Douk was a great purchase. I'm curious about whether anybody else has noticed that you can easily see the difference between amplifiers with the meters. Some will bump crisply to the music, some swing wildly, and some are sluggish. Once I saw it I could listen for it and identify it by ear. That's where this device shined for me. The ability to "blind" test was great and somewhat surprising but much less ear opening. The ability to hot swap was a non player for me since I had enough components to mix and match a few complete systems. I didn't use it for buy-test-return which in hindsight would have been cheaper and very possibly better.
There is also a similar device, NEOHIPO ET30, which has the same functions as these, with more light colors and functions to choose from. After ASR testing on professional websites, it was found that the quality is very high, and it will not affect the decoding or amplifier parameters at all. I hope the blogger can test it together.
I instantly bought this, I love A/B-ing products and the remote is a game changer. I didn't know the VU3 had a remote. I got tired of getting out of my chair and changing it every time. The instant switching makes more sense to me when A/B-ing speakers and amps. I have the Soulspeak P3, but looks like I am going to sell that one. I bought it and then cancelled it because I forgot about the affiliate link, then re-bought it... haha
A speaker/amp switcher is certainly a useful device, to make "immediate" comparisons. And I think longer term comparisons, where you listen to an entire song/album(s) - can also be very useful. Because, not all differences are the kind of thing that are "instantly" discernible, in my opinion. Here's why: when we listen to music that we love, in order to get the "actual"/complete experience/enjoyment from it - we listen to the whole thing. We can't get the kinds of things that might be changing to the overall flow of the whole song. The overall dynamic swings, the interplay of harmonies/rhythms, etc are not the sort of things you can hear in snippets. I.E. it is not very enjoyable to listen to a snippet of music; and it is even less enjoyable to listen to the same snippet repeatedly. As you say in your tag line "binge listen and fill your soul with happiness" - the binge part is also very important to evaluating a new amp or speaker, etc. Songs are a pattern of sound - and if there is a significant chord change, for example, that gives you a shiver - you have to listen to everything before and after that moment - to get the full effect of the moment it happens in the song.
Purchased it on Sunday night during the zoom meeting. It still had the coupon for $15 off and 2 day delivery. Coupon is gone now and a 2 week delivery time. These things are moving fast and are number one in new release products. Thanks for the recommendation!!!
Fosi: build this, (use a bigger cabinet as necessary), and put two ZA3 amps and power supplies inside with a preamp that has separate bass/treble/balance/volume controls. One piece - one price. (If I've missed any worthwhile considerations, include them. Assume I don't want to buy *this* bit now and *that* bit later as an upgrade.)
Has everyone forgotten the mistakes from the 70’s? Loudspeaker comparison demos were just a folly. When you have multiple pairs of speakers in the same room the speaker cores of the unused pair will vibrate and influence the sound in the room. These may even act like a passive radiator core and impact the low frequency response.
I have a speaker selector that has volume controls for each speaker. It also has more than two sets of speaker plugs. That makes it even easier to compare speakers because I can dial in more volume for a particular speaker to compare the other characteristics other than just which ones louder. But, because I don't have a remote, I have to have my son flip the switch back-and-forth to do a reasonable test. I say reasonable because I can't put the speakers in exactly the same place as the other ones. So you just have to ignore that little bit. I hope Fosi Audio makes the next one/optional version with even more speaker plugs and separate volume controls. If they wanted to go really crazy they could have bass and treble adjustment for each speaker also. 🙂
I love my Fosi LC30. I got one on Kickstarter. I'm going to be using it to A/B some ZA3's. I have 3 ZA3's and 2 are stock right now and one has MUSES02 op amps. I'm going to A/B a stock to MUSES02. If I feel like spending more, I might try some SPARKOS as well. Later I think I'm going to try to integrate it into my living room setup. I'd like to be able to set up 2 pairs of speakers that I can swap between...not sure if I will be using the same amp or 2 different amps as well.
Since speakers all have different sensitivities, you would need to be able to balance the sound levels to be identical. This is important. Otherwise, you will tend to prefer the louder speaker. There was a showroom in London that did just that, allowing a very positive assessment.
I got the Douk Audio/One Little Bear switcher a couple years ago based on CAM’s recommendation and love that thing. Wish I had another one for the gear in my other system.
I saw the ad and couldn't figure out what the heck this was for but you clarified it for me. It's a weird product for audiophile reviewers. Such a low frequency use case.
I just watched the video, thank you! (again), and am likely going to try one of these units out. One of the 'dangers' of amp/speaker selectors seems to exist in how they are grounded (ie. a dual mono amp (hk430 etc.) cannot be used with a common ground switcher. I will find the answer, but before I rabbithole I thought that I would ask if you knew. Peace
Shows SOLD OUT / Unavailable on Amazon! I caved and pulled the trigger on the Fosi and another brand to compare, plus I have three tube amps and counting where I want to deploy the switchers, and the do look cool with the tube amps and mini HiFi gear.
To me a switch box only makes sense if you wanna A/B test amplifiers or wanna have multiple amplifiers/receivers. Because speakers require specific placement and toe in and are not made to have other speakers standing right next to them or in front of them or behind them. So you’ll need to unplug and remove the other speakers anyway. 😊
Has anyone experienced the problem with the sensitivity described in Amazon reviews? It is claimed that even at max sensitivity the meters barely move, at which point the volume is way too high.
I was turned onto your channel from Lenny at just audio and really like your videos. The switcher looks like a good value but I absolutely love the VU meters. It would be a cool edition to any stereo system just by using the VU meters alone. Keep the videos coming.
I currently use my Douk VU3 (similar product previously reviewed by CheapAudioMan) to switch home theater 5.1 amp to a vintage stereo amp driving the same L & R speakers. I've used it to A/B compare speakers and amps that were so close in sound, I wouldn't have been able to notice a difference otherwise.
So cool, saw the smaller one on Amazon. This one looks much nicer. Too bad it is sold out. Hopefully, they will resupply and they won't raise the price.
The switching system in the audio/ car audio rooms at Tweeter and other electronic shops made it so easy to compare products...... Alpine V12 car amps were way more musical than JL Audio Slash Series.
Randy, unfortunately, I watched this video too late. I ended up buying the DOUK VU 3 because Amazon was out of stock. I, as well as many others, love your videos and your advice in upgrading yet saving money! Sincerely, Rich J.
Switchers themselves can also have an influence omn the music, so they can colour the music, so they can compensate for faillure or make sound worse even make everything worse like every switch can do depending on the material they use, so they have influence on the outcome of a blindtest, more electronic or switch parts more chance on problems!
Well I just subscribed! I thought of a use for me (Won't be cheap) My home theatre receiver has 4 THX modes and depending on which one I select the volume levels change between the surround speakers, so perhaps I get several of these then I can SEE the power with different THX and MACC levels. I was going to build something like this but this would be far less trouble.
Nice! This puts the emotive basx pt2 back in the running - was leaning towards a Yamaha largely because of a/b speakers, where emotive only has one set of speaker outputs, and I have two different sets of speakers - 1 for sitting facing the tv, another on a perpendicular wall for music listening and for the exercise machines in the back of the room.
Bought a NOS Radio Shack 4-way speaker switcher for $5. Don't need a remote. Don't need lights. Doesn't even need electicity. Maybe I should start a cheap audio channel. I think we need one.
A remote is real handy though. Sitting in the listening zone, AB track by track with full concentraction. Knowing that the ab switcher is of a quality high enough to not limit the testing. Fight me.
@@jondonnelly3 Yeah, if you don't have a kid to switch the speakers for you, knock yourself out. You're working hard to spend 5x as much (I found mine at Goodwill, on Amazon is seems to go for $20) for something you'll use HOW many times? (e.g. I haven't used mine yet. FWIW; and I'm one of the biggest whiners I know about ABX testing.) As far as the quality, the inch of distance for the electrical connection in the switcher is just... man, the minds of audiophiles. Do what you gotta do. ;-)
I think I can use one of those. I have a avr that I use for my home theater and a separate integrated amp I use for music. I even got rid of my kitchen table so I could have a dedicated listening area. But I need to consolidate it .
I think people are going to need to listen pretty loud to get the needles to jump around. 1.2mW will be higher than conversation-level, so keep in mind that you need to get it pretty loud to even get the needle to move from rest. The reference wattage needs to be at 1 watt, not 100 watts.
Hi! I have an ADCOM GIA-275 amplifier and two KLH AMES. In my living room. I want to put outdoor speakers on my terrace. (I'm looking at some Klipsch KHO-7 or some ORIGIN ACUSTICS OS60) What I need is to put a speaker selector (A/B or A and B). To be able to listen in both places or separately. What do you recommend? Does this LC30 work?
Good luck getting the VU meters to move. 1.2mW (0.0012W) for the lowest end is actually pretty high. That will be above conversation-level just to get the needle to start moving, let alone dance around in any sort of pleasing or meaningful way. The low end needs at least one more 0 to the right of the decimal, preferably two more 0's. Or the reference wattage should be 1W, not 100W which is really-fucking-loud-insane. Why does this meter need to go up to 300W? Or better yet, just make it a typical VU meter that is agnostic to the volume you're playing and will adjust to 0db after a little bit of content is played. There are going to be a lot of disappointed buyers.
100% ! I have this one, and while it is good for testing different setups, the UV meters needs that volume knob turned way up to even move. Don't get this one for the UV meters that's for sure.
Sadly, I have to agree with the other comments on the VU meters. I really have to have the volume up loud to get any movement with the sensitivity dialed all the way up. Count me as one of the disappointed.
Better with a manual switch, so one is turned off before feeding the other, digital switching not for me . Then what is the wiring inside, your potentially breaking the signal of your speaker cables unless you buy double sets . Another break in the chain within the box .
I had the little bear but it caused noticeable distortion and I had to send it back. Maybe just a lemon or something to do with my setup. Reviews so far suggest this is transparent. I switch between solid state and tube amps, so a dummy load is useful to avoid damaging the tube amp. Does this have one? Now I use Solupeak switchers which are cheap and transparent, though no VU meters.
I think this would be great to be able to switch between a Home Theater receiver and a vintage receiver. Just have it switching the L/R pair. You could have a turntable and/or cassette deck hooked up to the vintage and digital components on the HT receiver.
Hi, I remember you asking for ideas for content on your channel. Long shot, and maybe a little difficult to organise but. Big but. I'm going to build some DIY speakers and I thought what if I sent them in to you to evaluate them to get your opinion? A lot of speaker building channels out there and it might help us hone in on what we would build if we could get your opinion. You might be able to collaborate with a few builders, build some yourself, some giveaways maybe best of year etc. Help some content makers out. Just a thought. Keep doing what you do, we love it and greatly appreciate your work.
I was going to buy this before but I remember reading in reviews that it affects the impedance of loudspeakers so I got cold feet but it does look a cool product with the meters.
I think that could be said about anything between the amp and the speaker but regardless of what it does this is a must have for me and I've never noticed anything adverse about using it
This looks good. The most important thing to me when comparing components is making sure the volume of both is the same because (to me) the one with louder volume almost always sounds better. If I were listening to two power amps (without volume controls), what would I need to do to get the volumes level equal?
There is also a similar device, NEOHIPO ET30, which has the same functions as these, with more light colors and functions to choose from. After ASR testing on professional websites, it was found that the quality is very high, and it will not affect the decoding or amplifier parameters at all. Can we compare and test together?
I use the Little Bear one in my desktop system. I use it to switch between a tube amp and a SS amp. I use the outputs to switch between speakers and headphones driven by an adapter cable. I can't imagine using my system without it.
Thank you so much!!! For so long I’ve been looking for a product like this. Immediately went to Amazon and bought it. Now, I just have to find a good explanation for my wife, why it was absolutely necessary for me to have it 😂
There's a few AMP/speaker switchers that are similar to this out there, but I wish they'd make one that could support more than two amplifiers!!!!! Apparently for that you have to get a switcher similar to the little one you showed, it ain't fancy, but it works! If they'd make a AMP/speaker switcher that could support at least three amplifiers, and at least two sets of speakers with blue lit VU meters, I'd be all over that! I've seen some of the manual ones that allow one to somewhat customize their usage, like three amps to one speaker, or multiple speakers and multiple amps, etc. That would be great if they allowed for some flexibility, perhaps the next model will.
Yes or split it. The Douk has a noticeable effect on sound by the way, I mean if you're picky, which you are if interested in this. It'll help identify the differences and then decide which is "best" but imo it's not good enough to leave in all of the time. Maybe the internal switch in this is better than the Douk. Randy says that it's better quality but singles out the casing. It's a great setup tool!
Me: "Hey babe, you know those speakers you can't stand, if I buy this device I can have more of them hooked up at once." Wife: "Awesome! You can hook them all up in your new apartment."
I thin.. (here maybe you can confirm) Have a 13-speaker system for movietheatre hooked to a Marantz AV. And in parallel a Cambridge Audio EVO 150 for music. as L/R speakers in my system I have the LS 50 Metas... I use the same speakers as the "music" speakers on the EVO. SO could I hook up 2 amps to this device and the same speakers? (only the 2 Metas). And then be able to switch to the Marantz when watching TV and to the EVO when listening to music on the EVO? (there is also a sub connected to both amps... but that one is connected simultaneously.. so I guess that could stay the same)
Will not this "add on" on any system cause some "noise" or undesireable sound artifacts or colouring? Considering that in audio you should take the shortest and purest way to deliver the signal from sources to amp and speakers, is this device still a good choice? Or are there any "simple and pure" cheap devices to acheive the same goal of selecting speakers/amp? Thanks, and keep the good work!
Nice, thanks for this! It seems like it could be a good option for switching subs back and forth from AVR amp to 2 channel amp set up (using high level inputs) that happen to be setup in the same room.
Looking at reviews... people seem disappointed in the sensitivity of the VU meters. What say ye? Thanks as always. EDIT: I figured it out... I think the people howling about the meters were looking for entertainment, not information. Ordered one, gonna see for myself. Edit 2: Overnight from Tokyo/delivered. I like it, very nice look and feel all around and the meters work just fine for me. Win, and thanks again for the heads-up on this one. Regards.
I'll never be able to afford more than one amp to use something like this but very interesting. I'm still at the stage as a retired person trying to get back into the hi fi world. Just so confused with all the choices. Looking for the best combination of amp, speakers, turntable, and a streamer for $3K-ish. Like the old school look of components and warm sound but just so confused by it all.
Douk Audio does something similar(with various VU meters). Very useful, but my main concern with this type of device is always how much noise does it introduce to the circuit and sound? If it's only a fraction would it smooth over subtle differences? What was your experience? Do we need an AB tester for the AB tester? 😂
Whatever it adds noise wise will be the same for both. Will it be enough to not be able to decide on a preference? Then the decision is so close as to not really matter. I would not leave it permanently in the loop though. Would I buy one, well if I had thousands to spend on new gear sure why not. Can always sell it on when done with it.
Hey Randy, thanks so much for all the information that you have been sharing with us here on your UA-cam channel and I wish you to grow bigger and bigger with time. Just one thing I wanted to bring to your attention and that’s because I would love to help out by making purchases on Amazon through your link so you get your commission. I was wondering if there is a way for you to send us straight to the Amazon app on our phones with your link instead of sending us to Amazon but on a browser instead. This happens to make things a little more complicated for us users since on the browser, it doesn’t recognize our account and we have to sign in in order to use it and make any purchase. If you find a way to make those links connect us straight to the app where everything is set up for us it would be so much smoother and easier for all of us to help out your channel with our purchases. Just a thought. Thanks a lot and keep up the great work
Randy, what's inside it? I'd be concerned it might colour the music if there's too much on the signal path. I know some others have tested poorly in that score. Really keen to hear your views.
@@cheapaudioman dammit Randy you were meant to say it knocks out some frequency response, now I've gone and ordered one so I can switch between my Naim Uniti Atom and my 6V6 based tube amp....
Whoa. I've got 3 pairs set up throughout the property and have to manually change things out in the back of amp everyday, usually several times a day. I'm worried friction is gonna wear things out. How does the Fosi effect sound quality I wonder? You know the whole adding another link in the chain thing. .
Randy, I'd love it if you would do one more test: without changing the system, listen with and without the switcher and see what it's doing to the sound.
Thanks!
I purchased this after watching your video. I received it yesterday and spend some time incorporating it into my system with much anticipation. It looks great, appears to be a nice build quality, but VU meters are worthless. I have to crank sensitivity up all the way and then volume to uncomfortable level to barely get the needle to move. Reading other reviews on Amazon (only a few because pretty new product) most mention the same thing.
It works well to switch amps and speakers but there are some trade offs to get that that are not worth it if the VU meters are worthless.
Trade offs:
- have to turn on and off a separate component
- I can’t listen to two amps and two speakers at the same time (yes, sometimes I do this)
- it’s another component that requires a lot of wiring (8 in / 8 out), with cable management and space
- approximately $150 cost with tax
All would be worth it if the meters worked. They suck so I will be returning.
That’s stinks it’s not working for your situation. The wiring is a pain. I just leave it on all of the time. I guess I’m just used to the wiring because I’ve been using switchers for so long
@@cheapaudioman thanks for your response. All the trade offs would be acceptable if the VU meters worked. The amplifiers I have hooked into the system are a Yamaha as801 and a Marantz 2230. The speakers are JBL L100 and Belle Klipsch. I don’t understand the sensitivity control if at turned up fully it will still not move the needle unless the volume is uncomfortably loud, and then it doesn’t move them very far. If I’m going to rock out that loud I want to see those needles jumping past half!
I was hoping I just had a defective one and I could return and get one that worked, but after seeing other reviews with the same complaint, I realized this is how they are designed. I do wonder if Fosi is aware of the issue and applied a fix to yours before sending it to you for review. I keep an open mind with Chinese offerings for HiFi equipment but sometimes they are their own worst enemy shedding the @cheapchinesecrap handle.
Thanks for introducing these products to us and I will surely try more items hoping for better results.
Ordered, 15% off and delivery around the 24th of March... Thanks for spending my money Randy!
How did you get the discount? I clicked on the link here but it's full price.
@@OldTooly When I ordered mine the other day, there was a 15% off coupon, it is no longer there, I just looked.
I remember using the VU METER / SPEAKER SWITCHER in the stereo shop soundroom, back in the late 70's.
Extremely useful for comparing speakers, but also the wattage inputs into tge epeakers. I was listening to more expensive speakers, to the ones that I could only afford. Imagine listening to only 1/2 to 1 watt / channel and still hearing incredible sound quality. Fast forward to today and I still require to win the lottery for my want system. I still own my 1979 stereo system.
As long as it still sounds good and let's you enjoy your music, there's nothing wrong with a good old system.
That said, yeah... The stuff I want is out of my reach too.
Please use your influence with Fosi to get them to make a 7 ch AV class D amp with 150-200W for the main speakers and 100W on the surrounds. No need for the .1 ch because most subwoofers are powered, and that would reduce the cost somewhat.Then, they might consider a preamp/dac/switcher (no tone controls) to match it.
That's a lot of power for a single chassis. You're better off going with separate components, if you want that much power.
The problem is going to be with the power available from an outboard power supply. A 24V, 5-amp supply is good for 70 watts per channel and most 24V chips are only good for about 50W per channel; even though it's a 120VA supply, the RMS power you can deliver into a load is limited by the peak-to-RMS ratio of a sine wave where Vrms is 0.707*Vpeak; the Vpeak is the 24V available from the supply. So you will need a 36Vrms power supply which is already not common, and then you will need multiples to make enough output to feed the amp full power on all channels. What you're describing is not impossible, it just involves compromises.
Ultimately by the time you bought enough Fosi amps to get 7 monoblock channels and upgraded them to get them loud enough for a real room and to fix the opamps, you can already buy an absolute ripper of a real class A/B Monoprice balanced power amp, and not need an entire cabinet just to hold the power bricks.
Bouncing needles and variable lighting improves sonic quality, depth, sound stage and the soul happiness of any audiophile. Thanks so much for your review and introduction to this piece of kit. Certainly added to the wish list. Stay well, brother. All the best.
THANK YOU!!! I already had the little bear in my cart, but quickly decided to buy the fosi instead. It actually looks really good! Keep up the good work, man. I appreciate you and the work you’ve put into bringing us relevant information and practical value enhanced products. It means a lot to those of us who love to listen. Thanks again, Rock on! 🤘🏼
No, you should trust your ears!
Attempting to disconnect an inductive load from a circuit while current is flowing is a recipe for damage. Electrical engineer here. Exercise care, friends.
The differences between two working amps are generally so miniscule that it's a moot point. The differences between two speaker types then again is substantial. We're speaking of differences of orders of magnitude.
*KAPOP* :(===
I could not agree with you more. That is the best way to do A/B testing, switching back-and-forth quickly. It makes the differences extremely obvious.
I own a bunch of computer KVM switches so this is right up my alley. I had a speaker switch box from Realistic in the 80s but lost it moving when I was in college. Awesome product recommendation Randy and I'm going to Amazon to order it now. Thanks man.
EDIT: Alan Rickman was not just some actor but an extraordinary actor in that one. (paraphrasing line from film)
it's so so useful for me
Just ordered, man I need this. Room is jammed with speakers and amps now I can slip back to the 70"s and bliss in my own demo room.
Thanks !
You already sold me the yamaha A-S301 along with the Polk Reserve R200, and they work very well together! But with this content quality, it's getting harder and harder not to be an equipment switcher every other week 😵 Thanks again for this amazing YT channel!
Thank you so much for watching. And if you love what you have then don’t worry about all of the new products… just enjoy the music
@@cheapaudioman Oh, that is just what I've been doing for the last weeks. Listening and rediscovering, thanks to this equipment. Really couldn't thank you enough Randy. Watching this channel is like going to a doctor you trust - you that everything is gonna be juuuust fine 😁
That reference @ 6.29 is TIGHT!
I would guess that the vast majority of buyers will use to hook up a stereo integrated amp and an av receiver to the same front speakers, currently that’s a pain to do, and almost always no remote control.
Thanks, this is exactly what I need! I presently have 2 amps & 2 sets of speakers that i want to switch between, plus it's gorgeous. I went to the link & they're sold out. I got one on ebay & whichever seller it was had 2 left. Similar price and said free shipping but I got charged ten bucks (I probably chose a faster shipping or something but maybe watch your checkout in case). It came to around $165 with tax & the $10-ish shipping.
Almost every Amazon reviewer says this thing is no good because the VU meters require insane volume to even move.
And that is why I returned mine.
And…they just look cool. Don’t be shy! They look awesome and take modern equipment look more vintage. ❤
I bought the Douk on your advice and it's one of my favorite devices. I don't use it daily because there's noticeable signal ephery. It's not a deal breaker for testing but direct wiring is cleaner. Maybe the Fosi has addressed that with better isolation? In any case I'll say right now that my Douk was a great purchase.
I'm curious about whether anybody else has noticed that you can easily see the difference between amplifiers with the meters. Some will bump crisply to the music, some swing wildly, and some are sluggish. Once I saw it I could listen for it and identify it by ear. That's where this device shined for me. The ability to "blind" test was great and somewhat surprising but much less ear opening. The ability to hot swap was a non player for me since I had enough components to mix and match a few complete systems. I didn't use it for buy-test-return which in hindsight would have been cheaper and very possibly better.
There is also a similar device, NEOHIPO ET30, which has the same functions as these, with more light colors and functions to choose from. After ASR testing on professional websites, it was found that the quality is very high, and it will not affect the decoding or amplifier parameters at all. I hope the blogger can test it together.
I instantly bought this, I love A/B-ing products and the remote is a game changer. I didn't know the VU3 had a remote. I got tired of getting out of my chair and changing it every time. The instant switching makes more sense to me when A/B-ing speakers and amps. I have the Soulspeak P3, but looks like I am going to sell that one. I bought it and then cancelled it because I forgot about the affiliate link, then re-bought it... haha
A speaker/amp switcher is certainly a useful device, to make "immediate" comparisons. And I think longer term comparisons, where you listen to an entire song/album(s) - can also be very useful.
Because, not all differences are the kind of thing that are "instantly" discernible, in my opinion. Here's why: when we listen to music that we love, in order to get the "actual"/complete experience/enjoyment from it - we listen to the whole thing. We can't get the kinds of things that might be changing to the overall flow of the whole song. The overall dynamic swings, the interplay of harmonies/rhythms, etc are not the sort of things you can hear in snippets.
I.E. it is not very enjoyable to listen to a snippet of music; and it is even less enjoyable to listen to the same snippet repeatedly. As you say in your tag line "binge listen and fill your soul with happiness" - the binge part is also very important to evaluating a new amp or speaker, etc.
Songs are a pattern of sound - and if there is a significant chord change, for example, that gives you a shiver - you have to listen to everything before and after that moment - to get the full effect of the moment it happens in the song.
Right on, Neil!
Purchased it on Sunday night during the zoom meeting. It still had the coupon for $15 off and 2 day delivery. Coupon is gone now and a 2 week delivery time. These things are moving fast and are number one in new release products.
Thanks for the recommendation!!!
Fosi: build this, (use a bigger cabinet as necessary), and put two ZA3 amps and power supplies inside with a preamp that has separate bass/treble/balance/volume controls. One piece - one price.
(If I've missed any worthwhile considerations, include them. Assume I don't want to buy *this* bit now and *that* bit later as an upgrade.)
Has everyone forgotten the mistakes from the 70’s? Loudspeaker comparison demos were just a folly.
When you have multiple pairs of speakers in the same room the speaker cores of the unused pair will vibrate and influence the sound in the room. These may even act like a passive radiator core and impact the low frequency response.
I can see I’ll be adding this t o my stereo equipment when I get back from traveling. Thanks Randy!
I have a speaker selector that has volume controls for each speaker. It also has more than two sets of speaker plugs.
That makes it even easier to compare speakers because I can dial in more volume for a particular speaker to compare the other characteristics other than just which ones louder. But, because I don't have a remote, I have to have my son flip the switch back-and-forth to do a reasonable test. I say reasonable because I can't put the speakers in exactly the same place as the other ones. So you just have to ignore that little bit.
I hope Fosi Audio makes the next one/optional version with even more speaker plugs and separate volume controls. If they wanted to go really crazy they could have bass and treble adjustment for each speaker also. 🙂
I love my Fosi LC30. I got one on Kickstarter. I'm going to be using it to A/B some ZA3's. I have 3 ZA3's and 2 are stock right now and one has MUSES02 op amps. I'm going to A/B a stock to MUSES02. If I feel like spending more, I might try some SPARKOS as well. Later I think I'm going to try to integrate it into my living room setup. I'd like to be able to set up 2 pairs of speakers that I can swap between...not sure if I will be using the same amp or 2 different amps as well.
Since speakers all have different sensitivities, you would need to be able to balance the sound levels to be identical. This is important. Otherwise, you will tend to prefer the louder speaker. There was a showroom in London that did just that, allowing a very positive assessment.
I'd get it just for the meters! I just picked up an old Audio Technology 510 LED meter (brings back memories of the 70s), but this is so cool...
I got the Douk Audio/One Little Bear switcher a couple years ago based on CAM’s recommendation and love that thing. Wish I had another one for the gear in my other system.
It's been scientifically proven that VU makes music sound better....😂
The data is irrefutable!
Aliens make music better!
Please, what is vu?
Dear preiter! Could you explain vu?!
@@GeirRssaak
Lmfao! You still using the same lines eh buddy?! 😂😂😂
I saw the ad and couldn't figure out what the heck this was for but you clarified it for me. It's a weird product for audiophile reviewers. Such a low frequency use case.
I just watched the video, thank you! (again), and am likely going to try one of these units out. One of the 'dangers' of amp/speaker selectors seems to exist in how they are grounded (ie. a dual mono amp (hk430 etc.) cannot be used with a common ground switcher. I will find the answer, but before I rabbithole I thought that I would ask if you knew.
Peace
OMG Randy!
SECRET product SAVES my money!
Please, be the old Randy...
Shows SOLD OUT / Unavailable on Amazon! I caved and pulled the trigger on the Fosi and another brand to compare, plus I have three tube amps and counting where I want to deploy the switchers, and the do look cool with the tube amps and mini HiFi gear.
Just ordered one. Bought it for the meters 🤣.
To me a switch box only makes sense if you wanna A/B test amplifiers or wanna have multiple amplifiers/receivers. Because speakers require specific placement and toe in and are not made to have other speakers standing right next to them or in front of them or behind them. So you’ll need to unplug and remove the other speakers anyway. 😊
Thanks Randy
Has anyone experienced the problem with the sensitivity described in Amazon reviews?
It is claimed that even at max sensitivity the meters barely move, at which point the volume is way too high.
I was turned onto your channel from Lenny at just audio and really like your videos. The switcher looks like a good value but I absolutely love the VU meters. It would be a cool edition to any stereo system just by using the VU meters alone. Keep the videos coming.
thanks! Lenny is awesome
I currently use my Douk VU3 (similar product previously reviewed by CheapAudioMan) to switch home theater 5.1 amp to a vintage stereo amp driving the same L & R speakers. I've used it to A/B compare speakers and amps that were so close in sound, I wouldn't have been able to notice a difference otherwise.
it pays for itself
So cool, saw the smaller one on Amazon. This one looks much nicer. Too bad it is sold out. Hopefully, they will resupply and they won't raise the price.
That's great for the studio also. I can setup near field and mid field with the same amp.
The switching system in the audio/ car audio rooms at Tweeter and other electronic shops made it so easy to compare products...... Alpine V12 car amps were way more musical than JL Audio Slash Series.
Man I almost forgot about those. Even Best Buy used to have all sorts of switching for speakers and headphones. Good times
Randy, unfortunately, I watched this video too late. I ended up buying the DOUK VU 3 because Amazon was out of stock. I, as well as many others, love your videos and your advice in upgrading yet saving money! Sincerely, Rich J.
Switchers themselves can also have an influence omn the music, so they can colour the music, so they can compensate for faillure or make sound worse even make everything worse like every switch can do depending on the material they use, so they have influence on the outcome of a blindtest, more electronic or switch parts more chance on problems!
Well I just subscribed! I thought of a use for me (Won't be cheap) My home theatre receiver has 4 THX modes and depending on which one I select the volume levels change between the surround speakers, so perhaps I get several of these then I can SEE the power with different THX and MACC levels. I was going to build something like this but this would be far less trouble.
Nice! This puts the emotive basx pt2 back in the running - was leaning towards a Yamaha largely because of a/b speakers, where emotive only has one set of speaker outputs, and I have two different sets of speakers - 1 for sitting facing the tv, another on a perpendicular wall for music listening and for the exercise machines in the back of the room.
very cool
If you A/B this connected Vs going straight you might change your mind. My Douk is noticeable. Imo it's tough to beat a good Yamaha.
I was hoping that you would be on top of this. I received an email from Fosi with this yesterday. It looks really cool.
Bought a NOS Radio Shack 4-way speaker switcher for $5. Don't need a remote. Don't need lights. Doesn't even need electicity. Maybe I should start a cheap audio channel. I think we need one.
A remote is real handy though. Sitting in the listening zone, AB track by track with full concentraction. Knowing that the ab switcher is of a quality high enough to not limit the testing. Fight me.
@@jondonnelly3 Yeah, if you don't have a kid to switch the speakers for you, knock yourself out. You're working hard to spend 5x as much (I found mine at Goodwill, on Amazon is seems to go for $20) for something you'll use HOW many times? (e.g. I haven't used mine yet. FWIW; and I'm one of the biggest whiners I know about ABX testing.) As far as the quality, the inch of distance for the electrical connection in the switcher is just... man, the minds of audiophiles. Do what you gotta do. ;-)
@@jondonnelly3 Nah just swap wires (j/k)
Love my VU3 as it presents a load to my tube amps even when not selected !!!
Thanks this answers a question I hadn't even formulated yet !
I think I can use one of those. I have a avr that I use for my home theater and a separate integrated amp I use for music. I even got rid of my kitchen table so I could have a dedicated listening area. But I need to consolidate it .
Sounds like you need a Stereo Amp with AV Bypass then just connect it to the AV Receiver then will have separate Music and Movies setup
@@Music.Movies.67 I don't have pre outs on my avr . I didn't think I would be needing anything more at the time.
I think people are going to need to listen pretty loud to get the needles to jump around. 1.2mW will be higher than conversation-level, so keep in mind that you need to get it pretty loud to even get the needle to move from rest. The reference wattage needs to be at 1 watt, not 100 watts.
Thank you for your suggestions, so you mean the needles should move to the peak with 1 watt signals to it?
Not sure if it's just My end, but I'm getting feedback from your audio.Anybody else having this issue another great review?Sir keep up the good work
Hi!
I have an ADCOM GIA-275 amplifier and two KLH AMES. In my living room.
I want to put outdoor speakers on my terrace. (I'm looking at some Klipsch KHO-7 or some ORIGIN ACUSTICS OS60)
What I need is to put a speaker selector (A/B or A and B). To be able to listen in both places or separately.
What do you recommend? Does this LC30 work?
Almost worth it for the VU meters alone.
right!!!
Good luck getting the VU meters to move. 1.2mW (0.0012W) for the lowest end is actually pretty high. That will be above conversation-level just to get the needle to start moving, let alone dance around in any sort of pleasing or meaningful way. The low end needs at least one more 0 to the right of the decimal, preferably two more 0's. Or the reference wattage should be 1W, not 100W which is really-fucking-loud-insane. Why does this meter need to go up to 300W? Or better yet, just make it a typical VU meter that is agnostic to the volume you're playing and will adjust to 0db after a little bit of content is played. There are going to be a lot of disappointed buyers.
100% !
I have this one, and while it is good for testing different setups, the UV meters needs that volume knob turned way up to even move. Don't get this one for the UV meters that's for sure.
Thanks for the replies. Interesting about the range on the meter.
Sadly, I have to agree with the other comments on the VU meters. I really have to have the volume up loud to get any movement with the sensitivity dialed all the way up. Count me as one of the disappointed.
I have jazz speakers and rock speaker, having a switcher has saved me from having to fool around switching wires.
Fosi Audio strikes again!
I use a TC-7240 so I can switch between the Decware amp and the Rotel. Also share the CD player, dac and turntable.
Better with a manual switch, so one is turned off before feeding the other, digital switching not for me . Then what is the wiring inside, your potentially breaking the signal of your speaker cables unless you buy double sets . Another break in the chain within the box .
I had the little bear but it caused noticeable distortion and I had to send it back. Maybe just a lemon or something to do with my setup. Reviews so far suggest this is transparent.
I switch between solid state and tube amps, so a dummy load is useful to avoid damaging the tube amp. Does this have one?
Now I use Solupeak switchers which are cheap and transparent, though no VU meters.
I have the Douk version it's great
I think this would be great to be able to switch between a Home Theater receiver and a vintage receiver. Just have it switching the L/R pair. You could have a turntable and/or cassette deck hooked up to the vintage and digital components on the HT receiver.
I need that to switch between my B&W 801s and 802s
Die Hard! 🙃 One of the best and sophisticated bad guy roles.
Nailed it
Hans gruber
anything with bouncy VU meters grabs my ears! just bought. $20 discount on right at the minute.
This is why I am subscribed.
This is actually exactly what i need and it looks awesome too!
Hi, I remember you asking for ideas for content on your channel. Long shot, and maybe a little difficult to organise but. Big but. I'm going to build some DIY speakers and I thought what if I sent them in to you to evaluate them to get your opinion? A lot of speaker building channels out there and it might help us hone in on what we would build if we could get your opinion. You might be able to collaborate with a few builders, build some yourself, some giveaways maybe best of year etc. Help some content makers out. Just a thought. Keep doing what you do, we love it and greatly appreciate your work.
I was going to buy this before but I remember reading in reviews that it affects the impedance of loudspeakers so I got cold feet but it does look a cool product with the meters.
I think that could be said about anything between the amp and the speaker but regardless of what it does this is a must have for me and I've never noticed anything adverse about using it
This looks good. The most important thing to me when comparing components is making sure the volume of both is the same because (to me) the one with louder volume almost always sounds better. If I were listening to two power amps (without volume controls), what would I need to do to get the volumes level equal?
There is also a similar device, NEOHIPO ET30, which has the same functions as these, with more light colors and functions to choose from. After ASR testing on professional websites, it was found that the quality is very high, and it will not affect the decoding or amplifier parameters at all. Can we compare and test together?
I use the Little Bear one in my desktop system. I use it to switch between a tube amp and a SS amp. I use the outputs to switch between speakers and headphones driven by an adapter cable. I can't imagine using my system without it.
they're awesome
Thank you so much!!! For so long I’ve been looking for a product like this. Immediately went to Amazon and bought it. Now, I just have to find a good explanation for my wife, why it was absolutely necessary for me to have it 😂
Fantastic!
There's a few AMP/speaker switchers that are similar to this out there, but I wish they'd make one that could support more than two amplifiers!!!!! Apparently for that you have to get a switcher similar to the little one you showed, it ain't fancy, but it works! If they'd make a AMP/speaker switcher that could support at least three amplifiers, and at least two sets of speakers with blue lit VU meters, I'd be all over that! I've seen some of the manual ones that allow one to somewhat customize their usage, like three amps to one speaker, or multiple speakers and multiple amps, etc. That would be great if they allowed for some flexibility, perhaps the next model will.
Good idea, thanks.
If I have separate DAC, I would need to change connections to secondary amp manually, right?
Yes or split it. The Douk has a noticeable effect on sound by the way, I mean if you're picky, which you are if interested in this. It'll help identify the differences and then decide which is "best" but imo it's not good enough to leave in all of the time. Maybe the internal switch in this is better than the Douk. Randy says that it's better quality but singles out the casing.
It's a great setup tool!
There may be a very loud pop when switching between 2 class D amps, or 1 class D and 1 class AB. Loud enough to damage your speakers.
It uses relays to switch amps and speakers, so no pop.
Cool thanks Randy!
He says coupin like I do... lol
I'm buying 10 of these.
Me: "Hey babe, you know those speakers you can't stand, if I buy this device I can have more of them hooked up at once." Wife: "Awesome! You can hook them all up in your new apartment."
I love your sense of humor!
Have you done a video on, which speakers have a warm tone suited too metal and rock music? coming in around $1200 US. cheers James
not yet but that is on the roster
@@cheapaudiomansounds good.
I thin.. (here maybe you can confirm) Have a 13-speaker system for movietheatre hooked to a Marantz AV. And in parallel a Cambridge Audio EVO 150 for music. as L/R speakers in my system I have the LS 50 Metas... I use the same speakers as the "music" speakers on the EVO. SO could I hook up 2 amps to this device and the same speakers? (only the 2 Metas). And then be able to switch to the Marantz when watching TV and to the EVO when listening to music on the EVO? (there is also a sub connected to both amps... but that one is connected simultaneously.. so I guess that could stay the same)
Will not this "add on" on any system cause some "noise" or undesireable sound artifacts or colouring? Considering that in audio you should take the shortest and purest way to deliver the signal from sources to amp and speakers, is this device still a good choice? Or are there any "simple and pure" cheap devices to acheive the same goal of selecting speakers/amp? Thanks, and keep the good work!
Nice, thanks for this! It seems like it could be a good option for switching subs back and forth from AVR amp to 2 channel amp set up (using high level inputs) that happen to be setup in the same room.
"We have forgetful hearing."
My spouse never forgets to remind me of this fact about myself!
Fortunately, when my spouse left, I forgot to get a new one.
too funny
@@tomcavanaugh5237 Amen brother
Thank you!
Douk Audio has the same I want to order.
Looking at reviews... people seem disappointed in the sensitivity of the VU meters. What say ye?
Thanks as always.
EDIT: I figured it out... I think the people howling about the meters were looking for entertainment, not information. Ordered one, gonna see for myself.
Edit 2: Overnight from Tokyo/delivered. I like it, very nice look and feel all around and the meters work just fine for me. Win, and thanks again for the heads-up on this one.
Regards.
I'll never be able to afford more than one amp to use something like this but very interesting. I'm still at the stage as a retired person trying to get back into the hi fi world. Just so confused with all the choices. Looking for the best combination of amp, speakers, turntable, and a streamer for $3K-ish. Like the old school look of components and warm sound but just so confused by it all.
I would like this very much, but I am worried it alters the sound quality. Also it would have been great if you had shown the needles at work.
How about amplifier load protection?
Just a heads-up, Denon is running 26% off their refurbished units. That means an AVR-S760H is $225
Does anyone know how to use this amp selector if I have a separate external DAC?
Your external DAC to amp to Fosi LC30 to speakers.
Douk Audio does something similar(with various VU meters). Very useful, but my main concern with this type of device is always how much noise does it introduce to the circuit and sound? If it's only a fraction would it smooth over subtle differences? What was your experience? Do we need an AB tester for the AB tester? 😂
Whatever it adds noise wise will be the same for both. Will it be enough to not be able to decide on a preference? Then the decision is so close as to not really matter. I would not leave it permanently in the loop though. Would I buy one, well if I had thousands to spend on new gear sure why not. Can always sell it on when done with it.
Sold Out on Amazon, great review, lol
Behringer DS2800 is a very useful tool for A/B testing
I had a custom built one to handle over 400 per channel. Just 2 amps 1 set speakers. Like 400 bucks. No vu meters. Dang.
Hey Randy, thanks so much for all the information that you have been sharing with us here on your UA-cam channel and I wish you to grow bigger and bigger with time. Just one thing I wanted to bring to your attention and that’s because I would love to help out by making purchases on Amazon through your link so you get your commission. I was wondering if there is a way for you to send us straight to the Amazon app on our phones with your link instead of sending us to Amazon but on a browser instead. This happens to make things a little more complicated for us users since on the browser, it doesn’t recognize our account and we have to sign in in order to use it and make any purchase. If you find a way to make those links connect us straight to the app where everything is set up for us it would be so much smoother and easier for all of us to help out your channel with our purchases. Just a thought. Thanks a lot and keep up the great work
Randy, what's inside it? I'd be concerned it might colour the music if there's too much on the signal path. I know some others have tested poorly in that score. Really keen to hear your views.
I've never really noticed any differences. I've had very expensive speakers hooked up to this and if it affected the sonics I wasn't aware of it
@@cheapaudioman dammit Randy you were meant to say it knocks out some frequency response, now I've gone and ordered one so I can switch between my Naim Uniti Atom and my 6V6 based tube amp....
Whoa. I've got 3 pairs set up throughout the property and have to manually change things out in the back of amp everyday, usually several times a day. I'm worried friction is gonna wear things out. How does the Fosi effect sound quality I wonder? You know the whole adding another link in the chain thing. .
Nicely Done.
Any rec's for a box to test 2 different Dacs ?
Thanks
Would really like to see your comparison and hear your thoughts on the difference between the Schiit Aegir 1 and 2.
Randy, I'd love it if you would do one more test: without changing the system, listen with and without the switcher and see what it's doing to the sound.
😂
Can someone give me some advice, which speakers would suit me best, since I bought the FOSI V3 and P3 amplifier and preamplifier?