Thanks for this review, in my mind Fosi and Aiyima are killing it right now when it comes to value for money. In the past I used to love NAD, but nowadays with my ears I can't justify the prices of NAD or Cambridge Audio components most of the time.
I broke down and bought one for $143 black Friday and I ordered a Alli express 5x52b op amp. I waited until today to swap it so I would know if it made a difference and it did make a noticable difference. I also just got a breeze super low noise linear power supply and with the op amp it sounds so good. I hear details I have never heard before and the bass seems to have more punch also it has less sibilance. I'm going to order a super capacitor switching power supply and add it to the chain. I heard it will raise the level another 10% my speakers are high end diy with good components and they are being brought to another level. I designed and built my own speakers so I could get the speakers that I wanted without spending a fortune. I really wanted a ladder DAC but I can't spend $1200 just like that so I settled for the fosi because I can upgrade. I'm happy with the sound and that is all that matters.
I recently did exactly the same thing you described. The JRC op amp in combination with a linear power supply. Very satisfied with the sound. I even think the sound is slightly better than the SMSL M500 mkii ,which i purchased based on your review.
Ah, M500 MKII was really something. I truly enjoyed it for quite some time. But technology advances and your new combo should reveal some more fine deteils compared to M500 MKII.
I’m looking forward to the video with the opamp tests! I recently bought this DAC along with Fosi V3 mono blocks that just arrived. They're paired with an Acoustic Invader preamp, which I purchased based on your review. After getting the speakers and preamp, I went a bit over budget, so I decided to go with these Fosi monoblocks. Since a new DAC with replaceable opamps from Fosi just came out and initial reviews suggest a lot of potential, I thought I’d give it a try. I can always adjust the sound to my liking. Right now, the DAC is running with Muse02 opamps, and I feel it's an improvement over the default ones. However, I'm a bit concerned that even with upgraded opamps, this DAC might still be too weak for the Acoustic Invader.
I'm using D6S currently and I've played the song that you've used in the review to evaluate the highs against the ZD3, what a fantastic music selection to test the highs as I think I know what you meant when you said it sounds glasslike, hitting the cymbals in that song indeed do tend to sound more like hitting something of glassy material rather than metallic with the D6S, I guess I can imagine now how the added texture with the ZD3 can be an improvement on this DAC when it comes to the highs, add the fact that you can further improve the ZD3 with op amps and an external power supply I can see why the ZD3 can be a compelling selection at this price, Thank you so much!
This was an excellent discussion! Thank you. I have a couple of audio systems already, but I could not resist what Fosi is offering. I just received the ZD3 along with two pieces of the ZA3. I liked the reviews on both that I have seen and I like the idea of being able to roll op amps on both. The ZD3 is the only balanced “preamplifier“ of sorts that Fosi offers at this point. I like the idea of using the balanced inputs and outputs of these two devices. It’s amazing that a two dollar op amp could make a nice difference in the sound of the ZD3. Now that you’ve had a little time, are there a couple of other op amps that you like? I’m not gonna be able to get the top of the line Sparkos or Burson right now as I’m also going to be getting a couple of op amps for each of theZA3s. If you or any of your viewers have any suggestions on op amps for both the ZD3 and the ZA3, maybe priced at $25 a pair, I’d be very interested. Thank you.
Thank you, that was really interesting. Great to see Fosi bringing some fun stuff to the market once again. If the HDMI ARC input can wake the DAC up, and that could reliably trigger the amp, it could solve one of my grumbles with my current media consumption system...
great review! i'm deciding to buy this one on Black Friday, but want to know if my burson v7 opamps on xlr out will make substantional improvements in this budget dac. please, do your opamps comparison ASAP :)) thanks
Great review! I always look forward to the thorough comparison of your test subject to other options that are similarly priced. Well done! Especially looking forward to your next video on how this ZD3 responds to various modifications! You’ve teased us with just enough info but not everything.
I much prefer the ZD3 to the sound of my $350 Topping E70 (non-Velvet) DAC. However, I and others have observed slight pops when switching inputs. Also, I am getting occassional drop outs which I assume is caused by the stock power supply. Finally, the tiny display makes it impossible to see which input is active from more than 1 meter away. Luckily, the remote has separate buttons to directly change inputs.
@@iiWiReviews Hvala na odgovoru. Mora da ti pohvalim kanal odlican je!! Isto tako moram da ti kazem da mi nedostaju (kao sto si imao ranij) uporedne testove kako se sve to cuje, ali znam da je sigurno tesko naci odgovarajuce pesme zbog autorskih prava, (a i pitanje koliko se moze docarati preko YT) Ovo ti pisem u cilju poboljsanja kanala i sta mene a tako i druge privlac. Veliki pozdrav!
hello, what is your opinion for type of sound of fosi za3+zd3 VS smsl raw-ha1? i have a chance to listen the smsl ha1 but never a fosi product. the priority for me is to have hdmi arc. i use it with monitor audio bronze 100. thanks
This is a very interesting dac, very affordable and very much available locally here in the Philippines. With that being said, I'm currently looking to expand my set up sir. I currently use a magni unity(no dac), loki mini+ and a old modi 3 running my first audiophile grade headphone the audio technica apos ath-r70x refine. I mainly use it to game and some music listening. Was about to get the xduoo mt 602 and the FiiO k11 r2r till I saw this vid. Between the FiiO and this, which would be better to get for the refine?
my ZD3 is out for delivery :) the ZA3 will be mine in january . but i'm hoping the upcoming ZP3 preamp will have balanced in and out along with RCA in/out and a headphone output . any idea if my wishes will be granted or do you know when it might be released ? ...... NDA probably has you gagged for a while though (: . take care dude :)
Dear Srboljub, could you prepare your own playlist on TIDAL, which would be a basis for us to compare equipment? Such a list has already been prepared by the HiFi Huff channel, but as I have been watching you for many years, your musical suggestions are better in line with what we should hear on the equipment. You also present more modern recordings. Thank you for your reviews - thanks to you I bought SMSL M500 and Musician Pegasus, I added an AES interface to RPI.
Pozdrav! Great review, I really liked the comparison with other similarly priced dacs. What do you think would make more improvement on the sound quality, swapping opal amps (Sparkos) on the dac (zd3) or the amp (za3). Cheers
I didn't try opamp rolling with ZA3 because there's only so much time... But in my experience, influence is usually bigger at the source. That's the DAC. Signal is lower in level and more susceptible to any kind of change.
Hi Really appreciate you for your efforts for people like us selecting a DAC... I am thinking that Is it worth buying Gustard R26 DAC in 2024-2025 as compared to some SMAL SU9 ultra, Topping D70's etc?? Arent DAC released in todays era better in technology ?? What is your take on it ?
R26 still sounds better than all others mentioned. It has bigger soundstage and greater dynamics. It achieves that by using big and really good linear power supply and also very robust output stage. That's something that costs money and doesn't change too fast with time and technology improvements. All that said, it is a diminishing return. The difference in sound is never as big as the difference in price is.
No big difference there, especially out of the box. We're talking about the same tier of performance with very slightly different flavors. Only adding different op-amps and power supply makes a noticable difference... So it's maybe best to think of it as a sidegrade with more potential for further upgrades.
@iiWiReviews I appreciated your quick response and you have the most informative DAC videos on u tube. I think I will wait and save for a topping d90111 discrete. Instead of making little upgrades I will just wait until I can get a dac with a big performance difference. Thanks again ✌️
Thank you for the reply I bought the fosi zd3 they sound slightly harsh even with preamp mode what can I do do make it softer, I have the option to return I am thinking of returning at the moment.
Yes it can. You just enable volume control on that small switch on the bottom of the device and you can use either the knob or the remote to control the volume.
Thanks for the thorough review. Looking forward to your opamp video. Once it burns in I have the ZD3 and generally like it. I also tried to upgrade the power supply to an IFI Power X. Although the Power X barrel connector looked identical to the one on the Fosi stock power supply, it would not insert. I am wondering what the correct power connector and polarity of the ZD3 is, (do I need an adapter) or if the problem is due to manufacturing tolerances.
Inner diameter is not the same but there is a fitting adapter in the iPower's box... It's among those that don't invert polarity. It's just a physical adapter that lets you connect them smoothly.
Ah, you're making me wonder now... I have both tips from iPower X and iPower elite. At this point I don't know which are which, but I always assumed they are the same for both. The one that fits had a white ring at the top of the barrel. I'm almost 99% sure it comes with X too. If not, or if simply got lost... you can get it on ebay or AliExpress for a dollar or something. Adapter is probably named 5.5/2.1mm to 5.5/2.5mm... Because only that internal size is different - 2.1 vs 2.5 mm
I agree chip is not everything. To have good texture and layering requires IMO audiophile distortion from Burson or Sparkos Op amp OR a linear power supply as distortion byproduct of linear power supply is 2nd Harmonic…same as tube amps
@ 2nd and 3rd order harmonic distortion is audiophile distortion. 2nd order is dominant with tube amps and linear power supplies. Third order is normally dominant with solid state Class A and some Class AB.
May people contact you via email regarding opamp donations made to you? I have some self-identified "gems" here with me, but second, third opinion would always be appreciated.
Hi. Thanks for a nice and generous idea. The thing is that I'm much more limited by the lack of free time than by opamp avaliablty. At this moment for example I have almost ten devices waiting for their turn....
it s a cheap little thing. maybe sounds ok but that does not mean it is a good device. you tube is filled with reviewers who that make everything look good. something like this is hyped. will be good enough for those spotify and soundbar people
This was an excellent discussion! Thank you. I have a couple of audio systems already, but I could not resist what Fosi is offering. I just received the ZD3 along with two pieces of the ZA3. I liked the reviews on both that I have seen and I like the idea of being able to roll op amps on both. The ZD3 is the only balanced “preamplifier“ of sorts that Fosi offers at this point. I like the idea of using the balanced inputs and outputs of these two devices. It’s amazing that a two dollar op amp could make a nice difference in the sound of the ZD3. Now that you’ve had a little time, are there a couple of other op amps that you like? I’m not gonna be able to get the top of the line Sparkos or Burson right now as I’m also going to be getting a couple of op amps for each of theZA3s. If you or any of your viewers have any suggestions on op amps for both the ZD3 and the ZA3, maybe priced at $25 a pair, I’d be very interested. Thank you.
I just love your stuff. It is of course difficult to review audio equipment on UA-cam but the way you describe sounds make it real. Very well done.
Thanks for this review, in my mind Fosi and Aiyima are killing it right now when it comes to value for money. In the past I used to love NAD, but nowadays with my ears I can't justify the prices of NAD or Cambridge Audio components most of the time.
I broke down and bought one for $143 black Friday and I ordered a Alli express 5x52b op amp. I waited until today to swap it so I would know if it made a difference and it did make a noticable difference. I also just got a breeze super low noise linear power supply and with the op amp it sounds so good. I hear details I have never heard before and the bass seems to have more punch also it has less sibilance. I'm going to order a super capacitor switching power supply and add it to the chain. I heard it will raise the level another 10% my speakers are high end diy with good components and they are being brought to another level. I designed and built my own speakers so I could get the speakers that I wanted without spending a fortune. I really wanted a ladder DAC but I can't spend $1200 just like that so I settled for the fosi because I can upgrade. I'm happy with the sound and that is all that matters.
I recently did exactly the same thing you described. The JRC op amp in combination with a linear power supply. Very satisfied with the sound. I even think the sound is slightly better than the SMSL M500 mkii ,which i purchased based on your review.
Ah, M500 MKII was really something. I truly enjoyed it for quite some time. But technology advances and your new combo should reveal some more fine deteils compared to M500 MKII.
Which linear power supply did you select?
@@greenbeginner3353 It is a Chinese no brand version called A32. I chose the A32-ii with a 5v and 12v output voltage.
I’m looking forward to the video with the opamp tests! I recently bought this DAC along with Fosi V3 mono blocks that just arrived. They're paired with an Acoustic Invader preamp, which I purchased based on your review. After getting the speakers and preamp, I went a bit over budget, so I decided to go with these Fosi monoblocks. Since a new DAC with replaceable opamps from Fosi just came out and initial reviews suggest a lot of potential, I thought I’d give it a try. I can always adjust the sound to my liking. Right now, the DAC is running with Muse02 opamps, and I feel it's an improvement over the default ones. However, I'm a bit concerned that even with upgraded opamps, this DAC might still be too weak for the Acoustic Invader.
I like how you can swap op amps in many different dacs now.
If you can please compare with the Aune X8 XVIIIth + Sparkos, you reviewed before.
Took the thoughts right outta my head.
If the fosi comes close to the VIII that would be great
Can the reviewer please respond to this
I'm using D6S currently and I've played the song that you've used in the review to evaluate the highs against the ZD3, what a fantastic music selection to test the highs as I think I know what you meant when you said it sounds glasslike, hitting the cymbals in that song indeed do tend to sound more like hitting something of glassy material rather than metallic with the D6S, I guess I can imagine now how the added texture with the ZD3 can be an improvement on this DAC when it comes to the highs, add the fact that you can further improve the ZD3 with op amps and an external power supply I can see why the ZD3 can be a compelling selection at this price, Thank you so much!
This was an excellent discussion! Thank you. I have a couple of audio systems already, but I could not resist what Fosi is offering. I just received the ZD3 along with two pieces of the ZA3. I liked the reviews on both that I have seen and I like the idea of being able to roll op amps on both. The ZD3 is the only balanced “preamplifier“ of sorts that Fosi offers at this point. I like the idea of using the balanced inputs and outputs of these two devices. It’s amazing that a two dollar op amp could make a nice difference in the sound of the ZD3. Now that you’ve had a little time, are there a couple of other op amps that you like? I’m not gonna be able to get the top of the line Sparkos or Burson right now as I’m also going to be getting a couple of op amps for each of theZA3s. If you or any of your viewers have any suggestions on op amps for both the ZD3 and the ZA3, maybe priced at $25 a pair, I’d be very interested. Thank you.
Excellent review. I love them adding a bypass output switch on the DAC. Fosi should use a bypass switch on its other products as well.
Thank you, that was really interesting. Great to see Fosi bringing some fun stuff to the market once again. If the HDMI ARC input can wake the DAC up, and that could reliably trigger the amp, it could solve one of my grumbles with my current media consumption system...
Nice review, Sir!
great review! i'm deciding to buy this one on Black Friday, but want to know if my burson v7 opamps on xlr out will make substantional improvements in this budget dac. please, do your opamps comparison ASAP :)) thanks
Great review! I always look forward to the thorough comparison of your test subject to other options that are similarly priced. Well done!
Especially looking forward to your next video on how this ZD3 responds to various modifications! You’ve teased us with just enough info but not everything.
This is actually a very impressive DAC for so little money.
When you do the review on the OP AMP rolling for the ZD3, please try the MUSE
🤗THANKS SRBJ for sharing this😎💚💚💚
Did you try it with the Sparkos OP-Amp?
I much prefer the ZD3 to the sound of my $350 Topping E70 (non-Velvet) DAC. However, I and others have observed slight pops when switching inputs. Also, I am getting occassional drop outs which I assume is caused by the stock power supply. Finally, the tiny display makes it impossible to see which input is active from more than 1 meter away. Luckily, the remote has separate buttons to directly change inputs.
Cao, kada ces Wiim Ultra da odradis? Bas me zanima tvoje misljenje! Pozdrav!
Nisam ga nabavio još uvek. Nakupilo se mnogo stvari, ne stižem sve što izađe. 🙂
@@iiWiReviews Hvala na odgovoru. Mora da ti pohvalim kanal odlican je!! Isto tako moram da ti kazem da mi nedostaju (kao sto si imao ranij) uporedne testove kako se sve to cuje, ali znam da je sigurno tesko naci odgovarajuce pesme zbog autorskih prava, (a i pitanje koliko se moze docarati preko YT) Ovo ti pisem u cilju poboljsanja kanala i sta mene a tako i druge privlac. Veliki pozdrav!
hello, what is your opinion for type of sound of fosi za3+zd3 VS smsl raw-ha1? i have a chance to listen the smsl ha1 but never a fosi product. the priority for me is to have hdmi arc. i use it with monitor audio bronze 100. thanks
Awesome 😎 👍🏼 video , would Bursons Vivid Pro opamps for inside ZD3, cause Bursons Vivid Pro opamps are a little taller than Sparkos
V7V fits
This is a very interesting dac, very affordable and very much available locally here in the Philippines. With that being said, I'm currently looking to expand my set up sir. I currently use a magni unity(no dac), loki mini+ and a old modi 3 running my first audiophile grade headphone the audio technica apos ath-r70x refine. I mainly use it to game and some music listening. Was about to get the xduoo mt 602 and the FiiO k11 r2r till I saw this vid. Between the FiiO and this, which would be better to get for the refine?
my ZD3 is out for delivery :)
the ZA3 will be mine in january .
but i'm hoping the upcoming ZP3 preamp will have balanced in and out along with RCA in/out and a headphone output .
any idea if my wishes will be granted or do you know when it might be released ?
...... NDA probably has you gagged for a while though (: .
take care dude :)
Dear Srboljub, could you prepare your own playlist on TIDAL, which would be a basis for us to compare equipment? Such a list has already been prepared by the HiFi Huff channel, but as I have been watching you for many years, your musical suggestions are better in line with what we should hear on the equipment. You also present more modern recordings. Thank you for your reviews - thanks to you I bought SMSL M500 and Musician Pegasus, I added an AES interface to RPI.
Hi, here's my playlist on Tidal, hope you'll enjoy it: tidal.com/playlist/56f10eac-6946-45f8-86d6-326d1be86177
Hi, if we only look at the sound, which one is better This one or the S.M.S.L SU-1 MQA MQA-CD??Thanks so much
Pozdrav! Great review, I really liked the comparison with other similarly priced dacs. What do you think would make more improvement on the sound quality, swapping opal amps (Sparkos) on the dac (zd3) or the amp (za3). Cheers
I didn't try opamp rolling with ZA3 because there's only so much time... But in my experience, influence is usually bigger at the source. That's the DAC. Signal is lower in level and more susceptible to any kind of change.
It makes sense, thank you for answering!
Hi Really appreciate you for your efforts for people like us selecting a DAC... I am thinking that Is it worth buying Gustard R26 DAC in 2024-2025 as compared to some SMAL SU9 ultra, Topping D70's etc?? Arent DAC released in todays era better in technology ?? What is your take on it ?
R26 still sounds better than all others mentioned. It has bigger soundstage and greater dynamics. It achieves that by using big and really good linear power supply and also very robust output stage. That's something that costs money and doesn't change too fast with time and technology improvements.
All that said, it is a diminishing return. The difference in sound is never as big as the difference in price is.
Thanks for the review, I was thinking about upgrading to the fosi zd3 from the smsl su1 do you think it's worth it?
No big difference there, especially out of the box. We're talking about the same tier of performance with very slightly different flavors. Only adding different op-amps and power supply makes a noticable difference... So it's maybe best to think of it as a sidegrade with more potential for further upgrades.
@iiWiReviews I appreciated your quick response and you have the most informative DAC videos on u tube. I think I will wait and save for a topping d90111 discrete. Instead of making little upgrades I will just wait until I can get a dac with a big performance difference. Thanks again ✌️
Please tell me your opinion :-
Is (laptop+ZD3 DAC) is as good sound as Wiim Ultra?
Comparation with topping D50 III? Please :)
Very similar sound out of the box. The only important difference in my mind is that you can roll op-amps with this one which can come in handy.
How is it compared to topping d50 iii & smsl d6s
06:21 vs SMSL D6S
Thank you for the reply I bought the fosi zd3 they sound slightly harsh even with preamp mode what can I do do make it softer, I have the option to return I am thinking of returning at the moment.
Great sharing.
good stuff
I'd rather want more inputs. And quick buttons to select these inputs as well.
Sometimes minimalism is taken a bit too far
Test vs Fiio k11 rdr. Same peice range
Can it be used as a preamplifier?
Yes it can. You just enable volume control on that small switch on the bottom of the device and you can use either the knob or the remote to control the volume.
@ thanks. Do you know of some good quality xlr cables to use with the Fosi?
Thanks for the thorough review. Looking forward to your opamp video. Once it burns in I have the ZD3 and generally like it. I also tried to upgrade the power supply to an IFI Power X. Although the Power X barrel connector looked identical to the one on the Fosi stock power supply, it would not insert. I am wondering what the correct power connector and polarity of the ZD3 is, (do I need an adapter) or if the problem is due to manufacturing tolerances.
Inner diameter is not the same but there is a fitting adapter in the iPower's box... It's among those that don't invert polarity. It's just a physical adapter that lets you connect them smoothly.
@@iiWiReviews Thank you very much. I will retry the tips supplied with the IFI Power X, although the ones I have didn't work at the first go-round.
Did you get the 12v version?@@jazzandcocktails7
Ah, you're making me wonder now... I have both tips from iPower X and iPower elite. At this point I don't know which are which, but I always assumed they are the same for both. The one that fits had a white ring at the top of the barrel.
I'm almost 99% sure it comes with X too. If not, or if simply got lost... you can get it on ebay or AliExpress for a dollar or something. Adapter is probably named 5.5/2.1mm to 5.5/2.5mm... Because only that internal size is different - 2.1 vs 2.5 mm
Got it to work.Thanks again.
I with rolled op amps how much better than Wiim Ultra
I agree chip is not everything. To have good texture and layering requires IMO audiophile distortion from Burson or Sparkos Op amp OR a linear power supply as distortion byproduct of linear power supply is 2nd Harmonic…same as tube amps
?
@ 2nd and 3rd order harmonic distortion is audiophile distortion. 2nd order is dominant with tube amps and linear power supplies. Third order is normally dominant with solid state Class A and some Class AB.
@@seanb3303 you are talking of a second order harmonic distortion and that is audiophile?
@@thepuma2012 for tube loving audiophiles….absolutely!
@@seanb3303 i guess I misunderstood, englsh is not my language but now i read it different and - understood.
❤
You remind me of transylvania
May people contact you via email regarding opamp donations made to you? I have some self-identified "gems" here with me, but second, third opinion would always be appreciated.
Hi. Thanks for a nice and generous idea. The thing is that I'm much more limited by the lack of free time than by opamp avaliablty. At this moment for example I have almost ten devices waiting for their turn....
Hdmi arc 😂 dolby and dts not supported! Only PCM. For TV it meens downgrade sound in tv))
it s a cheap little thing. maybe sounds ok but that does not mean it is a good device.
you tube is filled with reviewers who that make everything look good. something like this is hyped.
will be good enough for those spotify and soundbar people
This was an excellent discussion! Thank you. I have a couple of audio systems already, but I could not resist what Fosi is offering. I just received the ZD3 along with two pieces of the ZA3. I liked the reviews on both that I have seen and I like the idea of being able to roll op amps on both. The ZD3 is the only balanced “preamplifier“ of sorts that Fosi offers at this point. I like the idea of using the balanced inputs and outputs of these two devices. It’s amazing that a two dollar op amp could make a nice difference in the sound of the ZD3. Now that you’ve had a little time, are there a couple of other op amps that you like? I’m not gonna be able to get the top of the line Sparkos or Burson right now as I’m also going to be getting a couple of op amps for each of theZA3s. If you or any of your viewers have any suggestions on op amps for both the ZD3 and the ZA3, maybe priced at $25 a pair, I’d be very interested. Thank you.