Fosi Audio Merak CD player ($149?)

[VientoB]

Photo from their facebook page. Not much info on it yet. $149, Cheap Audio Man mentions it in his latest video. Seen at AXPONA 2025.

 

[mhardy6647]

Looks sort of QUAD-esque.

(random, borrowed Internet photo. The only QUAD products here are electrostatics. I would not mind having some of their classic electronics, too)

 

[fuzzy_logic]

I think most of the Fosi devices look great, but first impressions of this are not good

 

[mhardy6647]

I think most of the Fosi devices look great, but first impressions of this are not good

How so? Do you mean aesthetically? Or otherwise?

If the former: De gustibus non est disuptandum. It looks quite nice to me (FWIW), although the plastic cover for the CD drive itself looks like it might be cheap looking "in real life".

 

[Bleib]

Very retro, OK price

 

[VientoB]

How so? Do you mean aesthetically? Or otherwise?

If the former: De gustibus non est disuptandum. It looks quite nice to me (FWIW), although the plastic cover for the CD drive itself looks like it might be cheap looking "in real life".

There are a few details it would be nice to see improved. The lid and the buttons perhaps. I hope the buttons have a nice feel to them when pressed.

 

[mhardy6647]

There are a few details it would be nice to see improved. The lid and the buttons perhaps. I hope the buttons have a nice feel to them when pressed.

Excellent points!

 

[eddantes]

De gustibus non est disuptandum - Indeed! If I was going to steal a colour scheme and a design language, Quad would not be my first choice... I would have aimed a bit more east

 

[mhardy6647]

De gustibus non est disuptandum - Indeed! If I was going to steal a colour scheme and a design language, Quad would not be my first choice... I would have aimed a bit more east

View attachment 444482

Or... they could've gone for the gusto.

 

[eddantes]

Or... they could've gone for the gusto.
View attachment 444485

Ahh the Searsantz! Not unlike the JVCtosh

 

[fuzzy_logic]

How so? Do you mean aesthetically? Or otherwise?

If the former: De gustibus non est disuptandum. It looks quite nice to me (FWIW), although the plastic cover for the CD drive itself looks like it might be cheap looking "in real life".

Yes, purely aesthetically. It may have all the features that are important to me in a cd player - gapless playback, digital display, quiet operation - but I won't buy it if it I don't like the look of it. I just think it looks a bit cheap, the buttons remind me of an old cassette player, also it doesn't match the colour of other Fosi devices.
That's just my opinion though, and I'm maybe being unfair until we see some better quality photos!

 

[Martin]

I like it... And it looks like they may have a little Nixie tube VU meter, too. Looks like they're going with touches of orange on many of their components.

Martin

 

[Mart68]

I like the looks a lot - that dial is a bit Nagra, the grey and orange is a bit QUAD.

If there was nothing made of plastic on it I'd want it but not going to be at $150, which is fair enough.

 

[mhardy6647]

I like the looks a lot - that dial is a bit Nagra, the grey and orange is a bit QUAD.

If there was nothing made of plastic on it I'd want it but not going to be at $150, which is fair enough.

I was just going to note that, absent the (aforementioned) QUAD colors (previously noted), it is quite Nagra-esque as well.

 

[Somafunk]

Dunu’s Concept R CD player looks very good in an industrial/functional design style, shame it’s $750 ish and limited edition/all sold out. If they drop the r2r nonsense and the class A/AB switchable mode then perhaps it could be made for $350 ish, in that case I “could” be interested if the measurements stack up.

DUNU’s Concept R is a retro-futuristic portable CD player (and I want one) | Darko.Audio

If the CD is dying, why are so many hi-fi manufacturers introducing new CD players?

darko.audio

DUNU on Instagram: "CONCEPT "R" "R"etro Precision CNC chassis crafted from aerospace-grade aluminum, ensuring top-tier build quality Retro-inspired digital slider for precise volume control, reminiscent of classic hi-fi aesthetics Intuitive single-bu

106 likes, 5 comments - dunu_topsound on December 13, 2024: "CONCEPT "R" "R"etro Precision CNC chassis crafted from aerospace-grade aluminum, ensuring top-tier build quality Retro-inspired digital slider for precise volume control, reminiscent of classic hi-fi aesthetics Intuitive single-button...

www.instagram.com

 

[Brian Hall]

I do not like the design at all. Fosi's other stuff (that I have seen) looks great. This is a bad color with tacky cassette tape looking buttons.

Why put a headphone jack and Volume control on a CD player unless it is intended to be a portable battery powered unit?

I would not want that in my desktop setup. What I really want is something like a half sized Audiolab 6000CDT. A simple, plain looking CD transport only with a reasonable sized remote.

 

[telemike]

I do not like the design at all. Fosi's other stuff (that I have seen) looks great. This is a bad color with tacky cassette tape looking buttons.

Why put a headphone jack and Volume control on a CD player unless it is intended to be a portable battery powered unit?

I would not want that in my desktop setup. What I really want is something like a half sized Audiolab 6000CDT. A simple, plain looking CD transport only with a reasonable sized remote.

Shanling CR60

 

[crinklywrappr]

I spoke with a rep @ Axpona and he said the Merak could act as a transport, so you can do digital out to a separate DAC.

A Fiio rep told me they're working on a successor to the DM13 that will also act as a transport.

I wondered afterward if we had understood each other correctly. But this is good if true.

 

[fuzzy_logic]

The DM13 can already act as a transport, as it has optical/coax out.

 

[DSJR]

Looks sort of QUAD-esque.

View attachment 444131
(random, borrowed Internet photo. The only QUAD products here are electrostatics. I would not mind having some of their classic electronics, too)

I need an excuse to get my 33/303/FM3 back out for a spin. This kind-of colour match does look 'interesting' I have to say A variable output would suit this old too-sensitive preamp as well, as I have left the original gain structure alone.