FOSI Audio Q6 Stereo DAC Review

[staticV3]

It's cheap. Is that really fair?

How quickly we forget that the Topping E30 II, good as it was, wasn't perfect either:

View attachment 468279

This is supposedly improved on the E30II Lite.

Even if it wasn't, I'll take auto standby, remote control, switchable Nyquist filter, nice sample rate+volume display over inaudibly better jitter and rollable Opamps any time.

 

[Fleuch]

For a dollar more, a separate power connection, similar to the Topping E30 II, allows true USB/Co-ax/Optical data input options.

The Q6 DAC was obviously designed for use with a laptop (or similar device) where the USB power and data inputs use the same connection. A separate 5V power input may improve the measurements, but this is only possible if Co-ax or Optical sources are available for data input. As Amir notes "It was a bit challenging to minimize USB induced ground noise". Fosi have lost at least one potential purchaser on this design decision. Perhaps including cable splitting USB and 5V power would be one solution.

On the other hand compliments to Fosi for using the XMOS X316 development-free board - saving development costs and using latest hardware.

 

[totti1965]

They both use the AK4493 DAC chip and hence the same roll off in the filter.

But the WiiM Pro Plus with its AKM AK4493SEQ Chip has no such Problems - the Frequency response is perfectly flat!
I know, it’s not scientific, but I imagine to myself, that the WiiM Pro Plus alone sounds much better, than in combination with a SMSL D-6s with its ES 9039Q2 M Chip. Call it more musical, or more „organic“, even though the SMSL D-6s SINAD is 5 or 6 dB better than the SINAD of the included DAC of the WiiM Pro Plus.

 

[SoySalsaPicante]

An adjustable high-pass filter on the main outputs instead of a sky-high fixed low-pass filter on the sub output would have made this thing make a lot more sense. A digital volume control/preamp on top of that would have truly made this a complete package. Missed opportunities.

 

[Wesseling Audio Lab]

I'll Take E30II lite but if it was $45ca I'd buy now. I would like the simplicity in a particular system but not for the price

 

[audiofun]

This is supposedly improved on the E30II Lite.

it is not. see https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...30-ii-lite-dac-review-and-measurements.47518/

 

[Herbert Shooler]

A budget DAC whose SINAD beats the Chord Dave,lol,lol,another lightening bolt of insight from the mighty Amir,made my day as I know and have tried to talk someone out of buying the Fraud Dave,(but I failed) I can send him this link,now,lol

 

[TurtlePaul]

The input switch knob is definitely overkill and eyesore. Most people never switch inputs during normal use, a small button to flip through inputs is fine as long as the selection persists across power cycling.

It is clearly designed to be ‘stacked’ below a Fosi v3 amp. There is no other reason for the switch design or the comically long shell.

 

[Joe Smith]

It’s an ok product, the SW output is weird as others have noted. I went back to using my JDS Labs Atom+ for the most part.

 

[Zamiel]

"I am not sure who sent it to me" XD

 

[Koeitje]

The input switch knob is definitely overkill and eyesore. Most people never switch inputs during normal use, a small button to flip through inputs is fine as long as the selection persists across power cycling.

I love big switches, my DAC/Headphone amp has a teeny tiny little switch that switched between pre-out/line-out/hp-out. If I'm not careful switching between pre-out and hp-out I feed my speakers a line level signal.

 

[Billy Budapest]

Decent for the price, thanks for the testing.

Pic;

View attachment 468272



JSmith

I wonder what feature is missing from the big open area on the PCB? Bluetooth sub-PCB, maybe?

 

[Billy Budapest]

Let the Q6 op-amp rolling thread begin !

Hopefully not. We don’t need any voodoo discussions!

 

[MCH]

I wonder what feature is missing from the big open area on the PCB? Bluetooth sub-PCB, maybe?

There is a footprint for a ufl connector so yeah, I guess it is a Bluetooth module

 

[SuicideSquid]

Can't do much better for under $100 than "almost perfect".

 

[RogerSmith]

Nice little unit, even with subwoofer output. Many pieces of gear which are about 10 - 100 time more expensive and also that much heavier don't measure as good, quite some achievement.

 

[Billy Budapest]

There is a footprint for a ufl connector so yeah, I guess it is a Bluetooth module

You are right! I had to look up what the footprint for a ufl connector looks like and it is spot on.

 

[Graham849]

You are right! I had to look up what the footprint for a ufl connector looks like and it is spot on.

I just had an argument with Grok 3. It insisted Bluetooth was valid input source for Q6. It finally agrred with me. Chatgpt had no such delusion.

 

[MrOtto]

Just having an output to connect the subwoofer is useful. And since you will use the filter in the powered sub under 150hz, most likely 80hz, it will not interefere with practical use of the powered subwoofer.

 

[delta76]

A budget DAC whose SINAD beats the Chord Dave,lol,lol,another lightening bolt of insight from the mighty Amir,made my day as I know and have tried to talk someone out of buying the Fraud Dave,(but I failed) I can send him this link,now,lol

that was not a very high bar