Fosi Audio S3….serious streamer?

[jareinertson]

There maybe an addition of room correction in the app at a later date for those whom use it.

Personally I was not impressed with Wiim’s RCN (Room CorrectioN). It made my system sound just plain weird. I stuck to direct source with maybe a little EQ with Apo on the PC in the end. The PC being my main source component which in all fairness is probably still better than most streamers and certainly a heck of a lot cheaper.

The WiiM Pro+ RCN has worked great for me. Using the separate L/R option to address different room conditions for each speaker.

 

[Joe Smith]

Fosi is sending me one of the new streamers to test and compare to my WiiM. Looking forward to it. It may ultimately work well in my living room setup. Then I can continue to use the WiiM Mini for the sunporch system.

 

[morillon]

Fosi is sending me one of the new streamers to test and compare to my WiiM. Looking forward to it. It may ultimately work well in my living room setup. Then I can continue to use the WiiM Mini for the sunporch system.

The comparison is most valid when compared to a Pro Plus, for example...not to a modest Mini (and over 4 years old)

 

[Joe Smith]

I'm just a modest kind of guy...the Mini has worked fine thus far, but I'm interested to see what the S3 can bring to the table.

 

[morillon]

Certainly... but not really a comparison in my opinion... this is a product to compare to a Wiim Plus or Ultra... same type of product range, etc.
Furthermore, a distinction must be made between software and hardware.
Furthermore, a distinction must be made between software and hardware.

 

[SanojS]

According to what I can see, the DAC and analog stage is superior on the S3 vs the Wiim Ultra.
The opamp implementation should be better and it has higher voltage swing than the ultra. It has lower THD+N and lower distortion as well as better dynamic range. It also has XLR, if that's important to someone...

So SQ ceiling has higher potential in S3 vs ultra hw if I've read the specs and measurements on asr right (using other dacs with same chipset from Fosi as benchmark).
So if Fosi can sort out the streamer part then it'll be better than the ultra.

What I want is the ability to high-pass the mains out. Otherwise the sub out is completely useless unless you have a very basic or very old sub that doesn't have crossover control... Mine does so sub out without high pass would be equal to just putting a y splitter on RCA out...

 

[staticV3]

So SQ ceiling has higher potential in S3 vs ultra hw if I've read the specs and measurements on asr right (using other dacs with same chipset from Fosi as benchmark).
So if Fosi can sort out the streamer part then it'll be better than the ultra.

Both have noise and distortion that far exceeds what the human ear can perceive, so any arguments based thereon are moot from the get go.

Yes XLR is nice to have, but you can get the same immunity to ground loops and common-mode noise with the WiiM using the right cable.

If Fosi cannot match WiiM's DSP capabilities that enable drastic improvements in playback quality for every speaker and listening environment, then the S3 will be the inferior streamer even if its outputs measure negligibly better.

 

[morillon]

According to what I can see, the DAC and analog stage is superior on the S3 vs the Wiim Ultra.
The opamp implementation should be better and it has higher voltage swing than the ultra. It has lower THD+N and lower distortion as well as better dynamic range. It also has XLR, if that's important to someone...

So SQ ceiling has higher potential in S3 vs ultra hw if I've read the specs and measurements on asr right (using other dacs with same chipset from Fosi as benchmark).
So if Fosi can sort out the streamer part then it'll be better than the ultra.

What I want is the ability to high-pass the mains out. Otherwise the sub out is completely useless unless you have a very basic or very old sub that doesn't have crossover control... Mine does so sub out without high pass would be equal to just putting a y splitter on RCA out...

Wait until you see the measurement figures... the presence of the AOP1612, even though heavily promoted as a selling point, is unlikely to change the measurements compared to the 5534 in the Pro Plus... (which can, incidentally, be swapped for a few euros with the AOP1611, the single-chips of the 1612...). The S3 uses the same DAC as the Pro Plus.

Adc or digital outputs quality for this "s3"?

 

[morillon]

...........
Observe thd+n...
Here ... pro plus asym
S3 in asym?


Normal, same type/range of hardware approach than a "plus"... (with symetric output more)
(The S3 uses the """ same inputs and outputs""" as the Ultra... but the DAC hardware is like "plus"...)
But
Software????

 

[Schlippwhip68]

Just found out the S3 does not support the new Spotify lossless tier. Its does support Tidal and Qobuz lossless. I personally only use either Apple Music or Spotify when streaming so it looks like the S3 will have to be dropped from my list on this occasion. I am not sure if this can be fixed via an firmware update in the future but I would guess its unlikey.

 

[Joe Smith]

Just found out the S3 does not support the new Spotify lossless tier. Its does support Tidal and Qobuz lossless. I personally only use either Apple Music or Spotify when streaming so it looks like the S3 will have to be dropped from my list on this occasion. I am not sure if this can be fixed via an firmware update in the future but I would guess its unlikey.

I've written my contact there to see if this is on their radar for the update path for the device. From their product page, looks like they are continuing to work on many things for it. I would be pretty surprised if this does not get added in, given Spotify's market share...

 

[Schlippwhip68]

I've written my contact there to see if this is on their radar for the update path for the device. From their product page, looks like they are continuing to work on many things for it. I would be pretty surprised if this does not get added in, given Spotify's market share...

I would have thought it would be shrewd to do so given, as you say, the size of the platform.

Going to hold off for a while on anything else and see what Fosi do.

 

[Zetti]

Does this streamer allow variable digital output? I am a bit of a newbie but my intended use would be TV via HDMI arc and toslink output converted to AES to feed Genelecs. If I could control volume via TV remote it would be nice. For music streaming I would need the Fosi S3 remote, I believe.

 

[SoySalsaPicante]

Does this streamer allow variable digital output? I am a bit of a newbie but my intended use would be TV via HDMI arc and toslink output converted to AES to feed Genelecs. If I could control volume via TV remote it would be nice. For music streaming I would need the Fosi S3 remote, I believe.

Yes, it does this; volume control via CEC over ARC works fine.

 

[yuting]

Is that really a streamer or a preamp with streaming capabilities?

View attachment 516701
Where is the USB-C I/O?

Thank you for your interest in Fosi Audio’s streaming products,why you want a USB? you use the USB,to the host or link a DAC?

 

[morillon]

Maybe more for a hard drive, etc... (There are few DACs that only offer USB and not also a Toslink or coaxial input...)

And your internal DAC is intended to be like the one in the "Pro Plus Wiim"... sufficient in line with your ""position""..




Is a software version available for "discovery/trials" of the interface or functions without the S3 connected?

 

[Joe Smith]

Just found out the S3 does not support the new Spotify lossless tier. Its does support Tidal and Qobuz lossless. I personally only use either Apple Music or Spotify when streaming so it looks like the S3 will have to be dropped from my list on this occasion. I am not sure if this can be fixed via an firmware update in the future but I would guess its unlikey.

Fosi contact replied to me today that the S3 DOES support Spotify Lossless. I got my unit yesterday and did initial setup in my downstairs system, and it seemed to play Spotify just fine. I'll do more testing/listening today. The software as it stands is not as polished as the WiiM app, but it is OK, and they seem to have plans to improve it over the next two months, and also keep updating the firmware in the unit.

 

[Roland68]

Doesn't have it. People basically screaming for this in the Fosi community forum. Fosi is saying that S3 won't have USB I/O, but later models like the S3 Lite (more geared towards people planning to use an external DAC) and whatever the higher-spec model will be will also.

Come on Fosi, do better. It was looking pretty decent until I saw the lack of usb c and coax inputs. It seems like most dac / streamer makers have this issue - always leaving off one or two important inputs.

I want an all in one great device like the Wiim amp ultra could have been if it had included all the inputs (hdmi arc, usb c, coax, optical and rca) and a good headphone amp.

The USB port can easily be retrofitted using a DDC, such as the PO100 or U2PRO, for €35-60.
True galvanic isolation for USB is then included free of charge.

 

[Schlippwhip68]

Fosi contact replied to me today that the S3 DOES support Spotify Lossless. I got my unit yesterday and did initial setup in my downstairs system, and it seemed to play Spotify just fine. I'll do more testing/listening today. The software as it stands is not as polished as the WiiM app, but it is OK, and they seem to have plans to improve it over the next two months, and also keep updating the firmware in the unit.

Thanks Joe, great news!

 

[Schlippwhip68]

The USB port can easily be retrofitted using a DDC, such as the PO100 or U2PRO, for €35-60.
True galvanic isolation for USB is then included free of charge.

Yep! Same solution for SMSL SU2 users, it’s a valid cost effective workaround that even takes thing up a level.