Fosi Audio SP601 2-Way In-room Bookshelf Speakers for Home Theater/TV/Desktop

[thewas]

Since it seemingly doesn't have a thread yet, EAC just posted its measurements and review in YT:

Summary of the Review Video of Fosi Audio SP 601 Bookshelf Speakers:

The reviewer gave a negative and honest assessment of the Fosi Audio SP 601 bookshelf speakers, despite preferring not to deliver bad reviews. After trying various placements and setups, they were consistently dissatisfied with the sound and found it confusing and hard to diagnose. They initially suspected a wiring issue but ruled that out.
Upon reviewing the speaker's measurements, the flaws became clearer:

• Midrange is recessed
• Upper mids and highs (around 4–6 kHz) are sharply boosted, leading to sibilance and edginess
• Bass rolls off early, around 70 Hz

These multiple frequency response irregularities made it hard to pinpoint a single issue. EQ adjustments improved the sound somewhat, confirming that the design is problematic but partially correctable.
The speaker specs:

• Two-way bookshelf design
• 6.5” woofer with paper/aluminum cone
• 1.5” silk dome tweeter
• 85 dB sensitivity, 4-ohm impedance, 80W RMS power

Measurements revealed:

• Hollow-sounding midrange
• Highly irregular frequency response with alternating dips and boosts
• Room reflections and sidewall issues, making EQ alone ineffective
• Mild enclosure resonance, likely due to poor internal damping
• Compression and distortion at higher volumes, especially around the crossover

The speaker requires a subwoofer, benefits from EQ, and likely needs sidewall absorption to sound more natural. Even then, it’s still limited by its design.
The reviewer compared it unfavorably to the Triangle Borea BR03, another speaker they didn’t like due to inconsistent response curves.
Finally, the video included a brief unsponsored plug for dog ear-cleaning wipes (EarthRated), a sound demo, and standard YouTube support appeals (Patreon, affiliate links).

Bottom line: The SP 601 is a deeply flawed speaker whose issues are complex and overlapping. EQ and room treatment help, but it still falls short of expectations.

 

[kyuu]

It seems knowing how to make good budget amplifiers does not translate into knowing how to make good budget speakers.

 

[SlowJim]

Good to know about the dog ear cleaning wipes

 

[Matt_Holland]

The old classic, let’s not do baffle step correction to save money and so our sensitivity number looks ok.

 

[kyuu]

The old classic, let’s not do baffle step correction to save money and so our sensitivity number looks ok.

Hey, that can work out great (when you have an infinite baffle).

 

[kemmler3D]

I was going to post this because I didn't see the thread...

It's really too bad, Fosi does great work in electronics and so expectations for their speaker were high. But especially in the wake of the Ascilab releases, and what looks like a promising active speaker coming from Edifier in the same price range, it would be very hard to recommend these.

They LOOK really sharp. Big points for industrial design. But whatever engineering practice they used to design these clearly did not pan out.

I hope Fosi can crack the code with any future speaker releases.

 

[Heinrich]

Hey, that can work out great (when you have an infinite baffle).

Or a real bookshelf, filled with books from the antiquarian bookshop. It's easy, if you don't pick only from the high-brow classics, especially math/ books are dirt cheap.

I'm serious about the former. The shown amplitude frequency response looks pretty much like according simulations in/out of a shelf, filled. Practically the equalising effect was confirmed also. Alas, with books, in contrast to an infinite baffle, there is a certain roughness left, about +/- 1,5dB, but it varies with direction, is densely disributed, and after all subjectively no propblem in my ears.

Coming back to the latter, who is willing to keep books today, though?

 

[Sokel]

This 5kHz response is the absolute horror story.
Combine it with one-tone bass, thin midbass and inability to follow dynamics and it can easily be put to the pantheon of "better listen to a nice chainsaw" .

No visible screws though, I'll give it that!

 

[unmutual]

The graph looks like a Tour de France course height profile

On another note: ENOUGH ALREADY withe AI summaries! If you can't be bothered to write in your own words, then why bother posting at all?

 

[Heinrich]

ENOUGH ALREADY withe AI summaries!

, AI is just embarrasing

On the Tour De France parcours, it looks pretty much like the speakers were designed to play from within a well filled bookshelf. In a simulation that was readily at hand, the interferences with edge de/reflection came to the right frequencies with width of 18cm. Conversely, all would be halfway bearable once placed in that shelf. They are not standmount speakers.

In shelf:

standing free:

 

[NotInYourHead]

Aiyima, another Chinese "manufacturer" (pretty sure they're mainly rebrands) of budget amps and DACs, has also released its first speakers, including bookshelf/desktop speakers at competitive prices to Edifier MR3/MR4. Would be interesting to see them tested.

 

[daniboun]

In the same category, the SMSL TABEBUIA speakers seem to perform better check measurments

L7Audiolab - Review of SMSL Tabebuia

年初时候知道SMSL要出一款平价的音箱，因为之前对一系列小箱子深感失望，最终逼着我自己去按照资料（以及某家那边买的单元）搞了一对3/5A。所以对于一款平价的、高完成度的箱子有着很深的期待。期间联系了几次SMSL，对方表示因为疫情原因……产品鸽了……终于……在这7月我拿到了这对箱子

www.l7audiolab.com

 

[Doenerkunde]

In the same category, the SMSL TABEBUIA speakers seem to perform better check measurments

L7Audiolab - Review of SMSL Tabebuia

年初时候知道SMSL要出一款平价的音箱，因为之前对一系列小箱子深感失望，最终逼着我自己去按照资料（以及某家那边买的单元）搞了一对3/5A。所以对于一款平价的、高完成度的箱子有着很深的期待。期间联系了几次SMSL，对方表示因为疫情原因……产品鸽了……终于……在这7月我拿到了这对箱子

www.l7audiolab.com

Pretty expensive Wavecor drivers in this one. Probably something like WF118WA07/08 woofers and TW022WA02/04 tweeters. Would cost the DIYer nearly 300 bucks for the pair.