Fosi Audio TB10D Amplifier Review

[dpuopolo]

is it possible that you bougth the old version?

Nope. I double checked. This amp has what sounds like a badly gated quantization 'crackle' around each syllable that is quite distracting! It's especially noticeable (BAD) with speech - kind of like a poorly tracking DBX decoder. I have used the same exact Echo Dot 4 with other amps (Including the Aiyima A07 and T9) and this problem doesn't happen. When I plug a headset into the Echo it isn't there. Frankly, I have never heard anything like this before with an amplifier.

EDIT: So I came back home tonight and the problem appears to be gone. Why I have no idea.

 

[4Real]

Thanks for the reply Fosi, however I don't put much credence in his "reviews" anyway... the only thing of note in the first one was the power plug arcing comment and that is easily solved by turning on the power after connecting the plug. Best of luck in further development of your companies audio products.


JSmith

lmao. another "audiophile" offended by the cheap audioman !

 

[JSmith]

offended

Credence doesn't mean offended...

it is far more important to listen to the equipment with the other components that you will be using and in the room that you will be using it in than any test measurements.

JSmith

 

[kaopad999]

lmao. another "audiophile" offended by the cheap audioman !

Randy, is that you?

 

[BDWoody]

lmao. another "audiophile" offended by the cheap audioman !

Another new member here to troll!

A few 'cry for attention' posts were deleted, and you have a little time off to figure out if you want to participate in good faith or not.

 

[Doodski]

Another new member here to troll!

A few 'cry for attention' posts were deleted, and you have a little time off to figure out if you want to participate in good faith or not.

Thanks muchO @BDWoody. That guy was a jerk de jour.

 

[Hammy4theWin]

Device "reviewed" by Cheapaudioman some months ago and he absolutely trashed it. Complained about noise and unit sounding bad. Different strokes, I guess but I am still curious to hear comments from users that actually listened to it Here is a link FYI:

I just watched his review on the "upgraded version". He seems very pleased with it - and the company!

 

[TonyJZX]

As much as I want to deride the abilities of Randy, the reality is that if he can hear the difference between the old and new and its that pronounced well you can expect there to be some wide margin of difference.

Further we can expect it to measure differently if its that audible? I mean honestly for $100 delivered... for 40w of clean power. Cant really expect much more.

 

[Hammy4theWin]

Rule #1 is to never listen to reviewers who make money from the items they review.

From his videos:
If you click on this link and sign up for a free trial I will receive a small referral fee.
If you use any of my links to purchase products I will receive a small commission on the sale of that item. Won’t cost you any more to purchase with the link.

Often it is phrased as "if you use any of my links to purchase products that I have reviewed, I may receive a small commission on the sale..." which is fine especially if it is a smaller channel such as Erin's Audio Corner.

 

[JayGilb]

Often it is phrased as "if you use any of my links to purchase products that I have reviewed, I may receive a small commission on the sale..." which is fine especially if it is a smaller channel such as Erin's Audio Corner.

I would never personally use an affiliate link to purchase if it went to a specific product. Erin's affiliate links go to the the general site page and this allows the user to make the final decision.

I prefer to use Patreon as my method to support my favorite channels or sites.

 

[TonyJZX]

but the reality is that if Randy or any youtuber were truly scumbag they would be like a few traditional magazines... let's say "Monophile" as example who always give good reviews...

at least some youtubers do give the occasional bad review.... further if you're selling an amp for $100 and you get a cut I mean, how much do you care about that commission if you give a good review to a bad product?

I do get people dont want to give any credit at all to any reviewer but at least to me, I dont mind listening to someones' subjective opinion.

 

[JayGilb]

I do get people dont want to give any credit at all to any reviewer but at least to me, I dont mind listening to someones' subjective opinion.

I listen to subjective opinions from a lot of reviewers, but people who perform actual measurements will always be the ones whom I trust.

 

[Talisman]

I look at randy's reviews from time to time, mostly because I find him nice, he makes me smile, but I wouldn't choose an audio component based on one of his reviews.
But I am glad that he is there, that he is free to make his "sponsor" jokes and that a good audio component should not cost more than a romantic evening for two in a nice restaurant.

 

[kaopad999]

I look at randy's reviews from time to time, mostly because I find him nice, he makes me smile, but I wouldn't choose an audio component based on one of his reviews.
But I am glad that he is there, that he is free to make his "sponsor" jokes and that a good audio component should not cost more than a romantic evening for two in a nice restaurant.

Yes, i agree, he is good for entertainment

 

[Hammy4theWin]

It would be nice if we could all agree that a diversity of voices in any hobby - be it audio or any other - is a good thing. What bothers me about the hobby is the snobbery (or "reverse" snobbery). But this is nothing new. Many years ago (before the internet was much of a thing) my hobby was photography. I purchased several photographic magazines for various reasons. When it came to equipment reviews - especially lens tests - I preferred Popular Photography. Objective tests have always been important to me but if something feels good enough or sounds good enough then go ahead and buy it. I still have Eosone RSA 100 satelite speakers from 1998. They weren't my first choice due to financial restrictions but they have served me well for more than 20 years. Not bad for $600. Today - even with inflation - $600 could buy a pretty decent pair of speakers. This is a good thing.

 

[Hammy4theWin]

I listen to subjective opinions from a lot of reviewers, but people who perform actual measurements will always be the ones whom I trust.

Objectivity and Subjectivity don't necessarily have to be at odds. Without subjectivity, there would be no art. Without objectivity there would be no reason. Both are important in my book.

 

[dpuopolo]

I look at randy's reviews from time to time, mostly because I find him nice, he makes me smile, but I wouldn't choose an audio component based on one of his reviews.
But I am glad that he is there, that he is free to make his "sponsor" jokes and that a good audio component should not cost more than a romantic evening for two in a nice restaurant.

I kind of agree with you because at least I hope he influences you. I do a daily (Mon-Fri) deals listing at thebdr.net (shameless plug). It's a radio tech site. As such, I frequently audition equipment for myself (I like to believe I have a decent ear because I've been building great sounding radio stations for decades, but mostly because my two teenaged daughters have been in the Philadelphia Girl's Choir for many years and live acapella music fills my house all day, every day). I find my opinions match his more often than not. That said, I also appreciate measured results as well (Radio has always been based upon measured results because for years we were required to do annual proof of broadcast performance measurements). Along the way I've also built tons of HiFi gear, including Williamson tube amplifiers using 807 tubes, discrete FET preamps and more opamp designs that I will ever remember. My point is simply this: I've been in HiFi for over 50 years, and frankly the current state of HiFi offers the highest value that I have ever seen! And not just amplifiers - look at what you can buy for a couple hundred dollars DAC, speaker and headphone wise. Randy simply finds the best values and lets people know about them. What's wrong with that?
I think that HiFi has split from two to three different branches - the cheap (Not really HiFi) stuff like 2.1 speakers, soundbars, all in one audio systems and Bose. Next (And this didn't really exist before) is what I call Mid HiFi (As opposed to mid fi) which includes companies like Emotiva, Fosi, Aiyima, JDS Labs, Schiit, Monoprice, SMSL, Topping and some others, combined with speakers like Jamo, the cheap Elacs, Sony, the Andrew Jones Pioneers and those other high value speakers mostly sold on Amazon. Finally we have the "Top End" which everyone that has ever read Stereophile already knows about (Megabuck stuff - though companies like Benchmark have shown it really doesn't have to be super expensive). Randy (And I) focus on the Mid HiFi segment, which does represent the highest value that HiFi offers. And that's a pretty good place to be.

 

[Graham849]

@dpuopolo this:

'My point is simply this: I've been in HiFi for over 50 years,
and frankly the current state of HiFi offers the
highest value that I have ever seen'​

100% sir!​

​

 

[dpuopolo]

I figured out the noise problem with this amplifier: Its external power supply. The noise came back, so I took the 32 volt supply from my Aiyma A07 and tried that. The noise not only disappeared, but I swear the amp is even quieter then when the noise was gone. So I guess I'll be sending the amp back, unless Fosi is willing to just send me another supply. This amp is synergistic with the Jamo S803 speakers for two reasons: Amir's measurements show its bass power output is higher than most digital amps & this speaker loves that extra power and finally because it's "U" smiley faced resessed midrange is easily fixed by dropping the bass and treble controls down ever so slightly. The combination is magical. Talk about high value.

 

[TonyJZX]

There's a flip side to this. I hold Amir in very high esteem. I wouldnt be here if I didn't. I dont care about Audigon or Stereophile forums etc. because... LOL...

But you shouldnt take Amir's charts as gospel either.

WOuld I buy a PA5 or this thing on his recommendation? Well no.

But because I value his charts obviously and his useability and aesthetics comments I obviously take this into account very seriously. But I have bought stuff without his tests.

Also to me price comes into it. I'm ok with a $100 unit having heaps of flaws if I can live with it. I'm very not ok if it gets up to $350 etc. (you know what talking about)

To me there's a "spectrum or continuum of nonsense"... I would put Andrew Robinson in the middle somewhere... I do value what he has to say about functionality and 'fit for purpose' of a particular item... he's used it... I havent... I can see where our "values align"....

I have less good things to say about Darko or Jay or Thomas Stereo but even then I do like to see what they say about certain things.