Fosi Audio V3 Amplifier Review

[amirm]

This. It's borderline fraudulent behavior in my book.
Combined with the fake opamps I think it shows the intend and willingness to play the reviewers and customers to make a +1 % on the markup.

How am I played? It is not like I got the real opamp and you get fake (assuming this is so)?

 

[TonyJZX]

they never said you would get real TI NE552 op amps.

to me this kind of bait and switch isnt too surprising unfortunately

 

[Deleted member 48726]

i think this place largely does not take stock of op amps.

But I would say the whole idea of this is that its a $120 89w current TPA3255 champion.... where I am the S301 is at least many many muitples of $120 and you are getting a trad class a/b 60w... this is not the same market... I'm not interested in their low end phono and dacs onboard...

You're getting a better amp that doesn't exhibit arbitrary frequency responses to different speakers for starters.. BTW do you have any sources reg. the supposedly bad phono and DACs?

I know it's not the same market as far as I'm concerned many people buying this Fosi is not because of logic, need or budget but out of curiosity. That's fine. But when the same people start swapping opamps it's getting a bit ridiculous IR to what you otherwise could've bought and gotten a lot more for the money.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

How am I played? It is not like I got the real opamp and you get fake (assuming this is so)?

Played meaning; advertising and promise isn't what's delivered.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

they never said you would get real TI NE552 op amps.

to me this kind of bait and switch isnt too surprising unfortunately

Strong suggestion through otherwise high expectations due to their catering to "audiophiles" makes using fake anything very unfortunate.

 

[TonyJZX]

i havent bought this one because i have no need for more amps but i'm seeing where their monoblock goes

but as you see here, people dont care about $120... nor do they care about many multiples of that

look at the guy who has a megabuck Marantz AV processor hooked up to this... its curio and in that regard no one here is going to buy a yamaha 301 instead

i immediately switch off when people talk op amps because i have taken the ASR kool aid that says OP amp swaps do nothing

 

[Deleted member 48726]

i havent bought this one because i have no need for more amps but i'm seeing where their monoblock goes

but as you see here, people dont care about $120... nor do they care about many multiples of that

look at the guy who has a megabuck Marantz AV processor hooked up to this... its curio and in that regard no one here is going to buy a yamaha 301 instead

i immediately switch off when people talk op amps because i have taken the ASR kool aid that says OP amp swaps do nothing

I know they won't. But same people use the value for money argument and that is dang stupid when you compare value for money outside the "small amp with large brick world".

 

[amirm]

Played meaning; advertising and promise isn't what's delivered.

What is delivered is what I tested. Isn't that what you want?

 

[Deleted member 48726]

What is delivered is what I tested. Isn't that what you want?

Yes.

That's not the point though. The point is using fake opamps and changing out inductors. Toku said it in #376.

Or should we not care about morally grey areas as long as the measurements are fine?

 

[Lux_ury]

I think it's great a new generation of newer audio user have access to new technologies that have been only used in hot hatchbacks of the 80'S to the 90's. Large start capacitors one day, OP Amps another!
This should not even be classed D In my humble opinion. I've ordered one to play and have lower electric bills as my 1975 Amp takes half a day to warm up
Don't get me wrong I know what I have purchased comparing with my other stuff it's like apples and oranges.
I'm having fun for under 99 dollars.
My old ears are saying something else

 

[amirm]

Yes.

That's not the point though. The point is using fake opamps and changing out inductors. Toku said it in #376.

Or should we not care about morally grey areas as long as the measurements are fine?

There is nothing "morally grey" here. You are buying an amp that performs better than majority of amplifiers out there regardless of price. the substitutes are peformant and precisely what I tested that is resulting in folks buying it. The op-amp is socketed so go ahead and get genuine one if you like. On the inductor, I am not losing sleep over that.

Let's not find a reason to complain about everything I review here. There are plenty of products that screw their customers by delivering atrocious performance and charge a ton of money to boot. That is where you want to direct your complaints, not at a $100 amp that produces so much clean power.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

So

There is nothing "morally grey" here. You are buying an amp that performs better than majority of amplifiers out there regardless of price. the substitutes are peformant and precisely what I tested that is resulting in folks buying it. The op-amp is socketed so go ahead and get genuine one if you like. On the inductor, I am not losing sleep over that.

Let's not find a reason to complain about everything I review here. There are plenty of products that screw their customers by delivering atrocious performance and charge a ton of money to boot. That is where you want to direct your complaints, not at a $100 amp that produces so much clean power.

In other words you think using fake opamps is fine as long as the measurements are good and the price is low..
I won't continue this discussion.

 

[amirm]

In other words you think using fake opamps is fine as long as the measurements are good.

In a $100 amplifier? Of course. I kiss the ground that enabled something like this to be shipped at this incredible price. And with this level of performance.

Personally, I step up to a much more expensive amp without this issue and with even better performance. But for folks who want a $100 amp with this level of performance?

 

[Deleted member 48726]

In a $100 amplifier? Of course. I kiss the ground that enabled something like this to be shipped at this incredible price. And with this level of performance.

Personally, I step up to a much more expensive amp without this issue and with even better performance. But for folks who want a $100 amp with this level of performance?

Regardless if the price was 50 usd I would still deem it wrong. Especially how the products' advertised. It sets the expectations otherwise.
And using fake parts in general is plain wrong and keeping the wheels turning on that kind of shady business. Low price should not make it okay.

I somehow thought you would have a different opinion on this.

 

[TonyJZX]

i think Amir's attitude is pretty unique among some Americans.

A lot of people will go full Dr. Strangelove... "you'll have to answer to the Texas Instruments Company"... and rant about how Chinese companies are. We see it all the time with Chinese EVs.

If you clearly find fake components distasteful then exercise with your wallet. I dont think trying to lecture people works really. I mean look how quickly people speak with their wallets and buy up.

A lot of people are of the "ends justify the means" and "let the charts speak for themselves" in that there are bigger battles to be had then Fosi trying to save a few cents on fake op amps.

 

[Lux_ury]

I think it's great a new generation of newer audio user have access to new technologies that have been only used in hot hatchbacks of the 80'S to the 90's. Large start capacitors one day, OP Amps another!
This should not even be classed D In my humble opinion. I've ordered one to play and have lower electric bills as my 1975 Amp takes half a day to warm up
Don't get me wrong I know what I have purchased comparing with my other stuff it's like apples and oranges.
I'm having fun for under 99 dollars.
My old ears are saying something else

Regardless if the price was 50 usd I would still deem it wrong. Especially how the products' advertised. It sets the expectations otherwise.
And using fake parts in general is plain wrong and keeping the wheels turning on that kind of shady business. Low price should not make it okay.

I somehow thought you would have a different opinion on this.

China is writing the narrative unless we talk about protection mechanisms for other manufacturers, people won't and don't care about it. Magic under 100 dollars for what you get is a massive undertaking for a competitive market which sometimes l like it, its healthy once in awhile.
Some people buy Audi some buy Dodge a part made does still both have same functionality. reliability and costs are a different argument imo.

 

[amirm]

TI is making good money by having their amplifier IC being the heart of this device. If they made a penny or two on an op-amp, they would be lucky. Whereas they are making whole dollars on the class D amp IC. So I would not shed any tear for them.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

i think Amir's attitude is pretty unique among some Americans.

A lot of people will go full Dr. Strangelove... "you'll have to answer to the Texas Instruments Company"... and rant about how Chinese companies are. We see it all the time with Chinese EVs.

If you clearly find fake components distasteful then exercise with your wallet. I dont think trying to lecture people works really. I mean look how quickly people speak with their wallets and buy up.

A lot of people are of the "ends justify the means" and "let the charts speak for themselves" in that there are bigger battles to be had then Fosi trying to save a few cents on fake op amps.

Of course there are bigger battles. Using this logic nothing should.be of concern as there is always something more alarming.

Reg. this particular issue it's so easy to make a stand by pointing it out and / or vote with your wallet. Not actually condoning it as reviewer because the price is relatively low.

But I digress. This as much more fundamental opinion to discuss too much here I think.

 

[Verig]

What is a sub XO?

Crossover.

 

[Verig]

Low cost by stealing and counterfeiting is fine? Great.