Fosi Audio V3 Mono Amplifier Review

[Bruce Morgen]

I understand it is a minimum recommended. TI themselves use 2x4700uF in the evaluation board. I don't think there is any mystery behind, the reasons are explained in the text. But I might be mistaken. TI website has a support forum where they answer questions. Maybe this has been addressed there.

I suppose one could experiment with added capacitance at the PSU end to see if there is any audible advantage -- but I'm curious about the impact of lots of capacitance on measurable performance.

 

[Golf]

Wouldn't it be sensible to change the poll title from "Rate this Amplifier/DAC/whatever" to "Rate the measurements"?

Any »supporting partners« of ASR may strongly disapprove of it. For instance Fosi, who are using suitable ASR user comments for advertising their products ...

 

[Golf]

"Rate the measurements"

Or even more scientific-solid: Rate the way these measurements were achieved.

 

[kibs]

Good point actually.

@amirm I remember the poll being a point of contention when people discuss ASR's ethos.

Wouldn't it be sensible to change the poll title from "Rate this Amplifier/DAC/whatever" to "Rate the measurements"?

Not only would it be a more accurate title, it'd also remove a low-hanging fruit for those criticizing ASR.

I think the poll is just meant to be a collection of opinions rather than fact. Anyone criticising it is just nitpicking and it reflects more on them rather than the site. If there's any valid objective criticism it should be directed at the measurements which are the "main dish"

 

[Toslink]

Agreed. I don't understand why new Monoblock design has dropped the 12V trigger - meanwhile Fosi's existing (mono-bridgable) ZA3 already has the 12V trigger. WHY on earth would Fosi drop this from a design that otherwise screams out to a higher end (XLR inputs ... Nichicon caps ... Swappable op-amps) user?

It was likely a backplane issue, where's the on/off triggering feature was important in the design, and they chose to use the audio-sense circuit built into the TI amplifier IC rather than lose other connections on the rear panel. 12v trigger is great, but not every source component (DAC or pre-amp) has the feature, so the music-sense circuit adds the automated control of the amplifier and works with a wider application. It can be bypassed, of course.

I use a Sonos Port, which has the 12v trigger output, and it's run into a DAC and then to a 2-channel amp, with both 12v trigger and music-sense circuitry. I can say that for me, the music-sense circuit was the better control methodology over the voltage trigger. I say this because the Sonos player deactivated the 12v trigger 1 minute after music stops. Pause to take a quick call? -->amp goes off. Sonos, unfortunately, doesn't (yet) allow adjustment to he timeout period. Maybe they will eventually. For the time being, the music-sense is the better option for me, and I think it just may be for the Fosi, too.

 

[Talisman]

Any »supporting partners« of ASR may strongly disapprove of it. For instance Fosi, who are using suitable ASR user comments for advertising their products ...

Oh man we absolutely don't want this to happen!!! Fosi pays us a lot of money under the table to pretend that we like their products.....

 

[Doodski]

Oh man we absolutely don't want this to happen!!! Fosi pays us a lot of money under the table to pretend that we like their products.....

I have so much kickbacks I don't know what I'm going to do with it all! /s

 

[JSmith]

I have so much kickbacks I don't know what I'm going to do with it all! /s

Absolutely... I'm currently sleeping on a bed of cash.


JSmith

 

[Kimbrough Xu]

Yeah, this is definitely something that companies like Fosi and WIIM excell at, there's not many companies in this world that are so customer focussed. Let's just hope as they grow they maintain this and don't fall into the standard set by others.

It's incredible, the kind of customer service and feedback with these companies is something you would have gotten from a few boutique brands usually selling rather pricey equipment, I think that's part of the magic of these companies really.

Yeah, I dont understand why other companies dont do this, what we report back is a real problem we have, and once it's solved, we are willing to pay for it.

Too many similar products are on the market, I need to spend lots of time to find out which one to buy, why not listen to customers feedback and just develop a product for us?

 

[Doodski]

Too many similar products are on the market, I need to spend lots of time to find out which one to buy

^^^ THIS! I have the same experience.

 

[Kachda]

Any »supporting partners« of ASR may strongly disapprove of it. For instance Fosi, who are using suitable ASR user comments for advertising their products ...

There is no support from partners. Fosi sent a sample and amir tested it. If you are insinuating something by claiming “supporting partners”, thats a serious allegation.

 

[Golf]

I think the poll is just meant to be a collection of opinions rather than fact.

But can you have an opinion on an amp that did not yet enter the market? An amp that you have never ever seen much less heard?

 

[JSmith]

But can you have an opinion on an amp that did not yet enter the market?

Based on the published measurements here, yes... although I would have preferred to see a production model tested rather than a pre-prod. It would be good once it is released if a member sends a retail unit for secondary testing.

An amp that you have never ever seen much less heard?

One doesn't need to hear an amp though, the measurements tell us how the amp performs. If it has low distortion and noise etc., plus the required power for the application, there's nothing else to ascertain apart from features/functionality/aesthetics.


JSmith

 

[Talisman]

But can you have an opinion on an amp that did not yet enter the market? An amp that you have never ever seen much less heard?

Short answer: Yes

Long answer:
Net of faulty specimens or review samples not representative of real samples on the market (conspiracy theory), those measurements tell us everything we need to know to evaluate that amplifier.

 

[Golf]

I would have preferred to see a production model tested rather than a pre-prod.

Absolutely!

the measurements tell us how the amp performs.

Well ... They show us how a pre-launch variant of the amp performs, which was sent in by the manufacturer.

 

[Sokel]

Well ... They show us how a pre-launch variant of the amp performs, which was sent in by the manufacturer.

I'll have to admit there's some truth to this since Fosi further improved PFFB in the meantime.
Maybe a re-run after some time that's being in the market?

 

[Golf]

Fosi further improved PFFB in the meantime.

Maybe ... How can you know this for sure?

 

[JSmith]

How can you know this for sure?

Well as you espouse, we don't know and are trusting Fosi (a forum member who engages with members on their designs... comes across positively to me) on this. Amir simply tests what is sent to him, so the onus is on Fosi in this regard.


JSmith

 

[Golf]

those measurements tell us everything we need to know to evaluate that amplifier.

That would mean to have an opinion on what measurements may tell you rather than on the amp itself. Don’t you understand that this is not the same?

 

[Sokel]

Maybe ... How can you know this for sure?

Not for sure but this is a good sign:

Fosi Audio V3 Mono Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Fosi Audio V3 Mono class D amplifier. It was sent to me by the company. The price with the power supply I tested is US $139.99. I must say the concept of a "monoblock" amplifier in such a small size runs foul of any expectation a longtime...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Specially since they know that is not only Amir measuring,lots of members put things under tests.