Fosi Audio V3 Mono Amplifier Review

[gwing]

I an see myself (after checking the forum rules) putting up a post offering either sell one for say £25 or buy 3 for £75. May as well have some fun and one isn't any use.

 

[SMen]

No. It is handing out a sample size in the hope of making sales down the track.

Op amps are the new go to for the scientifically disinclined.

This is indeed a slightly politer way of putting it. - I think it lets down the rest of their approach which is so constructive, listening to customers etc. One where four are needed (or two depending on interpretation) seems quite cynical.

I an see myself (after checking the forum rules) putting up a post offering either sell one for say £25 or buy 3 for £75. May as well have some fun and one isn't any use.

Seeing your £ sign I'd say Profusion might be the way to go - but yes maybe those of us so inclined could offload to those who might like to try. Good idea. Maybe one for the user thread. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...v3-mono-user-impressions-owners-thread.54043/

 

[Jon L]

If you're interested in diving into this particular rabbit op amp hole:

The really interesting thing in this is where he solders together two cheap op amps and is very impressed with the sound. Put on some headphones and see if you come away hearing any differences.

FYI, Fosi V3 Mono Kickstarter is ending in 5 days. I could not resist and placed an order.
I do plan to "parallel" 5532 op-amps, partly because I have many of them laying around already and the discrete op-amps would double the amp price, as two op-amps per monoblock need to be changed.
To my ears, parallel 5532 did sound significantly better than single 5532 in that youtube video.

BTW, does anyone know if the third op-amp is used only if XLR input is used? In that case, I would just use RCA input and not change the 3rd op-amp.

 

[SMen]

FYI, Fosi V3 Mono Kickstarter is ending in 5 days. I could not resist and placed an order.
I do plan to "parallel" 5532 op-amps, partly because I have many of them laying around already and the discrete op-amps would double the amp price, as two op-amps per monoblock need to be changed.
To my ears, parallel 5532 did sound significantly better than single 5532 in that youtube video.

BTW, does anyone know if the third op-amp is used only if XLR input is used? In that case, I would just use RCA input and not change the 3rd op-amp.

The third op-amp is used to convert the RCA input to balanced I understand.

 

[Deleted member 72219]

FYI, Fosi V3 Mono Kickstarter is ending in 5 days. I could not resist and placed an order.
I do plan to "parallel" 5532 op-amps, partly because I have many of them laying around already and the discrete op-amps would double the amp price, as two op-amps per monoblock need to be changed.
To my ears, parallel 5532 did sound significantly better than single 5532 in that youtube video.

BTW, does anyone know if the third op-amp is used only if XLR input is used? In that case, I would just use RCA input and not change the 3rd op-amp.

The third op-amp on V3 Mono is only used for RCA/single-ended input. It is only used for balanced input (XLR/TRS) on ZA3.

You don’t need to change the third op-amp on V3 Mono if you’re using balanced input.

-Ed

 

[Jon L]

The third op-amp on V3 Mono is only used for RCA/single-ended input. It is only used for balanced input (XLR/TRS) on ZA3.

You don’t need to change the third op-amp on V3 Mono if you’re using balanced input.

-Ed

That's strange things are opposite on ZA3 vs V3 mono. That's too bad because I currently use RCA signal and had hoped to bypass that third op-amp on V3 op-amp.
I would buy ZA3, but I really need an actual on-off switch, not on-off by volume knob.

 

[Deleted member 72219]

That's strange things are opposite on ZA3 vs V3 mono. That's too bad because I currently use RCA signal and had hoped to bypass that third op-amp on V3 op-amp.
I would buy ZA3, but I really need an actual on-off switch, not on-off by volume knob.

Apparently V3 Mono is internally balanced due to PFFB, because ZA3 is internally not balanced.

-Ed

 

[Matt F]

The third op-amp on V3 Mono is only used for RCA/single-ended input. It is only used for balanced input (XLR/TRS) on ZA3.

You don’t need to change the third op-amp on V3 Mono if you’re using balanced input.

-Ed

Thank you, I popped in to ask that specific question.

 

[Matt F]

Is the v3 mono simply a truly balanced v3 mini with pffb?

 

[Jon L]

Apparently V3 Mono is internally balanced due to PFFB, because ZA3 is internally not balanced.

-Ed

I suppose internally balanced design is a good thing, but this means full potential is realized when feeding the amp true balanced signal. If using RCA input, one needs to upgrade THREE op-amps per mono. Six discrete op-amps, we are looking at around $500-600!

 

[Talisman]

I suppose internally balanced design is a good thing, but this means full potential is realized when feeding the amp true balanced signal. If using RCA input, one needs to upgrade THREE op-amps per mono. Six discrete op-amps, we are looking at around $500-600!

My god these are amplifiers costing 230 euros per pair, but how do you think of spending such ridiculously high amounts to replace the operational amplifiers? It's ridiculous to even think about it.
230 euros plus 600 euros are 830 euros with which you can buy many more powerful and high-performance versions of Hypex.
And then who knows why the discussion returns to these damned operational amplifiers again and again as if they were the most important thing in the project.
I'm heartbroken.

 

[Guddu]

My god these are amplifiers costing 230 euros per pair, but how do you think of spending such ridiculously high amounts to replace the operational amplifiers? It's ridiculous to even think about it.
230 euros plus 600 euros are 830 euros with which you can buy many more powerful and high-performance versions of Hypex.
And then who knows why the discussion returns to these damned operational amplifiers again and again as if they were the most important thing in the project.
I'm heartbroken.

This OPamp rolling to going totally through the sky in this thread, how can one make any sense out if it!

 

[SMen]

I suppose internally balanced design is a good thing, but this means full potential is realized when feeding the amp true balanced signal. If using RCA input, one needs to upgrade THREE op-amps per mono. Six discrete op-amps, we are looking at around $500-600!

I'm not sure about your math(s) except maybe for some extremely expensive solutions ... you can try with much cheaper alternatives to hear / not hear ... but I think this whole op amp discussion (regarding swapping) was closed here, and maybe belongs with users' experiences when we get them on the user impressions thread. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...v3-mono-user-impressions-owners-thread.54043/

 

[Sokel]

This OPamp rolling to going totally through the sky in this thread, how can one make any sense out if it!

The sole value of this things is their cost.Nothing else.Nada.Zero.
Load them with stuff with absolutely no merit as op-amps/fancy cables/whatever and say a long good-bye to this value.
Or say good buy to the amps themselves when they fall into oscillation,cause every circuit is not designed around 4987938759 op-amps,but just one.

Have money to spare?Get a nicer amp and that's it.

 

[DavidM1]

I think it lets down the rest of their approach which is so constructive, listening to customers etc. One where four are needed (or two depending on interpretation) seems quite cynical.

Yep, they make no claims for any benefits from swapping op amps, no doubt because they can measure the results and haven’t detected any. However they are keen to sell a few to the sort of hifi customer who falls for power purifiers and directional interconnects.

The more that you pay, the more it is worth.

 

[SMen]

The sole value of this things is their cost.Nothing else.Nada.Zero.
Load them with stuff with absolutely no merit as op-amps/fancy cables/whatever and say a long good-bye to this value.
Or say good buy to the amps themselves when they fall into oscillation,cause every circuit is not designed around 4987938759 op-amps,but just one.

Have money to spare?Get a nicer amp and that's it.

I think the reason why we are interested in these 3255 based amps, is because of how much more you have to spend to get a 'nicer amp' (not getting into what qualifies as 'nicer').

 

[Guddu]

The sole value of this things is their cost.Nothing else.Nada.Zero.
Load them with stuff with absolutely no merit as op-amps/fancy cables/whatever and say a long good-bye to this value.
Or say good buy to the amps themselves when they fall into oscillation,cause every circuit is not designed around 4987938759 op-amps,but just one.

Have money to spare?Get a nicer amp and that's it.

Totally 100%

 

[Guddu]

I think the reason why we are interested in these 3255 based amps, is because of how much more you have to spend to get a 'nicer amp' (

How much?
Value proposition goes out of the window the moment you look to change components, specially something like opamps.

The amplifier which most of us here would qualify as ‘nicer’ amp doesn’t even use any fancy opamps!!!

not getting into what qualifies as 'nicer').

But you still used the ‘term’

 

[Deleted member 72219]

How much?
Value proposition goes out of the window the moment you look to change components, specially something like opamps.

The amplifier which most of us here would qualify as ‘nicer’ amp doesn’t even use any fancy opamps!!!


But you still used the ‘term’

Probably something that measures just as high but has more functionality (bass management, tone control, equalization, etc.).

-Ed

 

[SMen]

How much?

Value proposition goes out of the window the moment you look to change components, specially something like opamps.

The amplifier which most of us here would qualify as ‘nicer’ amp doesn’t even use any fancy opamps!!!


But you still used the ‘term’

I think I am being "miss-quoted" a bit here ... I quoted the term "nicer" which is why I put it in inverted commas "" ...

I'm going to quote again though and use "most of us here" from yours

@Guddu I think you have an owners thread started over here ... https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...v3-mono-user-impressions-owners-thread.54043/

Let's have fun over there when the rest of us get some of these ourselves!