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Fosi Audio ZD3 Balanced DAC Review

Rate this DAC:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 4 1.3%

  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 6 2.0%

  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 77 25.2%

  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 218 71.5%
  • Total voters
    305
salmo said:
Really nice DAC! But I have two complains right now:
1. we can't set screen brightness
2. power consumption is a little high, when turned off :(
- in USB mode 3,8W,
- with turned off screen it drops to 3,2W,
- after powering off whole unit... 2,7W, why so high, come one, trigger stuff I guess?
Click to expand...

All valid complaints.
Unfortunately some design decisions have been made based on the low price target.
So no display modes, no filters, no brightness, etc. Keep it simple.
I guess this simplicity resulted in a poor optimization of the firmware, seems it runs in a fake-standby instead of a real one.
System running full speed and a few devices power gated.
Can't think about any reason to consume so much while off, trigger or anything else.
 
salmo said:
Really nice DAC! But I have two complains right now:
1. we can't set screen brightness
2. power consumption is a little high, when turned off :(
- in USB mode 3,8W,
- with turned off screen it drops to 3,2W,
- after powering off whole unit... 2,7W, why so high, come one, trigger stuff I guess?
Click to expand...

If these are the sorts of things you are complaining about, then the product is pretty darn good! For the price, this product is awesome (I own it). I could care less that the standby or off state power is 2-3W. If that is too much for you, just spend €10 a power strip with a switch...
 
charlielaub said:
If these are the sorts of things you are complaining about, then the product is pretty darn good! For the price, this product is awesome (I own it). I could care less that the standby or off state power is 2-3W. If that is too much for you, just spend €10 a power strip with a switch...
Click to expand...
Power consumption in standby it's not a dealbreaker, it's just weird. :d The screen bothers me more, because when you sit at the computer near to it, there is no option to dim the screen. After turning it off, it turns on when you change the volume, and you have to turn it off again. They could have provided some kind of timeout. It's also a shame that it's OLED, I have too many memories of OLED screens burning out. Other than that, it's a very nice DAC.
 
The screen doesn't bother me and I like the form factor aswell as the overall functionality but the volume knob rattles a lot when listening to music at higher volumes, which is really, really, really annoying. I have tried to mitigate the problem by placing it on a neopren mat with a set of thermoplastic elastomer absorber pads between the dac and the mat but it doesn't help much. :confused:

The dac is on in a rack between a pair of Magnat Quantum 757's and 10" diy-subs.

edit: corrected a couple of typos
 
Last edited:
Yersinia Bestmate said:
the volume knob rattles a lot when listening to music at higher volumes, which is really, really, really annoying. I have tried to mitigate the problem by placing it on a neopren mat with a set of thermoplastic absorber pad between the dac and the mat but it doesn't help much. :confused:
Click to expand...

You just kept it despite the defect or Fosi/dealer refused to replace it?
For me it would have been unacceptable, no way.
 
ManniX said:
You just kept it despite the defect or Fosi/dealer refused to replace it?
For me it would have been unacceptable, no way.
Click to expand...

Yeah, stupid as it is I just kept it for two reasons. 1. I needed a dac and had no replacement and wanted to listen to music during my holidays, 2. bought it from an European online hifi store and I'm quite sure they'd just refuse to accept the rattle is a defect as it is only evident if you tap the dac firmly, or as in my case, when I'm listening to music at high enough levels. The warranty is still valid but last time I returned stuff to them it was quite an ordeal. Had to pay the post fees as they refused to accept a defect as a defect. They did return my money though..
 
I put a giant meanwell adapter on it, now I hear everything up to 22,000Khz! Now for opamps....

1757428132837.png
 
TonyJZX said:
this has all the paranoia of being alarmed if your neighbor is running a wifi router with the name "FBI surveillance van"

If a company is brazen enough to name an app spy tool then they arent smart enough to actually do any real 'spy work'
Click to expand...

Having lived in DC for 15+ years, that was always the name of my WiFi broadcast. It’s a common joke around here. Still makes me laugh.
 
salmo said:
Really nice DAC! But I have two complains right now:
1. we can't set screen brightness
2. power consumption is a little high, when turned off :(
- in USB mode 3,8W,
- with turned off screen it drops to 3,2W,
- after powering off whole unit... 2,7W, why so high, come one, trigger stuff I guess?
Click to expand...
I love the dac for how it sounds but will replace because of high standby and no control over display.
 
Hello everyone. It seems my ZD3 has some problem. I have no sound in preamp mode. Volume knob is working, I see digits moving while I turn it. But I hear only silence.
In bypass mode there is sound, quite loud (as loud as my Wiim Pro Plus outputs with fixed volume setting and 2vrms line out level) so if I'm right, OP amps are in place and working. I wonder what could it be in this case?
 
serge.y said:
Hello everyone. It seems my ZD3 has some problem. I have no sound in preamp mode. Volume knob is working, I see digits moving while I turn it. But I hear only silence.
In bypass mode there is sound, quite loud (as loud as my Wiim Pro Plus outputs with fixed volume setting and 2vrms line out level) so if I'm right, OP amps are in place and working. I wonder what could it be in this case?
Click to expand...
Finally disassembled it, took out op amps, put them back in place and voila, everything works. Supposedly an electric contact issue.
 
Yersinia Bestmate said:
Now I'm wondering if the ZD3 accepts 5V trigger or does it have to be 12V..
Click to expand...
I'd like to know the answer to this too, I couldn't find any information on this.
Luckily mine is connected to a PC, so I can probably run a 12V cable from a Molex or fan connector inside the case if needed.
 
jazd said:
I'd like to know the answer to this too, I couldn't find any information on this.
Luckily mine is connected to a PC, so I can probably run a 12V cable from a Molex or fan connector inside the case if needed.
Click to expand...
That's easy to test. Connect adjustable PSU, start at, say, 4V, raise until it turns on.
 
Last edited:
jazd said:
OK I got around to testing it today, 5V from USB is not enough to trigger the ZD3 on. I had to apply 12V to the tip of the 3.5mm connector for it to power on.
I'm considering getting one of these
Or perhaps a USB to 12V converter like this
(this actually requires USB PD, it doesn't step up 5V->12V)
Click to expand...

I have used this thing from Audiophonics to power on all my equipment. Trigger input to the device from the preamp, outputs to sub amp, main speakers' power amp, and dac (Fosi Zd3). Works like a charm.
 
If anyone is interested I posted a little guide in a new thread for the 12V trigger from a USB port
www.audiosciencereview.com

12V trigger output from a PC

This is a quick guide on how to power on an amplifier or DAC when your PC turns on (and off when it turns off). Get a USB to 12V converter Note: don't get one that depends on USB PD (Power Delivery) e.g. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NSHWLV9 Get a 3.5mm audio connector e.g...
www.audiosciencereview.com www.audiosciencereview.com
 
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