Here are my thoughts on the pair of V3 Monos (and 5A power supplies) that drive my main system. I’ve played audio through them long enough now that it’s more than an impression. My main system has a Topping TP RD3 DAC and two Wharfedale EVO 4.4 towers. One reason I went with the V3 Monos is they have a similar power range to my EVOs. I have no casual, subjective listening complaints; the V3 Monos seem consistent with Amir’s affirmative recommendation. I think their other user-observable benefits also match what Fosi advertised: They are tiny; attractive; very affordable; easy to setup and use; have a concise, focused feature set; and so far they work reliably.
Here is a list of other amps I’ve used in my main system, for comparison:
- NAD C316BEE V2 integrated (analog) amplifier
- Rotel RA-1572 MKII integrated (analog and digital) amplifier
- Behringer A800 power amplifier
- Wiim Amp integrated amplifier and network music player
I shelved the NAD C316BEE because at the time I felt my EVOs were lacking in the bass department and needed a subwoofer. If I were running a subwoofer and my main amplifier were integrated like the NAD, I’d want it to have a subwoofer preamp output and 2-way crossover. Since adopting the V3 Monos, I run without a subwoofer anyway, so that preference might be moot; but if I do decide to use my subwoofer, I have an active crossover to connect to the V3 Monos in the analog chain. As far as I can tell, the NAD sounds just as good as the V3 Monos in my setup. However, what I prefer about the V3 Monos over the NAD is the balanced analog connections and the higher power that more closely matches my EVOs.
In comparison to the V3 Monos, the Behringer A800 is too big for my main system, has too much power, and doesn’t measure as well. Personally I like how the Behringer has gain knobs, but they’re not as useful for me since they’re not unified as a master control. The lack of gain control is one small complaint I have with the V3 Monos, only because it scares me that one mistake might destroy my EVOs one day.
I used a Wiim Amp for a while, and I chose the V3 Monos over it in my main system because of their higher power and more favorable measurements. However, I must say, that I love the Wiim Amp given how many useful features it has, and it is a perfect soundbar killer in my rooms that have a TV. I am impressed that the Wiim Amp has the same bass management options as a traditional AVR. That is an advantage it has over the V3 Monos in my system: With the built-in crossover, the Wiim Amp is much smaller and simpler if I use a subwoofer, compared to the added space that my external crossover uses. If I had a MiniDSP, it would be less of an issue.
I still have the other amps above, except for the Rotel RA-1572 MKII, which differs substantially from the V3 Monos. It is very large; very heavy; much higher priced; is an integrated amp with DAC and many inputs; has a front-panel LCD and remote control. At the time I returned it, my reasoning was that it seemed audibly less transparent than the Behringer A800, which I had paired with a Topping E50 DAC. To pay that much for the Rotel, an integrated amplifier, I expected the amp, internal preamplifier, and internal DAC all to be transparent, and there were no objective measurements on ASR to tell me that my ears were deceiving me. This is in contrast to the V3 Monos which have Amir’s shining endorsement (and a golfing panther).
Implicit in the last two sentences of the preceding paragraph is a high regard for Audio Science Review. To the critics of ASR, admittedly, it plays a key role in how I select audio equipment for my home. However, I don’t consider an objective review or ASR review to be the only important criterion; I treat it as
one of the major criteria. It’s important to reiterate that, on paper, I liked everything about the Fosi V3 Monos; and so far, I am impressed all around.
@SMen , this reply has the NAD C316BEE V2 comparison you requested.