Fosi Za3 or used integrated?

[NoMoFoNo]

OP it seems like you are all over the place and it's not clear at all what you're looking for. You want to buy an integrated? Great. Do it and then tell us all about it. You want to buy a chip amp like the V3 or ZA3 instead? Great again.

I own the V3 currently and love it. I also own integrateds from Yamaha and Cambridge currently and they're good too.

You'll figure it out at some point.

 

[DMill]

with a fosi, you re buying brand new 2023 hardware with warranty on top and a return policy if you dont like it.

You assume Fosi will still be around years from now. i mean no disrespect to the company, they could be the next Apple for all anyone knows. By all accounts I’ve read they offer a fairly priced quality product. Yamaha, most likely, will be here 20 years from now. Of course there are no guarantees of that either. But probably. You mention energy consumption and heat and both are valid reasons to consider a chip amp. However, the AS500 is not some class A beast that is going to heat your room. Even the more powerful Yamahas in the line barely get warm to the touch. I’ve owned 2 of them. The reality is either choice will be outdated pretty fast. If I was a betting man on reliability I’d take the Yamaha. But either way, you most likely will find yourself looking for something to upgrade to in 5 years.

 

[dance_with_plants]

You assume Fosi will still be around years from now. i mean no disrespect to the company, they could be the next Apple for all anyone knows. By all accounts I’ve read they offer a fairly priced quality product. Yamaha, most likely, will be here 20 years from now. Of course there are no guarantees of that either. But probably. You mention energy consumption and heat and both are valid reasons to consider a chip amp. However, the AS500 is not some class A beast that is going to heat your room. Even the more powerful Yamahas in the line barely get warm to the touch. I’ve owned 2 of them. The reality is either choice will be outdated pretty fast. If I was a betting man on reliability I’d take the Yamaha. But either way, you most likely will find yourself looking for something to upgrade to in 5 years.

hmm dunno, my denon wasnt class a either yet it got so hot, i had to run active fans on him. i m pretty sure you could of cooked an egg on it.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

hmm dunno, my denon wasnt class a either yet it got so hot, i had to run active fans on him. i m pretty sure you could of cooked an egg on it.

That's definitely not the case with the Yamahas. They don't run hot at all.

 

[dance_with_plants]

That's definitely not the case with the Yamahas. They don't run hot at all.

just as an update, since i wanted to go as cheap as possible for now. i grabbed a used kenwood KA3020 in a nice condition for 28 Euros. it sounds so nice. i did not expect that much of a difference but its night and day. i almost couldnt belive what i was listening at first because those elacs all of a sudden sing, wich they never did on the old denon avr. they have authority now, sound crystal clear and engaging. the denon was always, kinda muddy and veiled. if i use loudness or the bass tone control, i even have to check if my subwoofer is even offline because they have lowend presence, they never had either.

super happy with that little guy, it barely gets hot at all too and it seems to have so much juice left i dont even use. i have the volume knob on my kenwood at 13% right now and its already plenty loud. i have some grounding issues to resolve tho wich i fixed for now, but thats an external device

 

[TonyJZX]

what trad 19" wide full size new or near new component can you get for $150?

do you need a remote phono and loops?

do you like class d vs a/b sound?

lot to consider

 

[dance_with_plants]

well i guess i wasnt that lucky overall. it sounded nice at first and now there a constantly channel dropping and buttons and input selector accting weird. i guess i ll have to buy a fosi then.

 

[Overseas]

It worked enough for the 28 euro price.

 

[JimBean]

It worked enough for the 28 euro price.

Yeah, that's the risk you take when you buy older used equipment. It may be a bargain, or need to be repaired.

 

[dance_with_plants]

Yeah, that's the risk you take when you buy older used equipment. It may be a bargain, or need to be repaired.

It works again. Got some contact cleaner and now ITS all working fine

 

[SonicSleuth]

I repaired a KA3020SE for a friend, issue with the volume pot and a general clean up, I really like the sound of that thing, very enjoyable! And so cheap!



glad to hear you got it working again, I've spent the past 3 years fixing these things.

 

[dance_with_plants]

I repaired a KA3020SE for a friend, issue with the volume pot and a general clean up, I really like the sound of that thing, very enjoyable! And so cheap!

View attachment 338371

Yeah IT Sounds really nice. Was easy to get going again. It was easy to do aswell. All the parts we're fine, Just some cleaning needed. Im Not Sure on how they compare bit IT seems Like Kenwood is super under the Radar somehow. Stuff Like Yamaha, Marantz and Others still cost quite alot while all the kenwoods are dirt cheap used. Mine didnt Look that nasty tho.

 

[SonicSleuth]

That particular model yes I've seen them go for as little as £10, interestingly shares a model name with the infamous NAD 3020 which demands quite a bit more here (100-400), eBay prices are nuts anyway. For what it is, generally needs a full recap amongst other things. I managed to score a Yamaha AX400 for £20, haven't got around to fixing that one yet, have a few Sansui's and a Pioneer 9100 to do yet! They're all built like tin cans at that price range, but the front panel is solid enough, and I do like a big volume knob.

Remember to search for "Trio" too, Kenwoods European name.