Be a REAL audiophile with MONOBLOCS - Twin Fosi V3 Mono
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Saturday April 20, 2024
David Mellor
David Mellor is CEO and Course Director of Audio Masterclass. David has designed courses in audio education and training since 1986 and is the publisher and principal writer of Adventures In Audio.
@Chris.Davies: I do NOT have any aspirations to be an audiophile. And I do not wish for anyone to describe me as one. I call myself a music lover, instead. And in the last 2 months, Fosi gear has re-awakened my love for music. Their gear makes my old speakers and old music sound brand new again.
In fact they've got me so excited that I pulled out my 43 year old NAD 5120 turntable which has been in its box for 36 years. And ably assisted and guide by Chat-GPT, and using my 3D printer, I have been able to print suspension standoffs which have allowed me to return the platter height to 3mm above the chassis, with a record and disc clamp installed. We lubed the spindle, and it produced a hermetic seal which takes 3 seconds for the spindle to drop into its recess. The platter now spins for 105 seconds with the belt disengaged, when spun at 33rpm. And... the suspension rocks for 4.5 seconds when flicked - both of which are factory spec. :)
I was delighted to find a 30 cartridge on it, and I've ordered a new Thakker Belt, and the Thorens DVA fluid for the tone-arm damper. I want to bow down to the NAD engineers who designed and built this thing!
For the last 13 years I have been concentrating on Movie and Gaming performance (positional sounds) in my all-analog 7.1 NAD-based system, which is driven by the only proper PC sound card(s) to ever exist: The ASUS Xonar HDAV 1.3 deluxe - with 4x LM4562 and 8x JRC2114D op-amps. It is a fantastic system for gaming and movies, but for music it is... a bit much, really.
And that is why I now have two sound systems connected to my massive gaming PC. The systems share the front speakers using a speaker switch that weighs more than my 2x ZA3 mono blocks (w/ 2x 48V PSUs) combined. They are fed by a Fosi ZD3 DAC/preamp (XLR) and a Fosi GR70 valve headphone amp (RCA), and a Fosi X5 Phono preamp (on a switch), so I effectively have three systems, as I can switch the ZA3s from transistor sounds to valve sounds by flicking two switches. :)
The point of all this, is that it is the low price of all this gear which I find so compelling, so much fun, and I am now actually enjoying listening to music again, and even music that hasn't appealed to me before is suddenly very listenable. And what do you think that is worth?
Waaaay more than I have paid, that's for sure!
@windrider4040: Another great video…just bought two of these and a Fosi ZP3 Preamp. Wow! Sound amazing. Could be the “halo” effect but the stereo separation and soundstage is amazing. Great thing is that, as opposed to a high end kit costing tens of times more, I have no financial “.need” to convince myself they sound fantastic. So maybe they really do l😂!!! Running a Fluance RT85 (Ortofon 2’ blue cartridge) into Schiit mani with Monitor Audio Bronze 50’s and sub
@AlistairEwingforensic-services: I picked up a Galion TS75 for 630gbp, pretty happy with it. eBay, been watching for one for about a year. I would have gone this route with a fosi and switchijg out the op amps.
@wipatriot510: They're Monoblock, NOT "monobloc"...
@resynthesizer4565: I listened to Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Symphonys version of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 overture. The cannons sound so close you could practically smell the gunpowder. The police showed up at my door. Next, I moved to Miles Davis – Bitches Brew. When he cleared the spit valve, I had to wipe the moisture off of my face. Lastly, I listened to Nina Simone – Baltimore. (I had also installed a pair of Sparkos SS3602 op amps.) The sultry sveltness of Nina was the next best thing to her being on my lap. Of course, I do believe that the Audio quest Rocket 88s were contributing to the overall transparency.
@pedrofernandez8729: Another reviewer warned about using the same power block for both amps, he claims there was noise. When he got another power block, it went away.
@jonbrown1877: I've seen this but no one runs any bench test to see how they really work. Put them on the bench and let's see them on a scope. Also want to see the output of that super cheap PSM
@tagtag-connected5263: What if you don’t have room. Stereo amps works best for some due to space. Nothing feels weird and form over function than 2 huge monos in a tiny room.
@mickdean2256: I tried the monobloc option with my car and ended up with two Fireblades. Trying to ride them both simultaneously is a bit of a challenge though. A more related comparison are my Roberts radios, one for the bedroom and one for the kitchen. DAB latency issues drove me to the conclusion that FM radio is the future. As for the listening room however I'm still looking for the perfect inexpensive power amp and this vid has persuaded me of the folly of splitting things up so thanks for that as I was in two minds about it.
@ronmerkus5941: When you talk about wire Gauges, it is important because voltage and amperage flow through those wires to turn on your passive speakers!!!
@ronmerkus5941: I would use the XLR cables on those monoblocks !!
@escapeinto4khd319: Is this Paul Mcartney’s brother , gheeezz what a resemblance
@lancealex382: Such a visually inelegant solution!
@hubpaq: advertising paid by Fosi
@AudioMasterclass replies to @hubpaq: Nope. None of my reviews are paid.
@shitmandood: Pretty cool! I've not heard of portable monoblocs before. 20-odd years ago, I had a pair of Audio Source monoblocs for my Polk Audio towers. After about 10 years, some freak storm rolled in during the afternoon while I was taking a nap. Lightning struck and I was down one monobloc! :( I couldn't find any for sale that were the same as the brand I had, which would fit into the rack mount I had for them. Over time, I ended up getting a $200 Crown stereo amp and donated the monoblocks to a recycle center (1 broke, 1 working).
What I'd really love to have is a couple of tube monoblocs, provided it was cheap and can drive my Polk Audio towers (yes I still have them, 20 years old and still going strong!!!).
💪
@fonsdeboeck7451: Twin Fosi V3 Mono.
Arrived on Saturday and they are going back on Monday, they don't make music. I can't understand the reviews why it has to be so fantastic, it isn't
@carlsitler9071: #1. Your hair was a bit more blond when you started blogging. #2. It isn't "monoblocs." It is how LOUD and clear the music sounds.
@robertrudd6970: Your persona is so self amusing and silly, I really can't tell what you think about these mono blocks, or that you take any of this seriously. Maybe you should head to the nearest open mike night and sharpen up your act.
@davebrown8260: Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but aren't all two channel stereo amps just two monoblocks on one chassis?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @davebrown8260: Not if the two channels share the psu. Also, one further point about monoblocs is that each amp can be very close to its speaker, therefore shorter cabling.
@paulburton9904: i think hes a cross dresser never mind cross talker
@stubert38: Sir you aren’t a proper audiophile, yes but I’ve done my research and learned how to imitate them just look at my amp setup.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @stubert38: You are correct. I have never described myself as an audiophile.
@arthurriaf8052: I bought a Za3 stereo unit based on your evaluation.
I use it to drive an 8" homemade subwoofer .
That subwoofer is part of a 14-channel system using 2 Yamaha receivers one a 7 channel unit and the other a 11 channel unit. For base, I have 9 powered subwoofers.
The more the merrier. 😮😅
@tigertiger1699: 🙏🙏🙏
@pizzafrenzyman: dual mono topology is the future
@schipdude: B&W DM100? What vintage? late 80s? early 90s? I have a pair of DM100i. In fact I remember the sales rep mentioning he sells them to musicians for use as small room monitors. Still sound great after 30+ years but wonder how recent makes/models might be different (or maybe updated/upgrade crossover components).
@rich.e: Looking forward to the unboxing soundtrack; will only buy if it's either
a) 32bit / 768khz download with outtakes and demos that I'll listen to once out of curiosity, or
b) 1,800gram quintuple re-virgin'd vinyl (from a digital master)
@AudioMasterclass replies to @rich.e: Haha. So what I’m going to do is cut my recordings onto acetate, play them once on my mate’s Goldmund to bed them in, then code them into Sexdecuple-rate DSD and release the data as ink blots on palimpsest parchment once used to present verses from the New Testament, in Greek. Any good?
@andrewdewar8159: I think we should have a cross-talk mono a mono .
@andrewdewar8159: I'm a cross-talker. But only at the weekends with the curtains closed.
@primalscream46: Soooo, would you buy these and a separate dac, seperate phono amp, or a Yamaha AS801??
@Genpattonjames: Thanks again for a wonderful review! I purchased the two FOSI amps and two 48 volts power supply.
Now the power output is a little overstated. Curious that the amps provide power, but not current. I’m also a big supporter of high current amps and I have two “very old” HK mono blocks. They’re also small. “Comparatively speaking.” I’ve just received the FOSI amps Sioux have not tested them side by side.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @Genpattonjames: I've been using these amps with my Yamaha NS10M Studio monitors since I got them for review, albeit with the single power supply. They live under my desk, nothing to see and nothing not to like. I think I can safely say that any possibly better amp will not make the slightest different to the quality of my work.
@Genpattonjames replies to @Genpattonjames: @AudioMasterclass I understand with a small near field monitor they’d be perfect. However with a transmission line speaker that requires a lot of power and the impedance dips down they might perform differently. I should have clarified that.
@nrupenchudasma4101: You are just a clickbaits. Not audiophile, not audio enthusiast. You are just a hype rider.
@bikermanfast13: My two Fosi V3 Mono are an excellent audiophile amplification solution…But the heat generated is a bit too much and should be dissipated better.
@ralexbee: I always found these type of boxes to be very noisy.
@KLiNoTweet: I love my Fosi v3 😊
@ryanchappell5962: I would definitely buy two separate units each with a 5A power supply.
@gsanchez922: My ear aren’t that good to notice fine difference between two monoblock vs stereo one
@Rocky-sn6fl: Different lenghts of speaker cables are plain "wrong"?
LOL. For real???😂
@Mignificence: Algorithms interpreting my voracious appetite for more information on the Fosi V3 monoblocks led me here. I enjoyed the pacing, clear explanations and self deprecating humor. Subscribed on the spot!
@AudioMasterclass replies to @Mignificence: I worry about you.
@tmdillon1969: I'm considering these over getting my Bel Canto M300s which need some repairs. I'm getting hum out of both amps but one is worse than the other. They're over 12 years old and it would probably cost more to fix them than buying these. My media center is a rather slim MCM unit so the amp/s have to be rather shallow.
@robertjermantowicz-uw3iw: Quibbles? They don't come in bling-encrusted 100 lb cases with blue VU meters!
@robertjermantowicz-uw3iw: The "golden ears" crowd are aghast!
@robertjermantowicz-uw3iw: For $280 with the 48 volt power supply you have a World-beater pair of amps!
@engchoontan8483: yah, matched diaphragm with driver and amplifier = class-D with its own enclosure and tri-path because one more is afforded (just kidding)
matched modern material diaphragm, - mono build
2x treble 2 squared for mids and another 2 squared for bass - DBI is quadratic
= 2, 4, 16
audio spectrum analyser for SPL and DBI
sound pressure level match with DBI = translated ratio
3 inch driver of modern materials and magnets
performance of 22khz to 20hz but used for 1/3 range per unit = linear response. use numbers to build effective.
guess price for being stereo-imaging and staging audiophile/stage-engineer sound-engineer/... active studio-monitors as monoblocs without the high price-tag an inflation of B&W-nautilus(what hifi magazine or similar did a breakdown-cut-up and monoblocs and independent enclosures for treble(hairdo cones) mids, bass(snail)
@engchoontan8483 replies to @engchoontan8483: occilioscope sound analogue but sent as digital pulses to analogue driver= how to - flatter curve.?
@engchoontan8483 replies to @engchoontan8483: was $usd+30k per pair and went to 50k then on to 80k
audiophile my foot.!
@engchoontan8483 replies to @engchoontan8483: source = hahaha stereo magazine american
@engchoontan8483 replies to @engchoontan8483: who jealous of outdoor sound isolation and staging in singapore.
= benchmark is jealousy
= benchmark is live-gig
= benchmark is sabotage
@engchoontan8483 replies to @engchoontan8483: how to run in speakers.?
= phase reversal by one speaker using black to black and red to red, other speaker black to red an red to black, face each other
= same for silent microphones, speaker mic record and reverse phase and playback
how to increase mids to phat.?
= some cancellation and some assistance by different driver offset aim for sweet-spot enlargement per range per channel
= occilioscope will register 2 lines or more and fat-phat are same curves-slopes but a few milliseconds offset. same for noise reduction from slight mismatched components (mould, air-flow, electricals, ...)
@andrewbrazier9664: Two 🎶 must be better than one surely ?!!! 🙃
@pr0l0w: Where does the background hum in this video come from? I watched quiet a couple of your vids, and i enjoy them, but that did not come accross me before. It fades away at 12:40.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @pr0l0w: Probably aliens. In flying saucers.
@pr0l0w replies to @pr0l0w: @AudioMasterclass you are having a great time on youtube don´t you :). I would not consider myself audiophile in a sense of - oh THAT IS how it should sound like. I am rather a music enjoyer and passionate dancer. Also i am not an audiophile in the case of money spend - i hear most of my music on PC with a 100€ HP/mic DAC/Amp, on a good enough for me headphone sub 300€, for i think seven years now - i still think its good and delivers the music i listen to, the way i like it. I just enjoy your content and the fun behind it and was wondering about the humming since, i just heard it the first time on your channel and was wondering where such a noise would come from. I guess why it jumped to my mind is because it kinda sounds like the noise the aquarium pump makes, that drives me crazy at home when its quiet, but my GF insists of having fishes - so no chance for me to get rid of that noice :D. Best regards :)
@AudioMasterclass replies to @pr0l0w: Sorry I'm slow to respond, but I'm here now to give you a clue. The hum is 90 Hz. Another commenter got it just from that tiny amount of information.
@simpaticode: Sarcasm is dead on the internet, so I voted this video down (a rare event). Thicker speaker cables?
@bootstrapjesse: I love your channel sir!
@Justnuts-d9b: How will you know just like a vegan they will tell you frist chance they can😅
@thrvrflws: Where does the underlying hum on your audio come from?
@jocool7370: Well, if they're sharing the same power supply, are they still monoblocs?
@mahessilva7504: Doesn't cross talk start with the Pre Amplifier, unless that too is balanced defeats the purpose, isn't it?
@audiononsense1611: The most hilarious thing about this are the following: 1. Cheep Class-D 2. A "shared" power brick! 3. Speaker wire length due to shared P/S.
@hifiman4562: Mono blocks will give the greatest chassis separation.
😅
@locifair: Fosi audio amps costed so little that I bought 4 ZA3 running as mono block in bi-amp bi-wire configuration driving my pair of first generation Sonus Faber Elector Amator, It costed me a total of US$320 only and my speaker has never been sounding so amusing. The sound stage is huge and instrument separation is superb. Deep bass flow like wave pounding the beach. Class-D amps has improved tremendously over the years indeed.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @locifair: Maybe I should run a poll to see who's running the most ZA3s or V3 monos. With a surround system, I'd expect numbers to be high.
@Fedgery007 replies to @locifair: Costed?!
@artysanmobile replies to @locifair: “Deep bass flow like waves pounding the beach.” A classic in the lexicon of the audiophiles. Brilliant line, @locifair! With your permission, I will make very good use of it.
@Chris.Davies replies to @locifair: I got 2x ZA3s for fun. And if I ever get front speakers that will take bi-amping and bi-wiring, I will buy another two, just for fun. I am very envious of your Elector Amator speakers. I have auditioned them at Soundline Audio, and they were mind boggling. The walnut wood is incredibly finished, and they are amazing even when totally silent! What a set of fronts!
@Chris.Davies replies to @locifair: @AudioMasterclass How are you going to get a proper 7.1 source for such a tiny system? Optical does not have sufficient bandwidth! The only genuinely good way (in a budget system) I am aware of is to use an old-school ASUS Xonar HDAV 1.3 Deluxe (and daughter board) PCI-e card which produces 8 channels of pure analog, using 4x LM4562 and 8x JRC2114D op-amps. Proper!
The best thing about such a sound card, is that the PC does all the heavy lifting, and you can decode anything on a PC simply by grabbing the right Codec - and Windows does that automatically, IIANM.
@johnchildress8707: O no! the hated class D amplifier! (tongue firmly planted in cheek)what no Macintosh mono blocks?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @johnchildress8707: I notice a pair for sale secondhand in the UK for £14,800. I very much doubt they will improve the quality of my irritating unboxing music.
@johnchildress8707 replies to @johnchildress8707: Maybe nit, but because I spent that much I will be convinced that they do. Is that the opposite of denial?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @johnchildress8707: @johnchildress8707 'Confirmation bias' is the term you're looking for.
@dougg1075: I do have the megabucks but it all went to taxes , housing, food etc.
@CRUSADERGREGORIAN: Why does an established Chinese manufacturer need kickstarter cash ? The product has already been manufactured.
@weeverob: This is the third video I’ve seen where an inordinate amount of time is spent describing the amps build and not one second on how it sounds. What’s the deal??
@anthonysherry2628: Hi i just received a douk pro 7, i have a T+A Cala, which is class D also. I could make a comparison between the two. The Cala of course was much more expensive. Speakers are Castle Knight 4 or Castle inversion 15. I have a thing about Castle speakers. Anyway, i tried the douk, which came with a 32v power supply. It seemed slightly subdued in the mid range, compared with the Cala, which i find quite good anyway. So i bought a 48v power supply, what a difference to the imaging! It does sound different then the Cala. My 1984 Nikko DC NA 2090 Class A/ B amp, which weighs 9kg sounds different again, and runs hot. I find playing CD through the Cala sounds better then the Douk, and the Douk sounds better via Musical Fidelity V90 dac, playing stuff from spotify via cable. I dont like blue tooth. Anyway thanks for your channel, very interesting.
@petermartin9494: You don't have monoblocs? Well, in that case you are a loser. Also note that two amps with a shared power supply are NOT monoblocs. Monoblocs each have their own power supply. Don't be a loser.
@RobWhittlestone: Yes, but what do they sound like? How reasonably-priced are they? Should I consider bi-amping my main KEF Reference loudspeakers with them? Why not use one 10A PSU for each V3 Mono? This way there should be ample headroom... Ramblings from a closet Audiophile... All the best, Rob in Switzerland
@AudioMasterclass replies to @RobWhittlestone: Good. Follow link in description. Why not? Costs more. Conciseness from an audio enthusiast.
@SwitchingNoise: I just ordered my private nuclear power plants just to be sure that my mono blocks are completely separated. However, at some point the GND's must be connected together. For this I ordered ultra long drills so I'm able to drill holes right down the earth pure molten metal core. And that's where the GND connections will be connected. In engineering, nothing like that audio foolery, this type of connection is called a star GND connection.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @SwitchingNoise: Good thinking. I wonder if we connect the grounds of the two channels on opposite sides of the Earth, will they be out of phase?
@SwitchingNoise replies to @SwitchingNoise: @AudioMasterclass I could setup an experiment in a matter of hours but the nuclear power plants are on back order.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @SwitchingNoise: @SwitchingNoise Let me know how you get on. Try not to summon any demons in the process.
@SwitchingNoise replies to @SwitchingNoise: I see I didn't answer your question properly. The signals will of course be in phase. However, the earth magnetic field surounding the cables with magnetic fields being vectors are in opposite direction when they are connected as you suggested and might as such generate disturbances because of the changing field and the current induced in the star GND network. I therefore strongly advice to keep the connections at the same location. If you want to hear the changes in the magnetic field, I can recommend searching for "The scary sound of Earth’s magnetic field".
@landosazo7506: do they come in 110-120 volts or just 230 volts....it is going to be a funny set up - I am using biwire Analysis Plus Oval 9s, much much heavier cables than the amp, the amps will up in the air unless I put bricks on top of them
@clivesilver463: These cheap blocks are causing a bit of a stir for under £500 pounds you can get yourself what Hi fI buffs would call the correct way to musical Nirvana, but monoblocks will set you back thousands, so have this Fosi company come up with an incredible deal that most Audio philles find hard to digest.
I think one of yo U Tubers need to blind test these babies see what we come up with.
@computerfreakch8912: I see only one good reason for buying two cheap power amps instead of one: two power supplies! Power supplies sold with cheap class D power amps are notoriously short of current. Two cheap power amps with one shared power supply is a joke!
@computerfreakch8912: Who cares about crosstalk in a power amplifier whn both speakers are in the same room!?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @computerfreakch8912: The key here is to move the speakers so that each directs sound only into the relevant ear. Then you shrink the speakers down for convenience, surround them with foam-filled pads for isolation, then add a headband to make them wearable. The trouble is, crosstalk will then go straight through your head.
@mariokrizan399: 👍👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏
@utube4andydent: Am I one of a few people who has balanced audio as a normal in my home studio? If I were to run a balanced line to my mono block then use a box to unbalanced and match it to the amp would this work. I can imagine that this would rid me of any noise in transit between my output and input on the mono block. One block per each speaker channel. My set up seems to be destined to have a load of black boxes whilst I think they do have a positive outcome to the output still seem to be a large collection. It works and I'm dreading the day I move as I will have to write down where and how all these boxes fit together..... You would have appreciated a late studio engineer at a radio station I worked for a few years ago. I can only blame him for some of the quirks that my current studio has.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @utube4andydent: The main point of balancing is to reduce interference. In a living room or home studio there shouldn't be any interference bad enough to cause a problem. Living close to a radar installation can tip the scales though. (Nearly said 'tip the balance').
@tjjoseph333: Didn’t another tester experience noise resolved by adding the second power supply? Seems like cheap insurance
@AudioMasterclass replies to @tjjoseph333: Dunno. Not psychic.
@Joel-el6gi replies to @tjjoseph333: @AudioMasterclassthey did. I seen but can’t remember who. And in a later video I seen the other YouTuber mentioned it and said the reason was due to a slightly older power supply brick, allegedly
@hugobloemers4425: Who ever said the Chinese can not innovate? Two mono blocks sharing the same (switching) power supply. That surely has to be a first (I wonder why). I think dual mono amplifiers are the better choice though. Does this make this product a gimmick for that reason? Nah, it is from China, that can't be :)
PS, this is meant as parody, don't be triggered, peace!!
@cconnon1912: Complexity for the sake of complexity.
@fredashay: I'm amazed at how tiny power amps are these days! My two retro power amps from the 1980s (stereo amps in bridged mono mode) together are the size of a small dorm fridge. And, no, they're not tube amps, either (I never bought into the "magic warmth" of tubes, even when I was young and naive).
@monkeymanstones1: "Setting up a set-up"
This feels like a set up...
@monkeymanstones1: Did he say "...how do you appear to be an audioPILE [ie you're full of IT]?"
@jozefserf2024: All amplifiers sound the same to the human ear unless they go into clipping.
At what point does clipping occur?
That depends on the speakers, the room, the volume and the music.
50 watts per channel into 8 Ohms seems like a good minimum.
@innovationsinm: what about those of us with Active Crossovers? Are we excluded from being an Audiophile as we need a separate amplifier for each driver in the speaker. (in my case with my Axiom LFR1100 that has 5 different driver sets, I need 10 channels worth of amplification). So would we need individual mono blocks for each channel, or can we get away with a multi channel amplifier per speaker and still be considered an Audiophile? My gosh, it is going to get expensive to keep up with the requirements.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @innovationsinm: You're going to need more amps.
@AngelDjay: We used to laugh in the 1980s a British company used to make slave power amps we used on the dj circuit, straight forward mosfet power amps two seperate circuits and power supplies in one case using Hitachi top end mosfets.
What you got was hifi enthusiast slagging these amps off and explaining how their amps that played natural sound were so superior, when we explained natural sound from a straight slave amp is nothing like they hear that their amps of the decade had the EQ response set on the boards they could not comprehend but what were we, we were some of the industrial electricians that designed the circuits for many of the straight slave amps.
At the time we were also some of the first to use bi amping instead of crossovers it gave us more control over the acoustics of a venue.
I still have ten slave amps using the hitachi mosfets from the early 80s all working fine today in RMS none of the mickey mouse ratings used by some asian products of today.
@matthiasmartin1975: 14:55 chapter and verse please.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @matthiasmartin1975: On PFFB?
@georgejohnson1498: I must be unusual in having just the one monoblock amplifier.
My radio set consists of just three things: A 1957 Leak Trough-Line VHF/FM tuner [with variable output for volume control, so no pre-amp is used], a Quad II Forty and a 1957 Quad ESL. So either extremely vintage or fairly modern but old school.
Surprisingly this radio sounds very good, even in mono!
My digital and LP side works a glorified sound bar, but recordings seem less important to me than great live broadcasts [or delayed relays] of real concerts. Some are sublime and some are less so, but the great ones make up for the less fine .... And you can always turn it off!
I don't think of myself as an audiophile though.
Best wishes from George in Herefordshire.
PS: My speaker cable is from Maplins. Six feet of it cost me slightly less than £10 a few years ago. My interconnect is one of those maroon colour Chord RCA terminated cable, which I was given a pair of for nothing!
@AudioMasterclass replies to @georgejohnson1498: Any one of your vintage items would qualify you to be an audiophile, so verily I dub thee so.
@georgejohnson1498 replies to @georgejohnson1498: @AudioMasterclass Thank you kindly! I reckon the Q II Forty is rather an unrated amp. Not very powerful into low impedance speakers, though fine on the ESL, which amazingly is still nearly mint as it runs well towards seventy years old! The ESL was completely serviced in 2016 at Huntingdon, and I bought it for the price of the servicing! And the old wireless was one of the very best of the time, -thoroughly rebuilt in 2019. As the repairman said of it. "Aye! not a bad old radio!" From him that was high praise indeed.
As for the rest it performs satisfactorily and is pleasingly free of any special quality or oddities, though it does not rival the sheer beauty that the radio set produces on a good concert.
Best wishes from George
@alanalain4884: There is actually a subtle audible sound difference, especially with balanced inputs.
Dual Mono vs Stereo with Bal/Unbal. inputs sound demo ( Fosi ZA3 vs ZA3 vs V3, from VirtualHifi):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqtetlCEsNo&lc=UgxMGXBzgk2vioQaSzB4AaABAg
@dfurey9446: Maybe I’ll just buy magic stones to make my system sound better😂
@dfurey9446: My understanding is that mono blocks are a product from the mono to stereo transition. People had mono set up. So company sold them the other half. And now it’s just an audiophile “that’s the way we do it”. This is not against bi-amping or anything. Just don’t like doing things unquestioned.
@carlosroig5315: No mono block with common power supply, maybe dual chassis stereo is a better category or description.
@JorgedeLumiarFerreira: Theoretically I can understand you "same speaker cable length" argument but I doubt I, you or even a so-called audiophile, would hear a difference. I believe that even if you have different cables, from different brands, with different lengths, you would not hear any difference. I will try that soon, since, as you said, I am one of those that has his amplifyer on one end of the room: so 4,5 meters cable on the right, and 1,5 meters on the left, qed on the left, and audioquest on the right. Let's see if I manage to blow my speakers up?!? 😂
@AudioMasterclass replies to @JorgedeLumiarFerreira: I doubt if many people would notice if their front tyres were different brands, but it isn't right. I like things to be right; some people are not so bothered.
@MarkThomas-hm3ju: I don't know. Weren't monoblocks an answer to crosstalk and separating the power supply and transformer in the older Class A and Class AB? That was in addition to bridging to increase power output. With Class D I don't see the point. I bet the original Fosi V3 stereo will be very close in quality to the Fosi V3 monoblocks. May be overkill. Those suggesting mono blocks for home theatre I don't get that either. The noise floor of the V3 is imperceptible. The topology of the original V3 looks more clean than the new V3 also.
@Gadgetdad007: Nice green screen, I reckon you were making this video in the spare bedroom. 😊
@AudioMasterclass replies to @Gadgetdad007: Spare bedroom? The taxman calls it my studio.
@Gadgetdad007: Silly man why don’t you download the user manual. DOH😮
@AudioMasterclass replies to @Gadgetdad007: DOH. Silly commenter. From Google - "No results found for "Fosi v3 mono manual".
@smuconn: "All part of the fun." [FX: tea spit onto the breakfast table.]
@AudioMasterclass replies to @smuconn: It is, for those who can afford it.
@smuconn replies to @smuconn: @AudioMasterclass Why, man, audiophiles bestride the narrow world
Like a Colossus, and we petty men
Walk under their huge legs and peep about
To find ourselves dishonorable graves.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @smuconn: @smuconn Comment readers will admire Mr. @smuconn's quotation from Julius Caesar Act I, Scene II.
@rich.e replies to @smuconn: @AudioMasterclass more of a Snoop man, myself
@thforshaw: Regarding instant auto-on switches, I find them to be inadequate in terms of their response time. I own a set of powered subwoofers equipped with such switches, and they tend to turn on and off unexpectedly, particularly at lower volume levels or when transitioning between older and newer recordings. This can be very annoying!
@SnapperX3: I dig your tunes😊
@phildavis3105: Inasmuch as I listen to your irritating unboxing music on an iPad most of the time, I Iook forward to the vast improvements surely to come from your employment of the monoblocks. Meanwhile, I’m headed over to Temu to see about a quantity deal on these puppies. I have a 13.4.6 cinema system that just screams for the release of a monoblock on each (non sub woofer) channel. After all, the subs are effectively monoblocks, being self powered, and their output is prodigious. I can’t wait for the 19 Fosi monoblocks to do the same for the channels.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @phildavis3105: I mentioned that the V3 Mono gets rather warm. Don't forget to budget for ventilation and aircon.
@RA707AR: Hello and congratulations on your interventions, some of which were very useful and clarifying. Others depend on who sees/listens. Regarding monoblocs, I have been using a tagmclaren 100x5r for a few years now. I've already tried the various configurations that this amplifier allows: simple stereo / 2 channels with bi-wiring / 4 channels with bi-amping on my b&w. I have no doubt - along with other people who have heard (without knowing it) that the last configuration is far superior to any of the others. Can you explain why? Thanks again
@AudioMasterclass replies to @RA707AR: All these 'bi-' thingies will be something for me to explore in a future video.
@thepuma2012 replies to @RA707AR: with bi wiring you connect your low-frequencie terminals of the speaker to you amp output, and the high frequency terminals of speaker to the same output of the amp, right?
than the crossover inside your speaker still are connector together with the wires - they come together at the amplifier output (speaker terminals).
with bi amping two different amp outputs are used, one amp to low freq input of speaker and the other to high freq. So the wires are not connected together anywhere, and there is no interference from the crossover inside the speaker
@rf0022: Not only has xtalk gone with digital so has print through. Did many voice recordings that ended up with it.
@jasmeetsinghism: How do they compare with za3
@AudioMasterclass replies to @jasmeetsinghism: You can watch my ZA3 video here - https://youtu.be/YTNT4jp-Xq4
@luciferray6560: Please help me out. I want to buy the Best bookshelf speaker under 2000 US dollars.
Klipsch 9s , sonus Faber lumina 2, q acoustics 5020, kef r3 meta , warfdale linton 85 ?
We don't get arindal 1723 or 1961 in my country. Any other speaker that you would recommend under or a little over 2000 dollars ?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @luciferray6560: Unless I use the equipment myself and I like it, I don't give recommendations. I'm sure you can find a forum somewhere on the web that will help.
@bottomendbliss: Love your vids, i promise to subscribe if you reply. Those amps only have right channel red rca, am i allowed to put the left channel white into one of those?.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @bottomendbliss: I think my other commenters should chime in on this.
@Douglas_Blake_579 replies to @bottomendbliss: Yes
@rambotwin replies to @bottomendbliss: That would turn the left signal into a right one and vice versa ;) you need to use mono RCAs!
@Douglas_Blake_579 replies to @bottomendbliss: @rambotwin
Please tell me you're having a joke...
@AudioMasterclass replies to @bottomendbliss: Some audiophiles might argue that instead of twin RCA cables you should use monoblocs.
@DAVID-io9nj: To me an "Audiophile" is a gadget lover. Anything that makes music reproduction MORE esoteric and complicated is approved. Me, I just like listening to music.
@mydogskips2 replies to @DAVID-io9nj: I don't think that's fair. To me, for a true audiophile, at least speaking for myself, all the "gadgets, esoterica, and complication" serve the purpose of making the music better and more enjoyable to listen to. The gadgets are only a means to an end, and that end is having better sound/better music, so we are constantly adding things and tweaking our system so it can reach its highest potential and squeeze out every drop of sonic delicacy/sweetness possible.
I will concede, however, that as an audiophile, I am always aspiring to achieve the "perfect system" all the while knowing that no such system exists, and sometimes my quest for a better system/better sound does detract from me simply listening to and enjoying the music. That said, I often do just sit and enjoy listening to the music quite a bit, it's not always about listening to the system/equipment, I definitely hear and appreciate the music... and those are the best times, when I know it was all worth it.
@Douglas_Blake_579 replies to @DAVID-io9nj: "Audiophiles" (at least the current generation) are best defined as people who think wire is magic and crazy gadgets are necessary. Basically the perfect victims for predatory marketing and useless expense.
@marklydon435: No it is taking complete bollox about gear rather than music.
@carlesjuliavallmajo3812: hi , love your rewiews and attitude , good information for all of us " audiophiles " , hahaha