theaceface
Member
Disclaimer, this unit was sent to me for review by Fosi Audio, I have not been paid, or influenced by them in any way, everything contained in this review are my own thoughts and findings.
Is it possible to achieve audio nirvana without breaking the bank?
The fine folks at Fosi Audio say, YES!
My review unit was sent with a 48v power supply.
Testing In My Setup
My main system is actually in a Bedroom and is used for both music and movies.
A Marantz Cinema 50 AVR is central to the system, I also use a Yaqin MC-10T valve (or tube, for our friends across the pond) amp for the times when I want to relax with vinyl.
Before purchasing the Yaqin, my amp for 2 channel listening was a first generation Audiolab 8000A from 1983, an amp well known to Hi-Fi enthusiasts, shall we say, of a certain age, in the U.K.
Unfortunately I didn’t have the Audiolab to hand, so any A/B comparisons were judged against the Marantz.
Now you might be thinking that this is a bit of an unfair match, especially as, at the time of writing this, currently in the U.K. the Marantz retails for around £1499 and the ZA3 with a 48v power supply is available on Amazon for £149, a tenth of the price.
Also, the Marantz is an AVR capable of all the usual multi channel amplification and audio decoding.
With this in mind, the Marantz was used in “Pure Direct” mode, this takes the audio direct from the source and turns off the analogue video circuitry and takes Subwoofers out of the equation.
I thought this would make things a little more even.
The speakers used are Neat Acoustics Iota, which are wall mounted, not ideal for speakers usually, but fortunately they perform well close to a wall so ideal for me due to space restrictions.
The Iotas are rated at 6 Ohms nominal impedance and feature a 100mm Polypropylene driver, with a 50mm EMIT Planar Magnetic vertical Tweeter.
Brilliant little speakers, and much like the ZA3 punch well above their compact dimensions.
They are not the most efficient speakers, having a sensitivity rating of 84dB, they perform well with the Yaqin, but do appreciate a bit more power.
According to the Marantz website 2ch driven with a 6 Ohm load is 150 Watts.
Whereas the ZA3 with the same 6 Ohm load is 130 Watts.
The Marantz uses their own unique HDAM (Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Modules) and the ZA3 uses the Texas Instruments TPA 3255 op amps, the ZA3 however, allows you to swap these out for other compatible op amp chips.
There are many available from various websites and it’s something I would like to experiment with in future.
For now though, the amp is stock.
Cables are a bone of contention for many, and to “keep it real” the RCA interconnects used were Amazon Basics, simply because they are easy to get hold of, something not ridiculously expensive and I use them myself, speaker cables are 16 AWG 2 core from the speakers to the switch, then from the switch to the amps I use 13 AWG terminated with Banana plugs, the latter, again sourced from Amazon.
No need to start any cable arguments, let’s play nicely together kids.
Thankfully, the first part of an A/B test was made a lot easier as I have an Amp switch which I use to switch between the Yaqin and Marantz amps, passive switches are widely available, ones with a dummy load to protect against any time you don’t switch off your valve amp first, are pretty rare, thanks to Dale J. Perkins for building the switch for me, based on a design by Les “Lesbox” Carpenter.
Once I had swapped out the Yaqin for the ZA3, it was finally time to do some listening.
Vinyl to start with…….
LISTENING TO MUSIC
Vinyl spinning duties are taken care of by a Pink Triangle LPT Turntable, which I have had since 1994.
It is fitted with a Rega RB300 Tonearm and the Cartridge is the Ortofon 2M Blue, feeding all this to the ZA3 is a Yaqin MS-23B Phonostage, which has had the “Lesbox” conversion and the valves are Svetlana “Winged C” 12AX7.
I begin with “Stars” by Poppy Factory, a 12” from 1991 (Chrysalis - POPPYX3).
First up the Marantz, followed by the ZA3.
The Marantz has always surprised me when it comes to 2 Channel music, for an AVR it is a very enjoyable listening experience, I know what to expect, and those of you who own amps from the brand will know what I mean.
Having listened to the Marantz, time to see what the ZA3 can do, surely it’s going to be no contest? The ZA3 has had no time to “burn in” and small Class D amps are rubbish, aren’t they?
I started getting into Hi-Fi as a teenager in the 80’s, drooling over components that required two people to lift, displayed on racks reinforced and welded together by the mighty Vulcan himself, not amplifiers the size of a Sony Discman!
Ok, the original Sony D-50 was maybe a few Millimetres smaller all around with the D-50 measuring W 127.5mm H 42mm D 133mm as opposed to W 184mm H 51mm D 155mm, for the ZA3, there’s not much in it.
It’s a testament to how far amp technology has advanced, especially with Class D.
Anyway, where was I?
Oh yeah, listening to Poppy Factory.
The ZA3 sounds pretty good considering it is fresh out of the box, better check I flicked the switch to change amps.
Yep, did that.
Bass seems tight, nothing sounds harsh or unpleasant, no sibilant treble, good start then.
Time to funk things up i think.
“I’ve Been Thinking About Your Love”, by Skipworth & Turner, the opener from their self-titled 1985 debut album (4th & Broadway - BRLP 508). A classic slice of 80’s loveliness, the ZA3 doing a great job, as the track starts, I am searching for something negative about the sound.
I know I’m used to the Neat Iota speakers and the source components in my system, but switching between the two amplifiers I am struggling for any reason not to like the ZA3.
Let’s switch to CD, for the transport I use a Sony UBP-X700, which is connected to a Denafrips Ares II R2R ladder DAC with Amazon Basics Coaxial cable.
Latin sounds, courtesy of Gloria Estefan’s 1995 release “Abriendo Puertas” (Epic-480992 2).
The ZA3 still makes me smile and keep my fingers tapping along to each track.
I follow this with W.H. Lung’s “Incidental Music” (Melodic-MELO121CD) from 2019, which if you haven’t heard, I urge you to have a listen. A throwback to the heady days of 80’s Synth but with an epic modern feel.
I’m still smiling.
A change of genre for my final CD choice, Opera, the first disc of a 3 CD reissue of Mozart “Le Nozze Di Figaro” Georg Solti and the London Philharmonic Orchestra released in 1984 (Decca-410 150-2).
The little ZA3 makes Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Lucia Popp sound as good as ever, yet also has the ability to deliver enough sonic gravitas to do the recording justice.
Over the next few days, my listening was a lot less critical, just using Spotify and the WiiM Pro Plus streamer, the Ares II still in the chain.
Still enjoying my time with the ZA3.
Ok, I know some of you will say Spotify isn’t the best, and I should use something else, and you would be right, especially as I use the free tier of Spotify.
The reason for this is simply because I prefer to pay for music on physical media I can actually hold in my hand.
A CD, vinyl record or even a cassette, will stay in my collection, whereas music could disappear from a streaming service at any time, something subscribers have no control over.
I know sometime in the future, I will cave in and pay, until then, I will use Spotify for casual listening and finding new Music.
THE ZA3 & MOVIES
Now it was time to see what the ZA3 could do when using it connected to the front L/R pre outs on the Marantz.
The Marantz is capable of processing 11 channels, but can only power 9 so the addition of a 2 channel amp is required to take advantage of that, and I thought the ZA3 would be a perfect candidate.
Connecting the ZA3 to the Marantz is a simple job, RCA cable to the front pre out sockets, the ZA3 RCA output voltage is 0.775v I turned the lovely Orange volume knob to maximum and I also ran a 12v trigger cable between the two amps so the ZA3 is turned on and off with the AVR.
All that was left to do is let the Marantz know the front channels are now powered by an additional amp for 7.2.4.
The Centre speaker is another Iota so the main L/C/R match. The effect channels are a mixture of Tannoy FX satellites and Monoprice, topped off with two BK Double Gem Subwoofers, one of which is placed in a wardrobe, thankfully Bass is non directional so it’s not a big issue.
Remember, this is a bedroom system, compromises have to be made and you have to do what you can with what you have.
It ain’t pretty, but this is not about a perfect room with an Eames chair, the throne of many an Audiophile.
Visuals are taken care of by the 65” Sony X95L Mini-LED.
First up, the 4K Blu-Ray of the 1995 Scorsese classic “Casino”.
The sequence of Sam “Ace” Rothstein’s car explodes is impactful, a lot to do with the Subs, but the use of J.S. Bach in the mix is important, the ZA3 has no problem conveying the excitement and drama of the DTS-X soundtrack in tandem with the Marantz.
If anything, the sound of the ZA3 has improved, I guess it has “bedded in” with a bit of use and the Marantz doesn’t have to work as hard.
Same results with the “Jaws” 4K, the ZA3 handling everything well, the 2-note ostinato by Mr Williams, deep and as familiar as the first time you hear it. To think the director thought it was a joke, seems unimaginable now.
I don’t feel the need to switch back to the Marantz driving the front L/R channels and it’s nice having the extra height channels, subtle, but definitely noticeable.
General use for TV, and things like YouTube with the ZA3 is just as enjoyable.
FINAL VERDICT
So would I recommend the ZA3?
The short answer is, yes, but I suppose a lot depends on what you are used to when it comes to audio, and what you want or expect from an amp.
If you think small class D amps are terrible and nothing can persuade you otherwise, then you are not going to buy it.
Coming from large components, and using something like this, is for me, a seismic shift.
I wish this sort of thing would have been available when I was younger, that’s for sure!
Those of you familiar with a certain Mr J. Darko will know, he uses the term “Kallax-Fi” and this amp is definitely in that category.
If you need a compact amp and space is at a premium, look no further than the ZA3, you can even add a second and switch to mono mode, if you have speakers that like a bit of power, unfortunately I can’t comment on the benefits of this, having just the one amp to test.
Then again, in my current system and my particular speakers having a recommended amp rating of 25-100 Watts, I’m not sure I would risk it.
The sound the ZA3 produced was very good indeed, much better than I expected, generally I take the usual internet hyperbole around certain audio components with a pinch of Sodium Chloride, but the high praise is indeed justified, although some may not think so, like I said earlier, it depends on your expectations.
The A/B test was a close call, I would say the Marantz was better, but not by that much, I would be quite happy to listen to the ZA3.
For me though, where the ZA3 really shined, was using it with the Marantz to power the front L/R channels and give me 7.2.4 Atmos.
£149 a small 2 channel amp, that sits happily on top of my AVR and has a 12v trigger, it’s a yes from me.
The large Cherry on the cake being, it also sounds great, which obviously is the most important thing.
Try the ZA3 out in your system, or start your audio journey with one, you might be surprised.
A big thank you to Fosi Audio for sending me the unit to review.
Introduction
I would say I am an audio “enthusiast” as I am not a fan of the word “audiophile” as it seems to give an impression of being somehow out of reach and unattainable to anyone other than those with deep pockets.Is it possible to achieve audio nirvana without breaking the bank?
The fine folks at Fosi Audio say, YES!
My review unit was sent with a 48v power supply.
Testing In My Setup
My main system is actually in a Bedroom and is used for both music and movies.
A Marantz Cinema 50 AVR is central to the system, I also use a Yaqin MC-10T valve (or tube, for our friends across the pond) amp for the times when I want to relax with vinyl.
Before purchasing the Yaqin, my amp for 2 channel listening was a first generation Audiolab 8000A from 1983, an amp well known to Hi-Fi enthusiasts, shall we say, of a certain age, in the U.K.
Unfortunately I didn’t have the Audiolab to hand, so any A/B comparisons were judged against the Marantz.
Now you might be thinking that this is a bit of an unfair match, especially as, at the time of writing this, currently in the U.K. the Marantz retails for around £1499 and the ZA3 with a 48v power supply is available on Amazon for £149, a tenth of the price.
Also, the Marantz is an AVR capable of all the usual multi channel amplification and audio decoding.
With this in mind, the Marantz was used in “Pure Direct” mode, this takes the audio direct from the source and turns off the analogue video circuitry and takes Subwoofers out of the equation.
I thought this would make things a little more even.
The speakers used are Neat Acoustics Iota, which are wall mounted, not ideal for speakers usually, but fortunately they perform well close to a wall so ideal for me due to space restrictions.
The Iotas are rated at 6 Ohms nominal impedance and feature a 100mm Polypropylene driver, with a 50mm EMIT Planar Magnetic vertical Tweeter.
Brilliant little speakers, and much like the ZA3 punch well above their compact dimensions.
They are not the most efficient speakers, having a sensitivity rating of 84dB, they perform well with the Yaqin, but do appreciate a bit more power.
According to the Marantz website 2ch driven with a 6 Ohm load is 150 Watts.
Whereas the ZA3 with the same 6 Ohm load is 130 Watts.
The Marantz uses their own unique HDAM (Hyper Dynamic Amplifier Modules) and the ZA3 uses the Texas Instruments TPA 3255 op amps, the ZA3 however, allows you to swap these out for other compatible op amp chips.
There are many available from various websites and it’s something I would like to experiment with in future.
For now though, the amp is stock.
Cables are a bone of contention for many, and to “keep it real” the RCA interconnects used were Amazon Basics, simply because they are easy to get hold of, something not ridiculously expensive and I use them myself, speaker cables are 16 AWG 2 core from the speakers to the switch, then from the switch to the amps I use 13 AWG terminated with Banana plugs, the latter, again sourced from Amazon.
No need to start any cable arguments, let’s play nicely together kids.
Thankfully, the first part of an A/B test was made a lot easier as I have an Amp switch which I use to switch between the Yaqin and Marantz amps, passive switches are widely available, ones with a dummy load to protect against any time you don’t switch off your valve amp first, are pretty rare, thanks to Dale J. Perkins for building the switch for me, based on a design by Les “Lesbox” Carpenter.
Once I had swapped out the Yaqin for the ZA3, it was finally time to do some listening.
Vinyl to start with…….
LISTENING TO MUSIC
Vinyl spinning duties are taken care of by a Pink Triangle LPT Turntable, which I have had since 1994.
It is fitted with a Rega RB300 Tonearm and the Cartridge is the Ortofon 2M Blue, feeding all this to the ZA3 is a Yaqin MS-23B Phonostage, which has had the “Lesbox” conversion and the valves are Svetlana “Winged C” 12AX7.
I begin with “Stars” by Poppy Factory, a 12” from 1991 (Chrysalis - POPPYX3).
First up the Marantz, followed by the ZA3.
The Marantz has always surprised me when it comes to 2 Channel music, for an AVR it is a very enjoyable listening experience, I know what to expect, and those of you who own amps from the brand will know what I mean.
Having listened to the Marantz, time to see what the ZA3 can do, surely it’s going to be no contest? The ZA3 has had no time to “burn in” and small Class D amps are rubbish, aren’t they?
I started getting into Hi-Fi as a teenager in the 80’s, drooling over components that required two people to lift, displayed on racks reinforced and welded together by the mighty Vulcan himself, not amplifiers the size of a Sony Discman!
Ok, the original Sony D-50 was maybe a few Millimetres smaller all around with the D-50 measuring W 127.5mm H 42mm D 133mm as opposed to W 184mm H 51mm D 155mm, for the ZA3, there’s not much in it.
It’s a testament to how far amp technology has advanced, especially with Class D.
Anyway, where was I?
Oh yeah, listening to Poppy Factory.
The ZA3 sounds pretty good considering it is fresh out of the box, better check I flicked the switch to change amps.
Yep, did that.
Bass seems tight, nothing sounds harsh or unpleasant, no sibilant treble, good start then.
Time to funk things up i think.
“I’ve Been Thinking About Your Love”, by Skipworth & Turner, the opener from their self-titled 1985 debut album (4th & Broadway - BRLP 508). A classic slice of 80’s loveliness, the ZA3 doing a great job, as the track starts, I am searching for something negative about the sound.
I know I’m used to the Neat Iota speakers and the source components in my system, but switching between the two amplifiers I am struggling for any reason not to like the ZA3.
Let’s switch to CD, for the transport I use a Sony UBP-X700, which is connected to a Denafrips Ares II R2R ladder DAC with Amazon Basics Coaxial cable.
Latin sounds, courtesy of Gloria Estefan’s 1995 release “Abriendo Puertas” (Epic-480992 2).
The ZA3 still makes me smile and keep my fingers tapping along to each track.
I follow this with W.H. Lung’s “Incidental Music” (Melodic-MELO121CD) from 2019, which if you haven’t heard, I urge you to have a listen. A throwback to the heady days of 80’s Synth but with an epic modern feel.
I’m still smiling.
A change of genre for my final CD choice, Opera, the first disc of a 3 CD reissue of Mozart “Le Nozze Di Figaro” Georg Solti and the London Philharmonic Orchestra released in 1984 (Decca-410 150-2).
The little ZA3 makes Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Lucia Popp sound as good as ever, yet also has the ability to deliver enough sonic gravitas to do the recording justice.
Over the next few days, my listening was a lot less critical, just using Spotify and the WiiM Pro Plus streamer, the Ares II still in the chain.
Still enjoying my time with the ZA3.
Ok, I know some of you will say Spotify isn’t the best, and I should use something else, and you would be right, especially as I use the free tier of Spotify.
The reason for this is simply because I prefer to pay for music on physical media I can actually hold in my hand.
A CD, vinyl record or even a cassette, will stay in my collection, whereas music could disappear from a streaming service at any time, something subscribers have no control over.
I know sometime in the future, I will cave in and pay, until then, I will use Spotify for casual listening and finding new Music.
THE ZA3 & MOVIES
Now it was time to see what the ZA3 could do when using it connected to the front L/R pre outs on the Marantz.
The Marantz is capable of processing 11 channels, but can only power 9 so the addition of a 2 channel amp is required to take advantage of that, and I thought the ZA3 would be a perfect candidate.
Connecting the ZA3 to the Marantz is a simple job, RCA cable to the front pre out sockets, the ZA3 RCA output voltage is 0.775v I turned the lovely Orange volume knob to maximum and I also ran a 12v trigger cable between the two amps so the ZA3 is turned on and off with the AVR.
All that was left to do is let the Marantz know the front channels are now powered by an additional amp for 7.2.4.
The Centre speaker is another Iota so the main L/C/R match. The effect channels are a mixture of Tannoy FX satellites and Monoprice, topped off with two BK Double Gem Subwoofers, one of which is placed in a wardrobe, thankfully Bass is non directional so it’s not a big issue.
Remember, this is a bedroom system, compromises have to be made and you have to do what you can with what you have.
It ain’t pretty, but this is not about a perfect room with an Eames chair, the throne of many an Audiophile.
Visuals are taken care of by the 65” Sony X95L Mini-LED.
First up, the 4K Blu-Ray of the 1995 Scorsese classic “Casino”.
The sequence of Sam “Ace” Rothstein’s car explodes is impactful, a lot to do with the Subs, but the use of J.S. Bach in the mix is important, the ZA3 has no problem conveying the excitement and drama of the DTS-X soundtrack in tandem with the Marantz.
If anything, the sound of the ZA3 has improved, I guess it has “bedded in” with a bit of use and the Marantz doesn’t have to work as hard.
Same results with the “Jaws” 4K, the ZA3 handling everything well, the 2-note ostinato by Mr Williams, deep and as familiar as the first time you hear it. To think the director thought it was a joke, seems unimaginable now.
I don’t feel the need to switch back to the Marantz driving the front L/R channels and it’s nice having the extra height channels, subtle, but definitely noticeable.
General use for TV, and things like YouTube with the ZA3 is just as enjoyable.
FINAL VERDICT
So would I recommend the ZA3?
The short answer is, yes, but I suppose a lot depends on what you are used to when it comes to audio, and what you want or expect from an amp.
If you think small class D amps are terrible and nothing can persuade you otherwise, then you are not going to buy it.
Coming from large components, and using something like this, is for me, a seismic shift.
I wish this sort of thing would have been available when I was younger, that’s for sure!
Those of you familiar with a certain Mr J. Darko will know, he uses the term “Kallax-Fi” and this amp is definitely in that category.
If you need a compact amp and space is at a premium, look no further than the ZA3, you can even add a second and switch to mono mode, if you have speakers that like a bit of power, unfortunately I can’t comment on the benefits of this, having just the one amp to test.
Then again, in my current system and my particular speakers having a recommended amp rating of 25-100 Watts, I’m not sure I would risk it.
The sound the ZA3 produced was very good indeed, much better than I expected, generally I take the usual internet hyperbole around certain audio components with a pinch of Sodium Chloride, but the high praise is indeed justified, although some may not think so, like I said earlier, it depends on your expectations.
The A/B test was a close call, I would say the Marantz was better, but not by that much, I would be quite happy to listen to the ZA3.
For me though, where the ZA3 really shined, was using it with the Marantz to power the front L/R channels and give me 7.2.4 Atmos.
£149 a small 2 channel amp, that sits happily on top of my AVR and has a 12v trigger, it’s a yes from me.
The large Cherry on the cake being, it also sounds great, which obviously is the most important thing.
Try the ZA3 out in your system, or start your audio journey with one, you might be surprised.
A big thank you to Fosi Audio for sending me the unit to review.
Last edited:
