A few people pointed out (wisely) that while using XLR connections, I can then use the RCA input on the ZA3 for my turntable instead of the selector switch, thank you! But funny enough, after posting this video, I read in the Fosi facebook group where someone said they bought the ZD3 not realizing it didn't have an RCA input, lol. Someone gave them the same advice for his turntable!
Just a note of caution... The SU-1 defeats the on-screen volume control and the keyboard media buttons on most PCs. If you are using a wireless keyboard to control an HTPC you will find yourself with an always full volume system. Then, while you can control volume in the media player, the rest of the system sounds will still be at flat out max volume. You will have to manually adjust volume on your amplifier. FWIW... The Windows exclamation sound is quite the experience at 140w/ch.
Wow, those things are TINY compared to my vintage gear. The XLR connections are almost as big as they are tall. I might start venturing into the streaming world soon, but it will be to integrate into my vintage audio components. I'll be looking to you for your advice! Great Vid as always!
Thanks Scott! I just set up one of those beast vintage receivers I emailed you about and I agree, it makes these little class D amps look so small, lol. I hope to get that video out soon and might hit you up for more advice when digging in. Thanks for watching!
With a ton of dacs out there that have volume control but no analog ins, the Parks Audio Waxwing is starting to look like a better option all the time now. Yes I know digitizing our our records is heresy but I've heard really good things about the Waxwing and it would make things convenient.
I’m swamped with gear to review and behind on the Waxwing. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Sounds like I need to check it out! Thanks again!
Years ago, I moved from a townhouse to a largish bachelor pad, to save money. This meant I didn't have a lot of room for my turntable, stand, speakers and, of course, the vinyl collection. I slowly got tired of the cramped quarters and decided to get rid of the vinyl. Around 2004 I started to transcode the vinyl to the newly available MP3 format. It took a while to flesh it out but using a PC Audio Interface and a mixer, I played with the levels and settings until I got it "just right"... then the 2 year job of transcoding began. In the end I had about 3,000 MP3/192 files taken from my albums. Comparing the vinyl and digital I often had to look to see which was playing. There was virtually no audible difference. I've since sold the boxes of Vinyl, converted all the MP3s to MP3/320 and used MP3 Gain to normalize them all at the standard -16LUFs used by streaming services, and of course the collection has grown over time as well. The 5,000 song collection currently lives in a tiny-pc with a rather large storage inside, that feeds my music system with large playlists and really good music. As a bonus, without the records, turntable and stands, the batch pad is now rather roomy and comfortable. So, no there's no worry about transcoding vinyl ... in fact, the older mixes often sound better than the digital remakes.
@@crazyprayingmantis5596 Sounds like a good idea. The big plus for me was my system went from a wall of records, a large stand, amplifier, cd player, and large speakers to a tiny computer, dac and mini-amp that now sits in an empty drawer well in my TV stand. The magic is all in the computer with a media player, storage for both music and movies, hdmi feed to the TV and audio through a USB DAC and Class D amplifier, feeding a pair of pioneer towers. The electronics takes up less space than my previous Marantz amp did... it does more and it sounds every bit as good.
Aaron if you are using the zd3 with the za3 and use the xlr out of the zd3 into the xlr in of the za3 then you still have the rca in of the za3 available for your turntable or any other analog source.
Geshelli Labs J2 with the 4499s really kicks it up, understand more money but I believe the Difference in money is well worth it I'm sure I saw some cable company making RCA to Balanced and vice versa!
I'm intrigued, of course, with the new world of audio. Would this compare with my expensive amp, driving $14,000 speakers? Maybe I sound like a dreamer, but who knows?
It's one of life's harder lessons ... Price is not an indicator of quality. I recently A-B compared a $100 A07 with a $1,500 TS-A75 ... had to look to see which was playing.
I like the design on this unit but sadly not really a pre-amp, just a DAC with digital volume attenuation and a pre-amp is exactly what Fosi needs. Because its all done in the digital domain its cheap enough to implement but as a "pre-amp" not very useful. Building a true pre-amp would be more expensive but Fosi has to not be afraid to go slightly up market in terms of features, we're pretty much tapped out what you can do with sub $200 amps and DACs in tiny boxes.
I think a lot of people will love the ZD3 and I don't fault them there, but I'm someone who is always subbing new gear in and out of a system from DACs to streamers to phono preamps, so I also like the idea of Fosi just having a traditional preamp.
@@ForeverAnalog Yeah, it looks like a great DAC and it stacks perfect with the ZA3 but there is already a ton of DACs in this class. You could literally be buried alive in SMSL and Topping DACs with this basic feature set and price range. Nobody is making a legit pre-amp with multiple inputs and outputs, remote, ect. and thats the missing piece for these high performance to dollar class D amps.
does it turn on automatically when the power is plugged in? Or do I have to turn this on every day for the rest of my life? Seems like it has to be turned on EVERY DAY!
It has a trigger input. You can connect it to the trigger output of another device, a timer, etc. If you keep the AC on and turn it on, it will stay on until you turn it off or the trigger input goes off.
Thank you! In all honesty, I always have a massive pile of gear to review so as soon as I finish a video I have to tear that gear down and start all over with the new set up. Not complaining (lol) just still haven't figured out how to keep up a system set up long enough to get into op amp rolling! I'll get there one of these days!
Yeah, I still think a lot of folks will love it, which is great. I might just be too high maintenance due to having too many audio sources in my setup lol. Thanks for watching!
It's a DAC with the ability to control volume and I think they should have just called it a DAC. There is a Fosi analog solid state preamp with multiple inputs and outputs (including balanced) being announced very soon.
If you have a turntable with built in pre-amp, you can couple that with an inexpensive BlueTooth transmitter to connect to the ZD3 without adding a switchbox or losing the volume control.
@@ForeverAnalog Then, if you really wanted to go crazy (and what audiophile doesn't?) you could hook the BT transmitter to the output of your switch box.
