You really need enough power, processing, and separation in the mid-range to parse the dimensionality of his sarcasm. With the right atmos/ Dirac setup you can literally hear it coming.
From the Williston Labs channel, we now have confirmation that flipping the stereo/mono switch while the ZA3 is powered up is *not safe* . It puts the chip into protection immediately and we can't be sure it will always come back on after a power cycle. That switch has no business being on the front of the amp, right in the middle of "Daddy what does this do?" land.
Chinese kids don't do things like that. They raise kids different. Not judging btw, I think Western society has a much bigger problem raising the youth
@@mergru6371 Far from being an admirable trait, "don't touch that!" is exactly why Chinese and South East Asians lack intellectual curiousity and creativity. It has all been beaten and screamed at, out of them since young. A human block of wood does not define a well behaved child.
Got one of these yesterday and it's great . Volume all the way up and speakers are silent!.. cranked it up and it sounds amazing.. definitely a keeper for my home studio!
One feature missing here that would take this amp to the next level is a high-pass filter for the speaker outs when using a subwoofer. This would take a huge load off the amp if the high demand from the passive woofers was reduced. Distortion would drop substantially at high listening levels and there would be much more headroom for harder to drive speakers. But.... a little birdie told me I just might get my wish in the not so distant future.
Your "unboxing" portions are hilarious. I am glad you pointed out how speaker loads can vary greatly with frequency. I dare say most YT reviewers don't comprehend that fact. Thank you!
@@Douglas_Blake_579 Yup exactly. Though 1.5dB at 25khz could also mean 0.5dB at 17khz which someone miight every so slightly notice if they really tried. So yeah I wouldn't worry about it no :)
I'm an EE. I've had superlative stereos since '79. Bridged amps, which this is not, deliver twice the voltage and therefore four times the power. The price is each side of the amp sees half the speaker impedance. So, for example, if you bridge into 4ohm magnepans each side of the amp sees a 2ohm load. Few moderately priced amps can reliably handle a 2ohm load. So bridging is for high impedance speakers that don't drop much below 8 ohms. Few modern speakers fit that description. I've never been a fan of bridging. You're all too likely to have stability and overheating and current clipping problems. Paralleling, as this amp does, results in each side seeing double the speaker impedance. For example, when driving our 4ohm magnepans, each side of the amp sees an 8ohm load. This is much easier for most amps to handle. You would run this amp in mono mode to handle very low impedance speakers. I've seen some speakers drop below 1ohm in the audio band, dropping below 2 ohms is not uncommon, dropping to 3 ohms is rather common. This amp in mono mode would be a good choice for such speakers, and a lot cheaper than an ampzilla 500 or a mark Levinson. On the other hand this amp in mono mode would be wasted on a high impedance high sensitivity speaker like any Klipsch. There would be twice the cost and no benefit. All these considerations really only count if you play your speakers loud. I have a small stereo in my bedroom which averages about 50db never gets over about 80db. Power considerations are just silly. This amp in mono mode would be a decent choice to drive the magnepans in my living room, which sometimes get quite loud. However, in mono mode each side of each amp sees an 8ohm load and that results in the minor high frequency rise of a couple db. Personally, at age 68 I can't hear anything over about 11khz and I've never measured anyone my age who can. Few over 25 can hear above 16khz, and few under 30 can afford a stereo that works well over 16khz. I've measured several dozen people. No one over 15 in this country can hear 20khz. You may have ribbons that go to 50khz or plasmatronics that go to 200khz, but you can't hear it. I have trouble imagining someone with $20k speakers using this amp in mono mode. But for my bedroom stereo, elac ubr62 playing soft music, this amp in stereo would be a good choice. For a budget stereo with ss-cs5 or bs22-lr or elac debut 5.2 or emotiva b1+ or Klipsch r41m or rp600m, this amp in stereo would be a very appropriate choice, IMHO.
@@robertbox5399 you're correct if the power supply can keep up. If not you get clipping at a lower voltage than you expect. Which some of us call current clipping, as the solution is a power supply with more current capacity.
You need to look up the TPA3255 spec sheets ... The chip itself natively supports ... 4xSE -- 4 single ended outputs 2xSE+1xBTL -- 2 single ended and one bridged output (2,1 stereo) 2xBTL -- 2 bridged outputs (stereo) 1xPBTL -- 1 Parallel bridged output (mono) The base mode for stereo in these chinese amplifiers is 2xBTL ... that is each channel is already bridged. For the mono mode they reconfigure the chip for 1xPBTL or Parallel Bridge Tied Load as a means to increase output current capacity.
Oh my goodness, I upgraded my Fosi V3 to the 'C'est magnifique Atoll IN100SE! What a sublime amazing sounding beast of an AB amp but not cheap. Two ZA3 in mono I would have considered in a heatbeat, if only it had come out sooner.
Enjoyed your interesting review. Thanks. Just wanted to add that the Fosi Za3 is the first cheap class D amp I've heard that reproduces male voices with body (elevated lower mids perhaps?). It actually sounds rich on my Kef LS50 Metas and manages to inject some warmth into my Maggie LRS+ speakers. So, this is a great relief compared to stereotypical class D leaness, in which hollow body guitars for example, sound like solid body guitars. Just received it today, but so far it's a very pleasant sounding amp. Well worth the cheap investment, for what you get in return. And the sub-out is a nice bonus too.
I'm not using a preamp with it. I'm running a Dragonfly DAC from my laptop into the stereo Fosi Za3 (48v supply), then into my speakers. I've also tried setting the Fosi volume to full and also to 3 o'clock, while controlling the volume with a Nobsound ALPS27 (50k) volume control but didn't like the results. Having lived with the Fosi Za3 for awhile now, I'm recognizing that it's not as powerful, hard-hitting and spacious as my cheap class A/B SoundArtist SA-200IA, which I prefer with my Maggie LRS+. Both amps were connected to a subwoofer. The Za3 is on the softish side and I'm beginning to wonder whether the warmth might possibly be a result of intentional 2nd harmonic distortion. Need to do further testing against my Aiyima A07.@@JukeboxAlley
@@geevee1045 I would definitely recommend running a preamp on the za3, that would make a tremendous difference in gain and impact, always does, as it's still basically separates, the za3 by itself just isn't going to cut it, all of those need a decent preamp behind them.
I ran a passive preamp with it, but I believe you're talking about an active preamp with gain. What preamp are you using with the Za3? I assume you're objecting to the NE5532 preamp and volume control quality in the Za3. Well, my Dynaco Pas3x tube preamp is presently out of commission, but I'll try the preamp section of my original NAD 3020, or the pre-out of one of my vintage integrateds when I get the chance, thx. @@JukeboxAlley
I ran a passive preamp with it, but I believe you're talking about an active preamp with gain. What preamp are you using with the Za3? I assume you're objecting to the NE5532 preamp and volume control quality in the Za3. Well, my Dynaco Pas3x tube preamp is presently out of commission, but I'll try the preamp section of my original NAD 3020, or the pre-out of one of my vintage integrateds when I get the chance, thx. @@JukeboxAlley
I quickly realized that I had no interest in the product but stayed for the sarcasm...reminds me of a more verbose version of Granny Crowley, The Dowager Countess on Downtown Abbey. The script was quite funny and so promising that I subbed. Will be more than worth it when he gets his timing down
It rocks 90% vs my latest and greatest gan amp. It's a multi do all play amp, once you tinker opamps mono xlr, then duo with mono or biamping without needing thousands to entry. It powers my magnepan lrs+ via single amp It's a winner. Duo Mono immediately adds realism faster impactful more fullness to everything.
Looks like a great little amp... I would have liked to have seen a more standard on off switch... and perhaps no need for volume... and put the mono stereo switch on the back as I would think you would need to be touching very often if at all once you have it set up... but doing so inadvertently like have bad results!
For the frequency response test ... the rise in output at 20khz is an artefact of poor output filter design. Fosi is designing for 6 ohm loads as a compromise between 4 and 8. If David tested at 4 ohms he would find that 20khz was down slightly. For most uses this is pretty harmless, especially since almost nobody would ever hear it.
Which is my point. For the segment it is not flawed. And for 500 this problem has been solved. Like in my purifi amp. Fosi provides a path to more to what should matter for an audiophile noise and distortion free gear. Which is often not the case for audiophile brands. The question is when fosi will provide an amplifier that has addressed the problems of cheap class d
@@niklasschmidt First, lets understand that the TPA3255 is clearly not "cheap class D" ... The chip was developed by TI for pro-audio use. You will find it in studio monitors, sound reinforcement and public address roles and you will also find it in some high end home theatre gear. To my surprise a couple of the lower powered ICEPower modules are using it as well. The TB10D version of the TPA3255 tests favourably beside some of the best gear like Naim and Parasound and beats the pants off just about the entire "vintage" market. Don't mistake the small size and lower pricing for a lack of sound quality. These little guys will surprise you, if you give them the chance. What they won't do is make your friend's eyes bulge or win you status within a community of audio snobs. My current main system is a Windows HTPC, DAC, modified TB10D and a pair of Pioneer towers. Total outlay about $1500, including a 60 inch TV. All the electronics fit into a vacant drawer well on my TV stand, with room to spare. I will stack that up against just about any $10,000 system out there on all counts except raw power.
Getting complicated here, but since Fosi seems to be listening, how about an HDMI in and out along with an internal equalizer so that we could adjust via a TV interface Now that you've agreed to that, how about a mic input so that we can balance the room via a contained frequency response display also shown on the TV, or.. even an app. Now that you've also agreed to that, how about creating a DSP contained in the chassis with your wonderful amps? It would be just the thing to eliminate crossovers in DIY speaker design. There, that completes my list for now.
These type of class D amps have an impedance dependent frequency response, increasing the upper treble with higher impedance, so the frequency response will be different depending on the speaker's impedance curve. It's an issue that is solved by more sophisticated class D designs such as ncore and purifi.
All of the "budget" class D amps that I have tried do that. Not to mention, they modulate noise and the treble is vague and rolled off. Good class D amps are a few thousand, not a few hundred.
I bet, that's exactly designed that way to sound more lively just out of the box without any sound controls added. And rightly so from the sellers point, because trebles get lost anyway for many reasons.
Exactly right. This amp is based on the TI TPA3255 chip. We are just on the cusp of seeing implementations of this TI chip with an extra "post filter feedback" circuit that cures this issue, but this doesn't have it. Those more advanced class D amps from Purifi have the extra circuit.
Took delivery of two of these today for my desk top system driving a pair of KEF Q350's. I'll say this - these amps have no business being as good as they are for the asking price.
Shhh. Put myself on the waiting list for two ZA3s, and then had second thoughts so cancelled. Suggested to Fosi though that if they brought out dedicated power monoblocs with XLR inputs then I'd buy a pair. Fosi quickly and kindly replied they're releasing that exact thing in a couple of months.
Decades ago I had two NAD 3040 integrated stereo amps that NAD made easy to bridge for mono so I did. Note: the 3040s already had twice the power of the beloved 3020s. Unfortunately the bridged sound was terrible and was only suitable for maybe a PA system. So I left that mess behind but still can't shake the nasty taste that bridging left behind. Therapy might be needed before I can bridge to mono again.
In the fun fact department...the XLR connector (which gets its name from Cannon where that was its connector type)...It was not developed as an audio connector, persay. Have you ever checked the specifications for the 3-pin version? 15A...a bit excessive for mere mic or line level audio! Even its voltage rating is up to 133V on the 3-pin.
@@chinmeysway Not at all. There are 3, 4, 5, 7...etc. 5-pin is popular with DMX lighting systems, for example. However, 3 pin XLRs have notably larger pins than their higher pin count version.
It's surprising how small an audio power amp can actually be, if you take out the PSU and the radio and phono sections, and the input selection switches. Car audio amplifiers can be very small yet put out a very high level, far more than is needed for the small interior of a car for comfortable listening levels. It seems that many home audio power amps are made larger just to look more powerful.
This is probably wrong but just in case it's right I read where there are two TI 3225 chips one for each channel If that is the case what is the point of using the ZA3s as mono blocks. I know two power sources are often advantageous, one for each mono block but the Class D is very efficient. There probably is only one TI chip surely for each ZA3.
Hi, it's a very good review. I have a question: if I use two za3 as monoblocks with a tube preamp is it a good idea? ...and how is recommended to set the volume controls, at max on za3 using as main volume the preamp? My respect
Set the preamp volume to minimum then set the power amp volumes to max. Play some audio and advance the preamp volume slowly. It's almost certain this will be OK and you can continue to use your system like this, controlling volume with the preamp. Caution is always good though.
David is correct. But there is a plan B that works too... Start with the pre-amp at 3 o'clock volume and the amps at 0. Advance the amplifiers until you get the maximum level you are likely ever to use. (for me this ends up around 11 o'clock on the dial). From there use the pre-amp to adjust from zero to your limited maximum. This has the advantage that the kids won't be able to get you in trouble with the noise police.
Very well sir. I shall sub (not subwoofer, subscribe). Although I am mounting the 2 opposed 10" subwoofer drivers into the box I built for them (4' x 13" x 17"). I was truly shocked at the quality of the Parts Express $44 driver.
Actually it is the other way round. Long interconnects are no issue, since there is extremely low current. Speakercables have quite some current running through. Soundwise speakercables srs best at close to 2,5 meters.
@@hennievangalen3789 Interconnects do indeed run low current, in microamps, but that isn't the issue. That low current also makes for a relatively high impedance, often 10k or more, The concern is for EMI and specifically RFI picked up as they tend to act like antennas and will pick up noise and radio signals very easily. Speaker wire, of adequate size, is a very low impedance thing, it is not going to pick up noise and interference at all. In the trade off ... it is far better to run 100 feet of speaker cable than even 20 feet of shielded interconnect wire.
You have just found one of the main issues with cheap class D amplifiers. They sound very different on different loudspeakers. All loudspeakers have a very variable impedance curve. These class D amplifiers give a different high frequency response to different speaker impedance. Because of this some speakers will sound extra bright, some over dull. That's the price you pay for cheap class D. Ok for the undemanding use but if you want real HiFi go class AB
Even class b and h are awsome power amps , Mitsubishi receivers and amps in the 70s up till mid 80s was awsome , sounded solid and pushed a ton of current .
@@boomerscs9193 Everyone I have tested so far has not any such magic filter. All these filters are tuned to a set impedance. They are not magic filters that cover all impedances sadly.
FWIW ... that peak in output power is due to the output filters being underdamped at 8 ohms. It's only about 1.5db and it's at 25khz where nobody's going to hear it.
As I've only had UK education I can't comment on that. I'll stand by my preference for continuous average power measurements though. They many not reflect the listening experience perfectly but you know where you stand.
Also, everybody mods the input opamps, but I've only seen one guy for not cheaping out on the output. Having looked at TI's app notes, I have a hard time believing that any audible change (as opposed to changing a THD digit) will occur with improved input opamps; however, inductance drops as a core heats on the output is a real thing and might explain another reviewers results (and give me just that bit of buyer remorse for getting an Aiyima over a Fosi)
RMS makes sense - audio signals are >20 Hz. I was not going to post more stuff, but as I looked at LC output stage design notes and DIY audio forums and NAD/Purify bragging, I realized that the output frequency curve at high frequencies is only flat for a particular impedance. If the impedance is higher or lower than the design of the LC output is for, the frequency response will vary. NAD claims they've fixed this with a feedback network. but Fosi and Aiyima don't have the time/money for that, so you should have easily driven 8 Ohm speakers for the best results.
Actually I did some testing on a couple of these amps using the 10uh coils and 1uf caps, per the development module. The flat response is at about 6 ohms. 8 ohms allows a bit of peaking in the filter. 4 ohms results in a slight roll off. 6 ohms is a good compromise for consumer gear. For pro gear replaceable coils makes more sense.
What do you think about this amp running main stereo LR channels from the pre-outs of a 7+ channel AVR? Would it help much in taking the power demands off the AVR? Would running two as mono blocks improve things even more?
I don't think your music is anoying at all. It's very well mixed and mastered and I can hear all the instruments all the time via my Naim DAC-V1 and Sennheiser HD650s. Nice review BTW.
First of all. I love your content. Just a remark as i am listening. „two monoblocs two volume controls“ … not really. Unless i missed something over the years which is quite possible , a monobloc is most times a power amp with no volume control So you will have a single Volume control on your Pre-Amp driving both your monoblocs volume (just wanted to be a smart ass for a second )
My studio Quad 306 doesn't have a volume control but if I use it as it is then the output level control on my audio interface has to be ridiculously low, and stereo pots often don't track well at very low levels. A pair of 20 dB attenuators is my solution.
@@AudioMasterclass i hear ya. Yes i know this issue. Then again even though its a very good amp its an old amp. I stopped my „audiophilia“ beginning of the 2000`s Now i have active studio monitors and since i spend most my music-sound relevant time in front of them i let my other stuff go. Feels refreshing having a more minimalistic setup. I stopped caring about silver cables and audio expert „fights“ as like Phil said „i don`t care anymore“ :-) I still enjoy watching your channel though
Would you PLEASE test the SMSL AO200 mark 2 ??? Uses the German infeneon chip and supposed to be “better “ than the amazing Texas 3255 chip, and the integrated amp Ao200 mk2 is only 200$ US dollars right now. I have the aiyima a08 pro it’s amazing for 92$ used , but I am eyeing the fosi zv3 or smsl ao200 mk2. I have Sony cs5 speakers 6 ohm
What about an ear test as they are the ultimate testing instrument that maters in the end. Really I would have liked a test with a pair of low impedance speakers with a nasty dip in the base region. Yeah make that a pair with low sensitivity just as a torture test. Maybe you would have a better idea what's going on with that high octave . We could have gotten some words out of Audio Phil he's always entertaining. His highly resolving ears almost never miss anything....especially the stuff I cannot here myself.
A small change in frequency response in the top octave is not going to affect the bass response. I have multiple tpa3255 amplifiers here and I run them on Pioneer towers that dip to about 3 ohms in the upper bass regions ... no problem.
Where are the frequency response quantitative measurements tho? You already have a workable setup with that signal generator and oscilloscope, but only tested two frequencies somehow. 30 measurements from 20hz to 20khz and a spreadsheet graph could greatly help your content. What sounds good to one person might not sound good to another.
No reason why not other than multiple volume controls. Separate power supplies are good in theory but the improvement would be a tiny fraction of what you could achieve with acoustic treatment in your listening room.
Forget about it. This is a bad amplifier to start with, and if your AV receiver has the individual line-level outputs for all channels, it should have a better quality amplification than this piece of crap. 😉 If you want or need more power from your AV receiver, try instead: - buying good external amplifiers (they don't need to cost an arm and a leg); - Buy only one stereo amp for your main channels, and let the AV receiver handle the rest (the internal power supply won't be as taxed by the main channels).
@@MrRocktugabuying a good external amplifier (they don't need to cost an arm and a leg). Okay but you didn't mention any, because the amp you just described only comes out of China and is a Fosi. 😂😂😂
I know these little amps are all the rage right now. I have read a lot of these reviews, and I keep saying to myself, "why not just get a Crown XLi1500 Two-channel, Power Amplifier?" It's bridgeable, not "chifi," THD is
Don’t crown amps have fans? Bit noisy at low listening levels. There are of course plenty of other class D amps that could be classed as endgame and will last you a lifetime.
I have a Crown driving LRSs and a pair of Philharmonic Sound BMR Monitors via email eternal switch. Shocked by the great Sound even when compared to my Class A-B 40 pound dual mono.amp recently totally rebuilt. The Crown Sound very clean, clean and detailed. The 2nd level output indicator lights don't light up at eve. 95+ SPL on the Monitors. Drives the LRSs easily to levels too loud for my ears as well. Paid $499 when purchased and now $600. With a bit less power you could pay even less. 😅
First ... way too much import is applied to speaker impedance variations. For the most part, amplifiers are voltage sources. As long as they can produce the required current, impedance is largely unimportant. I have a pair of towers that dip to about 3 ohms in the upper bass region. Far as I can tell my TB10D, which is also a TPA3255 based amplifier, is unaffected by it.
Or you could have a really mono only amp! Quad II Forty here. just the one. Fits nicely between my Leak Trough-line Mk 1 from November 1957], and my 1957 Quad ESL [two black inputs on the amplifier inputs as phase does not matter in Mono according to Peter Walker and I agree], so my daily radio set has more years on it than a human lifetime plus half another. As the great conductor, Otto Klemperer, observed, when requested to remake recordings in stereo, "Stereo is the invention of the fakers!" ... or, on another occasion, "it is a scandal!" Well balanced mono is far more like what you can hear when listening from a good seat in a real concert hall, unless you insist on sitting in the front six rows, than almost any over separated stereo styles recording! What I need is a competent way of converting stereo to mono for my very nice set! Best wishes from George
@@AudioMasterclass Yes you are quite right, though in the glory days stereo was mono compatible. Sometimes in multichannel mixes, there is the horrible comb filtering effect with phase incompatibility, that ruins stereo to mono! Fortunately few great artists have made recordings during this era of incompatibility, so I am not much concerned by that. And if all else fails, then listen to the left channel where the soloist in a concert is [usually], and the first violins. You get a skewed balance like sitting too far to the left in a real concert hall too close to the front. Been there, done that, and got the tea-shirt! Love your videos! Best wishes from George
@@robturner3065 Dear Rob, My Trough-Line 1 was totally restored and recapped in 2018 and keeping as close as modern capacitors and resistors allow, to original specifications. The valves are either original fitment Mullards or in three [of the eight] cases NOS Mullards of thee original type. Thus it is working about as close to original as is possible. I rather like it. With the equally old ESL and a good Quad valve amp, it has a lovely sound. Very revealing of poor recordings, and fairly hopeless on pop music, but magic on a good live concert relay. I would not want a more modern sound quality. For that I have a solid state stereo set. Rotel radio, Denon integrated amp and Mission QX ! [mk 1] speaker's. That is s nice little set, but not nearly so nicely balanced as the veteran set. I use the solid state set for iTunes and LPs. It is stereo, but I have only a paper narrow air gap between the speakers, so it becomes effective mono. Thank you for you nice reply!🙂 Best wishes from George
Hi Audio Masterclass, the back is much more interesting you said, than the front, but the inside is even more beautiful and educational. Could you include this in the next reviews?
I see people who think that to listen to music you have to spend thousands of dollars on audio equipment and then you will have a pass to the world of audiophiles.😂😂
OK - I'll bite... First - on PBTL: simply paralleling the outputs is fine to be able to deliver more current and drive lower impedance loads, but you really can't call it "bridge-tied" - surely that means specifically connecting each side of the load to an amplifier output instead of one side to ground. Why not just call it something truthful like parallel mode? Next - Who invented balanced lines? Probably telephone engineers in the 19th century. Oh, and I agree about separate switch and volume control, but at least with this type you might be able to switch it on and off without turning the know if you're careful - even so I wouldn't want that arrangement; rocker switch for power is fine for me here.
When running the channels of a stereo amp in parallel there is usually still an arrangement of resistors one could call a "bridge". Even with both channels' gainadjusted as precisely as possible, this is needed to compensate for tiny differences (so the amps do NOT kill each other).
@@naibafabdulkobor4301 that's true - I wondered how they balanced the output currents and it would need some sort of current sensing resistor network. I still think BTL is a bad name for that case, because the *load* is not part of a bridge.
The mode is PBTL ... Parallel Bridge Tied Load and it is one of several standard configurations the chip is designed to work in. Do a search for "TPA3255 spec sheet" and see for yourself.
At the risk of being attacked by the Class D lovers, I would go with the Class AB Marantz for the combined package of including a solid more built out preamp with tone controls, good solid power supply with headroom and proven longevity, remote, quality components plus the 3 year warranty. I have 2 of the larger PM series amps, the 8005 and 8006 and they are excellent integrated amps which delivers more power and current than rated. They are obviously larger and thus take more space but they are also more adjustable in tone which many audiophiles hate but can help with crappy early recordings on CD, poor live recordings, etc. The comparison is kind of apples vs oranges. I have used these little chip amps in a garage with cheap speakers as well as on a deck where its all background lower quality listening. To me that is kind of their reason to exist. I have not found listening to them side by side that Class D is to me as transparent and good quality sounding as the AB amp. The Marantz is a good entry level amp which will likely service you much longer than this Fosi. If all you want to do is turn it on and listen to music go with the Marantz.
Lets say you have 2 x 30 WPC stereo amps that can be switched to mono. Switching them to mono gets you a change to the total output power, and usually a change to the noise figures, not always an improvement. Power usually isn't the issue anyway. Take one stereo amp for each bi-wirable speaker. Y shaped RCA's from source, so one input RCA to 2 Output RCA's - one plug to left amp left channel which connects to the tweeter, other to the right channel of the same amp with connects to the Bass driver. Same with the other amp and speaker (right channel). Then you have - ostensibly - 2 x 60 WPC power amps - and can be done with any two of the same (or same gain) power amps, even if they are NOT mono compatible. Then of course you can have one stereo amp for tweeters, one for bass..... or consider dumping the speaker crossovers and exploring an active crossover twixt pre and power amps, but thats another video... 🙂
@@hallmufc Shane has it... Remove the speaker jumpers. Amps in stereo mode: Pre0ut left -> za3#1 L+R -> za3#1L -> left tweeter + za3#1R -> left woofer Pre0ut right -> za3#2 L+R -> za3#2L -> right tweeter + za3#2R -> right woofer I just want to add a small note of caution here... the outputs of these amplifiers are in BTL mode. That is they are already bridged. You cannot connect the two black binding posts together, that will cost you an amplifier... So get a meter or continuity buzzer and check your speakers before powering this up, to be sure the bass and treble sections are fully isolated.
The back of the amp is marked ... you use only the right speaker terminals and only the right input channel. So a dual monoblock setup looks like this... Preamp out right -> za3 #1 input right->speaker output right->right speaker Preamp out left -> za3 #2 input right->speaker output right->left speaker
@@Douglas_Blake_579 thank you so much. Exactly what I wanted to know. I asked the same question to another vlogger but he can’t seem to understand the question. But you got it right away and answered it in a very clear and detailed way. You’re the best.
@@Douglas_Blake_579 Hi, was this documented anywhere? I was watching another review although it was for another brand which is Aiyima A07 MAX. The reviewer says that he uses the left input instead of the right input. I understand that they are different brands but just wanted to clarify. Ultimately, if I had to set up a monoblock configuration, I can try either left or right input.
@@thelowprofile9767 Input/output choice in mono mode is not a function of the chip itself, so different designers can implement this differently. Best advice: follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Mono is sadly lacking in many setups. I think you particularly need a mono switch in a car because not everyone can sit in the middle. And as for cross-talk, in some rooms I've longed for that. In some rooms you just have to put the speakers too far apart, so a bit of cross-talk could be a good thing if you could control it. Maybe.
@@AudioMasterclass replce the stereo/mono switch with on/off ....Keep RCA/XLR ....one set of speaker terminals....but now add in full sized bus out XLR and RCA connections for daisy chaining.
@@AudioMasterclass Oh! Thanks for the quick reply! I'm in America, and despite everyone complaining about our horrible outlet design, it's very difficult to plug anything into our narrow slits.
Until you forget the thing's been left on... The green ones change colour when they get properly hot and you can smell the warmth! Proper audiophile comment that.
Sine wave testing is particularly brutal. Most amplifiers are not meant to sustain full on maximum power for more than a few seconds. So one takes their readings then lets things cool off. I have pairs of those resistors on rather large heatsinks and I've burned fin marks into a piece of scrap wood while working on amplifiers. So far they seem to handle it well enough.
XLR inputs can be especially useful with an amplifier powered by a switched mode power supply. If you've ever run your hand gently over the case of a device powered by a SMPSU you feel a tingle. That's because they're not fully isolated from the mains supply. It's not harmful of course, it's only a few milliamps but it does represent potential for noise to be imposed on any signal with a common ground. The three terminals of a balanced connector allow true isolation from the chassis of the equipment.
I don’t know why everyone raves about the Fosi amp. In mono is does NOT bridge the channels to increase output. It just uses one of the two channels. So buying two gives you the same output as one amp in stereo. I guess you get the privilege of spending twice the amount of money.
That is not how it works. In "mono" mode they are using a special high current mode of the TPA3255. In PBTL mode the chip parallels the two stereo BTL channels doubling the current capacity for low impedance loads... making it stable for 2 ohm loads. You are correct there is no power advantage at 8 or 4 ohms... but if you have hard to drive speakers with impedance dips below 4 ohms the PBTL mode could be very helpful.
@mattfranklin3622 Sorry for my confusion: If running one Amp in stereo mode, does the sub out combine base from both left and right channels into 1 out for the sub? If so, running amps in mono block, you'd only get base from whatever channel is feeding the Amp. You'd lose base intended for the other channel? Or is base not recorded in stereo?
@@mattfranklin3622 I appreciate that and I don't want to be a hassle. Is base recorded in stereo? is different base information being sent from the source to the left channel than the right? If so, I assumed a stereo amp would combine left and right channels into one mono out for the sub. Is this all wrong? is the base information identical on the right as the left channel coming from the source to the amp? Thanks
@@ke5ufg Yes, the left and right audio signals, including bass, coming from the source to amp are completely separate. The sub out however is mono. I can’t be 100% certain but logically speaking the mono signal comes from both channels combined. Why do you ask?
@@mattfranklin3622 Thanks. I have two running mono block. With my limited understanding, I am concerned that if I use the sub out from say the left side amp that is only receiving the left channel, I may be missing base detail from the right channel that would have, on a stereo amp, been combined for the mono sub out.
This is audiophile stuff . I enjoy music more than the inners of technology, thats why I buy hifi equipment of hifi quality off the shelf, they do all the technological thought processes & design as its their career. I open a magazine & go on internet to see what is the best rated for the money I have for a component with no real headache worrying about what makes it tick. I then sit back & enjoy my music rather than assessments of the machine. It's when you read comments like you need a machine that reads 10 farads you know it's O.T.T.
Agreed ... and so far nobody's been willing to flip it while the amp is playing music. The 2xBTL and 1xPBTL are very different configurations of the TPA3255, and jumping from mode to mode is _not_ guarded by the built in protections. I, for one, would be very interested to see what happens.
So has anyone actually tested this amp’s ability to deliver more current to 4 ohms when in mono mode? All the tests I see, show a very minimal increase in watts in 4 ohms in mono mode vs 8 ohms.
That's right ... the mono mode is not like in AB amplifiers where bridging ups the power... it is a PARALLEL mono mode designed to give increased current capacity for speakers below 4 ohms impedance.
@@Douglas_Blake_579 Great. I need more than a datasheet for a chip’s capabilities. I need an independent test to show *this* fosi amp has substantially increased current capacity into 4 ohm loads in mono mode.
@@jimbanville No sir ... what you need is a lesson in Ohm's law. The data sheet tells the whole story. It's not an advertising document. It is an engineering paper that describes the capabilities of the chip to other engineers so they can use it properly.
@@Douglas_Blake_579 No sir. I understand ohms law. You are ASSuming this particular board and its power supplies are designed and equipped with all the necessary components to use this CHIP to its fullest capabilities. So you actually think no one should even have to measure the output to verify a board (and it’s PS), no matter how cheaply built, is fully capable of delivering the chip’s power specs. Gotcha👌🏼
@@jimbanville Oh my, now you're starting to sound like one of those "conversation is competition" trolls. I get it... you want proof. Unfortunately you appear to be expecting the ZA3 and it's cousins to behave like Class AB amplifiers where "mono mode" actually means Bridged Stereo. The TPA3255 amplifiers we're seeing on the market are *already bridged* in stereo mode. That's what BTL -- Bridge Tied Load -- is all about. You can't bridge an already bridged amplifier... the chip is already producing maximum wattage at 8 and 4 ohms. What you can do is parallel the power outputs in PBTL mode for more current delivery, leaving you with a mono output that can handle very low load impedances. Your mistake here is in expecting an already bridged amplifier to act like the old school bridged stereo amps, and I can tell you from a couple of years experience with this chip... that simply is not how this works. In BTL or PBTL modes the output power will remain the same for 8 and 4 ohm loads... but in PBTL it will deliver surprising power at 3 and 2 ohm loads. Things have changed ... try to keep up.
