Amplifiers are rarely an exciting topic of discussion unless you’re a die-hard fan of the audiophile world, which I am definitely not. I love music, I love high-fidelity sound, but I prefer not to overspend if I can help it. Turns out, in the past ten years there has been a new development. A lot of previously unattainable equipment now costs hundreds, not thousands of dollars. For example, amplifiers. And no one knows how to produce an impressive piece of tech for unbelievable money more than Fosi. Today we take a look at the Fosi Audio ZA3 — a stereo and mono amplifier that sounds too good to be true.
The ZA3 is a new, more refined model from the brand, featuring switchable RCA or XLR balanced input that accepts ¼” TRS/XLR, providing two input options with these unbalanced and balanced connections.
The ZA3 includes a subwoofer output (finally!) and a 12V trigger input, which allows it to automatically turn on or off with a preamp or AVR.
The Fosi Audio ZA3 features the Texas Instruments TPA3255 class D amplifier chip. It can deliver up to 155 watts per channel in stereo mode or 235 watts in mono mode when paired with the 48V/5A power supply. The amp supports a wide 2-8 ohm speaker impedance range. Audio performance specifications include a frequency response of 20Hz-20kHz, SINAD of 89dB, THD under 0.006%, and SNR and dynamic range over 106 dB.
The major improvements over the V3 are the addition of XLR inputs and a mono-bridging switch. This makes the ZA3 a great deal, as $145.99 (125.99 for the 32 V bundle) gets you performance that matches or exceeds many high-end amps still on the market today.
Design
To be honest, design is not what I usually consider when buying audio equipment, but it does matter. The Fosi Audio ZA3 looks incredible: that aluminium body looks and feels great, and the orange accents on the sides and the knob are fantastic, giving it an expensive feel. I loved having it on my shelf.
The heat dissipation design features enhanced cooling with a larger chassis, a whole-body heatsink, and side ventilation equipped with dust covers. The orange knob draws attention and feels nice, although using it to turn the amp on can be a bit finicky.
The device weighs 1.78 kg, and the power supply is about as heavy. The device (not the power brick!) is pretty small — only 15.5 x 18.4 x 5.1 cm.
Sound
The amplifier showcases its prowess in handling dynamic range and intricate sound production. Playing some of my best-sounding CDs, it produced an impressive performance with clear instrument separation and a detailed soundstage.
The amplifier excels in managing the multiple vocal layers, maintaining clarity and depth.
Overall, it delivers a balanced sound. There’s a clear instrument separation no matter what genre of music I tried. The sound quality remained high, with no loss of detail or clarity, even at a faster pace.
The overall performance of the Fosi Audio ZA3 was consistently impressive, delivering clear, detailed sound across various musical genres.
Read also: FiiO FT3 32 Ω Review: Flagship Headphones That Won’t Break the Bank
Verdict
The Fosi Audio ZA3 is one of the best — if not the best — class D amplifiers you can find for this price. Especially if you purchase another unit and run both as mono amplifiers.
It sounds excellent, even though there are some caveats to consider. The power adapter for the unit is quite large, which may be inconvenient for a compact desktop setup. It also might not be the best choice for those looking to integrate it into a larger home entertainment system. Still, ZA3’s size and performance make it ideal for close-up audio enjoyment, delivering clear and detailed sound in a compact and good-looking package.