Fosi Audio V3 Two-Channel Integrated Amplifier – A Blogs & Little Things Review

The result is a no-frills, no mess, no games, rock solid little amp for just $89. That’s right $89, and what it does is just simply sound good for the money. So, let’s get out some music, take a listen, and really dig into the Fosi Audio V3.

Listening Setup

• DAC – SMSL DO300
• Speakers – Jamo S 801s
• Interconnects – AudioQuest

Sample Music

• Valiant Hearts – Alaska
• Talk to a Friend – Rain City Drive
• PVRIS – White Noise
• Young Medicine – Lost Boys

This is no ordinary Amazon/eBay/Aliexpress amp. Fosi Audio crowdsourced this project and took a lot of feedback from the audio community to build not just an amp, but something to talk about. On the inside are Japanese-made ELNA capacitors, Sumida Inductors, and NCC capacitors with German WIMA output capacitors. There is also a new heat dissipation system, which when you dig into it, is nothing new. However, at this price point, it is rather unique and quite effective at keeping the unit cool.

Zooming out to the exterior of the V3, it’s an unassuming black chassis with a volume knob and power light. Ok nothing crazy, but they also include a bronze or orange volume knob that you can switch out, I really like this little detail and I immediately swapped it for the orange knob. On the back are standard RCA inputs and five-way binding posts with a pre-out. I noted that the pre-out is not controlled by the volume knob, it’s just a pass-through, and it is NOT a sub-out.

Ok, I’ve heard plenty of amps over the years. I always look for power, low-end, and clean-sounding highs. For amps under $100, you expect some weakness in the sound quality. That is where the V3 smacks you in the face and tells you you’re wrong. Most Chinese Hi-Fi (ChiFi) amps I hear, and even some better ones made elsewhere, lack low-end and bass response. The V3 feels like the best-sounding amp I’ve ever heard at this price point. I previously had a Schiit Rekkr on my desktop and swapped it out to the V3 after I finished that review. Night and Day difference; the low end that the Rekkr was lacking was right there in front of me with the V3. While the Rekkr was a warmer-sounding amp, it simply lacked the oomph of the Fosi V3.

The V3 isn’t just a powerhouse of unrefined bass, it has control and finesse. The mids were present and clear, highs were cool, not warm, and stayed as clear as ever. My Jamo S 801s are not great speakers for soundstage but the V3 pushed them to the limits of what they could do. The volume control uses a logarithmic taper A pot design, so the volume is a smooth increase while also not taking too much rotation to get you to the level where you want to be. The attention to detail on this amp is astounding, not in an ascetic or fancy packaging way, but with what’s on the inside and how it went about being designed, this is a stripped-down track-ready Mazda Miata with an LS under the hood.

Fosi Audio went above and beyond with this little wonder, the V3 is the BEST amp I’ve ever heard in the sub $100 category. No, don’t go out and put it up against your Mcintosh, this thing is a compact desktop amp tried and true.

Its simple looks hide the quality clockwork on the inside that makes it worth every penny. At $89, it’s the ultimate sleeper amp that you never expected, and it will leave you wondering what you’ve been missing out on. Highly recommended!