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Why a Fosi Turntable?
Fosi Audio has carved out a special space in the world of hi-fi: modest, well-engineered, and surprisingly affordable separates, designed and built in China. Their products look right at home in any living room, office, or desktop setup.
But what truly sets Fosi apart is the way they engage with their customers and the hi-fi community. They actively seek out feedback, pose questions like “What could we do better?” and “What should we design next?”, and invite real users to be part of their development process. That’s how I ended up testing the Fosi Luna3 turntable, their first record player.
So why a turntable? The answer is obvious: because they haven’t made one yet. Over the last few years, Fosi has steadily expanded its lineup beyond amps and DACs to include speakers, headphones and now a turntable. A CD player and streamer are in the works, so it’s clear Fosi aims to cover all hi-fi needs, and that now includes vinyl playback.
Packaging and Setup
The Luna3 arrived in packaging more than adequate to survive a trip around the world. Assembly is minimal, and the enclosed manual is very clear. Mounting the cartridge is straightforward, The pre-installed stylus means you won’t need to worry about alignment. If a manual isn’t for you, Fosi provides a video demonstrating how to balance the tonearm and adjust tracking force and anti-skating.
Looks
The Luna3 sports a matte black finish with orange accents; a modern, stylish aesthetic. This look is in keeping with other recent Fosi products, such as the popular ZA3 desktop amp and the Box X5 phono preamp. It looks great, but the finish is prone to fingerprints, so keep a microfiber cloth nearby.
The Luna3 features a transparent orange acrylic platter mat that’s really eye-catching. Even the softest ambient light catches its surface, causing it to emit a warm, glowing hue. It’s a distinctive visual touch that sets the turntable apart.
Specs
Fosi publishes a wow & flutter spec of 0.1%, which is quite respectable in this category. For comparison, that’s on par with Denon’s DP-300F and significantly better than Pro-Ject’s “Audiophile Entry Level Turntable,” the T2 (0.19%).
The Stylus
The included Audio-Technica VM95E cartridge is an excellent, well-regarded choice. Even better, it offers a super convenient upgrade path: the VM95 range includes several stylus options that simply slot into place, no tools or recalibration required. More on that later.
In Use
The Luna3 is very simple to operate. A front-facing switch lets you choose between 33 RPM, stop, and 45 RPM. The record starts spinning when you move the tonearm to the vinyl and stops when you return the tonearm.
Around the back, the audio out and ground connectors feel solid. A 12V trigger output allows integration with other components for synchronised power-on. There’s also a mini DIN Speed Control port, which is intriguing but currently undocumented. Lastly, there’s a convenient Auto Stop toggle: when the record reaches the end, it stops automatically after about three minutes. This is helpful in preventing unnecessary stylus wear.
What’s It Like?
The best audio gear gets out of the way, so there’s nothing between you and your music. That’s exactly what the Luna3 does. I’ve played all sorts of records this week, and the Luna3 has been a pleasure. It’s been both the center of a teenager’s party and an intimate late-night companion.
I’ve tested it with a class AB Denon amp and through a Cambridge Audio Alva Duo and Fosi ZA3 amp combo. In both setups, the Luna3 was never the bottleneck.
I also replaced the supplied VM95E stylus with the higher-end VM95ML. The E version is no slouch, but unsurprisingly the ML sounded noticeably better, confirming that the Luna3 is essentially transparent in the audio chain, just as it should be.
Moans and Niggles (iykyk)
This is a really nice, good-looking, and easy-to-use turntable but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect.
When photographing the unit up close, I noticed some small blemishes in the finish and imperfections in the orange acrylic mat that become visible under certain lighting. These are cosmetic and may not bother most users, but they’re worth noting.
Sound-wise, the motor isn’t totally quite. When seated and with the dust cover down I can’t hear it but I would have liked it to be inaudible.
And a weird problem I had which might be something I’m doing wrong but after installing the platter and mat, the stylus won’t drop far enough when lowered. There is still a gap between the stylus and vinyl. I solved this by adding an extra mat between the platter and supplied mat.
Also, a phono cable is not included. While any decent RCA and ground wire will work, it would be helpful if Fosi bundled a dedicated phono cable, especially for customers new to vinyl. For testing, I used the affordable Pro-Ject Connect it Phono E, which worked perfectly.
Who Is It For?
As I said: the Luna3 is a really nice, good-looking, solid and easy-to-use turntable. It’s ideal for anyone getting into vinyl who’s looking for a stylish, fuss-free entry point. It’s also great for someone upgrading from a thrift-store or hand-me-down deck, looking for a modern, better-looking, and better-performing alternative.
Honestly, you can never go wrong with Fosi products and the Luna3 once again proves this.
Thanks for reading.
A few pictures
1. So stylish and the orange mat always glows so beautifully
2. Proper needle pressure and anti-skating adjustment
3. The speed control is
4. On the left a Denon System 6.5 PMA-6.5 amp which has a solid phono input.
5. The AT-VM95ML stylus which is quite the upgrade but also costs about half what the Luna3 costs.
6. Here next to the ZA3, a Cambridge Audio Alva Duo and Q Acoustics 3010i.
Fosi Audio has carved out a special space in the world of hi-fi: modest, well-engineered, and surprisingly affordable separates, designed and built in China. Their products look right at home in any living room, office, or desktop setup.
But what truly sets Fosi apart is the way they engage with their customers and the hi-fi community. They actively seek out feedback, pose questions like “What could we do better?” and “What should we design next?”, and invite real users to be part of their development process. That’s how I ended up testing the Fosi Luna3 turntable, their first record player.
So why a turntable? The answer is obvious: because they haven’t made one yet. Over the last few years, Fosi has steadily expanded its lineup beyond amps and DACs to include speakers, headphones and now a turntable. A CD player and streamer are in the works, so it’s clear Fosi aims to cover all hi-fi needs, and that now includes vinyl playback.
Packaging and Setup
The Luna3 arrived in packaging more than adequate to survive a trip around the world. Assembly is minimal, and the enclosed manual is very clear. Mounting the cartridge is straightforward, The pre-installed stylus means you won’t need to worry about alignment. If a manual isn’t for you, Fosi provides a video demonstrating how to balance the tonearm and adjust tracking force and anti-skating.
Looks
The Luna3 sports a matte black finish with orange accents; a modern, stylish aesthetic. This look is in keeping with other recent Fosi products, such as the popular ZA3 desktop amp and the Box X5 phono preamp. It looks great, but the finish is prone to fingerprints, so keep a microfiber cloth nearby.
The Luna3 features a transparent orange acrylic platter mat that’s really eye-catching. Even the softest ambient light catches its surface, causing it to emit a warm, glowing hue. It’s a distinctive visual touch that sets the turntable apart.
Specs
Fosi publishes a wow & flutter spec of 0.1%, which is quite respectable in this category. For comparison, that’s on par with Denon’s DP-300F and significantly better than Pro-Ject’s “Audiophile Entry Level Turntable,” the T2 (0.19%).
The Stylus
The included Audio-Technica VM95E cartridge is an excellent, well-regarded choice. Even better, it offers a super convenient upgrade path: the VM95 range includes several stylus options that simply slot into place, no tools or recalibration required. More on that later.
In Use
The Luna3 is very simple to operate. A front-facing switch lets you choose between 33 RPM, stop, and 45 RPM. The record starts spinning when you move the tonearm to the vinyl and stops when you return the tonearm.
Around the back, the audio out and ground connectors feel solid. A 12V trigger output allows integration with other components for synchronised power-on. There’s also a mini DIN Speed Control port, which is intriguing but currently undocumented. Lastly, there’s a convenient Auto Stop toggle: when the record reaches the end, it stops automatically after about three minutes. This is helpful in preventing unnecessary stylus wear.
What’s It Like?
The best audio gear gets out of the way, so there’s nothing between you and your music. That’s exactly what the Luna3 does. I’ve played all sorts of records this week, and the Luna3 has been a pleasure. It’s been both the center of a teenager’s party and an intimate late-night companion.
I’ve tested it with a class AB Denon amp and through a Cambridge Audio Alva Duo and Fosi ZA3 amp combo. In both setups, the Luna3 was never the bottleneck.
I also replaced the supplied VM95E stylus with the higher-end VM95ML. The E version is no slouch, but unsurprisingly the ML sounded noticeably better, confirming that the Luna3 is essentially transparent in the audio chain, just as it should be.
Moans and Niggles (iykyk)
This is a really nice, good-looking, and easy-to-use turntable but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect.
When photographing the unit up close, I noticed some small blemishes in the finish and imperfections in the orange acrylic mat that become visible under certain lighting. These are cosmetic and may not bother most users, but they’re worth noting.
Sound-wise, the motor isn’t totally quite. When seated and with the dust cover down I can’t hear it but I would have liked it to be inaudible.
And a weird problem I had which might be something I’m doing wrong but after installing the platter and mat, the stylus won’t drop far enough when lowered. There is still a gap between the stylus and vinyl. I solved this by adding an extra mat between the platter and supplied mat.
Also, a phono cable is not included. While any decent RCA and ground wire will work, it would be helpful if Fosi bundled a dedicated phono cable, especially for customers new to vinyl. For testing, I used the affordable Pro-Ject Connect it Phono E, which worked perfectly.
Who Is It For?
As I said: the Luna3 is a really nice, good-looking, solid and easy-to-use turntable. It’s ideal for anyone getting into vinyl who’s looking for a stylish, fuss-free entry point. It’s also great for someone upgrading from a thrift-store or hand-me-down deck, looking for a modern, better-looking, and better-performing alternative.
Honestly, you can never go wrong with Fosi products and the Luna3 once again proves this.
Thanks for reading.
A few pictures
1. So stylish and the orange mat always glows so beautifully
2. Proper needle pressure and anti-skating adjustment
3. The speed control is
4. On the left a Denon System 6.5 PMA-6.5 amp which has a solid phono input.
5. The AT-VM95ML stylus which is quite the upgrade but also costs about half what the Luna3 costs.
6. Here next to the ZA3, a Cambridge Audio Alva Duo and Q Acoustics 3010i.
