antalistvan1968
New member
Presentation of the Fosi Audio ZP3 multichanel balanced preamplifier, and personal experiences
A much-anticipated multichanel preamplifier has arrived from Fosi Audio. There has been a lot of discussion and speculation on the forums about the ZP3 balanced preamplifier and its parameters... It really piqued my interest. Finally, it is fully finished and has arrived. Let's take a look at its detailed review with the usual "what's in the box?" After unpacking, I found a beautiful beauty.
Here is the new three-channel ZP3 preamplifier:
A quick list of what's in the box.
1: ZP3 preamp
2. Remote control
3. Power cable
4. Trigger cable
5. User manual
There was a great need for a balanced and multi-channel preamp. My own personal experience and the large number of comments I read on the forums suggested this. Especially one like this, since its two outputs can be used simultaneously. This way, we can connect different devices to the xlr and rca outputs in parallel. Now this wish has come true, and not just any quality!
A visual inspection and checking of the connectors and buttons followed. I was happy to see that the volume control is electronic. It is the same as the zd3. I was very satisfied with this. I like the longer way volume control because it works very well with my v3 mono. You can adjust the volume very slowly, very slowly with it.
The buttons are pleasant to the touch, they work smoothly and easily. The design is beautiful, logical and absolutely good. The order and layout of the buttons are perfect! It is completely handy, and I would have placed it that way myself if I were designing it myself.
The size of the device is a perfect match for the LC30. It also looks great placed above or below it.
The change in the design of the front panel and the housing is a bit bold. It is very different from previous Fosi products. Here the edges of the front panel are rounded and the side edges are straight, until now the edges of the front panel were straight. This breaks the complete harmony with the older products, but it is not bad at all, just new.
Let's look at the back..
The connectors are arranged nicely and logically. We can use two RCA and one XLR inputs. It is a great pleasure that there are also XLR and RCA outputs, I need them because of the many devices I use. Subwoofer users also have a sub RCA output. As well as trigger output and input. There is a high-pass filter switch on the bottom of the housing, with which we can switch between the full normal hi-fi frequency range or the selected high-pass frequency range when using a sub: 20hz-20khz or 80hz-20khz and 120hz-20khz This fully serves the user.
Bypass and high-pass filter switches:
The layout of the inputs and outputs is completely user-friendly. I was happy to see that it is not an external power supply that provides power. The ZP3 has a built-in power supply. But here I was very surprised by the socket.. I do not understand this type of connector at all. So far I have only seen this type on laptop power supplies. This is not the norm in hifi. So if someone upgrades to a precision hifi power cable, they cannot use it with the zp3. Currently, standard hifi power cables cannot be plugged into the zp3 socket. (the zp3 is now equipped with an iec c5 socket) Not a big problem, but when replacing a cable, you should make sure that the new cable is equipped with the same plug. The cable upgrade is also expected because the power cable in the box is very short.
Switching on and using: The usual very good quality. The power button works smoothly and precisely. I am happy to hear the precise sound of the relays here too. Omron relays have been installed. And on the circuit board are Elna capacitors. The input selection is smooth and delicate. The balance and equalizer buttons work delicately and well. Interestingly, bypass mode only turns off the equalizer. The equalizer effect is adequate. Treble +-6db Bass +-12db. The sound quality is very good!
Another useful thing is that the ZP3 has a volume memory per channel, so if we switch to another source and need a higher volume level when listening to that device, when we return to the other input the sound will not be too loud but will play at the previously set level. This is a very nice little upgrade!
It was clearly important to achieve high sound quality during the design. This was also achieved excellently. The sound image is extremely clear, detailed, light, almost airy. It places the music well in space. It is not exaggerated or incomplete anywhere. The sound is very good! It is incredible how the manufacturer raises the bar in terms of quality with every new product.. It has succeeded again! The amplification level is also impeccable. There is no audible noise. Perfect! Both the RCA and the XLR are sufficiently drive to the my V3 monos. The sound quality is truly impressive. This is not disturbing in normal use. It regulates nicely above the mentioned level. The design is excellent. The performance is excellent. The detail and spatiality are surprisingly good, even excellent! Using balanced inputs and outputs, the spatiality has increased. The instrument sounds are faithful and accurate. The dynamics are very good! I could only test the high-pass filter by ear to see if it had any effect on the resulting sound, because I don't have a subwoofer. It works great in every situation, so it cuts the faster frequencies flawlessly on the main output and sends them to the sub output. Great! The remote control works great from all angles. It can handle several devices. Practical!
The user experience of the ZP3 is high, the sound is very good quality. I highly recommend the device!
Summary:
Plus: Very high sound quality and precise build quality.
Multichanel
Excellent price/value
Built-in power supply.
Volume memory per chanel
Balanced preamp
Sub output (adjustable)
Parallel RCA/XLR output.
Trigger connector.
Very nice device!
cons:
Power cable connection is not common in hi-fi.
It is difficult to upgrade the op amps.
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