ZD3 Desktop DAC Preamp, Fully Balanced Digital to Analog Audio Converter with ES9039Q2M for Home Stereo Amplifier, Bluetooth/USB/Optical/Coax/TV HDMI ARC Input, XLR/RCA Output with Remote

I bought this Fosi DAC for my gaming PC for use with a set of PreSonus Eris speakers and sub, which I bought because my previous speaker set died. I don't know if I'd call myself an audiophile but I am a musician and I do care about quality sound with minimal noise. The new speakers sounded good but are much more sensitive than the crappy set I had before and I ran into a dilemma: my computer's built-in audio had low noise but only mediocre sound quality, and the cheap external DAC I was using instead sounded good overall but was also adding a lot of electrical noise to the signal, which I never noticed before but was suddenly very noticeable with the new speakers. Further, the new speakers are very sensitive and the basic included cables were picking up a lot of RF noise from nearby wifi. This led me to do some homework where I learned about the magic of balanced cable connections, which eliminate noise created by the cables unintentionally acting as antennae, for which I bought this DAC. This Fosi DAC solved all of my problems in the most amazing (and possibly overkill) way! It provides balanced cable output to the speakers, eliminating RF noise, and also allows for the use of the higher lossless quality settings in music streaming apps. I got everything connected and powered on, loaded up some music at the higher quality settings, and it nearly knocked me out of my chair! It sounds INCREDIBLE! The sound is flawless with no unwanted noise. I think what I love most about this DAC is that it's so easy, just plug-and-play. I hate clutter and I was kind of dreading having another box with a whole set of features and issues to learn, but it turns out setup couldn't be easier. It's got multiple inputs and switching between them is easy, though I'll likely only ever use the USB connection. I was worried about using USB due to the noise issues I was having with my last DAC (I was prepared to use optical) but this Fosi has a separate power supply rather than using USB power, which my homework led me to learn is often the issue with sound equipment, and it works great. The ONLY thing I don't love about this unit is that there doesn't seem to be any sort of power standby feature, which means I have to turn it off manually when I shut down my PC if I want to save energy. I read that it can do HDMI ARC and so maybe if I connect it with HDMI it'll power itself down; I might try that soon and see what happens. Idle power use seems to only be around 1 watt though (I have a watt meter), so that's not so bad. This little box is incredible, and I wish I'd done this a long time ago.

Great DAC and preamp in one! I have been using this for 5 months and have nothing but praise for how well this is designed and functions. I am using USB connection to my MacBook Pro, optical input from my TV, and Bluetooth to connect my iPhone or iPad. HDMI is not eArc compatible so I am not able to use that to get audio from my TV but optical is working fine. The remote has just the necessary functionality and nothing more. It gets the job done. The XLR outputs are a plus and I use them with an Aiyima A20. I have also used them with 3E Audio A7. I don't have a Fosi amp yet but I am sure it will work just as well with that too. The output is clean and has great SNR. At the Black Friday price, this is a steal.

To begin with, let me get the sound out of the way up front. This ZD3 sounds wonderful! In my system, the addition of the ZD3 (and I have 8 other DAC's by the way) introduced a much more "airy" sound quality to the music. It's as if one more sonic veil had been lifted, allowing me to hear right through to the music. As for the bass response with the stock op-amps, I noticed a bit less heft with regard to the lower bass and dynamic capabilities. It's nice to see that in this case, Fosi steered away from using the typical NE5532 stock op amps used in 95% of ChiFi audio components, and used the LME49720 version. I've had good experiences with that particular IC-based op amp. However, based on other experiences, I've come to prefer the discrete versions from either Burson or Sparkos Labs. In this case, I inserted the Sparkos Labs SS3602's and I found the bass to be tighter and deeper. I believe the ZD3 is in a class of its own. I've read a few articles now (and some videos) where the reviewers stated that hearing differences between DAC's is ridiculous - that they basically all sound very similar. I'm sorry, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The very first thing I noticed with the ZD3, was it's increased openness (meaning much more "air" around and between the instrumentation), its superb midrange and treble capabilities (smooth and textured), and a greatly expanded sound-stage. In addition, the overall body of musical performances had a fuller feel to them. The problem with some reviewers is that they rely purely on measurements alone - that is, the "tangible" areas that can be measured. However, for audiophiles, there is so much more involved with good music reproduction. There are the "intangible" areas, meaning those variables that cannot be measured (i.e. how do you measure "immersive"), yet make a huge difference in how we perceive our involvement with sound reproduction. So yes, this is a wonderful DAC unit, along with a very nice preamp section. SUGGESTION TO FOSI: As an aside, just recently, Douk Audio released their diminutive A5 amplifier that features a revolutionary, simple lift-up glass top case/lid that makes changing op amps very convenient. I was wondering why other manufacturers haven't followed with similar designs? Changing op-amps in that Douk A5 took only seconds - and what a convenience that was. Why do manufacturers advertise having op-amp swap-out capabilities when the user has to jump through hoops unscrewing cases, pulling off knobs - and in the case of the ZD3, having to also disconnect wires also? Fosi - why don't you make access to the op-amps a simple solution? Although the ZD3 costs a bit more than most budget oriented DAC/Head-amp units, it's well worth the cost for such a quality-made, and excellent performing unit.

I bought the ZD3 to replace an 8 year old NUCORE DAC that was starting to loose the left channel. WOW what a difference. The ZD3 installed easily and I love the blue tooth feature for my iPhone. I will note that I mostly bought this to use with my iPhone and iPad to play my stored music and Pandora. The sound is clear with good channel separation. The tone is warm and smooth much more like a record album than digital signals. I prefer it in bypass mode without the preamp when playing through my stereo speakers. Through headphones the preamp function with volume control is great. One note, make sure you have the volume on the iPhone or iPad turned up if you initially get no sound. I would have given it 5 stars but am just not a fan of the big orange volume knob and wish the bypass switch was also available via the remote control. In short this is a great DAC for the money and I love it.

The Fosi Audio ZD3 is a fantastic addition to my system. I use it to connect my TV via HDMI and my WiiM Pro Plus via Toslink, and it handles both flawlessly. The compact design is impressive—solid build quality with a clean, modern look. Despite its size, it packs great features that make it versatile for different setups. In my chain (WiiM Pro Plus → ZD3 → ZP3 → dual ZA3 amps → Polk Signature Elite ES20 speakers + SVS SB-2000 Pro sub), the ZD3 acts as the perfect digital hub, delivering clear, detailed audio without fuss. If you need a high-quality DAC/preamp with HDMI ARC and optical input in a small footprint, the ZD3 is hard to beat.

Really happy with this. I purchased to use with a pair of Genelec 8030s and it works seamlessly. Sound is great. Controls are simple and intuitive. Both USB from my iPhone and Bluetooth work exactly as they should. I actually don’t hear a difference in my living room so the BT quality is impressive.

I bought the ZD3 to replace an Allen and Heath mixer I used to feed my powered Peavey PV215D loudspeakers. The XLR outputs allow a direct connection to the speakers without going through the mixer. RCA output is also supported. I previously could only listen to CD's on that system. Now I can listen to my CD player (optical), TV (HDMI) and Laptop (USB) all routed thru the ZD3. I have not tried Bluetooth. CD sound quality is noticeably better using the ZD3 DAC over my Sony DVD carousel that is showing its age. The Sony supports SACD but I do not know if the ZD3 can accept that via the optical input. I was able to play .dsf files using Foobar2000 on my laptop connected via USB. Those sounded the best. Youtube from the TV provides an inifinite source of great performances and sounds great via the HDMI ARC input. The ZD3 is solidly built and the connectors seem substantial. The volume control is notched and weighted which gives it an analog feel which is greatly appreciated. The remote is generic but works fine. The display is small and hard to read from a distance. The ZD3 was a perfect fit for me. It simplified my powered speaker setup and offers amazing input flexibility plus audiophile sound quality all for $180.

ZD3 from Fosi Audio is a great DAC and preamp all in one ! Build quality is top notch , connectivity and ability to integrate with systems is awesome specially due to unique HDMI connection. I have used it thru Coax, Optical, USB and Bluetooth connections and ZD3 is producing great sound quality punching well above its price point , totally unthinkable just few years ago . I have it for 2 weeks now and after 50 hours of use it opened up to a really wide and deep soundstage with clean tonality and very musical presentation. Stock TI Op amps produce very clean and clear sound character while included NJR Opamps are more warm and lush in tonality . Both are great choices and picking one over the other maybe up to the rest of the system or room acoustics as deciding factors. Bass is almost sub sonic with TI op amps and NJR Opamps are more bloomed in mid bass making them a better match to some bookshelf speakers where mid bass is very important. Detail and resolution coming out of ZD3 is fantastic . I have to say that adding audio grade Linear Power Supply with 12V and at least 2amp of output really transforms ZD3 . I have Ali Express sourced 55usd LPS that allowed the soundstage to further open up , bass be more articulate and less bloated , highs have lost some shrill and are much cleaner and convincing as well , same for harmonics with all acoustic instruments that are even cleaner and better extended in timber and ring to them . I highly recommend Fosi ZD3 in it's stock form , further use of other dual op amps or discrete ones maybe the best way to tune it to your liking . Op Amp swap took me 5 minutes after watching the instructions on you tube , it is very easy , it really allows this DAC to be fine tuned to your system and sound type you like. Fosi Audio is highly praised for this design and unique ability to match up with your expectations . I look forward to listen and own more of their gear and will keep my eyes and ears wide open to their other products!!! Great job Fosi , keep it up .