About

Background

In 2022 my vintage class-AB NAD 3300PE Monitor Series integrated amplifier went up in flames, so I started looking for a decent amp to drive my Funktion-One speakers. Unfortunately, the cheapest power amps on E-phipany cost ~R20k and the cheap integrated amplifiers are ~R6k — I wanted something that would not break the bank.

As an interim solution, I bought a used Crown K2 power amplifier to drive my 12" 350W AES-rated Funktion-One F1201's. It was a reliable workhorse, but heavy and with high distortion beyond 75% gain.

In June 2022, I tried the $200 Arylic A50+ streaming amplifier for my lounge and to run DJ monitors, but was disappointed in its distortion, limited output (2x40W into 6-ohm) and cold character. Also, it overheats. This is very embarrassing when you're running live sound, so I kept looking for a solution.

I stumbled on Amir's Audio Science Review forums where I got totally sucked into speaker and amplifier measurements for several months, expanding my knowledge of amplifier measurements. There is no deeper rabbit hole than sound — no, sirree! Trawling the forums for high-fidelity budget equipment, I learned about Fosi Audio, a Chinese amp builder in Shenzhen that makes small, efficient high-fidelity class-D amplifiers at a reasonable price.

Based on the positive reviews, I ordered the Fosi Audio TB10D with the Texas Instruments TPA3255 class-D chipset. It was soo much better than the Arylic. I started using it to drive my F88's as DJ monitors. It can even drive my vintage Mordaunt-Short MS30's and my 12" F1201's in parallel – four speakers at once! (4-ohm nominal impedance).

I was ready to throw out my Crown K2 and burn the Arylic as a sacrifice, but I had one regret: I had ordered the standard 32V power supply with the TB10D. You get a lot more power out of the TPA3255 with the larger 48V power supply. Unfortunately, those PSUs are few and far between in Cape Town.

In June 2023, Fosi Audio released their next-generation V3 power amp. I ordered one, but it got stuck in customs and got slapped with a bunch of fees, so I decided to become a local distributor for Fosi Audio so that you wouldn't have to wait 2-6 weeks for shipping or deal with the customs shakedown.

And here we are today - advising folks on budget audio and providing great sound, at a great price. I keep costs down by not employing staff, avoiding a retail location and relying primarily on word-of-mouth marketing.

Thanks for reading all the way! On this website you can buy an amplifier or a DAC. Alternatively, if you have any questions, get in touch.