We commonly hear tales that the lifetime of an audiophile is exorbitantly costly, nevertheless it does not must be that manner. For $60, you may get a well-made and geared up DAC/Amp within the Fosi Audio DS2 2024 and have loads of cash to spend on a high quality pair of headphones or buying an IEM.
Fosi Audio DS2: Worth and availability
You should purchase the Fosi Audio DS2 2024 immediately from Fosiaudio.com or Amazon for $59.99. At that worth, you will not discover many transportable DACs/Amps with a 3.5mm and 4.4mm port. The closest competitors prices round $80.
Fosi Audio DS2: meeting and meeting
Weighing 3.2 ounces, the DS2 2024 feels effortlessly mild. However do not let that idiot you, oh no! It is CNC machined from stable steel and Fosi claims it is shock resistant. I am guessing they’re fairly assured as a result of in contrast to most DACs I’ve tried just lately, this one comes with a two-year guarantee, moderately than one 12 months.
Externally, you’ll get a pattern price LED indicator on one aspect. The three.5mm and 4.4mm ports are on the underside, and reverse these on the highest is the USB-C port. On the left aspect, you get 60-step unbiased quantity controls, which offer a satisfying response when pressed.
Twin inside Cirrus Log CS43131 DAC chips energy these 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs.
Fosi Audio DS2: Options
The DS2 2024 is not a function powerhouse, however most of what it does, it does effectively. It helps decoding as much as 32-bit/385kHz DSD256 and PCM, producing 510mw into 32 ohms from the 4.4mm connection and a considerably anemic 130mw into 32 ohms from the three.5mm connection.
The highest face of the DS2 2024 has an LED subsequent to the Fosi Audio branding that tells you what you might be decoding. For PCM, any worth lower than 48 kHz = crimson, 48-96 kHz = inexperienced, 96-384 kHz = yellow. For DSD, all pattern charges obtain blue mild.
My solely quibble is that the three.5mm port is underpowered. My Campfire Audio Mammoths needed to be turned up greater than with every other DAC I’ve used to this point. I normally must preserve the amount slider round 10% of most to keep away from damaging my listening to with the Mammoths, that are fairly delicate. With the DS2 2024, I actually turned up the amount, and that does not bode effectively for power-hungry IEMs.
Fosi Audio DS2: Sound high quality
This $60 DAC/Amp has spectacular sound for the worth! I’d characterize the DS2 2024 as a heat DAC/Amp that does not sacrifice readability or element for that increase in bass and mids.
I listened to a number of totally different playlists by way of Sennheiser’s HD660S2 and their chic IE900 IEMs. I additionally plugged in Campfire Audio’s Mammoth IEMs and HiFiMan HE-4XX planar magnetic headphones. “Moanin’” by Charles Mingus is an intricately detailed and combined massive band jazz set that sheds mild on the small print and musicality of DS2. It performs that monitor with nearly analytical precision, permitting you to benefit from the separation of the devices and the way they overlap within the stereo picture.
The bass and mids are usually not spectacular, however they’re entertaining. In that very same track by Mingus, the double bass is current and assertive with out stepping on the trumpets or the hi-hat. Skrillex’s “Mumbai Energy” and Massive KRIT’s “My Sub” growl and rumble with aplomb.
Listening to Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Souls of Her Footwear” and Get Out’s OST monitor “Shikilinga Kwa XXXX,” you will uncover the closed-back headphone-like soundstage. To be clear, the vocals are good. In good headphones and with DACs that do not clean out the mids and highs, Paul Simon’s voice is simply shy of sibilance, as was the case with the DS2. The blaring horns I commonly reference in Artwork Blakey’s “Moanin’” are anticipated to be blaring with the DS2.
General, it is a nice listening expertise for $60 and can develop with you due to the inclusion of the 4.4mm balanced connection which ought to have sufficient energy to energy all however probably the most extraordinarily demanding headphones and IEMs.
Fosi Audio DS2: Competitors
Competitors for $60 is nearly non-existent. There’s {hardware} competitors from the HiBy FC4, Fiio KA13 and Fiio Ka3. All three share comparable options and have balanced and single-ended outputs, however you will pay $20 extra for them with out a important distinction in sound high quality.
Then there’s the iFi GO Hyperlink, which is able to price you a similar $60 however will not provide the similar options. You will get the three.5mm single-ended port, however no 4.4mm or 2.5mm balanced output or quantity controls on the system.
Fosi Audio DS2: Do you have to purchase it?
You should purchase the Fosi Audio DS2 if…
- You might have a price range
- You might have good headphones/IEMs with 4.4mm cables.
- You are simply becoming a member of Apple Lossless
You should not purchase the Fosi Audio DS2 if…
- You might have IEMs with 3.5mm cable that devour a variety of energy
At this worth, you will not discover many choices with a 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced audio jack. For $59.99, the readability and element of the Fosi Audio DS2 2024 make it an excellent possibility for these simply dipping their toe into audiophile territory. It even gives sufficient bass and sub-bass to fulfill bass lovers.
With stable construct high quality and a 24-month guarantee, the DS2 is a stable funding for having fun with high-resolution audio.
Low cost entry to audiophile nation!
For these simply beginning out with Apple Lossless and Hello-Res Audio, the Fosi Audio DS2 is a superb funding with out worrying about having “purchaser’s regret.”
