Fosi Audio TDA7498E 2 Channel 160W x2 Stereo Audio Amplifier Mini Hi-Fi Class D Car Integrated Amp for Passive Speakers with 24V Power Supply

The Fosi TDA7498E is an improvement on previous Tripath-chip-style amps. It outputs more power, sounds cleaner, and has excellent clarity and rhythm - if you respect its limitations and use it with the right ancillary gear - by which I mean very sensitive speakers. This is my 4th Class-D "tripath-style" amp and each one has been better than the last. The whole concept is that a Texas instrument chip converts the signal to a gain stage directly on the silicone and the chip itself drives your speakers. There is very little additional circuitry and that's the key to its great sound, and also it's limited power.As others here have rightly pointed out, this ships with a 24 volt switching style power supply. The amp itself has what looks like 20-25 watts worth of capacitance. This isn't a 160 wpc amplifier. Fosi doesn't support that specification and it's probably derived from some kind of BS "instantanous" (i.e. transient) power delivery stat based on something theoretical. The real usable power - in my experience in room - is about 20-25 wpc with a 1% thd ceiling (guestimated using listening). I'm a 55 year old long time audiophile and I know what distoration sounds like. The Fosi TDA7498E is a tiny amp. Its binding posts can only handle slender flexible speaker cable. It has limitations driving speakers with sensitivies lower than 87-88 db/watt to satisfying volume levels and I'll describe exactly how I found that out - but the TLDR is that used with a high quality source and with efficient speakers I'm able to get really satisfying audiophile sound of them which makes them a stone cold audiophile bargain.I'm using the Fosi TDA7498E in a near field application with Athena AS-B1.2 speakers (which have a 90db/watt sensitivity). My source is generally a Windows10 pc running Qobuz and local FLAC rips feeding an ancient PS Audio Ultralink or Muse Model 2 DAC via a Musical Fidelity V-Link. I've used it with a Topping D70 (which is slightly less musical, but can play high-res). I initially used Straghtwire Maestro speaker cable, but was so inflexible that it damaged the binding posts on my first TDA7498E. Since then I've used used thin flexible wire (Audioquest type 2.1).When my new, unbroken second Fosi TDA7498E arrived, I had just received a pair of KEF LS-50s and was trying to drive them with an old AudioResearch tube amplifier and was having trouble getting good sound. I was awaiting delivery of used 50 wpc audiophile amp (the overlooked and thus low-priced April Audio Stello S100) - but it was delayed in delivery. I plugged the Fosi TDA7498E into the LS-50s in the living room and they meaningfully improved the sound on the ailing tube amp. But their grip on the LS-50s wasn't musically satisfying ultimately. The LS-50s are inefficient (85 db/watt) and low impedance (dips to 3.8 ohm) speakers and they ran the little Fosi TDA7498E into distortion before satisfying living-room listening levels were achieved. This doesn't jibe at all with the Fosi's claimed 160wpc 2-8ohm specs. More confirmation came a week later when the April Audio Stello S100 came and, despite it's modest 50wpc power rating, blew the doors off the little Fosi TDA7498E with the LS50s. It's a $1200 amp ($400 used), so it's not surprising that it handily beat a $75 integrated amp. But the reason it beat the Fosi was power. The TDA7498E ran out of gas and began distorting well before the Stello with the LS50. If you attempt to treat the Fosi TDA7498E like an ordinary amp with the specs it claims you will be disappointed.I also used the TDA7498E with Creek Audio Epos and ProAc Response 2.2s speakers and it lacks adequate power to drive any of them to really satisfying levels either. But, I cannot emphasize this enough - used with the 90db/watt high efficiency speakers it DOES have enough power to fill the room and do it with brilliant clarity, great bass, and excellent musicality. They are dead quiet in operation. With the source muted you can turn the volume all the way up and no audible hiss is detected at the sensitive speakers within 6 inches. You can hear that as a dead black background. The dominant sonic attribute I treasure with the Fosi TDA7498E is speed. Really good startle or "jump" factor. Not only is this amazing at the price - it's also performance that's clearly superior to earlier, lower powered, d-class tripath-style chip amps. This level of performance is incredible, IMHO and makes it a natural for shoe-string audiophiles.To sum up:1) Buy the Fosi TDA7498E if you have a small room or a nearfield application and speaker with efficiency of 88db/watt or more. I'm guessing that 88db/watt is ok. I was only ever satisfied with 90db/watt speakers (the super cheap Athena SB-1.2 which were $150/pair back in the early 2000s).2) Make sure you use slender and flexible speaker cable.They are so good for the price I am thinking of buying a second one and using them with RCA cable y-adapater splitters to try running them as bridged monoblocks (not a supported configuration and could well blow them up). If that doubles the effective 20wpc to 40wpc it might be enough to drive the LS50s, barely. In the meantime, it's the heart of my computer workstation nearfield listening which is, truth be told, my primary listening venue. This tiny integrated amp is excellent in that context.

I bought this to build an equivalent to Sonos for a tiny fraction of the price. I'm using a Chromecast Audio as the input to the amplifier (which required an adapter from mini-plug to RCA jacks). The amplifier drives 2 pairs of ceiling speakers.So for about $100, I've got a system that's (almost) as good as a system at least 5x more expensive.PROS* It comes in a box with die-cut foam for each component. The box completely protects its contents from any poor handling during shipping.* The amplifier case is made of metal, which makes it feel solid and high quality. Although it's simple and inexpensive, it feels like high-quality audio gear.* Its small size surprised me in a good way.* Although it lacks tone controls (bass/treble), I don't miss them. My speakers are good and don't need any help. (I might wish I had them to accentuate the bass if I played bass-heavy music very loud - but I doubt it.)* The power available is impressive. It has enough power for 2 pairs of speakers and the volume can be much higher than anything I'd ever want.* For what you get, the price is very low.CONS* I don't like the spark when I plug it in. It's a known characteristic so I wasn't surprised. And it's not dangerous even though it looks bad. (I turn down the volume all the way before I plug in the amplifier.) But who cares - how many times would you plug it in?* I don't like the fact that the red light is on even when the amplifier is off. This is a known characteristic so I wasn't surprised, but I wish it turned green when the amplifier is actually on.Bottom line is that I'm very pleased. If I decide to set up similar systems in other rooms that already have ceiling speakers, I'll definitely buy this amplifier again.EDITI've bought two more of these amplifiers and they're just great.

I really like the size and build quality. It looks larger on the pictures than in reallity. I ordered the amp without any knobs because I thought I wouldn't need them, but that was a mistake which I will explain later.I have the amp connected to the pc line-out and the speakers are Yamaha NS-333. These speakers are 6 Ohm 60W with peaks to 150W max. The AMP is driving them easily to extremely high volumes, can't even reach 9 O'clock.The sound is very clear, no distortion whatsoever. What I don't like is the lower frequency spectrum. The sound is quite flat and by default there is almost no low end at all. That's why I would recommend buying one with treble and bass knobs to be able to increase the base. I will probably try to solve this with some pre-amp.The power supply didn't come with the correct plug for my country, but that is easily replacable as it is a detachable part from the power brick. I'm not a huge fan of the blue LED light that it has, don't really see the point of having it when the AMP itself has another LED power indicator. Also the one LED indicator on the AMP is red and you cannot turn it OFF even by shutting down the AMP, it is just constantly shining red whether the AMP is ON or OFF, it just shows that the AMP is connected to the power supply. I would prefer it to be red or completely OFF when the AMP is OFF and then maybe green or blue when the AMP is ON.Overall this AMP has plenty of power and is a great value for money but for the sound quality and some annoying quirks I would give it 3,5/5 maximum even when considering how cheap it is.