Fosi Audio TB10D HIFI Stereo Amplifier – Entry-Level Pushed Bound
Fosi Audio TB10D is a $79 USD Stereo HiFi Amplifier with analog EQ tuning wheels, one RCA input and RCA output, with a maximum quoted power of 300W x 2. It is the most affordable entry-level stereo HIFI AMP I reviewed to date, so it will be interesting to explore it and see how it stands against the market. It will be compared to other HIFI Stereo Amplifiers, including Arylic A50+ (200 USD), Soundavo NSA-250 (200 USD), and Fosi Audio BT30D PRO (109 USD)
Introduction
Fosi Audio has an entry-level Amplifier for today, and like all of their products, it is available on Amazon, and despite the super high output power, and super affordable price point it has Amazon’s full warranty and support. It is always safe to purchase from Amazon, and you should have no problems using the TB10D for a long period of time, or Amazon will help you get it fixed and replaced.
It should be noted that I have absolutely no affiliation with Fosi Audio. I’d like to thank Fosi audio for providing the sample for this review. This review reflects my personal experience with the Fosi Audio TB10D Hifi Stereo Amplifier. Every opinion expressed is mine and I stand by it. The purpose of this review is to help those interested in the Fosi Audio TB10D Hifi Stereo Amplifier / EQ find their next music companion.
Product Link
You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/3Hh4TAz
If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/3XmMI27
And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/3wdueoD
Official website: https://www.fosiaudio.com/product/2-channel-amplifier/tb10d/ . You can use this code to get 15$ off your purchase, I don’t get anything out of it, and Amazon actually helps me more. $15 off code: TB10DP15YTB .
Build Quality/Aesthetics/Functionality
On a physical level, I should have started by reviewing the TB10D before I reviewed the BT30D PRO, because that one really spoiled me with what Fosi Audio can do, and it feels a bit like TB10D is an underachiever in some ways. Starting with the build, it is about as large as the BT30D PRO, and it is a very small hifi stereo amplifier, but it has analogic volume and EQ wheels, and one on/off switch at the front.
The sound / noise of the power converter brick is much quieter than the sound of the power brick converter of the BT30D PRO. Like with other Fosi Audio Amplifiers, you get to an extremely loud volume from the first part of the volume wheel’s ability, so I’m getting to 90-100dB on KLH Model Five even at 9 o’clock, which makes it really hard to have granular control over the volume, especially as TB10D has minor chanel imbalance at the start of the volume wheel’s play. This is normal and to be expected, so there’s nothing wrong so far. I feel forced to lower the digital volume, as I need to be around 10 o’clock for the sound to be good in dynamics and details, but it is already nearing 110dB with all my speakers around that range, if the digital volume is set at max.
The power of the EQ wheels is ok, but turning them too loud will introduce distortions, especially the treble wheel, which can be used as high as about 4 o’clock before it starts to introduce distortion in the treble. The bass EQ potentiometer can be used up to the maximum volume power with zero distortion introduced.
While I don’t have the equipment to measure the power dispersed, TB10D is perfectly clean in the background up to max, and even turning it to the max will not introduce any noise. I did not try to play music at that level unless the digital volume was set extremely low. Using it at that volume will make music slightly more dynamic, more engaging, and more impactful, and does not add any distortion or overdrive effect, making TB10D a super good sounding Hifi Amplifier.
On the inside, we have a Ti TPA3255 high-performance Class D Power Amplifier. The device operates in D mode, and it has a 2×315 W at 4 OHMs, which have a 10% THD, or 2 x 150W at 8 OHMs. Those numbers are insane, the THD is extremely high on paper, and you can hear it in some places.
Happily, it uses normal audio ports so I don’t need to take away the banana plugs from my cables to use it, plus this makes connecting new speakers to it a super pleasing experience. All in all, the unit only gets moderately warm, and it is generally a super pleasing experience to use the new Fosi Audio TB10D. All potentiometers have a slow turning, heavy and thick feeling to them, making the experience of using the TB10D even more pleasing.
Sound Quality
The main speakers I connected to the Fosi Audio TB10D have been KLH Model Five, NHT C3, and Buchardt S400. The DACs I used to power it have been SMSL C200, Khadas Tone 2 PRO, Aune X1s GT, HIFIMAN EF400, and JDS Labs Elk DAC II+ Balanced. The overall sonic signature of the Fosi Audio TB10D is very similar to that of the Fosi Audio BT30D, both of them have a really dynamic, punchy sound, with good instrument separation, and overall clarity. Please keep in mind that besides the default signature, the bass and treble can be uplifted heavily with the EQ potentiometers which do not increase the distortions or cause considerable problems, so the signature of TB10D can be altered drastically. Also, if anything, my experience with Fosi Audio, along with SMSL AO200, Arylic A50+, and Burson Funk has proven to me once again, that the quality of the speakers is far more important than the quality of the dac and the amplifier, and with a decent AMP , decent DAC, both entry-level , but with a really high-quality pair of speakers like the KLH Model 5, you can have a blast.
Now, you can have the bass set at the baseline level, and the bass will be really neutral and lean. The bass generally has a super smooth texture, smooth presentation and not a lot of weight. You can increase that with a touch of your finger on the bass potentiometer, and at the max, it gainst almost 10 – 15 dB, with the energy being focused in both the sub bass and the mid bass. Sadly, there is no subwoofer output, for either active or passive subwoofer, so I can only hear the bass of my speakers. With the bass slider at max, KLH Model Five don’t really require a subwoofer anymore, so there’s that, you can enjoy most large pairs of speakers neatly with the Fosi Audio TB10D.
The midrange is clean, detailed and crisp, with a good amount of instrument separation and detail. The huge THD can be heard in songs where there are multiple guitars, and TB10D will mash them together more than most amplifiers, but that high harmonic distortion is handled in such a way that it is not evident and except for some lack in precision (which at this price point is really not that surprising), the amplifier actually sounds good. Male voices and female voices are presented equally well, and TB10D is generally pleasing, smooth, without much texture.
The treble can also be increased with the treble potentiometer, and it can go from a neutral, smooth, lean and pleasing treble, to either super rolled off and absent, and also to bright, sparkly, but metallic and shrill treble. The apparent detail increases if pushing the treble wheel to the pedal, but this also increases the distortion, and this results in an audible distortion coming from the Fosi Audio TB10D, in the highs and the upper midrange. While I’ve used it with high-quality newly released speakers, I see TB10D as more of a stereo Hifi Amplifier designed to bring new life into old speakers, vintage speakers, or to pair with entry-level speakers.
Comparisons
Fosi Audio TB10D vs Fosi Audio BT30D PRO (79 USD vs 109 USD) – So here I wanted to discuss the thing that between TB10D and BT30D PRO, the differences in sound are very small. They sound about equal, although the EQ implementation is a bit cleaner on the BT30D PRO, yet the power brick has more noise physically than that of the TB10D. You also get a good Bluetoth input with BT30D PRO, but at the end of the day, the sound is so similar that you’re not likely to prefer one over the other for sonics, so make your choice based on the one that has the features you need.
Fosi Audio TB10D vs Soundavo NSA-250 (79 USD vs 200 USD) – Soundavo NSA-250 has a DAc inside, which make the setup much less complicated, and it also uses the same speaker connectors as Fosi Audio TB10D, so you’ll have a similar experience physically, except that NSA-250 has streaming abilities, is a more complex device, but also priced higher. The overall sound is about equal, with the dynamics and impact of the TB10D being more impressive, and the EQ more effective, and easier to use. The soundstage is fairly good on both, but both have a high THD that will be audible at very high volumes.
Fosi Audio TB10D vs Arylic A50+ (79 USD vs 200 USD) – The shape and size is larger for TB10D and it uses normal speaker power plugs, which I like much more than the solution Arylic uses, and the maximum driving power is much higher on the Fosi TB10D. The maximum loudness is actually similar, because above a certain loudness, TB10D and its high THD will become audible, but at low volumes, it can be more controlled, have better impact and more bass, especially if you engage the EQ wheels. With the EQ Wheels not engaged, or in dead zero position, both A50+ and TB10D sound similar in tuning, with TB10D having a bit more impact and dynamics. A50+ has a much better streaming ability, and it is a more complex device that can do so much more, all while occupying less space on your desk, but if all you need is a good quality stereo hifi amp, TB10D is a good option you’ll most likely enjoy.
Value and Conclusion
Even though the THD or total harmonic distortion is high, the price performance value of the Fosi Audio TB10D is high, with the Amplifier having a super nice sound for the money paid, and with the price being what you’d typically pay for entry-level Chifi IEMs or Earphones, this is a nice deal I can recommend anyone who’s looking for the most affordable HIFI Stereo Amplifier. It has more than enough power for most headphones, and while Fosi Audio products look similar, they also sound fairly similar, so go with the one that has all the features you need, the differences in sound won’t be high enough to justify the price difference.
At the end of the day, if you’re looking for a good sound, at an entry-level price, with good dynamics and impact, good driving power, and super effective EQ wheels, which allow you to heavily boost the bass and the treble, Fosi Audio TB10D is an excellent option, and a fully functional Hifi Stereo Amplifier, for the most affordable unit I reviewed to date.
Product Link
You can grab one from www.amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/3Hh4TAz
If you’re in the UK, you can grab one from www.amazon.co.uk here: https://amzn.to/3XmMI27
And if you’re from Europe, you can grab one from www.amazon.de here: https://amzn.to/3wdueoD
Official website: https://www.fosiaudio.com/product/2-channel-amplifier/tb10d/ . You can use this code to get 15$ off your purchase, I don’t get anything out of it, and Amazon actually helps me more. $15 off code: TB10DP15YTB .
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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[…] point is rather low, it can only be compared to other ultra-affordable speaker amplifiers, such as Fosi Audio TB10D (79 USD), Fosi Audio BT30D PRO (109 USD), and Arylic A50+ (200 […]