I am pretty happy with my current system, so I was really interested to see if the new ZD3 pre-amp and DAC could compare with my Schiit/Topping combo and possibly replace it.
First Impressions
The ZD3 is well-made but larger than I expected compared to my Topping DAC. Considering it has a pre-amp on board, that's understandable. It may just seem large compared to the monos. While the construction is similar to the V3s, it's not an exact match like the ZA3 photos I have seen. Fosi might consider a stereo V3 in a ZD3-sized box, which would be visually pleasing. Increasing the box size of the monos might address some heat concerns, allowing for a heat sink and enabling two to be stacked with the ZD3 on top. As it stands, I have the ZD3 perched on top of two monos. It feels very well-made, if a little lightweight compared to my Schiit Saga+.
It looks very visually appealing and feels like a quality product. There are plenty of digital inputs to link to my WiiM Pro.
Functionality
It's a real shame there isn’t an analog RCA input on the ZD3; if there were, it could potentially replace my current pre-amp. As it stands, I am unable to play my turntable through the ZD3. The input switching and volume control are of nice quality, and the display is clear. If I'm honest, I would prefer larger information on the inputs and streaming quality, as they are a bit small and hidden in the corners. I am also not sure if I need the volume level displayed, although I did use it later to match the volume with my Schiit setup.
I managed to plug both preamps into my Fosi V3 monos using balanced XLR from the ZD3 and RCA audio from the Schiit Saga+ connected to my Topping DAC. My WiiM Pro is plugged into both the Topping E30 and the ZD3, TOS-link to the Topping and coax to the ZD3.
Set up like this, I can switch sources quickly from the WiiM app and toggle between XLR and RCA inputs on the V3 monos for a direct comparison.
Sound Quality
I'm no Hifi expert, but I'll give my first impressions. I set the volumes of both to be similar and played a few tracks, switching between the three pre-amp/DACs. I played some Billie Eilish, Biffy Clyro, Lightning Seeds, Lola Young, Bob Marley, Post Malone, and Noah Kahan to get a bit of variety.
Initial impressions show that there is definitely a difference between the two setups, but it’s not huge. The Schiit pre-amp with Topping DAC sounds marginally more neutral / warm, whereas the ZD3 preamp and DAC sounds marginally harsher and slightly less clean. Volume-wise, however, the ZD3 through the V3 monos can go very loud through my B&W speakers. Much louder than my zero-gain Schiit, which needs to be cranked up quite a way even for normal listening. The ZD3 goes significantly louder than I need, showing how much power the V3s have with a pre-amp with some gain. So, initial impressions are that I prefer the less harsh sound of the Schiit/Topping DAC combo.
My next test was to look at the ZD3 as a pure DAC to compare to my budget Topping E30. I wanted to see if the pre-amp or the DAC, or both, were contributing to the slightly harsher sound I was hearing through my system compared to the Schiit/Topping combo. I set the ZD3 to bypass to use as a pure DAC. As others have commented, the volume control still shows volume changes on the display, but it doesn’t seem to do anything. I kept the WiiM inputs the same—TOSLINK to the Topping and coax to the ZD3 and then used RCA outputs from both to connect to separate inputs on my Schiit pre-amp. Set up like this, the only real difference I could tell appeared to be a minor volume difference. But sonically, they were similar. The Topping uses an AK4493S chip compared to the ES9039Q2M chip in the ZD3. To my ears, through my system, both offer good DAC performance.
Conclusion
So, overall, would I replace my Schiit pre-amp and Topping DAC with the single-box ZD3 to power my V3 monos? Probably not, but it’s not a fair cost comparison. The ZD3 is about a third of the cost. Equally, without an additional analog RCA input, I can’t connect my turntable, so I would need another amp anyway. With smaller space or budget constraints, I think this is a really cool piece of kit and would recommend it. Matched to a ZA3, it looks really nice, or mounted on top of two V3s, it can go pretty darn loud. As a stand alone DAC to fit into a system, its pretty price comparable with The Topping E30 and has a nicer look and feel with much nicer display. I would choose the Zd3 as a DAC over the Topping E30 as its much more flexible on inputs and has the added pre-amp.
Fosi also sent me some OP Amps to try. I haven’t tried these yet. I am not sure if I will or not, it looks quite tricky to do and I don’t have antistatic equipment readily available. I might see if its worth swapping the ones in my Monos or the ZD3 at some point, or might look at some of the very well reviewed ones, like Sparkos or Muse at somepoint. For now, I will keep listening and comparing with the two DAC’s and pre-amps and see if my opinion changes over time
I await with interest Fosi's new phono pre-amp and CD transport to see how they could be connected and perform. I am currently lacking a CD transport, so I will be watching with interest to decide if I should add another bit of Fosi HiFi to my setup.
Thank you, Fosi team, for the opportunity to try the ZD3 in my system. I hope this review is useful.
Andy