If you have any questions, please refer here: FAQs
Review Videos
$140 Gets You More Than You Think
Matt Coykendall
Finally, a Cheap CD Player that Makes Sense!
Forever Analog
Prezzi Umani per l'Hi-Fi
Riccardo Palombo
CDs sind zurück?! Macht der Merak sie wieder spannend?
andisolo
$140 Gets You More Than You Think
Matt Coykendall
Finally, a Cheap CD Player that Makes Sense!
Forever Analog
Prezzi Umani per l'Hi-Fi
Riccardo Palombo
CDs sind zurück?! Macht der Merak sie wieder spannend?
andisolo
Wake Your CD Collection Again
Fosi Audio Merak CD Player
Merak takes its name from Beta Ursae Majoris, a star in the constellation Ursa Major. It has often been used as a reference point for locating the North Star, symbolizing guidance and direction. Inspired by this meaning, we hope Merak becomes a point of reference in your listening journey—bringing more precise imaging and a more immersive experience.
Seamless System Integration
With optical and line outputs, it connects easily to DACs, amplifiers, or active speakers. The included remote control allows convenient input/output switching and track selection. A 12V Trigger output enables synchronized power with Fosi devices like ZD3 and ZA3.
Precision mechanism and servo system ensure accurate disc reading, stable tracking, and smooth playback with reduced disc wear.
Precision Mech & Servo System
Gapless Playback
Gapless playback eliminates track gaps, making it ideal for live recordings and symphonic music.
Built for Daily Use
Four Playback Modes
Easily switch between Play Once, Repeat One, Repeat All, and Shuffle using the front panel controls or the remote.
Flexible Playback Control
Lid-Open Auto Stop
Automatically stops playback when the lid is opened, preventing disc rotation and reducing mechanical stress during operation.
Playback Stops When Opened
ESP Anti-Skip
ESP minimizes playback interruptions from vibration, ensuring stable performance during movement or external disturbances.
Electronic Shock Protection
Plug and Play
Equipped with a 3.5mm headphone jack delivering up to 210mW ×2 of output power. Simply plug in your headphones and enjoy your own private listening moment. Its compact design fits easily on a bedside table or beside the sofa, letting you fully relax and unwind with music.
Simple Setup, Instant Playback
Curated Audio Chipset
Built-in CS43131 DAC paired with 2 TPA6120 op-amps design, Merak supports up to PCM 16bit/96kHz audio. With a 124dB SNR and 0.0009% THD, it delivers a clean signal faithful to the original CD recording.
Greater Fidelity
CD Ripping
Merak features one-touch CD ripping, saving original CD audio as 16bit/44.1kHz WAV files to a USB drive without loss of quality. Equipped with a USB-A input, supporting USB drives up to 128GB for direct music playback.
USB Drive Playback
As Seen On
“This is what happens when a company is laser focused on customer needs and excellence in engineering.”
"If you want a small, simple, affordable integrated amp with lots of power, the Fosi Audio BT20A Pro is your best choice."
“Are they the last word in anything? Of course not. But where value for money is concerned – and that is made up of a combination of performance, specification, build quality, pride of ownership, user interface (such as it is where a product like the V3 monoblock is concerned) – the company seems to hit the nail on the head.”
“Team Fosi does clear, controlled, clean-as-a-whistle ‘hi-fi’ like a dream”
"Long story short, the Fosi V3 Mono Amp is one of the best power amplifiers I have ever reviewed to this day."
"It may not look like it, but the Fosi Audio BT20A Pro is a powerful amplifier in a small package. It may be barebones, but it sounds bigger than the price tag would have you expecting."
"You don’t need to spend thousands or even hundreds to gain entry into Audiophile Land. Fosi Audio’s DS2 2024 is proof of that!"
"What I have learned for sure, though, is that Fosi Audio goes about things the right way and is far more sincere than it is cynical in its efforts to part you from your hard-earned."
"The affordable Fosi Audio DS1 is our favorite headphone amp/DAC because it has the needed connections and power output to suit most headphones."
Product details
Description
Precision CD Transport: Optimized servo system ensures accurate disc reading, smooth playback, and reduced wear, supporting stable long-term performance and consistent audio output. All-in-One Audio Design: Combines CD player, DAC, and headphone amplifier in one unit, simplifying setup while maintaining low distortion and clear signal reproduction. CD Ripping & USB Playback: Supports CD ripping to USB and direct playback, enabling easy conversion to digital files and convenient access without additional devices. Flexible Output Connectivity: Multiple outputs support headphones, amplifiers, and active speakers, allowing seamless integration into desktop systems or larger audio setups. ESP Anti-Skip Protection: 60-second buffering reduces interruptions from vibration, maintaining stable playback and improving reliability in movement or less controlled environments.
The Fosi Audio Merak CD Player is a compact, desktop-style Hi-Fi device designed to blend traditional CD playback with modern digital features.
How to check USB drive format?
Windows: This PC → Manage → Disk Management → Check USB format Supported: ✔ FAT32 Unsupported: ✘ NTFS Recommendation: Most new USB drives are preformatted as FAT32.
Does playback stop when opening the CD lid?
Yes. Reason: Merak uses Hall sensor detection. Behavior: Opening the lid during playback immediately stops playback. Status: ✔ Normal design behavior
Does Merak meet environmental standards?
Yes. Compliance: ✔ ROHS 2.0 ✔ REACH
Does Merak support SACD?
Partial support. Supported: ✔ CD layer only Unsupported: ✘ SACD high-resolution layer
Why use a dedicated CD mechanism instead of a DVD mechanism to play CDs?
Dedicated CD mechanism is specifically optimized for audio playback, including a more precise clock system, a more stable reading structure, and an optimized digital signal path. Compared to a general-purpose DVD mechanism, it typically delivers clearer audio detail and a more stable soundstage performance.
Why is ESP anti-shock protection included in a desktop CD player?
Although ESP is more commonly used in portable devices, it is included for the following scenarios: 1. Users may use the device in a car, where vibrations can affect playback stability; 2. On a desktop, strong bass or high-energy music may still cause vibration that impacts disc reading stability.
I’ve just been rediscovering my CD collection thanks to my Fosi BT20A Pro and Merak CD combo. I like to keep my audio set-up minimal and unobtrusive and the Merak is perfect for this! I use it primarily in a living room environment as my permanent sound system. The build quality of the Merak is outstanding thanks to the all-metal casing. I’m not a big hi fi fanatic but it sounds better than any other cd player I’ve had. The main thing for me is ease of use and good design. Merak delivers these, but sometimes I wish the control buttons could be slightly bigger and given more space – Perhaps making the player less thin in future models? However, well done Fosi I’m pleased with my set-up!
R
Robert Y.
GREAT CD PLAYER
I was a bit apprehensive but just amazed how go it is. Very reasonable price.
C
Claude B.
Perfect cd player!
Best cd player for the price and it looks very nice beside my mac 🙂
M
Murray L.
Fosi Audio Merak CD Player
I bought it primarily because it could rip audio from standard CD's. Second reason was it is very small and seems to be high quality, as I don't have space upstairs for the 'full-size' CD player in the basement.
I made some assumptions because I am not 'up-to-speed' with current technology.
The analog audio interface is probably exactly what is used by most people now...3.5 mm. My thought was...oh, I have to find an adapter to RCA phono plug. But I don't need to yet.
The CD ripping function is only possible to a flash drive, not via a cable to a computer. It DOES say that in the manual, and I did read that, but didn't really think about it. A minor inconvenience. I did try it to see if it was just not described. No, it does exactly what they say it does, in the manual.
The ripped WAV files are uncompressed, 1411 kbps, 16-bit, 44.1 kHz sampling rate.
They go into a "RIP" folder that is created on the flash drive. The ripping appears to be at 'real time', so an hour CD takes an hour to rip. The files have names of the format TRK1.wav, TRK2.wav, and so on. I completed a CD rip from a box set and wondered what would happen if I commenced with the second CD. I was concerned about overwriting.
The files are not overwritten, but added to the same folder, with a numeric modifier in the names, similar to downloading files from the 'web with the same name.
TRK1~0.wav, TRK2~0.wav, etc. are the format for the 2nd disk. That's manageable, but a lot of work to rename manually. To be fair, I find the file naming by a (Windows) PC of audio tracks ripped from CD to be very impractical. The Fosi naming is an improvement in that it doesn't seem to change the order (like # 1, 10, 11 etc. being ordered before 2-9. They look to be sequenced as I hope, so I don't rename files incorrectly.
At this point I realized this is probably a DAC with the ability to write files. I know nothing about those, so I can't even comment on whether this is normal & com parable to anything else, because I have never previously used a DAC in this context. It's obvious that it is not intended to be a CD copier, like one would use a CD/DVD drive for (internal drive bay or USB plug-in).
The files sound fine. They meet my expectations.
No complaints, but some misunderstanding on my part based on initial assumptions. That's the only reason I didn't give the highest rating. It's reduced for practicality and suitability based on my needs. I wasn't asked to rate my awareness!
Edit:
Merak can also play a variety of digital format audio files from a flash drive, as described in the manual.
The RIP function is only available via the front panel Record button (like the instructions imply). Practically, I see why. The button has more than one function, dependent on the duration of the button depression and there are menu options to follow for ripping a single track or all, and stopping the process. So it makes sense to not have the ripping function on the remote control. One needs to be looking at the player to read the display responses.
Well thought out product.
A
André B.
Super
Very good qualité for the Price, sound is very good
