FOSI AUDIO MC101: Vintage Vibe Compact Amplifier

Amplifiers are one of the main important devices in a Hi-Fi audio component system as it is the one which will increase the scale of audio signal either on voltage or current mode that will deliver a proportional amount of amplitude signal on its output. Amplifiers are also a type of electrical network that has a circuitry that delivers specific power gain mode to transducers.

FOSI AUDIO is an audio company that specialises in audio solutions by manufacturing these high quality devices like amplifiers, pre-amps, DAC/amp dongles, speakers and other accessories for the improvement of audio quality at affordable price for budget-conscious both audio professionals and audio enthusiasts alike.

This is my first time to do a review on a desktop type amplifier and this one is quite different to older types of amplifiers that I'm accustomed to as it has a smaller form factor, more compact and supports wireless connectivity.

This is FOSI AUDIO MC101, it's a 2-channel Bluetooth stereo amplifier for speakers. It has built-in volume unit (VU) for displaying visual representation of the signal level from sound output and its overall aesthetics gives a distinctively vintage-look that harkens back to 1960's to 1970's Hi-Fi stereo system era. Its overall build is quite solid and very compact that it will suit better for a confined space.

Since this device supports bluetooth connection, it has a detachable Bluetooth antenna and its version was rated at 5.3 which can optimise a channel selection for a stronger, better speed and stable connection compared to the previous generation of bluetooth versions and theoretically, it can reach up to 200 yards for its broadcast range. So in regards to concerns of connectivity and compatibility to other devices with bluetooth connectivity, this device will seamlessly connect them without any issues. But there is one concern that should be addressed about the limitation of its bluetooth supporting audio codec, it can only support standard lossy ones like SBC and AAC, so advanced bluetooth audio codecs such as Apt-X, Apt-X HD and LDAC are out of question on this one.

Aside from wireless input, MC101 also offers an analogue interface solution via RCA connection for better high fidelity audio quality in analogue input. At the rear part of this device, there is line-in connection for audio and video, pre-out 3.5mm jack, 4 RCA output jack for both left and right channels on speakers, a DC 12-24V Power input and Bluetooth antenna which is also a detachable one.

At the front part of MC101, besides with elegant-looking, copper-coloured VU metre, there are two knobs at the left part, a bass knob with rated gain up to ± 12dB and a treble knob with gain o ± 6dB. At the right part, there is a toggle switch for Power/Input solution and a volume knob which was coated with copper colour accent. The overall build quality of this amplifier is quite sturdy and well-crafted as it has CNC-milled aluminium alloy chassis along with its exquisite vintage aesthetics on it.

On its internal components, MC101 uses a dual Texas Instrument TPA3116 which is a stereo efficient, digital amplifier power stage that is capable of driving speakers up to 200W in mono. This amplifier chip also employs an advanced oscillator that utilises a multiple frequency option to circumvent any potential signal noise interferences and it has short-circuit and thermal protection as it minimises any possibility of overvoltage, undervoltage and DC protection. This device is a class-D type of amplifier that is more efficient compared to linear amplifiers and better heat dissipation as it delivers a dynamic voltage swing into a fixed load.

Here are the contents inside of FOSI AUDIO MC101's packaging box:

■ FOSI AUDIO MC101 bluetooth power amplifier.

■ 4.5A/24V power adapter

■ Instruction manual

On how I test this device, since I only have a TRONSMART BANG MINI as its speaker through aux mode and it was connected via bluetooth connection on my devices like LG smartphones and HIBY R6 PRO II DAP. And so, I consider my testing method this one is rather limited as it doesn't fully utilise its full potential like connecting it on better bookshelf monitor speakers or using more analogue sources like turntables or desktop CD players.

Overall sound quality of this device seems pretty fine as it has a mild U-shaped with a balanced-warmish tonality as it has sufficient punchy bass response and with an ample warmth while maintaining a clean and well-textured sound on its midrange that will beneficial for the natural tone and timbre on vocals and instruments, then a smooth and balanced with good asounding of its treble response.

It is noted that the bass and treble knobs are positioned at 12 o'clock, so it's up to the users' discretion on how they will adjust its fine tuning on low and high frequencies based on their preference.

Its power output is fairly loud enough to deliver a power output on my Tronsmart Bang Mini speaker that really fills up in small room to have a full range sound.

Since this is my first review on an amplifier device, there will be no product comparisons for this device.

As I conclude this review, as I observe the evolution of amplifiers, Class-D type of amplifiers became more powerful while still retaining their power efficiency just like Fosi Audio MC101. With an added Bluetooth feature, using this amplifier will be more convenient to use due to its flexibility as it offers different modes and is easy to configure that will save time for setting up this set with other devices. This is truly a well-crafted amplifier that exudes some vintage vibe with the elegant and luxurious feel that it will be a good centrepiece to display it a living room. To whom will I recommend this device? Well, if you are budget-conscious audio enthusiast that looking for an affordable amplifier with good build quality and powerful enough to deliver a substantial power output on a basic speaker set-up, I will definitely recommend this one without hesitation at all.

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: FOSI AUDIO MC101

OP/AMP CHIP:  TEXAS INSTRUMENT 2x TPA3116

OUTPUT POWER: 100W x2 (Maximum load)

INPUT MODE: BLUETOOTH, RCA

OUTPUT MODE: SPEAKER OUTPUT + PRE-OUT

SNR: 100dB

DYNAMIC RANGE: 100dB

THD: 0.003%

BLUETOOTH VERSION: 5.3

BLUETOOTH AUDIO CODEC: SBC, AAC

CONNECTION RANGE: Up to 210M

VOLTAGE RATING: DC 12V-24V

PROS:

△ Affordable pricing as it will be more compelling to budget-conscious audio enthusiasts.

△ Solidly built aluminium alloy and compact casing structure.

△ Classy and elegant-look on its vintage aesthetics.

△ A working VU metre as it swings based on the audio signal.

△ Latest bluetooth version for stable connection and less chances of latency issues.

△ Quite easy to use and familiarisation of its basic functions.

△ A fine-tune knobs for volume control and bass and treble adjustments.

△ A warmish-balanced tuning which is versatile enough to all types of music genre.

△ Punchy bass, a well-balanced midrange and smooth treble response.

△ Powerful enough to amplify speakers, quite loud even at 10 o'clock position of its volume level .

CONS:

▽ No support for advanced bluetooth audio codec like Apt-X, Apt-X HD and LDAC.

▽ Not really a neutral sounding one.

▽ Wishing for a separate output jack for headphones and earphones.

P.S.

I am not affiliated to FOSI AUDIO nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to FOSI AUDIO for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.