Fosi Audio MC351 2.1 Bluetooth Stereo Amp with DAC for Home Audio

Bought this as a gap filler for my humble bedroom stereo while I save for higher end equipment. It’s driving a pair of Klipsch RB-51 II bookshelf speakers, primarily playing downloaded lossless ALAC files from my phone through the USB-C input.THE GOOD: It feels and looks to be well made. There’s no rattling, loosely fitting pieces, or gaps between panels. The matte finish is attractive and satisfying to touch. The VU meter and the warm white color of its light speak to the vintage hi-fi lover in me. For near-field listening at lower to moderate volumes, this little guy is surprisingly dynamic and has enough power for the type of listening I plan to use if for. The highs are crisp without being harsh, and the lows are punchy and accurate. The mids are pleasantly expressed by themselves but do ”sag” a little and turn a bit hollow when there is more going on in the mix. However, I have had similar experiences with other amps and believe the speakers are more to blame there. Connecting by Bluetooth is simple and intuitive. The sound quality takes a noticeable dive, but nothing more than what is expected with any Bluetooth connection. After 3 hours of playing music at a moderate-to-high volume with the treble increased to about 75% and the bass tuned up to roughly 60%, the unit was still cool to the touch.THE BAD: It is a bit of what I expected from a small, cheap, class-c amplifier. When I choose a song with a lot going on in the low end and turn the volume up to “fun”, the amp shows its lack of headroom and sounds fatigued. The sound imaging fades, the highs and mids are pushed back, and I get some distortion. I suspect the power delivered is nowhere close to the claimed power rating, as these particular speakers are rated for 75W RMS/300W peak, 8 ohms nominal impedance, and have a 92dB sensitivity rating.THE VERDICT: I’ve been listening to music through this amplifier for about 6 weeks now and I don’t regret my purchase in the least. In fact, this little amp surprised me a bit and exceeded my expectations for the temporary budget solution I intended it to be. I would gladly buy it again. Just don’t expect it to sound like an amp 3x its price and you won’t be disappointed.

Everything I’ve ordered from Fosi has been amazing.The build quality is amazing. No rattles, no dings or dents. It is solid.The VU meter gives the modern look a little bit of a retro feel. It looks great.I hooked up a pair of Klipsch RP 600m speakers and everything came to life. Big, full sound.Build quality: 10/10Style: 10/10Sound: 10/10

It doesn’t work with my subwoofer!

I got this amp for a tiny little TV/media room and have been pleasantly surprised. The sound and practicality of it are great for the price.It's small and looks good, so much that I built this thing its own shelf to match the TV's and show it off. The VU meter is pretty much meaningless but adds a fun touch without being too "retro." My family also really appreciates its simplicity. There are only a few controls and no remote to lose.The sound: paired with some old JBL "control room" monitors (now hidden behind the TV screen), and using the optical input, movies sound immensely better, compared to the built in TV speakers. There's a really nice stereo separation that actually makes the screen seem bigger.I'm also using the RCA inputs (for a turntable with its own preamp) and the bluetooth connection (for my phone). Playing records, the sound is hit or miss, but it's hard to know the source of the inconsistency. Some recordings with a bit more space in the arrangements sound fantastic, while more "wall of sound" type things don't sound as good -- but my other gear isn't that great, my standards are higher for music on its own, and the room itself influences the sound. Music via bluetooth is more consistent, but has a slightly compressed sound -- perhaps because of the digital source or bluetooth itself.Are there ways to get more amazing sound or more volume? Yes, I've heard better stereos. For big parties a DJ setup with a PA would be more practical. But for the price and features this does really really well.

The amp sounds good.But the power is absolutely nowhere near what they say it is