[deltecdpa]

Has anyone tried the f.audio fa4?



https://a.aliexpress.com/_9fYvGZ

Interesting. Compared with my F.Audio FA3s it adds, according to AliExpress:
- Bluetooth, 4.4 bal output, low/high gain, support to pcm 32/768 and dsd1024 (I would not use such GB-guzzler formats...) and a mysterious "switch music seamlessly" does it mean gapless play...?

It loses:
- Class A amplification

two ES dac instead of two CS dac
Maybe longer battery life (but FA3s is good already, 20 hours)
It does not have reset pinhole, reset is made by long pressing the power button as I read on AliExpress.
The FA3s has reset pinhole but can be resetted same way, rendering the pinhole useless (I just discovered this!)

 

[Mr.HiAudio]

I would not trust F.Audio because they only have a beautiful shell, in fact, they also have fake components inside

 

[Themilkman46290]

I would not trust F.Audio because they only have a beautiful shell, in fact, they also have fake components inside

Well, it's no worst then zishan, they are made also using fake parts, but they sound very good.
I have used both, and can say zishan simply has a bit more space inside allowing for some DIY and f.audio is more tightly put together, companonets are acuttually the same

 

[LaughMoreDaily]

Well, it's no worst then zishan, they are made also using fake parts, but they sound very good.

Zishan sounds good? After owning more music players from that brand then any other... I disagree. Shanling is way better.

However, I did like the Zishan Z3 but the 3.5mm port broke in like 6 months or a year? Can't remember... either way, bad value.

If someone wants to buy a Zishan, I would recommend the Z3 and hope the soldering doesn't fail. If you know how to solder then a Z3 is a good value.

 

[Mr.HiAudio]

I disagree.

bcz this is a DIY player, this is not a finished product, but a kind of constructor to make a sound for yourself after simple mod Zishan sounds so great

 

[deltecdpa]

Well, it's no worst then zishan, they are made also using fake parts, but they sound very good.
I have used both, and can say zishan simply has a bit more space inside allowing for some DIY and f.audio is more tightly put together, companonets are acuttually the same

Yes...fake or not fake parts, f.audio sounds very good to me. Even if "fake" I think those parts are of good quality, or they may actually come from the same factory of branded ones...

 

[LaughMoreDaily]

Yes...fake or not fake parts, f.audio sounds very good to me. Even if "fake" I think those parts are of good quality, or they may actually come from the same factory of branded ones...

Almost everything is made in China and any brand name could be using non-genuine parts. Also called parts with no brand name.

I watched a documentary a while back where the USA mistakenly bought expired Chinese ammunition for its military.

 

[Jmop]

Anything in this thread that's either low hiss and can do gapless or can do gapless and has a dedicated line out? Oh, and has at least 8 hour battery life.

 

[Jmop]

Wasn’t into the Surfans F20..

DX120 is a great player and I currently have one for sale, same with Cayin N5ii. Both hard to come by nowadays.

 

[dougms3]

How is the interface on the Zishan Z4 and F.audio FA4. It is decently intuitive?

 

[LaughMoreDaily]

Well, it's no worst then zishan, they are made also using fake parts, but they sound very good.
I have used both, and can say zishan simply has a bit more space inside allowing for some DIY and f.audio is more tightly put together, companonets are acuttually the same

I disagree that Zishans sound good. They don't stand a chance against companies like Shanling.

But I'm also wondering what exactly is a fake part? How is a typical consumer even supposed to know what one looks like?

When's the last time you opened any non-Chinese company made electronic item and seen if there were "fake parts" inside?

 

[Themilkman46290]

I disagree that Zishans sound good. They don't stand a chance against companies like Shanling.

But I'm also wondering what exactly is a fake part? How is a typical consumer even supposed to know what one looks like?

When's the last time you opened any non-Chinese company made electronic item and seen if there were "fake parts" inside?

Really depends on wich shanling and what zishan.
DSD ak4495 (older version with volume knob) sounds alot better then my shanling MO (both cost about 100 bucks new) but the mo sounds better then the z3, and the z1 with upgraded caps and a few mods sounded better then the fiio x1 mkii (fiio was around 100 bucks, z1 cost 50 bucks with upgrades) so it really depends.

The problem is the ak4495 dsd sound better then the ak4497 dsd, and the ak4490 dsd was also better then the 4497....
Seems the company doesn't really get better with newer products, the h1 was complete trash, crazy distortion after half volume, that's when I decided to stick with ibasso, in my opinion they wipe the floor with any player in there price range
But some people like darker, other people like brighter, and some like more fun

I would take a zishan dsd over pretty much any player in its price range.
Shanling doesn't make anything decent for around 100 bucks, neither does fiio or hidizs
But if your willing to go to 250 or 300 bucks, then zishan doesn't compete

Only exception is if you happen to use very sensitive multi b.a. Iems, then zishan high output impedance makes everything sound off
But for large cans, 400mw makes the zishan rule in the budget level

 

[Themilkman46290]

I disagree that Zishans sound good. They don't stand a chance against companies like Shanling.

But I'm also wondering what exactly is a fake part? How is a typical consumer even supposed to know what one looks like?

When's the last time you opened any non-Chinese company made electronic item and seen if there were "fake parts" inside?

About fake parts, well, it's not hard to tell
Fake "high end" caps are easy to spot, but some other resistors, power regulators, op amps are a bit harder to tell, but in general the chinese are pretty good at making all those parts work well together.

There isn't too much point in changing all that, I did and in the end my ak4497 dsd cost me as much as my dx200
Dx200 is another level

 

[fitzyssbuna]

after reading some of the reviews here i am thinking of buying

Ibasso – DX120 at $259.22 Australian Dollers can anyone tell me please if there is any thing better than this at a cheap price please?​

 

[JasonX]

Anyone know where you can access the firmware for F.Audio products?

Also, does the FA3 or FA4 by F.Audio have a maximum file count on the tf card?

Thanks, Jason