Fosi Audio P3 – A Tube Preamp We Can All Afford

Fosi Audio became known for their small power amplifiers such as V3 that presented a great value. The overall clarity and transparency of those couldn’t be denied. But some buyers wished for a slightly mellower and lusher tonality so Fosi came up with an affordable solution in the form of a P3 tube preamplifier.

Build and Connectivity

Fosi Audio P3 is a palm-sized aluminium box with an external 12V power supply. In the front, you’ll find a volume knob, bass and treble tone adjustment, and headphone output. In the bac,k we have one pair of RCA inputs, one pair of RCA outputs, and a 3.5mm Aux output. There’s even Bluetooth connectivity onboard.

A remote control is not available so Fosi Audio P3 is presenting itself as a desktop solution where you can reach it by hand. Finally, on top of the unit, you’ll see two 5654W vacuum tubes that come with the preamp and these are rollable. The easiest way to do this is to unscrew the protective orange ring first. That way, there’s more space to work around the tubes themselves. I kept it fast and simple and tested the preamp as it is, never engaged in the tube rolling.

Sound

I tested Fosi Audio P3 connected to both V3 and ZA3 amplifiers. There is no doubt that adding P3 in the chain makes the soundstage bigger, airer, and simply more three-dimensional. Tones themselves appear bigger and more full-bodied too. Even the harmonic richness is better. Gone is the sensation of clean but somewhat lean and analytical presentation that amplifiers themselves exhibit. On the other hand, there is definitely a sacrifice when it comes to how clear and clean the sound is. What was once a black background now feels less dark, and precise pinpointing transitions to bigger but more diffused sound. All tones lose a bit of clarity and become softer and blurier. Quick transients are also softened and slowed down.

I have no doubt that some will prefer this newfound tonal richness and increased soundstage. But it does come at a cost and I suppose that an equal number of you will miss the precision and clarity that going source direct to the amplifier brings.

Conclusion

I am a huge fan of using a dedicated preamplifier. Some better, and much pricier preamplifiers, can bring all of the previously mentioned benefits without sacrificing the overall clarity and speed. Fosi Audio P3 is not one of those. I don’t think anyone expects it to be at 80 US dollars. So if you prioritize speed and clarity this will not be a product for you. On the other hand, if you feel that your system with the source connected directly to one of the Fosi amplifiers, or similar ones, sounds too lean and clean – then some transparency and clarity loss might be worthwhile exchange for more fullness, bigger soundstage, and richer tonality.