Fosi Audio LC30
| VU meter |
Fosi Audio LC30, a new VU meter from the brand.
The Fosi Audio LC30 is a new offering from Fosi Audio but this time is not an amp, DAC nor power amp, this is a VU meter.
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Fosi Audio LC30 Review
Tests & Scores
A
Accessories & Packaging
The unit comes in the same type of packaging as every other modern device from Fosi Audio that we have reviewed. Inside you get an IR remote and a USB-C cable.
3/5
D
Design
The Fosi Audio LC30 has a clean an minimal design with 2 big windows for the VU meter and some stealthy buttons and knobs with LED indicators.
The device can be chosen with the orange background on the VU meter section (as the one you see in this review) or with a black one.
The VU section has a meter scale that goes from -60dB up to +6dB and in parallel informs a Wattage metering with marks at 1.2mW, 10mW, .20W, 2W, 20W, 100W, 200W and 300W.
4/5
OC
Operation & Control
The unit is quite simple to use, you have 3 buttons and a knob; the knob works only as a sensitivity control for the needle of the VU meter while the buttons are used to switch between the A/B amps and 1/2 pairs of speaker, thus allowing quick A/B comparison without needing to unplug and re-plug different speakers and amps.
The central button is used as the power and backlight control. Moreover, the device has an IR remote that has dedicated buttons for each function.
3.75/5
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CB
Construction & Build
The Fosi Audio LC30 has a solid all-metal case and no cheap nor rattling sections were felt.
From quality audiophile load resistors, relays and other internals, the unit seems to follow the construction quality seen on other products from the brand.
Also, the knob and buttons are made of metal.
4/5
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C
Connectivity
This Fosi Audio LC30 can be connected with 2 pairs of passive speakers and 2 amps.
All connectors are gold plated with a banana plug design.
In addition to the audio speaker/amp connections, you will find a USB-C port that is used for power – the unit does not receive not transmits signal through the USB connection.
3.5/5
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P
Performance
Backlighting, A/B amp and 1/2 speaker switching worked and did its job but the main function of the unit which is the VU meter did barely react and moved the pointer unless the unit was fed with an insane amount of power as to throw a party for the whole city – in case that you are wondering; yes, we tried little by little dialing up the meter knob’s sensitivity.
From low power inputs up to reasonable high ones, the VU pointer reached as much as 1.2mW / -50dB and would only go beyond that mark if you were intending to get the dB output to launch a rave party for 10000 people or get the police knocking at your front door – the meter did show signs of being more reactive to lower frequencies than mids and upper ones.
Of course, the dB indicated by the VU meter did not reflect at all the real dB being output, unless the hearing power of our editors has become ultrasonically empowered by compound V and an earthquake was going on while pushing the Fosi Audio LC30 to get the meter moving.
As a benefit of the doubt, we might have got a defective unit.
To be fair to the Fosi Audio LC30, the amp/speaker switching options worked well and were able to switch on-the-fly and without delay from 2 different pair of passive speakers and/or from 2 different amps.
2.5/5
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ScoresFosi Audio LC30 Scores
- Accessories - 6/106/10
- Design - 8/108/10
- Operation & Control - 7.5/107.5/10
- Construction & Build - 8/108/10
- Compatibility - 7.5/107.5/10
- Connectivity - 7/107/10
- Performance - 5/105/10
- Features - 6.5/106.5/10
- Value for Money - 4/104/10
Summary
✅ Good solid metal build
✅ Nice aesthetics
✅ Quick speaker/amp switch
❌ VU meter barely works
Conclusion
The Fosi Audio LC30, looks nice, has a fair attractive price but as this is a VU meter and the VU meter is extremely non-sensitive and will only show signs of life above deafening dB levels, it defeats the purpose of the existence of the unit itself as a VU meter - the amp/speaker function works, though.
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Fosi Audio LC30
