You can always trust IMore.
Our team of Apple experts has years of experience testing all kinds of technology and gadgets, so you can be sure that our recommendations and critiques are accurate and helpful. Learn more about how we test.
You regularly hear stories about the audiophile life being exorbitantly expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. For $60 you can get a well made, well featured DAC/Amp in the Fosi Audio DS2 2024 and have plenty of money to spend on quality headphones or IEMs.
Fosi Audio DS2: Price and availability
You can purchase the Fosi Audio DS2 2024 directly from Fosiaudio.com or Amazon for $59.99. You won’t find many portable DACs/amplifiers with both 3.5mm and 4.4mm ports at this price point. The closest competition is around $80.
Fosi Audio DS2: Build and deploy
At 3.2 ounces, the DS2 2024 feels effortlessly light. But don’t let that fool you, oh no! It’s CNC machined from solid metal and Fosi claims it’s impact resistant. I’m guessing they’re pretty confident, because unlike most DACs I’ve tested lately, this one comes with a two-year warranty, as opposed to one.
Externally, you get an LED sample rate indicator on one side. The 3.5mm and 4.4mm ports are on the bottom, and across from the top is a USB-C port. On the left side, you get independent 60-step volume controls that provide satisfying clicky feedback when pressed.
Internally, dual Cirrus Log CS43131 DAC chips power these 3.5mm and 4.4mm outputs.
Fosi Audio DS2: Features
The DS2 2024 isn’t a powerhouse of features, but most of what it does, it does well. It supports up to DSD256 and PCM 32-BIT/385kHz decoding, pushing 510mw at 32 ohms from a 4.4mm and a somewhat anemic 130mw at 32 ohms from a 3.5mm connection.
The top of the DS2 2024 has an LED next to the Fosi Audio branding to tell you what you’re decoding. For PCM anything less than 48kHz = red, 48-96kHz = green, 96-384kHz = yellow. For DSD, all sample rates have blue light.
My only complaint is that the 3.5mm port is a bit undersized. My Campfire Audio Mammoths had to be set higher than any other DAC I’ve used to date. I usually have to keep the volume slider around 10% of maximum to avoid damaging the Mammoths’ hearing, which are quite sensitive. I was really pushing the volume with the DS2 2024 and that doesn’t bode well for a power hungry IEM.
Fosi Audio DS2: Sound quality
This $60 DAC/Amp has impressive sound for its price! I would characterize the DS2 2024 as a warm DAC/Amp that doesn’t sacrifice clarity or detail for a bump in the lows and mids.
I listened to several different playlists through the Sennheiser HD660S2 and their sublime IE900 IEMs. I also connected Campfire Audio’s Mammoth IEMs and HiFiMan HE-4XX planar magnetic headphones. “Moanin'” by Charles Mingus is an intricately detailed and blended big band jazz score that illuminates the detail and musicality of the DS2. It reproduces this track with almost analytical precision, allowing you to bask in the separation of instruments and their layering in a stereo image.
The bass and mids aren’t overwhelming, but they’re fun. On the same Mingus track, the upright bass is present and assertive without stomping on horns or hi-hats. Skrillex’s “Mumbai Power” and Big KRIT’s “My Sub” growl and rumble with confidence.
When listening to Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes” and Get Out OST’s “Shikilinga Kwa XXXX”, you’ll discover a closed-back headphone-like soundstage. To be clear, the vocals are clear. On good headphones and with a DAC that doesn’t smooth out the mids and highs, Paul Simon’s vocals are just a hair hiss like they were on the DS2. The shrill horns I regularly mention in Art Blakey’s “Moanin'” are as expectedly sharp on the DS2.
Overall, this is a great listening experience for $60 and will grow with you thanks to the inclusion of a 4.4mm balanced connection that should have enough power to drive all but the most demanding headphones and IEMs.
Fosi Audio DS2: The Competition
The competition at $60 is almost non-existent. In hardware, there is competition from the HiBy FC4, Fiio KA13 and Fiio Ka3. All three share similar features and have both single-ended and balanced outputs, but you’ll pay $20 more for them without a significant difference in sound quality.
Then there’s the iFi GO link, which will run you the same $60, but won’t get you the same features. You get a 3.5mm single-ended port, but no 4.4mm or 2.5mm balanced output and no volume control on the device.
Fosi Audio DS2: Should You Buy It?
You should buy the Fosi Audio DS2 if…
- You have a budget
- You have good headphones/IEMs with 4.4mm cables
- You are now entering Apple Lossless
You should not buy the Fosi Audio DS2 if…
- You have a power-hungry 3.5mm wired IEM
You won’t find many options at this price point with a 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced audio jack. At $59.99, the clarity and detail of the Fosi Audio DS2 2024 make it an excellent choice for those just diving into the audiophile realm. It even delivers enough bass and sub-bass to satisfy the bass heads among us.
With solid build quality and a 24-month warranty, the DS2 is a solid investment for high-resolution audio listening.
Low-cost entry into the land of audiophiles!
For those new to Apple Lossless and Hi-Res Audio, the Fosi Audio DS2 is a great investment without the worry of “buyer’s remorse”.
About The Author
