MC101

Let me start by saying I'm a music enthusiast, not an audiophile. I care about good sound, but I don't get bogged down in fancy jargon or expensive gadgets. That's why I was excited to give a try to the MC101 amp – it promised solid performance without the frills. Built to last, designed to please First impression? The MC101 feels sturdy and well-made. The metal knobs and classic switches give it a timeless look, and the VU meter adds a touch of vintage charm. Plus, the binding posts and RCA inputs are secure, so you know your connections are solid. Powering up different speakers, effortlessly I've got a few speaker setups from bookshelf models to floorstanders, and the MC101 handled them all with ease, finally stuck with a pair of custom made spirula shaped ones (based on MarkAudio Alpair 7 drivers), these are the sexiest. Whether it's the punchy Polk or the detailed Revels, the amp delivered clean, powerful sound. No matter how loud I cranked it, the music stayed clear and distortion-free. More than just specs, it's about the music Now, I'm not saying the MC101 is some magic audiophile cure-all. It doesn't claim to make your MP3s sound like vinyl, and it won't turn your living room into a concert hall. But what it does do is amplify your music faithfully, letting you hear every detail and nuance. It simply gets out of the way and lets the music shine. Bonus points for bass lovers and multi-room setups One thing I missed was a dedicated pre-out for connecting a subwoofer. However, if you’re using a setup with passive attenuator it would work just fine. Plus, the MC101 effortlessly filled my different rooms with sound, making it a great choice for a multi-room audio system. The verdict: A sound investment for music lovers Overall, the MC101 is a fantastic amp for anyone who wants great sound without the audiophile fuss. It's built well, delivers clean power, and lets you enjoy your music collection to the fullest. If you're looking for an amp that punches above its weight and won't break the bank, the MC101 is definitely worth checking out. P.S. I also included some photos to give you a better sense of the amp and my particular setup.

4.5 stars I'd rate this small amp. Although signal source is Bluetooth, it produces very clean sound. It handles transients well and pairs very easily. I'm looking forward to trying it on a different set of speakers. It's powering an old set of Advent 2 way outdoor speakers in my garage.

Firstly- for the money there is little replacement. This is a cheap small and powerful amplifier. It looks beautiful, has Bluetooth, and can be both tucked away or stand out. I got this when it went on sale for $70 and I have to say that is one heck of a bargain. It is clean sounding with minimal noise and can push a lot of inefficient speakers. I also really like the fact that it has a pre-out that you can run to a subwoofer. I only wish they would implement a low pass filter, a hard ask for a $70 unit I know, but I would’ve been a welcome addition. There are two major drawbacks: 1) This is nowhere near the rated output of 100 watts per channel. I know that deceptive/outright fraudulent marketing is rife within this industry, one key point being the nominal wattage of amplifiers. Though that may be the case it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t point it out when it occurs and pressure manufacturers to tell the truth. Maybe if you purchased a variable power supply you could push it to 100 watt, but certainly not with the included brick. Though I don’t know why you would want to, the amplifier will start horribly distorting and clipping when you start maxing it out. 2) the Bluetooth connectivity isn’t very good. Even when sitting 10 feet from the device, it starts randomly disconnecting and jittering. Highly recommend you just feed it an rca connection, unless you really don’t care and just want something to play in the background. Overall, would I say that this is a deceptively marketed device? Yes. Would I say it is still worth the money if it fits your given use case? Absolutely.

I’ve been messing with a lot of audio gear lately, and honestly, the Fosi MC101 is one of the coolest little units I’ve used. I’m currently using it in a smaller room with some old-school passive speakers, and it’s a total game-changer for a compact setup. Here’s the breakdown on what actually matters: Size & Build: This thing is tiny. Even in a small space it barely takes up any room. It feels solid with an all aluminum housing none of that cheap plastic feel. The VU Meter: Let’s be real, this is why you buy it. Watching that needle dance while you are jammin out is incredibly satisfying. It gives the whole setup a high-end, vintage look for less. Bluetooth & Range: It’s running Bluetooth 5.3, and the connectivity is rock solid. I can walk into the next room with my phone and it doesn't drop or stutter. Pairing is instant every time I flip the toggle. It’s surprisingly clean when it comes to sound. Even when I’ve got it turned up, I’m not hearing that annoying background hiss you get with cheap amps. The volume control is smooth, and having dedicated bass/treble knobs lets me dial it in for whatever I'm listening to. If you’re looking to bring some life back to old speakers or just want your desk to look legit, this is a no-brainer. It packs way more punch than you’d expect for the size.

For the price, and the size, this little integrated amp is quite nice. I bought it for a friend that needed a small system, I had a couple of bookshelf speakers, and needed something simple for her to use with her phone. And she loves it! I think it sounds pretty good too. I don't think you can beat this for the price. It sounds better after it warms up a little bit.

Really love this, I’ve been running my turntable from the built in amp in my subwoofer, but wanted to get some good passive speakers. I hooked up the amp to my active sub, and stripped the RCA cables and just hooked the speaker wire directly to the terminals on the amp, and it’s insane how much of a difference it makes even on these crap speakers. I hear no background noise whatsoever. Super easy to get set up and going, and a great size for someone living in an apartment. Can’t wait till my real speakers get here! Definitely buy this if you’re looking to set up a sound system for a small room, with some bookshelf speakers. It’s a great price for what it is.

I bought this to replace a Fosi BT20A TPA3116 mini amp which had served me pretty well for about four years and then suddenly stopped advertising its Bluetooth ID: I couldn't connect from any device! Its RCA input still works, but that's not what I needed it for. So, OK, whatever, it's a cheap little amp and maybe this newer version (still cheap!) will work better. It looks great, and I dig the aesthetic. Sadly, it's not an improvement, in my opinion. I love the idea of a VU meter, but in practice it's just annoying because at any reasonable volume it just slightly wiggles down at the -20 to -10 dB level. You have to crank the volume up to painfully loud to get it in the middle like a VU meter should. Maybe it's properly calibrated for bigger or higher impedance speakers? I have a pair of Bose 161s. There's a little screw under the VU meter that I hoped would adjust it: it doesn't. The manual says nothing about it, it only says very basic info for idiots who don't know how to plug stuff in. And then there's the Bluetooth. It's fine, I guess. If you only have one device that you play from, it's an improvement over the BT20A because it auto-connects to the last paired device. If you share between two or more phones, (like my wife and I) then you have to hold down the volume button to un-pair, and then go through the same pairing process each time you switch.

Great addition to our sunroom. We have a set of high-quality outdoor speakers that went unused for years when our old system failed. The amp was easy to set up and compatible upon connection. It has brought our entertainment space back to life. It may be the speaker placement or the speakers themselves, but I did have to use the bass and treble controls to get a rich sound and reduce the high-pitched sound initially. We are very pleased with the sound quality. Bluetooth has worked great and has not dropped when taking my phone inside.

Un son à la fois doux et détaillé, basses précises et tonique, médium limpide. Un ampli qui sait délivrer de la musique pour le plaisir des oreilles. Pas un monstre de puissance, fait le job. Le VU-mètre ne s'agite vraiment qu'à mi puissance. L'objet est joli, un appareil bien fabriqué. Le rapport qualité prix est très bon (80e). Connexion Bluetooth pas testée, juste entrée RCA.

Produces high-quality audio when paired with my Denon SC-N7 passive speakers. Bluetooth connectivity is stable and provides a reasonable range.

IN BREVE: l’amplificatore Fosi Audio MC101 ha soddisfatto pienamente le mie aspettative. I controlli di tono sono ben calibrati e aiutano ad armonizzare il suono alle altre componenti dell’impianto, alle registrazioni o ai propri gusti. Il suono è dettagliato e corposo. Il bluetooth funziona in modo affidabile: nulla da segnalare sotto questo punto di vista. Il volume che esprime è più che adeguato per ascolti “condominiali”. Ho scritto la recensione breve qui sopra per chi ha poco tempo concentrandomi sugli aspetti più rilevanti dell’amplificatore Fosi Audio MC101. Qui sotto aggiungo qualche dettaglio. PREMETTO che mi considero esperto di elettronica ed informatica, che sono il mio hobby da quando ero ragazzino (anni ’80) e il mio lavoro da oltre 20 anni. Ho e ho avuto diversi componenti hi-fi di buon livello ed ho sempre frequentato le fiere di settore e i negozi specializzati per rimanere aggiornato e confrontare i diversi prodotti. Credo quindi di conoscere cosa ci si può aspettare da un prodotto, anche in relazione alla sua fascia di prezzo. Organizzo le mie considerazioni in PRO e CONTRO: PRO: - CONTROLLI DI TONO BEN CALIBRATI: acquisto amplificatori con controlli di tono perché mi piace regolare il suono sulla base degli altri componenti dell’impianto, delle registrazioni (non sempre ideali) e dei miei gusti. Preferisco un suono dettagliato su tutto lo spettro, arioso, ma ricco e corposo sulle bassissime frequenze (senza però impattare o ovattare le voci). Il controllo dei bassi di questo amplificatore, in particolare quello delle basse frequenze che più utilizzo, è veramente ben calibrato. Agisce solo sulle bassissime frequenze, rendendo il suono corposo sul basso ma lasciandolo dettagliato e arioso: in particolare non intacca le voci che rimangono realistiche. Ho provato diversi piccoli amplificatori in classe D e questo è nettamente quello che mi ha soddisfatto maggiormente. - HA UNA USCITA PRE: che consente di riutilizzare la sezione DAC bluetooth e gli ingressi RCA integrandoli con amplificazioni, elaboratori di segnale esterni o, magari, un subwoofer attivo. Dato che questa possibilità non è scontata (non tutti gli amplificatori la offrono) la inserisco tra i pro. - NON SCALDA MOLTO: diventa si caldo, ma non esageratamente. Anche in questo caso lo segnalo tra i pro perché’ altri amplificatori fanno molto peggio sotto questo punto di vista. - SELETTORE DI INGRESSI ELEGANTE: i precedenti amplificatori FOSI usavano una modalità automatica di selezione del segnale di ingresso che passava automaticamente a bluetooth appena un dispositivo si connetteva: la trovo scomoda perché costringeva a disconnettere manualmente i dispositivi che entravano nel raggio di azione del bluetooth dell’amplificatore. Preferisco di molto il piacevole interruttore sul frontale che permette di selezionare manualmente l’ingresso e spegnere il bluetooth quando si usano gli ingressi RCA. CONTRO: - POTENZIOMETRO DEL VOLUME IMPRECISO: Utilizzandolo si avverte che c’è un piccolo intervallo in cui non agisce, insomma c’è un po’ di gioco. Nulla di grave, non influisce sull’utilizzo, ma lo trovo fastidioso. Spero sia solo un difetto del mio esemplare. CONSIDERAZIONI SUL GIUDIZIO FINALE E SUL PREZZO: non credo che si possa dare un giudizio su un prodotto senza tenere conto del prezzo a cui viene venduto: nel momento in cui scrivo l’amplificatore si può acquistare a circa 80 euro. Il prezzo è più che adeguato, a mio avviso, considerando che si tratta dell’amplificatore in classe D che suona meglio tra quelli che ho provato, anche paragonandolo ad alternative dal costo doppio. Anche a livello progettuale mi sembra siano state fatte le scelte giuste, quindi per me è promosso a pieni voti.

サブのデスクトップオーディオ用として導入しました。手の平に乗るほどの丸みをおびた可愛らしいアンプですが、デザイン、フォルムが良く、作りは堅牢でそれなりに重量もあり高級感があります。中央の丸いレトロなVU計がいいアクセントになっていて、夜などは灯りを消すといい雰囲気を醸し出しています。 もっぱらネットワークプレーヤーから損失のないRCAで接続し、音量はプレーヤー側からリモコンで細かく操作しています。VUメーターも小刻みにしっかりと揺れて見ていて楽しいです。針が振れないなんてことはありません。 ライティングデスク用に場所を取らないコンパクトなアンプを探していましたが、隙間の棚にすっぽり入り我が家ではベストマッチでした。BGMとして鳴らす分には出力も100Wあり必要十分です。これ以上の高出力アンプは不要だと思いました。 スピーカーは10cmのフルレンジですが、トーンコントロール付きでプリアウト端子からサブウーファーも繋げられるので迫力のある重低音も再生できます。 この価格で6帖の部屋を鳴らしきるMC101、コストパフォーマンス抜群です。Amazonでベストセラー1位になっていたのもうなずけます。とてもいい買い物でした。

I'm very happy with this little amp. I needed a simple single-source amp to amplify my laptop output to the Dali Zensor speakers in my little study - I use them for video conferencing and low-volume background music whilst working at home. I wanted to save desk space, as my old full-sized Cambridge amp took up too big a footprint. Also, the tiny little blue "on" LED on my Cambridge wasn't prominent enough, so I would often finish working and forget to switch it off - it wasted a lot of heat! I wanted an amp that made it very clear that it was switched on. So, from a practical point of view: - The Fosi has a prominent (and very cool) illuminated VU meter reminiscent of old 70's hi-fi - I can't fail to notice that I've left it on. - It doesn't get even slightly warm in use - and neither does the line lump transformer. - It takes up only about 5% as much space as the Cambridge. As an amplifier, it performs very well - the sound is clear, slightly warm and perfect for my purposes. I tried it powering some large transmission line speakers and it coped well, but don't expect it to perform at high volume in a large room, as it's quite low powered. It's nicely made, good-looking and the controls are smooth in operation. The Bluetooth works faultlessly and if anything sounds better than the line feed from my laptop. If I have a gripe, it's not with the machine itself, but the silly way the output power has been advertised. 200 watts - come off it! Even if we believe the headline figure, 200 is the power from both channels into 4 ohms. It's more common to state the power per channel into 8 ohms, which is the impedance of most home speakers. So, stated more honestly, the power is actually 50 watts per channel into 8 ohms. Even then, the blurb states "max power output" - amps are usually rated on RMS power which comes out MUCH lower. I've owned many amps, and I'd estimate from my ears that this one is around 20-25 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms. Which is still amazing for such a tiny amp. Come on, Fosi - this is a good bit of kit, and we're not children to be impressed by big numbers. Give us honest specs, please! That said, I saw through the deception before buying and for my purposes this amp is perfect - hence not docking a star...