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Fosi Audio Merak review: This Tiny CD Player Sounds Better Than It Has Any Right To!

Passion for Sound

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Fosi Audio Merak review
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In this review, I’m clearing up the massive confusion surrounding the Fosi Audio Merak. While it looks exactly like a portable CD player in the vein of the FiiO DM13 or Shanling EC Zero, that is actually a total misconception. I’ve spent time testing the Merak to show you why it’s strictly a desktop CD player and CD transport designed for your home system, not your travel bag.

With no internal battery or Bluetooth, the Merak trades mobility for pure audiophile performance. I explore how its CS43131 DAC delivers a wider soundstage and better bass weight than its portable rivals, making it a "wolf in sheep’s clothing" for Hi-Fi enthusiasts. If you’ve been looking for a compact, gapless playback solution with a 12V trigger and a full remote for your stereo system, the Merak might be the most misunderstood—and impressive—device of the year. I’ll show you why its "sedentary" design is actually its greatest sonic strength.

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00:00 Fosi Audio Merak review
00:17 Features and design
04:58 Sound quality
09:42 Final thoughts

#FosiAudio #CDPlayer #Audiophile #HiFi #FosiAudioMerak #CDTransport #HomeAudio #StereoSystem #CompactDisc #DigitalAudio #AudioReview #DesktopHiFi

20 Comments

@PassionforSound Creator 3 months ago Pinned

Fosi Audio Merak review
Global* - https://bit.ly/FosiMerakCD

Become a Passion for Sound YouTube member: https://bit.ly/PFSMember

@AndysRecRoom 2 months ago

Add to a Fosi S3 via optical, then add a turntable and voila, a killer compact system! Tried that combo and it is truly surprising. Cheers, great vid.

@jimromanski2702 2 months ago

I bought a Fiio DM15 and the sound is fantastic. I'm waiting for one of these little wonders to show up able to play SACDs at an affordable price.

@youcancallmemike247 3 weeks ago

Mine arrived yesterday! Amazing little piece of tech for the price! Highly recommend it!

@vendelius 2 months ago

Alwasy a fan of decent affordable audio products.. Thanks

@mikecampbell5856 2 months ago (edited)

I used Sony BluRay players with Schiit DACs for a few years. They sounded great but I missed having a display. I bought an SMSL PL-100 and I like it very much. It is gapless if you push play and don't touch anything during playback. I tested it with Pink Floyd DSOTM. I have to have a front loader because of my set up. I kind of laughed a bit when I saw the skip protection button on the Merak. My wife surprised me with a Technics CD player for my birthday in 1985. What a long strange trip it's been. lol

@LeoneL042 2 months ago

Ecited to pair this with my SMSL SU-1

@marchuvfulz 2 months ago

Nice option for the home office desktop, or the nightstand.

@Sushious 2 months ago

great comparisons, for price point dm13 and for sound quality shanling E C 0T, good review. i’m always bothered by reviews that don’t properly compare against price point and sound quality for audio gear.

@JetEarlewood 2 months ago

When I first became aware of this Merak I balked because it only has OPTICAL OUT and not COAX. I bought it for just over $100 and use TOSLINK to either of my DACs. The Khadas Tone 2 Pro doesn’t have optical, but I can use the Fiio BR15 as a bridge. Anyways I’m happy being able to play CD’s again. One problem I have is: can’t get a high quality 5v2a charger in my location and going through Amazon is a major headache and triples the price

@DaveTinFL 2 months ago

I'm getting this one to replace the SMSL PL150 CD player which has gaps before EVERY song on a CD and can't play all of my CDs.... I'll be using the TOSLINK out to an SMSL SU-1 DAC and I'll see how it sounds with and without the external DAC. The external SU-1 DAC sounds terrific with the SMSL CD player on my PA system. The only flaw is the SMSL CD player having .5 second dead sound before EVERY song on my CDs. The Merak arrived in Miami (from China) and headed north to my drum room in JAX, FL. :)

@Petrus-d2f 2 months ago (edited)

Fosi's first and the best sound output of all portables to date. As much as I love Fiio's and shanling players, their headphone output sound doesn't it cut it..music doesn't breath! Being that I am a plug and play kind of guy.. the Fosi may not have all the bells and whistles of all the others which is fine with me. For me it's all about sound delivery via headphones. Not an audiophile here but as you stated those chips are key delivering a very nice boost plus clean & transparent sound. Want portable? Just use a mini power bank? But hey, what do I know? I'll leave that up to my favorite Australian Audiophile! This unit is a beauty plus well constructed that it's hard to believe the low price point. To all old school audiophiles..(as far as performance goes) the Merak player comes very close to the infamous Optimus 3400 cd player/transport.

@JetEarlewood 2 months ago

And BTW after placing the cd on the spindle and closing the lid it doesn’t spin it’s because CD has to be selected.

@Helmond2017 2 months ago

That looks pretty decent for the price

@Hare_deLune 2 months ago

Lachlan, you tease!
Don't think I didn't see that S.M.S.L. PL200 at 5:53!
Good thing I've already seen your reviews of all these units. 😉😄🍻

@JetEarlewood 2 months ago (edited)

Sure I’d love to try the more expensive Shandling, but my experiences with cd players is terrible. All 4 of mine have died. Marantz/NAD and Sharp. That’s another reason I went with the Fosi. When it dies I won’t feel so badly

@philb2798 2 months ago

Lachlan, how about using Merak as a transport into Mimir, vs. PL200T? Would they sound the same basically?

@TontNZ 3 weeks ago

Even though I have three pieces of FiiO gear, I've just purchased the Fosi Merak. I'm planning on using it with a power bank, I've got at least 4 in the 20,000-30,000mAh range.
I've also purchased the xDuoo MX-02 to see if I get better sound when listening to my TV via headphones.
Do you have and recommendation for Optical interconnects? It can't be more expensive than the MX-02 🤣

@sydneyperryman7894 2 months ago

0:40 ..fourty seconds in and your waving round Raphael Sadiq Instant Vintage? OK you've got my attention (but this could be a set up) 😂😂😂

@hernanjuarez5786 1 month ago

Les cuento que hace 2 semanas compré el fiio dm13 y fue una pesadilla con sus saltos de 1 y hasta 5 segundos en la reproducción, ni cambiandole la versión de firmware pude mitigar el problema, compré luego el fosi merak que me llegó ayer y me va de maravilla, también compré el fiio dm15, el cual aun no abro, pero pienso devolverlo ya que el merak me da lo que quiero, buen sonido y sin saltos ni ruidos extraños.