Douk Audio Bluetooth Tube Preamp: HiFi Stereo Preamplifier Receiver | Headphone Amp | USB DAC | Tone Control for Home Theater, Desktop Listening (P1)

This is an amazing affordable little pre-amp with great sound and tonal features, i.e. the volume, bass and treble control are spot on. I strictly use it as a pre-amp, not as a headphone amp, although it can do that too. I find the looks stunning and love that I can switch the lighting from a tub-glow-like amber to a blue. It works decently over Bluetooth but I use it mostly with the RCA inputs. MAC>>DAC>>RCA>>Douk P1>>RCA>>Power Amp>>Speakers. The small size and low price should not diminish the fact that this little pre-amp can hold it's own against many much pricier options. I've tried many other pre-amps and DACs with built-in pre-amps to connect to my variety of power amps (both tube and solid state), and this Douk P1 never disappoints me. Every time my main pre-amp (Schiit Freya+) breaks (5+ times in a year so far) and I have to send the Freya back to Schitt for repairs, I take out the little Douk P1 to replace it and every time I am amazed. Obviously it only has one RCA input and one RCA output, but it always works. I did add a iFi linear ("silent") power supply (wall wart style) to further enhance the sound but the standard power supply seems to work fine too. You can also buy new tubes for it quite easily if you like tube rolling, but in my opinion the standard tubes sound great and last a very long time as they're not getting very warm. Amazing little until, probably value for dollar (and practicality) the best purchase I made on my audiophile journey so far!

I decided to build a fun sound system for my home office. The goal was something that looked interesting, sounded good, and was expandable. I picked up the Douk P1 and paired it with a set of Edifier R1280DB powered studio monitors. Pros: Small size Switchable tone controls Good Bluetooth (stable, easy connection, APTX support) Built-in DAC Cons: No optical input Unnecessary bright blue light on power supply Clicks when turning amplification on and off on Bluetooth It has a good build quality. The tone and volume knobs turn smoothly with soft clicks. It feels sturdy and all the connectors are solid. Setup is easy - plug in the tubes, connect to the speakers, plug the PS into the wall, and hit power. The tubes that came with my unit went right in - I didn't have to mess with the pins, but YMMV. Pressed power, flipped the switch to Bluetooth and the unit went into pairing mode. Connected my phone and played a few songs. This is where I would hear the clicking - when not actively playing sounds, it seems the amp switches power modes (?) so you hear a click when it goes to low power mode, then a click when you do something on your phone that causes sound again as the amp powers up. Really not an issue, but it made me think something was amiss until I figured out what was happening. Sound is great out of the box. Running with tone off, it is a nice balanced sound - no muddiness. Tone off is roughly equivalent to both tone knobs at the 50% (straight up) position - if they are both turned down it has the effect of lowering the volume. Bluetooth connectivity, at least when in the same room, is rock solid. And it is easy to switch devices - I disconnected my phone and the unit went back to pairing mode, then I connected my PC as a test. I switched to USB and back and it immediately connected to the last source (PC). It did a good job driving my Sony MBR-7506 headphones, and when I plugged them in it switched off the RCA out, which is nice as it means I won't have to turn off my speakers if I want to do some headphone listening. USB worked like a charm for both my PC and my Android phone. The included DAC is better than either device's built-in option, which is a plus. My only real complaint is the super bright LED on the power supply. It's unnecessary. Plus, did I mention it's bright? Because it's bright. If you plan on keeping this in a room where you sleep, unless you need a nightlight you'll have to do the electrical tape mod. All in all, this is a solid 5-star preamp, especially considering the price.

I tend to be impressed with Douk Audio products, having used a variety of different model head amps and DAC's in the past. I purchased both the earlier version of the P1 (with Chinese tubes) a year ago, and I found that by just changing out the stock tubes with GE-based varieties, the sound improved substantially. I also found fault with that earlier model, specifically, with the headphone jack. which is only a 3.5 version. The problem with this particular headphone jack is that most 3.5" cables have too short of a connector on the end, and when inserting those into the P1, full contact may not be made - thus you may only get sound out of the left channel, or when jiggling the cord and connector, static may erupt. But the sound coming from the RCA jacks - when using an external DAC (a quality one) - is glorious. Now enter the newer P1 where they supposedly made some circuitry changes and Douk now also provides you with the GE tubes to begin with. I purchased this one also and my new review is based on the new (so called) improved version. 1. Let's talk sound using the RCA outputs: a. When listening with the interior DAC: The DAC that comes with this newer P1 is the same one that came with the previous version P1. It is a 24 Bit 192 kHz version - your standard fare. It sounds like most other 24 bit models - nothing special, yet it does a very good job with sound-staging (has a more laid-back quality to the sound-staging) and is quite neutral. If you are just using this as an all around combo DAC and headphone amp, then you won't be disappointed (except for that 3.5MM headphone jack). b. When listening with an external DAC attached: For my listening, I attached the Schiit Modi 3E DAC to this P1 and the sound quality was characterized by a much forward, overall dynamic sound quality. The Schiit has 32 Bit 192 kHz decoding (max). The sound with this external DAC could best be characterized as "lively," yet with all the tube characteristics you may be looking for. 2. Connector flexibility: Now the key to remember here is that if somehow you are lacking on inputs on your amplifier (or powered speakers), which usually means only one set of RCA inputs - then you're in luck with the P1. What I mean here is that you can switch back and forth between the interior DAC and the external DAC that you may attach - yet you still only wind up using one set of RCA outs to your amplifying devices. You just switch back and forth on the front of the P1's panel by switching to USB (for the internal DAC) or RCA for the external DAC (since you are connecting the external DAC to the P1 via RCA cables). A very flexible arrangement to be sure. The P1 is a very attractive preamplifier/headamp/DAC unit with gold toned control knobs, and you can switch back and forth on the front of the panel with the lighting on the tubes (blue or yellow). Not that this is a big feature, but at night, one may choose with the glow style here. So I really love this P1 for RCA output music - but the 3.5 MM headphone jack on this P1 leaves much to be desired - connection-wise. Why Douk didn't just put a 1/4" headphone jack in there is beyond me as there is plenty of room from what I can gather. I would have easily given this P1 five stars due to sound quality and low pricing - but the headphone jack is a huge let-down for me, thus I assigned it 4 stars. The way to get around this headphone jack is to purchase an adapter off of Amazon, which is a simple 3.5" to 1/4" jack adapter. This adapter's 3.5 MM end is long enough to make full contact with all the P1's receptors. Once you plug that adapter into the headphone jack, then connect a 1/4" plug into the other end, the sound improves substantially. I strongly suggest that everyone purchasing P1 (whether the older version or the newer one) also get this adapter. Here is the link to that adapter (the 3.5 mm end of the adapter is seemingly longer - which is good): https://www.amazon.com/Stereo-Copper-Headphone-Adapter-6-35mm/dp/B07MLNR2YM/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3QHZRQU8MQO37&keywords=3.5+MM+to+1%2F4%22+headphone+cable+adapter&qid=1663598611&sprefix=3.5+mm+to+1%2F4+headphone+cable+adapter%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-5 Enjoy, and do remember that reviews are subjective, and your mileage may vary (YMMV) - but overall, this P1 represents tremendous value (except the headphone jack part of it). Have a great day!

I have a McIntosh 4200 and the preamp has one channel dead, so I brought this as a interim fix until I can get the Mac repaired. Honestly I wasn't expecting much. All I can say is I'm amazed by the tonal quality through the receiver via the preamp. The sound is now is robust and punchy like i remember it, with a nice warm Tube sound. The integrated DAC is far superior to an alternate preamp I was using that never really released the full Mac sound. The stock tubes sounded real good right out of the box, but I never let them burn in, instead in swapped out some Tung Sol 6AK5.. the Tung Sols were a bit more rounded and musical but I could live with the stock tubes no problem especially after burn in. The tone controls are great they let you set nice base and treble for low listening while never sounding muddy or piercing, just accurate sound. Its nice to just set a reasonable Bass and Treble setting which works for most artists at low levels. It gives nice "Bloom" to music even at lower levels. Bluetooth paring is quick and precise. Solid build quality, classy looking too! just fantastic! UPDATE I received a pair of VOSTOK 6J1P from Europe. These sound even better than the Tung Sols are more rounded and have better sound stage, makes the unit sound very vintage and warm while maintaining clear highs and mids as well..... a definite improvement over the stock tubes...now even better.

This is my first pre-amp and my first experience with valve amplification technology. I hooked this up to a Fosi Audio Bluetooth Power Amplifier (more on the setup later for the techies). Both pre-amp and power amp are Bluetooth enabled. Then I put on some of my favourite music using Tidal from my mobile phone. Switching between music played through pre-amp and power amp and then power amp alone, allowed me to compare the sound. Tidal has what they call "Master" audio, where the tracks stream at 192kHz/24bit quality. The difference was remarkable. Through the pre-amp, one could hear nuances not discernable through the power amp alone. Harsh trebles, which hitherto were not noticeable, disappeared, to be replaced with what I can only describe as more blended with the base and midrange sounds, allowing me to hear other instruments and timbres that I had not heard before. I know this sounds cheesy, as many audiophiles describe similar things. I am no audiophile and in fact suffer from tinnitus, especially in my right ear. However, I have been a fan of high-fidelity sound for more than 40 of my 56 years. I think I could become one now. And the most amazing thing is that this system (pre- and power-amp) cost me in South Africa, having to import it from Amazon USA amd paying shipping ND import duties, under R5000 (about $400). Of course, throwing in a set of good quality speakers and a decent subwoofer will set one back a few hundred dollars more, but I had some old kit lying around and chose this combination specifically so that I could drive some 4Ohm speakers. This does mean that I now have to go out and buy some higher end amps and pre-amps to see if I can improve the reproduction still further, so thank you Amazon for lightening my wallet. System Setup: Fosi Audio BT30D Bluetooth 5.0 Stereo Audio Receiver Amplifier 2.1 Channel Mini Hi-Fi Class D Integrated Amp 50 Watt x2+100 Watt for Home Outdoor Passive Speakers/Subwoofer Powered Subwoofer; P1 Bluetooth 5.0 Vacuum Tube Preamplifier Hi-Fi Valve Headphone Amplifier Wireless Receiver Audio Decoder Preamp USB DAC APTX-HD; Kef C15 30W 4Ohm Bookshelf speakers - about 30 years old; Pioneer 100W passive Subwoofer. P.S. I did hook the pre-amp up to my Cambridge Audio AXR85 Stereo Amplifier which, in turn is hooked up to a pair of Kef LS50 Meta speakers and a Mission MS10 10" downfiring active Subwoofer. The sound is pure bliss. 😀

I purchased this amplifier mainly to use with headphone in my bedroom. The 6J5 tubes that come with it are junk and need to be replaced (not to mention that mine were actually defective). You might as well order a set of GE 5654s from Riverstone Audio at the same time you order this amp so you receive them together. That is the same with any tube amplifier you find online even at over $1000. Unless you are buying the big names like McIntosh or Prima Luna, the stock tubes should be replaced. I connect the amp to my Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ by the USB cord and the built in DAC works great. I do not intend to use the BT because I'd like to squeeze every last drop of fidelity out of my music and BT in general degrades the sound quality. This is a hybrid amp which means the first stage of amplification is done by tubes and the final stage is solid state so you don't really get the pure tube sound. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. Pure tube sound comes with a big price tag and monstrous transformers and hefty weight of the amplifier. These hybrids are small and light (although not portable by any means) and way cheaper. With the right set of headphones it produces a warm and pleasant sound. You will need headphones that have at least 200mW of power handling with no internal filters or electronics. Studio headphones work great. The unit itself looks very nice with a retro touch and the knobs and buttons have a nice smooth feel. I even like the LED lights under the tubes, especially in orange. Some people find them cheesy but they look cool.

I’ve only had this little DCA for about a week. I am impressed by the clean sound signals it sends from my latptop to my studio monitors - the Presonus E5 XT. I am using the entire setup with my midi keyboard. Decided to go for a nice DCA instead of an audio interface such as the Focusrite Scarlett as I am not planning to record with microphone, guitars, etc. As recommended in previous reviews, I also upgraded the two tubes to the Russian Voskhod 5654 6J1P-EV/6ZH1P-EV available on the B*A*Y. Disclaimer: I am not a professional audiophile so it’s hard for my ears to tell apart all the sound nuances. I also haven’t tested them at high volumes or played around much with the trebles and bass. Having said that, the Russian tubes are of smaller profile and continue to produce the nice warm sounds that came with the original tubes that I will now have as back-ups. I may update this as I gain more experience with the sounds. The Bluetooth function has worked flawlessly and the sound quality out of my speakers has been great. A feature that I found odd but interesting at the same time is that its Bluetooth will connect to two phones or devices at the same time. This will allow two people to DJ back and forth without having to ask the other person to disconnect first. I didn’t see this being mentioned before in previous reviews. I wish the headphones line-out were the bigger female 1/4” connector to be inline with professional brands of audio interfaces and equipment. It is the smaller 3.5mm (1/8”) which I had to buy an adaptor to use with my 1/4” professional headphones jack. But as long as you have a solid connection, there should not be any sound quality degradation. In the back there are two RCA line-out connectors to your L/R speakers. The connection will be inherently “unbalanced” which is actually desirable if you run speakers up to 10 ft. Longer than than and you run into “balanced” territory. Just for grins, I could not find any vendors on Amazon that would sell RCA balanced cables. Balanced cables all came with 1/4” jacks or XLR connectors. Again, a balanced connection is only needed for very long cable runs where you will expect some noise interference (cables basically start working as antennae picking up noise from other cables and electronic equipment) at the expense of some slight sound degradation usually in terms of volume. So I figure the vendor has this little device mainly contemplated as a desktop where the speakers will be placed at a short distance. It works for my purposes, but it may not work for everyone. So far I am very pleased with the quality build, the aesthetics (looks retro in a very nice way) and, most importantly, with its high quality sound signals. Obviously, your choice of speakers/studio monitors ultimately will dictate the sounds you get in your ears.

So, I've tested this out for a week now, and have some solid feedback. The good: It looks great. It's all metal, and well presented. The LED illumination for the tubes is very faint, though, and only visible at night, and even then, barely. Honestly, I'm OK with that, but I do wish the orange LED was a bit brighter to help accent the filament color. The power and BT LED indicators are dim which is a VERY welcome change from some electronics that insist on putting obnoxiously bright blue LEDs in everything. Bluetooth pairing is easy and straightforward. The controls are intuitive and responsive. From right to left, the controls are: Power (push on, push off, real physical button with a red halo to show it's turned on) Select (Up is Bluetooth which automatically reconnects to the last device if it can find it, or will accept pairing requests from anything that gives the 0000 passcode. Middle is USB input from your computer. Bottom is analog (RCA) input. Next is the tone control (Up for flat, down activates the bass and treble knobs on top.) Finally, the one on the right is the LED illumination color. Up is blue, down is orange (very close color match to the filament color, bravo) and the middle is OFF. On top are the Bass, Volume, and Treble knobs. These are real controls with real endstops, not a digital rotary encoder. That means that you can adjust the knobs with the power on or off, to exactly where you want it. On the back are the RCA inputs, RCA outputs, USB input, power input, and BT antenna jack. The Average: Sound quality is middling. I'm using it to drive a pair of Sennheiser HD570s. When playing music with a lot of bass (like No Time for Caution from the Interstellar sound track), I can't run it past 50% without it getting muddy and clipping. Far short of the levels needed for full, immersive sound out of studio-quality headphones. Consumer-grade headphones might fare better. The noise floor is noticeable when using BT. The BAD: When connected to my computer VIA USB, it will randomly lower the system volume on my computer, and causes system stability issues. I've had many BSOD's caused by this device, and no troubleshooting steps seem to solve the issue. This disappoints me because I was hopeful that a full digital signal to the amplifier would produce better sound quality than going to analog, and I was going to use the input selector to switch between my computer, and an AUX in. Also, inclusion of a SPDIF input would have been a great addition. Had I known that this would cause system stability issues, I wouldn't have purchased it, but I'm going to keep it in the hopes that a clean system install when Win11 comes around will overwrite whatever problem this causes. One other thing. When you first get it, plug the wall adapter into your wall and wait a few moments, then plug it into the amp. Wait a good 10 seconds before turning it on. There are some beefy capacitors somewhere in the device which will draw down the power enough that it won't turn on until they are charged. Be patient and you'll be fine.