Douk A5 Budget Stereo Amplifier Review

[Laisseez]

A5 can certainly be paired up with a DAC and drive a pair of speakers for desktop use. That's how I'm currently using mine, paired up with Loxjie D30 DAC and driving a pair of KEF Q150 speakers on my desk.

Not sure if the Apple dongle produces enough voltage to drive an amp. I think Amir tested it, so the answer may lie within...

I'm not sure what you mean. I was thinking of getting the Douk Audio A5 with the 10A power supply. The Apple dongle doesn't need to drive the amplifier.

 

[Zek]

The Apple dongle doesn't need to drive the amplifier.

You obviously messed something up.
It's not about the power supply to the amplifier, but the output voltage of the Apple dongle which may be too low to adequately drive the amplifier.

 

[escape2]

I'm not sure what you mean. I was thinking of getting the Douk Audio A5 with the 10A power supply. The Apple dongle doesn't need to drive the amplifier.

As @Zek mentioned above, your DAC (Apple dongle in this case) needs to deliver strong enough signal to the amp. You want to be at about 2 volt, ideally. Otherwise, if the incoming signal is weak, you are not going to get much output from the amp to drive the speakers to a reasonably loud volume. Although, we don't know how loud you like to listen, so it may or may not be an issue.

 

[Laisseez]

My motherboard actually has a Realtek ALC1220 DAC. I did some searching online, and it seems that this DAC should be good enough. I don't think I need a separate DAC, so a Douk A5 with a 48V power supply should be sufficient.

And on my motherboard the audio processor is isolated:

https://storage-asset.msi.com/datasheet/mb/global/X470-GAMING-PRO-CARBON.pdf

 

[ad_fletch]

Not sure if the Apple dongle produces enough voltage to drive an amp. I think Amir tested it, so the answer may lie within...

FWIW, I have tried driving the A5 with a FiiO KA11 and Meizu Hi-Fi Pro. The Meizu only puts out up to around 1.75V (source) vs 2.4V or so for the KA11 (source), but the Meizu drives the amp just fine.

Obviously the sensitivity of your speakers will come into play, but my guess is that the Apple dongle, if it maxxes out at about 1V (could be even less if EU version - source), will require you to crank the A5's volume quite high.

The KA11 has been fine for me but several other members have reported longevity concerns. An alternative with similar guts and output that Amir has reviewed is the JCally JM20 Max.

 

[escape2]

FWIW, I have tried driving the A5 with a FiiO KA11 and Meizu Hi-Fi Pro. The Meizu only puts out up to around 1.75V (source) vs 2.4V or so for the KA11 (source), but the Meizu drives the amp just fine.

My cheap USB-C dongle only puts out 1.1V. I like that FiiO KA11 - may need to pick one up at some point.

 

[ad_fletch]

From another review...
"On the rear of the A5 there is a 3.5mm output connection labeled Aux Out. I confirmed that the A5's Aux Out level is variable, full frequency. (Douk Audio could have labeled the 3.5mm connection as Pre Out or Sub Out.) The Aux Out level is controlled by the volume knob setting on the A5."

I'm not sure whether there is a version of the A5 with RCA Aux out, but the one Amir reviewed and the one I received (v2) both have 3.5mm aux out. Seems to be stereo too.

A question for the cognoscenti - I would like to drive my passive sub with a Fosi V3 Mono, using the Douk A5 for my mains. I have tried the Aux out straight into the Fosi and through a passive xover, but even combining both channels and setting the Fosi at max gain (31dB) the sub level is too low. I was previously using a cheap Aiyima sub amp which had variable gain - in theory it's only half as powerful as the Fosi, but I can get more out of it by adjusting the gain (albeit with a significant noise penalty, which is what prompted my to buy the Fosi in the first place). What would you recommend I do to boost input into the Fosi? The Douk's aux out gain is variable, but not independently of the mains....

Options that occur to me are:
1. pad the mains down;
2. further preamplify the aux out somehow, or
3. just save up for a normal active sub and use the Fosi for something else (eg centre channel of HT).

I already tried applying a shelf filter in EqualizerAPO which seemed promising, but for some reason it just quit working suddenly (even after rerunning the configurator and rebooting etc), so that's out as a durable solution I guess.

 

[Birdy]

I'm not sure whether there is a version of the A5 with RCA Aux out, but the one Amir reviewed and the one I received (v2) both have 3.5mm aux out. Seems to be stereo too.

A question for the cognoscenti - I would like to drive my passive sub with a Fosi V3 Mono, using the Douk A5 for my mains. I have tried the Aux out straight into the Fosi and through a passive xover, but even combining both channels and setting the Fosi at max gain (31dB) the sub level is too low. I was previously using a cheap Aiyima sub amp which had variable gain - in theory it's only half as powerful as the Fosi, but I can get more out of it by adjusting the gain (albeit with a significant noise penalty, which is what prompted my to buy the Fosi in the first place). What would you recommend I do to boost input into the Fosi? The Douk's aux out gain is variable, but not independently of the mains....

Options that occur to me are:
1. pad the mains down;
2. further preamplify the aux out somehow, or
3. just save up for a normal active sub and use the Fosi for something else (eg centre channel of HT).

I already tried applying a shelf filter in EqualizerAPO which seemed promising, but for some reason it just quit working suddenly (even after rerunning the configurator and rebooting etc), so that's out as a durable solution I guess.

Just buy a cheap car DSP, set the slope and frequency, and use a 12v 1A PS. and set gain how you like, will be about 70 bucks or so, you need just two channel DSP and distorcion levels of 0,01% under 50 Hz or so, are not a problem. I did this with a slope 48 dB / 40 Hz and it works great together with the HP from the Douk A5

 

[ad_fletch]

Just buy a cheap car DSP, set the slope and frequency, and use a 12v 1A PS. and set gain how you like, will be about 70 bucks or so, you need just two channel DSP and distorcion levels of 0,01% under 50 Hz or so, are not a problem. I did this with a slope 48 dB / 40 Hz and it works great together with the HP from the Douk A5

Thanks @Birdy - that does look like the cheapest good option (although I see a lot of car guys spend $500+ on their big name DSP units - wonder how they measure).

I find it weird that, after all these years of ASR and people adopting 2.1 systems, there's not a simple, high-performing product that can just do an 80Hz Linkwitz-Riley 2x4 crossover. Like this board but finished. Just seems like such a no-brainer. MiniDSP 2x4HD is perhaps the closest thing, but they almost never come up 2nd hand in Oz and new they cost more than my A5 + V3 Mono combined....

 

[Birdy]

Thanks @Birdy - that does look like the cheapest good option (although I see a lot of car guys spend $500+ on their big name DSP units - wonder how they measure).

I find it weird that, after all these years of ASR and people adopting 2.1 systems, there's not a simple, high-performing product that can just do an 80Hz Linkwitz-Riley 2x4 crossover. Like this board but finished. Just seems like such a no-brainer. MiniDSP 2x4HD is perhaps the closest thing, but they almost never come up 2nd hand in Oz and new they cost more than my A5 + V3 Mono combined....

Probably the car market DSP is way larger and lots of competition that drive prices down. The small "hifi" market keeps prices up about higher costs and packaging. I bought my DSP for $ 30 dollars (Brazil) made in Brazil but probably more made in China board and assembled in Brazil. Works fine, easy programming with the rotating knob, many options and even distortion levels are good for this cheap product. Couldn’t be more satisfied with the result as well. The 48 dB slope is just great for me because my bass / mid driver goes easy down to 40 Hz and i can cut of the subwoofer sharply.

 

[Good Vibes]

Hi,

I am helping a friend construct his first Hifi system on a budget and have been thinking of pairing the Douk with a WiiM streamer. Am I correct in thinking this amp doesn’t feature auto sensing capabilities? Is it ok to leave this amp constantly switched on?

Thank you.

 

[Crook]

I'm considering trying this out for a cheap bedroom TV 2.2 instead of a sound bar.
TV to BT receiver to this amp, HPF/LPF to bookshelves + x2 daisy chained Wharfedale SW150 subs I have going spare.
Thoughts please?

 

[knevgen]

Hello, since this amp is kinda cheap and small, is there fundamendal difference between this and something like Yamaha a-s201 (anything up to a-s701 that is here in the charts) in my use case, being: hooking this up to AVR to get 2 extra channels (expand from 5.2.4 to 7.2.4).
Would a full size box be more suitable for front channels and a small box like this for something less crucial?

 

[chaples55]

The removable lid has got me thinking about designing and 3D printing a replacement lid that accepts a ~40mm fan. I'd like to power it off the amp itself if possible. Anyone know if there's ~4-12v somewhere I could tap into?

 

[Jon L]

The removable lid has got me thinking about designing and 3D printing a replacement lid that accepts a ~40mm fan. I'd like to power it off the amp itself if possible. Anyone know if there's ~4-12v somewhere I could tap into?

Unless you are planning use something like Virtual Hifi paralleled opamps or LHY opamp, isn't a fan overkill? I just leave the glass lid off.

 

[chaples55]

Unless you are planning use something like Virtual Hifi paralleled opamps or LHY opamp, isn't a fan overkill? I just leave the glass lid off.

Probably overkill, yes, but the amp does get uncomfortably hot at 48v, and I would prefer to keep it closed. Even at 36v I feel like it could do with being a little cooler.

 

[regoc]

Probably overkill, yes, but the amp does get uncomfortably hot at 48v, and I would prefer to keep it closed. Even at 36v I feel like it could do with being a little cooler.

Tell me about it, I spoke up about this problem long time ago. I added a pc fan on the side of A5, powered of 5v from usb brick, but later decided to go full passive with 900 grams of aluminium.

 

[cbracer]

I just purchased one and now I realize there is no "sleep mode" at all I must turn it off when I'm done each time. And according to the manual disconnect the power.... which I'm sure no one does.

 

[regoc]

I just purchased one and now I realize there is no "sleep mode" at all I must turn it off when I'm done each time. And according to the manual disconnect the power.... which I'm sure no one does.

I just power it on/off with wireless socket, not a big deal

 

[Jon L]

I would just use a power strip with a switch.