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Douk Audio A5 Stereo Budget Amplifier Review [Video]

amirm

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Video review of the Douk Audio A5 amplifier is out including a bit about listening tests that was not in the text review:



Please subscribe to the channel. It is not monetized but like to make sure our voices are heard in the crowd of other videos.
 
I watched it a few hours after you posted it Amir and thought it was another great video. Of course I especially appreciated the part where you recommended not to bother swapping opamps.


JSmith
 
Aha, a video! Good job Amir. Spread the word on Youtube. :)

A tough little bugger this Douk Audio A5. :)
As you say in the video Amir you almost seem to be amazed at how much good amplifiers you can get for so little money.

Undeniably a very nice development for all HiFi enthusiasts AND it puts more pressure on the manufacturers who strive to create SOTA amplifiers.Even for them then it should increase the pressure to create more or best amp performance at a good price. For the ultra-rich potential buyers the price may not matter but apart from them. I mean if the Douk Audio A5 power is sufficient and you don't hear the increased distortion the higher you go up in frequency/power why then pay maybe twenty or even uppt fifty? times as much for an amp? The diminishing return aspect kicks in that is.
(I disregard functions as a factor in the argument)
Edit:
Comparison with SOTA amplifiers may not be optimal, say mid level amplifiers for around $700 vs Douk Audio A5 instead.
(given the same power)
 
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My pleasure. This thread has been quiet, making me wonder if ASR members value it.
The videos are a essential part of humanising our approach, bringing in a new audience and a vital part of what your doing imo .

We've often discussed the original review thread to death so that's likely the reason for the dropping off of discussions in these threads.

You could incorporate the video in the original review thread , maybe before Adams specs information ( that's great BTW) in the number 2 position as to not disrupt the format you currently use when publishing your reviews.

What we need is for members to share these videos far and wide ! Subscribe to ASR YouTube channel and push the content.

I'd put a polite invitation somewhere for all new members to check out the YouTube channel and give it a click to subscribe, part of the unofficial members fee, A bargain!
 
Video review of the Douk Audio A5 amplifier is out including a bit about listening tests that was not in the text review:



Please subscribe to the channel. It is not monetized but like to make sure our voices are heard in the crowd of other videos.
Great video! Thanks for sharing your expert thoughts on this product.
 
Hi Amirm, I also noticed your expression in the cover photo of the video, changes depending on the panther …!!;)
Thanks for the video and for your time!!
 
I watched it a few hours after you posted it Amir and thought it was another great video. Of course I especially appreciated the part where you recommended not to bother swapping opamps.


JSmith
And I saw that which is why I commented here, but you responded, not Amir. He only dropped the one line and didn't go into detail... ;)

I would love to see Amir do a video talking about a set of these sub $300.00 amps.
 
My pleasure. This thread has been quiet, making me wonder if ASR members value it.
I can only answer for myself, but I am not the target group for videos of that kind and I suppose it could be the same for many members, who read your written review already. I love to read your reviews and the reactions of the members but on the other hand I am a dinosaur, who likes his newspaper printed on, well, paper ;).

But I am sure that your videos are very useful to reach those, who are not willing or not able to read or understand your written reviews. So yes: I value your videos as a way to spread the truth among people, who wouldn't take notice otherwise.
 
Amir - I am a new member after finding a test/review of yours using Google. I want to thank you for offering an excellent source of factual technical reviews of a very high calibre. There are too many reviews which talk about likes, dislikes, etc., without offering anything objective. Your impressive CV gives great weight to your reviews. Best Regards....
 
And I saw that which is why I commented here, but you responded, not Amir. He only dropped the one line and didn't go into detail... ;)


JSmith
 
We've often discussed the original review thread to death so that's likely the reason for the dropping off of discussions in these threads.
I believe it's because this little device delivers pretty much what it promises. And what it does, it does well enough. It's a simple, affordable, and versatile amplifier that meets expectations without making any excuses and without hype. Not much to discuss, really.
 


JSmith
Thanks, just watched his YT video...
 
Great, so have you come back from the dark side now? :p


JSmith
No.
The darkside? LOL... this is going to be my last post on this subject (for a couple of reasons. )

Look here's the thing. Amir does his tests. Doesn't show a lot of changes. Any changes are inaudible. Yet people who do roll op amps claim to hear a difference.
Not just rubes but people respected in the industry. Even Bruno Putzi told a YTuber to replace the op amps on his board w a Sparkos Op Amp.
So now if Bruno is suggesting this... then the idea that changing the op amps is waste... kinda goes out the windows. I'd say that he knows more about amps and op amps than pretty much everyone here. (I forget the YTuber who did this... he actually had his father do the mods. If memory serves I think the op amp was surface mounted.
Keep in mind, the 'defacto' op amp used is the TI OPA because its $0.50 (per Amir) its far cheaper than a Vivid or Sparkos op amp. For the vendor its about cost optimization and trade offs. (listen to what Amir says in his video.)

Now Danny at GR-Research just dropped a video on op-amp rolling and the Douk Audio unit... which btw NDR had done a video earlier on the same amp along w other YT channels that are well respected. (Granted Danny pitches some of his products hard... e.g. No Rez.)

So no, I'm not going to say that its a fools errand. I'm skeptical but will withhold judgement until I try it.
(I was given some Burson V5s to play with.)

Also consider Geshelli where they sell DACs that can be shipped w different op amps or their stock OPAs (Different prices depending on op amp)

Are these companies all doing this just to separate a guy and his money? (I've got a wife who does that already...)

I am not saying that Amir's testing is wrong.
There's clearly a disconnect between what Amir found in his tests and what people experience when changing the op amp.
Its not snake oil, or psychosomatic. There's a subjective change. ( And No Amir, I don't know how to test for this in a quantitative manner THAT IS PART OF MY QUESTION.)

We can do an ABX testing. Setting up control groups using music that they know so that they can recognize the differences. This would be a subjective test.

The other thing that I thought was intersting... the issue of distortion. I forget where I read it along w listening about it in a video... but that some distortions add color to the music and that's why some prefer Tubes to Class D which is said to be described as clean and pure adding no coloration.


Bottom line. I dont agree w Amir's comments (Rewatch the video) , and I don't know how effective amp rolling is... I haven't tried it.
Assuming that you can hear a difference... this then begs the question... is buying a $75.00 DAC, then spending over $150.00 on a pair of OP Amps really worth it? Why not just spend the money on a better amp? Or is there enough difference in sound to justify the expense? (e.g. Geshelli J3 dac w sparkos over OPAs) The irony... the Douk Audio amp which Amir reviewed w a Golfing Panther... was built specifically to roll amps. (Note: In Amir's test video... he tested the amp w a different op amp in each channel.
But did he actually spend time listening to the amp using the different op amps?) (I don't believe that's his thing, which is ok.)

You can always send me a DM.
The reason I'm not going to respond in these threads is that I end up getting caught in trying to argue w individuals who say that lamp cord is sufficient but use better speaker wires. Or make a joke comment about 7N copper vs 6N and how much better it is... Just not worth my time.

Peace Out!
 
So now if Bruno is suggesting this...
He is a design engineer, not an expert in psychoacoustics or audibility of small impairments. As such, he needs to provide double blind listening tests to back his claims.

There are countless engineers out there making similar or even outlandish claims. None of it has any weight just because they know how to design electronics.
 
Now Danny at GR-Research just dropped a video on op-amp rolling and the Douk Audio unit... which btw NDR had done a video earlier on the same amp along w other YT channels that are well respected. (Granted Danny pitches some of his products hard... e.g. No Rez.)
A video that has test clips that don't have the same levels or frequency response. Nor did he present the clips in a blind manner to see how people vote.

Neither he, nor Ron at NRD have any expertise in electronic design of amplifiers, their measurements or audibility of their execution. They are both youtube influencers in this regard. Unless you take medical advice from people so situated online over your doctor, I highly recommend you get off this track of appealing to them.
 
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