C
Reviewed in Germany on February 8, 2025
Nicht lange gehalten.
Lagshetter
Reviewed in the United States on February 17, 2025
This makes my 50 headphones sound like the 250 headphones in the store.I'm comparing the U10, with the U3, which is essentially the digital alternative to using tube amplification.Side by side there's some things that you should know:Only the U3 included a power adapter and if you are a musician, it is not the typical 2.1 x 5.5mm, it's the next size up. 2.3 or 2.5...it doesn't say.There's no bass or treble for tone adjustment on either model.The tubes take less than a minute to engage and it's on. The volume knob is a power switch by turning it all the way down.Now the good stuff;The U10 is the best sound. It compresses more than the U3, which is actually why it's preferable as a listening device. If you want more accurate sound the U3 is more accurate because it doesn't have this "warming" compression effect as volume increases.At this price point, I'm going to keep the U10 for just listening to music on my headphones. It's way more awesome.I mainly needed the headphone amp to practice guitar, so this was a great find.I hope it lasts.Thanks for reading, I hope it helps in your journey for improving your sound quality.
Skribo
Reviewed in Germany on January 8, 2025
Super Sound, alles hochwertig, super Optik, wer Röhren mag, absolute Kaufempfehlung
Sean
Reviewed in Canada on January 27, 2025
My setup: Denon DSD DAC, Schiit Sys, Schiit Magni +, Bellari EQ570, Douk Audio U10, Hifiman Sundara Closed Back, Sennheiser HD 569, Sennheiser HD 280, AKG Q701. Lossless FLAC and High Res Music including DSD 64. Audrivana Music Player for Mac. Mac Mini 2024. MacBook Air.Move over Schiit Vali, there's a new Budget Tube Amp in town. Yes, it's that Good. My older Tube Amp died and I researched until I concluded that this Douk U10 fits my budget without sacrificing on sound quality and I was pleasantly surprised. A 5V Power chord is a must, don't waste your time with a USB connection since it will introduce noise and will not reveal the true potential of this little gem. Warm up time for the U10 is about 15 - 20 mins.I was not getting the most of my Sundara Closed Back with my audio setup until I added a Bellari EQ570 and the Douk Audio U10 Tube AMP. My Sundara came to life since it needed a some EQ and a matching amp like the U10 and its now heavenly bliss listening to Lossless and High Res. music. The Sundara has bass to die for, this headphone is lush with perfect lows, mids and highs. I now understand why Hifiman headphones are so popular Don't be fooled by "Audiophiles/Audiofools". Get this little champ before it's discontinued for an another model. I plan to get a second one as a backup. This little champ is highly recommended but without an actual 5V AC power supply, it will be noisy. Its dead quiet with a 5V Power Supply sold right here at Amazon.Highly recommended.
ETL
Reviewed in Germany on July 20, 2024
Klein, kompakt und ein Röhrenverstärker. Back to the Roots. Funktioniert prima. Sound ist super. Benutze den Verstärker an einer Soundkarte (100 €) und mit einem hochwertigen Kopfhörer (250 €). Wer nur Onboard-PC-Sound usw. benutzt, kann allerdings die Qualität des Produktes nicht ausnutzen.Kleine Ergänzung: Die Röhren müssen in die Konsole selber eingesteckt werden. Nicht für jeden. Einfach auf die Steckplätze achten und dann mit Druck einfügen.
jackhandy
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2024
having worked as a professional sound design and music composer in video games for 20+ years, i was a bit skeptical that for the low price (about $45) this device wouldn't do much or sound decent at all. but honestly, afaikt so far just about everything i've sent through this sounds better! warmer, more rounded (especially the digital synths), slightly fuzzy around the edges (in a pleasent way). obviously if you send a crappy quality mp3 or internet streaming(usually low fi 128kbps) this won't improve garbage compressed audio much. but if you have .wav or .flac, this will surely add something special when listening to those lossless quality files. tbh, i feel i could run my stems or mixes through this during a mixing session and get a really nice tube drive sound. for certain personally projects i feel i could even run the masters through this to add a nice 'little something extra' analog, since i tend to work mainly 'in the box'.ive even been able to power this via the usb c(with a 4x usb a hub) from my laptop and then fed audio from the same laptop through this. there was only a subtle ringing tone when i turned the volume all the way up. but i just crank the output volume on the laptop and kept the volume knob on this tube amp down, and the ring is not noticeable at all. ymmv there, as i read some others got terrible noise when they tried this kind of setup.i love that it's usb powered and you could easily take it on the road. the tubes sticking out do seem quite fragile obviously, and get a bit hot (probably normal behavior) so im aiming to be extra careful if i need to pack it or move it after heavy use, by letting it cool down completely first.overall id say this thing is a great deal and pairs will with my koss pro4aa's. sounds quite warm and lovely and has a nice look and feel (the volume knob is smoooth). really glad i bought it!
Py
Reviewed in Canada on December 27, 2024
Op amps can be upgraded as well as the tubes or some mind bending performance on a budget. Great amp for the price.Recommended upgrades:Op Amps: I'd recommend either LM4562 or OPA2134. I prefered the LM4562 as the OPA2134 were too bassy for my taste. You'll need 2 of the same in any case.Tubes: Ordered a pair of GE JAN 5654 off Amazon. Good upgrade for the price.Linear powesupply off Amazon. Many to choose from and ensures adequate power delivery... It's an amp after all!