Douk Audio Balanced EQ Preamp: 7-Band Equalizer - Vacuum Tube Preamplifier with XLR RCA Inputs & Outputs - for Home Stereo HiFi System, Amplifiers, Active Speakers (T8 PRO Silver)

I bought this in HiYO Silver(!) to use with my heaphone setup here in the Bat-Cave. It is excellent in doing what it says it does and that being allowing me to tailor the music I bought and paid for so that I can hear as I want and not just as so much fAdCopy today claims, "...as the fArteeest intended". The artist intended for you to buy and enjoy their music and this excellent performing (and looking!) EQ does just that. I use it with an Emotiva XDA-2, an S.M.S.L. smurtified THX headphone amp w/balanced and SE in/ouputs and a WONDERFUL Denon HEOS Link for my paid for music services: Pandora, SiriusXM and Amazon UHD Music. They all sound wonderful through this setup and It works superbly across the 5 'phones that to date I have used with it. You will not be disappointed. Well...Unless you enjoy straining to hear bits instead of music. I can't hear a single "bit", 0, 1 or otherwise. What I am hearing is MY soundtrack, beautifully reproduced and tailored to MY tastes by a compact, well built and good looking piece of audio equipment. I may get one for a relative for his headphone use. It is that good! Trust me. I know what I'm doin' when I'm reviewin'. Thanks! TheBatman

This preamp/EQ is really good, especially for the price. I'm a bit of an audio snob, but I can say that this preamp sounds great, no unwanted noise and gives you the ability to adjust the sound with the EQ. I've tried a few different tubes, not much of a difference but nice to have the option. If you need a preamp with the added tone adjustments and want to add a bit of warmth to your system, this unit is a great low cost option.

What we have here is basically a fun and functional device. The tubes are cool, but they are mostly for show. But what a show! The EQ is very functional and will definitely help you dial in more sparkle or thump, depending on how you set. It’s best when used for a little tweak here or there. Overall, I am pleased with my purchase. Tube rolling is fun!

I was torn between this and the Schiit Lokius, but this was less than half the price and did the job just about as well (I already have a Schiit Loki). The main thing I discovered was that the tubes actually colored the sound a little bit, giving all frequencies a warmer sound, which is what I was after. The main reason I got it was the balance adjusting screw ( I guess the design team ran out of space to give it a proper knob) on the far right end of the rank of knobs which I needed for a slight imbalance in my hearing when listening on headphones. This is also a pre-amp, giving it a feature that the Loki and Lokius don't have (and probably don't need). Also, I'm a sucker for fun-fi, Chi-fi gadgets and this unit looks really cool next to my Pro-Ject S2 tube phono pre-amp. It's a plus-value for us budget audiophile wanna-be's who can only afford to buy into tiny-tubeland. Works for me.

Let me start with saying I love this product it works perfectly and the tubes light up great but it doesn't work well directly on a record player. This product does work well as a preamp but it's really only works as a EQ for a record player. The reason for this is it can't amplify the signal enough for it to work with a amp well which can be solved with phono preamp before it. Once I had it set up it sounds amazing and the control is perfect it add a warmth to the music I have yet to try the xlr outputs but it will just make it even better. Overall great product well made but just watch out if your buying this for a record player pre amp

I have a "modern" high-end receiver, which basically takes all of the controls away - lacking even a treble and bass adjustment in favor of it's own built-in modes. Well, anyway, oftentimes I really want and need more treble or bass - and here it is! Update: I've had this unit for over a month now and I am even MORE pleased than before. The equalization can make my high-end Pioneer receiver sound near perfect, even with the CD itself is poorly equalized in the mix! I use "Line" input into the Power amp stage so now I can tone-down or tone-up one or more bands of the poorly mixed CDs - something NO poweramp can do. I also like the "organic" tubyness" of the unit. It makes vocals sound very real. I do keep the gain (volume) at about 10:00 so as not to overdo the influence of the tubes, and also give them plenty of headroom to do their job. I'm reporting back again after about a year of use of my first of 2! units. I've been experimenting improving the quality of the sound - even as it was quite good to begin-with, I found it a little too "trebley" and harsh at the top end. I first tried using some top-quality Russian-made 6H1N-BN tubes, and that did indeed improve the sound a little (note again it was good to begin with). Then I tried some top-quality 12AU7 tubes - but no, that was not better. Then I took a leap of faith and tried two 12BH7-A tubes. And those were really wonderful. I used these tubes for months, and had absolutely no complaints. But I was reading about JJ ECC99 which made them seem another possibility... and decided to give them a try. Now _these_ are my favorites! The quality of the sound with JJ ECC99 tubes is simply amazing. I usually keep the "volume/gain" at one click above 9 o'clock, and that is what works best for me.

Warning, do not buy! I've been trying to get Douk to honor the warranty and so far I haven't heard anything from them. I've had this for a few months and I want to toss it in the trash bin. On my unit, there is noticable distortion whenever I use it. However once the tubes warm up, the audio becomes distorted beyond recognition. Mid range frequencies like guitar, piano and vocals are especially thrashed. Delicate songs with beautiful harmonies sound like the Dark Lord Sauron's flatulence when playing through it. I've had full range pop songs sound like a drunken Jim Morrison vomiting to elevator music. This piece of garbage is nothing but e-waste. Don't buy.

excellent and gives you just what you need -- EQ and tubes. Looks great, solid build, and works with any album I throw at it.