How to get better sound from your record player! Douk Audio Tube Phono Preamp! Unboxing & Review!

[@TonyBanks21]

You have surprised me,by changing the way you do your KZbin videos-you used to do them from your kitchen,these last few videos are from a back room,with racks of CDs and other music formats in racks in the background !! I am mentioning this,because you asked for feedback !! Looking forward to lots and lots more of your videos,here on KZbin !!!

[@johnmarchington3146]

What a fabulous little pre-amp. What it lacks are a number of different inputs that can be switched in and out (FM radio, reel-to-reel or cassette tape for instance). Even through KZbin, the sound was clean and sweet. Excellent.

[@jaycoleman8062]

Terrific, especially for the price.

[@timallen2336]

Hello, just to make this clear for beginners, most "vintage" amplifiers have a built in pre-amplifier and an external one is not needed. If the vintage amplifier has a phono imput in the back (not labeled ceramic), it will almost always have a built in pre-amp. I have actually never used a pre-amp. Every amp I have ever owned has one built in. Take care...

[@user-bt8jj4qg2h]

You are correct but sometimes you can get a better sound using an external pre-amp feeding into a line level input. Pc 😊

[@chrisblackburn1872]

Great show my friend. Gives me something to think about next time I look at pre amps😎👍

[@LaserRotShow]

Pulled the trigger on one. Hopefully it revives my Onkyo receiver and it’s terrible phono preamp.

[@Bryan_OU812]

Any updates? What did you think? Genuinely curious because I’m currently shopping for a preamp.

[@timothyweers8054]

When using a Preamp, it should be used only with a magnetic or coil cartridge. What you are doing is converting a 2 or 2.5 ohm to line level 5 ohm. Ceramic cartridges are already at 5 ohm. Ceramic cartridges are usually with old stereos with fully automatic changers or new ones like Crosley for which they will tell you upfront on the package or user's manual. I remember when I got my first integrated stereo system, I hated the turntable that came with it. It was a magnetic input which basically is a preamp, I tried using another record player which was a ceramic cartridge and it played very distorted even on low levels of volume. I in turn went to the local Radio Shack bought adjustable volume switches so I can turn the volume down. Overall it did work, the volume needed to be very low in order to cut the input distortion to play at acceptable volume.

[@jeremy_h]

LED light with some subtle animation looks great in backgrounds.

[@Greg-et2dp]

Record ology your utube videos are awesome my friend

[@rancosteel]

The AUX input allows other devices via a 3.5mm stereo cable. When plugged into AUX the phono section is cutoff.

[@Greg-et2dp]

Record ology your utube videos are awesome my friend ❤️ 😀

[@Greg-et2dp]

Record ology your Douke Audio is awesome my friend

[@Greg-et2dp]

Record ology your turntable is awesome my friend

[@ericwong5004]

Great video by the way. This will give me an idea of the next preamp to purchase when the time arises. The sound is pretty solid from what my ears can tell. Thank you!

[@Greg-et2dp]

Record ology your Douke Audio has good sound quality and good ton quality is awesome my friend ❤️

[@robertspencer7921]

Hopefully douk will send you more products to review.. Very interesting to combine new and old tech.. Background a bit plain. I used to like the kitchen counter top! Get a dancing Christmas tree for December's specials... Rob from Cognac 🇨🇵

[@thefrickin5509]

I like the sound. The low end “bells” could have been really harsh without it. Also, I like the starkness of the set. I don’t get distracted from the presentation.

[@CharlesTonkin-v1w]

I have the Little Bear T7, nothing to write home about, sounds same as the LP120 built in preamp

[@SkiBumMSP]

I think your "set" is perfect for showing products. I simple wooden table with white background. That way, the focus can remain on the actual subject/product that you are presenting. No need to clutter it up with a bunch of props and other junk. Nice, simple explanation why a phono pre-amp is often needed with turntables. In my case, my Marantz AV8802 pre/pro (pre-amp/processor) has a built-in phono pre-amp. I also have a stand-alone Pro-Ject "Phono Box II" phono pre-amp that I've had for the better part of 15 years. May have to hook it up and see how it compares to the built-in one in my Marantz pre/pro. As these "Record-ology" videos is geared towards more the beginner in vinyl and perhaps audiophilia in general, a "pre/pro" or "pre-amp/processor" is a device that takes all the input from the "source" components. A "source" component is a device where the audio (and video in home-theater setups) comes from. These would be your CD/DVD players, video game consoles, record player/turntable, streamer devices such a Apple TV or Roku boxes. In the case of a turntable, the phono pre-amp is often included as the "source", whether the turntable has one built-in or has a stand-alone phono pre-amp, such as what is shown in this video. The "pre/pro" takes those inputs, "processes" them (the "procosser" part of "pre/pro"), such as decoding the surround sound audio and the video signals from DVDs or game consoles, and sends them out to the appropriate output. For the audio, to the appropriate surround sound channel line-out, which then goes to the amplifier and ultimately to the speakers, and for the video to the "video out", which in turns goes to the display device, be it a video monitor/TV or projector. A "receiver" does the same thing, but it has the amplifier built in, as opposed to my setup which has separate pre/pro and amplifier components. One thing with audio setups, they can be as simple as just getting one of those "all-in-one" type units that has all the sources, pre-amp, amplification and speakers all built-in to a single device, or it can get as complex as separate device for each source (CD transport, digital streamer, stand-alone DAC, turntable, stand-alone phono-preamp, etc), stand-alone pre-amp, separate amps (perhaps a separate "monoblock" amp for each channel), and separate speakers. Hell, I've seen setups that have a separate amp for the "hi" section and the "low" section of each speaker (bi-amping). And of course, could also get a stand-alone subwoofer to handle all the bass, and even that can consist of its own amplifier and large bass speaker, with its own equalizer to manage how much of the bass signal to redirect to the subwoofer unit.

[@TwiztedStreetz]

Hi what is the vinyl you played on the sound test? Sounds amazing

[@chrislj2890]

Your setup for videos is just fine. You don't need all the props like neon signs and purple LED mood lighting, and of course the ubiquitous guitar, preferably electric. Jeez, do all of these KZbinrs ACTUALLY play the guitar? Anyway I think you should stick to showing the product with adequate lighting like you've been doing. Don't forget, some moving coil cartridges come in low or high output variations. That vertical design is rather unique and makes a lot of sense when you are cramped for space. It will easily fit right next to the turntable. A nice little gizmo.

[@djjoeykmusic]

Great video Awesome Thank you so much

[@6Rhyme]

👍🏻 allways good to know

[@SteelasophicalSteelBand]

OMG .. love that album .. what is it? #StThomas

[@Greg-et2dp]

Record ology I learn lot bying quality turntables new and used turntables my friend

[@richardstjohn9621]

Thanks for the video, Your table looks fine like it is. My son is working from home and his make shift office is where I keep my albums and his coworkers always ask him how many do i have (1200)? I am looking for a preamp for the turntable and I may just get this since it has a headphone jack because he mentioned getting a $300 pair of headphones. I have the Douk P1 headphone dac and it really works fine, great sound on my Phoinika gaming headphones. Off subject, I see the Patsy Cline poster on your wall, my family got to go back stage at a concert in Jacksonville Fl in early "61 and we saw her. My Mom asked her to kiss the handkerchief she had, she did but did NOT sign it. I still have it to this day. I just remember seeing the Everly Brothers, because of the leather tassels on their coats, I was only 9, lol.

[@Recordology]

WOW what a memory! I'm a huge recent Patsy Cline fan. Very very cool story! Another preamp with a built in headphone amp that is good is the Fosi Box X4.

[@big.cofficial7963]

Thats a cool looking preamp and it also opens my eyes to other preamps if and when I need one. 😁 Side note: I haven't watched one of these since 2021 when my KZbin channel was named countryboycotton. KZbin keeps messing with the channels I love watching. I'm back though with a new name. 😁

[@Recordology]

Hey man!!! We’ve missed you!

[@UncleDansVintageVinyl]

I have this exact preamp. I like it with a moving magnet cartridge. I have tried it with a low-output moving coil cartridge, but the preamp's noise floor is too high with such a cartridge.

[@Recordology]

Thanks for the info!

[@Vinchenzo.]

Hello, I just bought it. The sound is not very clear... (a veil on the sound...) Is there a number of hours of running-in to be done? (Concorde Club MK2 > Technics SL-1200M7L > T4 Plus > Focal Shape 50)

[@Recordology]

It should be clear right off the bat...Make sure the settings on the side are correct.

[@Vinchenzo.]

@@Recordology I'm in MM so no adjustments to make. I wonder if I should return it, after that maybe it's me who is too demanding... Deezer on my PC with a mini-jack output to 2 RCA has a better sound lol

[@danielthomas3057]

Yes, it is safe to touch the glass of vacuum tubes as it is just normal glass. With vintage tubes you just need to be careful not to rub off the printing. You didn't mention the tube types it uses. That would have been interesting to me.

[@Recordology]

Interesting! Why can’t you run off the printing? Just because you wouldn’t know what they are?

[@danielthomas3057]

@@Recordology tube enthusiasts like vintage tubes that still have their brand name printing on the tube surface ie: Amperex Bugle Boy tubes and some others are more valuable. Obviously, the printing has nothing to do with performance of the tube.

[@TBNTX]

I have a Fosi Audio Box X3 pre-amp, and I like it well. Have you compared the Fosi vs the Douk Audio T4 Plus?

[@Recordology]

Yes I have one of those….I think the x4. Fun units!

[@jackm207]

‘Transmit nature music’ on the box. 😂 Some good Chinglish right there. I’m sure they intended Natural for that to read but didn’t have an English as first language person on hand? 😂 But yeah I have a Douk phono tube amp. Good for the $60 I paid. Real good.

[@ilikemusic76]

Tested it! It sounds like 100 bucks not more. It‘s very nice built but what counts is the sound which is worth not more that 100 bucks. Lets be honest. Inside it houses a pretty simple operational IC based amplification unit which is feeding the quite small tubes. Costs of the IC unit 10 bucks. Soundstage is not very large, instrument separation is lacking and the overall sound is a little grainy and very limited in dynamics. For 100 bucks astonishing good.

[@matthewtaylor7355]

If the unit was from a shop and said Shit Mani Valve on it u would be saying what a great unit and a bargain if it was 799 Dollars

[@TheAndy1268]

Looking at that thing, I think it should be named HAL.

[@Recordology]

Lol

[@Kenshin_ae]

I have an lp60, would it be a good fit to this pre amp?

[@Recordology]

No need! LP60 has one built in!

[@arnoldtolker3505]

Oh no! Never with the naked Fingers an the Tubes!

[@junebuchholtz287]

Want to buy a record player for my granddaughter age 17...average price. What should I get any suggestions? ❤

[@Recordology]

I would highly recommend the Victrola Revolution Go. Sounds amazing and is portable! amzn.to/49yFC12

[@MuzikJunky]

Technics SL-QD33 if you don’t care that it doesn’t mute during the automatic cycle. It’s a perfect entry-level fully automatic unit! Peace.

[@Greg-et2dp]

Record ology you and your wife and kids have happy Thanksgiving and a merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 and happy new year 2024 and you and your wife and kids stay well my friend

[@Recordology]

Thank you Greg! 😃