Budget-Friendly Beast: The Douk Audio H7 Pro Amp - Does It Deliver? 

Thanks, Simon! I get the feeling my "patrons" don't care about hi-fi in the least!

@@UnitedStatesofAnalog Well you did coin the phrase 'chi-fi' so what do you expect? 😂 'Hi-Fi' is just 'Chi-Fi' with the " 'C'heap" removed. 😂 Keep your content coming and real, Bob, and we will watch. Take care, Sir.

Appreciate the watch! I changing the tide!

I use my Geshelli J2 AKM... it's boss!

Ha!!!

Solid advice!

That's how I say it!

They are probably very cheap to include.

I don't think he wrote one terrible song!

Appreciate the suggestion! It's what Darko would do! I'm a one man show and crew! I can't always pull off what I see in my head. It's incredible hard and humbling for deliver information in the history way. Plus at times it feels like it's all already been said. Imposter syndrome is a real thing! Thanks again!

I'm fair AND balanced!

Fo sho!

I have a vu22-excellent!

I address that hypocrisy a couple of times in the video. Linger longer! Thanks!

My apologies Bob. I did linger & realised I blew my load early. Sometimes I get a little too excited.

I used to have carvers.. where the hell did they go????

Still around, now called Bob Carver @@UnitedStatesofAnalog

I can save you the trouble... Do a search for "TPA3255 Data Sheet" and look at the graph on the front page. There's your distortion vs power and the sharp knee on the right is the onset of clipping... Graph #8 shows you output vs power supply voltage. What can you realistically expect in your living room? 1% below clipping for low distortion... 32 volts ... 50w/ch on 8 ohms, 100 w/ch on 4 36 volts ... 75 and 150 48 volts ... 110 and 220 ... provided the power supplies produce enough current. I run the TPA2255 in my main system on 36 volts, 10 amps... works a treat. In bench testing on pro quality TPA3255 implementations with a 48 volt 15 amp supply I've been able to pull 220 low distortion watts per channel out of these chips very nicely. 300 watts will produce about 10% distortion and shut the chip down into protection mode. The difference between Bob's "fun-fi" and pro-audio is mostly a matter of cooling (the pro boards have massive heat sinks and some have fans) and the power supply.

Can't argue with you. You should get into the RU-vid game. You clearly have the knowledge. The disrupter angle might play well. Worth a shot!

@@UnitedStatesofAnalog You already have Scientific Audio Review doing that.

Whiplash!!!! Just want to make sure you're still awake! Thanks for watching!

Life's small pleasures!

I never have much need for balance control either! More tone controls or a 79's "loudness" button!

@@UnitedStatesofAnalog My Douk H7 offers the convenience of balance via 2 independent volume knobs. I should have returned it, but I probably like its unique level of strange. I guess I might consider how I always have the bass and treble pegged is a reason I don't need them :)

@@starker1971 I'm glad it working out! Thanks for the watch!

No phono input.

I believe he did!

@@davidbono9359 found it!

Yes I did! You'll find it!

TI and Douk make that claim! I think I displayed adequate doubt through out the video if you watched the whole thing. The thumbnail is a different story... you must draw viewers in. A lot of competition. Unfortunately, that's the game we're in!

The 300 watts they quote is the "Absolute Maximum" output of the TPA3255 chip and yes it can do it... but it will almost certainly shut down into protection if it does. Realistic expectations can be found in the graph on the front page of the "TPA3255 data sheet" (do a search). For low distortion output it maxes off at 100 watts per channel on 8 ohms and 200 on 4. The actual low distortion powers you can expect are... 32 volts ... 50 w/ch on 8 ohms, 100 w/ch on 4 ohms. 36 volts ... 70 and 130. 48 volts ... 90 and 180. But keep in mind these power levels from such a small and simple amplifier were utterly impossible only a decade ago. Also be aware that these little guys can get pretty hot on 48 volts because of the fully enclosed cases. Some experimenting tells me the 36 volt option makes the most sense in terms of power and lifetime of the amp. I have a TB10d, which is also a TPA3255 chip, in my main system. I run it on a 36 volt, 10 amp power supply and it works like a treat.

@@Douglas_Blake_579 I really appreciate all the GREAT information!!!!

@@UnitedStatesofAnalog You're welcome.

@Douglas_Blake_579 so a lot lower than advertised then, which was my point. I don't see 90 watts. It is a continuous real world with around 65 watts or about even at 48 volts.

Would appreciate a sub so I can keep them coming!

@@UnitedStatesofAnalog Subscribed about 2 weeks ago!

I'll probably do a short video about the KEFs and this. The main problem in the bar is the room and the place. They are more behaved in my listening room! But I think they are are to get right... but they have the ability to amaze at times with the right music!

@@UnitedStatesofAnalog I have been trying to get an idea about any next step I might take. I think I value sound stage quality the most. Favorite Bookies are my SVS Ultra, Favorite Towers JBL Studio 590. I own the Elac UB52 and UBR62. I do wonder how stage and imaging comparable they are to the Kefs. I wonder if either are "too close to call" when compared to the Kef. My hunch is stage imaging is a design critical, while tonality is more adjustable in any setup.

@@starker1971 Maybe I can be some help here ... It is a common misunderstanding that an amplifier or DAC creates soundstaging (the placement of instruments) in a musical piece. They do not. There is no electronics in a stereo system that can either manufacture or manipulate the soundstage. Home stereos do two things ... first they decode the source (vinyl, tape, CD, file, etc.) into two voltages, one for each channel, that vary over time. Then through amplification these bouncing ball voltages are magnified to deliver enough current to drive speakers. You know those moving waveforms you see on a scope screen? That's all there is, the whole game. The waveforms are simply a map of how to move the speaker cones. Soundstage is actually mixed into your recordings at the mixing and mastering stages in the recording studios. This, of course, explains why they are all different and sometimes even change during a song. So trying to evaluate "soundstage" with amps, DACs, pre-amps, cables and other electronics is a complete non-starter. That is... ampA will not have better or worse "soundstage" than ampB on the same recording. All that said, it is possible that through poor placement or manufacturing faults, some speakers can (and do) sabotage what might otherwise be a crystal clear soundstage from your recordings. Get the placement right, first, then evaluate the speakers.

@@Douglas_Blake_579 Everything I asked about were speakers. I asked specifically asked about 3 different speaker designs that have concentric design. This was in regard to imaging performance.

@@starker1971 Under a video about an amplifier. Sorry if I misunderstood.

its on Amazon so easy to find.

HTTPS://amzn.to/3vvmxxr Or check my updated video links again!

​@UnitedStatesofAnalog that's a link to Fosi Audio BT30D Pro. Does anyone know the price of a 48v unit on top of the unit price? I haven't tried such a small d class since Mosfets, I would like to try but the prices are up there for a good second-hand A-B amp. But I'm still intrigued :)

Thanks. If I'm going to buy the amp from your link, might as well grab the PSU as well. Cheers

@@_GOATish My kids in college thank you for your support!

100%!

bobsrocknews@gmail.com Hit me up!

I like that chain. Im down for anything with the J2. This time around I did all vinyl!

I just got "Baby Face" Willett-Face to Face with Grant Green onboard!

I might do that!

Thanks! I'm trying not to overact. I'm still way under a year! I'll keep calm and carry on!

De nada

Yes! I will look into that! Appreciate the tip! Thanks for watching!

@@UnitedStatesofAnalog Cool! Btw. I will be putting an SMSL M300se in front of it (used as DAC with balanced XLR). I saw your review and thought I would give it a go. I think that will be pretty nice for a sub $250 DAC/amp combo.

I do it all for you, Joe!

Digital reference was a slip! I don't use a script or teleprompter. I will say that some manufacturers, like Technics, emphasize their amps are "Digital" so I think there is some gray areas in the nomenclature. But I appreciate that you caught that! I'll try your knob fix! Thanks for participating in my community!

@@UnitedStatesofAnalog In many cases I think these manufacturers are using "expected terminology" as opposed to the factual kind. The "D stands for digital" mythos is very deeply embedded in the audio community. If it was me I would have gone for the "P" for PWM designation. Any knob can be realigned this way. When you get the knob off you will find the shaft on the control has multiple flutes ... the odds are the balance knob was simply put on one flute off. When there is no click stop, just make sure the slot in the shaft is horizontal then put the knob on with the marker at 12 o'clock high. It happens more often than people think, especially in production line assembly.

@@UnitedStatesofAnalog use a couple of spoons 🥄 one on either side if its stuck on. Better than pliers any day

@@jethrob258 Agreed ... there's an actual tool for that, but the spoons will get the job done. A little bit of cloth between the spoon and the case will help prevent scratching.