Review on Douk Audio M1 Mini Bluetooth 5.0 Power Amplifier: Compact Stereo Receiver with USB Music Player (Silver) by Alexander Roberson

These little Chinese Class D amps really beat their weight and this one is no different. The sound quality is quite satisfactory and will not disappoint even the pickiest of listeners. I have no way of quantifying the power output, but 50 watts per channel is perfectly plausible. I can drive the Magnepan MMG, notoriously inefficient and difficult-to-drive speakers, less than halfway down the volume knob. I started my little amp business with an old 20 watt Lepai amp with a tried and tested Tripath chip. Impressed by the performance of such a cheap amplifier, I read that the newer Class D 3116 ICs were said to be superior to the Tripath. Inexpensive compared to the solid state amps I grew up with, buying the M1 seemed like a low risk proposition. Compared to a few tube amps I own, the M1's sound has the power I would expect from a solid state amp as it doesn't have the warmth of tubes. Intrigued by the potential quality of this amp I will now compare it to some of the larger Class AB amps. I suspect the M1 might not be as refined as the higher end solid state amps, but it will likely shine as an incredible value. The sound I hear through the MMG is detailed and punchy, with a wide and deep soundstage. That this M1 withstands high-end products speaks volumes. It should also be noted that the M1 has Bluetooth 5, which works perfectly despite the lack of an external antenna. Most high quality amps, and certainly days gone by, don't have connectivity built in. Since I listen to a lot of streaming content, it upgrades an already cheap M1. Thing is, I can't speak to long-term reliability, although the build quality also exceeds expectations for this price point. In short, if you are looking for an affordable, modern, and quality device, this is the one to consider. It fits very well in a small system and scales surprisingly well for use in a system designed for critical listening. Update: As an experiment, I decided to feature another audio toy I bought from Revain a while ago, the FX. Audio tube buffer/preamplifier. Thus, this setup emulates the classic, often preferred tube preamp/solid state amp approach, albeit with these inexpensive new generation Asian components. Unsurprisingly, the character of the sound changes, and in the A/B comparison you can hear what the tubes have to offer, even with this class of components. The overall tone darkened, but not in a bad way. Aggressive horns appear to be tamed. The extreme is removed from the brightness audible with the amp itself. The bass flourishes a little more; It seems like it comes more at the expense of a little definition. I listen while typing on a pair of 20 year old Magnepan MMGs, a fairly outspoken speaker. You'd think these speakers would outperform the amplification in this experiment, but that's not what I'm hearing. I also hooked up a traditional tube preamp and solid state amp of reasonable quality and sonic memory, which should have given the traditional components a resolution advantage. However, not as far as one might think without listening. I have to go back and mix Asian speakers with traditional speakers, but now I'm listening to the former and enjoying what I'm hearing. I should note that I'm also experimenting with throwing away the subwoofer. Magnepan users usually turn on subwoofers, especially on MMGs. With the FX Audio/Douk M1 combo, no subwoofer in the mix, lacking in amount or quality of bass for my liking. In other words, this combination of electronics allows a complex loudspeaker to function over its entire range. I had to check again whether the subwoofer was really not connected. Update #2: For the sake of a smile I decided to hook up an FX Audio X6 DAC to a vintage 80's counterpoint preamp and then hooked it up to a Douk M1. I hear about Magnepan MMG. I am currently streaming SiriusXM and the results have exceeded all expectations. Remember that this amplifier is the cheapest component in the circuit. I suppose the high quality of the preamp output helps, but the douk doesn't ruin it. The instruments are well defined in a wide and deep soundstage. The vocals are pleasantly realistic. I love this combination of vintage and 2020 components. Again, this may not be a measure of quality, but it is an impressive performance from an inexpensive Class D amplifier that weighs next to nothing, is little more than a deck of cards and works downright cool. Update #3: I'm listening to this little amp right now in my office system, with Omega bookshelf speakers rated at 94dB/W/m efficiency, the original purpose I intended this amp for when I decided to get it to buy. While I don't need 50 watts per channel for this setup, this amp continues to impress. With these speakers, the sound is very centered in the mids, especially at moderate volumes. With more volume, I expect greater involvement of the upper and lower extremes. All in all, suffice it to say that this amp also impresses in a different configuration.