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Indiana Lang
Highly praised by reviewers with a 4.4-star rating on Amazon, it sells for just around the $120 price point. Is it worth the space on your desktop? Let’s find out!
Inputs:
Bluetooth / USB (PC-USB) / Coaxial / Optical / RCA / U-disk
Outputs:
Banana speaker jacks / 3.5mm AUX
Max output power:
100W+100W (4Ω) (with upgraded power supply)
Matched Impedance:
3-8Ω
Sampling Rate:
USB input: 96KHz/24Bit, Bluetooth input: 48KHz/24Bit, COAX/OPT inputs: 192kHz/24-bit
Treble / Bass adjustment range:
±6dB
Frequency response:
20Hz-20kHz(±1dB)
S/N ratio:
≥98dB
THD:
0.07%
Size:
115 x 98 x 54mm / 4.53 x 3.86 x 2.13in
Weight:
661g / 1.46lb
MSRP:
$120.00
Website:
SECRETS Tags:
douk, douk reviews 2023, douk preamps, douk preamps reviews, douk preamp reviews 2023
Listening Setup:
- Speakers – Jamo S 803
- Interconnects – AudioQuest
Sample Music:
- Rise of the Northstar – Rise
- PVRIS – White Noise
- Enya – Only Time
The ST-01 Pro is easy to set up, and nothing crazy to do unless you have never installed tubes before. Most of the Chi-Fi components on Amazon really cram all of the cable connections together, but the ST-01 Pro gives you plenty of space. I demoed the unit using the built-in DAC and everything was easy to connect.
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That said, I found controlling the unit confusing at best. The power button, input switch, and volume control are all the same dial. Yes, you read that right, three functions on the same dial. I gave up trying to figure it out pretty quickly and popped some batteries into the remote. The remote is nothing out of the ordinary but I do appreciate that it is heavier than most remotes I see.
For setup, I ran a USB cable out from my PC to the ST-01 Pro and also tried Bluetooth from my phone. I set the EQ to neutral, and both dials at 12 o’clock. After listening to a few songs, I adjusted the treble to 12:30 and the bass to nearly 3, and the sound seemed a lot fuller and deeper. Let’s jump more into how it sounds next.
Sound:
I really like having EQ on these cheaper amps as it seems like they all sound pretty different out of the box. Being able to balance them out is great. Amps without EQ controls are quickly becoming a deal breaker for me. After getting the EQ setup and listening to the amp it sounds pretty good. The first thing I looked for was warmth. Considering this is a tube amp I should be able to find some and honestly, it was cooler than expected. The vocals were strong and forward but a bit sharp-edged.
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The bass adjustments on this amp felt very sensitive, I set the EQ to nearly 3 (like 2:45) and the mid-range and lower end filled in very nicely without overpowering the highs. I tried out some amazing female vocals with Only Time by Enya. This song can really show any weakness quickly and while the ST-01 Pro stayed composed, it felt thin on this song with some crisp highs lacking in detail. The mid-range and bass were there, but the tube warmth was underwhelming.
I found techno/electronic music to sound pretty good on this amp, as it stays well-balanced; but the only noticeable weakness I could find was in the upper end. I’m not saying it’s bad in any way, but when there are tubes, I like to hear tubes. That said, the amp handled louder listening volumes with ease, L/R balance was excellent and let’s not forget about the VU meter on the front that is fully functional. The tubes glow and the VU meter has a very vintage feel. The ST-01 is as enjoyable to listen to as it is to look at.
