HiFi Vacuum Tube 5-Band EQ Preamp Equalizer XLR Pre-Amplifier Home Headphone Amp (T8)

I've had the T8 Pro for a number of weeks now and through a series of fortunate events have ended up with a second, so now I'm lucky enough to have both a silver and black model which I've been using to experiment with tube rolling (makes A/B testing incredibly convenient).I'd like to first address what I consider to be the sole con of this device which is the ever so slight reduction in clarity. I think this is just about a given in cheap preamps/equalizers, especially tube based models. I have a relatively high end DAC (Geshelli Labs J2 Socketed with the AK4499 DAC chip) and frankly I was expecting a bit more in terms of the hit in clarity. Overall, it's a very minor veiling and it doesn't really affect my enjoyment of my music.Now on to the pros which I believe are myriad. First is the fact that not only does this EQ have balanced inputs and outputs, but it does both XLR to RCA conversion and vice versa. I find these features to be pretty much non existent in gear this inexpensive. I currently mostly use the XLR input, but I've experimented with this feature and it works very well.Build quality is very nice with a solid metal chassis and suitable heft for a device this size. The 7 bands of the EQ are very nicely spaced out and I have no problem modeling the sound precisely as I like quickly and easily. If you're contemplating between the T8 and T8 Pro, it's a no brainer, get the T8 Pro. The two extra bands of EQ are far more valuable than the headphone amp included in the standard T8 unless one is on a tight budget and really wants an integrated headphone amp. I've heard the headphone amp isn't very good and I'm likely to believe that considering how much hardware for the money is already included. The difference in price between the two is negligible and now with coupon, the T8 Pro is actually cheaper.The EQ does provide gain and it does so very cleanly. I rarely push the volume beyond the 12 o'clock position, but when I do, it can feed plenty of gain to my amplifier and it does so with zero distortion that I can notice.Now for my favorite feature of this EQ: the tubes! The included 6H1N-BN tubes impart a very pleasant tube warmth to my Archel 2.5XL amp. I loved the sound of this amp before, but this EQ was the missing link that I was searching for.Lastly is the ability for not only tube rolling, but OP amp rolling as well. I've tried a set of 12au7 tubes so far and I found that they provide an even more euphonic character to an already very sweet sounding system. You can pick up a gain matched pair for around $60, and while that is about 50% of the cost of this EQ, I can say it's a fairly solid upgrade to an already very solid EQ.I haven't experimented with op amp rolling as of yet, but there are 5 dip-8 sockets by my count, so I'm looking forward to playing around with that as well. There are plenty of op amps ranging from a few bucks a piece to around $100 a piece, so this unit seems to be very upgradable. I haven't experimented with linear power supplies either, but I imagine that's another possible sonic upgrade to look forward to in the future.Overall, I am extremely impressed with this EQ. It's cheap, yet very solidly constructed, does exactly what it says it does and offers much in terms of user customization. Frankly, I'm fairly puzzled by the somewhat average reviews for this as I consider it to be an absolutely incredible value. I'm a big fan of Schiit products, but the Loki and the Lokius don't offer the functionality or that sweet tube character of the T8 Pro. The Loki isn't balanced and offers only a paltry 4 bands of equalization. The Lokius is balanced, but around 3x the price of the T8 Pro and still only has 6 bands of EQ. These are both nice units, but I can say assuredly that I prefer the T8 Pro. I really think you need to step up to one of the Freyas at several times the price before you get superior sound and customization to the T8 Pro.If you're looking for an equalizer, especially one that is tube based or which offers balanced inputs and outputs, don't sleep on this deal. I really couldn't be much happier with it.

I've had the Douk Audio T8 EQ for a few weeks now. I’ve tried it with my Yamaha A-S701 and Rotel A11 Tribute and compared the T8 to my Schiit Loki EQ. As much as the Loki sounds really clean and clear I prefer the Douk Audio T8 eq for several reasons. The 5 band eq of the Douk Audio has much more functionality than the 4 bands of the Loki, plus the balance and volume knobs are a nice addition. With the T8 I can easily adjust the 5 main points of the eq band: bass, low mid, mid, upper mid, and treble. With the 4 bands of the Loki, I always found adjusting the mids to be tricky and was never fully happy trying to dial in the sound I was looking for. The Douk Audio made dialing in the sound straight forward and a breeze.I used a switcher to quickly add and remove the T8 eq from the signal chain to hear what it was doing. I had the knobs of the T8 at unity in the 12 o'clock position and compared it to the sound of the amps without the eq in the chain and the sound with the T8 in the chain got quieter. To fix this I turned up the volume on the T8 a little below the 3 o'clock position which put the volume at unity with the system. I was not unhappy with this because there is quite a lot more volume to be had beyond the 3 o’clock position. This unit can definitely boost your signal if you need it too.Once at unity volume I could assess the sound of the T8 and I was very pleased. The only difference with the T8 in the chain was it added a pleasant mild warmth to the sound which was appreciated. I’m guessing it’s the tubes in action. From there I just made some easy eq adjustments to taste.To me, if you want an eq, this thing is a no brainer. I’m really happy with it.

The media could not be loaded.  Received a black pro model bonus. I was plesantly suprised at the clarity and how it opened up the sound stage without being harsh or shrill. Knobs instead of sliders takes a little getting use to. Seems well made, knobs dont feel real cheep but for a buck twenty its great.Adjustments are smooth and audibly easy to adjust, my tube phono box loves it. Seems to give it a slight increase in gain thats welcome and tunaable with the volume control.......update , I swapped out the tubes to a pair of nos Voskhod 6n1p rockets and it brought a new level of clarity to this little eq. They really let it sing. These and a spectrum analizer to keep it under control and its a fine piece of gear.

This eq/tube preamp is a surprising addition to my headphone set up!!!My music chain is now Onkyo DV-SP800, Wyred 4 Sound DAC 2DSD, Douk T8 Pro, Musical Paradise MP-301 MK3, Hifiman Edition XS. The sound was awesome before. But the T8 Pro made my music sound even better! I upgraded the stock tubes to the Russian 6N1P-EV as I've had prior experience with those. They sound incredible!!I can't recommend this eq enough. It's a quality component, very good value for the money. It's compact, easy to connect and very versatile with 8 adjustable frequencies! If you're considering a small eq for a headphone or stereo, give this one an audition. You'll not be sorry!

One thing that was a pleasant surprise was that, while I ordered the black version as depicted in the listing, I got a silver one, which I liked better. I got this mainly because it has a balance control (oddly, just a tiny slotted wheel - I guess they ran out of space to add a proper knob) , as I only have 60% hearing in my right ear. I use this in a chain that goes from my CD player to the Douk EQ to my Ifi ZenCan headphone amp.The knobs feel premium, with a fixed stop at 0. You can add or subtract 6db across a wide spectrum of frequencies. The case is all metal and has a good weight to it. Also, unlike my Schiit Loki, it doesn't get too hot. Good value for an entry-level EQ,

Great control , can also set to none

I had a lot of small room acoustic issues as well as speaker placement problems but Douk audio t8 pro equilizer banished all the issues i had , i strongly recommend this product

Pleasantly surprised how well this Douk EQ works. The chassis is constructed from metal and feels solid.All the control knobs move very smoothly.I have compared this EQ to the Schiit Loki EQ, which I also own and, I can say the Douk EQ sounds much better and cheaper.The tubes also make the sound warm and smooth.👍👍

Très satisfait des performances, construction solide et facile d utilisation. j ai par contre remplacé les tubes et beaucoup gagné en qualité sonore.