Douk Audio Q11

Great features and sound, excellent S/N ratio.

Previous to getting this little audio gem I was using a MSB Link III and GDA-700 as DAC’s in my music systems. They were well reviewed DAC’s in their day and while they still sound great they are from a world before streaming and Hi-Res audio. So I decided it was time to upgrade to something more modern. Current DAC’s have a variety of features, options and come at various price points. This can be a overwhelming for someone re-entering the world of DAC’s s so after doing some research I thought the Douk Q11 was a sensible choice at a more than reasonable price. At a cost of $150 the Q11 is considered an entry level DAC but after putting it my system I can truly say it that it punches way above the entry level weight class. I am using it to stream music through my Bluesound Node 2i and as the outboard DAC for my Audiolab 6000CDT CD transport and works/sounds great in either role. The build quality is excellent and the setup a breeze. If you have been considering a stand alone DAC or looking to upgrade from an older one you would be hard pressed to do better with DAC’s that cost 5-6 times the cost of this one. I highly recommend this DAC for either a music or desktop system.

Love this Douk audio Q11 Dac, great sound, it's nice to be able to switch between 2 different dacs!

I purchased the Douk Q11 specifically to feed my Little Dot mkiii headphone amp and it’s perfect for the job. The unit replaced an older Schiit audio entry-level DAC and it’s a noticeable improvement. I won’t get into the debate about whether quality DAC chips sound different but the Q11 includes two different higher-end DAC chips - the AK4493 and the ESS9038.The chips can be run individually or together and I’ll leave it to you to decide what you like best. Regardless, it’s a fun option.The controls are pretty straightforward with the exception of switching between DAC modes - for some inexplicable reason that can only be done via the included remote. It would have been nice to have that option on the unit itself for desktop use but it’s not a deal-breaker as I suspect most people will pick a preferred mode and leave it there.Sound-wise, the Q11 is articulate and poised with a generous soundstage but individual perceptions will vary based on what amplifier and headphones are used.The only other negative, from my perspective, is the kind of cheesy lucite view window in the top which gives off a blue glow. I don’t need to see the internals but, again, this doesn’t really matter since I stack components.The build quality is very good and I’m happy with the performance for the money.

I purchased this after checking lots of reviews on-line and videos. I have to agree with most of the reviewers regarding chip mode sounds. ESS is bright, AK is smoother, combined was best for me tamed the brightness and still had plenty of clarity. I think it is a cool idea, just not a good as could be or as I was expecting. The problem for me is mostly the soundstage, it just wasn't there in any of the modes. After extended listening I found that my Douk Audio HiFi tube DAC sounded much better, has much better soundstage, and with the tone controls able to duplicate all of the Q11 modes easily and much more. I really wanted to like the Q11, build is good, looks good, fair price, just fell short on sound - my opinion. I'll be staying with my Douk Audio Hifi Tube DAC for a bit. Yes, these are cheap DACS and one can't expect too much, however, I did expect Q11 to sound better than the old model, much cheaper, discontinued HiFi tube DAC. Love what Douk is doing, and I have plenty of their products - just not this one.

I have a bunch of DACs and, to be honest, I can barely tell a difference between them. It usually comes down to price, features, and ease of use. This checks all of those boxes. If feels well built, it has worked well with everything i have tried it with (USB, optical, COAX). It is pretty cool that it has 2 types of DAC chips in it. You can set it so it outputs either one to both sets of RCA out OR you can set one chip to one set and the other to the 2nd set of RCA outs. For what you get, it seems a good value.I have no issue recommending it!

Product was delivered very fast and was a great improvement to the sound of my digital music. I'm going to have fun rolling the op amps.

OK...I understand there are some haters... Keep your hate to yourself. I've tested this real time thru all the modes, lots of different music, a few different amps and speakers, and absolutely love it. Granted, it's set to one of the chips most of the time but every once in a blue moon I want the other chip... And there it is.