Douk Audio U2

Using this to convert Android USB audio to spdif digital to feed a Minidsp CDSP8x12 in a car audio environment. Tidal MQA streaming plays from Android (and iOS, I believe) without any other drivers, jailbreaking or odd USB settings. This unit can be powered through your Android device, though I modified a USB-A to micro-USB cable so that it can be powered by a 12-volt to 5-volt power converter. Just takes some basic soldering skill to reroute the power (red) from your Android device to an alternate 5-volt power source and tap into the ground (black) while still allowing the two USB signal conductors (green & white) to pass unaffected from the Android device to the Douk converter. Doing so can only help preserve battery life and capacity to your Android device battery. This setup sends a clean, unaltered digital signal to the Minidsp. There is a significant improvement in clarity and dynamics vs. the line level inputs and an easily noticable improvement over the bluetooth connection that uses the toslink input of the Minidsp. It also allows you to test the spdif digital input of the minidsp using REW and a Windows laptop. Very impressed with the new options this device has provided in my setup. 192kHz FLAC files are supported for the best available CD-quality output from just about any regular ole Android. Construction is great, metal housing, Tiffany-style RCA connector for the spdif output, compact size. Wish some sort of mounting option were available for unique installation needs. I did not need any drivers for use with Android OTG, though the driver instructions are a bit confusing. Drivers come on a "sketchy-looking" CD-R that looks as if it was borrowed from your uncle's cousin who also has every season of every show ever recorded from 1971-2008. He only stopped recording because he believes the government is watching him and are as focused on ending his reign as copywrite violator for old MASH episodes as they are fighting global terrorism. But we love him anyway, he's family after all, and nobody makes apple pie moonshine as good as he. Upate: Over 3 years of daily use in an autosound environment and this Douk converter has been solid and fault-free. It continues to sound great and just flat out works. I wish a more installation friendly form factor could be developed for future iterations, such as some sort of mounting tabs on the case and perhaps a dedicated 12v power input option to simplify autosound implementation. A great solution for various digital audio coverting and connectivity needs.

Every once in a while one comes across USB audio problems between various components such as DAC's and your PC, that for the life of you, cannot be remedied. These problems can range the gamut from things like a DAC not being recognized by your PC, or USB line noise that that you just cannot get rid of. I know, I've been there! As a user/audiophile and audio reviewer (mostly with desktop, near-field scenarios), I've encountered many issues regarding USB connections, and they either weren't easy to remedy, or were just not fixable. In many of those instances, you begin to wonder about "other connections, other than USB." In my case, my PC didn't have an optical output connection, so I didn't have many options available. After scouring various websites for information, I ran into this unique Douk USB to Toslink/Digital Coax converter on Amazon, and I figured, why not give that a try. The issue I was having is that one of my DAC's had a high-pitched constant RF type of noise (that none of my other equipment experienced) that just wouldn't go away and definitely interfered with my music listening experiences. And since my PC didn't have any type of optical outputs, I was left with having to connect via USB. After trying countless supposed remedies (that have worked in the past), I almost gave up. However, when I connected the Douk converter, connecting the USB end to my desktop PC, and then running a optical Toslink cable (or Digital Coax cable) to my FX-Audio DAC X6 Mk II, the issues disappeared completely - pure silence! But more so, there were no losses in audio quality. In fact, to my ears, I found the music a bit more dynamic. Now do keep in mind that if you are using a DAC (in my case here), when connecting the Douk USB to Toslink converter to your PC's USB connection, the PC will show the device not as a DAC, but rather, it will show up as the Douk unit and the max it can go up to is 24 Bit 192 kHz. So keep that in mind - and nothing is lost audio quality-wise (at least from what I could determine). The results were far better than I could have even imagined (along with the pure silence). Also, keep in mind that this Douk unit also has a digital coax output. In fact, you can have both a Toslink and Digital Coax cable attached - with both outputs streaming music simultaneously (I love that). If ever there was a device that could fix certain unique USB issues, this Douk converter is the fix. Now granted, it is essential that the device you wish to connect to the Douk must have an optical Toslink input (or a Digital Coax input), otherwise, you'd be wasting your money here. Some DAC units only have USB inputs, and you're left with few options on those. But most have at least a Toslink connection also - and some also have Digital Coax inputs on top of everything else. All in all, for what it does, the subsequent fixes it employs, and more so - you lose nothing audio-wise - I cannot help but assign it 5 full stars with no reservations. Plus the price is very, very reasonable. As with any review, these are based on my experiences. Your mileage may vary... Highly recommended...

Works great at first, but quickly develops a really annoying crackle/hitch

This Douk Audio U2 works perfectly with my Win 11 x64 desktop. You do have to install the driver on the included mini-CD for Windows or download it from Douk's google drive (link in paper manual). The driver gives you 16 to 24 bit and 41 to 192 kHz audio. Works perfectly with Foobar2000 (both 32 and 64 bit versions). The mini-CD includes two Foobar2000 components that allow WASAPI and SACD play (just drag the two component files into the Foobar2000 component window). If you want 32 bit 384 kHz HDMI audio output then buy the Douk Audio U2 Pro instead (about $6 more). Even on the U2 Pro the SPDIF outputs max out at 24 bit and 192 kHz but its HDMI output can do 32 bit and 384 kHz. You also have to consider the capability of your SPDIF receiving equipment. My high-end Schiit Audio Gungnir DAC's SPDIF tops out at 24 bit and 192 kHz.

Além do benefício de duplicar o sinal digital USB em duas saídas simultâneas Coaxial e Toslink, percebi benefícios sonoros, talvez pelo equipamento também servir como um filtro de eventuais interferências. Estou usando USB IN - Toslink OUT. Percebi o som mais limpo, mais detalhado e ao mesmo tempo mais encorpado. Utilizei tanto com o notebook (windows 10) quanto com o Nvidia Shield e obtive excelentes resultados. Vale o preço pedido.

「導入目的」 もともとデジタルアンプDOUK AUDIO M100を使用していたため、同一メーカのDDCを探して本品を見つけた。 主たる目的はSPDIF接続によりデジタルアンプとPCのアースループを遮断するためにの目的で購入。 「視聴環境」 PC→ハブ：Lemorele TC94：USB C ハブ → DDC（本器）Douk Audio USBコンバーター XMOS XU208 パソコンはビットパーフェクトで送り出し。 USBハブにはHDMI経由で２台のモニターを接続している。 入力USBケーブル フェライトビーズで高周波ノイズを除去。 PD60Wケーブルで＋5V電源を安定に送る。 ハブはパッシブ状態（PD給電なし：PCからの電源供給のみ）で使用。 アンプ：DOUK AUDIO M100 電源強化：＋20V/5Aアダプター / FX-AUDIO- Petit Susie / FX-AUDIO- Petit Tank スピーカー：BOSE 121 WestBorough：ビンテージ物(^▽^) ニアフィールド視聴環境 「結果」 音声無音状態 → DOUK AUDIO M10ボリューム最大(50)で雑音は確認できず。 なお、BOSE121は比較的低能率スピーカーであり、低域は70Hz位が再生限界、高域は小生６５歳ということもあり言及できない。 通常視聴状況（アンプボリューム 15：10時位置） 定位： ボーカル・ベース・バスドラム センターに定位している。なお、ボーカルは手前側に出てきている。 ハイハット・ギターカッティングなどは相対的にレコーディングエンジニアが想定している位置でなっていると思う。 音圧感： ニアフィールド視聴においては、十分駆動できている。変なうるささ・ざわつきは感じない。 「総評」 全体的な評価とはなるが、DDCとしてのコストパフォーマンスがよい。 問題があるとすれば、本品ではないがDOUK AUDIO M100のSIPDF端子ロック機構に不具合が生じ、DOUK AUDIO のsupportメールに修理依頼をしたが無しのつぶてである。

I toss this between a mac and a PC. For the mac this solves the problem of having an optical sound setup and a newer mac that doesn't have optical out. On the PC side this allows the speakers to play some in game sounds (engines, hydralics etc of a flight sim) and route speech (Air traffic control) through a headset. Saves having to unplug the headset from the PC's sound card. Nice and compactm, I can stuff it in the rear door of my Phanteks NV7 case, or velcro it under the table near where the macbook lives (I mostly use my mac in clamshell mode) And yes, it's USB -C

Was looking for an optical audio output for my MacBook Pro that didn’t come with this. Works well with Mac OS (without any software installation) and sounds fantastic with the optical output on a pair of Edifier speakers. The coaxial output didn’t sound as good as the optical option.

I have my computer linked to Marantz receiver via digital output for many years. However never before I was able to get good sound out of it. If you did not know Windows Sound Mixer is making the sound bad no matter what you do. In attempts to improve the sound I changed speakers, got USB high end sound card, etc. Recently I came across the concept of DSD audio where the data from file is streaming directly to the digital output bypassing any of Windows "improvements" and resampling. The Douk Audio USB Converter XMOS XU208 is a great device and now I have true CD sound (I compared with Dennon CD component ). It came nicely packaged with CD of drivers. Yes, you would need to have a way to hook up the CD/DVD drive to your computer to install the drivers. The only drawback is that all of the instructions of setting up the foobar2000 player are in Chinese. I spent several days to set everything up. The deceiving issue is if you do not install the drivers from the CD the device would still work as regular sound card but the sound would be affected by Windows. So after I used Google to translate the provided document finally I was able to install everything including ASIO and defining everything in foobar2000 player. Once done I've got great sound out of the device, trust me, it is really great. The drawback of the ASIO is that you loose any other sounds of the windows through this device. But it does not prevent you from still having your "normal" sounds from the laptop speaker and great music from the XMOS over digital link. I have 2 inputs into my receiver and switching between them if I want to listen to the music or participate in Zoom call for example. Also I found that there are several FLAC radio streams and foobar2000 is able to play them without problems. Even Youtube music sounds way better. Still not perfect as all other sounds blocked I really like this device and regret that I did not get it earlier before I replaced my speakers. Now even the old speakers sound great and not muffed as before.