Review: Douk Audio S5 speakers, Geoyeao EVP-102 Blu-ray Player, Ultralink Ultima MkII IC

Budget Esoterica Review Magazine
February 2021 Issue

Douk Audio S5 speakers, Geoyeao EVP-102 Blu-ray player, Ultralink Ultima MkII stereo interconnect

Here is an inexpensive front end you can use with your high end amplifiers. I put together a system anchored by a high quality Marantz home theater receiver paired with an interesting new speaker from Douk Audio. 

The Douk Audio S5 speakers use a 5 inch full range speaker as well as an equal size passive radiator on the bottom of the speaker that reinforces the bass. The specs claim it can handle 15-80 watts ( 4 Ohms ) and the frequency response is listed as 60Hz - 18Khz . Listening tests proved that they are indeed a little rolled off on top , however i think the bass rating is a little overzealous. This is a small and lightweight speaker measuring under 6 inches wide , 8 inches deep and 9 inches high. They come in an attractive black walnut finish with plastic feet on the bottom. Expect to shell out $80 or less with free shipping for these. Don't expect the speakers to sound good straight out of the box or you will be disappointed. I had to break them in for several weeks , as well as find the right amp to use with them. 

Home theater fans and Blu-ray enthusiasts will like the Geoyeao EVP-102 player. Good sound and excellent video are the hallmarks of this sleek inexpensive player. I watched the movie Cast Away and the 3 dimensional imaging and the walk-in realism was stunning. This player is available at Amazon.com for under $100.

With a source as good as this you are not going to want to skimp out on the choice of stereo interconnect cables. I chose the Ultralink Ultima MkII interconnect which i purchased from parts connexion. This is a rugged well built interconnect that will add a little meat and potatoes to the sound. 

With a well recorded and clean sounding recording i was impressed at what this system could do. Joey Alexander , My Favorite Things, is an excellent recording with some really good songs. Listening to track number 1, "Giant Steps", was a sonic treat. The piano was rendered accurately with a good sense of weight. The speakers do not sound thin at all. The highs were reproduced solidly with good thickness and the bass was satisfying with also a slight sense of impact.  For the size and price of the speaker , i was very impressed. Track number 3, "My Favorite Things", conveyed a very nice sense of separation and timing between the interplay of the piano and upright bass player. If you listen closely you can hear the bass player take in slight breaths of air every few seconds. "Ma Blues" , was smooth and organic sounding with an excellent sense of rhythm and timing, but not as sharp or as clean as some of my other speakers. 

So how do the Douk speakers fare with vocals? Pretty good if you like a direct and forward sound. That is what i heard from Bobby Bland , "Don't Cry No More", from the album , Two Steps From The Blues. This is a crisp sound with plenty of treble energy also. These speakers are just plain fun to listen to. I liked the way the horns sounded on track number 6 and the sound was also nice and clean. On track number 7, "I've Just Got To Forget About You", it was the clarity and transparency of the sound that stood out. 

I hope Douk Audio will come out with more speakers like this in the future. While this is not the speaker for serious audiophiles, it will do just fine for everyone else. If you are looking to upgrade your dvd player , the Geoyeao EVP-102 has an amazing picture and very good sound and i highly recommend it. The Ultralink interconnects are also excellent and definitely recommended.