• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Okto dac8 stereo DAC Review

raif71

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 7, 2019
Messages
2,333
Likes
2,535
Feels a bit like a hack, doesn’t it? I thought the whole DAC integrated with the Pi like a “hat”. I think they might have run into issues integrating the Pi that way. Should work just as well though. Good thing there are 2 USB inputs.
Yup, it's beneath the Pi to be paired with such a DAC :p
 

garbulky

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 14, 2018
Messages
1,510
Likes
827
Anybody know what kind of volume control it uses? What DAC chip and how many? Is it fully balanced?
 

John1959

Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2020
Messages
88
Likes
152
Location
Netherlands
Well, unless the analogue output stage is deliberately colored, or there are unintended design mistakes made anywhere in a DAC, as long as the thresholds are kept below audibility, how can a DAC sound different? (..)
That's a legitimate question. Unfortunately, I don't have the definitive answer. But I am listening through a high res system for some hours now without any listening fatigue and I am pretty sure the Okto DAC8 contributes a lot to this. I had some other medium priced DAC's before in this system which didn't provide the same listening pleasure. Except my (vintage) Assemblage DAC 2.6 Signature (20 years old) but unfortunately this unit failed some time ago. This is, like the DAC8, a well designed unit too, also regarding the analogue circuit and power supply. And it's an R2R DAC of course!

But yes, I don't think a few dB's more or less SINAD are of any importance in practice.
 
Last edited:

Sonic delight

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Messages
39
Likes
31
You might have to put the numbers and information side by side (in one post) with the 'calculation' to show the point more clearly to me (and maybe others).

Since I bought my analyzer I prefer to just take the actual measurements. I can measure up to 128 SINAD with my setup.
 

pozz

Слава Україні
Forum Donor
Editor
Joined
May 21, 2019
Messages
4,036
Likes
6,825

Sonic delight

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Messages
39
Likes
31

For example don't you think this sub $100 headphone amp can drive any speaker amp to clipping?

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ents-of-new-jds-labs-atom-headphone-amp.5262/

Combine that with the $149 iPhone 7, and $20 Meizu, and you can drive the Benchmark amp to clipping, and achieve the same measured results Amir did in his review of the amp from the amp binding posts.

Better yet go overboard and spend $169.99 and you can drive any amp with up to 40vPP output balanced.

https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...-amplifier-combined-with-topping-d50s-d50-p50
 
Last edited:

Matias

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
5,029
Likes
10,796
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
It was kindly sent to me by the company for review.
For disclosure, does this mean it is yours to keep or sell as you wish? Or do you have to return it?
 

BillH

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 10, 2018
Messages
129
Likes
260
Location
Bedford, MA
For example don't you think this sub $100 headphone amp can drive any speaker amp to clipping?

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ents-of-new-jds-labs-atom-headphone-amp.5262/

Combine that with the $149 iPhone 7, and $20 Meizu, and you can drive the Benchmark amp to clipping, and achieve the same measured results Amir did in his review of the amp from the amp binding posts.

Better yet go overboard and spend $169.99 and you can drive any amp with up to 40vPP output balanced.

https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...-amplifier-combined-with-topping-d50s-d50-p50
Welcome to ASR!:)
I recommend you start a thread about your measurement system and the device you are recommending rather than burying it in a thread that is about the best DAC in the world.;)
How will anyone find your content buried here where it doesn't belong?
 

Sonic delight

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Messages
39
Likes
31
Welcome to ASR!:)
I recommend you start a thread about your measurement system and the device you are recommending rather than burying it in a thread that is about the best DAC in the world.;)
How will anyone find your content buried here where it doesn't belong?

thanks! The point is the best Dac in the world is only as good as the best amp in the world. And currently if you’re a speaker listener, $20 can get you a Dac that can achieve the best possible performance from any speaker amplifier on the market today. Most people on this forum don’t realize this. Which is why it’s important from an educational perspective. As this is a science forum, it’s beneficial for all members to understand what actually matters, and what will result in pissing money in the wind, for absolutely no measurable benefit.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,384
Location
Seattle Area
For disclosure, does this mean it is yours to keep or sell as you wish? Or do you have to return it?
I had to return the last one so I am assuming the same is true of this one.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,384
Location
Seattle Area
thanks! The point is the best Dac in the world is only as good as the best amp in the world. And currently if you’re a speaker listener, $20 can get you a Dac that can achieve the best possible performance from any speaker amplifier on the market today. Most people on this forum don’t realize this. Which is why it’s important from an educational perspective. As this is a science forum, it’s beneficial for all members to understand what actually matters, and what will result in pissing money in the wind, for absolutely no measurable benefit.
We are educated. Please don't keep discussing other products in this thread. This is not a dongle we are talking about. It is a desktop DAC with multiple inputs, volume control, remote control, display, etc.
 

Sonic delight

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Messages
39
Likes
31
We are educated. Please don't keep discussing other products in this thread. This is not a dongle we are talking about. It is a desktop DAC with multiple inputs, volume control, remote control, display, etc.

I think most people are aware of what this product is. Just not aware the same performance can be achieved for $20 in a speaker based setup. I bet 90% of your readers didn't know this. Which is why they actually care when a DAC measures better than 114 SINAD. I was just using the dongle as an example. But there's 1000 other sub $100 DAC's that can be used to make the same point.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,384
Location
Seattle Area
I think most people are aware of what this product is. Just not aware the same performance can be achieved for $20 in a speaker based setup.
No, if they have been here for five minutes, they know. Even if they didn't, they know after your first five posts saying that.

Review threads are not for argumentative points. Feel free to create another thread to discuss that.
 

VeerK

Active Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2019
Messages
257
Likes
318
Location
NYC
I’m curious if the 8 channel version has seen an improvement/revision, not that 118 to 122 is going to be audible, but that jitter and multi tone looks amazing
 

John1959

Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2020
Messages
88
Likes
152
Location
Netherlands
I’m curious if the 8 channel version has seen an improvement/revision, not that 118 to 122 is going to be audible, but that jitter and multi tone looks amazing
If I am right Okto Research stated sometime ago somewhere that the SINAD of the DAC8PRO indeed has been improved by some 2 dB since the pre production sample reviewed here (so now 120 dB). However, in the current manual 119 dB is mentioned (see their website).
 

Matias

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
5,029
Likes
10,796
Location
São Paulo, Brazil
@amirm would you mind measuring jitter and multitone for the Ethernet and wifi inputs, just to compare the onboard Pi4 to the excellent measurements of the USB input? Thanks!
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,384
Location
Seattle Area
@amirm would you mind measuring jitter and multitone for the Ethernet and wifi inputs, just to compare the onboard Pi4 to the excellent measurements of the USB input? Thanks!
I can't. My jitter test is 24 bits and airplay truncates that to 16. It also resamples it to 44 kHz which really screws it up.
 
Top Bottom