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Need some inputs on 8-Channel Dacs

Ibanez

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Hello

Some of you may have followed me in my bad luck with my beloved Okto Dac8 Pro, where the headamp broke twice in one year, first time just after 3 weeks of delivery, and second time just last week. And some issue with volume increasment without me doing anything, and display didn't show the increase neither, some internal chip error i belive. Not Okto to blame for this.

I am searching for an alternate and have looked at some Dac:s with XLR or TRS>XLR conversion
Rostec DA8
Antelope Orion32+ Gen3 (used market)
Topping DM7 (good price)
Motu Ultralite MK5 (good price)
Universial Audio X8 or X16 (used but very pricey, and only Thunderbolt, I nmed to change motherboard to get TB)
Exasound s88 is out of price.
Merging Hapi/Hours out of price

Considering an pcie internal card also.
Marian Seraph 8 MKII, XLR out via db25 connector.
I want some input on this one, will it be good sound quality with a card like this, ess 9028pro Dacs.
Can I connect this card to amps directly? Will it be too much emi/rfi, like I will hear mouse movement, clicks and scrollwheel like on bad shiled front audio ports do sometimes.
Else it's fairly good price / out channels and XLR.

Considering a new Okto, because I think my specific unit was broken from the day I got it, but input on the alternatives before reconsidering Okto, it is 1800€ with config I had.

Thanks in advance.

Edited, can mods move I to Dac thread, not reviews. I didn't find anyway moving it myself.
Sorry for inconvenience.
 
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I

Ibanez

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Maybeit will be an Hapi Mk2 used, when I get my money back, if it's not gone by then.
 

Keith_W

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There's also the RME Fireface UC. It has the bonus of having a microphone input. 2 mic inputs, actually. And i've forgotten how many digital inputs it has, I have to look at the back of mine :)
 
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I

Ibanez

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I found an Antelope Studio Synergy Core at a good price.
It has mic inputs so i now I can measure without clockdrift. Just need to buy an umm6 or Earthworks M30.
I will update when the unit has arrived and I manged to install it, and routing the channels as I want them.
That will take some time I believe. Never used and such interface. I like to learn new stuff.
 
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I

Ibanez

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Now it has arrived, and so far I am pleased, good seller, fast delivery.
The first seller needed his unit, but I found another one week later.
Have only listened through headphone out. Waiting for db25 connectors, shrinkingtubes,
I like the sound from the Denon d9200.
So far i am happy.
 
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I

Ibanez

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Now i have soldered the Mogami 3162 110ohm DB25 to 8 XLR male out.
So for now i have 8ch line outs, if i ever tend to need more i will just solder one more DB25>XLR male, and will then have 16 channels, and i can also use the monitor outs in the same way also i believe, and then have 20 channels.

I like it a lot. Headphone outs sounds really clear an pristine,

Something that I noticed was that bass / midbass around 80-150hz is lacking compared the Okto dac8 Pro. And it really that much less. Others on gearspace have said same thing when they have compared Antelopes Orion interfaces to other interfaces.
But the better overall sq from this compared to the Okto I had is very noticeable.

And the volume increasement that I thought was Oktos fault, that is really not a driver fault. It is an really old windows bug, that is related to when you pause of media and then the volume increase like 10db without you doing it.
 

Kal Rubinson

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And the volume increasement that I thought was Oktos fault, that is really not a driver fault. It is an really old windows bug, that is related to when you pause of media and then the volume increase like 10db without you doing it.
I have read about this more than once but, in my years of using multiple multichannel DACs, it has never occurred to me. I wonder how common it is.
 
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I

Ibanez

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No, exactly, that bug is not very common, and it just seemed that I was having a bit of bad luck with just the Okto that had some issues. But it it has not happened since I started using Antelope OSSC, so I am happy again with great sound. Just need to adjust speaker angle to get Qsound right again (Roger Waters Amused to Death album).

I am very pleased with the sound of this new dac. And it has good headphone section also.
 

radix

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I use the Motu Ultralite MK5, mostly with Camilla DSP, and some with a small recording setup. Works really well. I use it's headphones while recording, but not for any critical listening. You do need to set it up with the Motu app, it's not really configurable from the front panel.
 
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Ibanez

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Anyone using an Antelope Orion Synergy device?
When I want to measure my speakers using the mic inputs of the Orion Stutudio SC, how do i create an loopback (I believe this is needed)with the routing matrix so I can measure with ex REW, Acourate or Audiolence?
I believe it's possible with the Routing matrix.
 
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