Okto 8 Owner’s Thread

[dziemian]

Yes. You will get acess to RME Total Mix software which I heard is awesome and you can also use rme volume control via a dedicated device

 

[dziemian]

RME ARC USB BE – Thomann Polska https://share.google/O2dip7ag5ItqLqv1d

 

[john61ct]

Not denigrating this obviously top notch device

And signal-clocking via AES can be fine

However IMO soon as you need more than 8 analog output channels (and/or adding ADC) BNC WC sync is THE way to go.

There are SO MANY top notch format converters, interfaces etc with that basic infrastructure, dare I say better value for those use cases?

Better than trying to stretch what is yes a fine DAC, into something else that it wasn't designed for.

 

[mdsimon2]

Not denigrating this obviously top notch device

And signal-clocking via AES can be fine

However IMO soon as you need more than 8 analog output channels (and/or adding ADC) BNC WC sync is THE way to go.

There are SO MANY top notch format converters, interfaces etc with that basic infrastructure, dare I say better value for those use cases?

Better than trying to stretch what is yes a fine DAC, into something else that it wasn't designed for.

And you base this on what exactly?

In my experience SPDIF / TOSLINK / AES / ADAT all work fine for maintaining clock sync. The issue is when you add USB in to the mix it is very easy to get slightly variable delay between two devices, even if they are clocked synced from the same source via BNC or AES. Usually delay will be consistent between device restarts but after a restart all bets are off.

As such I would absolutely use two Oktos in Pure USB Pure AES mode from a 16 channel AES source. But I would not use two Oktos in USB / AES mode from a 16 channel AES source.

Michael

 

[usmat]

...
As such I would absolutely use two Oktos in Pure USB mode from a 16 channel AES source. But I would not use two Oktos in USB / AES mode from a 16 channel AES source.

Michael

I am trying to understand this. Spelling it out for clarity. Lets say all 16 AES sources has 1 clock source. 2 Okto's in pure USB and 16 AES setup, would have some device/card transfer data from 16 AES into your pc/mac using some interface and then output to the 2 Okto's in pure USB. In USB/AES mode that device/card that inputs 16 AES (8+8) are the 2 Okto's correct? Both require 2 USB connections from the PC/Mac to the Okto to output data. And the latter is the issue. Is it becasue in the 2nd case there are 2 USB device's used to input the AES data into the pc/mac?
SMathews

 

[mdsimon2]

I am trying to understand this. Spelling it out for clarity. Lets say all 16 AES sources has 1 clock source. 2 Okto's in pure USB and 16 AES setup, would have some device/card transfer data from 16 AES into your pc/mac using some interface and then output to the 2 Okto's in pure USB. In USB/AES mode that device/card that inputs 16 AES (8+8) are the 2 Okto's correct? Both require 2 USB connections from the PC/Mac to the Okto to output data. And the latter is the issue. Is it becasue in the 2nd case there are 2 USB device's used to input the AES data into the pc/mac?
SMathews

Pure AES
Both devices are clocked via AES input, all input to output routing is done in Okto itself. Latency is Okto intrinsic delay which is constant for a given filter.

USB / AES
Both devices are clocked via AES input, software is required on USB host to route AES input to analog output. Latency will be variable between devices due to USB host variability. This means outputs will be synced between the two devices but delay between them will be variable.

Pure USB
Devices are clocked by their own internal oscillators. Two USB devices can never truly be clocked synced. There are software methods (MacOS aggregate device) that do an OK job of maintaining sync between two devices which are acceptable at lower frequencies, but not acceptable at higher frequencies. USB host restarts will also slightly change the relative delay between two devices.

Michael

 

[usmat]

Pure AES
Both devices are clocked via AES input, all input to output routing is done in Okto itself. Latency is Okto intrinsic delay which is constant for a given filter.

USB / AES
Both devices are clocked via AES input, software is required on USB host to route AES input to analog output. Latency will be variable between devices due to USB host variability. This means outputs will be synced between the two devices but delay between them will be variable.

Pure USB
Devices are clocked by their own internal oscillators. Two USB devices can never truly be clocked synced. There are software methods (MacOS aggregate device) that do an OK job of maintaining sync between two devices which are acceptable at lower frequencies, but not acceptable at higher frequencies. USB host restarts will also slightly change the relative delay between two devices.

Michael

So in your previous post did you mean pure AES not pure USB?
SMathews

 

[mdsimon2]

So in your previous post did you mean pure AES not pure USB?
SMathews

Ah, yes. I was confused why you were talking about Pure USB, but didn’t realize I had mistakenly typed that. I’ve corrected the post.

Michael

 

[dziemian]

When you decide to use rme hdspe aes with 16 channels out the okto will be working in pure aes mode. All routing and eq will be done in RME Total mix software. So HTPC (multimedia center) => Rme HDSPe AES -> 2x Okto Dac8Pro

 

[john61ct]

The RME devices make fantastic primary interfaces and having only one such unit for all output is ideal for simplicity, no clock worries.

In this scenario the Okto units are acting as very expensive format converters only. If you NEED AES in between at high mch counts, then choices are very limited.

The interface handling the ADC directly, or feeding the format converters via ADAT are the mainstream solutions, hence usually much cheaper.

Just general FYI...

 

[WeekendWarrior]

Had my Okto for a couple of months now, here it is in situ sitting below my multichannel Roon end point and above my Topping LA90D speaker amp and Pre90 which is acting as interface between the Okto and a pair of single ended subs.

I have been able to set a properly engineered crossover between speakers and subs using Roon and REW and it all works seamlessly; I've also been able to use the Okto trigger to control a relay that turns on the Pre90 as soon as music plays, and turns it off when the Okto powers down (the Pre90 doesn't have a trigger of its own). Very happy with my purchase. I don't see the electronics changing any time soon, unless something breaks, so having built the Roon endpoint myself, I need another project! Just so happens that Modushop, where I got my Roon enclosure from, also supply Okto with some of their enclosure, so it matches perfectly!

 

[AudioJester]

Had my Okto for a couple of months now, here it is in situ sitting below my multichannel Roon end point and above my Topping LA90D speaker amp and Pre90 which is acting as interface between the Okto and a pair of single ended subs.

I have been able to set a properly engineered crossover between speakers and subs using Roon and REW and it all works seamlessly; I've also been able to use the Okto trigger to control a relay that turns on the Pre90 as soon as music plays, and turns it off when the Okto powers down (the Pre90 doesn't have a trigger of its own). Very happy with my purchase. I don't see the electronics changing any time soon, unless something breaks, so having built the Roon endpoint myself, I need another project! Just so happens that Modushop, where I got my Roon enclosure from, also supply Okto with some of their enclosure, so it matches perfectly!

View attachment 558102

Looks great! Can you explain how/why you are using the Pre90?

 

[WeekendWarrior]

Yes, because the Okto only has XLR outputs and my subs are both single ended RCA, I needed an interface. Rather than getting an interface cable made I used my otherwise unemployed Pre90 as the interface.

 

[john61ct]

Just to nitpick FYI, "interface" is a pretty specific component category, as opposed to the more general "format converter".

In this case, the Okto is a mch interface via USB, also capable of acting standalone as DAC and hardware routing matrix.

Your preamp's function is as line level shifter, signal/impedance converter...