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Okto Dac8 Pro alternative?

Seems like there is no way to use this with a miniDSP SHD studio or Flex as they can't output on USB. Is there any good non-PC DSP room correction and crossover that can output over USB or is this limited to PC based systems?

Raspberry Pi running CamillaDSP can use the SHD as a capture device and assuming the DM7 works on Linux could route the captured signal to the DM7 as a playback device. Similarly you could add a TOSLINK input to the DM7 by using a cheap hifimediy TOSLINK to USB device.

Although to me using a SHD duplicates the most interesting functionality of the DM7 (screen / IR volume control) and I would probably lean towards one of the more trusted pro audio options to pair with the SHD but YMMV.

Michael
 
I ordered this, along with a DB25 snake and a/b switcher to test alongside my current setup, for the time being via the Volume8.
Hoping the switcher doesn't degrade the quality even more than the volume knob, which crackles when I turn it!

The AES inputs on the Dac8 Pro would actually be better for my purposes, so maybe this release will alleviate some of the demand pressure, or perhaps even free up existing supply :cool:

In the meantime, I ordered a used RME ADI-4 DD, which should allow me to complete the chain for HDMI sources (HDMI switcher -> HDMI to SDI converter -> SDI to Audio 4K converter -> ADI-4 DD -> Digiface USB -> Mac mini -> DM7 or back out to Digiface + other DACs).

I can't tell if things are getting simpler or more convoluted, or both.
 
I'm sure the Merging Hapi was discussed here, though certainly a much more costly alternative.

I can't believe Okto didn't include the admittedly much less popular optical input, since it's included with the DAC 8 Stereo. That would have made the Pro 8 DAC more useful, such for using the internal speaker system of one these two TVs as a center channel speaker to build a 3.3 system:

https://electronics.sony.com/tv-video/televisions/all-tvs/p/xr65a95l

https://electronics.sony.com/tv-video/televisions/all-tvs/p/k65xr90

Apologies for Sony's asinine manner of displaying detailed specs, when the rest of the civilized world does it with pdfs.

And leave it to Sony to only include a single digital audio output-the far less common optical outputs, and with only 16 bit depth at that. Unlike the Okto DAC Stereo 8, the DAC Pro 8includes no native optical input-nor does the Merging Hapi DAC card, and adding that connectivity is absurdly expensive. https://www.markertek.com/product/m...dm-multimode-option-card-for-horus-hapi-mk-ii

However, might JRiver or some other MCH software interface be able to feed center channel info to the TV's "S Center Channel input" from the Okto DAC 8 Pro or Merging Hapi? Presumably, it's an analog input, but even though my Pioneer BD player and my HDPC will connect to the TV via HDMI for playing DVDs and BDs, as required here https://helpguide.sony.net/ha/strtaan10/v1/en/contents/TP1000735399.html , how likely will I be able to create a 3.3 system using the TV as a center speaker?
 
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I'm sure the Merging Hapi was discussed here, though certainly a much more costly alternative.

I can't believe Okto didn't include the admittedly much less popular optical input, since it's included with the DAC 8 Stereo. That would have made the Pro 8 DAC more useful, such for using the internal speaker system of one these two TVs as a center channel speaker to build a 3.3 system:

https://electronics.sony.com/tv-video/televisions/all-tvs/p/xr65a95l

https://electronics.sony.com/tv-video/televisions/all-tvs/p/k65xr90

Apologies for Sony's asinine manner of displaying detailed specs, when the rest of the civilized world does it with pdfs.

And leave it to Sony to only include a single digital audio output-the far less common optical outputs, and with only 16 bit depth at that. Unlike the Okto DAC Stereo 8, the DAC Pro 8includes no native optical input-nor does the Merging Hapi DAC card, and adding that connectivity is absurdly expensive. https://www.markertek.com/product/m...dm-multimode-option-card-for-horus-hapi-mk-ii

However, might JRiver or some other MCH software interface be able to feed center channel info to the TV's "S Center Channel input" from the Okto DAC 8 Pro or Merging Hapi? Presumably, it's an analog input, but even though my Pioneer BD player and my HDPC will connect to the TV via HDMI for playing DVDs and BDs, as required here https://helpguide.sony.net/ha/strtaan10/v1/en/contents/TP1000735399.html , how likely will I be able to create a 3.3 system using the TV as a center speaker?
I may be wrong but for some reasons I always had lip sync issues with the optical output on TVs. Not to mention different latency based on the app/program used. Maybe Sony is an exception but unfortunately HDMI is still the right way to get audio out of TVs.
I always wanted to get my hands on a HAPI Mark 2 but my previous experience with Motu (another pro DAC/interface) reminded me that it may not be a plug an play solution (i.e clock getting out of sync, pops, startup/shutdown workarounds to sync it with the source/player )
 
However, might JRiver or some other MCH software interface be able to feed center channel info to the TV's "S Center Channel input" from the Okto DAC 8 Pro or Merging Hapi?
You should be able to use a cheap SPDIF to Toslink converter and an XLR to RCA cable from one of the Okto’s AES output. You just need to re-map the output of the center channel to either Ch1 or Ch2 in the menus of the Okto (very simple). I can’t guarantee that you will maintain perfect sync or quality, but it should work for a short cable run.

Edit: I just want to clarify that this solution would hypothetically route Ch1-2 from the Okto Dac8 Pro to the TV via an optical center channel input (not something I would ever try to do myself due to the inevitable tonality shift between channels). Getting the signal from your other devices with HDMI into the Okto would require something like the Meridian HD621 or another HDMI audio extractor that can output AES.
 
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Unlike the Okto DAC Stereo 8, the DAC Pro 8includes no native optical input -nor does the Merging Hapi DAC card
Technically, you are right because it is not on any of the commonly used A/D/A boards. However, optical S/PDIF is a standard feature of the Hapi main chassis.
"Providing as standard; 8 channels of AES- EBU I/O plus 8 ADAT or 2 SPDIF I/O (on TOSLINK) and 2 Network interfaces 2 slots for AD8D/AD8P, DA8/DA8P, MADI or PT64 option cards. "
 
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Such a waste, though maybe it's for the best. Will have to consult Troy Crowe who's building my mains for right center channel speaker, and which won't intrude on the screen.
 
Looking at the manual of the Hapi Mkii.
Once equipped with 2 DA8(P) modules , it seems that one can output at the same time 16 analog channels and a copy of some or all channels via the aes/ebu output.

Is that correct?
 
What is your 7.1 source? By "XLR or SPDIF digital outputs" are you saying your source is 8 channels of AES (XLR) or SPDIF?
If or when I would go multichannel, it would be for DVD and BD movie sound via my pc. JRiver would decode the Dolby Digital or DTS MA to output via USB to the Okto DAC 8 Pro or via CAT cable to the Merging Hapi DAC.
 
Looking at the manual of the Hapi Mkii.
Once equipped with 2 DA8(P) modules , it seems that one can output at the same time 16 analog channels and a copy of some or all channels via the aes/ebu output.

Is that correct?
If the manual doesn't specify ask about it here [email protected]
 
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