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Okto dac8 stereo DAC Review

waynel

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Anyone have the DAC8 in silver and a Silver Benchmark product ? How well to the colors match?

thanks
Wayne
 

EchoChamber

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I'll be VERY curious to hear what you think of the Okto versus the D90. Also, it would be nice to find somebody who is using the Okto with HQ Player.

Thanks,
Anand.
So far, after a 2 day “warm up” and after a 2 hour listening session with mostly acoustic recordings, e.g., opera and (world) jazz, I feel the Dac8 has an edge over the D90. Both resolve detail very well but the Dac8 has a natural timbre quality the D90 doesn’t. In my subjective perception (take it with a grain of salt), the D90 has a “mechanical” feel to it that the Dac8 doesn’t. The mid range is very pure and detailed with the Okto DAC.

(I’m speculating) The differences might be due to the digital volume controls, the D90 in DAC mode paired with the Schiit Freya in passive mode doesn’t have that “mechanical” quality but looses a bit of resolution in my opinion. I rather live with it than loose detail...

The D90 MQA might be a hair “warmer” than the Dac8.

I find sound stage from the Dac8 more enveloping somehow. Listening to a live flamenco recording from Estrella Morente, the illusion of having real instruments in my living room was impressive.

These are my early impressions, both DACs are excellent and extremely resolving, but not subjectively identical to my ears. No other variables other then the DACs was changed.

I’m now feeding my DACs through a X-SPDIF via a AES/EBU Canare Digital 110 ohm cable. I found the X-SPDIF brought a greater feeling of transparency and ease on the ears. I bought it to interface with a pair of digital pro active monitors, but I find it helped improve the overall presentation of my current passive system. (So much for being minimal.... lol)
 

DaaDaa

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I felt it a bit thin sounding and analytic or less warm compared to my soekris r2r dac but after 50 hours of play time I don't have that anymore, I don't know if my ears are getting used to it or there really is change with burn in, but I'm gonna do an AB alongside the r2r dac and if i feel it more analytic it will be sold immediately as I always always prefer warmer sounding equipment. But if not then the okto will stay for the long run, as in hopefully until I die. The warmer the better.
 

Jimbob54

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I felt it a bit thin sounding and analytic or less warm compared to my soekris r2r dac but after 50 hours of play time I don't have that anymore, I don't know if my ears are getting used to it or there really is change with burn in, but I'm gonna do an AB alongside the r2r dac and if i feel it more analytic it will be sold immediately as I always always prefer warmer sounding equipment. But if not then the okto will stay for the long run, as in hopefully until I die. The warmer the better.

For the love of all that is holy, please make sure you match the levels when doing the AB.
 

EchoChamber

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I felt it a bit thin sounding and analytic or less warm compared to my soekris r2r dac but after 50 hours of play time I don't have that anymore, I don't know if my ears are getting used to it or there really is change with burn in, but I'm gonna do an AB alongside the r2r dac and if i feel it more analytic it will be sold immediately as I always always prefer warmer sounding equipment. But if not then the okto will stay for the long run, as in hopefully until I die. The warmer the better.
I just find it to sound very natural, which is something I’ve always been looking for. Nothing seems hyped, but yet all the information is there.

This year I had the following DACs playing in my main system:
Schiit Yggdrasil (latest version) - sold
RME Adi 2 DAC - returned after 2 weeks
Topping D90 MQA - now on desk system paired with the A90
Schiit Modius - now on home office paired with the Freya S
Dac8 - keeping it in the main system for now
 

Neto Rare

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I just find it to sound very natural, which is something I’ve always been looking for. Nothing seems hyped, but yet all the information is there.

This year I had the following DACs playing in my main system:
Schiit Yggdrasil (latest version) - sold
RME Adi 2 DAC - returned after 2 weeks
Topping D90 MQA - now on desk system paired with the A90
Schiit Modius - now on home office paired with the Freya S
Dac8 - keeping it in the main system for now

Did you compare the preamp of the Dac8 vs the Freya S (passive/active)? I had the D90/Element X before (sold/returned), but was let down by its preamp forcing me to get the Freya S.

I'm also currently using the modius as a temp dac w/ the Freya S.
 
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BAMCIS

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This DAC essentially meets it's peak SINAD at 2.6 volts, meaning we can actually benefit from it at real world listening levels. Unless I'm wrong, we'll never hear what 4 or 4.2 volts sounds like, I doubt power amps, powered monitors or our ears could handle it. Played through even the best pre amps we would sacrifice at least 3 to 5 db unless I'm mistaken? Wish these units weren't on back order all the time. How cool would it be if Amir or Lone Wolf were to measure one of the 120 db SINAD DACs via the HPA4? Just a quick balanced in-and-out, no pun intended
 

EchoChamber

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This DAC essentially meets it's peak SINAD at 2.6 volts, meaning we can actually benefit from it at real world listening levels. Unless I'm wrong, we'll never hear what 4 or 4.2 volts sounds like, I doubt power amps, powered monitors or our ears could handle it. Played through even the best pre amps we would sacrifice at least 3 to 5 db unless I'm mistaken? Wish these units weren't on back order all the time. How cool would it be if Amir or Lone Wolf were to measure one of the 120 db SINAD DACs via the HPA4? Just a quick balanced in-and-out, no pun intended
My understanding is that using the Freya S in passive mode wouldn’t degrade SINAD by much. We’d only be dealing with extra cables and connectors and resistors. But I don’t intend to add the Freya to the mix...

The Dac8 sounds as close to perfect as I ever got in my passive system. When I get my Genelec 8351B’s, it will be interesting to see how it compares against feeding the Genelec a digital signal directly from my computer (through the X-SPDIF converter). I still plan to keep the Dac8 since I’ll need the functionality of multiple digital inputs, streaming and a volume control easy to use.

I also really dig the industrial design, there’s a certain minimalist retro quality to the thick aluminum front plate that’s quite unique. Feels a bit like Krell gear from the 90’s... I was definitely seduced by the Dac8’s look.
 

Harmonie

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I just find it to sound very natural, which is something I’ve always been looking for. Nothing seems hyped, but yet all the information is there.

This year I had the following DACs playing in my main system:
Schiit Yggdrasil (latest version) - sold
RME Adi 2 DAC - returned after 2 weeks
Topping D90 MQA - now on desk system paired with the A90
Schiit Modius - now on home office paired with the Freya S
Dac8 - keeping it in the main system for now

I wonder why did you return the RME ?
 

Harmonie

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the Dac8 has a natural timbre quality the D90 doesn’t. In my subjective perception (take it with a grain of salt), the D90 has a “mechanical” feel to it that the Dac8 doesn’t.


My D90 sounds ... call it "mechanical" , too. I wonder if it's the "DAC"s analogue output stage part. Some may like the "no frills" part. In that sense I enjoyed more the Gustard A22. It's this nodding and tapping your foot that is missing on the D90.
 

Harmonie

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Did you compare the preamp of the Dac8 vs the Freya S (passive/active)? I had the D90/Element X before (sold/returned), but was let down by its preamp forcing me to get the Freya S.

I'm also currently using the modius as a temp dac w/ the Freya S.

Is there an audible passive/active difference ?
I listened to dac only directly into power amp using a (passive) resistance attenuator for years. I find the result "boring" not involving. I may be wrong, but I'm expecting an active preamp to put some salt grain and make it all sound more joyful.
 

EchoChamber

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Is there an audible passive/active difference ?
I listened to dac only directly into power amp using a (passive) resistance attenuator for years. I find the result "boring" not involving. I may be wrong, but I'm expecting an active preamp to put some salt grain and make it all sound more joyful.
The Freya S in one of the two active modes will sound “bigger” and more “musical”, you’re getting some well designed SS audio colorations. At the expense of resolution though. If I had a party at home, I’d definitely switch to active - and remove the volume knob... ;-)
 

EchoChamber

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I wonder why did you return the RME ?
I was getting listen fatigue very quickly somehow... Not sure if it was jitter related... I hear the v1 sounds “better” in that regard.

Something that doesn’t happen at all with the Dac8.

To be fair, at the time I didn’t have the X-SPDIF to compare different digital inputs performance.
 

Purité Audio

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The imagination is so very powerful.
Keith
 

EchoChamber

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EchoChamber

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My D90 sounds ... call it "mechanical" , too. I wonder if it's the "DAC"s analogue output stage part. Some may like the "no frills" part. In that sense I enjoyed more the Gustard A22. It's this nodding and tapping your foot that is missing on the D90.
I feel the D90 and A90 complement each other very well though. The A90 “softness” compensate some of the sonic signature of the D90.
 
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