Okto dac8 stereo DAC Review

[Mike Rubin]

I recall that when I emailed Okto for ideas because of multiple failures of the update, it took Pavel a couple of weeks to get back to me, which didn't bother me at the time because it was operating fine otherwise on the older firmware.

Have you tried reinstalling the firmware? Perhaps there is a fault/glitch in your initial update.

I haven't tried that. Couldn't hurt. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[AudioJester]

I haven't tried that. Couldn't hurt. Thanks for the suggestion.

I emailed Pavel about the DSD issue. He replied asking to set delays/buffers in software longer. Iam at the max in hqp and in the okto tool.
He did say there is a new firmware soon that will hopefully address the issue.

 

[TaxTime]

I emailed Pavel about the DSD issue. He replied asking to set delays/buffers in software longer. Iam at the max in hqp and in the okto tool.
He did say there is a new firmware soon that will hopefully address the issue.

To clarify, when I suggested reloading the firmware, I was referring to his issue regarding losing memory settings (such as programmed remote functions) whenever power was lost to the unit (power cord disconnect, power outage, etc.).

From what I gather, the DSD popping issue is a known issue for OKTO that is being worked on.

Probably completely unrelated, but when I was putting together my IanCanada i2s transport, it had the issue when playing to my DAC at the time, but using a mini Windows desktop did not. In both cases (Windows and Pi), I used the latest JRiver release. I never figured out if the issue was the IanCanada stuff, or something that was inherent difference between USB out from the mini desktop, as I just moved on since it was essentially just toying around.

I should note, though, that running USB from EITHER desktop or Pi through a Matrix X-SPDIF 2, then to DAC via i2s did not experience popping; however, it was once again a situation of USB converted to i2s rather than i2s directly as was with the IanCanada boards.

 

[Mike Rubin]

I emailed Pavel about the DSD issue. He replied asking to set delays/buffers in software longer. Iam at the max in hqp and in the okto tool.
He did say there is a new firmware soon that will hopefully address the issue.

I played with the HQPlayer buffers a bit. It didn't seem to help, but I didn't get very far. I can play with it more. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[TaxTime]

One thing I wanted to add that MIGHT help/point to a direction regarding popping only at the beginning. With the IanCanada stuff, I believe I read somewhere that it has to do with sample rate switching, as the popping only occurred at the beginning (I don't recall it happening at the end of the track, unless it required a sample rate change as well). Based on this, I believe one solution was to insert a few milliseconds of silence via player software (I used JRiver) so it would "play" silence as the board switched sample rates/clocks.

Edit - another point to make is that the popping only happened when using i2s out of the IanCanada, and did not occur when using USB (from same Pi) > Matrix SPDIF 2 > i2s. I SUSPECT it MAY have been something to do with the rudimentary circuit of the IanCanada boards. As Pi boards do not have an MCLK output, an intermediate board is used between the Pi and the i2s transport board (FifoPi). The FifoPi uses two clock chips for the different base clocks frequencies. This differentiates from the i2s out of the Matrix - not sure what the design difference may have been, as I never tried opening the unit up to see.

 

[Mike Rubin]

One thing I wanted to add that MIGHT help/point to a direction regarding popping only at the beginning. With the IanCanada stuff, I believe I read somewhere that it has to do with sample rate switching, as the popping only occurred at the beginning (I don't recall it happening at the end of the track, unless it required a sample rate change as well). Based on this, I believe one solution was to insert a few milliseconds of silence via player software (I used JRiver) so it would "play" silence as the board switched sample rates/clocks.

Edit - another point to make is that the popping only happened when using i2s out of the IanCanada, and did not occur when using USB (from same Pi) > Matrix SPDIF 2 > i2s. I SUSPECT it MAY have been something to do with the rudimentary circuit of the IanCanada boards. As Pi boards do not have an MCLK output, an intermediate board is used between the Pi and the i2s transport board (FifoPi). The FifoPi uses two clock chips for the different base clocks frequencies. This differentiates from the i2s out of the Matrix - not sure what the design difference may have been, as I never tried opening the unit up to see.

Thanks for this. I get pops at beginning and end, more the latter now. I do have a buffer set in HQPlayer but can't find the JRiver setting that inserts a moment of silence before tracks played over DLNA, which is how I use JRiver and don't know yet if Audirvana and Volumio can do that. I was planning to dig deeper into that today.

Good news, though, because Pavel responded overnight and confirmed there is firmware that will address DSD playback.

The settings issue may or may not be user error. I will test that today, too.

 

[rainspainplain]

Hello. I am using an old Apple TV remote (old silver one) on my Okto DAC but when I press up or down to adjust the volume of the DAC my "new" Apple TV is responding (the remote for this Apple TV is black). Anyone have any recommendations on how to prevent the old Apple TV remote from working with the Apple TV or any other suggestions for this issue? I tried to have the Okto learn from my new Apple TV remote but it didn't register the new remote's up and down volume buttons.

 

[Mike Rubin]

Thanks for this. I get pops at beginning and end, more the latter now. I do have a buffer set in HQPlayer but can't find the JRiver setting that inserts a moment of silence before tracks played over DLNA, which is how I use JRiver and don't know yet if Audirvana and Volumio can do that. I was planning to dig deeper into that today.

Good news, though, because Pavel responded overnight and confirmed there is firmware that will address DSD playback.

The settings issue may or may not be user error. I will test that today, too.

Per Pavel:

Confirmed that the DSD issues are known and that there will be a firmware update.

Also, the issues with settings indeed are my operator error. Apparently, I did not follow the optimal power off sequence. I think I have that working again for me now.

 

[Zooqu1ko]

Also, the issues with settings indeed are my operator error. Apparently, I did not follow the optimal power off sequence. I think I have that working again for me now.

So what exactly is it that you did wrong, and what's the optimal power off sequence?

 

[Mike Rubin]

So what exactly is it that you did wrong, and what's the optimal power off sequence?

Okto has always advised removing the power cord and replugging if you don't get a handshake when changing USB inputs. I almost never do, so I have just been yanking out the cord without using the control knob on the front panel to power off first.

Apparently, you need at least once to press the control knob before you remove the cord and reconnect. The press writes the settings.

I guess it didn't matter before the update because the settings had been written once and I never changed them. Removing and reconnecting the power cord reinstated those settings.

When I updated, though, all settings were wiped and needed restoration manually. I would have bet that I had pressed the control knob at least once before removing the cord to enable handshakes, but I apparently had not. Therefore, when power came back on when I reconnected the cord, I was back at the defaults.

My bad.

 

[Neddy]

Hello. I am using an old Apple TV remote (old silver one) on my Okto DAC but when I press up or down to adjust the volume of the DAC my "new" Apple TV is responding (the remote for this Apple TV is black). Anyone have any recommendations on how to prevent the old Apple TV remote from working with the Apple TV or any other suggestions for this issue? I tried to have the Okto learn from my new Apple TV remote but it didn't register the new remote's up and down volume buttons.

I'm having the same issue.
In my case I also managed to get the okto/apple remote into a 'not working at all any more state' so may need to get another?
(Fortunately I have the ATV behind a 'door' so can sort of block it from seeing the Okto/Apple remote.)

Anybody?

 

[mdsimon2]

I use an AppleTV 4K with my Okto. I had the Okto learn a non-AppleTV remote and then used IR volume control on the AppleTV to learn the non-AppleTV remote.

I don’t have the AppleTV remote set to navigate the Okto menus, but the volume and mute functionality (including the ability to power off the Okto by holding the mute button) of the AppleTV remote work perfectly.

Michael

 

[TaxTime]

I'm having the same issue.
In my case I also managed to get the okto/apple remote into a 'not working at all any more state' so may need to get another?
(Fortunately I have the ATV behind a 'door' so can sort of block it from seeing the Okto/Apple remote.)

Anybody?

I just mapped a spare universal remote to my Okto (after making sure it was programmed to something OTHER than anything nearby).

 

[rainspainplain]

Hello. I am using an old Apple TV remote (old silver one) on my Okto DAC but when I press up or down to adjust the volume of the DAC my "new" Apple TV is responding (the remote for this Apple TV is black). Anyone have any recommendations on how to prevent the old Apple TV remote from working with the Apple TV or any other suggestions for this issue? I tried to have the Okto learn from my new Apple TV remote but it didn't register the new remote's up and down volume buttons.

I got it working. I know I'd searched for solutions before and I think I've even tried this before but it's now working. I followed the "best reply" from here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/251584968?sortBy=best.

 

[Rkosak]

Confirmed that the DSD issues are known and that there will be a firmware update.

Any indication when the new FW update will be out? In the reply to my email (from the beginning of November), Pavel mentioned "the end of the year", which he obviously did not fulfil. Or just the proverbial "soon"?

 

[Mike Rubin]

Any indication when the new FW update will be out? In the reply to my email (from the beginning of November), Pavel mentioned "the end of the year", which he obviously did not fulfil. Or just the proverbial "soon"?

No date provided.

 

[dped90]

Any subjective comparisons between the Okto Stereo 8 and the SMSL D300, or new SMSL vmv d2r?

 

[DWPress]

@mdsimon2 did you use the Mac to upgrade the firmware somehow? The last email I got from Fabrice only mentioned Windows tools.

edit: I have Parallels and Win11 on my Mac but not sure if that's a good way to go.

 

[mdsimon2]

I was also told to use the Windows DFU tool to flash the firmware and that is what I have been using. I believe Fabrice is working through some issues with xmosusb utility.

Not sure how about Parallels / Win11 on a Mac to be honest.

Michael

 

[DWPress]

I thought as much. I've no access to a modern Windows machine so I'll just wait for the official release. Got a note from Fabrice this morning about this so he's monitoring ASR discussion even on the eve of his vacation!