Review and Measurements of Okto DAC8 8Ch DAC & Amp

[AudioJester]

Well if Topping no doubt will measure brilliantly, may have some reliability issues. Also 3 yrs late to the party.
There are all ready good enough cheaper alternatives to the okto.
I say this as a topping and okto owner

 

[Mario Sanchez]

That device certainly came a fair bit later than one would like.
If topping could offer it at a budget-friendly price, though, it could be an enticing alternative, which measures a hair better than most pro alternatives out there, have better avaliability compared to Okto, and offers UA tier hardware performance at a lower price and in a more lightweight package.
I'm probably gonna keep my trusty Ultralite AVB though...

 

[Descartes]

Well if Topping no doubt will measure brilliantly, may have some reliability issues. Also 3 yrs late to the party.
There are all ready good enough cheaper alternatives to the okto.
I say this as a topping and okto owner

Which competition to OKTO 8 channels?

 

[Labjr]

Now, if Topping added DSP, they might have something there.

 

[Trell]

Now, if Topping added DSP, they might have something there.

At least setting crossover along with distance and levels.

 

[noname]

Rumor has it that topping is dropping a 8 channel D/A Converter come July. No further info yet other than it's going to be USB input only, and 6.35mm TRS outputs a la E50 and D10B, in a 90-series enclosure.
A challenger rises? Okto's supply/production seems to struggle in face of their product's popularity, it would be intriguing to see if topping could build something to rival this beast with better availability.
Source: A friend

DM7, 8-channel USB DAC! Coming soon!

 

[Sokel]

Question to owners:
I'm obviously really interested about the Okto but reading the whole thread didn't find the levels of protection it has.
Against a windows crush for example.
Will the full thrust of the horrible sound pass through into the amps and to the (dedicated) drivers?
How is it protected against such events?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Question to owners:
I'm obviously really interested about the Okto but reading the whole thread didn't find the levels of protection it has.
Against a windows crush for example.
Will the full thrust of the horrible sound pass through into the amps and to the (dedicated) drivers?
How is it protected against such events?

If you are referring to disturbing system noises, the responsibility is yours to insure they are always excluded from the output to the DAC.

 

[Trell]

Question to owners:
I'm obviously really interested about the Okto but reading the whole thread didn't find the levels of protection it has.
Against a windows crush for example.
Will the full thrust of the horrible sound pass through into the amps and to the (dedicated) drivers?
How is it protected against such events?

Passive attenuators can be a great help for protection.

Setting gain or input sensitivity is another possibility. Edit: max output level of the DA if selectable, so check that as well.

Have a look at this RME forum thread:

Level mismatch solutions - fixed and variable attenuators (Page 1) — Tips & Tricks — RME User Forum

Level mismatch solutions - fixed and variable attenuators (Page 1) — Tips & Tricks — RME User Forum —

forum.rme-audio.de

As @Kal Rubinson wrote: in the end it’s up to you. But I’ll add there’s help to be found with some device manufactures. My Genelec 8330A internal volume, that is the same as changing input sensitivity, is set low enough to not blow my ears.

 

[Sokel]

If you are referring to disturbing system noises, the responsibility is yours to insure they are always excluded from the output to the DAC.

No I'm not referring to the usual little problems,I'm referring to a windows crash for example which will make the pc-based crossover obsolete and the full force of the known (rare but still) brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr pass through the dac-crossover (essentially),specially when the attenuation is also in the same side.
I'm asking because I have know such an issue but with a normal multichannel pc card (asus) which is the same principle.
So,is there any special care taken against such (rare but more than sure over the time) event?

 

[maverickronin]

No I'm not referring to the usual little problems,I'm referring to a windows crash for example which will make the pc-based crossover obsolete and the full force of the known (rare but still) brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr pass through the dac-crossover (essentially),specially when the attenuation is also in the same side.
I'm asking because I have know such an issue but with a normal multichannel pc card (asus) which is the same principle.
So,is there any special care taken against such (rare but more than sure over the time) event?

That's definitely a real worry, but the Octo has it's own volume control which will limit any 0dBFS garbage from the computer if there's a program/OS crash.

 

[Neddy]

I've had a few system crashes or outages, due to win upgrades or t-storm/power outages (the last one took out my surgex power controller!) and in all instances the Okto was stable (ie, no sudden flash outputs to full). Maybe a dozen total since new?
I have had to re-install the asio driver a few times, annoyingly, after a) Win upgrades, b) JRiver upgrades, c) power glitches, and d) no clear reason.
I came to the conclusion that d) was b/c I was likely overdriving the 5v switched on/off output and hasn't reocurred since I removed it, but no proof as such.
I'm also using an external (downstream of Okto) DSP for bi-amping, xovers/PEQs and subwoofer integration, which has peak protection circuitry enabled (Venu360) on the mains, at least.
PS. Oh, and I switched from AES CH1/2 outputs to Analog to give me volume/mute control via the little remote.
B/C AES has no volume control (per se) it was a big risk, and several times I had accidently on purpose driven the outputs to full myself.
Now I don't have to scurry for damned PC controls to mute it, and just (find!) the tiny remote and mute it from there.
PPS. I have been EXTREMELY happy with the OktoDac. 2, 3 years now? No major issues at all. Still amazed at the quality Pavel built in to it.

 

[Sokel]

That's definitely a real worry, but the Octo has it's own volume control which will limit any 0dBFS garbage from the computer if there's a program/OS crash.

That's good to know!I didn't know that you can do global attenuation after the pc-crossover with the Okto,and with the included remote things seem really good.
Thank you.

 

[maverickronin]

That's good to know!I didn't know that you can do global attenuation after the pc-crossover with the Okto,and with the included remote things seem really good.
Thank you.

I've never used one, but it has has a remote, a big dial, and a single dB value on the display so I would assume that it set the volume for all channels simultaneously to be used as a general volume control. Then you'd just do the trim for each channel in software too and you should be set.

 

[Sokel]

PS. Oh, and I switched from AES CH1/2 outputs to Analog to give me volume/mute control via the little remote.
B/C AES has no volume control (per se) it was a big risk, and several times I had accidently on purpose driven the outputs to full myself.
Now I don't have to scurry for damned PC controls to mute it, and just (find!) the tiny remote and mute it from there.
PPS. I have been EXTREMELY happy with the OktoDac. 2, 3 years now? No major issues at all. Still amazed at the quality Pavel built in to it.

That's really good piece of info,i suppose I can have the same volume control for four channels that I will need the same way you did.
'Cause I never-ever use windows for volume control,I'm too vandal and careless to do so :

Thank you!

 

[manisandher]

I'm obviously really interested about the Okto but reading the whole thread didn't find the levels of protection it has.
Against a windows crush for example.
Will the full thrust of the horrible sound pass through into the amps and to the (dedicated) drivers?

I have both my Okto and MOTU set to 0dB attenuation in their respective fully active systems, i.e. at full output, with the amps connected directly to the drivers. They're fed by a RoonBridge (a Win 10 PC in the Okto's case, and a SOtM in the MOTU's case) which is itself fed by Roon Core on my server (powered by a UPS). Volume is controlled by Roon's DSP (via the app on my phone).

Well over a year later, I've had no problems whatsoever.

The only reason I don't use the Okto's vol control and remote is because it sits in the cellar (only the amps and speakers in the listening room).

But... I am fully aware of the risk I'm taking by having no protection between the DAC and amps to the drivers. I'm willing to take the risk - it'd have to be a catastrophic event for Roon Core to lose all it's DSP and send full signals to the DAC. In such an event, it would lose its channel mapping and send full signals to only channels 1 and 2, which feed the subs.

And anyway, I'd just replace the drivers if I had to - no big deal. But ever the optimist, I really can't see it happening .

Mani.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I'm asking because I have know such an issue but with a normal multichannel pc card (asus) which is the same principle.
So,is there any special care taken against such (rare but more than sure over the time) event?

I do not but I've not come upon the problem personally.

That's definitely a real worry, but the Octo has it's own volume control which will limit any 0dBFS garbage from the computer if there's a program/OS crash.

Well, there's that and I have it normally set in the range of -8dB to -25dB in actual use.

 

[Sokel]

Well, there's that and I have it normally set in the range of -8dB to -25dB in actual use.

That's definitely the way to go then.

I have both my Okto and MOTU set to 0dB attenuation in their respective fully active systems, i.e. at full output, with the amps connected directly to the drivers. They're fed by a RoonBridge (a Win 10 PC in the Okto's case, and a SOtM in the MOTU's case) which is itself fed by Roon Core on my server (powered by a UPS). Volume is controlled by Roon's DSP (via the app on my phone).

Well over a year later, I've had no problems whatsoever.

The only reason I don't use the Okto's vol control and remote is because it sits in the cellar (only the amps and speakers in the listening room).

But... I am fully aware of the risk I'm taking by having no protection between the DAC and amps to the drivers. I'm willing to take the risk - it'd have to be a catastrophic event for Roon Core to lose all it's DSP and send full signals to the DAC. In such an event, it would lose its channel mapping and send full signals to only channels 1 and 2, which feed the subs.

And anyway, I'd just replace the drivers if I had to - no big deal. But ever the optimist, I really can't see it happening .

Mani.

I also have my dac to 0db but downstream there's a pre and an electronic analog crossover before the amps,so I never had to worry.
Planning to minimize the chain Okto seems ideal.
Let's hope we will be both lucky!

 

[Mario Sanchez]

DM7, 8-channel USB DAC! Coming soon!

View attachment 217678

They're launching in China on UTC 2:00 (10:00 local time), July 12th, real close now.
Can't wait to see the price, hopefully it'll be competitive aginst Okto.

 

[Labjr]

DM7, 8-channel USB DAC! Coming soon!

View attachment 217678

I wonder if they fit 8 XLR & SE outputs on the back?