Review and Measurements of Okto DAC8 8Ch DAC & Amp

[Bliman]

@Okto Research , It has been a couple of months since the last domestic tour report. Is the domestic tour still going on ?

TIA

I have sent Pavel a couple of mails. With an interval of a couple of weeks. And I have heard nothing back anymore.
I most say that it worries me a bit (I always check my mail to see if I get an answer from them). I think that they are super busy. But I think for a brand that wants to grow. That communication is one of the most important things. That's why I am worried that we have so little news, or that mails are answered late (I hope that I get one back) or that the site hasn't changed. That are very important things besides having a stellar product imo. I know I am harsh but I hope I am fair. Because I think that many are interested in them. And I want the best for them.

 

[g29]

I have sent Pavel a couple of mails. With an interval of a couple of weeks. And I have heard nothing back anymore.
I most say that it worries me a bit (I always check my mail to see if I get an answer from them). I think that they are super busy. But I think for a brand that wants to grow. That communication is one of the most important things. That's why I am worried that we have so little news, or that mails are answered late (I hope that I get one back) or that the site hasn't changed. That are very important things besides having a stellar product imo. I know I am harsh but I hope I am fair. Because I think that many are interested in them. And I want the best for them.

The Hypex NC400 domestic tour (on Audiocircle) appeared to progress in a well organized orderly fashion with each participant having 3 days (if memory serves) and then onto the next participant on the list as well as feedback in the designated thread on each stop. As for businesses and product releases, it is always better to under promise and over deliver (product, price and schedule). Just good business practice versus the alternative approaches.

The newly redesigned unit also needs to be revalidated. There were a lot of hardware/software/feature changes between the one measured on ASR and the one supposedly starting to ship this week.

The information on their website hasn't been updated either from what they posted a month ago on page 29 of this thread.

 

[Bliman]

The Hypex NC400 domestic tour (on Audiocircle) appeared to progress in a well organized orderly fashion with each participant having 3 days (if memory serves) and then onto the next participant on the list as well as feedback in the designated thread on each stop. As for businesses and product releases, it is always better to under promise and over deliver (products, price and schedule). Just good business practice versus the alternative approaches.

The newly redesigned unit also needs to be revalidated. There were a lot of hardware/software/feature changes between the one measured on ASR and the one supposedly starting to ship this week.

Yeah. Maybe I am too harsh. I am just so impatient. And he said in one of his emails that I better look for an in-between dac to overcome the time. It is my fault. I don't have a real history in startup products like this one. You know, I think they handled it differently. They gave a product here and it got a rave review. And I liked it and it hasn't been out yet (I am waiting for the stereo version). And now they are improving it still instead of releasing it (I think we got a sort of preview first then here) I don't know what is involved in it all. And I am always pessimistic (the nature of the beast). And then I am always having these visions in my head of amateurs and ripped off in my head. To be clear I am not accusing them. It are just my scares with start-up products, just like I have my concerns with Chinese products, they are prejudices. And that is coloring my vision. I certainly hope I can hear the stereo dac version soon. Because my main system is gathering dust for many months now. And again I am sure that these guys are very good. Otherwise, you cannot have such a review like stated here.

 

[josh358]

@Okto Research , can this circuit be used to convert SPDIF to AES/EBU for the DAC8 Pro? viz :

https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/att...-aes-ebu-conversion-spdif-aes-ebu-adapter-jpg

Discussed in this thread : https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/247075-spdif-aes-ebu-conversion.html

Try this:
http://www.canare.com/ProductItemDisplay.aspx?productItemID=15
It will match impedances for you. You want the one without attenuation. Dale Pro Audio carries them.

 

[Neddy]

I used one of these successfully, and will try it again with the OktoDAC when I get it.
https://www.amazon.com/Neutrik-NADITBNC-MX-Ohm-BNC-Adapter/dp/B005T7PSJW
Regarding impatience and new products - certainly an issue; I sent them a request for an ETA on my order, and...silence so far.
I've worked for startup/new product dev 'companies' and know how difficult it is to get All (or as many as possible) details right before shipping a lot of the first run or two (you definitely don't want those to come back!).
And further, that the apparent elegance and cleanliness of this design/construction comes only with the expenditure of LOTS of thinking, deliberation and testing.
So I'm cautiously optimistic, and wish Pavel & Co the very best (but still want mine asap!).

 

[wineds]

Try this:
http://www.canare.com/ProductItemDisplay.aspx?productItemID=15
It will match impedances for you. You want the one without attenuation. Dale Pro Audio carries them.

Thanks but I am going to try a simple cable and resistor first. See post #737.

 

[da Choge]

Any thoughts on this unit, Tascam 8-Channel Balanced to Unbalanced Converter, for conversion of the Okto's eight-channel balanced XLR outs to single-ended RCA inputs of a multi-channel AVR? Expensive, but much less so than multiple Jensen transformers. I'm sure it would affect the measured SQ parameters, but maybe not audibly so much. Think it's actually been discontinued, but searching around, you might be able to pick it up for less.

 

[pos]

@da Choge, I have the original white version of that device, those are easy to find on ebay.
It is nowhere near as good as the okto in terms of distortion, noise, and channel matching.
You would probably be better off simply buying a minidsp u-dac8...

 

[Bliman]

Have anybody heard any news of the stereo version yet? I still haven't received any answer. And I am wondering if anybody else has news.

 

[g29]

Have anybody heard any news of the stereo version yet? I still haven't received any answer. And I am wondering if anybody else has news.

Nope, no word, nor any info on the state of the domestic tour. According to their last statement, they were supposedly starting to ship the Pro version last week.

If anyone received notice their Pro order has shipped, please chime in.

Their website hasn't changed in months either, still says:

DAC8 PRO - "... Delivery time for new orders is 1-2 months. ..."​

DAC8 STEREO - "DAC8 Stereo launch is coming in the following weeks. We are currently not taking new orders due to limited production capacity. "​

 

[rajapruk]

I really hope the European tour starts soon

 

[Burning Sounds]

I really hope the European tour starts soon

Me too! Pavel mentioned the beginning of August in his last email to me, but I've heard nothing since.

And we may have Brexit to contend with after Oct 31.

 

[Bliman]

It seems many are waiting for some information. I always had pretty good contact with Pavel. But now I hear nothing anymore.

 

[josh358]

It seems many are waiting for some information. I always had pretty good contact with Pavel. But now I hear nothing anymore.

I'm guessing he's pretty deep into the issues of getting production started up.

 

[wineds]

I'm guessing he's pretty deep into the issues of getting production started up.

Lets hope so...

 

[Dave H]

Pavel, Me and a lot of other people have invested a substantial amount of money in this Dac and all I'm seeing here is a lot of unanswered questions mounting up, and no sign of any shipments.

 

[g29]

Pavel, Me and a lot of other people have invested a substantial amount of money in this Dac and all I'm seeing here is a lot of unanswered questions mounting up, and no sign of any shipments.

@Dave H , Are you part of the development team or are you a customer ? If you are part of the development team, maybe you can address some of the open questions.

 

[Dave H]

@Dave H , Are you part of the development team or are you a customer ? If you are part of the development team, maybe you can address some of the open questions.

I'm a customer.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

I am not trying to defend the people at Okto or similar outlets. I do know however that from prototype to a finish product is hard. We may have to take for now a page from the subjectivist and learn to be patient. The price is good IMO for this level of performance and convenience ( 8 high performance DAC in one box with EQ and DSP, etc ).
@Okto ... Tell them how it really is. Be transparent in the process. They will listen. We are all listening. The level of interest is IME, very high. Do not mangle the good faith with poor communication.

Mods.. You can erase this if you judge it to be inappropriate

 

[Bliman]

Hi

I am not trying to defend the people at Okto or similar outlets. I do know however that from prototype to a finish product is hard. We may have to take for now a page from the subjectivist and learn to be patient. The price is good IMO for this level of performance and convenience ( 8 high performance DAC in one box with EQ and DSP, etc ).
@Okto ... Tell them how it really is. Be transparent in the process. They will listen. We are all listening. The level of interest is IME, very high. Do not mangle the good faith with poor communication.

Mods.. You can erase this if you judge it to be inappropriate

That to me is the crucial bit. Everyone knows that it is very hard to launch a product. But communication is very much the key.
I have now sent three emails in a time span of a month. And I haven't heard back from them. Surely they do know how important communication is. I am still curious for their stereo dac. But I would be lying if I said that I am not looking at alternatives.
We are now 6 months since the test appeared here. I think in a way it would have been better if they would have let it test later. But that is speculation on my part, because I don't know the process. One thing that I know is that communication is very much key.