• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Review and Measurements of Okto DAC8 8Ch DAC & Amp

OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,381
Location
Seattle Area
Does anyone know if there will be a dac and preamplifier but with 2 channels?
Yes, they call that the stereo version. It costs a bit more though. Look at their website.
 

Bliman

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2018
Messages
419
Likes
150
Location
Belgium
Yes, they call that the stereo version. It costs a bit more though. Look at their website.
Thanks but on the site it says that it is only a dac.
Is this a typo?
And can anyone say why this version is more expensive then the 8 channel?
 

Music1969

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
4,636
Likes
2,809
DAC8 Stereo is going to contain Raspberry Pi in a same way the DAC8 DSP is. We will specify it more clearly on the website.

Hi, what are the planned formats and sample rates supported for the DAC ethernet input, with the Pi?
 

Sal1950

Grand Contributor
The Chicago Crusher
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
14,068
Likes
16,598
Location
Central Fl
And can anyone say why this version is more expensive then the 8 channel?
Because high end audiophools judge a product by it's price tag?
 

Kal Rubinson

Master Contributor
Industry Insider
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 23, 2016
Messages
5,270
Likes
9,768
Location
NYC
Thanks but on the site it says that it is only a dac.
Is this a typo?
And can anyone say why this version is more expensive then the 8 channel?
There are 2 8-channel DACs. The Pro has no streaming facilities and is the least expensive.
 

Sal1950

Grand Contributor
The Chicago Crusher
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 1, 2016
Messages
14,068
Likes
16,598
Location
Central Fl
I am playing with a Trinnov Altitude 32 processor which is equipped to provide AES3 output (8 or 16 channels) on DB25. That is is separate from the 32 analog outputs.
Yo Kal, did you buy that $30K+ processor or is it on generous loan to Stereophile?
 

elnan14

Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2019
Messages
25
Likes
32
I know that this is not a release version but it’s odd that there’s no ethernet port nor wifi connectivity specifications when the unit, according to okta, supports streaming and networking.
 

phoenixdogfan

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 6, 2018
Messages
3,294
Likes
5,068
Location
Nashville
I just exchanged messages with Pavel (from Okto Research) and he will respond tomorrow. For now, I think it has an entire minidsp in it like what is in SHD I reviewed so I suspect it will have an Ethernet port. They just redid their website and I am sure they will update it more as time goes by.
Unfortunately no Dirac Live.
 

phoenixdogfan

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Nov 6, 2018
Messages
3,294
Likes
5,068
Location
Nashville
Wow, the DSP version of this looks like the end game for a home theater 2+1 setup. I may ditch my current more expensive setup for this.
Could use 4-6 channels for an active speaker system, and still have two DAC channels to drive a THX 789 for you headphone system. Could eliminate a lot of boxes.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,368
Likes
234,381
Location
Seattle Area
I know that this is not a release version but it’s odd that there’s no ethernet port nor wifi connectivity specifications when the unit, according to okta, supports streaming and networking.
The DSP version has that. The one that I have won't have that feature even in production.
 

nm4711

Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2019
Messages
96
Likes
142
And can anyone say why this version is more expensive then the 8 channel?

It is the same DAC section, but 4 channels will be used in parallel for each channel to get even better performance. So no cost saving there.
Furthermore it gets a bulid in Raspberry Pi for streaming wich raises the costs.
 

vitalii427

Senior Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 19, 2017
Messages
386
Likes
531
Location
Kiev, Ukraine
OK, thank you very much vitalii427 for your reply.
Just to understand well, you are saying that no Blu-ray disk player can output 7.1 PCM signal over coaxial or optical connection ?
Yes. SPDIF (coaxial and optical) support only stereo PCM or compressed 5.1/7.1. So no PCM 7.1 nor Dolby Atmos etc.
 

vitalii427

Senior Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 19, 2017
Messages
386
Likes
531
Location
Kiev, Ukraine
@Okto Research, what do you think about connecting the DAC8 DSP to a blu-ray disk player ?
In the case it is possible to retrieve 7.1 numerical signals at the DAC8 DSP, what about implementing dirac live to perform room correction before DAC section ?
I think it is possible to add HDMI input, but it would be limited to PCM signals up to 7.1 (no Dolby Atmos etc.)

Easier to setup RasPlex or KODI on internal Raspberry Pi and play content from NAS.
 

Guillaume

New Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2019
Messages
4
Likes
4
I think it is possible to add HDMI input, but it would be limited to PCM signals up to 7.1 (no Dolby Atmos etc.)

Easier to setup RasPlex or KODI on internal Raspberry Pi and play content from NAS.

Ok, thank you again for your explanations. I get it now.
 

graz_lag

Major Contributor
Joined
Oct 13, 2018
Messages
1,296
Likes
1,583
Location
Le Mans, France
Ok, thank you again for your explanations. I get it now.

Bonjour Guillaume :

Your dilemma "integration of an Hi-Fi setup" within a larger Home Theater setup is a typical one, I would like to say.
I went thru it in different occasions, me too.
IMHO, for a 5.1 or 7.1 setup, the A/V receiver is still the best option.
Severals are the machines out there that offer solid performances in Hi-Fi as well : Anthem, Arcam, Primare, Yamaha for the high-end series, among many others ...
Alternatively, a medium range A/V receiver with pre-out connections and an Hi-Fi dedicated 2.0 amplifier may let you cover the application with great satisfaction.
You may also check the technologies proposed by Teufel Audio from Germany, they propose some interesting alternatives for an Home Theater setup, including a line of active speakers with HDMI ports.

Graz
 

Bliman

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2018
Messages
419
Likes
150
Location
Belgium
It is the same DAC section, but 4 channels will be used in parallel for each channel to get even better performance. So no cost saving there.
Furthermore it gets a bulid in Raspberry Pi for streaming wich raises the costs.
So if I am correct, it has 8 channels so it is better in performance? And that would not be the case if it has 2 channels.
 

Bliman

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2018
Messages
419
Likes
150
Location
Belgium
Also to me it looks like a very interesting product.
But I would like to have much more information from it.
Like the dac 8 dsp. Does that have room correction? And how does that all work?
For example my main system is the Grace Design m902 , lyngdorf sda 2175 power amplifier, Nad c542 cd player and Dynaudio 52Se speakers and a qAcoustics subwoofer. And also not a great room.
Can I use this dac preamplifier to get a room correction and how does that work?
 

nm4711

Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2019
Messages
96
Likes
142
So if I am correct, it has 8 channels so it is better in performance? And that would not be the case if it has 2 channels.

Yes, 4 channels will be used for each output in parallel. This increases the dynamic range, because a part of the random noise will be cancelled out when adding the output of 4 channels together.
This way they can use their existing design for the 2 channel dac and use an add on board to parallel the channls and program the DAC, so it puts out the same signal on 4 channels. If they would only use two channels of their existing design, they would give away potential and just save a few electronic components, wich wouldn't lower the price significanly.
 

nm4711

Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2019
Messages
96
Likes
142
Like the dac 8 dsp. Does that have room correction? And how does that all work?

It uses the miniDSP nanoSHARC with the 2x8 Plugin. You can find a lot of information about it on the miniDSP website. It does not support a ready to use room correction software like Dirac in this configuration. But you can do proper equalizing and use it as an active crossover to your subwoofer.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom