Review and Measurements of Okto DAC8 8Ch DAC & Amp

[Okto Research]

Hello @maxidcx ,
Do you know how DAC8PRO processes native DSD streams (not DoP) ? Is there some PCM or other format conversion at some stage in the XMOS or ESS chips ? I am asking the question as I recently found out that my Exasound E28 is processing DSD as DSD which can allow for significant improvements in SQ when using advanced DSD modulators and upsampling filters upstream (HQPlayer). I was blown away yesterday by ADSM7EC modulator compared to more standard ones. I don't have the DAC8PRO for test anymore but I am curious if it can benefit from such advanced DSD processing as much as the Exasound can.

The DAC8 PRO/Stereo also process native DSD as DSD from the beginning to the end.

I got an email from Pavel yesterday saying the Dac8 stereo will become available "in the next several days" and asked me if I wanted to be put on a mailing list. Maybe things are close!

They are indeed!

Pavel

 

[mk1classic]

Okto DAC8 Stereo seen at https://www.instagram.com/sunshipaudio/

http://instagr.am/p/B84w7tiIS9w/ "

Internals can be partly seen on picture nr 5

 

[Veri]

It looks so large!

 

[dualazmak]

Hi Dualazmak, Tanks for the description of the routing in your set-up. I have downloaded the demo-version of EKIO, but I couldn't made the right connections. In other words: there was no sound. I'll make another attempt this weekend. There is an alternative ASIO-driver for the DAC8Pro from DIYINHK. I own the multi-channel board and the driver is stable.

Hello Kees,

Did you check and properly set the ASIO4ALL taskbar icon status?

Whenever you would change some of the routing in ASIO4ALL's EKIO panel, you need to set EKIO's Driver into "None", and then choose "ASIO4ALL" again so that EKIO can exactly recognize your routing change.

And did you set the "VB-AUDIO Hi-Fi Cable" properties to be "24bit 192kHz" at Windows - Control Panel - Sound - VB-AUDIO Hi-Fi Cable - properies - detals ?

Also did you set Roon or JRiver to output all the sound in 24bit 192kHz at their DSP setup sessions?

 

[dualazmak]

Hello kees,

This is what I am doing right now; EKIO is running!

 

[dualazmak]

Hello again, Kees,

I do not know which DAC(s) you are using for your test run of EKIO, but it may be possible that your ASIO4ALL and/or EKIO eventually lost grip/control of your DAC. After starting EKIO, you would please try to power-off and then power-on of your DAC, and also you may try plug-off and then plug-in of the USB cable connecting to your DAC.

I am just using one OPPO SONICA DAC for my test run of EKIO with ASIO4ALL and VB-Audio Hi-Fi Cable, and I experienced a few times the reboot of OPPO SONICA DAC was needed after starting EKIO.

Meanwhile, for the past three days, I have been testing the I/O stability and crossover functional stability (stereo 4-way 8-channel) of;

1. Roon → VB Audio Hi-Fi Cable → ASIO4ALL → EKIO → ASIO4ALL → OPPO USB ASIO → OPPO SONICA DAC → Accuphase E-460 → SPs

2. JRiver MC26 → VBAudio Hi-Fi Cable →ASIO4ALL → EKIO → ASIO4ALL → OPPO USB ASIO → OPPO SONICA DAC → Accuphase E-460 → SPs

1. for continuous 36 hours, 2. for continuous 24 hours, having absolutely no problem at all !!

As for the total SQ (Sound Quality) of EKIO handling every signal in 24bit 192kHz, I hear really surprisingly high SQ, in comparison with the non-EKIO direct output sound, both using OPPO SONICA DAC. I am directing all of the 8 channels from EKIO to go into one OPPO SONICA DAC, 4 into R, and 4 into L, so that even now, still not having DAC8PRO, I can simulate the crossover settings for near- future multi-amplifiers system with DAC8PRO. Yes, I can't wait for arrival of my DAC8PRO....

 

[Kees Huizinga]

Hi Dualazmak,
During the weekend I will continue to work with EKIO. Don't expect too much. As you know, I have the demo version of EKIO and this is only suitable for a two-way speaker. My main system consists of three-way speakers powered by the 8 Channels 384kHz 32bit ES9016 from DIYINHK, so this won't work for comparison . Fortunately I still have two-way speakers in the attic. For this I use a Xonar Essence st sound card. Not a high end combination, but not bad either. The correction settings will of course never be the same at Dephonica and EKIO. As soon as I get results, I'll let you know. The only thing we really want is to get started with our DAC8Pro

 

[dualazmak]

Hello Kees,
Noted and well understood. Yes, we need to get DAC8PRO very soon.

I am very much interested in how Windows 10 Pro will recognize DAC8PRO with one USB cable connection. It looks, and I hope, that Windows 10 Pro would recognize DAC8PRO not only as 8 USB audio devices but also one USB/AES/EBU/SPD-IF audio device. If this would be true, then we may use the "DAC8PRO USB/AES/EBU/SPD-IF audio device", in stead of "VB-Audio Hi-Fi Cable", as the output device from Roon and JRiver. In any way, we will see it hopefully very soon....

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Win10 sees it as an audio input: "Line (DIYINHK USB AUDIO)"

 

[dualazmak]

Win10 sees it as an audio input: "Line (DIYINHK USB AUDIO)"

Thanks a lot for your info. I understand that Win 10 sees DAC8PRO's DAC8PRO USB/AES/EBU/SPD-IF as "Line (DIYINHK USB AUDIO)", right?

And, of course, Win 10 also sees DAC8PRO as 8 WDM audio output devices, right?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Thanks a lot for your info. I understand that Win 10 sees DAC8PRO's DAC8PRO USB/AES/EBU/SPD-IF as "Line (DIYINHK USB AUDIO)", right?
And, of course, Win 10 also sees DAC8PRO as 8 WDM audio output devices, right?

Mais oui.

 

[dualazmak]

Hello Kal, thanks a lot again for your quick "Mais oui"!

Now I (also Kees and other people waiting for DAC8PRO) can be very much relaxed especially about the I/O routing in a same Windows 10 PC running Roon, JRiver and other players to give digital signal directly into software crossover like EKIO and dePhonica. We are looking forward to hearing your review of DAC8PRO hopefully very soon.

 

[scarabe]

Win10 sees it as an audio input: "Line (DIYINHK USB AUDIO)"

Hello,
Does this mean that a computer running Windows 7 with the diyinhk driver installed should be able to communicate with the inputs and outputs of the DAC8PRO in Asio ?

 

[Kees Huizinga]

https://www.diyinhk.com/shop/driver...audio-driver-v4-full-version-and-signed-.html

And

https://www.diyinhk.com/shop/driver...sb-audio-driver-full-version-and-signed-.html

 

[Nikolas]

I'm interested in the Stereo version on this DAC and I'd like to know if and how I can use it with Dirac Live.
Let me explain. I'd like to pair my speakers with a subfoower, so Stereo version, with its double L and R seems perfect (the extra R and L go to the sub, which has double XLR input). Can I still correct everything with Dirac? Or I should go with this 8 channels version (overkill tho, I don't plan to do multichannel)?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I'm interested in the Stereo version on this DAC and I'd like to know if and how I can use it with Dirac Live.
Let me explain. I'd like to pair my speakers with a subfoower, so Stereo version, with its double L and R seems perfect (the extra R and L go to the sub, which has double XLR input). Can I still correct everything with Dirac? Or I should go with this 8 channels version (overkill tho, I don't plan to do multichannel)?

In what device will you be implementing Dirac?

 

[dualazmak]

Hello Kees (and others),
If you are still interested in testing EKIO with ASIO4ALL and VB-Audio Hi-Fi Cable, just one additional critical point for you. In the Windows - Control Panel - Sound - Hi-Fi Cable Input - Properties - Details, you need to check-off the "exclusive use" check box since Roon (or JRiver) and ASIO4ALL simultaneously use the VB-Audio Hi-Fi Cable Input. Sorry, but the below screen shots are in Japanese....

 

[Nikolas]

In what device will you be implementing Dirac?

Most likely in a MacBook. Would it be different if I did it in a miniDSP between Mac and DAC, with AES connection between the two (apart from reduced sampling frequency)?

 

[Kees Huizinga]

Hi Dualazmak,

In JRiver I can only choose virtual cable wasapi. No asio.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Most likely in a MacBook. Would it be different if I did it in a miniDSP between Mac and DAC, with AES connection between the two (apart from reduced sampling frequency)?

OK. You will have more than 2 channels of output through and from the DL running in the MacBook. You will need more than the stereo DAC.