Review and Measurements of Okto DAC8 8Ch DAC & Amp

[dualazmak]

Hello friends,
Just for your attention, Burning Sounds' follow-up post appears in page 4 of my thread, to which I just responded.

 

[RC23]

I read through the whole thread and afterwards the Okto Research DAC8 Pro gets quite good marks for its sound. But when it comes to channel routing, Okto only refers to a workaround with asio4all and this is complicated and suboptimal. A stable and easy to use asio driver is desirable, and Windows 10 will recognize it as such. According to user Kal Rubinson there is a confirmation for the DIYINHK USB Audio Driver V4.67 as a workaround.

Since Pavel is coming back for Okto, I would be interested in a statement about this driver. Will this DIYINHK USB Audio Driver be released by Okto Research? Or will there be an own asio driver from Okto very soon?

I'm asking because I'm going to build an 8-channel setup using Acourate crossover and frequency response optimization.

 

[dualazmak]

I read through the whole thread and afterwards the Okto Research DAC8 Pro gets quite good marks for its sound. But when it comes to channel routing, Okto only refers to a workaround with asio4all and this is complicated and suboptimal. A stable and easy to use asio driver is desirable, and Windows 10 will recognize it as such. According to user Kal Rubinson there is a confirmation for the DIYINHK USB Audio Driver V4.67 as a workaround.

Since Pavel is coming back for Okto, I would be interested in a statement about this driver. Will this DIYINHK USB Audio Driver be released by Okto Research? Or will there be an own asio driver from Okto very soon?

I'm asking because I'm going to build an 8-channel setup using Acourate crossover and frequency response optimization.

Hello RC23,

As for the ASIO driver for DAC8PRO, you would please refer to Burning Sounds' post in my thread, and my response.

Also you are quite welcome visiting and joining the thread entitled "Multi-Channel, Multi-Amplifier Audio System Using Software Crossover and Multichannel-DAC".

 

[RC23]

Thanks for the link in the thread. With this I know that the asio driver of Okto is already in test at forum colleagues and this with success, as I could read here.

 

[dualazmak]

Pavel of OKTO kindly contacted me today informing my DAC8PRO Black (order #106) will depart Prague by FedEx Express Package on May 4 Monday together with my paired Apple Remote Controller. Hopefully, it will arrive here, Chiba Prefecture in Japan, by the end of the week.

Pavel also sent me the fully compatible ASIO driver installation package for which Burning Sounds also kindly informed in my thread.

 

[RichB]

Will the dac8 Stereo allow volume control from Roon?
This would require communication to the volume control on the dac8.

Also, is there an estimate on orders resuming?

- Rich

 

[Dacapalooza]

FedEx just called me. Wanted to know what a DAC was . So I guess it's coming!

I am so excited. My life long dream of a dedicated Blu Ray & AV DAC. Plus I finally got a ROI. The journey that led here was all worth it. All those high end processors later.

My sources are the Trinnov Demon 6 and Vanity 203 & 103. Probably will retire 103. I have not used the 103 in over a year anyway. When do these Oppo's break anyway?
The Demon 6 actually has 2 sets of 8 channel inputs so I can use both. Oddly, due to routing limitations, only 1 input can be routed to the DAC. If the DAC had 2 inputs it could have been routed.
Shame I didn't know what we know now and would have bought the Vanity Light that did not re-clock.

 

[RichB]

FedEx just called me. Wanted to know what a DAC was . So I guess it's coming!

I am so excited. My life long dream of a dedicated Blu Ray & AV DAC. Plus I finally got a ROI. The journey that led here was all worth it. All those high end processors later.

My sources are the Trinnov Demon 6 and Vanity 203 & 103. Probably will retire 103. I have not used the 103 in over a year anyway. When do these Oppo's break anyway?
The Demon 6 actually has 2 sets of 8 channel inputs so I can use both. Oddly, due to routing limitations, only 1 input can be routed to the DAC. If the DAC had 2 inputs it could have been routed.
Shame I didn't know what we know now and would have bought the Vanity Light that did not re-clock.

Did you explain the benefits of a fully balanced multichannel implementation with selectable reconstruction filters?

I don't trust FedEx to ship heavy amplifiers because I have two of them fully skewered.

- Rich

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Will the dac8 Stereo allow volume control from Roon?

Not in my experience. But perhaps with a new ASIO driver.

 

[jjk]

FedEx just called me. Wanted to know what a DAC was . So I guess it's coming!

I am so excited. My life long dream of a dedicated Blu Ray & AV DAC. Plus I finally got a ROI. The journey that led here was all worth it. All those high end processors later.

My sources are the Trinnov Demon 6 and Vanity 203 & 103. Probably will retire 103. I have not used the 103 in over a year anyway. When do these Oppo's break anyway?
The Demon 6 actually has 2 sets of 8 channel inputs so I can use both. Oddly, due to routing limitations, only 1 input can be routed to the DAC. If the DAC had 2 inputs it could have been routed.
Shame I didn't know what we know now and would have bought the Vanity Light that did not re-clock.

@Dacapalooza, what number were you may I ask? I am number #114.
Thanks, jjk

 

[RichB]

Not in my experience. But perhaps with a new ASIO driver.

For DAC mode, that would be unlikely, though welcome.

When streaming via the network, Roon can control the volume. It does so on the Oppo UDP-20x using Roon.
IMO, Roon implemented what DLNA never quite got right.

- Rich

 

[Kal Rubinson]

For DAC mode, that would be unlikely, though welcome.

exaSound can do it.

 

[jjk]

exaSound can do it.

Kal, have you employed the DAC8 in an HT role?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Kal, have you employed the DAC8 in an HT role?

Not really. I have played the audio of some BD (as files) on my main audio system with the DAC8 but there's no real video there.

 

[jjk]

When I do receive my 8, I will try it in HT via the AES/USB mode. Oppo 103/Vanity HD board>> DAC8 >> JRiver>>DAC8.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

When I do receive my 8, I will try it in HT via the AES/USB mode. Oppo 103/Vanity HD board>> DAC8 >> JRiver>>DAC8.

Let us know how it goes. Hope there are no lipsync issues.

 

[jjk]

Let us know how it goes. Hope there are no lipsync issues.

Yes, lip synch is a question!

 

[Vincentponcet]

Yes, lip synch is a question!

If you add ADC / processing / DAC, you add delay.
I hope you can adjust audio video delay in your source.

 

[Dacapalooza]

My custom cable came, so I am Okto install DAC . Came out very nice. Vanity has this weird termination, I made the diagram below. I already had custom cable but without DAC connection so made new one. This time I made them with labels that match the Oppo labels.

 

[Dacapalooza]

Oh wait. My meters below. I need help. Can I still keep it?
My old DAC had two sets of outputs so sent the other to meters. The needle meter has out to LED meter.
Maybe a splitter? Is that bad?

I installed meters so I can analyze BD vs streaming. But I realized more important stuff that even BD lack. I call it boring ammeter, but after googling around a bit I think this is what the pro's refer to as Dynamic Range. I even read an article referring to it as the Screaming War. So, I guess movies lost the war?
AV sources, the needle hardly moves. Below is one of the few exceptions. In Tron the needle goes crazy even during mere talking scenes. Anyway, the needle meter is quite boring in movies 99%. On the other hand, it is very active & trippy during music.

Also, the needle meter doesn't work with subs. So truly boring. Not sure if I got faulty unit or no needle works with subs. My LED has no issue with subs. Both claim they are VU meters.

Tear downs: