Review and Measurements of Okto DAC8 8Ch DAC & Amp

[g29]

Multichannel for plex, netflix etc and stereo for roon, spotify etc.

I currently have;
5.1 = Shield -> Denon (also powering non-stereo speakers) -> Musical Fidelity M3i HT bypass for L/R (all using Denons pretty average audessy)
2.0 = Allo DigiOne and linear PSU -> Topping DX7s Dac -> Musical Fidelity M3i
2 x SVS sealed subs are corrected with a DSPeaker Dualcore I picked up on the cheap.

...very convoluted. Sounds ok for stereo, but average for 5.1.

My plans are;
Nice silent pc build (DSP on the pc for room correction) -> OktoDAC -> nCore amps and the subs.

...simple, and handles everything. It should sound great. Minimum boxes too.

Not wedded to Dirac, but do prefer it over REW for the time-domain aspect. Audiolense looks interesting too. Dirac seems the most user-friendly, that's all. Luckily I have not purchased anything yet besides the OktoDAC. Feedback/suggestions welcome .

I looked on the DIRAC Live PC site and it had very little information on how it is actually run. Don't know if it does digital XO's or not. Do you know if it outputs convolution files that are then run by convolution engines, or does it require its own player ?

REW/RePhase allows you to do linear, minimum and mixed phase. Audiolense is pretty user friendly and automated compared to the alternatives. @mitchco has probably used all of them and uses Audiolense.

 

[mitchco]

Thanks @g29 yes, used them all I just finished evaluating Dirac 2.0 and a review with be up on Audiophile Style a little later in February. It currently does not have digital XO capability, but a beta version of their new software does. I don't know the release date. It does require it's own VST convolution engine that can plug into JRiver for example or any player with VST plugin capability.

@DrDardis If performing time alignment with subs, I lean towards Audiolense as the time alignment process is built in the measurement process. It is precise and repeatable. Seems like an easy task, but due to long sub wavelengths, it is hard to manually "align" as several samples are all the same value. Audiolense has a trick to identify perfect time alignment each time. An article time aligning subs to mains using Audiolense here.

 

[Neddy]

How will you use the DriveRack Venu360 in conjunction with the DAC8 PRO ?

DriveRack Venu360

I'm using the Venu 360 for bi-amping the mains, plus sub-woofer, so 3 inputs, 5 outputs.

The only change needed to implement the Okto was to switch the Venu from analog to AES inputs - I could have used the Okto's analog 1&2 outputs, but AES eliminates an AD stage in the Venu...and is one less cable.
I use the 5th Venu input (analog) for sub-woofer management, from the Okto's #4 output.
All three channels have crossovers, roomEQ PEQs, and peak limiter modules enabled.
Haven't gotten to time alignment yet.

 

[g29]

Thanks @g29... I just finished evaluating Dirac 2.0 and a review with be up on Audiophile Style a little later in February....

Great, I look forward to reading your evaluation of the DIRAC 2.0 software for the PC.

 

[DrDardis]

Thanks for the article and advice @mitchco ! It is exactly what I was after.

I won't derail this thread with too much more DSP questions, but will definitely start a new thread as they come to me

 

[kevinh]

Given the wave length of low frequencies and our insensitivity to them I would question if the phase differences of sub woofers are audible.
Especially below the Schrodinger frequency of the room.

 

[1234VICE]

Given the wave length of low frequencies and our insensitivity to them I would question if the phase differences of sub woofers are audible.
Especially below the Schrodinger frequency of the room.

The transition frequency is also refered to as the 'Schroeder frequency'. I think you might have mixed the names up .

I am not sure how the wavelength would connect to audibility of phase, besides psychoacoustics and room acoustics. Are you implying that there might be another mechanism?

Indeed, the effects of room acoustics are expected to be dominant over the transfer function of the subwoofer.

 

[Feyire]

@Okto Research , has the Stereo version been shipped to Amir? 2nd part of Stereo reveal coming up?

@Okto Research

 

[Fonzarelli]

Still interested in the DAC8 Stereo. Maybe Okto research should hire some kind of media person
who at least updates their website every now and then.

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Is Okto Research still in business? I sent them an email a couple of days ago and have yet to hear a response. I was going to purchase their standard DAC8 since I eventually want to go surround sound but I had some questions about their stereo model and the lack of communication, the radio silence is worrisome. I definitely don’t want to get caught stuck with an unwarrantied product in my hands.

 

[chi2]

Pawel who seems to manage all the communication for Okto Research was very responsive and forthcoming during last year (I nagged him every six weeks or so by email ). Since December response times grew longer. Last thing he told me (on 01-21) about the stereo version was that they were still negotiating the licencing with the streaming platform developers.

 

[DrDardis]

Is Okto Research still in business? I sent them an email a couple of days ago and have yet to hear a response. I was going to purchase their standard DAC8 since I eventually want to go surround sound but I had some questions about their stereo model and the lack of communication, the radio silence is worrisome. I definitely don’t want to get caught stuck with an unwarrantied product in my hands.

I had a reply from Pavel today for an email from last week, so definitely still around.

 

[Hifihedgehog]

Thanks for putting my mind at ease! Will buy then.

 

[Neddy]

The transition frequency is also refered to as the 'Schroeder frequency'. I think you might have mixed the names up

Can't resist!
The Schrödinger Frequency is the one at which I'm not sure whether my cats have left the room or not.


Re: Emails: Yes, be patient. He seemed to respond to my inquiries on weekends.
My Dac8 Pro has been running continuously since it arrived, and no problems.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Is Okto Research still in business? I sent them an email a couple of days ago and have yet to hear a response. I was going to purchase their standard DAC8 since I eventually want to go surround sound but I had some questions about their stereo model and the lack of communication, the radio silence is worrisome. I definitely don’t want to get caught stuck with an unwarrantied product in my hands.

I heard from him yesterday...............................with tracking info on my shipment!

 

[Kees Huizinga]

I heard from him yesterday...............................with tracking info on my shipment!

Hi Kal,
Can you tell when you ordered yours and what the ordernumber is? I ordered mine January 16, ordernr. 96, so I'll know how long I have to wait.

 

[Neddy]

Excellent!
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on it, though my ongoing impression is pretty much of the 'straight wire with gain' variety.
OTOH, you've had far more experience with this kind of gear, and may (?!) have a more critical perspective than I do
Have fun tracking it!

 

[Billy Budapest]

Are there any indications the Okto DAC8 Stereo has better performance than the DAC8 Pro?

 

[Feyire]

Are there any indications the Okto DAC8 Stereo has better performance than the DAC8 Pro?

No doubt about it. It will definetly measure better.

 

[Neddy]

Also remember that Pavel made some improvements to the DAC8 Pro since the (different) unit Amir tested.
I'd sure be curious to see how one of the current versions measures....