Review and Measurements of Okto DAC8 8Ch DAC & Amp

[Neddy]

AES outputs are not controlled by the Okto's gain control. Just sayin'.

 

[dualazmak]

AES outputs are not controlled by the Okto's gain control. Just sayin'.

Yes, thanks, I edited into "AES/EBU out is not under the DAC8PRO's pre-amplifier functionality".

 

[Neddy]

Thank you sir. So easy to mis-type.
OktoDAC 8 's 'Swiss Army Knife' capabilities seem nearly endless!

 

[rccarguy]

If I just wanted a dac for CDs, what would the reason be for 8 channel dac? Even with be how would you use this?

 

[Neddy]

a) if you had bi-amped or tri-amped speakers with or without subs.
b) if your CD player had AES (toslink) outputs.

 

[waynel]

If I just wanted a dac for CDs, what would the reason be for 8 channel dac? Even with be how would you use this?

If you wanted to crossover to subs. I plan on using 4 of the eight channels for 2-channel music : L R sub1 sub2

don’t see any 4-channel DACS with the same performance for a better price.

 

[Verausci]

My sub is currently one of the weakest links in my setup and it doesn't have any balanced inputs. I know the DAC8 Pro manual discourages the use of balanced to unbalanced connectors due to a quality loss, but could it actually damage the DAC?

 

[waynel]

My sub is currently one of the weakest links in my setup and it doesn't have any balanced inputs. I know the DAC8 Pro manual discourages the use of balanced to unbalanced connectors due to a quality loss, but could it actually damage the DAC?

Easy fix, just order a pair of Rythmik F18s or E15HP2 if the F18s don’t fit.

 

[John1959]

My sub is currently one of the weakest links in my setup and it doesn't have any balanced inputs. I know the DAC8 Pro manual discourages the use of balanced to unbalanced connectors due to a quality loss, but could it actually damage the DAC?

No, it will not damage the DAC. The statement in the owners manual is probably true for all balanced outputs in general. Okto Research clearly wants their products function the way they designed it and that's with a balanced output stage connected to a balanced (pre)amp. Maybe other manufactures care less about it, so don't give the same warning (maybe because they fear customers will look for another unbalanced DAC? ). But it's up to you to decide if you hear any sound degradation with a balanced to unbalanced cable or transformer in your particular situation.

 

[Verausci]

No, it will not damage the DAC. The statement in the owners manual is probably true for all balanced outputs in general. Okto Research clearly want their products function the way the designed it and that's with a balanced output stage connected to a balanced (pre)amp. Maybe other manufactures care less about it, so don't give the same warning (maybe because they fear customers will look for another unbalanced DAC? ). But it's up to you to decide if you hear any sound degradation with a balanced to unbalanced cable or transformer in your particular situation.

Ah that's good to know, thanks.

Easy fix, just order a pair of Rythmik F18s or E15HP2 if the F18s don’t fit.

I'd love to, if they were available in Europe!

 

[dualazmak]

OktoDAC 8 's 'Swiss Army Knife' capabilities seem nearly endless!

I fully agree; now we have very sharp and durable "Czech Army Knife"!

 

[rccarguy]

If you wanted to crossover to subs. I plan on using 4 of the eight channels for 2-channel music : L R sub1 sub2

don’t see any 4-channel DACS with the same performance for a better price.

Still don't understand.

How would you use this from a cd player? Or a be player?

 

[waynel]

Still don't understand.

How would you use this from a cd player? Or a be player?

CD player digital out -> MiniDSP nanodigi->DAC8 pro

the player digital out goes to a dsp room correction and crossover with multiple digital outs which feeds the DAC8 with L R and multiple sub channels

 

[kevinh]

Still don't understand.

How would you use this from a cd player? Or a be player?

So you want to say, use JBL M2's without the crown amps and want multiple subs per Geddes or Welti. 4 Channels for M2's and 3 to 4 channels for the subs. as waynel says cd - mimidsp -> Dac 8. If I had the money and room for the speakers that is what I wold do.

 

[bigjacko]

If you value performance, minidsp probably does not measure well and will degrade the performance. Use computer based dsp if you have a computer, less money or even free and better performance.

 

[waynel]

If you value performance, minidsp probably does not measure well and will degrade the performance. Use computer based dsp if you have a computer, less money or even free and better performance.

Do you have any evidence of this? We are talking about digital only like the SHD studio.

 

[dualazmak]

If you value performance, minidsp probably does not measure well and will degrade the performance. Use computer based dsp if you have a computer, less money or even free and better performance.

If any of you are interested in PC specs for digital DSP/crossover software, my post here may be useful, I assume.

 

[bigjacko]

Do you have any evidence of this? We are talking about digital only like the SHD studio.

Oh sorry did not know you are talking about digital only. I think digital only should have the same performance as PC because it is just calculating maths in the chips. The adc and dac in minidsp are not very good measuring.

 

[dualazmak]

DAC8PRO's AES/EBU digital out is the "through" digital signals of channel-1 and channel-2 which means the AES/EBU out is not under the DAC8PRO's pre-amplifier functionality including the volume and gain control. AES/EBU signal contains sync clock information, so you can sync the second DAC (with AES/EBU digital Input function) with DAC8PRO.

I hope my post here will give you some perspectives for your understandings.

And, let me remind all of you again just for sure;

DAC8PRO's high quality Headphone OUT is another line-level analog out of CH-1+CH-2 "under the control" of gain and master volume. If you like, you may use it as RCA unbalance OUT of CH-1+CH-2 with gain and volume applied.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ssover-and-multichannel-dac.12489/post-420921

 

[rccarguy]

Nope can't see appeal or reason for 8 channel dac, what what said earlier up with minidsp I'd never do