Metrum Octave versus Eastern Electric DAC

Greg, I was in the same boat as you and if you are a big fan of the Havana, as I am, then the Octave is right up your alley. I've had the Bel Canto DAC2.5 and DAC3, Calyx 24/192, and Berkeley Alpha DAC 1 and 2 since moving my Havana out of my main system, and the Metrum Octave comes the closest in terms of the beautifully rich, saturated tone, but does not overdo it as much as the Havana can sometimes and has the inner detail and transparency that Havana owners are eventually left wanting. My Octave is not broken in yet, but I peg the sound as somewhere in between the Havana and Berkeley Alpha DAC Series 2. It started off more like the BADA2 but is going more towards the Havana as it breaks in (a good thing to me!!). ALL THINGS CONSIDERED I am happy to trade the BADA2 for the Octave while saving thousands of dollars. Certainly there are tradeoffs but I am not left thinking about having the BADA2 back.

Whatever you do get a GOOD USB/firewire-SPDIF converter (or transport if you are using CD). I am finding that it makes a big difference in subtle ways (funny how that works) as I move up the chain.

Devilboy, I am using a Wavelink HS with the Havana and a Weiss INT203 with the Octave. Also had an Audiophilleo 2 and John Kenny Mk3 modded HiFace (v1, not Hiface 2). Buffer size does matter. What software are you using?

Greg, you may want to hold onto that Havana. Some straightforwards mods can greatly improve the sound. There is an enormous thread on Head-Fi. I have had OIMP V-Cap output coupling caps in for a while and it indeed did add a good deal more detail and transparency, but I have an R-core transformer on the way and will probably ditch the OIMP for much better CuTF V-Caps as well as Schottky diodes and some tantalum resistors. A couple of guys over there have replaced the 2uF output caps with .47uF CuTF caps and get a huge improvement. I recently put the CuTF caps in my Almarro A205A MkII and it still blows my mind how profoundly this mod has transformed the amp into one of the best I've ever heard, period. ESPECIALLY in terms of natural timbre and bass definition.

As good as the Metrum is, it still doesn't have all of that Havana "magic". I am wondering if the mods can bring the Havana to the level of the Metrum in terms of detail, transparency, and precision. I will report back once the mods are done. Maybe start a new thread.