Okto DAC 8 Stereo (Shout-out)
I know this DAC made a buzz via a Stereophile A+ rating a couple years back, and I can’t say how many times I casually checked if they were back in stock for purchase. A couple of weeks ago I happened to check and they were.
Previously I had read the lead times were up to 8 weeks for a build, but happy to report it arrived in just over a week to the states. Great communication and service from the Okto team. Unfortunately couldn’t get one with streaming on-board due to R-Pi shortages.
Seems well built, nice screen, and overall a smaller chassis than I thought. Hopefully won’t miss lack of single ended outputs. A note you can use this as a preamp and order to custom output voltage to match your power amp.
My initial impressions are as follows: This is the most transparent DAC I have ever heard, previously owning Denafrips Terminator, Holo Spring, Sonnet Morpheus, Aqua La Scala, PS audio PW DSD and others of lesser renown and quality. . The instrument separation is quite good, a wide and deep stage, and an almost eerily clarity that lacks any glassy edginess that sabre DAC based designs seem to be known for. Although I owned a HIFI rose and loved it.
Anyways, kudos to Okto and a heads up they are in stock. Great performance and a very affordable price!
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I heard it with other dacs much more expensive it is a very good value didnot thing its-musicality can March the Terminator2 dac or anything close it does have very good detail, but bass was not that powerful and soundstage any imaging not even asgood as the newDenafrips Pontus2-12th anniversary .it’s a very good value but not any giant killer in my experiences. |
Good to know @audioman58 . Shows how people have different perspectives and listening preferences. |
@milpai i’ll try to get some pictures uploaded to my page tonight or tomorrow. It seriously is the best unit I’ve ever had. It’s very lively and fun. I find it very musical. I think that the bass response is better than most. I like it better than my DCS Bartók. If anybody’s looking for one I’ve got a deal on one on US audiomart. I guess it must be because it’s summer, but I’m having a hard time selling things. I’ve lowered the price on the Bartók to 8750 and still no takers, I guess I’ll drop at another 250 |
Thank You for willing to take time to upload the pics. It is very commendable on your part to accept the fact that a DAC like Okto can equal or better a DCS DAC. It is very hard for people to accept this fact. And I did check the ad you have on US Audiomart. For me, your recommendation on this DAC is most genuine because you not only own this DAC, but have presented the facts as they are. It takes a lot of guts on this forum to accept that something pricey you already own was bettered by a lower priced equipment. Now I am starting to ask myself - why should I go with a higher priced DACs?! |
@milpai Much of the general chatter about DACs is based on the Emperor's New Clothes. Virtually every DAC out there is made as either an ESS 9038 Pro based DAC or a R2R Ladder DAC. There was a very interesting discussion on WBF a little while back which maintained the point, what could you possibly do to turn a Wadax into a $240k DAC? Even a MBF R2R DAC into a $100k DAC? They all use the same resistors, maybe they are closer matched? Certainly better power management but you're still dealing with the same core. If you've got a good (real good) front end most DACs are going to sound excellent. A recent fallacy is it's all down to the DAC. This is preposterous. Trash in, trash out. A DAC cannot reconfigure the signal it gets unless oversampling and up-sampling are employed, but it gets boring and lifeless after a while. It's like looking at your Rolex and knowing it's a fake. Personally I prefer ESS DACs, I've had AKM and they sound muddy to me. R2R can sound excellent but at the end of they day, maybe not this day, processing power will remain supreme. Any digital based system needs a master clock more than a high priced DAC. |
