Okto DAC 8 Stereo (Shout-out)

This info referring the Okto DAC being a Headphone Device as well, is very appealing as I am to be in temporary accommodation for a period of time, hence the interest in the devices dimensions.

The main system is to be packed away, and a miniature system is to be used for Headphone Listening in the new abode.

The intention is to then use the miniature system as a second set up, that is easily concealed in a selected space in the renovated home.

I have explained to my wife, we can use ceiling speakers for all over the home supply of sound and have a typical stereo set up, from the non-valve device concealed system.

I will be trying to wean my wife away from Alexia and use this new set up. She is not confident with the Main Systems Valve Devices, she knows my disciplines around them and does not like to have the responsibilities, I make known are best to be followed. 

I was lucky enough to get my hands on the dac8 Stereo late last year.  Awesome sounding and everything everyone says about it are true. 

One thing I have yet to get worked out…when connecting to your preamp, where should the dac8’s volume be set?  I don’t want to overdrive the signal into the pre. I’ve used -16dB and -13dB, but I’d like a definitive value.  
 

0db for volume bypass. Then use preamp for volume control. 

poketacez, 

I tried 0dB at the start, but the signal is definitely overdriven for the pre input.

I feel like Unity Gain is in neighborhood of 13dB.

Mine arrived yesterday. I am running the output at 0 and it works fine with my Pass X.0 front end. Amp is an Audio Research 100.2. Speakers are Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT.

I have not heard a lot of high end DACs. I have heard the Audio Research DAC9 at the local shop with top of the line Vandersteen speakers. An awesome system. A wall of sound with floating instruments. Just beautiful.

On my Quatro Wood CTs, the Octo DAC* has gotten me a very close to that sound. The clarity is gorgeous. I listen to a lot of classical, jazz and all kinds of pop. In familiar music, I’m hearing instruments cleanly distinct in parts that I have never quite heard before. And it’s a beautiful floating presentation. I am listening to some ancient choral music by Alexander Agricola currently, and the sound is truly heavenly and three dimensional, like a perfect medieval church. On an old favorite Pat Metheny recording, the string attack on his reverb soaked tone stands out in a way that gives better look at his rhythmic style and melodic swing.

In general, dense mixes are much more apparent. Production decisions, mix decisions are revealed beautifully. Upright bass lines, subtle percussion elements. It’s all there . So far it hasn’t made any recording sound worse. With the Vandersteen Quatro CT, I am getting an electrostatic quality, which I got before, except that now, it’s much more clear. My previous DACs were a Bryston DAC1 and a Yulong Dac8.

I am very pleased with this purchase. I had been saving for some of the pricier Chinese super DACs, but I am glad to have reached this level at this price point. I have a second system in a smaller room I am working on. So I have another reason to try something new. That will be a few months down the road.