Metrum Acoustics Octave - Page 17

Excellent point. Definitely something to consider. I'll probably start with a Stax amp then move to an LL or Eddie Current. Should probably get a feel for the Stax sound first before bumping up my source. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sganzerla 

I want to buy this product (new or used) but can't find any other place than the factory, is there any?

Check their site for the local distributors.  If you are in NA... http://hifiheaven.net/store/Metrum-Acoustics-NOS-Mini-DAC-Octave

I found the Octave to be a bit more mellow than other DACs I have. With a mellow tube amp it was too much and the system I felt needed more cowbell. However, I liked the Octave with the 009s for this reason. On the other hand, my regular DAC, the Reference 7.1 had a bit too strong bass for use with the same tubes and the Octave was a better match in that regard.  

The Octave, when brand new, sounds different to how it is after the electronics settle down (I hate saying "burn-in"). At first, everything sounds like it has drunk half-a-dozen cans of Red Bull. I think people end up selling them because they get used to this crazy, energised sound then lose interest after that changes to the final, more mellow presentation. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong 

I found the Octave to be a bit more mellow than other DACs I have. With a mellow tube amp it was too much and the system I felt needed more cowbell. However, I liked the Octave with the 009s for this reason. On the other hand, my regular DAC, the Reference 7.1 had a bit too strong bass for use with the same tubes and the Octave was a better match in that regard.  

 

The Octave, when brand new, sounds different to how it is after the electronics settle down (I hate saying "burn-in"). At first, everything sounds like it has drunk half-a-dozen cans of Red Bull. I think people end up selling them because they get used to this crazy, energised sound then lose interest after that changes to the final, more mellow presentation. 

I'm not sure why you would say that Octave pairs well with the 009s. Isn't 009 an overall mellow, bass-light headphone compared to other high-end cans like the LCD-3 or TH900? (I personally found my TH900's bass to be quite heavy and hard-hitting compared to the 009) And since the likes of SR-009 are driven by high-end electrostatic tube amps, wouldn't that even sound mellow-er?

Btw, my audio chain is Metrum Octave - Burson Soloist (low gain setting) - TH900. Spec-wise, do you think this is a good combo that compensates for each gear's strenghts/weaknesses?

The 009 is not mellow.  Its quite edgy which is why the Stax mafia still prefers the 007 MkI.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong 

I found the Octave to be a bit more mellow than other DACs I have. With a mellow tube amp it was too much and the system I felt needed more cowbell. However, I liked the Octave with the 009s for this reason. On the other hand, my regular DAC, the Reference 7.1 had a bit too strong bass for use with the same tubes and the Octave was a better match in that regard.  

 

The Octave, when brand new, sounds different to how it is after the electronics settle down (I hate saying "burn-in"). At first, everything sounds like it has drunk half-a-dozen cans of Red Bull first. I think people end up selling them because they get used to this crazy, energised sound then lose interest after that changes to the final, more mellow presentation. 

Thanks for the input. To be clear, you're saying once the electronics settle, the Octave is a bit on the mellower side of things overall? Or just more mellow than when it began. Hard to think it goes from super-charged Red Bull to overall mellow after settling. Is the final signature still lively, just not super-charged anymore? Or does it settle into a truly more mellow state when compared to other DACs?

I would say its still lively, not Sabre lively, but lively.

I'd say, overall, it is far more mellow than at first. However, it's not radically different-sounding than my other DACs (though I never tried it in a speaker system), fed via the Audiophilleo. Compared stock to the Calyx DAC, for example, the music sounds much more natural and real. I only sold the Octave because I managed to achieve an almost similar natural presentation through using the Audiophilleo and Pure Power with the Calyx, both powered using the Vaunix hub.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Currawong 

I'd say, overall, it is far more mellow than at first. However, it's not radically different-sounding than my other DACs (though I never tried it in a speaker system), fed via the Audiophilleo. Compared stock to the Calyx DAC, for example, the music sounds much more natural and real. I only sold the Octave because I managed to achieve an almost similar natural presentation through using the Audiophilleo and Pure Power with the Calyx, both powered using the Vaunix hub.

I've been to Calyx's headquarter in Korea and listend to Calyx 192/24 DAC, and it was surely a decent gear.

Interesting, you are not the only one who cares about clean USB power. I use my Metrum Octave with a similar USB-to-S/PDIF converter like the Audiophilleo called Stello U3, by Korea's April Music. For the USB implementation, I use an Acoustics Revive USB-1.0SP, a Y-shaped USB cable (the first and very best of its kind) made in Japan that separates USB data transfer and 5V DC necessary to power the XMOS chip in my U3, providing a cleaner signal. But it doesn't stop there. Instead of plugging the power USB into my iMac along with the data USB, I plug it instead to Bakoon Product's (a Japanese/Korean audio company) BPS-02, a discrete battery power supply that provides very clean 5V DC into USB using two separate internal batteries. 6moons chief editor uses a similar implementation for his reference audio chain.

Although I had laughed at myself for spending money on such seemingly-trivial upgrades, the audible improvement was definitely there, and significant in audiophile-grade recordings. You must have heard an improvement using Pure Power with Audiophilleo, too.

How would this go paired with a Violectric V200? 

Just to be clear, How do you connect a USB input from a computer for Amarra, JRiver or some other program? Stello U3? or something like that? Does Metrum has a USB input add on?

You need a usb>spdif adapter if your transport has no spdif output.

Quote:

Originally Posted by longbowbbs 

Just to be clear, How do you connect a USB input from a computer for Amarra, JRiver or some other program? Stello U3? or something like that? Does Metrum has a USB input add on?

The Metrum Octave does not have a USB input. Therefore you'll need a USB-to-S/PDIF converter like the Stello U3 or Audiophilleo. I personally use mine with a U3.

^^ x2

Thanks!

You thinking of getting one of these longbow?

Have been watching this thread and googling since March - can't decide. Recently, I found this thread informative - especially its closing comment "it is sensitive to the source. The Jkenny hiface mk3 sounded better than my Sonos. I can imagine people hearing the Metrum with a jittery source and thinking that it's nothing special".

Against this, a number of people seem to have bought this DAC, declared it special (including the person just quoted), then have sold it within 6 months. What?!

What I really need is you Solude to get the Gungnir or PWD2 (soon) and post a comprehensive comparison