[philo50]

it is a very enjoyable dac....very natural sounding ....the usb implementation is such that I preferred it to my Audiophilleo2....

 

[preproman]

Damn, if this is the case.  I swear it's between this and the Ciunas.

 

[astrostar59]

I would look at the Audio Note DAC 3.1 SE (kit). It is a great NOS DAC with superb sound. The quality of parts is top notch with Audio Note digital board and I/V transformers, plus 1:1 output transformers. The output board has the fab 5687 tubes on it, and all resistors are Audio Note Tantalum.
 
With a decent USB SPDIF convertor outboard, this DAC is a giant killer. Tube heaven with organic and realistic sound, no digital nasties or fatigue (as Delta-Sigma) and superb bass response.
 
I built my kit in 10 hours, it was great fun.
 
http://www.ankaudiokits.com/ 

 

[gz00]

I have the mark 1 octave which is a great DAC but only does up to 176. I emailed them to ask if I could upgrade, or get a trade in but they replied NO.  I went back to the UK dealer and he did offer a small trade in which I declined. I would prefer to sell and buy a different make and something with DSD.
Cheers
gz00
 

 

[Clemmaster]

Quote:

Does anyone know.  
 
If you get the USB module installed in the mkII, does it require power from the PC bus, or does the DAC supply it's own power to the module?

 
Yes it does.
Here's a nice review with most info you need: http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0613/metrum_octave_mkii_usb_dac.htm
 
Apparently, Metrum decided to draw power from the USB bus this time (the octave has a single transformer, the HEX has 3: maybe one is dedicated for the USB board?).
The USB power is filtered & cleaned in the USB board (the filter is on the other side, you cannot see it on pictures).
 
The reviewer said Cees made a great job with this self-powered board but ended up using a iFi USB Power with it.
 
I ended up doing the same with the NFB-27: while it's internally powered, I notice a big improvement by using the iFi in the chain. No more digital "artifacts" to ruin the sound, the NFB-27 is closer to what it used to be during it's glory days (Darryl knows what I'm referring to here, we discussed it on PM).
I don't know why it sounds better, but the fact is it does, so I'm keeping it in the chain 

.
 
Note: the iFi has a ground lift switch which supposedly reduces ground noise (the isoEarth thing). I clearly notice the effect of this switch with the DP1 (for the worse 

) but not with the NFB-27.
This tend to indicate that USB 5V power is not the issue with the Audio-GD but something else is happening which the iUSB seems to fix (galvanic isolation?).

 

[Jethro]

  Having dealt directly with the Metrum and having bought one their DAC's, I agree the experience was less than stellar. And the person (only one employee/owner at the time)  on the other end was evasive and not forthcoming in his dealings.
 

Yes, I has the same problems They tell me that I shall recieve an invoice whitin a half an hour To buy an Octave MK 1 Now I think to bay a used one        I'm from  belgium so my english is a bit drunk! 

 

[Tony1110]

If anyone's interested in buying a like new MKII with USB for a bargain price...see below.

 

[preproman]

Bump this thread....
 
Does anyone owned this DAC now?  Any impressions?

 

[astrostar59]

I have the Octave MKII. It is a great little DAC for the money, very smooth and refined.
 
I would say for it's price very hard to beat. And of course it is NOS so no messin with the signal
which I like. Compared to more costly NOS DACs it starts to look weak though, not great dynamics,
and poor bass. In my opinion the is due the to output amp compromises v price. As in most DACs IMO.
 
But I would say impossible to beat under £1k.

 

[Sorrodje]

  Bump this thread....
 
Does anyone owned this DAC now?  Any impressions?

 
I've only the MKI. Don't know if there's much difference in sound between the mkI and the mkII. @astrostar59 : Did you comparer MkI and MkII ?  Do you use you're MKII from USB Input or COAX/OPTICAL ?

 

[astrostar59]

I use it with USB input. The Octave is for my 'portable' system feeding Stax 009s.
A MacBook Pro 2014 with Audirvana+ and Integer mode - USB Octave MKII.
I used it a lot for 4 months with my KGSShv feeding my Stax phones.
 
Now back home, I am using the same system but with my Audio Note DAC 3.1. The Audio Note
DAC kills the Octave. It is more dynamic, bigger bass, smoother treble, more realistic, more of everything.
But with the AN DAC I am using an M2Tech full stack inc Ex PS, so that will boost the SQ a bit as opposed
to Metrum USB. I reckon using an external SPDIF convertor with it's own (decent) power supply will bump
up the Octave, and get it closer to the Audio Note. I do think, however, that NOS architecture of the Octave is
great but only half the story. The amp inside the Octave IMO is probably a bottle neck as regards SQ.
It's all built to cost of course. 
 
I would buy the Audio Note 3.1 Kit, and an external USB - SPDIF convertor - then you will have a giant killer
and can upgrade parts in the DAC later if required, to go even higher. Tubes and NOS DACs are a great combo
IMO.

 

[Sorrodje]

Yeah . i've read you opinion and FrankCooter's one here . Thks

 

[preproman]

There was some talk about the AN kits back in 2012 in the first 4 or 5 pages of this thread  
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/558280/best-dac-from-1500-to-2500-or-so-can-anything-beat-the-eastern-electric-minimax
 
I thought about it, then I heard a AN DAC 5 sig (not kit) and I was blown away at the CAF.  The AN vendor told me no kit would ever reach this level.  I just stopped looking at them at that point.  May have to the kits another look.

 

[astrostar59]

Yes, I have heard the DAC 5 at a show. I also have heard the Audio Note UK DAC 4.1 and it was also remarkable, as far as I could tell, not far behind the DAC 5 to be honest.
Audio Note updated the DAC 5 and lower models a couple of years back to take out the filter as well as having None Oversampling. The difference in doing that took their DACs to an even higher level. In fact I read a Peter Q post at that time that said when they did it to a DAC 4.1 it outperformed the DAC 5 that still had the filter in.
 
The DAC 4.1 UK product is about £10k, but the Audio Note kit, which is very close in both design and most of the parts is only $3500 so about £2,500. And by building the kit, you can later if required, swop in upgraded transformers and better caps, NOS valves etc. Aside from the valves, you can't do that with a UK DAC 4.1 of course. I would recommend either, and personally have a DAC 3.1 and a 4.1 kit. They are both very good, very smooth yet detailed, more real than any other DACs I have heard for 3 times the price. I have a bad history with Delta-Sigma DACs, I bought many and ended up selling them. They sounded too hifi and the treble was not real, too edgy and cold. I realised it irritated me so much I was ignoring my CDs. Ring Brian at Audio Note Kits, he can explain the options, and is a nice bloke who knows his stuff.
 
http://www.ankaudiokits.com

 

[preproman]

Looks like they are now doing 1X oversampling.  NVM - I got it..