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Metrum Octave Dac experiences

I had another thread on this dac before I ordered (and heard) it, but I can't find it anywhere. So here's a new thread since I promised to share my experience here ;-) I have been listening to this dac for a few weeks now, I have no idea how many hours. I am playing from a dedicated music server with JPlay.

To my ears (I don't have much experience with other dacs, only a Audio-GD dac) it sounds really good. The main thing I noticed was the lack of listening fatigue, everything sounds real natural. I still need to try it with oversampled music, I haven't had the time to make a good comparison yet.

By the way, I'm (only) using a V-Link at the moment but looking to upgrade to an Audiophilleo of Off-Ramp in a few months.

I was sondering if anyone has any similar experience or maybe some tweaks to make it sound even better ;-)

Thanks!
newbie79

Showing 4 responses by stanwal

stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
" I still need to try it with oversampled music"; I don't quite take your meaning here. As I understand it an oversampling deck takes multiple looks at the data in the recording; a NOS deck doesn't do this; the data is the same whether an oversampling dac or a NOS dac is doing the decoding. I have a Metrum on order myself after my experience with the NOS Rega dac.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
Mine is sounding better all the time; the best digital I have heard. Bass is especially impressive. Also the digital edge is absent or at least reduced in the case of bad recordings. CDs like the Yarlung are amazing. I was able to remove some of my room treatment panels that I had put up to tame the high end I had been getting. You will also hear things you didn't know were on the recording. Above all it is really NATURAL sounding; not hi fi sounding in the bad sense.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
No; I am using a Meridian 200 transport, which despite its age is still one of the best out there. Transports do make a major difference in sound quality. Digital cable also makes a difference.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
That is where it excels; lacks the "Digital" sound even most very good dacs have. Very hard to get a handle on the sound; which is always a very good sign. When I get a component that is considerably better than my old ones it is very hard to describe the sound as there are no points of comparison. Has great bass WHEN there is bass in the recording. It is relaxed but at the same time has plenty of drive. I cannot really see how it would disappoint you; I use SS but my two tube using friends also like it. Getting it has led me into a complete reevaluation of my system as some of my set up was to correct for defects that are no longer present. It is very impressive but MUSICALLY impressive rather than HI FI impressive if that makes any sense.
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