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| First day at school: ASR Emitter and Okto Research DAC8 Stereo buddying up. |
We just had the visit of the founder and designers at Okto Research. Okto Research are based in Prague and have been noticed for the outstanding performance of their eight channels DAC8. They brought their new model the DAC8 Stereo. Sound quality was as impressive as one can expect from such stellar measured performance. The design and manufacturing quality are also impeccable. The case is made of solid, CNC-machined, anodized, aluminium panels and two inserted display windows that sit flush with the front panel (that cannot be easy to do).
A few words from Pavel, founder of Okto Research:
"DAC8 Stereo is a result of many years of our pursuit to get the most from the flagship Sabre D/A chips. While it shares the analog architecture with our 8-channel model (the DAC8 PRO), the DAC8 Stereo combines 4+4 channels to double the dynamic range and push the measured performance to numbers we didn't expect to ever reach. It also adds Raspberry Pi 4 on top, an ubiquitous, community-supported single board computer that enables it to play audio from network storages or streaming services.
In our design process, we ended up diverting completely from the D/A chip manufacturer guidelines. The main idea behind our products is that, ultimately, it is the implementation of the chip that creates the performance and character."
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| Trying it at home on my own system too. |
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| Inserted display sits perfectly flush with front panel. |