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Lawrence001
13-01-2018, 08:29
I've just got hold of one of these, my very early findings are it's nice and detailed, slightly forward (in a good way), but no hint of any fatigue (though only after an hour of listening). Overall it has a similar sound to other "high end" modern dacs I've heard, and yet I've always gone back to my Trichord in the long run. I have it on sale and return for a few days but family life limits my listening time so I was wondering what other people thought too?

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George47
13-01-2018, 14:07
I have had a Metrum Octave DAC for some time. For me it was one of the first DACs that lost that digital edge from music and started to sound like real music. It has a great natural sound that is easy to listen to for many hours. That is important as a lot of DACs can sound very dramatic, upfront and impressive. But after an hour it grates. After a couple of hours you dread cymbals being struck..... Some DACs do not do that. The Metrum is one.

If you do not believe me then Martin Colloms really rated this DAC and favourably compared it to a 5 figure DAC. He still rates it above a huge swathe of DACs including some high priced ones.

Metrum have improved the Octaves but this was a real ground breaker when it cam out.

Lawrence001
13-01-2018, 17:44
Thanks George that's good to know and makes me inclined to keep hold of it for a while to really get to know the sound. Do you know where and when MC reviewed the dac as I haven't come across that particular review in my searches?

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George47
13-01-2018, 20:01
It is on the Hifi Critic site.

Lawrence001
13-01-2018, 22:22
Thanks just found it complete (could only see one page on the hificritic site).

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.criticalsound.co.nz/assets/Uploads/octavehificritic.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwidtYni-dXYAhWpCsAKHbJCBggQFjAAegQIEBAB&usg=AOvVaw2CfcLQ1RmNxQ4EGo0yqbp4



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VanDerGraaf
13-01-2018, 22:47
This has always seemed to be a great DAC; my Leema Elements DAC is superb but the Octave is one I've often wanted to hear.

mikecole
14-01-2018, 04:45
I have the baby brother to that. I bought it a few years ago after getting rid of my CD player and moving on to streaming (with Logitech Squeezbox). It was the first digital I heard that I listened to because I wanted to, not because it was the only format I could get a particular piece of music on. It is still in my system.

Audio Al
14-01-2018, 05:02
Is it still that good 7 years on ? the review was done in 2011

Lawrence001
14-01-2018, 09:07
I've been using a Trichord dac for the last 10 years that must be nearly 30 years old, and it's seen off some pricey and well respected modern dacs (eg. the Young). I put it down to a very well implemented dac chip with a fantastic output section with massive power supplies.

The octave has the edge on it in terms of resolution while retaining naturalness but the Trichord still has something about it. I think the development of later dacs surpasses older ones in some ways, but given tastes differ and systems often require a different type of sound to match the other components (e.g.too much resolution can sometimes distract from the soul of the music if it's thrown in your face), the better oldies still have a place in a modern high end system. In the case of the octave, it's still relatively new compared to many, and the technology was ground-breaking at the time.

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Macca
14-01-2018, 09:26
I've been using a Trichord dac for the last 10 years that must be nearly 30 years old, and it's seen off some pricey and well respected modern dacs (eg. the Young). I put it down to a very well implemented dac chip with a fantastic output section with massive power supplies.



I've also noticed that these elements are what makes a good sound from a DAC, regardless of how long ago it was designed, or whether it is a stand-alone unit or inside a CD player. Most of what is written on forums about digital audio is either sheer fantasy or just marketing bullshit regurgitated. If you see someone start a post with something like 'Digital technology has come on leaps and bounds' you can safely disregard anything else they have to say on the subject.

George47
14-01-2018, 15:25
The Metrum uses(d) industrial DACs with very high switching rates as opposed to the more common Burr Brown etc. audio chips. I think(?) it had a good healthy output so did not need an op amp but may have used FETs as a buffer. With NOS and no digital filters it gave that more natural sound that NOS guys twitter about.

Martin Colloms gave it a 'score' of 185 which puts it into top drawer DACs and above a lot of Linn/Naim (but not the NDS). He favourably compared it to the MSB DACs which was 15x the price of the Octave. Hence his enthusiasm for it.

I have heard better but more at knee trembling prices but that maybe because I like what NOS DACs do to the sound.

Gazjam
14-01-2018, 16:18
Almost pulled the trigger on a Metrum Adagio, by all accounts Metrum know their stuff it's pretty tremendous.

Conversation with a London high end Dealer (who I bought my SME V off and I knew as a "good guy") convinced me to look elsewhere.
Wanted to throw money at him to buy the Adagio, but he says take a moment and have a think, and suggested something else.

Suggested something different as better (and cheaper) and I went with that.

My M2Tech Young sounds tremendous, but at this price-point the Octave will blow it out the weeds.

Lawrence001
17-01-2018, 22:55
Just bought another dac, didn't need it but had committed before I got the metrum. It's a Lead Audio/Northern Fidelity 32/384 dac/pre/headphone amp. I have to say it's very good, not quite as natural/non-digital as the metrum but the pre amp stage is pretty handy and the sabre dac does have a nice sound. It's smoother than another sabre dac I had (audio gd nfb-11) and far more listenable. While it had a wall wart psu, it doesn't have any discernable "weak psu" kind of sound except a slightly lighter (but very tight) bass.

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Gazjam
18-01-2018, 10:50
Just bought another dac, didn't need it but had committed before I got the metrum. It's a Lead Audio/Northern Fidelity 32/384 dac/pre/headphone amp. I have to say it's very good, not quite as natural/non-digital as the metrum but the pre amp stage is pretty handy and the sabre dac does have a nice sound. It's smoother than another sabre dac I had (audio gd nfb-11) and far more listenable. While it had a wall wart psu, it doesn't have any discernable "weak psu" kind of sound except a slightly lighter (but very tight) bass.

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Sounds a nice bit of kit.
I’d never got on with Sabre Dacs, always found them a bit digital and the top end was a bit sharp.

Maybe worth trying a linear supply anyway, you never know?

Lawrence001
18-01-2018, 16:52
I've already got a wanted ad for a linear psu and after a recommendation have ordered a unit from maplins. Hopefully this will raise the performance of the new dac to a higher level.