Yamamoto YDA 01 DAC

Hi Philipwu,
Yes, the soundstage doesn't seem to be constricted anymore. I do not remember when it started but so far I've had about 4 weeks of consecutive playing time (amp off while not listening).

Octave, in my system, definitely is organic and forward sounding. I'm not sure the latter is an accurate description, but I meant it in a positive way. I guess it's like "you are there" experience.

The midrange is on par with Electrocompaniet ECD-1 dac. Maybe even better due to its organic nature. I have to dig in my memory for these comparisons, so bare with me when I cannot say one is definitely better than the other. Other than midrange, Octave is better than ECD-1 in other areas.

I want to say it is as detail sounding as Sabre32 dac (my experience is with Oppo-95 playing flac files off usb drive, Octave is currently fed by Synchro-mesh + AppleTV), but in a different way. Oppo is airier and has more delicate highs but Octave is forward and more real sounding. Oppo has slightly wider soundstage, Octave may be taller soundstage, if that makes any sense. On very complex passages, Oppo has more resolving power, Octave is detail enough to keep me happy.

For piano, violin, female vocals, my system sounds the best with Octave. This one I can say. Hands down, no contest. Octave midrange also smokes Oppo.

Octave bass lines are more defined but ECD-1/Oppo aren't that far behind.

So all in all, I'm happy with the purchase. I'm not experienced enough to say how much of a giant killer the Metrum Octave is, but I can say it's worth every penny and then some. By the way, I also tried Grover Hoffman powercord with Octave and heard better dynamics.

Next up is to try Yamamoto YDA-1, Eastern Electric DAC+ with Dexa opamp and Oppo-105 (due to come out in december, Modwright tube-mod also intrigues me). No idea how long it'll take but next year should be fun. :)

Components downstream:
Focal Electra 1008Be
Pass Labs XA30.5
Pass Labs XP-10
Nordost Heimdall XLR and RCA

hi Thanks and very appreciate your detail comments! i almost wanted to get it as all these rave had talked about all positive things and none negative.. Have you compared the 3 DAC (Octave,Sabre32,ECS-1) in the same system, same equipment?

Yes, same system same gear except the following
1) My Sabre experience is with Oppo-95. It's a universal player with no digital input. I play mostly flac files off USB drive. Both ECD-1 and Metrum are fed by Synchro-mesh+AppleTV.
2) No A/B comparison. I didn't have them at the same time.

Let's be cruel and hijack the Yamamoto dac thread once more for the Octave mk1.
I was very surprised by the good soundquality from the beginning, particularly the energy in the lower frequency.
But I also noticed a bit glassy highs like others did before.
I pimped the m2tech hiface evo with the m2tech clock, both powered by 9 volt 350mH lithium ionen batterys, and now it simply sounds amazing. NO glassy highs anymore but very refinded once go hand in hand with an open up of the soundstage. That is such an enhancement of SQ that I always craved for but wouldn't dare to expect. My room is floated with fine shimmering reverbs (lampizator call that plankton or someone spidernet stuff) and a better soundtage depth!

Also the lower octaves gain in form of a better gestalt. All in all it is more 3D. Soundstage expands not only in depth, also vertical and to the front. What a fine sound!

But if I change to the included power supply (not exactly walmart but that kind of) after the battery depleted and connect it to the hiface evo the charmingly SQ is gone - a loss of body take place. In effect it is so thin sounding compared to the battery power that I do not want to listen without the battery supply. I know there is a m2tech akku supply that I did'nt try yet.
The power supply effect is so enormous that I wouldn't believe it if I didn't experienced it by myself.
So first step: The evo hiface powered by battery, than add the clock also powered by battery, that's for me the route to reach soundquality nirvana. The clock itself makes a huge difference, evolve in charmings highs and open up the soundstage and show all the fine grained spiderweb stuff. The Metrum Octave definitely wins through a better clock in the upstream usb-spdif bridge.
I did'nt use a special bnc-bnc between clock and hiface evo but I couldn't resist to order an oyaide dr 510 for further improvement. I already use a coax silver wire between Metrum Octave and hiface (Rg 400).

Equipment:
Intonation Terzian (classic)
Nubert AW 1300
Bat VK 5se
Nakamichi pa 7
Metrum Ocatve mk 1
Mit Terminator 2

Thanks a lot to Elberoth and his test of usb-spdif bridges:
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/15-usb-spdif-converters-shootout-15327/
That inspired me to go that route.
The quality of the m2tech hiface evo with clock and decent power supply is outstanding. I can affirm what Elberoth wrote about it. That it sound a bit ethereal is what I like particularly.