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Where to buy Metrum Octave?

So I was denied a Metrum Octave by Hifi Heaven because I couldn't return their call the same day to make the purchase. This after waiting patiently for 6 weeks for something that they supposedly had 3 of in stock at time I made my order. I waited patiently as they explained that it was in customs each of the 3 times I called them fully agreeing that it was out of their control and not their fault. Then when they did receive it, they left me a message to call them back on their last unit. Unfortunately due to a work deadline I was only able to call them back the following day at their opening time. They tell me "I wished you called back sooner because it's already been sold".

While the individuals I spoke to were nice, I'm very disappointed that they didn't reciprocate a smidgeon of the patience I asked of me. Come on now, I'm made to wait for 6 weeks but they can't even wait a full day?

So now I'm seeking suggestions for an honest and reliable dealer that have or might have the Metrum Octave for sale.
huynhh1
huynhh1 OP
11 posts
 
Hifi Heaven must have remembered my plight and reached out to me to offer a discount on a unit. I unfortunately had to decline it since I've already placed my order with Metrum.

I included a link to this topic in my reply in hopes that they'll read it and will work to prevent my issues from happening to other folks. I hope I'm not being an ass for doing it that way.
eugene81
270 posts
 
Bought one from Hifi Heaven's website last week and it shipped out the next day. After only a couple hours I am impressed! At first I was rather cheesed about the dealer mark up, but even at $1100 this thing appears to be an incredible bargain. I say this while listening to a unit that is nowhere near broken in after swapping it in place of a fully warmed up Berkeley Alpha DAC Series 2 20 minutes ago. Just as good? Let's not get carried away, but pretty damned ridiculous at a shade over 1/5th of the price.
huynhh1 OP
11 posts
 
I finally received my unit at the end of September - about 6 weeks after the order was placed. Again I was too busy with work to write about it - I gotta change jobs or something.

It's got about 20 hours burn-in time. I'm impressed with how much more of a soundstage and depth it casts. It also renders the bass with more girth without muddying up the bottom - I no longer think that my KEF R300 bookshelfs are bass shy. Cymbals, triangles, and acoustic guitars are rendered realistically - which is generally true for most acoustic instruments. The vocals are slightly improved - I don't know how to qualify this.

Occasionally when the music is too busy like when the instruments are all mostly centered, fast, and competing with each other volume wise, the rendering sounds disorienting like the signals are out of phase which I liken to a bad attempt at creating surround sound from 2 channels. This rarely happens but is more pronounced compared to my cheaper Dac-Wow.

Overall, worth the price and wait.
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