Octave phono module/pre amp

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Mordante

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Does anyone here have any experience with the Octave phono module pre amp?

I’ve been thinking about changing my integrated amp for a pre/power combo. Right now I use 7 meter long speaker cables. The idea is to use a longer interlink and place a power amp nearer to my speakers. However I don’t want more boxes. So the pre amp either needs a phono amp or dac inbuild.
My dealer has an Octave phono module pre amp. This is a modular phono amp for which you can buy different in and output modules. The one my dealer has, has 3 modules.

  1. Regular RCA input (which I can use for my DAC)
  2. RCA MC transformer input (for my turn table)
  3. Direct drive XLR/RCA output (used to connect to a power amp)

For me this pre/phono amp is pretty ideal albeit a bit expensive.

Does anyone have any experience with this pre amp. How good/bad is it?

http://www.octave.de/en/htdocs/verstaerker/phonomodule.php
 
Can't speak for that unit but I did own the V70se and the V110 integrateds. The quality was and features pushed way beyond their price points. The sound quality was absolutely fantastic. I will admit with the V110 I did not care for the KT120's. But I had plenty of output tubes from my V70se.
 
I had a V110 with SSB on loan for a week a while back so I could compare it to my Symphonic Line La Musica. The V110 didn't best my La Musica. It was different yes, but not better. But back then I had different speakers.

However things are still very early. Another completely different option could be a Aavik U150 with build in phono amp and DAC. But it may be a while before they show up second hand.
 
We've reviewed Octave Phono Module few years ago and was OK, but ... two things are a little bit irritating. First was that for best sound You have to wait almost 90 min (before sound is grey and 2D) and the second is that during every cartridge change You have to open the box and change micro switches in the every channel.

PhonoModule-0018.jpg
 
SoundRebels said:
We've reviewed Octave Phono Module few years ago and was OK, but ... two things are a little bit irritating. First was that for best sound You have to wait almost 90 min (before sound is grey and 2D) and the second is that during every cartridge change You have to open the box and change micro switches in the every channel.
Click to expand...

You say OK, but not good. What (sound wise) didn't you like about it? My dealer has a second hand one with the RVA transformer input. I have never used a transformer style phono amp. Does it also use micro switches? The long warm-up period is indeed a draw back. But from my experience all tube gear have this.

If I am correct in assuming you reside in Poland, have you ever tested the RCM Sensor Prelude phono amp? If I'm not mistaken it is a Polish brand. If you have tested it, can you say anything about how it compares to the Octave. The best phono amps I've heard are the VdH Grail and Grail SB.
 
Mordante said:
You say OK, but not good. What (sound wise) didn't you like about it? My dealer has a second hand one with the RVA transformer input. I have never used a transformer style phono amp. Does it also use micro switches? The long warm-up period is indeed a draw back. But from my experience all tube gear have this.

If I am correct in assuming you reside in Poland, have you ever tested the RCM Sensor Prelude phono amp? If I'm not mistaken it is a Polish brand. If you have tested it, can you say anything about how it compares to the Octave. The best phono amps I've heard are the VdH Grail and Grail SB.
Click to expand...

We've got RCM Sensor for a long time, reviewed RCM Sensor 2 and now using Theriaa in our main system, so ... for me Sensor2 offers much more resolution and better stability in background than Octave. Maybe on simply repertoire Octave and Sensor 2 are on the same level. but with more complicated music like big orchestral works and progressive rock/metal (Dream Theater) Sensor 2 show how deep could be the soundstage and how stable and clear are sources located there. Octave focused rather on first/second plan.
 
SoundRebels said:
We've got RCM Sensor for a long time, reviewed RCM Sensor 2 and now using Theriaa in our main system, so ... for me Sensor2 offers much more resolution and better stability in background than Octave. Maybe on simply repertoire Octave and Sensor 2 are on the same level. but with more complicated music like big orchestral works and progressive rock/metal (Dream Theater) Sensor 2 show how deep could be the soundstage and how stable and clear are sources located there. Octave focused rather on first/second plan.
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Thanks. Currently I use the Sensor 1.

Pre-amps with a good phono amp are rare and most are super expensive.
 
I know you don't want an outboard phono pre, but I can confirm the diminutive Octave phono box is a fantastic value.

I looked at full phono pres a year ago and determined most are compromises. The Dartzeel (pre or integrated) being an exception. The Vac integrated w/ phono I would love to try but not until the iq version comes out.

I ended up running Music First (passive) to tube amp with great results and at least no power cord :) I also run the outboard Octave and SUT as most LOMC sound better through transformers instead of resistors (per my experience).
 
I now have the Octave phono module at home. It has
1) RCA line level input
2) RCA transformer input
3) Direct Drive RCA output

Also I took with me a Octave power amp the RE290 using 4 KT120 tubes.

Before I sat down for some serious listening I let the amp warm up for a good while. They haven't been used for some time.

The difference in sound was immediately noticeable. The sound was more open and brighter compared to my integrated amp. Some people once told me that Symphonic Line sounds like a tube amp and that Octave sounds like SS amps.
Well maybe that is exactly what I needed. My previous speakers could use a bit of warmth and bass boost. The Raidho speakers are the opposite. They can use a brighter more open sounding amp with less focus on the bass.

I also did a little experiment. I connected the Octave pre amp to my integrated amp and set the volume of my integrated amp at 90% more or less. It was an interesting experience. I think that the pre amp is more or less responsible for the sound colour how open, bright etc the sound is. The power amp is more about speed, dynamics and attack.

I really the the pre-amp. Not so sure anout the power yet. My dealer has a Pass integrated amp that can be used as power amp. I might try that to get a feeling of the Pass sound.
 
Mordante said:
I now have the Octave phono module at home. It has
1) RCA line level input
2) RCA transformer input
3) Direct Drive RCA output

Also I took with me a Octave power amp the RE290 using 4 KT120 tubes.

Before I sat down for some serious listening I let the amp warm up for a good while. They haven't been used for some time.

The difference in sound was immediately noticeable. The sound was more open and brighter compared to my integrated amp. Some people once told me that Symphonic Line sounds like a tube amp and that Octave sounds like SS amps.
Well maybe that is exactly what I needed. My previous speakers could use a bit of warmth and bass boost. The Raidho speakers are the opposite. They can use a brighter more open sounding amp with less focus on the bass.

I also did a little experiment. I connected the Octave pre amp to my integrated amp and set the volume of my integrated amp at 90% more or less. It was an interesting experience. I think that the pre amp is more or less responsible for the sound colour how open, bright etc the sound is. The power amp is more about speed, dynamics and attack.

I really the the pre-amp. Not so sure anout the power yet. My dealer has a Pass integrated amp that can be used as power amp. I might try that to get a feeling of the Pass sound.
Click to expand...
I noticed the same thing back when I had the V110 and D1's. Warm sounding tubes sounded very mushy with the D1's but I really liked the Ei KT90's. Since I was no fan of the KT120's I never put them back in with the D1's.
 
octadyndude said:
I noticed the same thing back when I had the V110 and D1's. Warm sounding tubes sounded very mushy with the D1's but I really liked the Ei KT90's. Since I was no fan of the KT120's I never put them back in with the D1's.
Click to expand...

What is it about the KT120's you don't like?
 
I remember when the KT120 came out and everyone loved that tube. Then I upgraded from the V70se to the V110. It was new and at first I really liked them. That was for about the first 25 hrs. But through the next 75 hrs the tone changed dramatically - the deep lows lows disappeared - mids got more forward and the highs tipped up a bit. The sound stage narrowed. I gave them 50 more hrs and went back to original TS 6550 black plate (that 6550 had almost the glorious mid range but with lows and power). At that time I also had Dyn C1 Signatures. I later started using the Ei KT90's and the sound stage was even wider but a more balanced sound from top to bottom. Later I got the D1's and tried the TS 6550's bp. YUK everything sounded 'mushy'. Then I put in some vintage GEC KT88's. Much better but they seemed to lose a little grip in the lows but the mids and highs were much better. Went back to the Ei KT90's and got a much larger sound stage. Yes I did a lot of tube rolling. I will admit I never put the KT120's back in and upgraded to the D2's. Shortly there after I got the Aavik U300.

Now even with the D1's the only draw back was when you pushed the volume (which is pretty rare for me) but with the right song I wanted to crank it up and the lows would just disappear while the mids and highs got louder. Summer was coming and the heat from the V110 pushed my air conditioning much harder and that was the second reason I wanted to back to SS hence the U300. I also was able to replace my Naim nDac and power supply along with the black box for the Octave for a single box. Speaking of the black box it really lowered the noise floor and gave a hair more headroom. With your X3's I would highly recommend the super black box should you decide to keep the Octave.
 
octadyndude said:
I remember when the KT120 came out and everyone loved that tube. Then I upgraded from the V70se to the V110. It was new and at first I really liked them. That was for about the first 25 hrs. But through the next 75 hrs the tone changed dramatically - the deep lows lows disappeared - mids got more forward and the highs tipped up a bit. The sound stage narrowed. I gave them 50 more hrs and went back to original TS 6550 black plate (that 6550 had almost the glorious mid range but with lows and power). At that time I also had Dyn C1 Signatures. I later started using the Ei KT90's and the sound stage was even wider but a more balanced sound from top to bottom. Later I got the D1's and tried the TS 6550's bp. YUK everything sounded 'mushy'. Then I put in some vintage GEC KT88's. Much better but they seemed to lose a little grip in the lows but the mids and highs were much better. Went back to the Ei KT90's and got a much larger sound stage. Yes I did a lot of tube rolling. I will admit I never put the KT120's back in and upgraded to the D2's. Shortly there after I got the Aavik U300.

Now even with the D1's the only draw back was when you pushed the volume (which is pretty rare for me) but with the right song I wanted to crank it up and the lows would just disappear while the mids and highs got louder. Summer was coming and the heat from the V110 pushed my air conditioning much harder and that was the second reason I wanted to back to SS hence the U300. I also was able to replace my Naim nDac and power supply along with the black box for the Octave for a single box. Speaking of the black box it really lowered the noise floor and gave a hair more headroom. With your X3's I would highly recommend the super black box should you decide to keep the Octave.
Click to expand...

My audio spending money has dried up a bit since I bought the Octave. But two SBB's are on my wish list. As is the BB for my pre amp.
 
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