Octave Records and Studios is a subject near and dear to our hearts. We’re here to build a state-of-the-art recording facility that produces the best recordings possible. The more community support we get the better work we can do.
We’ll be posting new releases, music videos, studio updates, pictures, new releases, and so on.
We’re hoping those of you that get the new releases will post your reviews here and as always, offer suggestions and do “the community thing” our HiFi Family does so well to help make this a better place to get our music.
The new studios are up and running and the results are stunning. I’ll be sharing with you as our progress moves forward.
I was comparing the Masters Vol. VI to IV this morning, and I have to say I like IV better. I know VI is the first recording of Octave using FR30 as their studio monitors, and I think they must sound quite different than mine, or from other traditional non-ribbon box speakers. I moved to the Everlasting Dance SACD, and the sound signature is the same.
The music is more analog sounding for sure, but there seems to be too much warmness to the point where the details are masked. I would suggest PSA try the SACD with different types of speakers to see how they sound.
Of course, it could be just me, and I am sure the new releases will sound excellent on many other systems. It will be interesting to know what others think.
In my system, Everlasting Dance is warm sounding, but it is also very powerful, full, highly textured, lots of air, very present, and incredible amount of resolution, as much if not more than previous releases. Masters Volume VI is not bad either.
Maybe how good a recording sounds is also depended on system setup and music preference, but these recordings sounds incredible on my system.
By no means do the recordings sound bad. I turned up the volume, the music sounded dynamic and detailed. It just sounds warmer than I am used to. I have an all-digital system so I tuned it sounding towards the warmer side anyway, so no doubt in a different system the SACD may sound fantastic!
Hi I have purchased all of the Vinyl that Octave records have released and I find them all to be excellent through my system. If I were to pick a favourite it would be “Say Something” By Gabriel Mervine. Your last two vinyl releases were on 33rpm and not two lp 45rpm. Are you scrapping the 45 rpm format?
I don’t have the recording, but I think this was to be expected if recordings are mastered/optimized for a certain highly resolving and well bass controlled speaker in an acoustically optimized room. When played on a different one at home, it sounds a bit too rich and/or veiled on many of them.
I think the learning curve will be what to do to make recordings more compatible to many other speakers and rooms (which is what mastering engineers usually do), but then they will be less optimal again for the FR30 and the PSA rooms.
A recording mastered for any of our speakers and homes specifically will be less optimal for most others I’d say.
You are right on the richness/veiled sound characters of the new releases. I have no issues with previous releases since they sounded excellent. Therefore the change of speakers must be the issue.
So, my suggestion would be to put a second pair of more “traditional” speakers in the recording room to compare. The other solution is we all buy the FR30 to enjoy future Octave releases.
Thanks. Yeah, we made comparisons of the 45 and 33 versions and the differences weren’t big enough to warrant the additional costs (and with vinyl costs skyrocketing it would have meant a big price increase from the $59 we now charge).
When we switched to 33 we spent a great deal of time working with the mastering and cutting people to make sure we lost nothing. I am pretty happy with the results.
I am looking at ordering “Audiofile Masters Volume VI”, but I, as a sort of novice here, don’t understand some terms and their use on my system. I have a music server running jriver, and it has a DVD RW drive on it, from which I RIP cds into jriver.
Anyway I’m always confused by the options being offered.
Can some please explain exactly what these terms mean? Also, can I RIP either of the CDs being offered. FYI, I have been RIPing with the flac format, is there something else that you’d recommend. Or point me to where I can get this information…
Hi Tom sorry it seems confusing. If you purchase the SACD it includes a DVD data disc that you can rip from. Or, just choose the download option and you get everything already ripped.
If you order the SACD the DVD data disc is included. The data disc contains 192/24, 96/24, DSD 64, and 44.1/16. You can easily transfer all to a PC or Mac.
I tried my 1st download from PS Audio today. I downloaded the D. Grusin album in DSD64. I extracted the .zip files on to a USB thumb drive and played the tracks via the front usb connector on the DMP into (i2s) my DSSnr DAC. I noticed the “double ticks” are still evident through my speakers on starting to play the 1st track - is that just a “thing” with PS Audio DAC and DSD?
To retrieve the cover art would I need to burn the .dsf and other files to a disk and play via the DMP?
Music sounds nice, not what I expected and the presentation (mic setup) is different , like I was listening to different playing simultaneously from both speakers but after some reading about the recording I believe this was deliberate.
I haven’t tried purchasing DSD downloads before so this is a check for me to understand how to get the best delivery on my system. The usb thumb drive is just a stop gap whilst I work out my playback preferences.
I have an Innuos ZENith+Phoenix which I was able to copy the downloaded files onto and playback over DOP which provides the metadata. Music sounds as good as the DMP/DSSnr route.
As I’m staying with the DSSnr (v1) is it worth future purchases being in DSD128 over 64?
Is it possible to play DSD256 downloads on the DMP/DSSnr(v1) combo?
Thank you to PS Audio for the opportunity to hear new music, beautifully recorded, in my home.
The DS Mk I will play DSD128 and DSD256, the latter requires the latest firmware installed (Sunlight). The only way to do so is through the I2S connection. This requires either a USB converter like the Matrix or a streamer that outputs I2S like the upcoming AirLens. The new DS Mk II will also play the higher rate DSD through USB, but that will be a pricey proposition just for that capability. You buy the Mk II for the sound quality improvement!
Edit: I reread your post and I’m not sure if using a USB drive with DSD 256 files plugged into the DMP will send them unmolested to the DS Mk I. I sold my DMP so can’t check. I now have the PST and may have to try that!
