Customers review

We at Octave always strive to listen to the experiences of our customers. 
These experiences are essential to us because we value how customers around the world perceive our products. We incorporate this feedback into the further development and improvement of our products. We are passionate audio enthusiasts ourselves and love great sound. Truly high-quality sound, high-end, and the enjoyment of music — that's where the Octave adventure began.
We don't believe in overhyping our products. Moreover, it’s also a matter of taste; what one audiophile considers great sound might not be the same for another. 
From that perspective, we would like to share the Octave experience of Michel Thijssen from Enschede, the Netherlands, who has recently become a fan of Octave.

Let’s hear from Michel:
"Music is everything to me. It’s an outlet and a way to get inspired. I listen to everything, from Isaac Hayes and Stone Temple Pilots to Cannonball Adderley, Les McCann, Marvin Gaye, Bonnie Raitt, Ben Webster, and Eva Valery. The challenge for me is to experience this music as faithfully as possible, but with impact. That’s where my audio journey began a few years ago. I love large speakers, and that’s why speakers have always been my starting point — never a preamp, power amp, or streamer. I started with the speakers and built my system around them.

I’ve had my current speakers, the Wilson Audio Maxx 2, for about a year now. From the moment I installed them, I started experimenting with various amplifiers: push-pull tube amps, single-ended tube amps, and solid-state amplifiers. Because of the high efficiency of my speakers, I was even able to experiment with 22-watt tube amplifiers. I tried a variety of setups, but I could never quite find the magic that truly touched my soul. I believe most of us audiophiles know this phenomenon, and for many, it’s part of the journey to find the holy grail.

The Introduction to Octave 
After further experimentation and a few acoustic adjustments in my listening room, a good friend suggested I try out Octave amplifiers. I wasn’t familiar with the brand, and to be honest, I had some preconceived notions about German audio equipment. At the time, my preference leaned toward large American pre- and power amplifiers: big, lots of tubes, the typical warm tube sound, and separate power supplies.
However, my friend insisted that I should look into the Octave MRE 220. He had once heard these power amps at a high-end show in combination with Wilson Audio Sasha speakers and was very impressed.

I had already made significant investments in my pre- and power amps, so I started looking on the second-hand audio market. Whether by coincidence or not, I came across an HP 300 SE in combination with the MRE 220 at a reasonable price. I contacted the seller and was invited to come for a listen.

The man had a beautiful audio setup but, unfortunately, had to sell it due to emigration. I was very impressed by his system and decided to buy the entire Octave set blindly. My wife and I packed the set into the car and drove home quickly. I couldn’t wait to set it up.

The First Musical Notes 
Once all the equipment had reached room temperature, I connected everything, waited a bit, and then turned it all on. The first notes that came out of my speakers were from a track by Arooj Aftab, called Baghon Main. My jaw dropped. Was this sound coming from my speakers?? Arooj’s voice cut right through my soul; it touched me to my very core! She stood in front of me, and it felt as if she was singing her song just for me. 
My speakers were elevated to a higher level, as if a veil was lifted from them. The sound opened up, the mid-bass had a deep impact, and it felt as if my speakers were completely under control. I was not only moved in my soul, but I was also amazed that my speakers were capable of delivering such a performance. I had never experienced this level of true musicality before.
 

The Next Step in the Journey: New Tubes and Super Black Boxes 
The Octave HP 300 SE and the MRE 220 date back to 2016, and the previous owner had never replaced the tubes. I could see from the KT120 tubes that the getter was shrinking, which for me is a sign that the tubes need replacing — under the motto ‘better safe than sorry.’ Maybe it’s an odd and costly habit, but I felt it was worth it to outfit the entire Octave set with new tubes. To make the right choice, I contacted Octave. I quickly received a response from Andreas Hofmann. After a few emails back and forth, I mentioned that I would soon be visiting Stuttgart with my family, which is close to the Octave factory. Andreas then invited me to bring the Octave set to the factory in Karlsbad for a technical inspection.
We received a warm welcome and a tour of the factory. It was my first time seeing how audio equipment is developed and built. The entire production process was explained to us. Even our children were impressed by the dedication and knowledge of the employees. Many of the components were made in-house, and other parts were produced by local companies. We were very impressed.
After the tour, Andreas told me they would start working on my Octave set right away. After a few days, I received an email saying that the tubes needed replacing. Andreas explained that Octave follows a rigorous process for selecting and matching tubes. Andreas also offered to try the Super Black Boxes in combination with the MRE 220. He believed this would significantly enhance the overall sound quality. I couldn’t refuse the offer.

After about two weeks, I received the Octave set back at home — exactly on my day off. I had all the time in the world to set it up again. Okay, I could list all the superlatives now, but again, my jaw dropped, and I was left speechless. The control over the speakers, the stereo image, and the sound both outside and around the speakers, the musicality — wow! And everything Andreas said about the Super Black Boxes was true! For my taste, my ears, my way of listening to music, I had reached the Holy Grail.

Did I like it, I wondered, now that perhaps the journey of experimenting with amplifiers might be over? Yes, I could finally put the finishing touches on my setup, complete my system, and fully enjoy music through a fantastic audio system."
What’s special about the Octave set, besides the possibility to place different tubes like the EL34, KT88, 6550, KT150, and even the KT170 in the MRE 220, is that the set doesn’t sound like a typical tube amplifier.

 I wondered: does it now sound like a tube amp or a solid-state amp? 
No, it sounds like an Octave. It’s a unique set of amplifiers that, for me, sounds amazing, looks beautiful, and has great user-friendliness.
I want to thank the Octave team for their commitment and their contribution to the world of music reproduction. They make beautiful products with a dedication that, in my experience, is exceptional. And oh yes, my prejudice against German equipment has since been revised.

The first tracks I listened to with the HP 300 SE and MRE 220:
Arooj Aftab - Baghon Main
Seven Pillars - Pillar I
Cannonball Adderley - Hummin’ (live)
Bonnie Raitt - I Can’t Make You Love Me
Oscar Peterson Trio - You Look Good to Me
Eva Valery – Xylem
 

Gear List:

Octave HP 300 SE preamplifier with phono module
Octave MRE 220 power amplifiers
2x Octave Super Black Box
Bricasti M3H DAC/Roon endpoint with network card
Small Audio Manufacture Titan turntable with Koetsu Black cartridge
Alfi power filter for the Bricasti
Wilson Audio Maxx 2 speakers
FIM interconnects and speaker cables