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EverSolo Z8 DAC & Amp Review

Rate this DAC & HP Amp

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 3 0.9%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 2 0.6%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 67 20.4%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 256 78.0%

  • Total voters
    328

amirm

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This is a review, listening tests and detailed measurements of the Zidoo EverSolo Z8 stereo balanced DAC and headphone amplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $699.
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo Headphone Amplifier Review.jpg

As you can tell this is not "yet another desktop DAC." A beautiful and responsive 3 inch LCD display can provide different levels of information including three types of VU meters! The menus are so rich that on first use you are prompted to choose your language. SO many things are configurable down to level of brightness of the ring around the volume control! (I set it to highest for this picture.) More useful settings include being able to set the steps from for the volume control starting from 0.5 dB going to 2 dB. Company clearly has extensive software development experience (as evidenced by their media/video players) which they have brought to bear here.

The back panel holds another bonus feature in the form of both USB-B and USB-C inputs:
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo Headphone Amplifier Back Panel Review.jpg


You can select the independently so you can use them for two hosts. A reassuring relay click accompanies every input selection.

Nicely done!

The only wish I have is for larger volume control display. It shows such when adjusting the volume but then you are left with the small font. You can replace the VU meters with "audio info" but that doesn't include the volume level.

Zidoo EverSolo Z8 Measurements
As usual we start with our dashboard with USB In/XLR Out at full volume:
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo Measurements.png

I must say, I was not ready for the unit to top the charts right out of the box. But that is what it did, finishing easily in our top 20 best DACs ever tested (out of now 400 units!!!):
Best new stereo DAC review.png


RCA output drops a bit more than usual but still fully transparent to everyone's ear:
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 RCA DAC Stereo Measurements.png


If you need less drive capability, here is the output relative to voltage level:
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo THD vs Level Measurements.png


Dynamic range is superb as you can already predict from SINAD above:
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo DNR Measurements.png


Multitone intermodulation distortion is great as well:
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo Multitone Measurements.png


Linearity and jitter are nailed:
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo Linearity Measurements.png

zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo Jitter Measurements.png


IMD distortion shows a hint of increased intermodulation distortion which ESS DACs are known for:
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo IMD DIstortion Measurements.png


You have your usual smorgasbord of filters that comes with ESS DACs:
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo Filter Measurements.png

zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo Frequency Response Measurements.png


Best to stay with the default Fast Linear and not complicate your life. That choice gives you this excellent wideband THD+N versus frequency:
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo THD+N vs frequency Measurements.png


Zidoo Z8 Headphone Amplifier Measurements
Company had told me that the headphone amplifier was a "bonus" feature and that it is as far as power, but not clarity/distortion:
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo Power 300 ohm Measurements.png

zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo Power 32 ohm Measurements.png


Lack of clipping with any load means that you can use the full volume range that is there:
zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo Power vs impedance ohm Measurements.png


Noise level is good but not state of the art:

zidoo EverSolo DAC-Z8 Balanced DAC Stereo Headphone 50 millivolt SNR Measurements.png

best headphone amp review.png


Zidoo Z8 Listening Tests
I started listening using Sennheiser HD650 headphone. I was pleasantly surprised that there was enough volume for average to somewhat above average listening levels. For kicks, I switched to my tough to drive, everyday headphone, the Dan Clark Stealth. Yet again I was surprised that in high gain, the output was usable. I am thinking burst level of power is more than the average I measure above. Clarity was superb as was absolute fidelity. I wanted to sit there and listen and keep looking at the VU meters!

Conclusions
Wish you could see my face smiling as I type this, reflecting my experience with the Z8. Not only does it have superb performance but it is a delight to see and use. Zidoo jumps into a very crowded and competitive market and easily makes room for itself with state of the art performance and delightful user interface.

The only wishes are larger volume level indicator and more headphone output. OK, one more wish: a spectrum analyzer in addition to VU meters! :)

Overall, this is a job well done indicating company has significant engineering and design experience.

I am happy to recommend the Zidoo EverSolo Z8 DAC and stereo headphone amplifier.

----
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
 
Last edited:

enricoclaudio

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OH... WOW... What a BEAUTIFUL device we have here... Gorgeous display, VU Meters, clean, classic and elegant design. Looks like a Matrix Audio device to be honest. If I didn't own a Matrix Audio X-SABRE 3, this one would be at the top 5 of my list and maybe worth considering it to replace my bedroom DAC :)

Thanks @amirm for another great review. This one definitely deserve the Golfing Pink Panther for sure!!!
 

TheBatsEar

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That seems like a great device, never heard of the company before. Might see what else they have to offer.
Thanks for them sending in their stuff and congratulations to making a cool product, hope it sells. :cool:

I wanted to sit there and listen and keep looking at the VU meters!
... legend has it that he sat there, three nights and three days, slowly drying out, refusing to eat or drink. Shards of @amirm's dried body will be sent into the world to be entoombed in hifi dealerships. Disciples will make their pilgrimage to pray for good room acoustics and high SINAD. ;)
 

sam_adams

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Nice to see a DAC without the I2S connector. Needs a trigger out, though. Includes MQA so a price hit for the licensing.

Pic on the website shows a 'large' volume display on the LCD (red arrow):
z8.png

@amirm, if you still have this could you take a minute or two to check the interface settings to see if you can get this to show up?

Direct link to user manual.
 

TheBatsEar

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Their Bluetooth supports LDAC, which is good.
However, when you buy it, you pay indirect license cost to MQA, wich sucks. Down with MQA! Join the anti MQA DAC liberation army!

Someone please explain to a bat what the 4 DSD high pass filters are supposed to do?
 

enricoclaudio

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I knew about the company because their media players. They have 7 x Roon Ready devices. But I didn't know about their DACs, though.

 

RenSong

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You got some of your color in my black DACs
 

Michou

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Sep 25, 2022
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This is a review, listening tests and detailed measurements of the Zidoo EverSolo Z8 stereo balanced DAC and headphone amplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $699.
View attachment 261200
As you can tell this is not "yet another desktop DAC." A beautiful and responsive 3 inch LCD display can provide different levels of information including three types of VU meters! The menus are so rich that on first use you are prompted to choose your language. SO many things are configurable down to level of brightness of the ring around the volume control! (I set it to highest for this picture.) More useful settings include being able to set the steps from for the volume control starting from 0.5 dB going to 2 dB. Company clearly has extensive software development experience (as evidenced by their media/video players) which they have brought to bear here.

The back panel holds another bonus feature in the form of both USB-B and USB-C inputs:
View attachment 261201

You can select the independently so you can use them for two hosts. A reassuring relay click accompanies every input selection.

Nicely done!

The only wish I have is for larger volume control display. It shows such when adjusting the volume but then you are left with the small font. You can replace the VU meters with "audio info" but that doesn't include the volume level.

Zidoo EverSolo Z8 Measurements
As usual we start with our dashboard with USB In/XLR Out at full volume:
View attachment 261202
I must say, I was not ready for the unit to top the charts right out of the box. But that is what it did, finishing easily in our top 20 best DACs ever tested (out of now 400 units!!!):
View attachment 261203

RCA output drops a bit more than usual but still fully transparent to everyone's ear:
View attachment 261204

If you need less drive capability, here is the output relative to voltage level:
View attachment 261206

Dynamic range is superb as you can already predict from SINAD above:
View attachment 261205

Multitone intermodulation distortion is great as well:
View attachment 261207

Linearity and jitter are nailed:
View attachment 261208
View attachment 261209

IMD distortion shows a hint of increased intermodulation distortion which ESS DACs are known for:
View attachment 261210

You have your usual smorgasbord of filters that comes with ESS DACs:
View attachment 261211
View attachment 261212

Best to stay with the default Fast Linear and not complicate your life. That choice gives you this excellent wideband THD+N versus frequency:
View attachment 261213

Zidoo Z8 Headphone Amplifier Measurements
Company had told me that the headphone amplifier was a "bonus" feature and that it is as far as power, but not clarity/distortion:
View attachment 261214
View attachment 261215

Lack of clipping with any load means that you can use the full volume range that is there:
View attachment 261216

Noise level is good but not state of the art:

View attachment 261217
View attachment 261218

Zidoo Z8 Listening Tests
I started listening using Sennheiser HD650 headphone. I was pleasantly surprised that there was enough volume for average to somewhat above average listening levels. For kicks, I switched to my tough to drive, everyday headphone, the Dan Clark Stealth. Yet again I was surprised that in high gain, the output was usable. I am thinking burst level of power is more than the average I measure above. Clarity was superb as was absolute fidelity. I wanted to sit there and listen and keep looking at the VU meters!

Conclusions
Wish you could see my face smiling as I type this, reflecting my experience with the Z8. Not only does it have superb performance but it is a delight to see and use. Zidoo jumps into a very crowded and competitive market and easily makes room for itself with state of the art performance and delightful user interface.

The only wishes are larger volume level indicator and more headphone output. OK, one more wish: a spectrum analyzer in addition to VU meters! :)

Overall, this is a job well done indicating company has significant engineering and design experience.

I am happy to recommend the Zidoo EverSolo Z8 DAC and stereo headphone amplifier.

----
As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/
Great measurements but still limited to just one each toslink and coax digital input. Missed opportunity.
 
OP
amirm

amirm

Founder/Admin
Staff Member
CFO (Chief Fun Officer)
Joined
Feb 13, 2016
Messages
44,370
Likes
234,412
Location
Seattle Area
@amirm, if you still have this could you take a minute or two to check the interface settings to see if you can get this to show up?
As I noted, that display pops up when you are changing volume, but doesn't stay there. I upgraded the firmware and can check to see if they have added it to the standard home screen.
 
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