Eversolo DMP-A6 Streamer Review

[REK2575]

In terms of things being slow and sluggish -- has anyone else experienced this with the Eversolo app? I opened the app just a couple of hours ago to stream Qobuz and -- no go. It would just not load. I haven't experienced this before and hope it's a rare occurrence, but I did find threads about this problem on the Zidoo forums. Problem seemed to resolve itself in about an hour, but that's just way too long for it to be down.

I really like the A6 overall, but if the app starts to prove unreliable, that will be a much bigger problem than the 30-odd seconds it takes for the unit to boot up.

 

[amper42]

In terms of things being slow and sluggish -- has anyone else experienced this with the Eversolo app? I opened the app just a couple of hours ago to stream Qobuz and -- no go. It would just not load. I haven't experienced this before and hope it's a rare occurrence, but I did find threads about this problem on the Zidoo forums. Problem seemed to resolve itself in about an hour, but that's just way too long for it to be down.

I really like the A6 overall, but if the app starts to prove unreliable, that will be a much bigger problem than the 30-odd seconds it takes for the unit to boot up.

It can only get worse... A6 now on sale for 10% off.

That might sound harsh but Chinese companies have not shown a strength in long term product support. It's not the same vision as RME who continually improves existing products for years. Instead, most Chinese company business models churn product offerings looking for new ways to earn dollars and move on to the next project. If Eversolo supported the DMP-A6 with 10 years of improvements and upgrades like RME does I would be shocked. Instead, the A6 OS will likely become less secure and new updates may actually break other features. Less resources as the project ages translates into obsolescence. I hope I'm wrong, but that's what I would expect.

 

[fatoldgit]

It can only get worse... A6 now on sale for 10% off.

That might sound harsh but Chinese companies have not shown a strength in long term product support. It's not the same vision as RME who continually improves existing products for years. Instead, most Chinese company business models churn product offerings looking for new ways to earn dollars and move on to the next project. If Eversolo supported the DMP-A6 with 10 years of improvements and upgrades like RME does I would be shocked. Instead, the A6 OS will likely become less secure and new updates may actually break other features. Less resources as the project ages translates into obsolescence. I hope I'm wrong, but that's what I would expect.

Indeed and this is compounded more by companies basing their platforms on android.

So while technically it's open source, its basically abandon ware (at whatever release point they started with) cause of Google. Check out https://killedbygoogle.com/ for Google's stellar record when it comes to a lack of long term focus.

They (and others) would be far better to base their offering on Linux due to its track record on long term support and backwards/forwards compatibility.

For example, Linux dropped support for the i486 processor (released in 1989) in 2022!!! and compiling old software is easy. For example, you can install an old toolchain (gcc, cmake etc) very easily and compile for the latest platforms.

Now Eversolo might have deep chops when it comes to keeping old android releases going, especially since they only have to support a small number of hardware platforms but reading the tea leaves shows many other much bigger companies have EOL'ed android based software very early on in the software's lifecycle.


Peter

 

[dgp]

I agree, this is an issue to keep in mind. However, I am talking about one single device (among the usual components of a home audio system) that is slow, which is a media server/streamer. All other devices I have can be switched on in practical terms immediately, and I do not keep them in a standby. As far as the power consumption in a standby for the media server/streamer is concerned, it is normally less than 1W in the deep standby and on a scale of a few watts (may be just 2W) in the network standby. This is definitely less than "several hundred a year" mentioned by you. By the way, as far as I know, in the EU, the power consumption for electronic devices in a standby mode in the field of "consumer electronics" sold in the EU has been limited by law for years now. From 2025, the rules are supposed to be even stricter; in particular, less than 0.5W in the deep standby mode.

Let me expand a bit on this -- and ask a question. You made two points about (i) the life of hardware and (ii) saving money. The question is about (i).

Re (i). My general expectation is that the currents flowing in the standby mode through the powered part of the system at 1W of a total power consumption (which is a typical scale for the power consumption in the deep standby) are by far too small to noticeably affect the lifetime and performance of hardware (e.g., by generating heat at certain capacitors) in a HiFi device. I do not know numbers, but electrical engineers in this field definitely do. That said, I remember that when I bought a Rotel integrated some 30 years ago, it was emphasized in the instruction manual, and/or in accompanying paperwork, that the owner should better use the standby mode as this prolongs the life of the amplifier (in those days, companies could make scientifically provable or disprovable suggestions without being attacked by "climate savers"). My guess back then was that fast "cold starts" are detrimental to some of the hardware (power supply capacitors?), so that keeping the device in a standby mode when not in use was good for purely technical reasons (in addition to keeping the control circuit powered all the time, which is a matter of convenience only). So, unless it is hair-splitting, what is true: the standby mode beyond the matter of convenience is good for the life of HiFi hardware used on an everyday basis or the opposite?

Re (ii). I do not know where you live, but it is easy to find on the Web the cost of 1kWh for a private household essentially everywhere. Let us take Germany as the country where the cost of electricity in 2024 is one of the highest. Let it be 0.4€ for 1kWh in a private household as a characteristic scale. In that country, you will pay for a media server/streamer in the deep standby mode, where it draws 0.5W, 0.4x365x24x0.5/1000=1.75€ per year. If it consumes 2W in the network standby mode (WiFi connection is always on), you will pay 7€ per year. I do not find expenditures on this scale excessive for a really convenient thing. As for your suggestion to keep the DMP-A6 all the time on and pay more to avoid the "hardship," this is, in my view, simply not a sensible technical solution in the first place.

 

[kevinh]

It appears the DMP-S6 would be ideal for those using Genelec speakers with a 9320 Sam Xontroller. Due toi the USB C output, I haven't founbd other devices witrtha USBC output. So the DAC isn't an issue in that case. I wish WIIM would get a USB C output for their streamers.

 

[mags65]

It appears the DMP-S6 would be ideal for those using Genelec speakers with a 9320 Sam Xontroller. Due toi the USB C output, I haven't founbd other devices witrtha USBC output. So the DAC isn't an issue in that case. I wish WIIM would get a USB C output for their streamers.

There is only a USB-A audio output. USB-C is audio in.

 

[kevinh]

The A6 has 2 USB A 3.0 outputs; to connect them, use a USB A to USB C cable.

 

[The Moog]

The A6 has 2 USB A 3.0 outputs; to connect them, use a USB A to USB C cable.

I use the A6's digital coax straight into my Genelecs and this currently works OK, but the digital volume control on the A6 needs fixing as at low levels it is very noisy. One way around this is to set the A6 to fixed output and use GLM to control the volume, but I don't want tot have to run a PC all of the time to do this. I have been assured that this is being looked into, and I am looking forward to this working flawlessly hopefully very soon.

 

[staticV3]

I use the A6's digital coax straight into my Genelecs and this currently works OK, but the digital volume control on the A6 needs fixing as at low levels it is very noisy. One way around this is to set the A6 to fixed output and use GLM to control the volume, but I don't want tot have to run a PC all of the time to do this. I have been assured that this is being looked into, and I am looking forward to this working flawlessly hopefully very soon.

Are you aware of the Genelec 9101, 9310, and 9320?

These enable GLM volume control without a PC.

 

[Sokel]

I use the A6's digital coax straight into my Genelecs and this currently works OK, but the digital volume control on the A6 needs fixing as at low levels it is very noisy. One way around this is to set the A6 to fixed output and use GLM to control the volume, but I don't want tot have to run a PC all of the time to do this. I have been assured that this is being looked into, and I am looking forward to this working flawlessly hopefully very soon.

Doesn't A6 do hybrid VC?
Or I confuse it with some other one?

Edit: Oh,it's a digital out,ok.

 

[The Moog]

Are you aware of the Genelec 9101, 9310, and 9320?

These enable GLM volume control without a PC.

Yes, there is another reason that GLM volume control isn't a great solution for me, and that is that I use the digital inputs on my Genelecs for stereo from my A6, and then their analogue inputs for from an AVR for home cinema, which the speakers will automatically switch between. GLM changes the master volume for both of these meaning that my AVR volume then goes out of sync if not returned to its 'starting volume' after each use. This will all work fine once Everesolo can implement a proper digital volume control.

 

[Purité Audio]

I use the A6's digital coax straight into my Genelecs and this currently works OK, but the digital volume control on the A6 needs fixing as at low levels it is very noisy. One way around this is to set the A6 to fixed output and use GLM to control the volume, but I don't want tot have to run a PC all of the time to do this. I have been assured that this is being looked into, and I am looking forward to this working flawlessly hopefully very soon.

I haven’t found that to be the case here, what kind of level?
Keith

 

[The Moog]

Hi Keith,

The first set of A6 firmwares came with a 15 step digital control (which went from loud to very loud in large steps) so was pretty unusable. This was then replaced with a 100 step control that seemed to remain muted up to about -55dB, and then had the same stepped control with the volume remaining identical over several dB increments. The latest firmware now has a smooth digital volume control across its range, but I can hear an increasing audible hiss as you decrease the volume from about -35dB (I think above this the hiss is still there, it just deceases and becomes imperceptible). It sounds like the A6 might be achieving volume control by decimating the signal and hacking off least significant bits rather than doing this with float calcs and at high bit-depth, before either converting back to the original bit depth or ideally delivering it to the external DAC (in my case in the Genelecs) at the highest bit depth that it can accept, but obviously I don't know this for sure.

 

[Purité Audio]

I remember, the new firmware has improved things, I tested with Sigberg and 8Cs , what are you using coax or optical I don’t think bits have been cut since the early 80’s.
Keith

 

[The Moog]

I remember, the new firmware has improved things, I tested with Sigberg and 8Cs , what are you using coax or optical I don’t think bits have been cut since the early 80’s.
Keith

Digital coax to the Genelecs.

 

[Purité Audio]

Gens on XLRs aren’t they?
Keith

 

[The Moog]

Yup, so should work fine using an RCA to XLR cable. Obviously not balanced but absolutely fine for short runs, and work with the Genelecs from the digital coax outputs of other sources.

 

[Purité Audio]

I used a Hosa optical/AES which I think D&D recommended, I am not even sure they are still manufactured.
Keith

 

[Calypso1]

Volume Levels at Output Ports - Firmware Version: v1.3.30

When switching output port from USB to RCA, the volume output is reduced significantly! If I then briefly switch input source from internal player to another source and then back to the internal player, the volume output level is restored to the RCA port.

Would anyone know how to correct this? I have browsed through the volume options available in “Settings” and am unable to find an answer.

Thanks.

 

[zhenek1983]