Eversolo DMP-A8 Balanced Streamer/DAC Review

[AudioSceptic]

An iPhone can be the remote of a M1 dead silent USB out to DAC new MacBook or MacMini. Can also be your local music server.

Yes, as I suggested a bit further on.

 

[Basjebas]

A phono preamp is needed. The A8 doesn’t have a phono stage.

Some turntables have a pre amp built in

 

[EJ3]

An iPhone can be the remote of a M1 dead silent USB out to DAC new MacBook or MacMini. Can also be your local music server. The MIDI app gives you as lot to play with in the digital domain before sending signal to the DAC. The only issue is lack of HDMI ARC, but as long as Apple is your source and not the TV, you don’t need that feedback loop. I stream everything from my iPhone to the MacMini to the TV, so no HDMI ARC necessary.

All you have to do is desire to have all of these "computers" in your stereo gear and, if you do not live where the cell phone and other signals work all the time, move to a place that it does.
For me, that's not happening.
I'll do without or find another way.
I shouldn't have to rely on a phone signal (or some other signal & a computer) to be able to listen to music.

 

[Purité Audio]

You don’t have to, just rip your cds/downloads to the onboard SSD.
Keith

 

[EJ3]

You do t have to, just rip your cds/downloads to the onboard SSD.
Keith

So I can have my records (from 1927 to now, on a NAS & rip my CDs to the onboard SSD (which I could replace with a larger one if needed? [perhaps including my records])
and have more or less a one box solution (as long as I had a backup of what's in it?
If this is correct, then that is more or less what I thought the first time I read it & then, the later posts just seemed to me to make it more & more complex.
Thank you for this & any further input.
This seems like it may be the solution to a "sprawl" problem that I have with my system.

 

[sigbergaudio]

I have mine permanently on the floor next to my TV stand & speakers, so I see what you mean! It's possible with the right furniture & layout you could just have the laptop next to the sound system on a table/counter/stand surface. The aesthetics of this Eversolo A8 streamer could end up looking better in an audio system I suppose, but many people don't mind.

I think you will find a lot of spouses looking at you like you have grown two heads if you suggest having a laptop permanently on the floor in the living room.

 

[AudioSceptic]

So I can have my records (from 1927 to now, on a NAS & rip my CDs to the onboard SSD (which I could replace with a larger one if needed? [perhaps including my records])
and have more or less a one box solution (as long as I had a backup of what's in it?
If this is correct, then that is more or less what I thought the first time I read it & then, the later posts just seemed to me to make it more & more complex.
Thank you for this & any further input.
This seems like it may be the solution to a "sprawl" problem that I have with my system.

It seems that this product is trying to be everything for everyone (apart from a sub output): a streamer with the music files on a computer or NAS on your network, a complete player using a directly attached SSD, or both.

 

[EJ3]

It seems that this product is trying to be everything for everyone (apart from a sub output): a streamer with the music files on a computer or NAS on your network, a complete player using a directly attached SSD, or both.

Maybe in a later iteration they'll get 2 sub outs.

 

[Robbo99999]

I think you will find a lot of spouses looking at you like you have grown two heads if you suggest having a laptop permanently on the floor in the living room.

Yes, but when you use a laptop as part of your audio system it doesn't have to be on the floor, it's not a prerequisite of laptop usage!

 

[AudioSceptic]

Yes, but when you use a laptop as part of your audio system it doesn't have to be on the floor, it's not a prerequisite of laptop usage!

Agreed. Surely it can be put on something. Being on the floor is not good anyway, because dust tends to settle there.

 

[sigbergaudio]

Either way, the point is "why not use a laptop" is not a very insightful argument against a product like this. The use case is to get something that looks nice, has good functionality and just works. A laptop only covers one of those three.

Even in my dedicated listening room where basically only I use the system I would prefer a component like this over a laptop (and also do use such a component and not a laptop). And in the living room where everyone is using the system, a laptop would be completely out of the question.

 

[amper42]

I would vote for the laptop every time. It does more and offers a superior screen. Personally, I appreciate the ability to control access to my sound system.

 

[EJ3]

I would vote for the laptop every time. It does more and offers a superior screen. Personally, I appreciate the ability to control access to my sound system.

I appreciate that my wife and others can GROK the ability to use the home stereo system more than my need to control said system.

 

[Purité Audio]

Laptop/streamer doesn’t matter whatever your preference.
Keith

 

[sigbergaudio]

I would vote for the laptop every time. It does more and offers a superior screen. Personally, I appreciate the ability to control access to my sound system.

But then this product simply is not for you? I don't need a boat, but you don't see me commenting on boat reviews "Why would people need a boat? Personally I just swim."

 

[Robbo99999]

Either way, the point is "why not use a laptop" is not a very insightful argument against a product like this. The use case is to get something that looks nice, has good functionality and just works. A laptop only covers one of those three.

Even in my dedicated listening room where basically only I use the system I would prefer a component like this over a laptop (and also do use such a component and not a laptop). And in the living room where everyone is using the system, a laptop would be completely out of the question.

Horses for courses.

 

[Balle Clorin]

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Eversolo DMP-A8 balanced DAC, Streamer, HDMI ARC, and Analog/digital Preamplifier with DSP support. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $1,980.
View attachment 381739
The DMP-A8 is stylish and functional in every sense of the words. Running Android with a high-speed processor, navigation is smooth and very rich. I am assuming the same CPU is used for DSP implementation of equalization, delay and compression as it works for all inputs (output must be analog however). The usual App is provided for the control but I was disappointed that a hard remote was not. Back panel shows the very rich connectivity:

View attachment 381741

Really, I can't think of a thing that is missing there. The DMP-A8 can easily be the heart of a modern system with support for legacy analog inputs as well.

Volume control provides excellent channel matching courtesy of stepped relay control.

Beauty extends to the insides:
View attachment 381744

There are many features available such as per input volume preset.

The unit was sent to me many months ago but I wanted to review it when Roon was implemented and it is now.

If you are not familiar with measurements that are about to follow, please watch my tutorial:

Eversolo DMP-A8 Digital Measurements
I streamed my reference test signal over Ethernet from Roon, capturing balanced output:
View attachment 381743

This is within shouting distance of state of the art stand-alone DACs:
View attachment 381746
View attachment 381747

Surprisingly, there is no hit to using RCA output:
View attachment 381749

There is a slight difference in dynamic range however:
View attachment 381750

Performance gets a bit better if you crank up the volume to max:
View attachment 381751

Multitone performance is superb:
View attachment 381752

As is linearity:
View attachment 381753

Jitter is nearly so and is input independent:
View attachment 381754

IMD vs level shows a slight rise in noise in mid-level but it is inconsequential:
View attachment 381755
Looking at the spectrum (not shown), noise floor moved up just a hair at -37 dB.
Driving an unrealistically low impedance of 600 Ohm doesn't bother the A8 at all:
View attachment 381756

Nor does it care what frequency you throw at it:
View attachment 381758

The DAC in use is AKM and we have the usual set of filters available:
View attachment 381759
View attachment 381760

Eversolo DMP-A8 Analog Preamplifier Measurements
I stayed with XLR input and output to keep the measurement set manageable. I selected volume control at 0 dB (it allows excursion well above that):
View attachment 381761
Wow! I was not expecting this. This is amazing performance. I thought it is digitizing the input but it is not (which sadly means DSP is not available for it either).

Across every measurement, performance is superb:
View attachment 381762
View attachment 381763

Reducing level to just 50 mv still provides excellent dynamic range:
View attachment 381764

That good noise performance translates into IMD vs level as well:
View attachment 381766

Making sure nothing bad happens when volume is reduced, here it is at -10 dB:
View attachment 381765

Crosstalk is superb:
View attachment 381768

And no frequency dependency:
View attachment 381769

Conclusions
In just about every area you look at, the DMP-A8 brings class leading performance combined with functionality that is not available elsewhere. All is put together in an elegant packaging with extensibility and openness of the Android OS. Critical features such as equalization and compression are provided. The only misses are lack of included hard remote and absence of DSP on analog input. The latter does translate into better performance than any digitizing analog preamp.

It is with my absolute pleasure to recommend the Eversolo DMP-A8 streamer and DAC. It is expensive but just doesn't get better than this folks.

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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/

Is the SNR values referenced to Volts or Power (Watt) ? It is an ongoing debate somewhere else about this ,and I trust you to have the correct answer of the correct term/method to use

 

[byazici]

Guys, have a question that is bothering me because of a thing that a seller said about the A8, would like to see if anyone measured or knows anything about it.

The seller told me that the digital out of the A8 always passes the signal through the R2R volume network, thus, degrading the signal. I might have missed the measurement regarding this on Amir's review but, it is rather important for me as I have integrated amplifiers that I would like to use this device with. I would hate to learn that the volume control circuitry of the A8 is always at play regardless of usage scenario. Thanks.

Oh, and the seller is pushing me towards the A6-Master, stating that model is more appropriate for that kind of integrated amplifier usage...

 

[beneix]

Yes, but when you use a laptop as part of your audio system it doesn't have to be on the floor, it's not a prerequisite of laptop usage!

I am sure that at a HiFi fair near you, there will be a friendly salesperson with a special audiophile laptop stand to offer you, made out of cryogenically treated nanocarbon, with titanium plating and an acoustically decoupled crystal glass base.

 

[Purité Audio]

Guys, have a question that is bothering me because of a thing that a seller said about the A8, would like to see if anyone measured or knows anything about it.

The seller told me that the digital out of the A8 always passes the signal through the R2R volume network, thus, degrading the signal. I might have missed the measurement regarding this on Amir's review but, it is rather important for me as I have integrated amplifiers that I would like to use this device with. I would hate to learn that the volume control circuitry of the A8 is always at play regardless of usage scenario. Thanks.

Oh, and the seller is pushing me towards the A6-Master, stating that model is more appropriate for that kind of integrated amplifier usage...

No difference between the A-6 and ‘master’ version, the analogue path stays analogue I believe digital stays digital.
Keith