EverSolo Z8 DAC & Amp Review

[gk8aq]

Is this dual 9038Pro (1 for Left + 1 for Right)?
Does this unit support DSD up-convert? It's a must for me...
Several dacs do this...for example: TEAC NT-503 up-converts 16-bit/44.1kHz data from a conventional CD into 11.2MHz DSD
Also PS-Audio's DAC's do this as well and etc...

 

[Agoue]

De mon côté ce sont des micro coupures quand je connecte ma tv via l'entrée optique.

Problème Resolu service après vente au top ! J'en suis hyper satisfait !

 

[Veri]

Does this unit support DSD up-convert? It's a must for me...
Several dacs do this...

Most do not....

 

[Snoopy]

Is this dual 9038Pro (1 for Left + 1 for Right)?
Does this unit support DSD up-convert? It's a must for me...
Several dacs do this...for example: TEAC NT-503 up-converts 16-bit/44.1kHz data from a conventional CD into 11.2MHz DSD
Also PS-Audio's DAC's do this as well and etc...

Waste of money to buy such a unit for DSD resampling. Especially with PCM sources.

If you really want that it's better to do it in a more capable software (roon, HQPLAYER).

 

[SirD_P]

Am I to understand this is a headphone amp mainly? My chain currently is: qobuz -> WiiM Pro streamer (ethernet in, optical out) -> Loxjie A30 (optical in) -> JBL Studio 270 floor standing speakers. When I switch the Loxjie to the Z8 using the RCA outputs (I run bare speaker wire to RCA) the output volume of the Z8 is much much lower than the A30 even at 0 dB (chain is the same except for the Loxjie -> Z8 swap but the using the RCA outputs instead of the speaker ones on the A30)
When I plug in my ATH-M40x headphones , the headphone amp produces much much louder volume (even using the low gain output with the high gain getting even louder).
For such excellent specs I was hoping to better my experience with the Loxjie A30 (no slouch in its own right by any means) but I simply can't drive my JBL Studio 270s with this Z8 loud enough.
So is the Z8 only a headphone amp instead of multifunction (speakers and headphone) ?

 

[staticV3]

Am I to understand this is a headphone amp mainly?

No. It's a DAC + Headphone Amp. It has a variety of digital inputs and both Line and Headphone analog out.

When I switch the Loxjie to the Z8 using the RCA outputs (I run bare speaker wire to RCA)

The Z8 is not!! a power Amp. Please do not connect passive speakers to it like that.
The Line out ports on the back of the Z8 are supposed to be connected to an external amp, or to a set of active studio monitors.

 

[SirD_P]

No. It's a DAC + Headphone Amp. It has a variety of digital inputs and both Line and Headphone analog out.

The Z8 is not!! a power Amp. Please do not connect passive speakers to it like that.
The Line out ports on the back of the Z8 are supposed to be connected to an external amp, or to a set of active studio monitors.

Yeah, my bad. Already connected my speakers back to the A30 and ordered cables to do that hookup. Since my toslink splitter is already full I also opt to run coaxial from the WiiM Pro to the Z8 so I can switch outputs from toslink to coax on the WiiM to switch my listening sessions between speakers and headphones.

 

[Hawkmoon]

Some users report over-blown and bloated bass with the Z8 - I am pondering how this can be the case given the excellent measurements that Amir reports. The YT reviews that are subjectivist also mention "full" bass but do not call it over-blown or bloated. What is the experience of any owners on here and please note if you use with cans and/or speakers - thanks !

 

[0rangutan]

Some users report over-blown and bloated bass with the Z8 - I am pondering how this can be the case given the excellent measurements that Amir reports. The YT reviews that are subjectivist also mention "full" bass but do not call it over-blown or bloated. What is the experience of any owners on here and please note if you use with cans and/or speakers - thanks !

Not overblown at all - bass is just right.
Desktop speaker listening here.

 

[Hawkmoon]

Not overblown at all - bass is just right.
Desktop speaker listening here.

Thanks for that. Mine should arrive today or tomorrow and will be my main rig 2 channel speaker DAC replacing an old but quite nice ESS 9018 based DAC, so I am intrigued to hear the differences

 

[JSmith]

Some users report over-blown and bloated bass with the Z8

Don't read or listen to any of that tripe, the measurements speak for themselves.

I am pondering how this can be the case given the excellent measurements that Amir reports.

That's because it's not the case... unless these people have done a level matched blind comparison and got 9/10.


JSmith

 

[Hawkmoon]

Just out of interest has Amir ever tested or discussed whether a DAC's performance is impacted by having a switch mode power supply (such as the Z8 here) vs a linear toroidal transformer (such as SMSL SU-10) ? I note the Z8 has SMPS and no option to add a LPS but am I correct in thinking there is a consensus here on ASR that it doesn't matter ?

 

[JktHifi]

Just out of interest has Amir ever tested or discussed whether a DAC's performance is impacted by having a switch mode power supply (such as the Z8 here) vs a linear toroidal transformer (such as SMSL SU-10) ? I note the Z8 has SMPS and no option to add a LPS but am I correct in thinking there is a consensus here on ASR that it doesn't matter ?

Yes, have a lot of consensus here

 

[Purité Audio]

If there were power supply breakthrough it would be evident in the dacs measurements.
Linear power supplies are just another nonsense ‘everything matters’ product, along with mains leads, power conditioners ,and latterly boutique network switches, the only improvement they bring is to the bank balance of the manufacturer/retailer.
Keith

 

[Veri]

Just out of interest has Amir ever tested or discussed whether a DAC's performance is impacted by having a switch mode power supply (such as the Z8 here) vs a linear toroidal transformer (such as SMSL SU-10) ? I note the Z8 has SMPS and no option to add a LPS but am I correct in thinking there is a consensus here on ASR that it doesn't matter ?

Google is your friend..

Do you need linear power supply for DACs?

Probably the most asked about question about DACs on audio forums is whether an external, usually linear, power supply improves performance. It just makes sense that it would do that. Doesn't it? Well, let's see if we can figure this out. I have been kindly loaned a Wyrd4Sound PS-1 power...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Sokel]

If there were power supply breakthrough it would be evident in the dacs measurements.
Linear power supplies are just another nonsense ‘everything matters’ product, along with mains leads, power conditioners ,and latterly boutique network switches, the only improvement they bring is to the bank balance of the manufacturer/retailer.
Keith

Nope.
It depends,there's not a single solution-fits-all,there are certain conditions that the type PSU matters (even as a last resort):

RME ADI 2 DAC FS (ground?) hum- any ideas?

So- I made the mistake of spring cleaning and re-organising my AV rack yesterday. Today whilst using the RME with some sensitive IEMs I had a noticeable (assume 60hz or thereabouts) hum. So I started doing some testing. Observations: 1. Touching the join between the device and the IEM jack...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Purité Audio]

The first external power supply I came across was when we were distributing M2Tech, they made an external supply this was at least fifteen years ago for their ‘Young’ dac, I ordered some compared dacs with and without no audible difference that I could discern, around the same time ordered some linear supplies from Paul Hynes, he was the goto power supply man at the time , tried them with Metric Halo and a Weiss unit ( both used external smps) set up two dacs one with standard one with linear no difference .
Nothing really has changed, loads of ‘tweaks’ championed on ‘Computer audiophile’ stripped down OS, USB cards, cables power supplies none of them held water when tested.
Keith

 

[Purité Audio]

Nope.
It depends,there's not a single solution-fits-all,there are certain conditions that the type PSU matters (even as a last resort):

RME ADI 2 DAC FS (ground?) hum- any ideas?

So- I made the mistake of spring cleaning and re-organising my AV rack yesterday. Today whilst using the RME with some sensitive IEMs I had a noticeable (assume 60hz or thereabouts) hum. So I started doing some testing. Observations: 1. Touching the join between the device and the IEM jack...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Well there are simpler solutions rather than a linear power supply,
To quote the designer from that thread.
‘The leakage current of the ADI's external power supply runs to ground, whereever it finds one. With nothing connected you (your body) is the ground. The phones are in the way and therefore emit audible hum. Touching the chassis short-circuits the path of the leakage current, so it won't flow over the headphones anymore. Solution is the same as always: either connect a grounded device to the ADI, or directly connect it to ground.

Because of cases like yours we changed the power supplies to grounded ones. But as we have a lot of stock currently only the 2/4 Pro comes with it. And even that one will fail in case your power outlets don't have PE/ground (like many in Japan, Thailand...).

The last resort (if someone is unwilling or unable to connect it to a solid ground) is the use of a linear power supply. Their leakage current is basically free of harmonics and therefore typically inaudible.’
Keith

 

[Sokel]

Well there are simpler solutions rather than a linear power supply,
To quote the designer from that thread.
‘The leakage current of the ADI's external power supply runs to ground, whereever it finds one. With nothing connected you (your body) is the ground. The phones are in the way and therefore emit audible hum. Touching the chassis short-circuits the path of the leakage current, so it won't flow over the headphones anymore. Solution is the same as always: either connect a grounded device to the ADI, or directly connect it to ground.

Because of cases like yours we changed the power supplies to grounded ones. But as we have a lot of stock currently only the 2/4 Pro comes with it. And even that one will fail in case your power outlets don't have PE/ground (like many in Japan, Thailand...).

The last resort (if someone is unwilling or unable to connect it to a solid ground) is the use of a linear power supply. Their leakage current is basically free of harmonics and therefore typically inaudible.’
Keith

Yes,we're quoting the same thing that says that the last resort when someone has similar problems is a linear power supply.
I don't think RME is into snake-oil.

 

[Hawkmoon]

Any other user reviews of this unit to share?