Thank you, I think I'll wait a little longer, as my experience tells me, if a decision is hard, it's not the right decision. Now I can buy the eversolo z8 for $600. But perhaps when the sale ends, the price will decrease even more, as it usually happens))). I'm from Russia and China are very close, and I'm not in a hurry to buy. Maybe you're right and we need to wait a little bit when they make a new super device) I'm just new to this and wanted to hear the opinion of experienced people)
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EverSolo Z8 DAC & Amp Review
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
Jimster480
Major Contributor
There are lots of really affordable DAC/Amp Combos these days with excellent performance. Not really much of a reason to "wait" for anything unless you have a nice system right now.
Has anyone else had problems connecting their Z8 to an LG TV's optical out and/or Bluetooth?
Tried multiple setting changes on the TV - a new LG 65 inch QNED80 - without success. The Z8 recognised the TV and connected over Bluetooth, but refused to convert its digital stream to audio. Over optical there was again no conversion and sound.
The optical input is functioning - no problems connecting it to an old Panasonic plasma. The issue seems to be with the LG. I read elsewhere that ESS Sabre DACs often have problems taking optical data from LG TVs, though there are possible firmware fixes.
Any ideas?
@mirror88
Tried multiple setting changes on the TV - a new LG 65 inch QNED80 - without success. The Z8 recognised the TV and connected over Bluetooth, but refused to convert its digital stream to audio. Over optical there was again no conversion and sound.
The optical input is functioning - no problems connecting it to an old Panasonic plasma. The issue seems to be with the LG. I read elsewhere that ESS Sabre DACs often have problems taking optical data from LG TVs, though there are possible firmware fixes.
Any ideas?
@mirror88
You can bluetooth music to the unit from your , for example phone .
Keith
Keith
georgeincanada
Member
This Eversolo DAC-Z8 & Amp certainly possesses very high specifications, and excellent measurements.
A couple of unimportant questions, but up here in Ontario, Canada, that "Eversolo DAC-Z8 Digital to Analogue Converter with Headphone Amplifier" is a dollar before a thousand! Therefore, at $999.00 Canadian, is the Volume Dial, Controller, and Power Button made of metal, even if it is not top quality aluminum, but metal, anyway? Or is it a plastic material? If it is a good quality plastic, other DA Converters have metal face plates, and most knobs, dials, and switches appear, and feel to be genuine metallic metal. And they cost a bit less.
Also, what is all this XLR connection jack business on today's upper range of Digital to Analogue Converters? What if a hi fi audio music listener does not have XLR Input Jacks on his or her Receiver, or Integrated Amplifier? I've got a Cambridge Audio AXR100 Receiver (maybe earlier version) that I bought used in very good condition; except a little door for the Digital Optical Toslink Input is broken off.
Getting back to the point. What is there to do to connect to XLR connections? Or for a CA AXR100 Receiver, maybe I should seriously consider the recent Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M, instead? At present I have a new CA DacMagic 100 DAC connected. I also have a used CA CXC CD Transport (maybe original version) in good condition, besides a new Cambridge Audio Alva Duo MM/MC Preamplifier. Furthermore, most of my connections are with Blue Jeans Cable, mostly made in the USA, by the way.
Therefore, are XLR analogue connections going to make a bit of a significant difference? If so, then I may have to spend more time, and money to make a purchase for a new Receiver, or Integrated Amplifier. Hi fi audio can certainly be an expensive hobby.
Thank you to anybody who can provide me with any advice on a correct choice for a very good DAC, of high performance at a reasonable price. If there is such a reasonable price. And such a DAC is to be connected to a CD Transport, or CD Player as a transport.
Sincerely,
georgeincanada
Canada
A couple of unimportant questions, but up here in Ontario, Canada, that "Eversolo DAC-Z8 Digital to Analogue Converter with Headphone Amplifier" is a dollar before a thousand! Therefore, at $999.00 Canadian, is the Volume Dial, Controller, and Power Button made of metal, even if it is not top quality aluminum, but metal, anyway? Or is it a plastic material? If it is a good quality plastic, other DA Converters have metal face plates, and most knobs, dials, and switches appear, and feel to be genuine metallic metal. And they cost a bit less.
Also, what is all this XLR connection jack business on today's upper range of Digital to Analogue Converters? What if a hi fi audio music listener does not have XLR Input Jacks on his or her Receiver, or Integrated Amplifier? I've got a Cambridge Audio AXR100 Receiver (maybe earlier version) that I bought used in very good condition; except a little door for the Digital Optical Toslink Input is broken off.
Getting back to the point. What is there to do to connect to XLR connections? Or for a CA AXR100 Receiver, maybe I should seriously consider the recent Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M, instead? At present I have a new CA DacMagic 100 DAC connected. I also have a used CA CXC CD Transport (maybe original version) in good condition, besides a new Cambridge Audio Alva Duo MM/MC Preamplifier. Furthermore, most of my connections are with Blue Jeans Cable, mostly made in the USA, by the way.
Therefore, are XLR analogue connections going to make a bit of a significant difference? If so, then I may have to spend more time, and money to make a purchase for a new Receiver, or Integrated Amplifier. Hi fi audio can certainly be an expensive hobby.
Thank you to anybody who can provide me with any advice on a correct choice for a very good DAC, of high performance at a reasonable price. If there is such a reasonable price. And such a DAC is to be connected to a CD Transport, or CD Player as a transport.
Sincerely,
georgeincanada
Canada
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Then you use the RCA outputs on the DAC
You can't use them with your current gear, so why worry? In general, they offer a bit more noise rejection and may yield better results when you have ground loops. If you have none of those issues, there will be no audible benefit.
Only if you spend your time listening to the vast amount of misinformation perpetuated by this industry. if you don't want to spend CAD 1000 on a streamer, check out the offerings of WiiM.
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georgeincanada
Member
Thank you very much for your answers, and wise advice, voodooless.
DEALUX
Active Member
Is this one of their DACs that supports parametric EQ? I would like that for headphone calibration. If it does have PEQ, does it work across all inputs like USB and optical?
No.
DEALUX
Active Member
lol why is it so hard to find a DAC with built in PEQ for less than $1K? The Topping stuff only does PEQ via USB and none of the other inputs. Useless.
Try WiiM (Ultra)
DEALUX
Active Member
no balanced out?Try WiiM (Ultra)
Eversolo A6 has balanced XLR outs and peq and also a streamer.
Keith
Keith
MiniDSP Flex then
DEALUX
Active Member
I think I'll wait for Topping to release updated D70 with global PEQ. Their new R2R DAC has that already.MiniDSP Flex then
Been considering ditching/selling my Cambridge Audio CXNv2 streamer as I don’t use it as a streamer per se as it’s merely connected to my iMac from which I use roon as my streaming option, I can get the Z8 for £500 from my local hifi shop so seriously considering one to use in my system (in signature) as I imagine I’ll be able to sell my CXNv2 for £200ish
Well I bought a Z8 and it’s now settled in to system/desktop whilst my CXN V2 is off (sold) to a new owner
Audio quality of the Z8 is so so much better than CXN, clearer high’s, lower lows, detailed separation and so on………………nah not really…….…, I can’t tell any audible difference whatsoever but it must be betterer as it’s smaller and conveniently sits on my desk shelf - so that’s a big win for more desk space.
I’ve went from this below with the CXN V2…
To this with the Z8….
Very happy and donated £10 to ASR for highlighting this product onto my shopping radar
Audio quality of the Z8 is so so much better than CXN, clearer high’s, lower lows, detailed separation and so on………………nah not really…….…
, I can’t tell any audible difference whatsoever but it must be betterer as it’s smaller and conveniently sits on my desk shelf - so that’s a big win for more desk space.I’ve went from this below with the CXN V2…
To this with the Z8….
Very happy and donated £10 to ASR for highlighting this product onto my shopping radar
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Brent71
Member
I received my Z8 earlier today and I'm extremely happy with it! I unboxed it and had hooked up and playing in a couple minutes, just install the driver and swap of cables from my previous DAC to the Z8. I've been playing a bunch of my favorite audiophile and test tracks all day, redbook CDs, SACD ISO files, HDtracks & even a few MQA files. I haven't heard anything I can criticize about the sound quality, it's simply excellent. My Dunlavy SC-V speakers are extremely revealing and expose all the flaws in bad recordings, especially high frequencies; this DAC does everything right, and the highs are detailed and smooth, not a hint of harshness. Even some of my favorite old early-'90s metal CDs like Megadeth's Countdown To Extinction, Pantera's Vulgar Display of Power and Corrosion of Conformity's Blind sound better than I've ever heard; the cymbals sound like cymbals, not sizzly hash. The VU meters are fun to watch, it's too bad that it doesn't have a 6" display like their streamers.
The only issue I've found with it is I can't get it to play DSD 512 for some reason. I used the DSD processor in Foobar2000 to upconvert DSD 64 to DSD 512, and Foobar wasn't happy, giving me a "Unrecoverable playback error: Sample rate of 1411200 Hz not supported by this device" error. Not that it really matters since I've never seen DSD files with that high sampling rate. I have no issue with 768 kHz PCM playback.
The only issue I've found with it is I can't get it to play DSD 512 for some reason. I used the DSD processor in Foobar2000 to upconvert DSD 64 to DSD 512, and Foobar wasn't happy, giving me a "Unrecoverable playback error: Sample rate of 1411200 Hz not supported by this device" error. Not that it really matters since I've never seen DSD files with that high sampling rate. I have no issue with 768 kHz PCM playback.
Nutul
Senior Member
Are you sure about the frequency (1411200 Hz)??? That would be a DSD32 in my book...
Anyway, rest assured the Z8 CAN play DSD up to 512. Maybe Foobar2000 algorithm of upsampling DSD is buggy?
P.S.
There is no meaning in upsampling a DSD... find a file online - there are sites that offer test/demo files, I myself downloaded a couple of them to test my Z8.
I also tried a DSD1024, just to be sure it cannot reproduce it...
Anyway, rest assured the Z8 CAN play DSD up to 512. Maybe Foobar2000 algorithm of upsampling DSD is buggy?
P.S.
There is no meaning in upsampling a DSD... find a file online - there are sites that offer test/demo files, I myself downloaded a couple of them to test my Z8.
I also tried a DSD1024, just to be sure it cannot reproduce it...
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