Newby here with some question( EverSolo DAC Z6/Z8)

[adin]

Hi everyone, I am tempted to buy one of the relatively recently appeared DAC on the market.
I didn't really find many reviews about it, but I think it has the same processor as the SU-10 DAC, but at half the price.
EverSolo DAC-Z8 by Zidoo has 1 x the latest ESS Sabre Flagship ES9038Pro DAC which has 8-channel decoding capability and MQA.
-My question is if I can connect it to my Bluesound- node 2i streamer. The DAC in the node2i (which I connected to a Denon-amplifier with flor speakers) doesn't do its job very well and I need something better.
-maybe someone can guide me, sorry for the language I'm not a native speaker(I'm from EU)...Thank you!

 

[fpitas]

It's good that it has a quality DAC, but the devil is in the details, as they say. They may or may not have designed the surrounding circuitry well.

 

[staticV3]

You can plug an external DAC into the Node 2i via Toslink or Coax Spdif.

Since the EverSolo DAC-Z8 has both of those, you can plug it into the Node to bypass the Node's internal DAC.

Please don't focus on the DAC chip too much. For example the ES9038Q2M chip can perform like this:

or like this:


What matters is not the components that go into the DAC, but the measured sound that comes out.

 

[antcollinet]

Hi everyone, I am tempted to buy one of the relatively recently appeared DAC on the market.
I didn't really find many reviews about it, but I think it has the same processor as the SU-10 DAC, but at half the price.
EverSolo DAC-Z8 by Zidoo has 1 x the latest ESS Sabre Flagship ES9038Pro DAC which has 8-channel decoding capability and MQA.
-My question is if I can connect it to my Bluesound- node 2i streamer. The DAC in the node2i (which I connected to a Denon-amplifier with flor speakers) doesn't do its job very well and I need something better.
-maybe someone can guide me, sorry for the language I'm not a native speaker(I'm from EU)...Thank you!

Hi

In what way does the built in Dac not perform well for you.

Even though it didn't measure brilliantly here, the level of distortion is probably still inaudible, and it is unlikely you will get better sound from a different DAC. You could well end up spending £600 or so and end up with no improvement.

Alternatively if it is something other that the sound quality that is bothering you, then go for it.

 

[staticV3]

Here are measurement of the DAC-Z8: https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/eversolo-dac-z8/
It performs well.

However, with the Topping E70 you get essentially the same measured performance at half the cost.

And there are $100-150 DACs that'll give you the same audible performance as the DAC-Z8 (human ears are not that good).

@adin what Denon amplifier are you using?

 

[JSmith]

I didn't really find many reviews about it

Not here as yet, however L7;

Measurements of EverSolo DAC-Z8 USB DAC/HeadphoneAmp - L7Audiolab

台式设备 前阵子一个陌生厂商（EverSolo）主动联系到我，说要送测一台解码器。然后当时给我发过来的资料让我一时间有点警惕：这该不会是虚标大王？然后我了解了下品牌的由来……似乎有某老牌影音厂商的背景？随着SF快递员敲响家门，我拿到了这台 EverSolo DAC-Z8

www.l7audiolab.com

Also, welcome to ASR.


JSmith

 

[adin]

Here are measurement of the DAC-Z8: https://www.l7audiolab.com/f/eversolo-dac-z8/
It performs well.

However, with the Topping E70 you get essentially the same measured performance at half the cost.

And there are $100-150 DACs that'll give you the same audible performance as the DAC-Z8 (human ears are not that good).

@adin what Denon amplifier are you using?

Hi, I've it for several years, it's a entry-level receiver Denon-AVR X1500H with Wharfedale Evo 4.3 speakers . I think the Topping E70 it' very good but doesn't know the MQA-Tidal format and the processor is a class below the Z8 .I only listen to Tidal-HiFi with Roon and Spotify.
I initially set my sights on a german product, RME-2DAC FS with DSP(Equalizer)- best of the best, but the problem is the same, no MQA built in. The DAC in the node2i sounds weak somehow, it has no dynamics,... but it's good for the streaming and software platform. I think Z8 is the same or better than SMSL-SU10.

 

[antcollinet]

..... The DAC in the node2i sounds weak somehow, it has no dynamics,... but it's good for the streaming and software platform.

Again - what is it that makes you think it is the DAC that is the problem - and not the amp, or speakers?

 

[adin]

Again - what is it that makes you think it is the DAC that is the problem - and not the amp, or speakers?

Surely the speakers are not the problem nor the amplifier, it sounds flat without dynamics, as I wrote above.

 

[staticV3]

it's a entry-level receiver Denon-AVR X1500H

Since it doesn't have XLR inputs, buying an expensive balanced DAC is a bit of a waste of money.

Topping E70 it' very good but doesn't know the MQA-Tidal format

Ah I see, you want MQA support.
In that case, you should know that MQA is a bit of a scam. Goldensound did a brilliant video on it on YouTube (Part 1, Part 2).

and the processor is a class below the Z8.

Again: please stop focusing on DAC chips and "classes" of hardware.
The E70 and Z8 measure the same and therefore sound the same. Doesn't matter what chip is in them.

If you want to try an external DAC to make sure that the Node 2i's built-in DAC is the problem, then I recommend you try the SMSL C100.
It supports MQA and sounds identical to the Z8, Topping D90SE, or any other high performance DAC at $1000 or more.
They are all 100% transparent with no sound signature of their own.

If the issue persists even with the C100, then you can be sure that the problem is somewhere else.

If the issue is gone, then you'll have fixed it for a fraction of the cost!

 

[fpitas]

Surely the speakers are not the problem nor the amplifier, it sounds flat without dynamics, as I wrote above.

The DAC would be about the last thing I'd suspect, honestly. Speakers are the wild card in a modern system.

 

[antcollinet]

Surely the speakers are not the problem nor the amplifier, it sounds flat without dynamics, as I wrote above.

Far more likely to be problems with the speakers, or how they are interacting with the room, than it is anything to do with the DAC.

 

[adin]

Since it doesn't have XLR inputs, buying an expensive balanced DAC is a bit of a waste of money.


Ah I see, you want MQA support.
In that case, you should know that MQA is a bit of a scam. Goldensound did a brilliant video on it on YouTube (Part 1, Part 2).



Again: please stop focusing on DAC chips and "classes" of hardware.
The E70 and Z8 measure the same and therefore sound the same. Doesn't matter what chip is in them.

If you want to try an external DAC to make sure that the Node 2i's built-in DAC is the problem, then I recommend you try the SMSL C100.
It supports MQA and sounds identical to the Z8, Topping D90SE, or any other high performance DAC at $1000 or more.
They are all 100% transparent with no sound signature of their own.

If the issue persists even with the C100, then you can be sure that the problem is somewhere else.

If the issue is gone, then you'll have fixed it for a fraction of the cost!

XLR inputs help? I thought RCA outputs it was enough.
Yes, I understand about MQA but the best quality I can get via streaming in the area where I live is from tidal. Spotify is ok but it's only mp3.There would be qobuz, but it is not available at my place.

 

[adin]

Far more likely to be problems with the speakers, or how they are interacting with the room, than it is anything to do with the DAC.

Last year I bought a pair of Wharfedale Evo 4.3 speakers, what can I say...

 

[staticV3]

XLR inputs help?

XLR cables don't pick up electrical interference. In an environment with lots of RF, or when you need longer cable runs, XLR is preferred.

I understand about MQA but the best quality I can get via streaming in the area where I live is from tidal. Spotify is ok but it's only mp3.There would be qobuz, but it is not available at my place.

Maybe Deezer? That's lossless as well.
As for Spotify vs Tidal, I think I'd rather have Spotify's Opus encoding than whatever mess MQA is doing to the masters (see the video).

 

[MadMaxx]

Soundnews reviewed the Z8 favorably.

EverSolo DAC-Z8 Review - A Badass DAC! - Soundnews

soundnews.net

 

[adin]

XLR cables don't pick up electrical interference. In an environment with lots of RF, or when you need longer cable runs, XLR is preferred.

I wonder if Z8 is work better than RME ADI-2DAC or SU-10/9pro...

 

[staticV3]

I wonder if Z8 is work better than RME ADI-2DAC or SU-10/9pro...

I don't see why it would.

 

[JSmith]

Soundnews reviewed the Z8 favorably.

JSmith

 

[Moderate Dionysianism]

Maybe Deezer? That's lossless as well.

Mind you, there's no 'exclusive' audio mode in Deezer, it uses the Windows mixer.

Not saying it would make an audible difference, just adding this for clarity on the features/comparison.