Eversolo DMP-A8 Owners & Discussion Thread

[DRC]

Netgear mobile broadband/router has been purchased and set up. All appears good at present. I'm ripping cd's at my desktop whilst working (track/info/album artwork appears to be going smoothly) . I'll move the A8 into the system some time soon and find out how it sounds.

[Lazz]

3 hours ago, DRC said:

Netgear mobile broadband/router has been purchased and set up. All appears good at present. I'm ripping cd's at my desktop whilst working (track/info/album artwork appears to be going smoothly) . I'll move the A8 into the system some time soon and find out how it sounds.

Are you going to have this at the cellar door? 

[DRC]

2 hours ago, Lazz said:

Are you going to have this at the cellar door? 

I purchased this one for home use.

 

The cellar door has a Planar 1 and recently added a Project Bluetooth box. I'm really impressed with the Project BT Box for streaming from the phone.

[Lazz]

Will have to come down for a wine. Cheers

 

[betty boop]

eversolo a8 has landed....

 

 

not the best start.. couldn't turn it on via the instructions that said hit the dial on front.. nothing then realised a little power button on back   which made everything light up... 

 

also not good start with apple music hitting the app get this message below... 

 

 

even though checking firmware its on the latest ? v1.2.80 ?  strange... 

 

then found an apple music under streaming that needed downloading ? which did and that seemed to open up and we are up and going

 

 

settling in nicely now kicking back to some tunes... have made sure to select lossless via streaming and highest quality.

 

 

 the phone app is somewhere between useless, trash and sh!te when comes to apple music  

 

but the little remote is good to skip through tracks.. once selected a play list via the screen on the unit... 

 

sound id described as clean detailed and expansive .. a very open sound... wide and tall sound stage... quite a smooth sound too.. not edgy,  quite velvety on other hand.. might change over time as runs in .. will report back in time... 

Edited September 26, 2024 by betty boop

[Kaynin]

Can you turn that LCD screen off?  I like a big bright screen when confirming audio quality, but blackness when listening.

[The Bluesman]

Hi all, been a while since I've posted here and happy to see this thread, I'm also the proud owner of a DMP-A8, owned it for a while now and have a 4TB SSD in there, I also own the DMP-A6 standard, then after I bought that they just had to release the Master and that upset me, then the A8, couldn't resist a reasonable deal on that so I got it, very nice so now the A6 serves as my desktop DAC and works really well on that duty

Using the DMP-A8 as a Pre Amp into a Power Amp and can't really fault it, sounds really nice

[betty boop]

27 minutes ago, Kaynin said:

Can you turn that LCD screen off?  I like a big bright screen when confirming audio quality, but blackness when listening.

good question, will investigate.. i did figure out how to turn off the ring light around the knob... but then it comes back on when turn the unit off grrr... you'd think if turn light off it stays off ?

[Kaynin]

4 minutes ago, betty boop said:

good question, will investigate.. i did figure out how to turn off the ring light around the knob... but then it comes back on when turn the unit off grrr... you'd think if turn light off it stays off ?

 

It's the little things that matter, all goes towards user experience!  Lol.

 

I run a Cambridge Audio 851N which is in the same price bracket as your A8.  Looking to upgrade, but this category of component gets so confusing, and features make a big difference.  Not sure on the point of diminishing returns for a $10-$15k spend either.  Eversolo have really captured a good chunk of the market, great to see.

[betty boop]

14 minutes ago, Kaynin said:

 

It's the little things that matter, all goes towards user experience!  Lol.

 

I run a Cambridge Audio 851N which is in the same price bracket as your A8.  Looking to upgrade, but this category of component gets so confusing, and features make a big difference.  Not sure on the point of diminishing returns for a $10-$15k spend either.  Eversolo have really captured a good chunk of the market, great to see.

 

definitely agree on the price point and diminishing returns on going up in spend.. 

 

this stereophile review below categorises it as top dog in the sub $5k streamer dac...

 

"The Eversolo DMP-A8 is an easy-to-love, highly intuitive piece that, for me, waves away all those possible objections. A little music-making powerhouse of exceptional versatility, it laughs at vaguely pejorative terms like chi-fi, confidently taking a top position in the sub-$5000 streamer/DAC category."

 

https://www.stereophile.com/content/eversolo-dmp-a8-streaming-preamplifier

 

i've not run it long but in  agreance  with most of the pick ups in the review... not sure id categorise the sound character as they do...also not sure it shakes of the "chi-fi" as they say.. I'm finding enough in the user interface that has gaps which tend to be case with  chinese programmed gear "ching ware" . its kind of thing reviews just dont seem to pick up..if read reviews from like johnny darko its as if its the 2nd coming   

 

need more balance in reviews... 

 

i wish more reviews would make more effort and pick up the little things like you say Kaynin that goes towards the user experience ... as that is what interact with day to day ?

Edited September 27, 2024 by betty boop

[Kaynin]

3 minutes ago, betty boop said:

 

definitely agree on the price point and diminishing returns on going up in spend.. 

 

this stereophile review below categorises it as top dog in the sub $5k streamer dac...

 

"The Eversolo DMP-A8 is an easy-to-love, highly intuitive piece that, for me, waves away all those possible objections. A little music-making powerhouse of exceptional versatility, it laughs at vaguely pejorative terms like chi-fi, confidently taking a top position in the sub-$5000 streamer/DAC category."

 

https://www.stereophile.com/content/eversolo-dmp-a8-streaming-preamplifier

 

i've not run it long but in  agreance  with most of the pick ups in the review... not sure id categorise the sound character as they do...also not sure it shakes of the "chi-fi" as they say.. I'm finding enough in the user interface that has gaps which tend to be case with  chinese programmed gear "ching ware" . its kind of thing reviews just dont seem to pick up..if read reviews from like johnny darko its as if its the 2nd coming   

 

need more balance in reviews... 

 

i wish more reviews would make more effort and pick up the little things like you say Kaynin that goes towards the user experience ... 

 

Yeah spot on Al.  The small things make a huge difference - like gapless playback when it wasn't standard!  Reviews are a great starting point, but until you live with it, you never know if it's a match made in heaven!

[joz]

Has it got gapless playback?

[betty boop]

10 minutes ago, joz said:

Has it got gapless playback?

 

someone else can possibly answer that, as not something i do usually  

 

I did discover cast on the ap though... hooray ... it took the app looking like this .on apple music .....as i described as "useless, trash and sh!te"

 

 

well thank goodness in "cast mode"  it moves the app to then instead just mirroring the screen on the unit onto your iPhone or iPad for apple music whcih is like the apple music app basically .. yippee !  actually nicer still on the iPad... will take a screen shot when get a chance  

[betty boop]

seems like an update has gone through via ever solo.. this has meant the apple music side is now working and this has updated the app view massively ! quite native apple looking .... now ... 

 

 

 

[betty boop]

new ever solo app too..also apple music app now managed to  get updated through the apple site  

 

and apple music hi-res lossless  is still working !

 

ole hotel california is a good test  24/192.... 

 

 

 

[betty boop]

the trick with the apple music app...official one.. is once hit update and its downloaded off apple site... you go into files and downloads on the ever solo and select the apple music apk

 

 and it starts installing ....

 

 

 

then have the latest version 4.8.1(1397)  

Edited September 30, 2024 by betty boop

[betty boop]

the ever solo group on facebook is very good i have found... its of friendly and helpful folks  

 

one of the kind folks there has created a little youtube on how to play lossless and hi res off apple music.... and its pretty spot on .. short video too and to point   love that can natively do this through the ever solo...

 

 

 

[Jakeyb77_Redux]

3 hours ago, betty boop said:

the ever solo group on facebook is very good i have found... its of friendly and helpful folks  

 

one of the kind folks there has created a little youtube on how to play lossless and hi res off apple music.... and its pretty spot on .. short video too and to point   love that can natively do this through the ever solo...

 

 

 

Did you listen to an A6 also @betty boop? 
I don’t like ESS based units and I like AKM based ones. I find the ESS ones can be a bit harsh sounding. 
Wondering what the sonic differences are given the extra money. 

[betty boop]

1 hour ago, Jakeyb77_Redux said:

Did you listen to an A6 also @betty boop? 

hi Jakey, sorry no didnt listen, so cant provide any commentary between. 

 

1 hour ago, Jakeyb77_Redux said:

I don’t like ESS based units and I like AKM based ones. I find the ESS ones can be a bit harsh sounding. 
Wondering what the sonic differences are given the extra money. 

cant say, though yeah its the a8 that has the akm dacs, info on their site,

 

 

and on the akm website on particular dacs,

https://www.akm.com/global/en/products/audio/audio-dac/ak4499exeq/

 

the velvet sound aspect definitely rings true.. its a smooth velvety sound..if looking for incisive/more edge look elsewhere .... just my initial thoughts ....

 

i'll compare down track with my focal arche dac(made by micro mega) and runs  two AKM AK4490 DAC chips

 

also vs the old kora valve dac i have ... thats got burr brown pcm 1793s..

[Jakeyb77_Redux]

40 minutes ago, betty boop said:

hi Jakey, sorry no didnt listen, so cant provide any commentary between. 

 

cant say, though yeah its the a8 that has the akm dacs, info on their site,

 

 

and on the akm website on particular dacs,

https://www.akm.com/global/en/products/audio/audio-dac/ak4499exeq/

 

the velvet sound aspect definitely rings true.. its a smooth velvety sound..if looking for incisive/more edge look elsewhere .... just my initial thoughts ....

 

i'll compare down track with my focal arche dac(made by micro mega) and runs  two AKM AK4490 DAC chips

 

also vs the old kora valve dac i have ... thats got burr brown pcm 1793s..

Awesome. I like the old Burr Brown DACs too. 
The AKM have a very engaging sound. 
I recently went to a Cambridge CXN and it’s missing a bit of that warm smoothness that makes me enjoy digital that little bit more 

[betty boop]

17 minutes ago, Jakeyb77_Redux said:

Awesome. I like the old Burr Brown DACs too. 
The AKM have a very engaging sound. 
I recently went to a Cambridge CXN and it’s missing a bit of that warm smoothness that makes me enjoy digital that little bit more 

 

looks like the a8 has the latest AKM in the AK4499ex vs the focal arche/micromega running the older AK4490.. both from velvet sound premium dac lineup ... .

 

https://velvetsound.akm.com/us/en/stories/history/

[Robbiefest]

5 hours ago, Jakeyb77_Redux said:

Did you listen to an A6 also @betty boop? 
I don’t like ESS based units and I like AKM based ones. I find the ESS ones can be a bit harsh sounding. 
Wondering what the sonic differences are given the extra money. 

I've got an a6 ME with Pd Creative linear power supply.  A friend brought his A8 over a couple of weeks ago. You can barely tell them apart. I thought the A6 ME sounded a tad more detailed. He thought the A6 ME sounded warmer or smoother. I thought the A8 had a larger sound stage and was less detailed than the A6 ME. If I had the choice, I'd go for the A8 purely for the larger sound stage, however, they were so similar if you A / B in a blind test, you may not pick which is which. I use cables that have NO silver and have selected my power cables and interconnects specifically. 

[Guest]

10 hours ago, betty boop said:

the ever solo group on facebook is very good i have found... its of friendly and helpful folks  

I assume you are aware of this? 

http://forum.zidoo.tv/index.php?forums/eversolo-dmp-a8.60/

There are many good people there but there are a few feral ones as well (and not moderated).

[betty boop]

1 hour ago, Snoopy8 said:

http://forum.zidoo.tv/index.php?forums/eversolo-dmp-a8.60/

There are many good people there but there are a few feral ones as well (and not moderated).

thanks snoop...have stumbled across ... though to be honest the Facebook page  is pumping and rapid responses etc.... really helpful bunch  

[POV]

21 hours ago, betty boop said:

seems like an update has gone through via ever solo.. this has meant the apple music side is now working and this has updated the app view massively ! quite native apple looking .... now ... 

 

 

 

Hmm…that’s how mine has looked for ages.  Seems like it must taken a while on the network to update rather than the typical ‘download latest firmware’ on first startup?