Feeling left out by the slew of recent high-end units released by Eversolo, such as the DMP-A8 and A10? Well, the company hasn’t forgotten about its entry-level customers and has duly shown some love by refreshing the DMP-A6. Both this and the tweaked ‘Master Edition’ have now been released in Gen 2 guise. On review is the DMP-A6 Master Edition Gen 2.

Using the same footprint as its predecessor, the unit measures 270x187x90mm and weighs 4.7kg. It also breaks ranks by being the first Eversolo streamer to be available in both silver and black. Fit and finish are great, too, with only the simple box-like construction betraying its lower price point. The side panel fins are a nice touch and provide heatsinking for the electronics inside, although the unit only gets mildly warm in use.

Visually, it looks similar to the outgoing model. A 6-inch touchscreen is placed in the middle, and the multi-function control knob on the right turns the unit on and adjusts the digital volume level. The knob’s RGB LED ring light is customisable now and can be set to any colour you want or defeated altogether. A remote control is not supplied but is available for purchase separately. Like the rest of Eversolo’s streamers, the A6 is a full-featured streamer/DAC with onboard storage. It omits the preamplifier input switching capabilities of the A8 and A10 and other niceties like R2R volume control and room correction software. The Master Edition distinguishes itself from the base model with upgraded clocks and op-amps.

With the Gen 2 refresh, Eversolo has generously upgraded the previous switched-mode power supply to a quieter, single-transformer linear one. Also new are HDMI ARC inputs, a 12V trigger and Wake-on-LAN (wired connection only). The other welcome change is the USB input, which now takes the form of a USB-B socket instead of the USB-C input used in the previous model. While the latter is the de facto standard for laptops and mobile devices, the former is more commonly found on audiophile gear. 

Eversolo has chosen to retain the popular ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chip for digital decoding. Each channel uses its own chip to process signals of up to 32bit/768kHz for PCM and DSD512. The DAC is also MQA-compatible. The clock signal for the DAC is provided by a Femtosecond clock from Accusilicon, which is claimed to have ultra-low jitter. 

Connectivity remains great, with four digital inputs (USB-B, coaxial, TOSLINK, HDMI ARC) and four digital outputs (USB-A, coaxial, TOSLINK and HDMI). The HDMI output is for audio connection (including DSD and multichannel) to a receiver or TV. A second USB-A port hooks up to an external CD-ROM for ripping purposes or external storage for your music files. A panel at the bottom of the unit opens to accept an M.2 NVME SSD drive of up to 4TB for internal storage. Secured with a thumbscrew, installing your drive should take just minutes.



Wireless audio streaming is possible via Bluetooth 5.0. Apple Airplay is also supported. The unit has dual-band Wi-Fi too, in case you choose not to use the wired Gigabit Ethernet port. The analogue output stage is a fully balanced design with premium parts such as Texas Instrument OPA1612 op-amps and capacitors from Nichicon and Wima. Both single-ended and balanced analogue outs are provided.

IN USE

The Eversolo can play local music files, stream music from a DLNA, Plex or Jellyfin server, or online music services like Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music. If you are a Roon user, you will be happy to know that this model is Roon Ready. The Eversolo app offers a comprehensive and rich feature set. Some of the more useful features include setting volume limits (useful if you are driving a power amp directly) and a selection of seven digital filters. You can also customise the sound to your liking using a fifteen-band graphic and ten-band parametric equaliser with independent channel settings. Navigation is easy and intuitive. 

I was happy to see the ‘Cast’ feature included here. This mirrors your unit’s display and touch controls on your mobile device and is a nifty alternative to using the Eversolo app to get things done. The screen is a joy to use, with vibrant colours and a responsive touch. The display shows relevant information on playback and can be toggled to show a variety of attractive VU meter and spectrum analyser modes. For this review, the Eversolo went into my main setup – a Conrad Johnson GAT S2 preamplifier, ART27A power amplifier and Vivid Audio Giya G4 speakers. A Silent Angel Bonn N8 network switch connected it to my network. Everything worked as it should, including the HDMI-CEC control when used with my TV set.

THE LISTENING

This new streamer sounds great, but it's for the money. The distinct Eversolo house sound is very much present, namely a neutral-to-warm presentation that is detailed yet musical. There is a subtle warmth to the midrange, yet it avoids the usual landmine for modestly priced digital gear – namely, a lightweight and flat sound. I found that Eversolo excelled at handling busy mixes and maintaining clean and distinct separation between voices and instruments. This is especially noticeable when listening to grungier tracks like Bending Hectic by The Smile. The track starts with a dream-like atmosphere that is contrasted by Yorke’s dark lyrics. As the guitar builds up to a crescendo, the Eversolo powers through without a hiccup and does a good job of conveying the rawness, crunch and distortion of Greenwood’s powerful guitar playing. Variations in tempo and mood are handled impeccably.

Similarly, Rainy Night by Sodagreen packs it in, with the GermanPops Orchestra performing alongside. Its members work with lead vocalist Greeny’s distinctive nasal, high-pitched voice to deliver a poignant, grand and impactful performance. The instruments of both the orchestra and band members can be heard distinctly, recreating a realistic and convincing soundstage. From the opening harp solo to the impact of the drums, you hear it in its full glory. I’ve Got a Crush on You by Linda Ronstadt sounds warm and spacious, with her soothing and relaxing crystal-clear voice. While there is some sibilance in this recording, Eversolo’s smoothness keeps it to a minimum. The accompanying double bass is deep and tight, albeit a bit austere. Although the Eversolo never sounds lightweight, you won’t shake the rafters either. 

Played Twice by Fred Hersch Trio showcases the excellent performance of Fred Hersch on piano, Drew Gress on bass and Tom Rainey on drums. A great test of low-level resolving power, much of the performance is done gently. The Eversolo captures the subtle and nuanced playing of the trio, with light piano notes and cymbal strikes fading naturally into the acoustic space.

How about upgrade paths? As a dedicated streamer, the Master Edition Gen 2 impresses. I hooked up a Geshelli Labs J2S AK4499 DAC to the Eversolo using the USB connection and was rewarded with great results. If you are willing to spend serious money or already have a top DAC on hand, you could elevate the performance to a high level indeed. This said, the flagship A-10 is clearly superior, whether used as an all-in-one or as a streamer with an external DAC. Although the bass is tight and controlled, the Master Edition Gen 2 lacks the sheer dynamics and tonal density of the A10. Neither does it have its resolving power and realism, with instruments and voices sounding flatter and less spacious in comparison.

At the same, the Master Edition Gen 2 doesn’t embarrass itself, coming across as a smaller-scaled and less transparent version of its flagship big brother. Being much cheaper, it punches way above its weight. This could be all you need if you don’t need the extra functions offered by the A-8 or A-10 or have a more modest system. The same goes for those who already own a high-quality DAC. Switching back to the Master Edition Gen 2 wasn’t painful at all. After some adjustment, the musical enjoyment won me over and vanquished any thoughts of wanting more.

THE VERDICT

The Eversolo DMP-A6 Gen 2 is a wallet-friendly streamer that ticks all the right boxes. It sounds surprisingly enjoyable through its internal digital converter chips, but it's even better through a good external DAC. And compared to its expensive siblings, it sacrifices surprisingly little. Bang-for-your-buck-wise, you won’t go wrong with this one.

For more information visit Eversolo