Hi all, I am wondering whether or not Eversolo/Zidoo is working on releasing any new firmware updates to the DMP-A8? It seems to be awfully quiet, so I am wondering if the last firmware that seems to have introduced sound quality issues when compared to stock firmware... Anyone aware of any updates being worked on? Does Zidoo/Eversolo still post messages elsewhere maybe?
Just released an update in January. They could just say, “hey, we have an update” every month, even if they don’t have anything new. Would that make you feel better?
It would really make me feel better if they communicated regularly about what they are (or are not) doing. Right now the A8 has still no official Roon support. Also it manages to mis the start of each song (random plays on Tidal) using an optical cable (I am using a good quality RCA cable, not one found in the 1$ bin at a gas station, I looked ), but optical should also at least play without missing the start of each song. @Eversolo @zidoo: what's up?!?
I use my A-8 with Roon and yes it would be more convenient if ‘Roon ready ‘( as is the A-6) but using Quboz it never misses the start of files. I use USB ‘in’. Keith
Use the A8's Tidal connect service and Tidal app for IOS or Android instead of the A8's Tidal streaming module and you will have no Tidal related problems anymore. BTW: optical connection is the worst of all digital connections (high jitter levels).
Yes indeed, I am aware that optical cables are very bad for digital connections (I have several connections to my A8 for testing: Optical, Coaxial and RCA) The issue I only observe with the optical connection (That I won't be using, but it behaves different ) Thank you for your other suggestion, I will give that a try, but I have not noticed any issues myself with Tidal running on the A8 itself (other than with the optical connection as mentioned) What issues did you observe that made you switch to Tidal connect?
I'm missing the Daily Discovery playlist and Auto Play option available in the Tidal app. I also prefer the UI in the Tidal app. I also missed those options in Auralic and Innuos Tidal modules, but they were available in the Lumin Tidal module. Innuos even doesn't support Tidal connect.
The DMP-A8 is not even on the product page of zidoo! Also the dmp-a6 master edition is not on the zidoo website. And it is quiet around the development of the A8…….
Supposedly there was going to be a release in April so we still have some waiting to do. But I agree, the pace of releases has slowed to a crawl on both products and the lack of Roon Ready continues to be my biggest gripe. No news from either side but I have a feeling its on the Zidoo side as to why its not yet certified. It makes zero sense how a company that knows how to be Roon Ready, still isn't on this A8. So I'm still enjoying it, but are disappointed to see such a dramatic slowdown in releases since its launch (typical of many products, I know - I just got spoiled). What I hope is NOT happening is that they'll be announcing new DMP-A9 and DMP-A10s soon (albeit...lets face it...I'll upgrade). lol
I too am looking forward to updates, but there's something that keeps my expectations in check. Remember the good-ole-days where products didn't get software/firmware updates? You got the product you bought and that was it. "Updates" came thru new model purchases. This field-updatable capability is fairly new. My other hobby is Amateur Radio and we all expect software updates to the radios we've purchased. Yet, there was no expectation of "regular updates" from the manufacturer when I bought the radio. I just hoped they'd keep at it... The thing is, these updates usually don't produce any new revenue for the company and they're very expensive to produce. (Some companies try to charge for these updates and get a lot of flak for it.) I'm a retired software engineer and I can tell you that developing software is expensive. The possibility of breaking something with a new release is very real and can result in a lot of frustration for previously-happy customers. I'm involved in a problem with Roon right now where a recent update broke streaming to my A8! Another question I see a lot is about future products. There's a famous story where Osborne Computer went out of business in the early 80's because they announced a new product at a trade show. Everyone wanted to wait for that product so they didn't buy any of the existing products. Without that revenue, Osborne was unable to continue development of the new product and it never made it to market. It's now called the "Osborne Effect" and I've seen it time and time again. So I hope we don't hear about a new product until it's ready! Lastly, the rumor mill tells me that during the Roon acquisition there have been personnel changes affecting the people directly responsible for Roon-ready certification. I suspect that's a big part of the delay.
I totally agree, I had the A6 and the updates were constant, there has been a clear decline, and the A8 that I have now I use as a preamplifier and dac, using another streamer and the quality is much, much higher, that is the reality, the quality The sound goes down a lot when I use the streamer. Roon certification is also something highly anticipated, although I doubt that the quality is close to my current setup, and I don't regret it, because as a pre and dac it seems very good to me, it has been a big change in my setup and there aren't many pre with dac with this quality at this price, but there is a noticeable drop in progress. I am also aware that other products (I have had many) are not updated as much, but the big break is strange. I expect some changes, especially in sound quality using the streamer itself.
The A8 optimal sound quality is only reached using the Internal player or using digital in via USB DAC Input. Be aware of that and you can't go wrong.
My biggest gripe is the total lack of communication for products that clearly have some shortcomings. I understand that new firmware doesn't deliver revenue, but, at least in my case, NOT delivering fixes and promised functionality WILL result in future revenue lost: I will not consider Eversolo/Zidoo for any future products, no matter how extraordinary they might be. I really don't expect a device to be supported ad infinitum, but considering that the A8 is still their ultimate device, I do expect it to be complete and working as promised: I paid for that. If a company falls silent like this I can't help wondering what is happening. Is it still being worked on? Does the company even still exist?!? Talk to us at least! I am fully aware that other brands with superb devices are doing exactly the same, or worse, and I think we should stop accepting this behavior by rewarding them by buying more hardware. I hope I am absolutely wrong, but I haven't seen any reason yet to think so.
