Review and need-to-know Eversolo DMP-A6 streamer

Please note that I am still a big fan of the volume control in the analog domain (that is, digital volume control at stream level is generally a no-go for me); although it's true that nowadays volume can be controlled digitally, still remaining in the analog stage AFTER the DAC did its job to bring the bits into sound (and in this scenario I am perfectly fine).
Problem being kind of purist-style: no matter what you do, at digital level, changing the volume requires refactoring of the digital data, hence losing bitperfectness (not that it may matter a lot, especially to my 50+ y.o. ears, but as I said, speaking of being a purist nerd...)

Enjoy the music (cit.)

 

In my opinion, interposing a DAC with the DMP A6 can only be interesting if it is a clearly superior DAC (R2R type or equivalent representing a very high investment), as you say, the shorter the path, the better the restitution. Another possible factor is someone who subjectively dislikes the sound signature of the DMP and its DAC. Me, I like it, has two DACs, that of the Rose RS 250 directly on the device and that of my Denon amp with the DMP, since I have them, I listen to a few songs on it...

 

Thanks Werther. I'm curious about my DAC and how it holds up. When I bought it back in 2004 it was extremely well reviewed, and I've found it very big, neutral and musical.

But as you say there's been alot of movement in DAC technology in the last 20 years and I'm totally open to the DAC peformance of the Eversolo surpassing the DA10. The Eversolo is on it's way to me now and I'm well on the way to putting my NUC together for a Roon ROCK setup (had to send back my M.2 SSD which came with a heatspreader that prevented me from getting the case closed).

But hope to be up and running here sometime this week.

 

I will be curious to hear your opinion regarding the sound. The best sound in my system comes from my old 2007 Denon Universal player with Burr Brown Dac. Its full, very real sounding, and very musical.

 

Bonzo, on my PMA 110 these are Burr Brown 1795 DACs (much less modern released around 2010 than the DMP's ESS 9038 in pure technical performance (noise and distortion), on mine four DACs operate here in so-called double diff erential mode , i.e. two converters per stereo channel, one DAC each taking care of the positive component and the other the negative component of the signal, overall this amounts to the two differential DACs on the DMP. this is a much more predictable pattern of harmonic distortion, the 2nd and 3rd harmonics predominate with a transition occurring around -7.5dBFS with the 3rd harmonic falling below the 2nd.Higher order harmonics are generally fine removed (I took this info from someone who had technically compared ESS, AKM and Burr. Denon used either Burr or AKM which more closely matches their sound signature (today it's ESS following a fire in the AKM factory which has just reproduced new DACs). In short, DACs like the Burr are warm with roundness and quite soft (personal opinion). This matches quite well with the sonic characteristics of the brand's flagships which can be summed up as: signature sound presenting an open and detailed soundstage with a flattering glow and warmth. Arguably it's less crisp and dynamic in sound than quite a few streamers, the notes flow effortlessly and it sounds nice but never boring, there's still less resolution or sharpness than the DMP's DAC, this is not an objective for Denon these criteria.

 

My 2005 Denon receiver has an okay sound but nothing special. Its the 2007 Denon Universal player that sounds so good. I think Denon went all out their last year with DVD players. There was one model above mine that cost like more than twice as much, which I couldn't afford. Actually, at the time I couldn't afford the one I got, so I ended up getting a refurb model.

The sound is "real". It simply sounds like real music. Not too much of this or too little of that.

I think back then the goal with Dac implementation was to sound as analog as possible. It took many years to get there and they did.

Since then I think goals have changed. Since Dacs and clocks have gotten naturally cleaner with less distortion, the modern trend is to go for hyper detail. If you can, why not.

Except the original goal, to sound like real music, has faded. It's not in style. More detail and instrument separation has become king.

I had the opportunity to hear a highly rated Dac a few years back (Benchmark) at one of my local stores. Of course the store environment wasn't optimum, but it showed me what all the excitement was about. It was fun at first, but after 2 or 3 songs became old, and nearly annoying. It was crisp and clear, but it was TOO crisp and clear. Real music simply doesn't sound like that. I've been to too many concerts in my life to remember exactly how many, ranging from rock to classical, small venues to large ones, so I'm familiar with a real live sound.

When listening the other night, I listened to various source players of the same songs. My wife was reading the paper and not paying attention. Every time I came back to a CD on the Denon, she started tapping her toes or singing along. She asked what I was doing. She said well I don't know which is which, but the one that's on now just sounds more real. She was in her church choir for over 40 years so she's no amateur. The winner was the Denon. Second to me was the A6 via streaming. Last was the A6 via the toslink input, regardless of which disc player I used (3). It added such an obvious almost fake separation that even voices were unnatural. On some songs it literally gave me headaches. So there is unfortunately a difference between the streaming sound quality on the A6 and the toslink input. File quality may account for some of what I heard, but not all of it for sure.

So I'm disappointed the A6 doesn't do as great at one of the main reasons I bought it.

The one Dac I really want to try is the Schiit Yggy. Everything I've read tends to use the same descriptive words that appeal to me. Organic being #1. It costs a bunch, but it's supposedly worth it. When I get the funds I'm going to have to try it. Otherwise I may never find what I'm really looking for.

 

Hello Bonzo,
I have taken note of your remarks, what you highlight is the question of the sound signature that the DAC can print on the Hi-Fi system as a whole, what you like in my opinion in Denon is a clarity , a calm and a very qualitative purity in terms of sound, the reproduction has a very good depth and a high resolution, the Denon in general have a strong capacity to restore the stamps, the tone is rich not thin like on the DMP, but not that, I had a high-end Yamaha amp, it looked like there was more liveliness on the DMP.

I have a friend who bought a used Yamaha AS 3000 from an audiophile, their old top of the range, the person listened to Jazz and classical, he complained that the Yamaha was too lively, he changed to a class A amplifier which corresponds more to his tastes (these amps are the most musical and warm, faults it heats up a lot and not much power).

When you say the DMP was connected in Toslink, it is a digital sound, and it is the DAC on which the DMP is connected which converts the digital signal into analog, not that of the DMP, the DMP streamer can influence the sound signature but more marginal than analog.
Finally, indeed, the DAC you have in mind is an R2R DAC (a trend that we observe today on the top of the range, these are so-called proprietary DACs developed by the manufacturer, brands like Chord or Rockna are on this market), the advantage of these products is to have a sound that is both very analog and therefore a very fine, natural sound that brings a lot of precision and transparency. Disadvantages, usually very expensive.

If I had bought an additional DAC, I was advised a French Atoll DAC (see attachment) which is built on an ESS chip, but very musical, additional cost, for the moment the DAC of the PMA 110 being in this style, I do not make this investment or an R2R DAC. I was looking for something quite analytical and very neutral as a DAC and inexpensive, the DMP satisfies me to have a different rendering from the Denon or the Rose.

 

Thanks for all your thoughts and information, I appreciate it.

Just to clarify 1 point. When I say the toslink has a different sound than the streamer, I mean the toslink INPUT on the A6. I experimented running 3 different CD players, using the toslink out from the players (which in essence makes them transports only), into the toslink input on the A6. From there all methods used the RCA analog outputs from the A6 to the receiver/processor. So in all cases, the DAC inside the A6 was doing the heavy lifting. Unfortunately the sound from the toslink input was not nearly as nice as from the streamer. I will be doing more extensive testing as time allows, including using the RCA digital input. Even though the A6 isn't what I had hoped, its still been fun and interesting to learn what the newer DACs sound like. I'm glad I bought it as its allowing me to learn a lot all in one place.

 

It is technical possible to run SPDIF via XMOS (running on those femto clocks with Master edition) to the ESS DAC but I don't think the DMP-A6 in fact is doing this? I would need to see a detailed/block diagram for that.
Toslink is the worst option, better is Analog but the only real thing is using USB above all with the Gold Master Edition.

Just share with us if Analog RCA SPDIF is audible better than Toslink or not with your setup.
Anybody who knows a good SPDIF => USB convertor?

Added the next point to known limitations and restrictions:
- Like with most DAC's the SPDIF Analog RCA and Toslink Inputs (seem to) go straight into the ESS DAC not taking advantage of the XMOS intermediate flow processor/stabilizer. With Master Edition this path will neither take advantage of those fancy femto clocks (only Internal and USB inputs).

This until proven to be incorrect.

 

Since it has a Denon CD player, I have one, even on the recent ones no USB, analog and Toslink socket, the best connection is analog, on these Denon players, it's a shame not to have USB, d other brands offer USB. On the other hand, I have USB on my Denon amp which has a DAC which allows me to connect the DMP, very good connection, I confirm.

 

CD players (as expensive as they could be) come from the time when SPDIF Outputs were the norm. The essential introduction of XMOS/Amanero for USB interfacing and enabling femto clocking is from a fairly recent date. For quality sound a build in DAC was used instead, but never are as nearly as good as todays DAC's.

As far as I recall XMOS XU216/316 chips have an optional input for SPDIF but require extra circuitry to be added for that? The XMOS XU108 did not have such capability at all?

 

I didn't try on the DMP, my Denon CD player is connected to the amp via analog, then I have a Toslink cable that I put between the amp and the DMP to try. As you say I found that USB connection was better.

 

Hello,

I am new to this site. Installed the DMP-A6 several weeks ago to replace a Bluesound Node N130 with PD Creative PSU and a linear power supply. Love the A6. The app is much easier to use than the Node. The soundstage is improved.

I use a Schiit Bifrost 2/64 DAC. Like it a bit more than the A6. The A6 was more sterile, yet more detailed. Difficult to listen to for extended periods of time. Will try my Marantz SACD 8003 through the A6 soon. I understand a digital input cannot be sent out to a DAC, only to the pre-amp. But I believe the DAC in the A6 should be better than the very old DAC in the 8003. Eventually, I will save my CD's to an SSD and this issue will be moot.

I am looking forward to Amazon Music becoming a direct feed rather than a cast feed. There are occasional connectivity issues preventing access to the Amazon Music homepage when I leave, then come back to the music several hours later. It would be nice to have a "Home" Icon on each page. This would prevent having to open and close the casting page (often only black with nothing displayed, or with the Amazon logo displayed, but not the album or meters).

As a side note, I am glad the remote was not included. I use only two remotes. All the rest are in a drawer rusting away.

Thanks!

 

I'm certainly not going to challenge you on your knowledge of the new DACs being technically better. You know FAR FAR FAR more than I.

But I will dispute all day long that a device with an older DAC can't sound better. As I explained before (this thread or maybe another), I think ultra super duper detail and dramatic instrument separation is all the rage right now. Companies are providing that sound because "they can," not necessarily because its better. And since it's the trend, some people are eating it up. Yet people like me who have been around the block in this game since the 80s, are being talked about like old coots who just can't leave the old sound. That could be true for many, but its not me. I don't care if a DAC came out yesterday or 20 years ago. If the entire implementation works and sounds musical and real, then I'm all for it. There are always trade offs, and only the user can decide what's right for them.

 

I could not agree more with you above all that last sentence.
Putting together what sounds optimal to you is the best thing to do. Opinions of others is just fine but it is you enjoying the music. Keep on doing so as much as you can.

I am sticking like glue to my full 7.1 set B&W CDM NT series speakers for that same reason despite becoming 25 years old. Not everybody's taste but I do like them and very nice these combined better and better over time with recent DAC's improvements and new HT amplifiers.
Before those I had a stereo set of Philips Multilinear 9818 speakers (4-way with 10 inch woofers) which I liked a lot for another 25 years. These had their own sound and could no way be combined with anything into a HT or MCH audio setup.

 

I find that the DMP A6 has a natural sound with a nice enhancement of the harmonies, the fact that it places the instruments precisely and makes it easy to recognize each recording layer can confuse some people. Also, the purity of the sound emission can wrongly suggest that this causes a loss of emotion. Overall, the EverSolo generates a smooth, natural sound that lets you get carried away with the music or songs being played. The question of extra dynamics, there is some, but not too much is the thing that can be more bothersome, I attenuated this punch side by putting a Slow roll filter-
off, minimum
phase and lowered the bass and treble a little on my amp. Over time, it seems musical and quite natural to me, never harsh or clinical and not uninteresting to listen to over time.

 

Yikes quoting myself.

But wanted to report on my listening tests for the following two setups of my system:

NUC12i7 computer running Roon server on ROCK > Eversolo DMP-A6 (Toslink digital out) > Lavry DA10 DAC > Bel Canto e.One preamp > Bel Canto e.One monoblock amps > Gallo Reference 3.1 speakers

NUC12i7 computer running Roon server on ROCK > Eversolo DMP-A6 (XLR out) > Bel Canto e.One monoblock amps > Gallo Reference 3.1 speakers

I level matched for each of the following 5 tracks, which were each streamed at the highest available quality (most came from Qobuz):

alt-J: Breezeblocks
Radiohead: Paranoid Android
Pink Floyd: Shine on You Crazy Diamond Parts 1-5
Tool: Lateralus
LCD Soundsystem: All My Friends

Overall I have to say the two setups were very close. Both sounded musical, soundstaged well and presented a great degree of detail. Overall, the chain going through my DA10 DAC sounded slightly warmer and more lush. On some tracks I found myself preferring that presentation. Running through the DMP-A6 DAC provided a shade more separation and clarity. Transients seemed to have a more acute attack which gave an overall feeling of tighter dynamics and a more forward presentation. The DMP-A6 running through it's analog XLR outs into my monoblocks ended up giving me a presentation that I felt slightly more engaging.

For now I've taken the Lavry DA10 DAC and my Bel Canto e.One preamp out of the audio chain.

 

Interesting, I have yet to try the internal Dac as I have an ANK 4.1x Tube Dac. I tried many streamers and ran a PI 3B with an ALO Digi One Hat for a few years using BubbleUp UPNP. I guess I should try it.

 

Hello Bonzo,

You who like Denon players, this is mine, the DCD 2500 produced by Denon in 2015, I bought that year. It was their top of the range at the time, apart from the SX 11 player, a special series sold only in Japan, Denon considers that it does not have the clientele and the profitability to market in North America and Europe. Two attachments, mine which had been tested and the SX11 (Denon Japan site). You will appreciate it, being a fan of the brand like me...

 

Which model the Denon?
The big Japanese brands, Yamaha, Marantz and Denon are equal... Me, I like it, I had Yamaha too, I like the sound signature less...