Greetings from Portland! Currently loving my DMP A6 (as streamer and DAC) into a Cambridge CXA 81 powering a pair of SF Sonetto V’s. Pondering either a) keeping the A6 but picking up a Z8 for the decoding OR just upgrading to the A6 Master Edition. Also realllly stoked about the A8 and those seem scarce! Much Thanks! Bill
IMO (and as of a Z8 owner) you don't need to search an upgrade for the A6's. Being the ME the cheapest of the options (you sell the A6, buy the ME), the Z8 at mid-way (you must add $600, now, I think...) and the A8 the most expensive, adding roughly $1200 (you sell the A6, and buy the A8). The DACs are all at very high quality level of sound character and circuitry implementation; clarity, detail retrieval, separation, are very good in all three of them. Staying on the basic A6 and saving the money for a Mola Mola DAC is, after all, cheaper than doing the same after having upgraded to the A8... :-D Only thing, I'd go for the A8 just because I feel at a software level would be more mature, and maybe with a slightly longer lifespan in terms of new-apps support, being based on a newer version of Android.
I have had the Tambaqui here and it is a fine measuring dac, especially considering it’s age but in terms of sound quality there will be no difference between it or any off the Eversolo units. Keith
Totally agree with you, my point was replacing the A6 for the A8, and still use an external DAC made no sense; and also resulting more a expensive streamer for little (if any) added benefit compared to the A6. The Tambaqui is a nice piece of equipment, I find it even beautiful. And it is also a streamer... ;-) Anyway, I believe I would rather go for an RME ADI-2 with a RPi as streamer (and not only for the price vs quality thing, but let's be honest... it's also true I cannot allow myself 15K on streamer+dac)
You must let me know that exact moment when they do, a beam of sunshine should part the clouds and fall directly upon your hifi. Keith
