The audio decoding of the DMP-A6 Master Edition is entrusted to two ESS ES9038 Q2M DAC chips, a high-performance model widely recognized by audiophiles. It also supports high-resolution audio streams up to PCM 32bit 768kHz and DSD512, as well as decoding of MQA files. So — do you want the good news or the bad news? Let’s start with the bad: I will no longer be making a follow-up video (as orginally planned) on the FiiO R7 streaming DAC / headphone amplifier. Well, not quite. This brings us to the good news: I’m handing off the FiiO follow-up video’s timeslot to China’s Zidoo to talk about its similarly-priced streaming DAC, the Eversolo DMP-A6 (€859), which will in turn feature a side-by-side comparison with the FiiO R7. Eversolo presents with its DMP-A6 a streamer as powerful as it is intuitive and stylish. It will allow you to stream your music with ease while enjoying excellent sound quality, all controlled via a high-quality LCD screen and an ergonomic interface or from a dedicated mobile application. HDMI ARC. A very welcome feature for people like me who’s system doubles as their audio for their tv. Also I’m hoping for the ability to display album art on the tv as well through ARC. Once again a feature a lot of people could care less about, but one that I would like. delicate vocals to be the focus of your attention... the bass response is excellent. There's all the depth you could reasonably require, but it never comes at the expense of that effortless detail retrieval and excellent integration with the upper registers. The soundstage is also beautifully judged. Everything has the space it needs to breathe, but its ability to match the scale of the music being played is deeply impressive.

The basic platform that underpins most Zidoo devices is more than up to the job of being a streamer so it should not be too much of a surprise to find that the Eversolo is similar to the Alpha players in terms of its core architecture. The platform is built around an ARM Cortex A55 processor and uses a customised Android 11 interface as the basic operating system. This is capable of reading content over a network or from an internal hard drive bay that supports drives up to two terabytes. No drive is supplied as standard in this instance. Most striking of all, the preliminary photos suggest that the DMP-A8 will be a full-width hi-fi component. The Bluetooth 5.0 reception of the DMP-A6 uses a Qualcomm QCC5125 chip. This supports the SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD and LDAC high-definition transmission codecs, allowing you to enjoy high-quality sound reproduction via Bluetooth. A balanced pre-amp circuitNeither am I done with the comparisons to the Neo Stream. I maintain that iFi has the best affordable MQA decoding in the industry but the DMP-A6 runs it very close which makes it a formidable option for Tidal Connect. There’s a certain irony that, just as MQA’s future is looking uncertain, hardware is hitting the market that manages to overcome some of my earlier reservations about how it sounds but, whatever happens, the DMP-A6 has you usefully covered in this regard. The audio decoding of the DMP-A6 is entrusted to two ESS ES9038 Q2M DAC chips, a high-performance model widely recognized by audiophiles. It also supports high-resolution audio streams up to PCM 32bit 768kHz and DSD512, as well as decoding of MQA files. LCD Touch Screen When you consider the flexibility and capabilities of this device at the price point you can forgive a few foibles;

The Eversolo DMP-A8 streamer also features a dual power supply, with a toroidal transformer for the audio circuits and a switching power supply for system elements such as the screen and the processor. This reduces interference and optimizes transparency. The preamplification stage has also been revamped and now has an entirely balanced architecture. Volume is controlled passively via a system of ultra low noise resistors and relays. The goal: to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio and preserve the finest details. Thanks to its dual electric power supply and balanced preamp with passive volume control, the Eversolo DMP-A8 network player ensures a transparent, natural and highly detailed sound. Eversolo DMP-A8: a wide range of connectorsThe DMP-A6 Master Edition can be controlled from a smartphone or tablet using the free Eversolo Controller mobile app. This will allow you to simply access your music while enjoying a remote interface for easy use from your sofa. Specifications Model

I side-loaded smart tube and now can get add free music videos on screen, can cast to phone and amazingly mirror to tv. The DMP-A6 is compatible with most streaming services and you can get these playing with ease. Switching to the digital inputs is also easy from the internal menu system or the app. There is a new Bluetooth remote that has also been released, allowing for easier control when sat further away from the unit.

Conclusion

But of course, this isn’t just a standard DAC. The built-in streaming aspect makes it possible that many users won’t use those digital inputs very often, if at all. There is also a set of digital outputs featuring RCA, Toslink, USB, and HDMI (with a unique twist, but more on that later) for those eyeing the Eversolo as a digital transport. This aspect allows for the DMP-A6 to be used as a main source now whilst promising future relevance down the road when the budget allows for a DAC upgrade. Of course, this only matters if the device performs at a high enough level on transport duties – which thankfully does seem to be the case.

Play Circling by Four Tet and the DMP-A6 does a decent job of detail retrieval, with precise edges to notes and all the instruments relayed in an organised manner. SuperShy by NewJeans shines through in all its sparkly, K-Pop glory, while Marlon Williams’ smooth, melodious vocals come through cleanly on Strange Things– all in a rather pleasing way that’s nice to listen to. it is equally adept with displaying intimacy so that the very human scale of the recording is retained. It's not perfect though. The Eversolo is dependent on TuneIn Radio for internet radio and this has limitations, especially when it is called upon to access BBC content. AirPlay can be used to send the BBC Sounds App to the DMP-A6 but there’s no Cast for Android users (although there is aptX Bluetooth as a quasi-acceptable substitute). The absence of the simple but useful Bluetooth remote handsets that the Zidoo players come with is also a slight annoyance. It’s not that the Eversolo can’t be used without it but it reduces the convenience factor slightly.BBC Sounds, TuneIn Radio, Radio Paradise, Radio Droid, Open Radio, Radio.Net (APK), Greatest Hits Radio (APK). I will say this right off the bat. I’ve heard a good amount of ES9038 DACs and I’ve come to the conclusion that designs with a really good implementation of a ES9038PRO or any ESS DAC will almost always have very little to no “Sabre Glare” that a lot of ESS DACs are known for in the audio community. That’s not to say that “Sabre Glare” is bad but that those who steer away from ESS DACs for that reason might want to give something like the DAC-Z8 a try. The DMP-A6 is equipped with balanced analog circuitry from the DAC chip to the stereo XLR and RCA outputs. This limits noise and channel separation provides better signal quality. Compatible with most music streaming services