Hardware Review EverSolo DMP-A6 Music Streamer/DAC Review (1 Viewer)

[JohnRice]

As media technology has advanced in the 21st Century, there has been the appearance of some new product categories. Music streamers are one of the most significant. Where video streamers like Roku, FireStick and Apple TV are the most common, and while they can be used for most music streaming services, dedicated audio streamers are also a significant sub-category. They include simple, “black boxes” like the BlueSound Node, and may or may not include an internal DAC (Digital to analog converter). Some are styled like conventional audio components, with a small display, like the Cambridge CXN v2, while others are much more elaborate, and expensive, with large touchscreens, like the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone...

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[JohnRice]

Reserved for follow-up

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Thanks for the review. Question - how are your local files being accessed? Do you have a hard drive connected directly to the unit or are you pulling from your network or a Plex-type server?

 

[JohnRice]

Thanks for the review. Question - how are your local files being accessed? Do you have a hard drive connected directly to the unit or are you pulling from your network or a Plex-type server?

I use an SSD connected to the rear USB port. It also has an internal M.2 SSD slot for storage, and while that sounds like a great solution, it just doesn't work as well in the real world as you'd hope. You can even connect a USB CD drive to rip from. The problem with all of that is, if you want to correct or change meta data, it has to be done using the app, which doesn't work as well as connecting the drive to a computer and doing it that way. It's also Roon ready and has AirPlay 2.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Thank you.

 

[John Dirk]

Amazing, comprehensive review, John!

 

[Rob W]

I have this unit and love it despite the occasional frustrations, such as the iOS app that has terrible lag between the app and the unit while trying to scroll through things. Using an Android tablet with the Android app also has the same issues . Unlike the Apple TV, this will play high-res files from Apple Music up to 192 khz beyond the basic lossless files that are the limit of the Apple TV. However, it will NOT pass Atmos signals, unlike the Apple TV. But the two-channel or 5.1 multichannel playback ( using iso files I have stored on the unit ) is so wonderful the loss of an Atmos option is not a deal-breaker (since I also have the Apple TV) .

 

[JohnRice]

I have this unit and love it despite the occasional frustrations, such as the iOS app that has terrible lag between the app and the unit while trying to scroll through things. Using an Android tablet with the Android app also has the same issues .

Is that streaming, and is it with any particular service? I only use it to play back local files, so I haven't had that problem.

 

[Rob W]

Is that streaming, and is it with any particular service? I only use it to play back local files, so I haven't had that problem.

Every single command, whether streaming, playing local files, using streaming services, etc...

 

[JohnRice]

Every single command, whether streaming, playing local files, using streaming services, etc...

Well, I don't have that problem, so it might be an issue with your network. My A6 is wired, but of course, the iPad is on WiFi.

 

[JohnRice]

EverSolo released the public update with parametric and graphic equalizers, which I have installed and used. I’ll do an update regarding that, but I am quite pleased with it.

 

[JohnRice]

Thanks to a Flash sale, after 19 months with the DMP-A6, I am upgrading to the DMP-A8. We'll see if the premium (more than double the price) is worth it.

I'm not prone to "upgraditis". I mean, it's an extreme example, but I've had my main speakers for nearly 32 years. I've been participating in an EverSolo forum, and the insanity I see in electronics fanaticism is actually kind of discouraging. I often wonder if any of these people actually get one moment of enjoyment from any of the gear they purchase. I expect that the DMP-A6 is more than good enough for most systems and people. This was just a bit of a reward to myself after a couple rough years. I have been resisting the temptation to get the (absurdly expensive) DMP-A10, and it's actually a relief to vanquish that from my mind.

 

[JohnRice]

A quick follow-up.

EverSolo has announced a Gen 2 of the DMP-A6, with a linear power supply, which a lot of people were adding after the fact. They have replaced the hdmi audio output with an ARC hdmi input. Despite the aggressive marketing lingo on the new unit, those seem to be the only actual changes, but it comes in at the same price as the Gen 1.

Personally, the cries for an ARC hdmi input are baffling to me. I can't comprehend the wide-spread desire to feed high end, two channel audio gear from a TV. The A8 and A10 also have ARC, and those retail for $1,980 and $3,680 respectively, so they are pretty high end. The Gen 1's hdmi (audio only) output allowed multi-channel material to be fed to a surround processor. Of course, I've made it no secret that the obsession with ARC doesn't make sense to me in the first place.