Overview

The Eversolo DMP-A8 is a network music streamer, digital audio player, DAC, and fully balanced preamplifier in one aluminium chassis. It's designed to be the control centre of a hi-fi system: stream from services like Tidal, Qobuz, and Amazon Music, play your own library from an internal SSD or network drive, connect a TV over HDMI ARC, and drive a power amplifier or active speakers directly from its XLR and RCA outputs.

At its core is a two-chip AKM DAC that separates the digital (AK4191EQ) and analog (AK4499EX) sections, which reduces the effect of digital noise on the analog output. Eversolo rates it at 128dB dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio from the balanced outputs, with decoding up to DSD512 native and PCM 768kHz/32-bit. A resistor-ladder (R2R) volume control with precision resistors and relays, two femtosecond clocks, and a dual power supply that pairs a linear toroidal supply for the audio circuit with a switching supply for the system round out the design.

Everything runs through a 6-inch touchscreen, Eversolo's Android and iOS app, or the included remote. It's Roon Ready and supports Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, AirPlay, and DLNA, plus a DSP module with parametric EQ, FIR filtering, and high- and low-pass filters. Inputs include USB-B, HDMI ARC, two coaxial, two optical, Bluetooth with LDAC and aptX HD, and analog XLR and RCA, while USB, HDMI-IIS, coaxial, and optical outputs let you add an external DAC later.

Simcoe Audio Video Insight

The DMP-A8 makes the most sense when you want one box to replace a streamer, a DAC, and a preamp, connected straight to a power amplifier or active speakers. Run the XLR outputs if your amplifier has balanced inputs, and use the trigger out to switch the amp on with the A8. If you have a TV in the same system, the HDMI ARC input brings TV sound through the same high-quality DAC. For a large local library, install an M.2 NVMe SSD inside and manage your files directly from the touchscreen or app.

More Info

Why the Eversolo DMP-A8 Stands Out

Buyer's Guide

Who It's For

• The System Simplifier: Wants one component to handle streaming, conversion, and volume.
• The Library Owner: Wants local music on an internal SSD or NAS with full metadata.
• The Hi-Fi and TV Listener: Wants TV sound through the hi-fi via HDMI ARC.

How It Compares

Compared with the Eversolo DMP-A6 Gen 2, which uses dual ESS ES9038Q2M DACs, the DMP-A8 steps up to AKM's two-chip AK4191EQ and AK4499EX design and adds a preamp section with XLR and RCA analog inputs and an R2R relay volume control, so it can serve as the hub for analog sources as well as digital ones.