Yep, you would. the A6 (standard edition) is great like a streamer, not like a dac. And A8 is even better streamer
Eversolo DMP-A6 Network Streamer/DAC
- Thread starter PopZeus
- Start date
I am sure, the A8 is even better. For me it is out of budget as a streamer only device and I prefer R2R DACs.Yes you will benefit with the A6, I have the zen stream (it is okay, but compared to the a6 it sounds harsh, the A6 compared to the A8 misses smoothness and 3d stage, and I mean that digitally not analogue) If you really want to make a leap get the A8. Yes the AKM build in is very very good, but I mean as a streamer.
I know some keep on screaming a6 is the same as the A8 IT IS NOT!, I tried them all in a row. I had the A6 after a week or two got fed up, knowing the A8 sounded better and exchanged it for the A8, never looked back, a amazing machine as a streamer (digitally AND analogue). I audited all three in a row, the chord TT2+mscaler as a dac. A8 won clearly, noticable through headphones, with speaker and amp set even more.
the TT2/MScaler was set to automatic, so switching was nearly instant.
it is a bit a fantazy to say that the dac of A6, A6 ME and A8 is equal to TT2 - I did comparison of the three with headphones (DT1990 pro, Arya Organic, Stax 007 mk2 and Stax Lambda Nova Signature) and in a set up with speakers (KEF 15.2 and Elac UBR62) and none of the three is equal in dac technicalities and fidelity to the TT2.
I didn't catch a big difference b/n A6 and A6 ME also - the ME is a bit more refined like smooth and stage depth. The change came from the A8 - its dac is already a competent device which hits above $1000 but stays below the iFi iDSD Pro. And the streamer of the A8 is beating any iFi Streamer and is better than Holo Audio's RED and Matrix Element S. But the benefits of A8 streamer over A6 streamer (any standard and ME) is catchable only if you compare their own dacs or the external introduced dac is minimum iFi iDSD Pro and higher (Holo Audio Spring, TT2).
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I use the a8 as a streamer only, connnected to my tt2+mscaler. digitally it performs better than the a6 models. But it is double the price yes.
Ofcourse it is not up to spec of a tt2, but using a tt2+mscaler at least gives you no bottle neck when you want to test the streaming capabilities. And owning the tt2 and mscaler myself, it was a logical choice to test it with that
I compared the a8 streaming cabilities, A/B testing with Innuous, hifi rose rs250 and lumin u2, and to be honest the difference was actually so small if not existant it was almost unbelievable.
The only one that stood out just a little was the hifi rose rs130. (But everyone knows it is almost 3 times the price of the a8) and auralic… well 6000/8000 for just a streamer is too much for me.
I had the a8 new for 1600 so for that price, a no brainer.
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skhan007
1000+ Head-Fier
I'm sure some of you guys have seen this review:
Interestingly, he believes the A6 Master Edition is a better choice than the A8.
Interestingly, he believes the A6 Master Edition is a better choice than the A8.
Pricewise maybe yes, if that is your focus if it is soundwise no. I tested all three streamers with headphones AND a full hifi set.
I do have to admit the difference was a little less noticable on headphones. But still there. But the moment you go with a full hifi decent speaker set.
But everyone has the right of there own opinion, I know what I have heared, which was not imagined.
The A6 master is a good option if you replace the build in psu with the custom lps one, but then the price is nearly the A8, then the a8 is smarter choice.
There is only one reason why I can understand the choice the a6 or a6 master over de a8, and that is the price. Which is a valid choice if the budget is not there.
Because even the a8 is te best of the three, the a6 for the money is a bargain! All three of them are a middle finger to all other brands that sell streamers overpriced with less functionality imho.
skhan007
1000+ Head-Fier
I totally understand what you're saying, but your first comment about being a price decision is not what the reviewer was pointing out. He was stating the A6 ME actually sounded better. Again, I would doubt this to be true given the huge difference in components, DAC chips, etc. in the A8. Just really surprised, I suppose. The video listening demos showed that there was actually very little sound difference between the A6 ME and A8. I'm sure it's different in real life.
tylerindianapolis
New Head-Fier
for headphones what amp do you prefer? currently i have 3 i can choose and the Schiit Midgard balanced in and out sounds the best. in the next year or so i will look for a upgrade. I am using Ayra and HD660S2 headphones and want a pure headphone amp with xlr. Not sure if a tube would benefit the Ayra but it might.
I have the chord tt2+mscaler and the burson 3xrgt with 5A supercharger and upgraded opamps.
Tube is not the best mix( only when it is extra added for personal taste as a buffer. you need the power to let planars really shine instead of making sound)
There is a difference it really start to annoy me, because those reviewers make it look like some people are deaf. I tried all three, and not like for 10 minutes a few hours (yes all three) AND then also the a6’s and a8 at home for 3 days.
Also some reviewers confuse with more treble, some call it harshness, means more details which is not true. The better the quality the smoother it gets and blacker the blackgrounds (read as no noise on calm moments in tracks, which gets you the micro details and stage depth)
And that’s where the a8 excells compared to the a6’s
But enough said
, my advice to anyone, go listen yourself. If you don’t hear the difference than feel lucky and safe some bucks (either the equipment isn’t able to hear it, or something else, I had that issue one’s with the qutest and tt2 (connected as dac), thinking there was not much difference, untill I switched the amp, than it it was h*ly crap…
the amp wasThe bottleneck)
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tylerindianapolis
New Head-Fier
Question. I rummage in stores and buy used CD’s and bought Credence Clearwater Revival:Chronicle twice.
While ripping using the A6ME with a Pioneer BDR-XS07UHD I decided to deter and go to .WAV with adding track numbers.
When I play the .WAV version Susie Q it has very noticeable less fidelity than the .flac version without numbered tracks—I thought I was onto something. During the .wav ripping the disc went into high speed while ripping and when ripping flac it stays at low speed.
So then I decided to rip the same cd I used to rip the wav and did one with flax and numbered songs.
The new cd just sounds with less fidelity than the other. I have dig up the original cd I purchased and now rip that as wav to see if it is the new (used) cd I purchased. The cd itself looks fine.
I am using a different usb from the cd to the A6ME. Could that be it or is some digital cds just lose fidelity over use? I know LP’s do but did not think a cd would as long as it can be read.
While ripping using the A6ME with a Pioneer BDR-XS07UHD I decided to deter and go to .WAV with adding track numbers.
When I play the .WAV version Susie Q it has very noticeable less fidelity than the .flac version without numbered tracks—I thought I was onto something. During the .wav ripping the disc went into high speed while ripping and when ripping flac it stays at low speed.
So then I decided to rip the same cd I used to rip the wav and did one with flax and numbered songs.
The new cd just sounds with less fidelity than the other. I have dig up the original cd I purchased and now rip that as wav to see if it is the new (used) cd I purchased. The cd itself looks fine.
I am using a different usb from the cd to the A6ME. Could that be it or is some digital cds just lose fidelity over use? I know LP’s do but did not think a cd would as long as it can be read.
Attachments
For the record, as someone who is casually following both the A6 and A8 threads I think you've conveyed your experience with the three pretty clearly and consistently - it's there as a reference on the two threads especially for anyone, like me, most interested in the differences used as a pure streamer when used in a resolving system with a very good DAC, so thanks for that. I've no reason to doubt that the A8 is the top of the Eversolo tree whether used as streamer + DAC or pure streamer. Just very cool what Eversolo have been able to deliver at these price points.
Regards the YT reviewer, Virtual Hifi, I do wonder if his current choice of amps of may have some impact on the differences his system resolves and/or perhaps more its matching with other components, tonality etc. His speakers are terrific by any standard to be fair, his recordings at hifi shows demonstrate this and are certainly capable of resolving differences between components when you listen to his vids with good quality headphones/DAC etc. There's some other aspects of his system chain which are a bit of a WIP, including, from what I can tell, his server and ethernet chain, so I only expect his vids to get better and better. Next up Mola Mola Tambaquai...
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Is it the same production? Because the album might be the same, the production doesn’t have to be. Or it is a remaster of some sort (which is not always a good case)
tylerindianapolis
New Head-Fier
Logically that has to be the reason. Going to find the other cd sometime this week. Just another dimension of ripping cd’s. I remembered that there used to be some sort of loudness wars or something to that effect in the days of cd’s being produced.
