Would the op-amps be obsolete if the Master Edition is used strictly as a streamer? My presumption was that op-amps don't amplify digital signals, and are primarily utilized after the digital-to-analog conversion
Eversolo DMP-A6 Network Streamer/DAC
- Thread starter PopZeus
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Does the standard edition include the spectrum analyzer?
Searched through the thread but couldn’t find a clear answer. Last time i checked the website the standard edition marketing did not have the spectrum analyzer featured.
Searched through the thread but couldn’t find a clear answer. Last time i checked the website the standard edition marketing did not have the spectrum analyzer featured.
Of course
It does. Came with a later firmware update.
I decided on the A6 ME feeding it to the Schiit Midgard with XLR. Balanced to either 660S2 or Ayra Organic.
I thought the Hifiman ef499 was good. The A6 ME is better. More alive and less fatiguing.
CD ripping to .wav or .flac without using ANY software on tbe PC or worrying about meta data with FLAC is what sold it to me. Going to just rerip what I have to the m.2 with flac. It will take a little bit but it’s ok.
I used the a6 as a transport to the ef499 and back to the Midgard via rca. It sounds good that way but not as good.
Amazingly it seems to even make the 660s2 have a little wider soundstage not as much as the ayra but I am liking the 660s2 again using the a6.
I thought the Hifiman ef499 was good. The A6 ME is better. More alive and less fatiguing.
CD ripping to .wav or .flac without using ANY software on tbe PC or worrying about meta data with FLAC is what sold it to me. Going to just rerip what I have to the m.2 with flac. It will take a little bit but it’s ok.
I used the a6 as a transport to the ef499 and back to the Midgard via rca. It sounds good that way but not as good.
Amazingly it seems to even make the 660s2 have a little wider soundstage not as much as the ayra but I am liking the 660s2 again using the a6.
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skhan007
1000+ Head-Fier
Honest opinions requested:
I am so on the fence with purchasing the A6. It's priced right, features are great, reviews are spectacular, but...
I would use an external DAC (so no need/use for the built-in one) and all my music files and streaming music (Spotify) are managed just fine on my M2 MacBook.
Would I really benefit from the A6 if my current set up is working just fine?
I am so on the fence with purchasing the A6. It's priced right, features are great, reviews are spectacular, but...
I would use an external DAC (so no need/use for the built-in one) and all my music files and streaming music (Spotify) are managed just fine on my M2 MacBook.
Would I really benefit from the A6 if my current set up is working just fine?
I am pretty sure, you would benefit from the A6 with your gear. The Zen Stream was a big step from my PC and I consider the A6 as a streamer only a step up in clarity from the Zen Stream.
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.
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skhan007
1000+ Head-Fier
Wow, OK- so you're recommended just going all-in for the A8? Having compared the three, I think your opinion is solid and informed. I just wasn't sure if I'd notice the upgrade from my laptop to the A6 (I believe that's a yes) and then the upgrade to the A8 is noteworthy and significant, given the double price (again, it sounds like a yes).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 one clearly, noticable through headphones, with speaker and amp set even more.
the TT2/MScaler was set to automatic, so switching was nearly instant.
The a6 and a6 master are very close together, as a streamer and analogue, the one forward is the a8. You have to listen for yourself, do a A and B test at the shop between the two, I am certain you will judge the same as a digital streamer. Analogue the a6’s are nowhere close compared to the a8
I would have loved a cheaper a8 with only the streamer part, but that one does not exist. But it is what it is. They did something to make the a8 sound better
How I can describe it best. With the a6’s the speakers were still there, noticable, sound more sticking to the speakers, with the a8 music came alive, around, middle and depth. I borrowed the a6 and a8, and at home the exact same thing was hearable
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Yep, you would. the A6 (standard edition) is great like a streamer, not like a dac. And A8 is even better streamer
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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