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The over-hyped Eversolo DMP A6: Some Impressions

You sort of have to be an IT enthusiast to want to use a Mac Mini for audio purposes IMO.
It is not designed from the ground up to operate as a headless media server. To do the initial setup and attend to the regular badgering to update the OS and other software you will need to kludge some screen sharing solution. I tried to use my ipad for this and it was awful (trying to use finger for mouse and click tiny font menus etc). Maybe things have got better in recent years.

I prefer a solution that is close as possible to an appliance that I can plug in and start playing music with minimal faff.
 
My mini is run headless as the Roon Server and have configured it to do updates at night. I only need to share the screen on my Macbook occasionally to add files, Roon does the rest.
 
Roon no doubt makes the experience better since you can do a lot of the setup from the Roon ipad app. Using another mac for the remote desktop work is also vastly better than using an ipad, but then you are on the hook for another expensive machine.
 
More than 10 year user of the Mac Mini as a music server in my case. Have always used Audirvana, now Studio version. I've used direct to the DAC(optical, USB) and ethernet (UPNP and Devialet AIR protocol). The Audirvana app is very good but yes, you do really need another mac in the house to deal with set up, updates, clearing reminders etc via screen sharing without having to hoik it out and plug in a screen etc....
 
My Mac Mini runs streamed music and video and does nothing else. There's another one in the house for video use. All work flawlessly. For music in the house I've got an rpi4 running LMS and connected to its DAC via I2S. In the studio it's the Innuos Zen mini connected to its DAC via USB. Both offer sound quality far beyond the A6. The Innuos is an expensive solution, the Pi dirt cheap. But the Pi does tie me in knots from time to time and I have to call in expert help from this Forum. The Innuos has free support for life which has been needed a couple of times. I'm not sure what happens when your A6 stops working...
 
Given it's a mixture of hardware, software and complex electronics the odds are all in favour of it needing attention at some point........
 
Like any computer. With the last OS update from Roon 1.8 to 2.0 my previous MacMini and iPad were rendered incompatible and I had to upgrade them both. Never expected that!
 
Columbo said:
If you want to perfect your chain then you can assemble separates for the same price, or maybe a little more, for better SQ and whole lot more cable spaghetti.
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Which is fun! Think of all the messing around you can do! :). I guess the A8 is for people who's given up the fun/faff.
 
Been using a MacMini M1 headlessly with Roon for a good while, no hassles, do have other Macs though so I can easily log in the odd time it is necessary. I am pleased I am not locked in to a proprietary server. I can dump Roon or Qobuz anytime I fancy, try JRiver or Tidal or Apple Music or HQPlayer or whatever else comes out or takes my fancy, and my Mac is easily serviced and easily sold and holds it value well.
 
andrewd said:
You sort of have to be an IT enthusiast to want to use a Mac Mini for audio purposes IMO.
It is not designed from the ground up to operate as a headless media server. To do the initial setup and attend to the regular badgering to update the OS and other software you will need to kludge some screen sharing solution. I tried to use my ipad for this and it was awful (trying to use finger for mouse and click tiny font menus etc). Maybe things have got better in recent years.

I prefer a solution that is close as possible to an appliance that I can plug in and start playing music with minimal faff.
Click to expand...
I bought a mac mini, installed Audirvana, spent 20 minutes setting it up, ticking boxes, plugged the USB into a DAC. 30 minutes to playing music, not touched it since other than selecting music. Download the control app on Pad and iPhone, another 10 minutes. The interface is outstanding (used Roon, Sooloos, Innuous previously). Not much faff going on.
 
Fergus said:
I have an”over-hyped” Eversolo DMP-A6 Master Edition that I’m very happy with.
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Same here. I upgraded from the standard dmp6 to the master and I know that the distributers over here give good customer support. At the moment I’m just using the streamer output into the Benchmark 3 dac, feeding active Isobariks and it sounds fine. Looks great too and a joy to use. I’m a relatively novice streamer and I thought I’d just use it now and again next to the vinyl’s and CD’s but I’m really getting stuck in. At some stage I guess I’ll beef up the PSU. But I’m in no hurry; I’m enjoying it for what it is: a very nice addition to the system.
 
The A8 is comparable in SQ to a £2k DAC IMHO. My £3k Denafrips Venus II is ever-so slightly better, but if I'm honest the improvements are subtle and only really noticeable if you do a synchronised A/B test. It's a stunning piece of kit for the price.
 
JTC said:
The A8 is comparable in SQ to a £2k DAC IMHO. My £3k Denafrips Venus II is ever-so slightly better, but if I'm honest the improvements are subtle and only really noticeable if you do a synchronised A/B test. It's a stunning piece of kit for the price.
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I'm surprised at that, because I would put the lower Denafrips Pontus II well ahead of the Eversolo A6 myself. IMO, it's more comparable to the Aries.
 
My general conclusion is all the Eversolos are tidy and excellent value, a laptop/Mini is just fine if you don’t mind using one, modern dacs come in various flavours, mostly good, and that your money is best spent elsewhere, on things like speakers and room treatment/correction.
 
Columbo said:
I have the A8...

Jack of all trades, master of none. Which is the appeal - it's a one box solution that does everything reasonably well:
  • Streamer - I'd rate it slightly cleaner than the ifi Zen Stream (£500 RRP) and about the same as the Zen with iFi power (£800 total)
  • DAC - it's your typical fairly well implemented DS DAC, it'll do the job for many, I imagine comparable to many £500 Topping/SMSL DACs (for me it has that tonal sheen over the top I can't get on with). Not a patch on a £1.2k Merason or Qutest DAC.
  • App - is really rather good, works fast and well.
  • Unit - decent solid design, lots of ins/out, nice touch screen, handy remote
  • Pre-amp - It'll do the job in some cases, not great but but in a lower end system may be adequate
If you want a convenient simple solution that does a respectable job for a reasonable price it's hard to knock, you get a lot squashed into one box. If you want to perfect your chain then you can assemble separates for the same price, or maybe a little more, for better SQ and whole lot more cable spaghetti.
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If the streamer part is as good as a Zen with iFi's best power supply then I would rate the A6 streamer as pretty good.

I have an iFi streamer, with the stock power supply SQ is pretty average (actually less than that). But give it a top quality PSU and it really shines (mine is a home-brew linear PSU with active noise cancellation). My system is a Naim Atom HE which gets a SQ lift when I connect the iFi Zen said powered (so just using the Naim as DAC plus volume control). My only issue with the ZEN is software control which is a pain.
 
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