Eversolo DMP-A8 vs iPhone plugged directly to integrated amp - why no difference?
I just got the Eversolo DMP-A8. Setup was very easy. Plugged it in and started playing some tracks and was not blown away. Admittedly, my system is nice to me but not high-end by any means. Primaluna Prologue integrated amp and Audio Note AZ3 speakers. Was previously streaming through a sonos port and using the Cambridge DacMagic. Always sounded fine to me as an amateur but had been curious to step things up a notch in my digital music.
Since I wasn't entirely sure if the Eversolo was doing all that it should (and the sonos and Cambridge are in storage so couldn't compare - been away for a while) I went ahead and plugged my iPhone into the amp through RCA adapter and there is literally no difference. I tried so many songs, with the A8 reading highest quality stream on Tidal, and I switched back and forth between the two with practically no difference in same songs. Even if the A8 doesn't have the greatest DAC on earth, shouldn't it still be night and day between that and an iPhone plugged directly into the amp with no DAC at all? Now I'm really curious to get the Sonos and DacMagic out of storage and see if that sounds any different at all.
I may not have the most trained ears on earth but surely there must be something I'm doing wrong in setup or connection, no? For what it's worth I added some IsoAcoustics GAIA III speaker feet and the difference in sound after that is immediately apparent. I know it's comparing apples to strawberries but my ears are hearing that difference and yet zero with an almost $2000 streamer/DAC compared to an iPhone plugged direct??
Is it possible the Primaluna and Audio Notes aren't good enough to feature the difference??? I'm open to any possibility.
Can just as easily go back to the cheaper set up and get back my $2k? But would like to make sure I'm hearing this thing as it's meant to be heard if it's a user error.
Appreciate any thoughts anyone has.
@helomech Thanks for that info. Answer that makes the most sense so far based on what I've been trying, if the answer I feared most. I'm gonna return the Eversolo and slowly look into new systems and reproach streamers later. I do actually like how my vinyl sounds on the Audio Notes but I'm open to what I find. And @jji666 both streaming Tidal at highest available stream quality. |
I have the A8 and it’s the best sounding digital source I’ve ever had. Have all my CDs on the internal SSD. Makes for a very convenient way to access all my 400 or so CDs. High rez streaming from Qobuz sounds great. The DAC settings are subtle but there. I had tried the Wiim pro and thought it sounded pretty bad. The A8 DAC chip is advertised as "velvet sound" and it does indeed sound smooth but still has detail. Only thing I didn’t like was the analog in side with my phono pre amp - seemed to lose some air - so I just use the A8 as an input to my Schiit Saga pre amp. Yes, lower resolving audio systems/speakers using lower rez streaming, one might not see a big difference between it and lower price/quality sources. I think variations in digital sound quality between various components is generally not very great. Digital isn’t vinyl. Vinyl is still king even compared with the highest rez streaming available. Although the 24/96 from Qobuz sounds really really good. And Tidal has very little of that compared to Qobuz.
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Interesting thread. I recently upgraded from the bluesound node (newest release) to the Eversolo A8. I still have and use several bluesounds in other parts of the house but I am very happy with the eversolo and feel it is significan upgrade from the node. I am surprised you didn’t hear a difference with the iPhone. I read some suggestions about the settings, I can say the A8 has a significant number of filter and DSP setting which can change the sound for good or bad. I would start with the base config and try playing with the filers. I use a slow roll off filter. Also, try to use the XLR connections to your preamp if possible. Lastly, I tried the A8 with an old dac (Teac). This was over 10 years old and was not very expensive when new. When I first hooked it up via USB from the A8, I felt like I heard a warmer, more full sound. But as time went on I noticed significant background noise that tended to muddy some songs and I ended up switching back to the A8 dac which is much cleaner, quieter, and more detailed which I prefer. I don’t know if this helps but don’t be afraid to play around with rhe system and sometimes you may find that less is more. My personal feeling is if you configure the A8 right and you use the internal DAC via XLRs you will be very happy with your purchase. Good luck. |
Would you please indicate the source for it? Thanks. |
The most recent Stereophile issue is what I was referencing. To get access to those measurements you must subscribe to either the digital or print versions of their magazine. In fact, I purchased six months of their digital subscription for the sole purpose of accessing some of their most recent reviews, including the DMP-A8. Both the digital and analog preamp functions of the A8 nearly equal the best objective performance of all components previously measured by both Stereophile and Audio Science Review. Having owned other products with SOTA quantitative performance (such as Benchmark LA4 and Topping E70V), I can confirm that the DMP-A8 is their equal in subjective performance. I am now considering selling my Benchmark LA4, the only advantage it has over the DMP-A8 is L/R channel balance control. The DMP-A8 is butter smooth but without sacrificing any detail—one of the best bargains I’ve encountered in all my years in this “hobby.” |
