Eversolo DMP-A6 Gen 2 Review — Headfonics

Today’s feature is James’s review of the Eversolo DMP-A6 Gen 2, a high-end desktop integrated dual ES9038Q2M DAC and Roon-Ready Streamer. It is currently priced at $859.

Disclaimer: This sample was sent to me in exchange for my honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or status. I thank Eversolo for their support.

Click here to read more about streaming products we have previously reviewed on Headfonics.

This article follows our latest scoring guidelines, which you can read in more detail here.

Eversolo DMP-A6 Gen 2 Review

Summary

The Eversolo DMP-A6 Gen 2 desktop DAC and streamer is an impressive design, with excellent software, and offers a satisfactory analog output. It delivers the best UI and mirror-control experience I have tried thus far in a streamer.

Slide here to add your score on the gear!33 Votes

8.8

Pros

Beautiful design and very mature UI

Generous applications support.

Compact form factor suitable for desks and racks.

Cons

No USB socket in front.

Chosen DAC chipsets slightly limiting

It is our (and mine) first time reviewing Eversolo on Headfonics, and we start with their new DMP A6 Gen 2, which is the upgraded version of the popular DMP-A6 streamer, decoder, and media player from 2023.

The new iteration includes more advanced features, such as an upgraded linear PSU, HDMI ARC support, trigger switch-on, WOL network wake-up, to name but a few.

At $859, the build quality and design of the AMP6 Gen 2 are stunning, as is the overall UX, but how does it perform sound-wise and compare to other competitors such as the FiiO R7 and the S15? I found out in my full review below.

Features

Decoding

The DMP-A6 Gen 2 is both a desktop DAC and an integrated streamer. It features a dual configuration of the power-efficient ESS ES9038Q2M DAC chips connected in parallel.

The decoding and amplifying circuitry is fully balanced in architecture, using the Texas Instruments OPA1642 op-amps with JFET inputs known for good transparency for amplification, and with two crystal oscillators around the DAC for enhanced time-domain control.

It achieves >128dB dynamic range and SNR, as well as 0.00009% THD+N performance, which is I consider to be decent.

For decoding, the DMP-A6 Gen 2 supports the following from its various outputs:

• USB: Max support: Stereo DSD512 Native, PCM 768kHz/32-bit, MQA.
• Optical/Coaxial: Max support: Stereo PCM 192kHz/24-bit, DoP64, MQA.
• HDMI: DSD64 Native multi-channel / PCM 192kHz multi-channel bitstream output, max 5.1 channels.

Linear PSU

To suppress noise further from the original design of DMP-A6, the Gen 2 upgrades to a customized linear power supply with 12V output power, with a remarkable 40uV background noise performance.

The quality of power supply always plays a vital role in noise control, and a successful implementation helps contribute to a more dynamic headroom. This is a welcome upgrade as the original design doesn’t allow connection to external power supplies.

HDMI 5.1, ARC Support

For those who plan to integrate the streamer into a home system, the DMP-A6 Gen 2 is quite flexible. It supports native HDMI DSD, D2P Multi-channel outputs (up to 5.1 channels), and visualizers that work with an HDMI connection, allowing you to enjoy the VU meter effects.

The DMP-A6 Gen 2 also has ARC support, which can help reduce cabling by allowing connections to other devices, e.g., TV over just the HDMI cable, allowing for reserving the digital inputs on the streamer for other devices.

Design

Crafted from aviation-grade Aluminum blocks with CNC machining, the DMP-A6 Gen 2 has a robust build and is finely finished with brushing and sandblasting to create a smooth, matte appearance.

The debossed logo engraved onto the top also looks classy. The metallic housing feels very thick, which should help reduce interferences and resonances. Everything looks concise, and the size is delightfully compact.

On the front side there is a 6″ large screen and a multi-function volume knob with a ring of light that doubles as the on/off button. Eversolo calls the screen ‘retina-level’.

In practice, the screen looks quite natural, and the resolution is decent; the brightness is also sufficient for everything to be quite legible under sunlight.

As for the minimalized button layout, once you fire up the control application, you will probably understand why Eversolo is confident in not giving you any physical buttons, as everything is clearly indicated and can be quickly toggled within a few clicks.

There is also a very thoughtful design to hide the SSD expansion slot right under the bottom. It supports M.2 NVMe SSDs up to 8TB per slot, which is much more affordable now than a few years back.

Installation is fast and easy since the SSD slot of A6 Gen 2 is tool-free and does not require a screwdriver for installation or removal.

I/O

The DMP-A6 Gen 2 supports most of the common digital inputs and outputs, including optical, coaxial, USB, and HDMI.

Multi-channel HDMI is also supported at up to DSD64, so this can be a hub and digital player for your home entertainment system. It also supports the Trigger function, which will be handy for those who want to automate the powering of the home theatre.

One practical feature to note: the A6 Gen 2 supports connection with USB CD drives for extraction and playback, which is a great function for those who have a large CD library or who do not have a computer in the listening room.

I did not test this function as I use a dedicated CD player. However, if you do enjoy converting your CD collection into a digital library, do look up which drives are supported, as there are always some that require legacy drivers or are unstable.

Controls

There is only one multi-function knob and controlling the device relies solely on the multifunctional volume button and the touch screen. In practice, it is swift with instructions for first-time users.

The 6” screen is larger than most phones and is adequate to present the layout and display playback information very clearly. For screens that can be swiped for more data, for example, VU meter visualizers, there are clear indications for the action.

I find the UI is very mature, probably the best streamer interface I have experienced so far, with a lot of customization not only for the basic functions but also for the streaming applications embedded.

The swiping action has no perceived lag, but for couch guys, you can control the device over the Eversolo Control APP from iOS and Android devices, which is very responsive compared to some other mirroring services.

Packaging & Accessories

The packaging of the streamer is professional with a dustbag and sufficient protection padding. In the package, you will find the power cord and trigger cable, as well as a user manual.

It would be nice to have a screen protector provided, but the screen looks very strong, so this may not be necessary in practice.

Aside from that, it would also be nice if they could include a small remote, so users don’t need to hit the app for volume control and some basic functions.

You can, however, purchase their Bluetooth remote separately, which is fair, as most of the controls can be done via the mobile app.

Software

From official information, the OS on the DMP-A6 Gen 2 is based on Android 11, with SRC bypass enabled via Eversolo’s own EOS engine. There are 4GBs of DDR RAM inside, which allows for swift control.

The UI on the DMP-A6 Gen 2 is one of the most mature on the streamers I have seen to date, and with plenty of customization for the built-in applications.

I am not able to go through every single one, but for those I have tested, everything works fine and smoothly with proper layouts and no obvious delays.

Aside from streaming platforms, there are also several internet radio apps. I find the stock tuning working quite well with them, and they are great for working BGM without the need to pick songs.

So, when you don’t have anything in mind to play, you may as well just pick a radio channel, which provides a fun way to discover new music.

Navigation

There are a few items you would need to access from time to time, including various streaming applications, settings, and local playback folders.

It is very intuitive to navigate here, as you can reach or go back to the desired page within a few levels, and the menus can be customized to show only the applications you use and hide the rest.

When you fire up the device for the first time or click into a feature you haven’t tried before, there are on-screen instructions, so there is no learning curve and manuals required.

Features

The DMP-A6 Gen 2 is Roon Ready and supports Tidal Connect, so you can easily stream at high bitrate over your home network, over the customized version applications including Sony Select, TIDAL, Qobuz, and more.

There is a long list of applications supported, covering most, if not all, of the common streaming services.

There are also some free services, such as Radio Paradise, that you may try if you want to let internet DJs pick for you what to play. On top of the generous application support, there are some useful features that could enhance the playback quality.

10-Band Equalizer

This is one essential feature for some simple yet effective tweaks. I am not going to elaborate on this, but I will recommend that every user give this a try.

It can greatly enhance the tonal balance or eliminate some unwanted spikes within just a few clicks. There are other presets available, and you can switch between profiles easily.

It would be even nicer if Eversolo could consider a shortcut for choosing equalizing profiles, then it would be handier for switching between different usage scenarios, e.g., when putting it with the home system and desktop amplifiers simultaneously.

Wake on LAN (WOL)

This is also an interesting feature aside from the Trigger feature, for those who want to control the streamer from afar, or if you are putting it in a harder-to-reach location. Basically, you can wake the unit from hibernation with the controller application and start replaying right away.

Media Management

The music playback functionalities on the DMP-A6 Gen 2 are robust, and it is easy to control, just like common DAPs.

The metadata tags are retrieved accurately, and .cue files are read promptly. Anything from very lossy files to SACD iso is supported and loads instantly. It also supports playing files from an external thumb drive, the local disk, or the installed M.2 SSD.

Wireless Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.0

The Qualcomm QCC5125 Bluetooth Chipset is used on the DMP-A6 Gen 2, which promotes low-latency signal and supports SBC and AAC Codecs for longer-range, stable connection.

There is also LDAC and AptX LL/ HD support for higher quality, which is the handiest way to stream from Android devices or laptops across a distance; otherwise, USB decoding would be preferred for better quality.

Connection in practice is fast, and the antennas sticking out at the back are probably the reason for the stable connection.

WiFi

The DMP-A6 Gen 2 is ROON Ready, Tidal Connect supported, and DLNA supported.

Aside from these and the numerous applications supported, it is compatible with NFS, SMB, WebDAV, and UPnP, so you can easily hook up your NAS and stream from supporting devices within your network. Connection is straightforward with plenty of on-screen instructions to follow.

For iOS users, AirPlay is supported. However, the connection is not always that straightforward. I would still prefer using built-in apps such as Tidal Connect, which would provide a more seamless experience.

Wired Connectivity

USB-DAC

The DMP-A6 Gen 2 uses an XMOS XU316 solution, which supports up to Native DSD512 and PCM 32-bit/768kHz decoding.

Personally, this is my preferred way to connect to my PC for playback. The output quality is similar to playing back files on the local hard disk installed in the DMP-A6 Gen 2.

USB-OTG

The DMP-A6 Gen 2 supports USB signal output to other supported decoders, just like hooking up a dongle to the phone.

I did not test this feature since you can connect to external storage via USB for transferring songs or playing back from the external drive, which I find more practical.

Click on page 2 below for my sound impressions and selected comparisons.

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