Eversolo DMP-A8 Master Gen 2

Dual-Core Power Supply Section

The power supply, which is divided into two independent subsections, also deserves closer examination. There is a linear power supply dedicated to the AKM DAC chips and the preamplifier and output circuits, which utilizes a large toroidal transformer coupled with audiophile-grade filter capacitors featuring low ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance). There is also a switching power supply for the digital motherboard, the touchscreen, the SSD storage unit, and the various communication ports. This module operates at a very high frequency and is equipped with high-attenuation common-mode filters to prevent impulse noise from propagating to the audio circuits.

Network: Gigabit, Wi-Fi 6, and fiber-optic port

Network connectivity is another area where we see significant improvements over the original DMP-A8. It features Gigabit Ethernet for wired connectivity and Wi-Fi 6 for dual-band wireless connectivity. It also includes a network port for fiber-optic connectivity.

Regular readers will be aware of our preference for this type of connection, which eliminates at the source one of the potential problems with standard Ethernet connections: the risk of picking up electrical noise that can subsequently seep into analog circuits. Of course, for this to work, you need a fiber-optic-compatible switch and compatible transceiver modules.

Entrances and Exits

Turning our attention to the rear panel, we find a range of inputs and outputs that makes this DMP-A8 Master Gen 2 capable of handling any need. On the digital input side, there are USB, coaxial, and optical inputs. Then there’s the HDMI ARC/eARC (which must be enabled manually since it doesn’t activate automatically when the screen is turned on). It also features excellent Bluetooth support. On the input side, in the “analog section,” we find a single XLR input and an RCA input. As for outputs, in addition to analog XLR and RCA, the Master Edition can also send the signal digitally via optical, coaxial, AES, USB, and i2S ports.

Returning to the opening question: What can’t it do? It lacks Chromecast and AirPlay support, but you’ll understand that in this context, that’s a minor detail because, otherwise, the DMP-A8 Master Gen 2 literally does everything else. And it does it very well.