{"id":22079,"date":"2026-10-17T11:10:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T09:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/?p=22079"},"modified":"2026-10-16T18:31:49","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T16:31:49","slug":"eversolo-dmp-a8-master-gen-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/audio-2g.com\/en\/eversolo-dmp-a8-master-gen-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Eversolo DMP-A8 Master Gen 2"},"content":{"rendered":"
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My first encounter with this device took place last spring at the High End show in Vienna. On that occasion, theEversolo DMP-A8 Master Gen 2<\/a> was prominently displayed at theAsian company<\/a>, showcasing a hyper-realistic animation on its 8-inch OLED display depicting a fireplace complete with a blazing, crackling fire, thus piquing the curiosity of those present and making it one of the main attractions at the booth. Personally, since my aesthetic sensibilities lean in the opposite direction, I deliberately\u2014but guiltily\u2014ignored this DAC\/streamer\/CD player, only to fortunately find it in the Test Room a few months later, thanks to the courtesy of the Italian importer, who helped me get past my initial hesitation due to aesthetic concerns.<\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The image highlights the beautiful 8.6-inch OLED touchscreen, which takes up most of the front panel.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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DMP-A8 Master Gen 2:Technical and Commercial Overview<\/b><\/h2>

The device is highly multifunctional, as it combines four distinct functions within a single aircraft-grade aluminum chassis: a network streamer, a DAC, an analog preamplifier with resistive network (R2R) volume control, and finally a sophisticated digital signal processor (DSP) for room acoustic correction. Hence the title I chose for the video we posted on YouTube: \u201cIs there anything this machine can\u2019t do?<\/i>\u201d<\/p>

When writing reviews of a product like this, you\u2019re faced with a dilemma: should you write a smooth, fast-paced text that tries to convey the product\u2019s character, or should you delve into the myriad of technical features that\u2014now more than ever\u2014constitute the very soul of the machine? As you read on, you\u2019ll realize that this time I\u2019ve chosen the second option, even though I know I won\u2019t be able to cover every topic exhaustively. So, <\/i>Before moving on to the in-depth technical review, it\u2019s worth placing this product within the Eversolo catalog. Let\u2019s start with the obvious observation that, as a \u201cGen 2\u201d model, it follows the original 2023 DMP-A8\u2014which, incidentally, remains in production at a more affordable price and which, in turn, was built on the excellent foundation of the DMP-A6. The version Master, <\/i>This test model differs from the standard version in that it includes a CD-reading mechanism. Compared to the model from three years ago, the upgrades<\/i> There have been numerous changes affecting virtually every aspect of the device: the most noticeable change is the display. Eversolo has upgraded from the original A8\u2019s 6-inch touchscreen to a stunning 8.6-inch display, redesigning the interface to accommodate the larger size. It displays theartwork<\/i> album art, various types of VU meters, and a spectrum analyzer\u2014also available in several animated versions that track the musical signal\u2019s waveform. Thanks to the touchscreen function, you can control all the many features of the DMP-A8 Gen 2 if you prefer not to use the excellent Eversolo Control app or the sleek rechargeable infrared remote control included in the package. In short, simply deciding how to \u201ccontrol\u201d the DMP-A8 Master Gen 2 is no trivial matter.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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On the right side of the motherboard, near the power supply board, there is a small board stacked on top of it that contains the SoC with an octa-core ARM processor.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The impressive capabilities of this machine require significant computing power, so the main SoC (System on Chip<\/i>) processor) had to undergo the necessary upgrade, switching from a quad-core to a 64-bit octa-core processor with 8 gigabytes of DDR5 memory and 64 GB of eMMC flash memory for the operating system. The adoption of DDR5 memory (compared to the previous-generation DDR4 or the lower-tier A6 series) doubles the available data bandwidth, enabling exceptionally smooth interface performance and latency-free real-time management of audio buffers. The manufacturer claims that, thanks to this hardware, the device is capable of scanning and organizing a local library of 200,000 tracks in about two hours. This library can only be partially stored in the internal memory, which can\u2014and indeed must\u2014be expanded by inserting an SSD into the M.2 NVMe slot located at the bottom of the cabinet, thereby enabling storage of up to 8 terabytes\u2014double the capacity of the original A8.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The pair of AKM chips that make up Eversolo's Velvet Sound module.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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DAC Section: AK4191EQ and AK4499EX<\/b><\/h2>

The conversion section uses a dual-chip design (Velvet Sound<\/i>) that employs an AK4191EQ for digital processing and an AK4499EX for conversion. The latter, in particular, is one of AKM\u2019s flagship models, as well as one of the most expensive DAC chips currently on the market, typically used in DACs positioned above the A8\u2019s class. If you\u2019re wondering why this choice was made, the simple answer is that separating the processing and conversion stages is intended to minimize noise.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Close-up of the R-2R-type analog volume actuator.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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R2R Volume Control<\/b><\/h2>

We mentioned at the beginning that one of the functions of the Eversolo DMP-A8 Master Gen 2 is that of a preamplifier; this \u201crole\u201d is, in fact, confirmed by the presence of an analog line input on the rear panel. In this context, the inclusion of a volume control was to be expected; what is less obvious is \u201chow\u201d this control was implemented. One of its most distinctive features is, in fact, the R2R resistor-based volume control, whose introduction into the audio world is attributed to Mark Levinson several decades ago. Instead of adjusting the volume in the digital domain, the R2R ladder uses a network of precision resistors to attenuate the signal in the analog domain, with the advantage that the resolution and channel balance remain constant regardless of the knob\u2019s position across all adjustment steps (in this case 120 <\/span>in 0.5 dB steps), thereby preserving the signal-to-noise ratio and tonal balance even when listening at low volumes. It is worth noting that this type of volume control is typically found in high-end preamplifiers.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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OXCO Clock Details<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The 10 MHz external clock input appears to be designed to work in conjunction with the external unit recently announced by Eversolo.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Oscillator and the CD Player: Differences Between Standard Gen 2 and Master Gen 2<\/b><\/h2>

There is also a version of this product without a CD player, which costs \u20ac1,980.00. Both units use a synchronization system (Clocking<\/i>) of high quality, but where the standard Gen 2 uses a Dual ultra-low-phase-noise clocks, <\/i>The Master Gen 2 (the one with the CD player) uses a thermally controlled oscillator (OCXO) with 50 MHz PLL correction, which is designed to maintain the crystal oscillator at a constant temperature in order to minimize thermal fluctuations that could cause jitter<\/i>. By eliminating this variable, the Master Gen 2\u2019s OCXO keeps jitter below 50 femtoseconds. In addition, the Master Gen 2 also features a 10-megahertz external clock input with adaptive synchronization. Eversolo recently announced the C10 Precision Master Clock, which is designed to feed this input directly; when used with other Eversolo equipment, such as the T10 transport or the Z10 DAC, all three units can synchronize simultaneously to the same reference clock.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Except for the CD player on top, the two versions of the DMP-A8 Gen 2 are visually identical.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Master Gen 2 is the first A8 model to include a built-in top-loading CD player with a magnetic <\/i>stabilizing puck <\/i>: This is certainly a convenient addition for playback, but it\u2019s a game-changer for ripping<\/i> a CD collection, since it eliminates the need for an external USB drive. The system performs lossless ripping to WAV or FLAC format, automatically and exceptionally effectively manages metadata and album art, detects duplicates, and saves files to a local drive or a network drive (SMB, NFS, and WebDAV protocols). As for playback, the built-in player sounds quite good, though it cannot compete in terms of sound quality with a high-end dedicated CD player. To me, it seemed perfect for users who have a CD collection they\u2019re emotionally attached to but don\u2019t want to add another component to their audio system.<\/p>

Basically, a photo of me.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The power supply board contains one linear power supply and two switching power supplies. Each is designed to power the machine's various subsystems.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Dual-Core Power Supply Section<\/b><\/h2>

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<\/i> filter capacitors featuring<\/i> low ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance<\/i>). 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.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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View of the rear panel. Note the SFP transceiver connector, which is required for fiber-optic connections as an alternative to traditional copper Ethernet with an RJ45 connector.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Network: Gigabit, Wi-Fi 6, and fiber-optic port<\/b><\/h2>

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.<\/p>

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.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Close-up of the analog inputs and outputs in RCA and XLR formats on the rear panel. Note the triggers for controlling the startup of other Eversolo devices and the connector for the external clock.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Entrances and Exits<\/b><\/h2>

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\u2019s the HDMI ARC\/eARC (which must be enabled manually since it doesn\u2019t activate automatically when the screen is turned on). It also features excellent Bluetooth support. On the input side, in the \u201canalog section,\u201d 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.<\/p>

Returning to the opening question: What can\u2019t it do?<\/em> It lacks Chromecast and AirPlay support, but you\u2019ll understand that in this context, that\u2019s a minor detail because, otherwise, the DMP-A8 Master Gen 2 literally does everything else. And it does it very well.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Eversolo EOS<\/b><\/h2>

This device runs on an operating system based on Android. One interesting feature is the EOS technology (Eversolo Original Sampling-Rate Audio Engine<\/i>), which the company developed to minimize the limitations of the audio subsystem in a standard Android device, where any audio stream is forcibly sampled at 48 kHz by the system mixer. The EOS architecture bypasses this restriction at the kernel level, allowing any third-party application (e.g., Apple Music, Tidal, or Qobuz) to send the audio data stream directly to the converter in native bit-perfect mode, preserving the file\u2019s original sampling rate. TheAuralEngine<\/i> Instead, it is a dedicated audio processor that uses a hardware architecture multi-core<\/em> for processing high-resolution audio streams via USB, minimizing the load on the operating system. The maximum supported resolution is Native DSD 512 and PCM 768 kHz\/32-bit over USB and i2S (In and Out). It is interesting to note that in most competing products, this task is delegated to XMOS chipsets or, to a lesser extent, Amanero chipsets.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Close-up of the USB audio processor called the Eversolo Aural Engine. <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Eversolo DMP-A8 Master Gen 2:Software Features<\/b><\/h2>

This topic, too, is likely to be quite extensive. Let\u2019s start with the basics: support for streaming services, including Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, Squeeze Connect, HQPlayer, DLNA, and more. The available services include, among others: TIDAL, Qobuz, HIGHRESAUDIO, Amazon Music, IDAGIO, Calm Radio, Internet Radio, TuneIn, Radio, Paradise, Deezer, SoundCloud, Presto Music, Apple Music\u2026<\/p>

However, it\u2019s worth taking a look at some of the menus that we found particularly interesting, such as the \u201cInputs and Outputs\u201d (Routing<\/i>) menu, which provides a graphical representation of the signal flow. By tapping the icons on the display, you can enable or disable the desired inputs (Network Streaming, SFP, USB, Coaxial, Optical, AES, or physical analog RCA\/XLR inputs) and route them to the corresponding outputs. You can enable simultaneous XLR+RCA output or select them individually.<\/p>

The menu section dedicated to the DAC\u2019s Audio Settings and Digital Filters provides access to the hardware-implemented functions of the AK4191EQ modulator. For PCM file playback, 6 digital reconstruction filters are available, while for DSD streams, you can set the cutoff frequency of the analog low-pass filter (47 kHz, 50 kHz, 65 kHz, or 150 kHz).<\/p>

Of particular interest is the Evotune\u2122 PRO Room Correction and DSP section of the menu, which provides access to a room correction system. Here, you\u2019ll find a sophisticated 20-band parametric equalizer, with separate bands for the right and left channels. For each individual band, you can set the center frequency, gain (from -12 dB to +12 dB), and the Q factor. Even more exciting\u2014at least for me\u2014is the function Time Alignment<\/i> (Time Alignment) which, based on the data acquired during the measurement of a sweep <\/i>of frequencies, it generates a digital FIR filter capable of compensating for both time misalignments and any frequency response anomalies introduced by interaction with the listening environment. The measurement can be performed using the microphone built into the smartphone on which the app is running Eversolo Control<\/em>, or using a microphone connected to the USB port, such as the Umik 1 we used. Alternatively, filters can also be developed externally using software like REW (Room EQ Wizard) with a calibrated microphone, then exported to a text file and loaded directly into the Eversolo. Finally, the subwoofer management menu allows you to enable the analog output dedicated to the subwoofer, setting the cutoff frequency from 40 Hz to 500 Hz for the digital crossover (low-pass and high-pass) with filter slopes selectable from either the Linkwitz-Riley or Butterworth types.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Close-up of the Sub-Out output<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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DMP-A8 Master Gen 2: Listening Test<\/h2>

Although this doesn\u2019t directly concern the sound quality, I can\u2019t help but begin this section of the review by reflecting on the usability of the DMP-A8 Master Gen 2. If you\u2019ve had the patience to follow along this far, you\u2019ve surely grasped the level of complexity of this product, given the wide range of functions it\u2019s capable of performing. However, this complexity is not apparent at all, as it is concealed by a user interface that is not only beautifully designed to be intuitive and immediately understandable, but also incredibly fast and unhesitating in responding to commands. Some might argue that this is now standard for this type of device. My response is to invite you to spend a few minutes \u201cplaying around\u201d with the This machine\u2019s touchscreen<\/i>. You\u2019ll see that after this review, everything else will seem just as outdated as a PC with a 386 processor might seem to you today. Regular readers may recall our review of Eversolo\u2019s flagship <\/i>DAC\/streamer, the DMP-A10<\/a>, published last year. I wrote something similar back then as well, but the DMP-A8 Gen 2 made an even better impression on me, thanks to a more refined implementation. I\u2019d even go so far as to say that even the tricky parametric equalizer function, as it\u2019s been implemented, struck me as simple and easy to understand. But now let\u2019s talk about the sound.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A top view showing the elegant access door to the CD player's loading compartment.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Our review of the DMP 8 lasted several days, giving us the opportunity to integrate it into multiple systems with different characteristics. I\u2019ll start by saying that the first configuration we used was one in which the DMP 8 served as a DAC\/streamer\/CD player paired with a Denon PMA 3000NE integrated amplifier driving either Davis Olympia Master One 35 bookshelf speakers or Paradigm Premier Series V2 speakers. In both cases, we experienced a full and detailed sound, excellent tonal accuracy, and the sense that the source was able to highlight the best characteristics of the downstream system, bringing out its strengths. In this setup, I enjoyed listening to several CDs whose metadata was recognized flawlessly. Out of a sense of sadism, I went and dug up a CD burned by a friend at least twenty years ago, which contained what we would now call a Playlist<\/i>. The CD had zero artistic value\u2014it was a senseless jumble of tracks, some of which were even rather bad. What was amazing, though, was that the DMP-A8 Master Gen 2 recognized them all without a single error! That is to say: the display didn\u2019t just show \u201ctrack 1, track 2, etc.\u201d as I was used to seeing on other players, but rather the track title and the artist\u2019s name. A true marvel! I\u2019m digressing and need to get back to talking about the sound. I\u2019ll start by saying that it\u2019s actually quite difficult to describe the sound of this DMP-A8 Master Gen 2, since with a little effort\u2014not even that much\u2014you can make it sound exactly the way you want. By this I mean that, thanks to the options offered by the DSP, the choice of output filters, the Room Correction<\/i>: the device adapts beautifully to any usage scenario. The great thing is that you can take advantage of this flexibility\u2014or choose to ignore it. No unwanted complexity.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Yet another of the many graphic themes dedicated to VU meters.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The second usage scenario involved the DMP-A8 Master Gen 2 serving as a preamplifier, taking advantage of its sophisticated volume control, which we\u2019ve already discussed. The power amplifier connected to it was the excellent Pass Aleph 5 clone<\/a> built by my friend and colleague Giancarlo Valletta. Here, things got even more interesting. Yes, because up until now, my favorable assessment had been reserved for the source\u2014as sophisticated and effective as it was in every respect. Here, however, I found myself resorting to the usual evaluation grid I use when assessing a standard analog preamplifier. In this instance, the true nature\u2014the sonic character\u2014of this Eversolo really came to the fore. A character that tends toward restraint, attentive to detail, capable of evoking emotion not through a forceful presentation but, on the contrary, through a preference for nuances, tonal accuracy, and a sense of cohesion in the sound\u2014all combined with a beautiful flow. In short, a performance worthy of a true preamp\u2014one capable of infusing character and providing direction to the audio system within which it operates. Here, too, the point made a few lines above applies: this character can be adjusted via the electronic controls. Right? Wrong? I cannot answer this question, which, I believe, comes down to each of our individual musical sensibilities.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Conclusions<\/h2>

At this point, I should say that the Eversolo DMP-A8 Master Gen 2, priced at \u20ac2,580.00, is a real bargain. Yes, of course. It\u2019s so obvious that I certainly stand by this statement. However, reducing everything to a mere question of money seems reductive to me and somewhat disrespectful toward a product that, in my opinion, represents a turning point. Not only for the Asian company, which has reached full maturity with this product, positioning itself at the forefront of digital audio manufacturers. I\u2019d go so far as to say that the Eversolo DMP-A8 Master Gen 2 is a turning point for audio in general, demonstrating that innovative technologies, crafted to the highest standards with the goal of achieving the best sonic performance, do not necessarily entail exorbitant costs or complexity of use. These are things that can happen\u2014and do happen\u2014only when backed by the power of industrial groups like Zidoo, the parent company of Eversolo. I have one regret: not having been able to listen to it in a system consisting of this music machine and a pair of active speakers paired with a subwoofer.<\/p>

In my opinion, that would have been fantastic.<\/p>

Giulio Salvioni<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS<\/h2>