Up to 37% in savings when you subscribe to hi-fi+
hifi-logo-footer

Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Eversolo DMP-A10

Eversolo DMP-A10

Eversolo is the rather snappily named audio division of the entirely unwieldy ‘Shenzhen Zidoo Technology Company Ltd’. Anyone who has even a fleeting interest in the realm of network music streamers cannot help but notice the buzz Eversolo has been generating. It’s at the upper end of what can be considered ‘entry level’ these days. It’s also in the lower tiers of the high end, too. These ripples are almost entirely attributable to the performance and value for money that Eversolo’s products provide.

Currently, Eversolo has nothing left to prove in the market areas it has been contesting. Therefore, it has decided to shift its focus to a different sector once again with the DMP-A10. It’s a network-attached music streamer, a preamplifier, and a digital-to-analogue converter – and it’s available for £3,599. This is the kind of money where brands as esteemed as Audiolab, Lumin, and Naim compete. This means the DMP-A10 must be quite special if it’s to remain competitive.

First impressions count

The initial impression is good, which is something. Externally, the DMP-A10 blends a ruggedly businesslike aesthetic with the unyielding build quality that the asking price demands. From its CNC-milled heatsinks to its large, vibrant touch-screen display. And then there’s the frankly over-engineered volume dial featuring a small integrated display at the centre. Throughout, Eversolo offers high quality in both tactility and visual appeal. Even the remote control is an alloy-backed model that looks and feels a cut or two above the usual standard.     

Naturally, the DMP-A10 is not lacking in specification either. I will only touch upon the thoroughness of its internal design. To be honest, a full description could take up considerable space. So here goes…

An ES9039 PRO DAC chipset featuring Hyperstream IV architecture manages digital content. This supports resolutions up to 32bit/768kHz and DSD512. The analogue alternative can remain in its native state. However, it can also be processed by Eversolo’s high-spec analogue-to-digital conversion circuitry. The resulting signal is output as an S/PDIF signal at 24-bit/192kHz resolution. Dual power supplies deliver stable, low-noise power to the carefully separated and shielded analogue and digital circuits. 

Sampling

The company’s EOS (Eversolo Original Sampling-rate) audio engine guarantees the original sample rate of content from music apps and streaming services. It supports direct output from third-party applications, such as Apple Music, for lossless playback. Essential components such as capacitors and op-amps are sourced from reputable brands, including WIMA, Texas Instruments, muRata, and Nichicon. The audio terminals utilise silver-plated single-crystal copper wiring. Meanwhile, a high-speed electrical isolation system minimises noise and interference in the audio circuits. 

Clearly, there is so much more. Such as the bespoke temperature-control technology overseeing the clocking system. Or there’s the iCoupler technology, which ensures USB signals are transmitted with remarkably low jitter and impressively high signal accuracy. However, for the sake of brevity, let us simply acknowledge that Eversolo has spared no effort in any area.

The business of transferring audio information has, of course, received just as much attention. There are both LAN and SPF Fibre sockets for connecting to your local network. The DMP-A10 is Roon Ready and compliant with both UPnP and DLNA standards. Digital inputs include a couple of S/PDIF sockets, a pair of digital optical inputs, an HDMI ARC socket, and a USB-B connection. Meanwhile, analogue inputs comprise two pairs of line-level unbalanced RCA sockets and a single pair of balanced XLRs. 

OTG slots

Additionally, there are a couple of USB-A 3.0 OTG slots that enable the DMP-A10 to host keyboards, flash drives, and similar devices. Digital outputs include S/PDIF, digital optical, and USB-A, while analogue outputs consist of a pair of unbalanced RCAs, a pair of balanced XLRs, and two pre-outs for subwoofers. At the bottom of the chassis, there’s a covered recess that can accommodate one or two SSD cards (of up to 4TB each) to significantly enhance the available local storage. Dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 complete the connectivity suite. 

Alongside the swanky little remote control, there’s frankly an exhaustive amount of fiddling and finessing required regarding how the DMP-A10 performs and, indeed, looks through the ‘Eversolo Control’ app, which is free for iOS and Android. It’s not particularly appealing to look at, and it’s not entirely logical all the time, but my goodness, it’s thorough. 

It supports an extensive array of music streaming and internet radio services and offers playback control. However, it also allows you to adjust the player on a granular level—if you can’t get your DMP-A10 to perform exactly as you prefer, you just need to spend a little more time investigating the app’s wealth of functionality. 

App styles

Oh, and the app also provides a selection of seven different virtual VU meters for the large display, along with four ‘graphic equaliser’-style ‘Spectrum’ layouts. Even the small display in the centre of the volume control features 11 (count them!) options for displaying gain level, album art, the time, or other information. 

The DMP-A10 is compatible with Eversolo’s EM-01 calibration mic—available for £68 instead of being included in the already pricey package. Simply plug it in, run the routine within the app, and the machine will calibrate its output to best suit the specific environment it is in. 

Regarding ‘output’, the DMP-A10 convincingly asserts its capabilities. Its tonal balance is expertly judged, allowing the original intent of the recording to come through with minimal interference from the streamer itself. Its frequency response is uniform, akin to freshly fallen snow, with no part of the frequency range considered a favourite and none neglected. 

Detail retrieval

It has a level of detail retrieval that might make a scene-of-crime investigator envious, regardless of whether the recording you’re listening to is as sparse and open as Bob Dylan’s ‘I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine’ [Columbia] or as busy and overloaded as Funkadelic’s ‘Cosmic Slop’ [Westbound]. The most transient or deeply buried details are extracted and contextualised with absolute assurance. The notion that you’re not receiving a complete account of a particular recording seems highly unlikely.  

Dynamic headroom is significant, enabling confident tracking of shifts in intensity or volume. The attention paid by the DMP-A10 to the dynamic variations present in a solo instrument or an unaccompanied voice is equally impressive. It presents a soundstage in a most assured manner, giving suitable weight to spaces and silences, allowing even the inhabitants of a busy stage to move without being affected by other elements of the recording.

Rhythmic expression is compelling, thanks to the control the DMP-A10 exerts over the attack of low-frequency sounds—individual notes or hits begin with sharp precision, and their decay is observed with equal care. The ebb and flow of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, as delivered by the Columbia Symphony Orchestra under Leonard Bernstein, is extraordinarily persuasive.

Comparison

As a DAC, the Eversolo truly compares favourably with some of the most accomplished source equipment available. Until now, I’ve never really had any doubts about the capabilities of my Rega Apollo compact disc player and its competent but now unfashionable Wolfson D-to-A circuitry. However, the sound produced when the DMP-A10 handles the conversion duties is almost revelatory. It’s more nimble, more engaging, and somehow more complete. 

Fundamentally, the DMP-A10 is merely the latest display of Eversolo’s prowess. The company appears fully committed to a product and is resolutely aiming to position it as one of the undeniable market leaders. If you have the thick end of four grand to spend on a nice new network streamer, you’re spoilt for choice. 

Technical specifications

  • Type: Solid-state network streamer/preamplifier/DAC with optional SSD storage
  • Analogue inputs: Balanced XLR; 2 x unbalanced RCA
  • Digital inputs: 2 x digital coaxial; 2 x digital optical; HDMI ARC; USB-B; 2 x USB-A; SFP Fiber; Gigabit LAN; wi-fi 2.4 and 5G; Bluetooth 5.0
  • DAC resolution and supported digital formats: 32bit/768kHz PCM; DSD512 (inc dff/dsf/dst). APE; FLAC; MP3; SACD ISO; WAV
  • Music services and wi-fi inputs: Amazon Music; Apple Music; Calm Radio; Deezer; Emby;  Highresaudio; IDAGIO; Jellyfin; KKBox; Plex; Qobuz; Radio Paradise; SoundCloud; Spotify; Squeezelight; TIDAL; TuneIn Radio; WebDAV
  • Analogue outputs: Balanced XLR; unbalanced RCA; 2 x subwoofer pre-
  • Digital outputs: digital coaxial; digital optical; USB-A; Bluetooth 5.0
  • Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
  • Distortion (THD + noise): -122dB
  • User interface: 6.5in full-colour touch-screen; ‘Eversolo Control’ app; Bluetooth/infrared hybrid remote control
  • Dimensions (H×W×D): 117 x 430 x 310mm
  • Weight: 7.2kg
  • Price: £3,599, $3,990, €3,780 

Manufacturer

EverSolo  

eversolo.com 

UK distributor

Audio Emotion

audioemotion.co.uk

+44(0)1592 407700

More from Eversolo

Back to Reviews

Tags: EVERSOLO DMP-A10 STREAMER PREAMPLIFIER

Read Next From Review

See all