EVERSOLO DAC-Z8 Digital to Analog Converter MQA Full Decoder ES9038Pro DAC XMOS DSD512 PCM768kHz/32Bit Bluetooth 5.0 aptX HD, Black

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Headphone Amps: Trafomatic Primavera, Trafomatic Head 2, Enleum AMP-23R, Ferrum OOR + Hypsos, Flux Lab Acoustics Volot, Burson Audio Soloist 3X GT, Topping A90 Discrete Could the DAC-Z8 pull off a double here? Interestingly, the DAC-Z8 is not a straight cut and paste from the A6 as it features a single ESS Sabre DAC, based on its Flagship, 8-channel DAC version. Nevertheless, as we know it is not just the chip but the way it is powered and managed, in the A6, it was exceptional, what can the Z8 do next to it? Design Wish you could see my face smiling as I type this, reflecting my experience with the Z8. Not only does it have superb performance but it is a delight to see and use. Zidoo jumps into a very crowded and competitive market and easily makes room for itself with state of the art performance and delightful user interface.

The E70V also impressed me recently but I do find the bass is punchier on the Z8. Both do good mids and vocals well but I do find the vocals a little more artificial sounding on the E70V. Treble is sharper and can be uncomfortable sounding when you run both side by side. I think the E70V is a little more clinical sounding and the Z8 is a little more neutral sounding without being boring. E70V and Z8 have close to the same sound detail retrieval but the Z8 just adds something special to the overall sound. I find the Z8 is better for longer sessions due to a better controlled sound signature as well. PCM Filter – you can select a desired digital filter, built-in in the DAC chip itself. There are 7 filters to play with, but the sound difference is slight at best. I’m using Fast Linear.The only wishes are larger volume level indicator and more headphone output. OK, one more wish: a spectrum analyzer in addition to VU meters! The analog stage design utilizes eight OPA1612 opamps, with a ‘Shunt Compensation’ approach. This design prevents a peak in gain of the opamp at higher frequencies, in theory reducing any potential unwanted ultrasonic or RF content that may degrade performance of other components in the chain. (You can read more about frequency compensation of opamps here) When SMSL released their second generation VMV D/A converters, I immediately felt in love with them. D1SE was the very first SMSL DAC that restored my faith in SMSL, getting fresh new looks, a nicer build-quality, a broader feature set and (much) better sonics. Their pricier VMV D2 was better in several key areas, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of its slower pace and weaker resolving abilities. With SU-10, SMSL crafted a nicer sounding unit in all regards, including resolution and timing, while keeping the cost down as humanly possible. The antenna facilitates a Bluetooth connection, not only for streaming audio but also for control of the device via EverSolo’s own app, allowing you to control volume, inputs/outputs, change DAC filters and almost any other setting on the unit. The knob on the front panel is multifunctional, not only can be used for volume adjustment but also for menu selection, such as input source switching, output selection, filter modes, UV meters, system language setup and firmware updates, etc. The embellishment of ambient light adds a degree of charm to the modern device. This interface works as a supplement to the included remote control.

I woke up on the sounds of Neuzeit by J. Peter Schwalm & Arve Henriksen ( Qobuz / Tidal), which are still crafting one of the finest Avant-Garde Jazz out there. Around the one minute and 5 second mark, a blanket of low-intensity bass notes covered entirely my body, adding so much weight, definition and texture even at low SPL. The pace was slowly ramping up towards the end and I felt the entire room vibrating with a more energy than ever before. SU-10 is coming with a full-blown MQA decoder thanks to its XMOS XU316 that will unfold and decode MQA files natively, but wait, there is more! Instead of unfolding MQA files only via its USB inputs as most DACs are doing nowadays, SU-10 can do that even via Optical and Coaxial! A Google Chromecast can pass MQA files and after connecting the SU-10, I was pleasantly surprised that optical worked flawless with and MQA content worked as intended. The third-generation XMOS 316 processor has faster processing speed and better USB bandwidth, which ensures lossless transmission for high-definition audio data. USB output supports DSD512 Native, PCM768kHz/32Bit and MQA full decoding. Optical and Coaxial output support DSD 64 (DoP) and PCM192kHz/24Bit. Audio Precision APx555 B-Series Analyzer with 200kOhm input impedance set unless otherwise specifiedEverSolo DAC-Z8: https://www.eversolo.com/Product/index/model/DAC-Z8/target/PfjRkwqbV7FKKmVViAFMcQ%3D%3D.html

The Z8 has the single ES9038Pro, ‘ Flagship’, 8 channel DAC as opposed to the twin ES9038Q2M ‘ Reference’ Stereo DAC that is in the DMP-A6, it feels there’s little to choose between these two top-of-the-range chipsets. There are vanishing low levels of harmonic distortion in both cases and as we’ve alluded to, the treatment around the DAC chip, in respect of power and processing, is the key anyway. While the basic analogue circuit hasn’t been revamped, the engineers aimed to improve sound quality by changing most of the op-amps in the signal path and upgrading the capacitors in both the pre and power sections of the amplifier. The professional headphone driver circuit in DAC-Z8 has excellent audio indicators and strong drivingforce, which means DAC-Z8 can be used as a high-performance headphone amplifier and drive16-300ohm HiFi headphones, with both high and low gain output options.Eversolo is a subsidiary of Shenzhen Zidoo Technology Ltd, a Chinese company founded in 2014, which gained recognition and praise with its range of audio-visual media players and hi-fi components. Eversolo is yet another fine example of what’s on offer from the world of Chinese Hi-Fi.