Key Features
Where the DMP-A6 line uses ESS Sabre DAC chips with digital volume control, the DMP-A8 moves to AKM’s flagship Velvet Sound implementation — a two-chip solution in which the AK4191EQ handles all digital filtering and signal processing, while the AK4499EX performs the actual digital-to-analogue conversion. This separation of digital and analogue functions within the DAC stage is intended to minimise interference between the two domains. Maximum supported formats are 32-bit/768 kHz PCM and native DSD512, with full MQA decoding and rendering also included.
The clock system uses a pair of Accusilicon femtosecond-grade oscillators — one for the 44.1 kHz family, one for the 48 kHz family — providing the same low-jitter timing precision found in the DMP-A6 Master Edition. The output stage uses Texas Instruments OPA1612 operational amplifiers throughout, and the passive component selection is notably careful: WIMA capacitors from Germany, Nichicon dedicated audio capacitors and Omron relays from Japan, and Murata chip capacitors.
The most significant functional difference between the DMP-A8 and the A6 family is the volume control and preamplifier section. The A6 uses digital attenuation within the DAC chip; the DMP-A8 replaces this with a fully balanced, relay-controlled R2R resistor ladder attenuator operating in the analogue domain. R2R ladder volume control offers very precise channel tracking and excellent linearity across the volume range, and the stepped relay clicks are audible confirmation that attenuation is happening in hardware rather than software. The volume range extends to +10 dB of analogue gain, making the DMP-A8 genuinely capable of driving a power amplifier from a wide range of source levels. The preamplifier section is fully balanced from DAC to output and provides both XLR balanced (4.2 V output) and RCA unbalanced (2.1 V output) connections.
Crucially, the DMP-A8 adds analogue inputs — one pair of XLR balanced and one pair of RCA unbalanced — allowing external sources such as a CD player, turntable phono stage, or secondary DAC to be connected and managed through the DMP-A8’s preamplifier section. This makes it a true analogue hub rather than purely a digital source component, and removes the need for a separate preamplifier in many systems.
Power delivery is handled by a dual-supply arrangement: a shielded toroidal transformer linear supply feeds the analogue audio circuitry, while a separate low-noise switching supply powers the digital section. Keeping these two power domains isolated from one another is a well-established approach to reducing interference between the high-current digital circuits and the noise-sensitive analogue output stage.
Digital connectivity is comprehensive. Inputs include USB-B for computer connection, two coaxial S/PDIF, two optical TOSLINK, HDMI ARC for television audio, and Bluetooth 5.0. On the output side, the DMP-A8 offers coaxial, optical, USB audio, and — notably — an HDMI I²S output, which provides a high-bandwidth, low-jitter digital connection to external DACs that support I²S input over HDMI; pin configuration is adjustable in the settings to suit different DAC implementations. A dedicated 32-bit DSP chip handles all equalisation and signal processing functions — parametric EQ, graphic EQ, FIR filtering, high- and low-pass filters, loudness, compression, and delay — and these DSP settings apply to all sources including external analogue inputs, which is not possible on the A6 platform.
The unit is Roon Ready certified and supports Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, AirPlay, and DLNA. Built-in streaming service integration covers Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Deezer, Highresaudio, and others. EverSolo’s EOS audio engine provides bit-perfect output from third-party applications at native resolution. The front panel carries the same 6-inch LCD colour touchscreen as the A6 series, with VU meter and spectrum display modes. The volume knob is encircled by a dimmable white LED ring. An M.2 NVMe SSD slot on the base accepts drives up to 4 TB for local music storage, and two USB 3.0 ports accommodate external drives or a CD-ROM drive for ripping. The chassis is CNC-machined from aerospace-grade aluminium and is physically larger than the A6 — 388 × 248 × 90 mm — to accommodate the expanded circuitry. Power supply voltage is auto-sensing, requiring no manual switching between 110 V and 240 V supplies.
Technical Specifications
- Type: Network Streaming DAC / Analogue Preamplifier
- DAC Chipset: AKM AK4499EX (D/A conversion) + AK4191EQ (digital filtering) — two-chip separation solution
- USB Interface: XMOS XU316 (3rd generation)
- Clock System: 2× Accusilicon femtosecond-grade oscillators (45.1584 MHz and 49.152 MHz)
- Op-Amps: Texas Instruments OPA1612
- Volume Control: Fully balanced R2R relay ladder attenuator; 0.5 dB or 1 dB steps; up to +10 dB analogue gain
- Power Supply: Dual — shielded toroidal linear (analogue circuit) + low-noise switching (digital circuit); auto-sensing 110–240 V
- THD+N: <0.00009% / -120 dB (XLR and RCA)
- Dynamic Range: >128 dB (XLR); frequency response 20 Hz–20 kHz (±0.25 dB)
- SNR: >128 dB (XLR)
- Crosstalk: >121 dB (XLR)
- Maximum PCM Resolution: 32-bit / 768 kHz
- Maximum DSD: DSD512 (native)
- MQA: Full decoding and rendering
- Analogue Outputs: XLR balanced pair (4.2 V); RCA unbalanced pair (2.1 V)
- Analogue Inputs: XLR balanced (×1 pair); RCA unbalanced (×1 pair)
- Digital Inputs: USB-B; Coaxial S/PDIF ×2; Optical TOSLINK ×2; HDMI ARC; Bluetooth 5.0 (SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD, LDAC)
- Digital Outputs: USB audio; Coaxial S/PDIF; Optical TOSLINK; HDMI I²S (configurable pin mapping)
- Network: Gigabit Ethernet; Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz dual band
- Streaming: Roon Ready; Tidal Connect; Spotify Connect; AirPlay; DLNA; UPnP; NFS; SMB; WebDAV
- DSP: Dedicated 32-bit hardware DSP chip; parametric EQ, graphic EQ, FIR filter, HPF/LPF, loudness, compressor, delay
- Processor: Quad-core ARM Cortex-A55
- Memory: 4 GB DDR4 RAM + 64 GB eMMC storage
- Internal Storage Expansion: M.2 NVMe SSD slot (up to 4 TB, not included)
- Operating System: Android 11 (deeply tailored)
- Display: 6-inch LCD colour touchscreen
- USB Ports (rear): 2× USB 3.0
- Trigger: 12 V trigger output
- Remote Control: Included
- Finish: Black
- Dimensions: 388 × 248 × 90 mm (W × D × H)
- Weight: approx. 5 kg
- Country of Manufacture: China
- Year of Introduction: 2024
The EverSolo DMP-A8 is a well-conceived step up from the A6 platform, adding the analogue inputs, hardware R2R volume control, AKM Velvet Sound DAC chipset, and dual power supply that together make it a genuine full-function preamplifier and source component rather than simply a streaming DAC with volume control. It is suited to anyone looking to simplify their system around a single high-quality hub, or to those who want a high-performance streaming front end with the flexibility to accommodate additional analogue sources. Please feel free to get in touch with any questions prior to purchase.
