In this article, we will discuss the updates Eversolo has implemented into their new streamers, the DMP-A6 Gen 2 and DMP-A6 Master Edition Gen 2.

We’ve reviewed and compared Eversolo’s DMP-A6, DMP-A6 Master Edition, and DMP-A8 streamers in 2024, and our entire team was quite surprised with what they offer at their price. They seem to have checked a lot of boxes in terms of features and definitely have been a powerful force in the music streamer market. They are well built, sound great, have a fantastic app with a ton of customization, and have a bright and beautiful responsive touchscreen right on the front. Since their release, they’ve won multiple awards and received approval from many trusted audiophiles in the business.

In fact, it’s no secret that there has been a recent takeoff of new streamers from new brands and well-established brands in the last few years. This is partially due to the fact that high-resolution streaming is becoming extremely popular, and everyone wants to add that feature to their systems. However, you could argue that companies like Eversolo have helped spur that takeoff and push the entire industry forward regarding what is possible with a music streamer.

McIntosh, NAD, Bluesound, HiFi Rose, and other well-regarded companies that have been in this industry for a long time have started to develop new and upgraded streamers in just the last year or so. These products could have been on the horizon anyway, but we can’t help but think that Eversolo played a part in pushing that needle forward as everyone saw just how popular their streamers had become.

A big part of Eversolo’s success was their price tag. Sitting around $1,000 for their A6 units, they seemed to have found a sweet spot in the market. They took all the feedback they could, and in late 2024, they decided to dip their toes into the higher-end market with their DMP-A10 streamer and AMP-F10 amplifier. We did a full overview on both of those units that you should check out if you really want the absolute best quality. While those units are not cheap, coming in at around $6,200 for the pair, we found them to put up a good fight against other options in that price category even when compared to those well-established companies that have been in the game for decades longer.

We know many people looking at Eversolo are probably attracted to their performance for their price. Well, Eversolo has again surprised us with an updated version of their best-selling streamers, the A6 and A6 Master Edition. Luckily for us, they didn’t make it hard to differentiate the names, as the new ones have just added “Gen 2” to the end. In this article, we’ll go over in detail all the features and technology packed inside these new Gen 2 streamers and help you decide if it’s worth upgrading and which model would be best for you and your system.

For those of you who have seen our full overview of the original A6 units and already know all about them, we’ll make this easier for you by starting up front with what the upgrades are in Gen 2 models. We’ll then give you our thoughts on whether we think these new units will be worth upgrading, depending on what you currently have. And if you haven’t seen our video on the first generation Eversolo streamers, you can read on to learn all about the rest of the technology and features packed inside the A6 Gen 2 and A6 Master Edition Gen 2.

Here are the main upgrades.

Power Supply

Anyone worth their salt in audio knows that the power supply can make a large difference in audio quality, as the better ones will have much less noise and better support all of the components. The A6 and A6 Master Edition feature a low-noise, high-quality power supply, while the A6 Gen 2 and A6 Master Edition Gen 2 step up to a linear power supply. This enhanced power supply reduces noise levels lower than the first-generation units and provides a cleaner and more stable power source for the audio circuit.

HDMI ARC + 12V Trigger

The next upgrade is the addition of an HDMI ARC port. This is a big one, as we would have loved to see it on the first models, and we know so many others wished it was there. We’re happy to see Eversolo take this feedback and implement it on both of the Gen 2 models. And don’t worry; this does not replace the HDMI out that can be used for DSD Native and PCM multichannel audio up to 5.1. (Still no Dolby Atmos support)

The new HDMI ARC input supports stereo PCM at 192KHz/24bit, allowing you to easily plug your TV into the Gen 2 models and use your TV remote to control the volume! To make them even more compatible, the new Gen 2 versions now implement a 12V trigger out so your devices can interact with each other and automatically power on and off. This makes both of the Gen 2 versions simpler to integrate into your home theater or audio systems.

Wake-on-LAN (WOL)

Both new Gen 2 models now feature Wake-on-LAN when they are connected to your network via ethernet. This is another feature that we know many people have been asking for. It may seem like a small one, but it definitely adds a ton of convenience to any audio setup. WOL allows you to wake up your Eversolo unit via the app on your phone instead of walking up and turning on the unit with the power button manually. This is especially helpful if you have the unit far away or in a cabinet and you don’t want to have to always go press the power button to start playing music. Instead, you can pull out your phone and turn on your Eversolo unit. The 12V trigger can even tell your amps to fire up, and you can listen to music without ever touching your gear or opening your cabinet.

EVC Output Engine

This proprietary technology employs a unique volume adjustment algorithm to precisely eliminate errors at different gain levels, ensuring that when adjusting the volume, the signal shape remains unchanged. This provides the DAC with more complete and accurate audio information, enhancing the overall sound quality.

A6 Master Edition Updates

A few more updates specific to the A6 Master Edition are that it is now offered in a sleek silver finish instead of the black finish like the rest of the models. The chassis and brushed aluminum look all stay the same, but the new silver color with silver badges and logos give it a distinct look that is different from the rest of the DMP lineup.

The other new feature is the new RGB dynamic light around the volume knob. This is purely aesthetic and allows you to customize the color around the volume knob from the app or on the screen.

A Worthy Upgrade?

We know many people reading this are mainly here to see if these new Gen 2 versions are worth it to upgrade from the original models or deciding which model to get for their first Eversolo units.

Let us start by saying that if you are looking for an upgrade in sound and you own the original A6 or A6 Master Edition, simply upgrading to the Gen 2 version of your model will most likely not be a massive improvement. However, if you currently own the A6 and want to jump to the A6 Master Edition Gen 2 and have the budget, this will be a better upgrade path as you get better op amps, better clocks, and the additional new upgrades we highlighted in the Gen 2 models. This is a much bigger jump up for the price difference.

We would realistically only recommend upgrading to the same Gen 2 model if you want to stay in that budget range and would be able to get a lot of use out of the upgrades like HDMI ARC, the 12V trigger, and WOL. If those have been bothering you for some time and you want to integrate this with your TV, then the Gen 2 will be perfect. Just don’t expect to hear a massive difference in sound quality by jumping to the Gen 2 of your model.

What’s a more interesting comparison is the DMP-A8 compared to the DMP-A6 Master Edition Gen 2. With the new upgrades in the A6 Master Edition Gen 2, this unit is starting to get closer in features and quality to the A8, which is only a few hundred dollars more. However, we still have to say that most of our team enjoys the sound of the A8’s AKM DACs compared to the Gen 2’s ESS DACs. The A8 also has more features like R2R volume control, IIS, and automatic room correction that set it apart from the Gen 2 Master Edition.

So, you really need to consider your needs and what is most important to you. Of course, if you want the best Eversolo has to offer which has all of these features and more and sounds better, the A10 will be for you. Again, we have detailed reviews on all of the DMP units from Eversolo if you want to learn more about a specific model.

Now that we’ve given you the main upgrades and differences between the original models and the new Gen 2 models, let’s dive into the build quality, features, and technology that these units use that have made them so popular over the last few years.

Design & Build Quality

These units are about 10.6” wide, 3.5” tall, and 7.4” deep, just like the first-generation models. Each unit has a brushed aluminum front faceplate with the Eversolo badge on the left and product name below it, with a frosted, anodized aluminum top and grills on the sides, which give it an overall clean, modern, and minimal look. On the right side of the front is a volume knob that is also the power button when pressed in. The A6 Gen 2 allows you to adjust the brightness of the light white light around the volume knob, while the A6 Master Edition Gen 2 lets you change the color and brightness. These units, while light, feel well built and very solid overall, leaving us with no complaints in the build quality department.

The real star of the design here is the stunning 6-inch touchscreen! Bright, vibrant, and highly responsive, it feels as intuitive as using an iPhone. We’ve all encountered those frustrating touchscreens that require extra pressure or lag behind your finger movements, but that’s not the case with the Eversolo units. The glass touchscreen is a joy to interact with as it’s just effortless and smooth and is never a hassle.

We will also note that Eversolo has said they have tuned the screen for higher color accuracy on the Gen 2 units. We did not notice a huge difference.

For some, the screen might not be a game-changer, especially if they plan to control the unit remotely via their phone and sit across the room. But it’s hard to deny how great it looks. With various display options to choose from, like having the album art on screen or using different styles of VU meters, it’s not just functional. It’s a stylish addition that brings a modern "wow" factor to your setup.

Features & Technology

The USB ports support DSD512 Native and PCM 768KHz/32bit. The optical and coax ports support DSD64 and PCM 192KHz/24bit. They can play back almost every format, including FLAC, WAV, APE, etc. All models use the same XMOS chip to decode Native DSD512 and PCM 32bit/768kHz. However, Eversolo has also said this chip is an upgraded version with more processing power.

Interface

The home screen will have icons for music, streaming, files, sources, and settings. Below those main controls, you can customize a row of apps to show your most used streaming services, apps, or music cloud drivers. And what’s really nice is as you click on each of the main icons, it teaches you how to use the interface as you go. For example, it shows you that you can swipe from the left of the screen while in your music screen to show the menu bar or click the top right button to get back to the track that is playing quickly. These quick tips only show up the first time you enter certain sections, and then they do not show again.

Eversolo App

Another unique addition is the screencast feature, which allows you to mirror the Eversolo’s display onto your phone. This creates a fully interactive experience where you can see and control everything in real-time. Since some apps aren’t directly accessible within the Eversolo app, you can simply mirror the screen, open the app, and manage your music seamlessly from your phone with this workaround. Again, we go over this in our setup guide for Audio Advice purchasers.

Music Apps

When you tap the streaming icon, it will show you the music services that are already installed and tailored to work seamlessly on the Eversolo units, such as Tidal, Qobuz, Apple Music, HIRESAUDIO, Amazon Music, Deezer, Internet Radio, Radio Paradise, SoundCloud, and Calm Radio. In addition, multiple third-party apps can be sideloaded, like Apple Music, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, and more.

All of these apps, even the third-party ones, can still play the original sampling rate thanks to the EOS (Eversolo original sampling-rate audio engine), which was developed to completely bypass the Android SRC restriction. So yes, no matter what your streaming app of choice is, you will get the highest resolution offered when using its app.

In addition, each unit is Roon Ready, supports Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, DLNA, and AirPlay, and has Bluetooth 5.0.

Local Music

Each unit includes a small hatch on the bottom that can house up to a 4TB M.2 SSD for storing your local music collection. Additionally, you can connect a network storage device, allowing the system to fetch music metadata from the cloud and build a personalized library complete with artist names, album covers, and more. While this feature is great, our testing revealed that some album artwork was missing at times, so it’s not entirely perfect.

You can also use one of the USB ports on the back to connect the device to a PC, making it easy to copy and manage local files. Another option is the SMB function, which lets you share files from the device, essentially turning it into a network storage device that can stream your music to other devices. While this might not be something everyone uses, it’s a handy feature that we’ll dive deeper into in our setup guide. They also support NFS, WebDAV, and UPnP.

You can also connect a CD player to the unit and use the CD Rip app to transfer CDs directly to the internal storage. The app handles everything, ripping the tracks in a lossless format and automatically generating the artist and album information. It’s a convenient way to preserve your CD collection with minimal effort.

I/O

Let’s move to the back of the units. There are three antennas: one for Bluetooth and the other two for WiFi. You get a gigabit ethernet port, HDMI out for DSD audio, USB-A for connecting to an attached drive, a USB-A (audio out), coax digital in, optical digital in, updated USB-B for computer audio in, RCA analog outs, balanced XLR analog outs, a new 12V trigger, and the new HDMI ARC port.

EQ

Both units keep the option to adjust a graphic and parametric EQ on the screen or in the app. Just about any room will have peaks at certain frequencies based on the shape of the room and the way the frequencies interact. These peaks greatly color the sound, which is why we are such big fans of systems with automatic room correction. You generally see this in home theater products, and while it's more work to use a parametric EQ, it can do a great job at removing the peaks.

Some units might have tone controls that give you fixed frequencies to adjust, but the parametric EQ in the Eversolo units lets you adjust down to a specific frequency and adjust how steep or wide that adjustment is. So, if you have peaks at 37hz and 121hz, you can dial into those specific ones. You will need to use something like Room EQ Wizard to find these peaks, but if you want to really get into it and fix your room, it's great to see these tools on hand.

If you want to step up to Eversolos Automatic Room Correction software, you will need to jump to the A8 or the A10.

Internals

DACs

If you will be using the DAC inside these units, one of the most important aspects to many will be which model is used. For the new Gen 2 versions, they keep the same DACs, which are two ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M DACs. And if you already have an incredibly good DAC without streaming, you can simply attach an Eversolo with any of its digital outs.

Clocks

The standard A6 Gen 2 keeps the same two high-precision crystal oscillators to reduce jitter, while the A6 Master Edition Gen 2 keeps the same upgraded femtosecond clock system with ultra-low noise and jitter for an even more pure sound.

This is important because when a clock signal drifts even the slightest, it creates small variations between samples, causing timing errors in the audio signal being played. Getting this timing as accurate as possible is what really brings the music to life, making it sound more like a live performance.

Audio Side

All units are fully balanced from the output of the DACs, which reduces noise to a minimum. Eversolo also paid a lot of attention to hand-selecting the parts used in all of the circuitry.

This is also where there is another big difference between the basic A6 and the A6 Master Edition. The Master Edition stays with the upgraded OPA16, which costs twice as much as the A6’s OPA1612. The OPA1612 offers a warmer sound while maintaining a silky smooth and extended top end.

Overall Thoughts & Comparison

When you look at all of the features and the level of components in these new Gen 2 products, they are pretty astounding. But if the entry-level A6 Gen 2 is still a stretch for you, some of our favorite DAC/preamp/streamers for the money are the updated Bluesound Node, Bluesound Node Nano, and the Wiim Ultra. We did compare the A6 Gen 2 to the Node and felt it slightly edged the Node out, but by just a little. If you do not need a touchscreen and would like a subwoofer out it’s hard to beat the Node for the money. In fact, the Bluesound Node is one of the most popular options that many of our staff here at Audio Advice use in their home systems. However, if you have or are thinking about getting high-performance speakers now or in the future, it is always best to get the best source you can. There are a lot of great options from brands like Bluesound, WiiM, NAD, Naim, McIntosh, and many more that are worth comparing. If you are stuck trying to pick where to start, our team can help guide you in the right direction.

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