Eversolo Play CD Edition review

The Eversolo Play is a thoroughly modern audio product. It has a cutting-edge design and all the streaming (and physical) features you can think of, resplendent with a snazzy touchscreen display, a compact size and a fairly reasonable price point.

All you need is a pair of speakers to complete the system. It’s a world away from traditional hi-fi separates, and we can see the instant appeal of this streaming amplifier.

While we think the traditional hi-fi brands could learn a thing or two from Eversolo regarding its design and slick software implementation, in turn, Eversolo still needs to learn a thing or two from the hi-fi stalwarts when it comes to outright sound quality.

Star ratings alone don’t tell the full picture, however, so let’s dig into the Eversolo Play CD Edition and everything it is capable of.

Price

The Eversolo Play streaming amplifier comes in two variants. The Play CD Edition that we have on test here has an integrated CD-ROM drive and costs £699 / $799 / AU$1349, while the standard Play model without the CD drive costs £599 / $699 / AU$1199.

We’ve encountered streaming amplifiers at affordable prices more recently, with the WiiM Amp Pro the cheapest example we’ve tested yet at £399 / $379 / AU$699. The newer WiiM Amp Ultra (yet to be tested, but no CD drive) clocks in at £499 / $529 / AU$899.

Meanwhile, the multiple Award-winning Technics SA-C600, which includes a CD player, is the Eversolo’s closest rival at £789 in the UK, but pricer in the USA ($1300) and Australia (around AU$1699).

Features & connections

The Eversolo Play CD Edition is packed to the gills with most essential streaming features and physical connections, and then some. It’s more than we’d expect to see offered in a product of this type and at its price. At times, we think it might be trying to do too much – but we can’t help but applaud its generosity and the need to tick every possible feature that today’s streaming-savvy customer could want.

The most popular music services and their Connect versions are supported (Tidal, Qobuz and Spotify), while Amazon Music, Deezer and TuneIn internet radio are all available, as are more specialist apps such as Idagio and Presto. Local radio apps are supported, while you can download a variety of third-party apps directly to the Eversolo.

This includes Apple Music (essentially the Android app version), and it is a rare opportunity to play Apple Music’s large library of hi-res files in lossless quality up to 24-bit/192kHz directly from this Eversolo unit, instead of streaming via lossy AirPlay like most of its rivals.

AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth are on the menu for easy streaming from other source devices, but it doesn't feature Chromecast/Google Cast.

Both wi-fi and ethernet connections are swift and stable, although we found that the Eversolo Control app recognised the product more readily when using a wired network. UPnP compatibility means that the Eversolo Play can access music libraries stored on the same network, and it is also Roon Ready certified.

If the music apps aren’t enough, there is a fun feature called Listen At Will which will play truly random selections from all your logged-in services and connected libraries. The aim is to deliver surprising results for genuine music discovery – it’s a nice idea, even if our test unit has a penchant for recommending Weird Al Yankovic parody tracks at first.

File compatibility is extensive, too, with the streaming amp able to handle hi-res files up to 32-bit/768 PCM and DSD512 thanks to an AK4493SEQ DAC at its core.

On the amplification side, the Eversolo uses a Class D power module that claims to deliver 60 watts per channel into 8 ohms, which the company says is enough to power most bookshelf speakers, and we find that to be largely true during testing.

Physical connectivity is just as ample. You get an HDMI ARC input for connecting to your TV, and there are two digital and one pair of RCA analogue inputs. There are two USB 3.0 type A ports, too – helpful for adding external hard drives.

More unusually, Play has a built-in phono stage that works with both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges. Most streaming products – even higher-end ones – don’t tend to include MC compatibility with their built-in phono preamps.

There are no analogue outputs, but there is one coaxial output that you can use to feed an external DAC, just in case you want to focus on using the Eversolo as a digital source only.

The only thing it doesn’t have is a headphone jack, which is a shame.

The Play CD Edition we’re testing has a Hitachi-LG CD-ROM drive included, which can both play and rip CDs. CD playback is fuss-free and quiet, while the CD ripping process is swift and informative.

It’s a nice process: track titles can be renamed, there is a progress bar, and you can even choose whether the tracks are ripped as WAV or FLAC files. You can also choose where the ripped CDs are stored, whether it’s in the unit’s rather limited 32GB of internal storage or to any connected hard drives with larger capacity. You can access all of this under the streaming amp’s Files/Functions folders.

Other advanced features include room correction using your smartphone’s mic, setting volume limits and detailed EQ settings for each input. We think these rather involved parametric and graphic equalisers can be a little daunting for the type of customer we expect will buy the Eversolo Play CD Edition, while those who enjoy tweaking to their heart’s content will no doubt enjoy the level of control over their audio signals.

There are also 23 preset EQ options (from Pop to Lounge to Classical), but these are hidden away – we think these settings could have been made more easily accessible for casual users.

All of these features can be accessed within the Eversolo Control app, which does a good job of organising all the various sources, apps, settings and customisation options available in a packed but overall neat interface.

Build & design

In fact, the Eversolo Play’s biggest appeal is how slick it is to use, both in terms of its excellent software and the physical product itself.

The square, compact dimensions means it is easy to accommodate on a small shelf rack as well as on desks, making it appealing for those with limited spaces. Paired with small bookshelf speakers, we can see the Play CD Edition forming a tidy, discreet desktop system that will fit into most homes.

The aluminium alloy casing is well made; it feels sturdy, and we like how the entire bottom area of the unit operates as a heat sink. It’s a smart design, and looks even smarter thanks to that large 5.5-inch full-colour LCD touchscreen that dominates the front panel. Overall, it’s a joy to use.

You can access all of the Eversolo Play’s features, sources and playback options through this bright and colourful touchscreen, which is nicely responsive and smooth in operation. We find ourselves swiping and tapping at it more than the smartphone app, and we have yet to see it falter in operation. Album artwork is displayed with good contrast and looks great to our eyes, too.

Because of the sheer amount of things you can do with the Eversolo Play CD Edition, we do sometimes get lost within the multiple menus and folders available, but find our way around after a series of taps.

That touchscreen display can be heavily customised, too. You can choose between seven retro dual VU meter display designs, four different colourful spectrum graphs, and three themes for how minimal or detailed you want the ‘now playing’ screen to be. We like how the sample rate, file type and source being played can be shown during playback; despite all this information, the screen never looks too cluttered.

You can even customise the subtle ring of light around the volume/control dial on the front panel, either from a suite of 16 set colours or choose your own shade in the app.

Fancy customisations aside, the Eversolo Play CD Edition unit itself is nice to use and the on-unit controls work smoothly in daily use. We wish the CD-ROM drive tray was a little sturdier, but it works well and we have no serious complaints at this level.

Sound

Once we’ve played around enough with the Eversolo’s features and settings, we plug the streaming amplifier into our usual Epos ES-7N reference speakers and start listening.

We also try it with more price-compatible options such as the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1, Dali’s Oberon 1 and the brand-new (but yet to be reviewed) Dali Kupid speakers, and find that the Eversolo benefits from partnering with speakers that have a lively, forthright and punchy presentation.

This is because, after all that excitement of exploring its many features, the Eversolo Play CD Edition’s actual sound performance is rather disappointing.

It has a flat, uninvolving presentation that simply isn’t very interesting to listen to. We start with Billie Eilish’s bad guy and it sounds upfront, clear and spacious enough. To the Eversolo’s credit, neither of the frequency extremes sticks out unduly: the low end doesn’t flab or boom, while the top end has no shrillness or frizz.

But the Play CD also doesn’t do much to dig into the textures of details, or deliver dynamics with much subtlety or drama. The French horns at the start of the Jurassic Park theme have little sweetness or fluidity, Bon Iver’s luxuriously deep vocals on Exile lack richness and nuance, and the highly textured and shapely bassline on SBTRKT's Wildfire is delivered in a one-dimensional manner.

It feels very much like music is being played in a paint-by-numbers fashion, but with a limited palette that doesn’t have much light or shade to it.

Yes, it is a fairly clear sound, the notes are in order, the sound is solid and its timing doesn’t trudge along like treacle – but it’s all rather perfunctory. There isn’t much in the way of gripping rhythmic drive or dynamic prowess, meaning songs don’t ebb and flow as naturally as they should.

We’d feel happier if the Play streaming amp at least delivered each song with more gusto and enthusiasm – its detached quality means it is difficult to get emotionally involved with the music being played.

We switch to the Technics SA-C600 rival and are met with an immediate rush of dynamic subtlety, richer and subtler textures unearthed, along with greater punch and vitality. Songs are delivered with so much more conviction and emotion.

Even the cheaper WiiM Amp Pro has a livelier, more appealing presentation about it, even if the Eversolo has tauter, tighter bass and delivers cleaner detail.

We are surprised at how Eversolo Play CD Edition’s listless sound is so at odds with its vibrant design. We’ve had far more positive experiences with its streamers, the punchier and more capable four-star DMP-A6 and flagship DMP-A10 (review out next week).

We use the unit’s coaxial output and plug it into the Arcam A5 amplifier, and sure enough, we find that the streaming section comes to life. There is levity, agility and finer detail, sounding more confident and involved; it’s the amplifier section within that is dragging it down.

Finally, we connect a Rega Planar 3 RS Edition turntable to the Eversolo to try out the phono preamp section, and the vinyl album of Portishead’s Dummy sounds less clear, less detailed and somewhat fuzzy. The quality is fairly on par with the middling built-in phono preamps we encounter in similarly priced streaming products, although we’d still want more vigour and dynamic punch.

To end things on a positive note, the Eversolo’s sound is at least consistent regardless of what source or input we use. Songs streamed from our NAS library, Qobuz, Apple Music, BBC Radio 6, over AirPlay and via physical CDs have the same presentation, with ripped WAV files having a tad more solidity and grip.

Verdict

We have rarely experienced such a large discrepancy between a product’s design and its sonic performance. The Eversolo Play CD Edition does so much – commendably so – in a well-designed, compact and appealing unit, but we wish the company had paid more attention to the more crucial aspect of sound quality.

For all its laden features and satisfying user experience, an audio product that is unable to deliver an engaging sound performance is hard to recommend.

Review published: 28th August 2025

SCORES

• Sound 2
• Features 5
• Build 5

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