Eversolo follows up its hi-fi hit with the upgraded DMP-A6 Gen 2 music streamer

(Image credit: Eversolo)

Eversolo has caused quite the buzz recently with its highly intuitive and forward-thinking music streamers. The DMP-A6, in particular, received wide acclaim from hi-fi reviewers for its slick design, interface and control app, which puts music management and user-friendliness front and centre. Indeed our expert reviews team called the multi-talented unit a "capable music streamer" and an "absolute joy to use" in our four-star Eversolo DMP-A6 review, concluding that it offered a "fresh outlook on a niche hi-fi category".

The Chinese-based manufacturer is now looking to keep that buzz alive with a successor to the DMP-A6. The fittingly named DMP-A6 Gen 2 brings several upgrades to the table – extra connections, an advanced power supply and more – for a similar asking price of £799 / $859.

Expanding the unit’s connectivity is an HDMI ARC socket and Trigger-out functions for greater compatibility with home cinema systems, allowing TV audio to be transmitted directly and automatic power-on/off with other devices respectively. Those new additions join the existing optical, coaxial and USB-C inputs, optical, coaxial, RCA and XLR outputs, and a full suite of streaming skills that includes Chromecast, Tidal Connect, Roon Ready certification and internet radio. It could well be the most well-equipped hi-fi streamer out there.

The same slick and responsive six-inch touchscreen, which is essentially a customised version of the Android operating system and works a treat, has been tuned for improved colour accuracy, supposedly resulting in better display performance. The same ARM Cortex-A55 processor and two ES9038Q2M DAC chips appear once more, although for the audio interface Eversolo has used a "significantly upgraded” XMOS chip that can decode native DSD512 and PCM 32-bit/768kHz. The barrier to the DMP-A6 receiving a fifth star lay in its closest rivals' extra subtlety and more convincing ability to handle rhythms and timing, so a boost on the audio front is a welcome one.

The ‘EOS audio engine’ (Eversolo's proprietary sampling rate audio engine) remains a handy feature as it effectively allows the DMP-A6 to output the original sampling rate from music services by bypassing any Android-based audio restrictions. That means you can, for example, download the Apple Music Android app and stream its lossless hi-res catalogue without Apple’s famously closed ecosystem being a barrier.

As an aside, the current DMP-A6 Master Edition (£1259 / $1280 / AU$1699) supposedly takes performance further courtesy of more advanced audio clocks and op-amps. Both A6 models sit below a DMP-A8 and DMP-A10.

Becky is a hi-fi, AV and technology journalist, formerly the Managing Editor at What Hi-Fi? and Editor of Australian Hi-Fi and Audio Esoterica magazines. With over twelve years of journalism experience in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices.

In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.