Meet the new range-topping streamer from Eversolo Audio Technology, the company responsible for the popular DMP-A6 and A8. The A10 is a streaming DAC with a fully featured preamplifier, which includes input switching and gain. Its pricing puts this firmly in the premium segment, with stiff competition from competitors like HiFi Rose and Lumin.

Measuring 430x310x117mm and weighing 7.2kg, it’s a standard-sized hi-fi separate with a more sophisticated look than its siblings – thanks to angular edges, big sculpted heatsinks, and a control knob with polished gem-like facets. The touchscreen display panel is larger at 6.5 inches, and the knob features a small customisable circular display. The chassis is nicely finished, and the knob is smooth and weighty to the touch.

UP CLOSE

Under the hood is a new power supply design that’s fully linear with twin toroidal transformers; this is an upgrade over previous models that either used switched-mode power supplies, or a mix of both. The individual circuit boards are connected via an electrical isolation system that’s claimed to minimise interference, and the display panel is shielded in pursuit of the same goal.

For digital audio number-crunching duties, Eversolo has enlisted ESS’s top-tier Sabre ESS9039 Pro DAC chip, instead of the AKM AK4499EX used in the A8. This is paired with a custom-developed OCXO clock with stated jitter levels of less than 50 femtoseconds. The DAC handles signals of up to 32-bit/768kHz for PCM and DSD512. Also new is an SPF Fiber LAN port, which better isolates the unit from network noise, and an isolated USB output for better performance with external DACs. The A10 also has twin subwoofer outputs that are individually adjustable. The supplied remote control has a matte chrome alloy backshell, an upgrade over the plastic part used for other models.

Turning to the rear panel, the A10 has six digital inputs (two coaxial, two optical, USB-B and HDMI ARC/eARC), three analogue inputs (two RCA and one XLR) and three digital outputs (USB-A, optical and coaxial). Two USB-A ports allow you to connect external storage or an optical drive for CD playback and ripping. Compared to the A8, the A10 gains one additional analogue in, but omits a HDMI I2S digital output. Bluetooth 5.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity are provided, and can be switched off to reduce interference. A 12V trigger is provided, too.

The preamplifier circuit retains the discrete resistor volume control and 10dB analogue gain stage found on the A8. You have the option to convert analogue signals to digital at a maximum resolution of 24-bit/192kHz, courtesy of an onboard AKM AK7739 ADC chip, and route the signal through the DSP module and digital outputs. This means that room correction and EQ settings can be applied to your analogue inputs, and the digital output to an external DAC if you are using one.

IN USE

Functionally, the A10 works like the A8, with the option to play local files or stream them from a DLNA, Plex, or Jellyfin server on your network. It also supports popular streaming services like Tidal, Qobuz, Deezer, Spotify and Amazon Music. Airplay is supported, and the A10 is certified as Roon Ready. For local file storage, the A10 accepts two M.2 NVMe SSD drives of up to 4TB each instead of the single slot found on the A8, which comfortably accommodates typical music library sizes.

The DSP and room correction features have been improved, too. In-room measurement can be performed automatically using your phone or tablet’s microphone, or a USB microphone attached to the unit. The app walks you through the easy process and automatically generates a correction curve after doing signal sweeps in your system. If you prefer, you can also adjust the sound using other methods such as a 10-band parametric equaliser, high-pass and low-pass filters. The subwoofer output adjustments include gain, crossover frequency and delay. However, signals at a sampling rate higher than 192kHz or DSD files are passed through without processing.

Eversolo’s app is one of the better ones on the market, being easy to use and intuitive despite the plethora of options available to customise the sound and operation. One useful new feature is the ‘Cast’ function, which replicates the unit’s display and touch controls on your mobile device.

For this review, I hooked up the DMP-A10 to my Conrad Johnson GAT S2 preamplifier, ART27A power amplifier and Vivid Audio Giya G4 speakers. Network connection was made using LAN and SFP cables connected to a Cisco router. I played music from Roon, Tidal and the internal SSD drive, and operation was smooth and glitch-free. All DSP and EQ settings were disabled for most of my listening period.

THE LISTENING

The new Eversolo DMP-A10 is a fine-sounding product that performs surprisingly similarly to the DMP-A8 – despite the change of the DAC chip. It possesses a solid bass, a rich and creamy midband, and crisp, open high frequencies – treble is noticeably more spacious than lesser models in the range. The new A10 also sounds more emotionally engaging, and music has added depth and realism, with more detail and texture.

In my system, the SFP fiber port sounds superior to the wired LAN connection, being cleaner, more precise and better resolved. It more accurately renders the space around voices and instruments, and has finer inner detail. In comparison, the wired LAN is more vague, although the tone is very slightly fuller. The room correction delivers a flatter sound which is a bit dead sounding to my ears. This said, measurement was performed using my phone, so it’s possible that a calibrated microphone would have yielded better results.

Fluid by Yosi Horikawa is a great showcase of the A10’s soundstaging capabilities. It conjured up a suitably meditative soundscape with Horikawa’s sampled sounds and percussion enveloping the listener. The track opens with the sound of water drops that playfully fall around the listener. I could hear the realism of the sound as the water drops break the surface and splash around. The string instruments and experimental percussion sounds were well separated and precisely placed in the soundstage, which had a depth and width that eluded the A8 – so kudos to Eversolo for addressing that shortcoming.

Hilary Hahn performing Ysaye’s Sonata No. 6 in E Major was captivating. Her technical prowess was confidently reproduced, with a tight and accurate portrayal of the complex nuances of expression and changes in mood and tempo. The A10 also did a great job in rendering the acoustic space of this performance, which was recorded at the Fraser Performance Studio in Boston – a venue that is well-known for its excellent acoustics.

Susan Wong’s rendition of Sound of Silence was a treat, with her creamy yet smoky voice well carried as the accompanying guitar work soothed appropriately. I was impressed by the realism of the guitars, as one could hear the delicate fingerwork, string plucks and the body resonance of the instruments. Less subtle is Meatloaf’s I’d Do Anything For Love. Here, the opening motorcycle throttle-like guitar intro sounded guttural and menacing, while the piano notes hit with fast attack. The track’s backing vocals and wailing guitars came together harmoniously to give this song a suitably epic and grandiose feel.

Indeed, the DMP-A10 is a highly accomplished-sounding all-rounder. Its built-in DAC is excellent, meaning you’ll need to spend a lot to usefully improve it. Connecting the same Geschelli Labs J2S AK4499 DAC that I used in my DMP-A8 review proved a sonic step backwards here, which underlines how much better Eversolo’s new A10 is compared to its cheaper sibling. Undoubtedly, it’s a worthy step up from the A8, with significantly better sonics.

THE VERDICT

Eversolo’s new DMP-A10 flagship streaming DAC delivers fine sound for the money, with improved soundstaging and higher resolution compared to the DMP-A8. Factor in its great feature count and lavish build quality, and this is a compelling purchasing proposition.

For more information visit Eversolo