Eversolo T8 + DAC-Z10
- Keith Cooper
- 49 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Eversolo's new 'streaming transport' the T8 arrived a few weeks ago, initially I was using it to send a digital AES signal directly to my active speakers, the T8 is one of only a few components that can output and attenuate a digital signal.
Which is super useful with contemporary actives, allowing the whole system to be solely the T8 and a pair of actives, D&D, GGNTKT and the upcoming AsciLAB C8C ( cardioid) all accept a digital 'in' obviously then just the one digital to analogue conversion.
The T8 also has a cool SPF optical in which I just has to try those svelte yellow optical cables just so much more chic that the copper!
Just last evening the new Eversolo DAC-Z10 arrived, Eversolo see the Z10 as a natural partner for the T8, It is their current flagship DAC.
Eversolo have included every feature on the audiophile bingo card, three dedicated linear power supplies, OXCO clock, fully isolated USB, it has analogue 'ins' too, independent left and right channel AKM dual decoding , an R2R ( resistor to resistor) dual channel fully balanced preamplifier, and 8.8" touchscreen their largest yet, even a 'grounding post' to attach your kitty litter box too ( grounding boxes, perhaps the most ridiculous snake oil yet)
Proprietary FGPA clock reconstruction , you name it Eversolo has included it.
There is a smart remote too, in the box a USB, power and trigger cable.
I connected the T8 to the Z10 via USB and the trigger cable 'out' to 'in' , set up took literally thirty seconds.
Operation is completely flawless, when I switched output on the T8 from AES to 'USB DAC' the output of the T8 jumps straight to 100% although you have the option of adjusting.
The Z10 then controls attenuation. the two 'wake' together, it really couldn't be simpler.
Advantages :-
Here, using the T8 to send and attenuate an AES signal to my active speakers is really useful and creates a very neat system.
For my AsciLAB passive speakers I connect the analogue outputs of the Z10 to the Boxem 'Arthur' amplifiers, the TV too via one of the optical 'ins' ( there are two) the Z10 is not short of connectivity options.
The Eversolo 'app' works really well, select source, adjust volume change the colour and brightness intensity of your knob, there is every colour of the rainbow to choose from, multiple options for the VU simulations and the spectrogram graphics.
Aesthetically I find both designs pleasing, understated design which I prefer, it would have been neater still if both had the same dimensions.
Disadvantages :-
Cost obviously, and the two boxes take up more real estate.
Sadly there is no improvement in sound quality over Eversolo's first and most 'basic' ( the A6 is hardly basic) design the DMP-A6.
There can't be an improvement because the A6 measures so well that it is audibly transparent which simply means it adds no audible distortion, which is as good as it gets.
No doubt you will read or watch some moronic influencer who will no doubt opine of the lifting of veils and the increase of the soundstage's width and depth ( always the soundstage) blacks will be blacker and digital 'glare' will no doubt be diminished but that is all just marketing BS.
What Eversolo products do deliver is really solid engineering, utterly transparent sound quality and a host of useful features, simple enough in use that eery member of the family can use and enjoy them.
Combined price for the two is over £3k inc, you can connect the T8 to any other make of dac, I don't foresee any issues, Eversolo has proven to be pretty reliable , their misadventure with linear power supplies in the Gen II A6 aside, whichI believe they have now corrected.
Conclusion:- two smart toys for boys but with some genuinely useful features and absolutely state of the art measurements.
