Instead of having 3 or 4 different boxes plugged in for streaming movies & music, this unit has all the digital & analog I/O in 1 box, with AKM4499EX DAC chips, & has a remote to control I/O & volume.
For $1980, does it rock, or does it suck ass?
I’m running a Mac Mini fed wired from my modem, HDMI into my 8 or 9 year old TV, optical from TV into J2, RCA into MT-603, RCA into super neutral A70 Pro (using it’s remote for volume), XLR into LRS310 sub, XLR into CLA200, powering speakers. If I’m thinking this out correctly the DMP A8 could replace 4 boxes, the Mac Mini, J2, MT-603 (needed for warmth with the A70 Pro) & the A70 Pro.
I used to absolutely hate the idea of listening digital music/streaming. All I ever wanted was a nice vinyl record player rig. The cost of that with all of the extra shit you really need to do it right was very prohibitive. So I went to digital with mostly Chinese made gear which I also hated having to use. As it turns out now this is becoming cost prohibitive, just as bad if not more so than an analog rig would be. WTF man?
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My old TV died. Got a new TV. Took out the MT-603 & Mac Mini to simplify things. Eithernet line feeds the TV directly now. Had a bad screatch with optical out of the tv into the J2/AKM. Discovered if either of the 2 settings affiliated with audio on the tv are on Auto that the TV selects Dolby Vision, or some surroundsound codec, even with surround sound off. The tv has to be set on optical out on 1 setting & PCM on another setting. That solves the screatching problem. Everything sounds ok but Amazon music on the new tv does not indicate any resolution of music streaming & the J2 doesn’t provide that info either. Using Bluetooth from the TV into my Zen Blue V2 shows to be Aptx Adaptive via the green light on the DAC & it sounds ok. Still I can’t get over not knowing what the bit rate is while listening to music. This leaves me wanting a better DAC which can visually confirm what I’m hearing or think I’m hearing. Is it 16/44.1? Is it 24/48? Is it 24/96? Is it 32/192? IDK.
I’m guessing the Eversolo DMP A8 would solve my concerns & probably sound better too. My current rig doesn’t sound bad so much. It’s just lacking warmth. The digital sounds a bit harsh on some stuff, both with music & movies & tv shows. I’ve set the J2 gain output to it’s lowest but still the sound is hard edged, which I think the A70 Pro is party responsible for. Unfortunately it is the only preamp I have with a remote. Again it doesn’t sound bad, just a bit too hard edge.
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