Eversolo DMP-A8 Master Gen 2: the streamer that finally has a CD player built in

If you are shopping for a DMP-A8 Gen 2, start by checking which one. Eversolo launched its second generation in two versions with almost identical names: the DMP-A8 Gen 2 and the DMP-A8 Master Gen 2. Near-identical chassis, same DAC, same screen, same interface — and €500 between them. The difference comes down to two things that cannot be added after you buy.

A CD player you load from the top

This is the difference you notice straight away. The Master Gen 2 has a top-loading CD mechanism: the disc sits flat on a platter on top of the unit, under a tinted glass lid held down by a magnetic puck. The gesture recalls high-end CD transports, and it has the merit of doing away with the motorised tray, a classic wear item on this kind of machine.

Beyond playback, the drive can rip discs to WAV or FLAC onto the internal M.2 storage or to network storage. Metadata and cover art are fetched automatically, with duplicate detection so the same album is never archived twice. For anyone with a CD collection to digitise, that is the central argument: no more computer and ripping software, everything happens on the unit, straight into the library it will then play from.

The standard version has no CD drive at all — it needs an external USB drive alongside it.

An oven-controlled clock, and an input for another one

The second difference is less visible but just as structural. The standard DMP-A8 Gen 2 relies on dual femtosecond clocks with very low phase noise, which is already serious engineering. The Master replaces that stage with an oven-controlled crystal oscillator (OCXO) paired with a phase-locked loop. The crystal is held at a constant temperature, which eliminates thermal drift and keeps jitter below 50 femtoseconds.

More to the point, the Master adds a 10 MHz external clock input at 50 Ω, with adaptive syncing. It lets you connect a master clock and synchronise several digital components within the same system. A niche use, but one that shapes how far the setup can evolve — and it is physically absent from the standard model.

Otherwise, a DMP-A8 Gen 2

Set those two points aside and the machines are twins. Conversion rests on the AKM AK4191EQ and AK4499EX pairing, an architecture that isolates digital processing from the analogue stage: under 0.00008% THD+N, over 129 dB of dynamic range on XLR. PCM goes up to 768 kHz/32-bit and DSD512 is played natively.

Volume is handled by an analogue R-2R resistor ladder with up to 10 dB of gain, which means it can drive a power amplifier or active speakers directly. This second generation also introduces AuralEngine, the in-house audio processor replacing the previous XMOS. In daily use you get the 8.6-inch touchscreen, the built-in services (TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify Connect Lossless, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer and the rest), the M.2 NVMe bay taking up to 8 TB, the subwoofer output adjustable from 40 to 500 Hz and Room Correction Pro to tame the room.

Which one should you get?

The question settles fairly quickly, because neither difference can be retrofitted.

• DMP-A8 Gen 2 (€1,990) — dual femtosecond clocks, no CD drive, 88 mm tall at 5.25 kg. The right choice if your library is already digitised or if you mostly stream.
• DMP-A8 Master Gen 2 (€2,490) — OCXO clock with 10 MHz input, built-in CD drive with ripping, 98.5 mm tall at 6 kg. The right choice if you have CDs to play or archive, or if an external clock is on the horizon.

The €500 gap therefore buys two very concrete things, not a mere refinement.

Price and availability

The DMP-A8 Master Gen 2 is offered at €2,490 including VAT at Cool Kids Audio, against €1,990 for the standard DMP-A8 Gen 2, also in the catalogue. Both join an Eversolo range that has widened this year with the flagship DMP-A10, the DAC-Z10 converter and the AMP-F2 and AMP-F10 power amplifiers.