Eversolo DMP-A6.

[matthewpianist]

The DMP-A6gen2 is excellent. I use mine quite heavily, across Qobuz and Presto Music as well as with internal storage I added. It's very stable, the app is nice to use and the sound quality is superb - using the built-in DAC of course, seeing as my amp is completely analogue. Personally, I wouldn't spend any more than this on a streamer, and it's perfectly possible to spend less on a WiiM Ultra and get pretty much the same satisfaction.

 

[mike1986]

Maybe look at a separate DAC instead, I wasn't bothered about the display on an Icon or Eversolo so I tested originally a Bluesound Nano with a Chord Qutest and then tried a WiiM Ultra, kept the Nano but later upgraded to the latest generation Node as I wanted an optical in.
I lent my neighbour who had an older Node the Nano which is what make him want to upgrade to the Icon as he wanted the display.
He's since tested that with my Qutest and again thought the Chord offered an improvement over the Icon on it's own.
Sounds as though you've got the the stage of narrowing it down that you'll only really know if you get some home trials.

But is there anything being just a DAC in a Bluesound Node Icon price range that would play noticably better then Icon?

 

[Jasonovich]

But is there anything being just a DAC in a Bluesound Node Icon price range that would play noticably better then Icon?

I suspect it's pretty much subjective, the Node Icon has buttons on top and isn't touch screen, don't know if this is a deal breaker?

 

[mike1986]

I suspect it's pretty much subjective, the Node Icon has buttons on top and isn't touch screen, don't know if this is a deal breaker?

I don't mind the look at all.

 

[RTHerringbone]

I've never used the touch sensitive buttons on my ICON. I just use the perfectly functional app and let the music play. I also rarely look at the screen on that or the Wiim Ultra upstairs, so all my procrastination about the whistles and bells was wasted 😆

I'm biased but the ICON works flawlessly, looks good, the app is as good as anything else I've used. Is that worth an extra £200? Not sure.

 

[mike1986]

I've never used the touch sensitive buttons on my ICON. I just use the perfectly functional app and let the music play. I also rarely look at the screen on that or the Wiim Ultra upstairs, so all my procrastination about the whistles and bells was wasted 😆

I'm biased but the ICON works flawlessly, looks good, the app is as good as anything else I've used. Is that worth an extra £200? Not sure.

Over Eversolo?

 

[RTHerringbone]

Over Eversolo?

Yes - having never heard the Eversolo I just wonder what audible value you can place on the extra financial investment to go to the ICON.

I think ideally you'd audition them and make your own decision but that's not usually as practical as the advice sounds. I do not regret spending what I did on the ICON and it gives me no issues or downsides.

 

[mike1986]

Yes - having never heard the Eversolo I just wonder what audible value you can place on the extra financial investment to go to the ICON.

I think ideally you'd audition them and make your own decision but that's not usually as practical as the advice sounds. I do not regret spending what I did on the ICON and it gives me no issues or downsides.

Well, I think I just trust more a company with a tradition, rather than a chinese newbie, no matter how good reviews it gets 🙂

 

[RTHerringbone]

Well, I think I just trust more a company with a tradition, rather than a chinese newbie, no matter how good reviews it gets 🙂

I might have been that way inclined until I started using FiiO products. It's worth being open-minded about things and not making the incorrect assumption that Chinese products aren't good - it's not always the case.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

Don't knock the Chinese gear, they make the west's R&D facilities look like the industrial revolution from 2 centuries ago....the Chinese are doing brilliant stuff that will probably end the European manufacturer's unless they start getting very aggressive with pricing.
When they have speaker's and turntables sussed, it's game over for the majority of western brands...no joke.....the Chinese will be able to give" US" the consumer a very high quality product, competing with the best British, European and American manufacturers at a fraction of the cost.....high end hifi at affordable levels is what's coming in the not so distant future.

View: https://youtu.be/-xqJH9y5Fds?si=Px_zIOwliT85vXtR

 

[DougK1]

Don't knock the Chinese gear, they make the west's R&D facilities look like the industrial revolution from 2 centuries ago....the Chinese are doing brilliant stuff that will probably end the European manufacturer's unless they start getting very aggressive with pricing.
When they have speaker's and turntables sussed, it's game over for the majority of western brands...no joke.....the Chinese will be able to give" US" the consumer a very high quality product, competing with the best British, European and American manufacturers at a fraction of the cost.....high end hifi at affordable levels is what's coming in the not so distant future.

View: https://youtu.be/-xqJH9y5Fds?si=Px_zIOwliT85vXtR

I seriously doubt this will happen. They'll kill of the competition, monopolise the market, then increase their prices. It's happening already.

 

[skinnypuppy71]

I seriously doubt this will happen. They'll kill of the competition, monopolise the market, then increase their prices. It's happening already.

Possibly true..that level of R&D don't come cheap and costs need to be recouped.....I'm glad I'm nearly done

 

[Jasonovich]

Don't knock the Chinese gear, they make the west's R&D facilities look like the industrial revolution from 2 centuries ago....the Chinese are doing brilliant stuff that will probably end the European manufacturer's unless they start getting very aggressive with pricing.
When they have speaker's and turntables sussed, it's game over for the majority of western brands...no joke.....the Chinese will be able to give" US" the consumer a very high quality product, competing with the best British, European and American manufacturers at a fraction of the cost.....high end hifi at affordable levels is what's coming in the not so distant future.

View: https://youtu.be/-xqJH9y5Fds?si=Px_zIOwliT85vXtR

Seriously though, most of the components inside your British amp or led TV are Chinese sourced, that's the reality.
Western capitalism to maximise their profit margins, outsourced to China and to the far east and doing so, created a monster and at the same time the architect of destroying their own manufacturing industries.

 

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

My NODE ICON has a distinctly better sound to my ears than my considerably more expensive EXN100!
My WiiM Ultra HP set up good too..
Dig
Differences are noticeable, arguably marginal…

 

[mike1986]

By the way, how can I use eARC port on the Bluesound Node Icon? If I connect my TV with eARC, will I be able to play f.g. Node's Tidal through the TV speakers (makes no sense) OR audio signal from TV will go through Node to the speakers (connected with XLR)?

 

[Juzzie Wuzzie]

By the way, how can I use eARC port on the Bluesound Node Icon? If I connect my TV with eARC, will I be able to play f.g. Node's Tidal through the TV speakers (makes no sense) OR audio signal from TV will go through Node to the speakers (connected with XLR)?

The latter I would have thought.

 

[manicm]

By the way, how can I use eARC port on the Bluesound Node Icon? If I connect my TV with eARC, will I be able to play f.g. Node's Tidal through the TV speakers (makes no sense) OR audio signal from TV will go through Node to the speakers (connected with XLR)?

No, the eARC is going to return audio from the TV to the Node. If you want to do Tidal etc to the TV, then connect an Apple TV to the Node via HDMI. There used to be Tidal TV apps, but support has been ditched except LG - I think.

 

[mike1986]

No, the eARC is going to return audio from the TV to the Node. If you want to do Tidal etc to the TV, then connect an Apple TV to the Node via HDMI. There used to be Tidal TV apps, but support has been ditched except LG - I think.

Thanks! Actually I have TV with Android OS so I don't need to connect any external Tidal streamers to play Tidal on the TV, that's why I mentioned it makes no sense 🙂 I'm just trying to figure out what would be the best way to connect TV to my active speakers with or without Node Icon inbetween, if eARC port on the TV is already taken by Samsung Q990F soundbar 🤔