Eversolo DMP-A8 vs iPhone plugged directly to integrated amp - why no difference?


I just got the Eversolo DMP-A8. Setup was very easy. Plugged it in and started playing some tracks and was not blown away. Admittedly, my system is nice to me but not high-end by any means. Primaluna Prologue integrated amp and Audio Note AZ3 speakers. Was previously streaming through a sonos port and using the Cambridge DacMagic. Always sounded fine to me as an amateur but had been curious to step things up a notch in my digital music.

Since I wasn't entirely sure if the Eversolo was doing all that it should (and the sonos and Cambridge are in storage so couldn't compare - been away for a while) I went ahead and plugged my iPhone into the amp through RCA adapter and there is literally no difference. I tried so many songs, with the A8 reading highest quality stream on Tidal, and I switched back and forth between the two with practically no difference in same songs. Even if the A8 doesn't have the greatest DAC on earth, shouldn't it still be night and day between that and an iPhone plugged directly into the amp with no DAC at all? Now I'm really curious to get the Sonos and DacMagic out of storage and see if that sounds any different at all.

I may not have the most trained ears on earth but surely there must be something I'm doing wrong in setup or connection, no? For what it's worth I added some IsoAcoustics GAIA III speaker feet and the difference in sound after that is immediately apparent. I know it's comparing apples to strawberries but my ears are hearing that difference and yet zero with an almost $2000 streamer/DAC compared to an iPhone plugged direct??

Is it possible the Primaluna and Audio Notes aren't good enough to feature the difference??? I'm open to any possibility. 

Can just as easily go back to the cheaper set up and get back my $2k? But would like to make sure I'm hearing this thing as it's meant to be heard if it's a user error.

Appreciate any thoughts anyone has.

juanitro

@macg19  My statement applies only to the experience related to the specific product A6 that I purchased. I am not supporting your case or endorsing your unfounded speculation.

Yes, this is a free country and everyone has the right to express their opinions. However, I want to remind you to always put yourself into others' shoes. What if this company was founded by a group of capable young women and men who are pursuing their dreams and aiming to become entrepreneurs and pioneers in the audio industry? Statements like the one you made could potentially destroy their dreams.

@lanx0003 

Statements like the one you made could potentially destroy their dreams.

Let's bring this back to planet earth shall we.

The global audio consumer market doesn't give a hoot what I think. My potential to destroy anyone's hopes and dreams in an industry where I am just another consumer is akin to removing a grain of sand from a beach and suggesting I accelerated beach erosion.

But I'll give you a gold star and permission to pat yourself on the back for defending the capable young women and men who are potentially pursuing their dreams and aiming to become entrepreneurs and pioneers in the audio industry. Whomever they are, I sincerely hope they are paid well and treated fairly. 

However, a true hero would have sold the unsatisfactory product on the used market and allowed the Company to profit from the sale rather than incur a loss processing the return. 

Low-res tube amp mated to low-res Audio Note speakers could be why you don’t hear a difference.

The DMP-A8 has state of the art transparency as recently confirmed by Stereophile’s measurements. Any situation in which such components are bottlenecked downstream, as is the case when any (Yes, ANY!) tube amp is mated to non-linear speakers, you won’t hear the source at its full potential.

I understand why many will doubt this assertion because audiophilia is chock full of hullabaloo, but you don’t have to take my word for it. Try a pair of high res monitors with high quality, low distortion drivers, and amplification with transparency similar to Benchmark’s and you’ll become a believer. The funny thing is it cost relatively little to compile such a system these days. Technology has marched on thankfully.

Did the OP ever identify the streaming source?  How useful can the discussion be without knowing that?

@helomech Thanks for that info. Answer that makes the most sense so far based on what I've been trying, if the answer I feared most. I'm gonna return the Eversolo and slowly look into new systems and reproach streamers later. I do actually like how my vinyl sounds on the Audio Notes but I'm open to what I find.

And @jji666 both streaming Tidal at highest available stream quality.