Yesterday, I embarked on an audio journey by connecting an Eversolo DMP-A8 streaming DAC to a pair of KEF LS60 Wireless speakers using a coaxial cable. My goal was simple yet ambitious: to stream Apple Music bit-perfectly and gaplessly through these active floorstanders. Unfortunately, the built-in services offered by KEF—Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, and HDMI eARC—fell short of meeting these criteria. For instance, Apple AirPlay 2 compresses everything to AAC 256kbps, while Google Cast lacks gapless playback. Additionally, HDMI eARC sees the television resample audio to 48kHz, leaving no room for high-resolution sound.
Exploring New Features
Some readers may wonder why I opted not to use the FiiO R7, which was featured in my recent coverage of a ‘retirement system.’ The FiiO’s smartphone-like portrait orientation, while convenient, does not lend itself well to browsing Apple Music compared to the landscape orientation of the Eversolo.
Last week, Eversolo gained a notable advantage over FiiO with the introduction of an Android TV version of its ‘Control’ app. I retrieved a Google Chromecast TV 4K from my spare room, connected it to my Samsung Frame TV, and installed the Eversolo Control app from the Google Play Store. The app quickly auto-discovered the DMP-A8, leading me to a now playing screen that prominently displays cover art in the center. While I would have preferred the cover art to be positioned on the left, that’s a discussion for another time.
Below the cover art, the screen provides essential information such as the song title, artist, streaming protocol, and, for the audiophiles among us, the sample rate. I confirmed that this now playing screen functions seamlessly with Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, Apple Music, and Roon. However, I did not test the app’s other capabilities.
Compatibility and User Experience
My testing was limited to the Google Chromecast TV, as I did not explore other Android TV devices. Users are advised to disable the screensaver and set the “auto turn off when inactive” option to ‘never’ in the Chromecast TV settings to ensure uninterrupted playback.
The Android TV Control app is compatible with all DMP-Ax players and Eversolo’s Play products, with an Apple TV version reportedly in development.
While this information is noteworthy, the real story lies in the design of the Eversolo app. The background colors are derived from the cover art, and the gradient design offers more contrast than competing apps like WiiM’s tvOS app or the third-party app TV:Remote that I use for Roon. This thoughtful design enhances readability, and the absence of a timecode in the color-picked progress bar underscores the app’s minimalist aesthetic.
Rethinking Hi-Fi Interfaces
Why does this matter? Many hi-fi products feature touchscreens that create an illusion of advanced technology. While visually impressive, these screens can be impractical. The information displayed on the front of devices like the DMP-A8—artist, song, and sample rate—can be difficult to read from a distance, and the 6-inch display reduces cover art to a mere postage stamp. Furthermore, users often find themselves needing to rise from their seats to interact with touchscreen devices located under a TV or within a hi-fi rack.
Eversolo appears to recognize this challenge, as evidenced by the inclusion of a ‘screen mirror’ function in the smartphone version of its Control app. Perhaps the software team will consider adding a feature for browsing a streaming service’s library to the TV version, as this functionality is currently absent, making the app’s name somewhat misleading.
Nevertheless, Eversolo deserves commendation for being the first to introduce ‘now playing’ screen functionality to Android TV devices. Similar to WiiM’s approach with its tvOS app, Eversolo has taken a significant step forward, providing more practical utility in its streaming products compared to mainstream competitors like Sonos.
