The Eversolo Play is the latest entry in Eversolo’s lineup of modern audio solutions, offering a sleek, all-in-one approach to music playback. Designed to handle everything from streaming to amplification in a single unit, it’s built for listeners who want high-quality sound without the clutter of multiple components. Let’s take a closer look at its design, features, and performance to see how well it delivers on its promise of combining convenience with premium audio.
What You Get
- Eversolo Play streamer amplifier
- Power cable
- User guide
Build
Being familiar with Eversolo’s selection, including their larger devices like the DMP-A8, I was expecting the Play to be a sizable product. While the Play is a large device, it’s not as big as it may look in promotional images. Its length needs to be long enough to fit the Play’s 5.5-inch screen, but the width of the chassis is surprisingly compact. This makes it so the Play can fit nicely on any surface, whether that be your desk or on a shelf.
It’s a sleek-looking device that’s made from aluminum alloy, rigid in its structure, and acts as a shield against external interference. Part of that sleekness comes from its screen, which gives the Play a modern look. The volume knob is integrated seamlessly onto the face of the device. On the back, you have an assortment of inputs and outputs that make the Play usable with tons of different outboard systems that give you a load of options.
Design
The Eversolo Play is a sleek all-in-one digital audio system that combines a high-resolution music streamer, built-in digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a Class D amplifier, and optional CD playback all in one compact chassis. The 5.5-inch touchscreen front display has an intuitive interface offering quick access to Music Services, Apps, Connect, Cloud, and Settings. Inside, it utilizes AKM’s premium 32-bit AK4493SEQ DAC (with VELVETSOUND™ architecture) for low distortion and rich dynamic range, enabling a smooth, immersive listening experience. It also supports various digital inputs: HDMI ARC (for easy TV audio integration), optical, coaxial, USB audio out (up to Native DSD512 and PCM 768 kHz/32-bit), USB OTG for external storage, speaker outputs, subwoofer output, a phono input (MM/MC), and a trigger input for system synchronization.
User Interface
I’m familiar with Eversolo’s common interface with some of their past models, but the Play delivers something a little different. Here, the UI is a lot more streamlined, showing you a grid of all the streaming platforms it supports and an intuitive menu. Everything you might want to look for is right there on the screen, with no need to venture through menu hierarchies. It’s all there at a touch, whether you’re looking for settings, EQ, or selecting your source.
What makes the Play even more user-friendly is how seamlessly it integrates with your smartphone. The Eversolo app allows you to replicate everything you see on the Play screen on your phone screen. This is especially helpful when logging into streaming services, where you can use your phone’s keyboard instead of the one on the device, which can be difficult to type on. One downside, though, is that your phone resorts to a horizontal view and cannot be used vertically.
Sound Impressions
Even though I used the CD version for this review, I was not able to use any actual CDs to test the sound with. I may update this review in the coming weeks with some impressions on the CD drive, but for now, my opinions on the Play’s sound profile will be based on its streaming capabilities through Tidal. Being predominantly a headphone blog, I found a way to use the Play with a selection of headphones thanks to its successful pairing with the iFi IDSD Valkyrie. The Eversolo Play recognized the device I was using right away, going as far as to label the exact model in its settings. The headphones I chose to listen to the Eversolo Play with are the Final Audio D8000 DC, HiFiMAN HE1000 Unveiled, and the Meze Audio Poet.
I started with the Final Audio D8000 DC and a few tracks that gave me a favorable first impression of the Play’s sound performance. Expecting a certain standard from this AKM chipset, I was not disappointed by this pairing. There were a couple of key differences I noticed while listening to this pairing.
Usually, I think the highs on the D8000 DC are incredibly resolving, but not bright. However, testing tracks like “Waterland” by Gigi Masin revealed more excited transients, resulting in brighter tones that felt more direct. There’s a rawer feel to them that enhances realism, but there’s a more aggressive ring that cuts through the sound signature. I’m used to hearing smoothness up here with the D8000 DC, but the Play goes a little further. I ended up enjoying this tweak, as the D8000 DC maintained its height. The natural tone of the headphones was able to come through with more dynamic range and vividness.
The Meze Poet also features this extended brightness while maintaining control. There’s far less of a ring to the frequencies, but the timbre is crisp, dynamic, and life-like. The soundstage felt a bit narrower here, but the imaging and separation stood out over everything else soundwise. Stereo localization is felt more precise, and the space between instruments allowed for tons of breathability in the soundstage, even with its seemingly narrower presentation. The D8000 DC also had small changes in its soundstage, bringing the headspace in and appearing more intimate.
One of the biggest advantages the Eversolo Play brings to your sound is dynamic range and transient response, and using the HiFiMAN HE10000 Unveiled hammers that home. Individual notes have such a striking impact throughout the frequency response. They operate with tons of finesse and transparency, especially in the midrange, where vocals are dramatic and expressive. Listening to the HE1000 Unveiled with the Play reveals true scale and weight, making for an extremely memorable listening experience.
Summary
The Eversolo Play proves that an all-in-one system can balance versatility, modern design, and high-end sound quality. From its robust aluminum chassis and vibrant 5.5-inch touchscreen to its expansive input options and seamless app integration, the Play offers an experience that’s as intuitive as it is refined. Its AKM-based DAC delivers outstanding dynamic range and transient response, making it a standout choice for discerning listeners who want both detail and musicality. Whether you’re integrating it into a full hi-fi system, connecting to premium headphones, or streaming from your favorite platform, the Eversolo Play delivers performance that punches far above its price point. For anyone seeking a high-resolution streamer amplifier that’s as satisfying to operate as it is to listen to, the Play earns an easy recommendation.
The Eversolo Play is available at Audio46.
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