HiFi Rose Flagship RS130 Streamer – First Look
All Image Credit: HiFi Rose
HiFi Rose, the Korean digital audio specialists, unveiled at the Munich High End 2023 a new flagship network streaming transport designed to act as the ultimate digital audio source for any high-end audio system. It shares many of the features from the popular RS150B but includes a new chassis and a host of new features.
Remember that this is a network streamer, so it requires an outboard DAC or amplifier with DAC to work. It is a pure network streamer product that loads the network streaming service or files stored in NAS to the DAC to be connected to the network and outputs only digitally. It does contain a dedicated NVMe 256GB solid state drive (SSD) that is used for audio caching, providing low latency and 4GB of LPDDR4 memory.
This flagship model can suppress most digital noise as it supports fibre optic transmission for both Ethernet and USB. It also contains an ultra-stable, high-precision OCXO clock ensuring minimal distortions created by clock jitter, plus external clock synchronization (10MHz) is also avilable.
Ultra-stable, high-precision OCXO clock. Internal connector(s) for External clock connection
Key features include:
- Luxury industrial design characteristics, including front-mounted 15.4” LCD touch-screen
- Sturdy aluminum chassis with ventilation built-in to the ROSE logo
- New ethernet network connectivity supports SFP protocol for greater transmission quality
- Support for fibre USB transmissions
- Ultra-stable, high-precision OCXO clock built-in
- Linear power supply with large capacitors
- Dedicated SSD for audio caching built-in, allowing for clean signal generation and low latency
- Support for external master clocks via 50Ω and 75Ω terminals
- Advanced internal design optimized to minimize noise and interferences
- USB, Coaxial, AES/EBU, Optical, HDMI and I2S Output options
- Benefits from complete Rose OS operating system and Rose Audio Architecture
- Support for Tidal, Apple Music, Qobuz, Spotify, Roon Ready, Rose Tube and more services
Connectivity (rear panel) is extensive to include:
- Network: SFP Ethernet 10/100/1000 BASE-T (SFP COPPER Type)
- Bluetooth: WiFi 802.11ac Dualband USB Wireless LAN Card (Dongle)
- Audio Output: Optical x 1, Coaxial, AES/EBU OUT x 1, HDMI I2S OUT x 1
- Video Output: HDMI 2.0 x 1 (up to 3840 x 2160 / 60Hz)
- Media connection:
- File System: NTFS / exFAT / FAT32
- Network Protocol: SMBv2 / FTP / WebDav
- Storage Interface: USB 3.0 x 2, SATA x 1 , USB 3.0 Fiber
- Clock Sync Input:
- 50Ω BNC x 1, 75Ω BNC x 1
- Input frequency: 10MHz
Audio and video CODEC support includes:
- Audio: MQA, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, DFF, DSF, AAC, CDA, AMR, APE, EC3, E-EC3, MID, MPL, MP2, MPC, MPGA, M4A, ALAC, PCM : 8kHz~768kHz(8/16/24/32bit per Sample), Native DSD : DSD64(2.8MHz) / DSD128(5.6MHz) / DSD256(11.2MHz) / DSD512(22.4MHz)
- Video:
- ASF, AVI, MKV, MP4, WMV
- H.264/AVC, Base/Main/High/High10 profile @ level 5.1; up to 4K x 2K @ 30fps
- H.265/HEVC, Main/Main10 profile @ level 5.1 High-tier; up to 4K x 2K @ 60fps
- VP9, profile 0, up to 4K x 2K @ 60fps
- MPEG-1, ISO/IEC 11172-2, up to 1080P @ 60fps
- MPEG-2, ISO/IEC 13818-2, SP@ML , MP@HL , up to 1080P @ 60fps
- MPEG-4, ISO/IEC 14496-2, SP@L0-3 , ASP@L0-5 , up to 1080P @ 60fps
- VC-1, SP@ML , MP@HL , AP @L0-3 , up to 1080P @ 60fps
Audio Service support includes:
- Streaming: Airplay / DLNA / Roon Ready / Spotify Connect / Bluetooth
- Music service: TIDAL / Qobuz / Apple Music / Bugs / ROSE Tube / Internet Radio / Rose Podcast
Finally control is simplicity in itself as the RS130 comes with its own IR/Bluetooth remote and uses a customized Android 7.1 based Rose operating system that works with the ROSE Connect app (Android, iOS, PC). While the front panel supports a large 15.4″ TFT LCD & Capacitive Touch Screen (eDP) providing convenient local control and display of album/file data, album art work, video and setup parameters.
