We found a whole lot of issues to enjoy about the HiFi Rose RS201E Streaming Amplifier in 2021. The touchscreen show and UI turned extra usable following 6 firmware updates (above a lot of months) and we ended up thrilled when Qobuz became a indigenous application on the system.
The device demonstrated excellent Wi-Fi stability in a property loaded with wi-fi devices that are often competing for bandwidth. That could seem trivial, but I’ve reviewed considerably a lot more high-priced media streaming gadgets that struggled with these types of a endeavor.
The overall flexibility and connectivity solutions built it a no-brainer to make it the hub of our learn bedroom listening program linked to a NAD amplifier that drives a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 10.1s. The fiddly toggle switch has develop into a place of fixation for the pet and I have had to wipe it down 3 moments now. Halt it Tyrion.
The inner ability amplifier was a tad lean sounding for my tastes with the rest of the program, and it could certainly use a much larger display screen and further electrical power — which I constantly observed odd looking at the father or mother business, Citech, is a Korean IT computer software company that also manufactures and sells interactive retail kiosks.
6 firmware updates. Glad these guys did not make the voting machines in the United States. Consider the uproar.
The freshly declared HiFi Rose RS520 seems to include all of the objects on my wishlist in a instead attractive seeking scenario with a much greater rate tag as well.
Wendy Knowles of Naim & Focal is dreading my simply call on Monday.
What makes the RS520 streaming amplifier interesting is that it blends technological innovation from two of their existing merchandise the RS150 streaming DAC and RA180 built-in amplifier.
The Skinny
ORT (eCoustics’ resident linguist and media maven) is going to place down his coffee when he discovers that the RS520 will be employing an MQA-capable ES9038Pro-centered decoder as its digital heart. The DAC supports up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512.
Just use Qobuz my close friend. It’s all likely to be all right.
The RA180’s Class Advertisement GanFet-primarily based amplifier is specified to output 250wpc into 8 ohms which tends to make it more effective than the Naim Uniti Atom and NAD M10 V2.
We nevertheless look at the Naim Uniti Atom and NAD to be two of the most effective streaming amplifiers available and the RS520 will have to present a much better knowledge than either 1 to be competitive in the classification at pretty much £3399 (even now awaiting the closing USD/CDN pricing).
Connectivity was a sturdy suit of the RS201E and HiFi Rose is throwing everything but the kitchen area sink at the RS520 the network amplifier will be Roon Prepared, and assistance Spotify Connect, Apple AirPlay, and offer you its own OS. TIDAL, Qobuz, Apple Music, and BUGS are all supported natively.
The RS520 also contains an HDMI-eARC enter which will make it even far more attractive to these searching to develop a 2.1 tunes/residence theater technique in their dwelling room or den.
There is no subwoofer output, so you may possibly have to appear at something like a REL subwoofer with its relationship program to make that get the job done.
The RS520 can also be employed as a preamplifier or electronic resource (USB, Coaxial, Toslink) which will allow you to operate it into a DAC or even lively loudspeakers with its very own inside DAC.
The 12.6″ 1920 x 515 touchscreen is an update around the unit HiFi Rose works by using in the a lot more cost-effective RS201E, and we alternatively like the new on-screen EQ feature that is a throwback to stand alone equalizers of the 1970s.
A single of the most significant modifications to the RS520 is an current edition of the ROSE Link app the one largest flaw in the RS201E was the regulate application it was clunky and not really responsive and usually baffling to navigate.
A brief look at the new application reveals a a lot slicker interface that is much more responsive and we suspect that they have borrowed some design cues from Roon as inspiration.
Naim and NAD have the edge on the front and I’ve hardly ever struggled to use the Naim app or NAD’s BluOS with their individual streaming amplifiers, Bluesound NODE, and Pulse Flex wi-fi loudspeakers.
The RS520 has the potential to challenge the Uniti Atom for the Iron Throne but I would not bet from Naim suitable now.
For more information: eng.hifirose.com/RS520
The place to obtain: £3,399 (~$4,000 USD). Predicted this thirty day period (October 2022).
