HiFi Rose RS150 Network Streamer Review

[CPP]

The screen resolution isn't an issue with normal people. Only those trying to make a fake issue.

You can easily send what is on the screen to a TV via HDMI as I do. I use the screen simply as a cool feature and to sometimes navigate. No serious person is sitting on the floor in front of the unit to watch a video.

Thanks

 

[Hear Here]

I agree the screen "issue" is fake news. I do use an iPad to control Roon.

If there's a piece of music you hear from a radio station and your iPad has closed down because it hasn't been used for over 30 seconds (or you are using the IR remote), the screen is a most convenient feature to glance at to identify the music. I can use an iPad or a PC or even a grotty Android device, but none of these will show the artwork constantly. I like the NAD's LED screen and normally only take advantage of the TV via HDMI if I have visitors.

Rose make a big issue of their screen and it should perform as buyers expect.

 

[Michaels HiFi]

Rose make a big issue of their screen and it should perform as buyers expect.

LOL Riiiiight. We all know if somebody put tape over the label and instead wrote the letters of the mid-fi NAD you'd love it.

Maybe we should call this "screen gate" for all the fake news lovers out there. LOL

 

[Hear Here]

LOL Riiiiight. We all know if somebody put tape over the label and instead wrote the letters of the mid-fi NAD you'd love it.

Maybe we should call this "screen gate" for all the fake news lovers out there. LOL

How sad that you feel the need to resort to that type of reply - and clearly from a position of ignorance.

 

[chops]

I feel someone is a bit over-biased towards NAD, though I won't say who.

HiFi Rose... A streamer that is known for having one of the best screens. A streamer that is know to have one of the best control apps. A streamer that is known to be very easy to use via screen or control app, even for a sweet 83 year old mother.

Yet someone claims the screen is rubbish, the control app is confusing and rubbish and "needs" Roon to control it properly.

And not that I care, but this someone also says my Auralic's screen is rubbish.

But yet everything from NAD is the gold standard that everyone else needs to aspire to.


Yeah, someone is a bit overly biased.

 

[Hear Here]

Guilty as charged - partially!

It wasn't me who criticised the Rose's screen - I think it's the best out there. I did say the Auralic screen was inferior to the Rose or NAD, but not that it was "rubbish".

I found at the local Rose dealer that its app wasn't available on all 4 platforms and that it was complex to use, so the dealer preferred to demo it with Roon. I'm sure one could get used to the Rose app (if available on your preferred platform), but perhaps not intuitive to most 83 year olds!

The NAD was chosen from a dozen amps I home demo'd with my Avantgarde Duo speakers and it won out in my system. It can't be as "mid-fi" as MM suggests if chosen by Sterophile as their Amplifier of the Year, Component of the Year and Editors' Choice - for what any of those awards are worth.

Perhaps there's a little too much audiophile-snobbery from one or two contributors here! Had I chosen the Mark Levinson or Accuphase and praised that, I doubt I'd be so criticised by those contributors. They have doubtless never had a Master Series NAD in their own system - just because it has historically been considered a mid-fi but highly successful brand.

As long as we are all happy with the kit we carefully chose after months of multi-product home demo'ing. Do you do that?

 

[chops]

Again, the HiFi Rose app is NOT complex to use. It's about as straight forward as one can get, not to mention IIRC, it has a built-in tutorial if needed. I can't remember if it's in the app or the unit itself.

I'm not too sure who started the who screen thing, but either way, this is hifi gear, so I would think the most important factors to us would be functionality and sound quality, not a stinking screen.

Also, awards aside, I have nothing against NAD, nor have I said anything negative about NAD. Hell... I use an 8 year old, $1100 Emotiva amplifier in my system with an $8600 preamp and $3200 streamer (when new) in front of it. So if you want to talk about someone with mid-fi gear, just poke fun at me and my Emotiva amp. That's not to say this amp is punching way above its price point though.

 

[Mr Peabody]

You can set the time on IOS as to how long it before the screen closes. Definitely worth adding some time when using a control app.

Can't imagine why anyone would sit and stare at an image on a screen when listening but that's me.

You mentioned the Rose screen is the best out there so I'd say if it didn't meet customers expectations they are just out of luck. I mean if you are the best how could it not meet expectation?

If there's a piece of music you hear from a radio station and your iPad has closed down because it hasn't been used for over 30 seconds (or you are using the IR remote), the screen is a most convenient feature to glance at to identify the music. I can use an iPad or a PC or even a grotty Android device, but none of these will show the artwork constantly. I like the NAD's LED screen and normally only take advantage of the TV via HDMI if I have visitors.

Rose make a big issue of their screen and it should perform as buyers expect.

 

[CPP]

If there's a piece of music you hear from a radio station and your iPad has closed down because it hasn't been used for over 30 seconds (or you are using the IR remote),

Change in your Settings app, navigate to Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock. Here you'll see multiple options, ranging from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. There's also an option for Never, which is what you should select here. Once this is enabled, your iPad's display won't automatically go to sleep.

 

[Hear Here]

Change in your Settings app, navigate to Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock. Here you'll see multiple options, ranging from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. There's also an option for Never, which is what you should select here. Once this is enabled, your iPad's display won't automatically go to sleep.

Yes of course there are other ways to identify what is playing but Rose and a few others have designed their streamers to offer this info on the LED screen - good for them.

Some may prefer to use an iPad or other device but I don't often use my iPad and I wouldn’t want to have to recharge it every day so the 1 minute close-down suits.

I'd normally use a Windows PC to start up my day's listening, but of course it gets used for other things too so music info has to be found by a number of mouse clicks. Again, easy enough, but it suits me to glance at the front panel of my streamer. Once you have this feature, you appreciate its usefulness.

All these things add to the convenience of music listening, even though they don’t improve sound quality.

 

[HifiHandyman]

It’s so funny, I LOVE the screen but ever since MIKE said that he kept his off, I generally leave it off even at the mere thought that it may sound better! I love it as a streaming DAC and my next logical step would be something from MSB. I’m coming from a super nice SOtM and Denafrips DDC-DAC combo and the HifiRose sounds better than that.

 

[CPP]

Yes of course there are other ways to identify what is playing but Rose and a few others have designed their streamers to offer this info on the LED screen - good for them.

Some may prefer to use an iPad or other device but I don't often use my iPad and I wouldn’t want to have to recharge it every day so the 1 minute close-down suits.

I'd normally use a Windows PC to start up my day's listening, but of course it gets used for other things too so music info has to be found by a number of mouse clicks. Again, easy enough, but it suits me to glance at the front panel of my streamer. Once you have this feature, you appreciate its usefulness.

All these things add to the convenience of music listening, even though they don’t improve sound quality.

"I wouldn’t want to have to recharge it every day so the 1 minute close-down suits." Not sure what I pad you are using, but mine last 6-10 hours on a charge and that's being used. OF course you can always just hook a charge cable up to it and leave plugged in while your using it. My wife uses her IPad ( Wi-Fi + Cellular) non stop all day and it last all day.