HiFi Rose RS250A
Hi Res Audio and 4K Video Network Streamer, DAC, Preamplifier w/ 8.8-inch Touchscreen, Built-in WIFI, Apple Airplay 2, Spotify Connect, MQA, DLNA, USB, Digital Inputs & Analog Inputs, plus Roon Ready
Item #HIFIROSE:RS250A
HiFi Rose RS250A
Hi Res Audio and 4K Video Network Streamer, DAC, Preamplifier w/ 8.8-inch Touchscreen, Built-in WIFI, Apple Airplay 2, Spotify Connect, MQA, DLNA, USB, Digital Inputs & Analog Inputs, plus Roon Ready
-
Free Shipping
-
30-Day Returns
-
Expert Advice
-
Price Guarantee
Overview
RS250A is a complete network media playing solution that will combine hi-res audio & video collections with music streaming services. The chassis is made with high-quality aluminum that houses a linear power system, a high-performance DAC & a preamplifier for a modern look. RS250A offers elegant control over various multimedia services with high-quality sound and ultra-high-resolution 4K video from a very generous 8.8-inch wide touchscreen that is just super easy to use.
The HiFi Rose RS250A is a streamer and a preamp that comes with the same sized 8.8-inch touch capacitive display and the same dimensional form factor as the RS201E, but this model steps up the build quality inside and out for a greater emphasis on sound quality. For starters, stepping up to the RS250A will get you a higher-performance 32-bit ESS Sabre DAC chip.
The ES9038 Q2M DAC is ESS’s extremely quiet 2-channel DAC that features a minimum-phase slow roll-off filter with ultra-low noise for a smoother, more natural, resolute sound. In terms of audio file playback, the RS250A can handle more hi-res audio formats compared to the RS201E—up to 32-bit/768KHz (MQA, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, DFF, DSF, AAC, CDA, AMR, APE, EC3, E-EC3, MID, MPL, MP2, MPC, MPGA, M4A, AIFF, PCM, DSD).
The RS250A’s internal power supply uses a fully linear configuration rather than an external switch-mode system, which minimizes electrical noise and distortion from being transmitted to the high-performance DAC. A linear power supply can give you the best possible sound, since it shields the power system away from the audio signal, while also providing clean, reliable power to the CPU and the audio output circuits.
Doubling down on all the optimizations to the internal components and circuitry, the RS250A’s aluminum enclosure is also acoustically optimized. Its high-quality aluminum front-top plate was processed as an integral unit to maximize thermal efficiency and to reduce vibrations throughout the chassis, which also added an extra 2 lbs to the RS250A’s overall weight. Additionally, there is a very smooth rotary-style control right above the headphone jack for a premium feel that just looks fantastic with the RS250’s silver finish.
The rear panel has similar inputs & outputs as the RS201E for connecting devices and other gear, but in lieu of speaker outputs, there is a pair of single-ended analog outputs for connecting a power amp or a pair of active speakers, plus three digital audio outputs, including—coaxial, optical Toslink, one USB Type-A audio output, and one HDMI 2.0 port that will output video with a resolution up to 3840 × 2160 at 60Hz.
For connecting with sources, there’s a pair of single-ended RCA analog inputs plus all the digital inputs, including—coaxial, optical Toslink, one USB Type-B audio input that will let you connect a computer or a laptop, plus another USB 3.0 Type-A port for connecting USB storage devices, and an Ethernet port to connect it over WIFI. The RS250A will also do Airplay, DLNA, Roon, Spotify Connect, Tidal, Qobuz, and more.
If you have a legacy DAC that you just love the sound of with only S/PDIF inputs, then the RS250A could act as a network bridge. Or, use the RS250A as a DAC/preamp with a variable output, which is ideal for a power amp. You could also connect a phono preamp to the RS250’s analog inputs and use it with a turntable.
If you don’t need a built-in integrated amp inside your streaming DAC, stepping up from the RS201E to the RS250A will give you ESS’s flagship single stereo DAC for the best sound reproduction on 2-channel music. As a streaming DAC, preamplifier, and Roon Endpoint, it’s designed to be an all-in-one hub for a high-end 2-channel audio system.
Details & Specs
Pure Sound
Flagship Single Stereo Design DAC
RS250A with built-in ESS flagship DAC (ES9038 Q2M) provides low-noise, low-distortion ultra-high-resolution sound, and rich analog density through proprietary processing that supports PCM 32bit/768KHz and Native DSD512 (22.5792Mhz).
Analog Acoustic Sensitivities
Acoustic engineers and audio craftsmen with 30 years of experience tune the device to deliver the original impression and intention of high-quality sound. It clearly expresses the entire range, from the magnificent and rich bass to the delicate and elegant highs.
Linear Power Circuitry Design
The linear power supply provides a clean and reliable power supply to the CPU and audio-output circuits. A fully linear power supply and shielding are applied, and noise that may be transmitted to sensitive DAC is blocked for the best possible sound reproduction.
Integral Aluminum Cutting-Processed Case
The chassis is made with high-quality aluminum that houses the linear power system, high-performance DAC & preamplifier section for a modern look. High-purity aluminum is processed as an integral unit to maximize thermal efficiency, and by minimizing the assembly area, vibrations that can affect the sound quality are greatly reduced, creating a profound and ideal sense of space.
High-Resolution Audio & Video
Hi-Fi ROSE is officially certified as “High-Resolution Audio” licensed by the JAS (Japan Audio Society).
Ultra HD 4K Video Support
Watch Local or RoseTube video files in Ultra HD 4K quality on a large display with an HDMI connection. Feel the magnificent and vivid touch of the Opera House at home now.
MQA Certified
RS250A supports MQA full decoder technology, so you can play studio mastering quality sound. MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) is an award-winning British technology that delivers the sound of the original master recording. The master MQA file is fully authenticated and is small enough to stream or download. MQA is the only technology capable of seamlessly streaming the original master sound in low capacity.
Elegant Control
8.8-Inch-Wide Touch Screen
Intuitive, and convenient interface through high-resolution Multi-Touch panel. The front display can play album art and music videos from a wide viewing angle.
ROSE Connect App
This intuitive and dedicated application allows users to play all music and videos from local and network sources.
Bluetooth Remote Controller
You can easily control the device with a dedicated Bluetooth remote controller.
ROSE OS Compatible
HiFi Rose OS system provides an innovative musical experience. In addition to playing and streaming ultra-high-quality music, it offers a variety of services including 4K high-definition video playback, music-oriented YouTube listening, Podcasts, various radio broadcasts around the world, CD playback, and ripping.
MUSIC & VIDEO: Play music and video files on a local storage device (USB / SSD). Also, you can build your home network library with a NAS connection. You can play music categorized by recent albums, albums, artists, genres, composers, and songs.
SPOTIFY CONNECT: Spotify Connect allows you to play and wirelessly control Spotify music on your ROSE OS over a network. With the Spotify Connect function, you can enjoy a variety of music with hi-fi sound quality on your ROSE device.
TIDAL: Built-in Tidal App for high-performance streaming service. Easily integrate all existing features, such as sign-in, playlist, and playback. Supports MQA Full Decoder, so you can enjoy high-resolution music.
QOBUZ: Enjoy music streaming with Qobuz’s various functions. Support for hi-res audio (24 bit/192 kHz) means you can enjoy high-resolution music.
ROON READY: Roon is an incredibly rich and engaging way to browse and organize your music. It runs on most Mac, Windows, and Linux PCs, or on other products which include Roon Core. Being Roon Ready means that HiFi rose network players transparently discover and connect to Roon without any configuration, and bit-perfect audio is delivered from Roon to your network player. It complies with all requirements of Roon Labs to meet Roon Ready certification, fully compatible with Roon Core. You can enjoy high-fidelity sound on your ROSE device by taking advantage of the powerful sound management features of Roon.
CD-RIPPING: By connecting an external CD-Rom Drive via USB, spontaneous CD playback is possible. You can extract music files stored on a CD and save them to SSD, or USB.
INTERNET RADIO & PODCASTS: Listen to more than 9,900 Internet radio stations from around the world. Register and listen to your favorite channel. It also offers podcast channels, provided by Apple iTunes.
BUILT-IN ROSE APP STORE: You can simply update these applications to the latest version from the RoseStore App.
Connect Anything
Wired & Wireless Connections
You can enjoy seamless streaming through the network. It supports Airplay and DLNA functions. Also, you can connect the device to a smartphone, computer, or tablet PC through WiFi / Giga Ethernet / Bluetooth communications.
Build a home media library
Designed to contain enough storage in consideration for listening to HiFi music sources, RS250 can recognize up to 4TB of SSD, 10TB of external HDD, and even supports connection with a NAS. Experience high-quality music without worrying about drive capacity.
High-Performance Input & Output Hub
RS250 is compatible with multiple devices via several kinds of terminals. Supporting a variety of input and output terminals, RS250 completes the ultimate connectivity.
POWER OUTPUT:
- Input Voltage: AC100-120V,220-240V 50/60Hz
- Input Power: 50W
DAC: ESS ES9038 Q2M x 1 (Single Stereo Design)
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 40kHz (+/-0.5dB
OUTPUT IMPEDANCE: 100Ω
TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION:
- 0.0002% (1kHz 2.3Vrms Unbalanced output)
- 0.0003% (1KHz 2.3Vrms Unbalanced output)
SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO:
- 116dB (A-wt)
ANALOG AUDIO INPUTS:
- 1 x Unbalanced stereo RCA Line-IN
DIGITAL AUDIO INPUTS:
- 1 x TOSLINK optical
- 1 x Coaxial
- 1 x USB 3.0 Type-A DAC (for connecting the HiFi Rose RSA780E CD drive [sold separately] or external hard drive.
- Bluetooth
ANALOG AUDIO OUTPUTS:
- 1 x Unbalanced stereo RCA preamp Line out
- 1 x 3.5mm Headphone jack
DIGITAL AUDIO OUTPUTS:
- 1 x TOSLINK optical
- 1 x Coaxial
- 1 x USB Audio Out
VIDEO OUTPUT:
- HDMI 2.0 x 1: video output with up to 4K resolution
- ASF, AVI, MKV, MP4, WMV, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and more ( up to 3840 x 2160 / 60Hz )
- ASF, AVI, MKV, MP4, WMV, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and more ( up to 3840 x 2160 / 60Hz )
MEDIA CONNECTIONS:
- 2 x USB 3.0 Type-A (Storage interface - File system-NTFS/FAT32, Storage Capacity up to 10TB)
- 1 x SATA 3.0 SSD (Storage interface - File System-NTFS, Storage Capacity up to 4TB)
- Network Support Protocol-SMB/FTP/WebDav
AUDIO FORMATS:
- WAV, FLAC, AIFF, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, DFF, DSF, AAC, CDA, AMR, APE, EC3, E-EC3, MID, MPL, MP2, MPC, MPGA, M4A
- PCM: Up to 32-bit/768kHz
- Native DSD: Up to DSD512 (22.4Mhz)
NETWORK CONNECTIVITY:
- Wired: Ethernet 10/100/1000 BASE-T
- Wireless: WiFi (802.11 b/g/n/a/ac) 2.4Ghz/5Ghz Dual Band
- Bluetooth supported (A2DP Sink, AVRCP v1.3)
COMPATIBILITY:
- STREAMING: Apple Airplay2 / DLNA / Roon Ready / MQA Full Decoder / Spotify Connect
- MUSIC SERVICES: Internet Radio, TIDAL, Qobuz, Podcasts
OPERATING SYSTEM:
- CPU: Hexa Core CPU
- Dual-core Cortex-A72 up to 1.8GHz
- Quad-core Cortex-A53 up to 1.4GHz
- GPU: Mali-T864 GPU, OpenGL ES 1.1/2.0/3.0/3.1, OenVG1.1, OpenCL, DX11
- MEMORY: LPDDR3 4GByte
- SOFTWARE: Customized Android 7.1
- UPGRADABLE: SW update via internet, USB OTA, ROSE Store
CONTROL:
- Bluetooth Remote Controller (included)
- ROSE Connect Remote App (Android, iOS) / Google PlayStore, App Store
DESIGN
- BODY: High-quality anodized aluminum front-top with modern sense.
- DISPLAY: 8.8 inch Wide Angle Multi-touch panel.
- DIMENSIONS (L x W x H): 10.9" x 8" x 3"
- WEIGHT: 7 lbs
ACCESSORIES:
- Power cord x 1
- Bluetooth Remote controller x 1 (AAA battery x 2)
- Manual x 1
- SSD screw x 4
Related Videos & Articles