Will the brand new Apple TV for $299 USD place the Hifi rose rs130 at significant disadvantage at $5,900 USD, at 20 times the price. Apple software works excellent and now they have lossless audio. Just saying.
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Huh?
Two different products.
Just saying.
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While we understand the price comparison, we believe that Apple TV and the HiFi ROSE RS130 are two fundamentally different products designed for different purposes and users.
Apple TV is primarily a multimedia entertainment device designed for video streaming, music playback, and general home entertainment.
In contrast, the RS130 is a dedicated high-end audio network transport, specifically engineered for audiophiles who prioritize the highest possible sound quality.
The RS130 incorporates specialized audio technologies, including a high-precision OCXO clock, optical network connectivity, and dedicated digital audio outputs, all designed to minimize noise and interference and deliver a high-quality digital audio signal to an external DAC.
While software functionality and lossless audio support are important, they are only part of the overall audio experience. Hardware architecture, signal integrity, clock precision, and system integration also play significant roles in high-end audio performance.
Ultimately, both products offer value in their respective categories, but they serve different purposes and are not intended to compete directly.
We appreciate your interest in HiFi ROSE and your feedback.
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I have owned several Apple TV’s for years and not one ever failed due to hardware issues and the software that is available for public use by Apple tends to be well tested and solid. Just sayin. So yes, two different products.
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The AppleTV is a great device and I am happy with its performance, both audio and video. For listening to Apple Music it just works, no gaps, and Dolby Atmos and other multichannel formats are available in the appropriate systems. That said, its biggest weakness is that you have to turn on a TV to navigate its menus. Sometimes you just want to listen to music and not fire up the TV or projector to stream.
If anyone has a way to control the full functionality of the AppleTV in the audio only setting without turning on a video display, I am all ears. In the interim, I am content having both an AppleTV and a capable 2 channel streamer such as the RS130.
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We appreciate your recognition of the different roles that Apple TV and dedicated audio streamers such as the RS130 can play in a home audio system.
We believe both devices can complement each other, depending on the user’s listening preferences and setup.
In my opinion, the role that you are talking about, using the rs130 just for listening to music without a tv screen, is the only role that the rs130 works better in. I have a $5,900 USD rs130 and an Apple TV gen 3 box, there is zero sound quality difference (this is just digits and tech is good enough that there is no jitter, no missed packets and noise doesn’t matter as it’s taken care of entirely by error correction, an ovenized clock is not needed. Now if you’re talking about the rs151 or anything with DAC then you might have more advantages. But the point is that I LOVE Hifi rose and my rs130. BUT please invest in some software managers, because the thing is this cost 20 times the price of the apple and they almost do the same thing. As I said and others say in here, the only difference is the need to use a screen in Apple TV. I’m just saying come on Hifi rose, get some coders and stop agitating and agrivating your customers. The Apple home pod in conjunction the the Apple TV box, is in fact the front screen of the the rs130. But hey I know when rose responds on here there is a reason, and I’m only trying to get them to wake up. Like make the VU METERS work right and do it now, because it things like that, make the rose tube work all the time, maybe pay you tube. Make the rose product software work, produce good software release. which maybe is might make the 20 times price increase over Apple TV gen 4 lossless, worth it. But otherwise I think this is thin ice. You’re either rich or crazy to buy a rs130, but there will be zero sound quality difference bwteeen Apple TV gen 4 box and Rs130. So it sure would be good if rose can ramp up its game. The problem is the rose hardware is so expensive that if we want an upgrade within the rose world, it’s hard to justify spending for another unit. So give us a path, give a solid credit for upgrade when you have a new unit. Again I have Apple TV gen 3 and rose rs130 side by side for 2 years using them both with a $6000 denon avr, it sounds fantastic. But the differences in sound and video quality between the two are non existent, there is no difference, except for the screen differences, ra130 doesn’t need a tv for music, and Apple TV has a huge screen in your TV. Which is also nice. I’m just saying please rose start with more pressure on software and making things work well. I’m personally happy with my rose and LOVE IT. But…. Apple TV is doing well what Apple TV does well, which is excellent software.
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Hi @Charrison,
Thank you for your detailed feedback and continued support of HiFi ROSE.
We appreciate your passion for the RS130 and would like to address your concerns.
1. Apple TV vs. RS130 & Software Stability
As mentioned previously, Apple TV and the RS130 are fundamentally different products designed for different purposes.
However, we understand your concerns regarding software stability. We acknowledge that our software is not perfect, and our development team is continuously working to improve its reliability and performance. We will continue releasing updates to provide a more stable and satisfying user experience.
2. VU Meter Performance
Our development team is continuing to improve the accuracy and performance of the VU meters.
However, an official release date for an update addressing these issues has not yet been announced.
3. RoseTube Stability
RoseTube is developed using YouTube’s official API.
When YouTube makes changes to its platform or API, some RoseTube features may temporarily stop working until our development team identifies the changes and implements the necessary adjustments.
Unfortunately, similar issues may occur in the future due to changes made by YouTube. Nevertheless, we will continue working to resolve such issues as quickly as possible.
4. Trade-in or Upgrade Program
We understand your suggestion regarding trade-in credits or upgrade discounts for existing customers.
However, HiFi ROSE currently has no plans to introduce a trade-in or upgrade discount program.
5. RS130 Hardware and Sound Quality
We respect your personal listening experience, but we do not agree that the RS130 and Apple TV necessarily deliver identical audio performance.
The RS130 is a dedicated high-end audio transport featuring a high-precision OCXO clock, optical network connectivity, specialized digital audio outputs, and an audio-focused hardware architecture.
These technologies are designed to minimize electrical noise, improve signal integrity, and provide a high-quality digital signal to an external DAC.
While both devices transmit digital audio, differences in hardware design, clocking, electrical noise, and DAC integration can influence audio performance depending on the system configuration.
Therefore, we believe the RS130 offers advantages beyond simply playing music without turning on a TV.
Once again, thank you for your feedback and continued support.
We remain committed to improving both our hardware and software to provide a better HiFi ROSE experience.
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Apple TV gen 4 box will be released to the public on Nov 14. Currently we only have Gen 3. The Gen 4 unit offers some new capabilities and faster speed and lossless streaming. As well as Atmos for audio.
Say what you want, but in 2026, a streaming box (all of them) stream bits generally perfectly, and the receiving unit generally captures those bits for a DAC conversion generally Perfectly. The ovenized clock, the low noise fiber optic connections are great, but in reality they have small or zero impact on sound quality.
In a modern system like the current Apple TV gen 3, the bit stream is generally perfect and is within the spec for jitter on the receiving device. Ok well anyway. No need to respond on this, as you all disagree.
Apple TV apparently has a formal arrangement with you tube, so that the changes you tube makes are already accommodated by Apple TV with a frequent Apple TV software update that is coordinated.
I dunno, I’m just saying you should consider that a capable and working software release is important.
And it’s hard to comprehend the price difference of 20 times.
That’s like the difference between my Volvo xc90, and if you go up 20 times, that’s a $2 million dollar Bugatti.
I LOVE my RS130. But just worry….and want it to live on forever.
Thanks very much. I’m in Chicago Illinois. You should open a factory office here.
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Also, don’t mistake my notes on this. I do think the rs130 is still a great product, and I do think it is something that can work side by side with the Apple TV box, and I agree they serve different concepts. So anyway, I just am trying to say you have a superior platform for sure in the RS130, but if the software was done great on every release, then the RS130 would smash the other streamers. But when the price is 20 times more, then rose really has a different standard to meet, or should. All the other units are getting closer to capabilities and sound quality. That’s really all I’m saying. So if possible, ramp up the software, and knock the others back where they should be. Thank you!! I do think the “rose one” is a pleasure to use compared to the first rose control app. So that’s really great. I love my RS130 and have no problems with it, and it sounds amazing and the image quality is amazing, (especially on Tidal) when connected to my denon avr10h DAC. And of course I use hdmi in this case. It is capable of high res and multi channel music.
AppleTV is a great device and Chicago is a great city. I will go so far as to say that for the money the AppleTV is one of the greatest electronic devices ever created.
If you have an AV receiver or preamp, the AppleTV is a must have device, especially if you enjoy Dolby Atmos music and movies. But as a standalone hifi device it does have some drawbacks. It only has an HDMI out and you are tethered to the DAC in your AV system. Now I happen to like mine, but hifi people generally like choices, especially the two channel freaks who I count myself among. And of course you have to turn on the video in order to navigate its menus.
Now if the new Apple HomeView device can control an AppleTV without having to turn on the TV or projector, I am all in. If HiFi Rose can solve multi-channel audio streaming through HDMI and gapless Apple Music, I am all in. I hate HDMI, but unfortunately it is all we have for now.
Apple TV does not support traditional audio passthrough (bitstream) for native formats like Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio. If you’re using a 5.1 setup or a soundbar, I’d say it doesn’t matter. However, if you have an AV receiver and high-quality source material, Apple TV can never be a viable option. Am I wrong?
Player apps like Infuse do make it possible to play back a Dolby Atmos source without it turning into a slideshow, however, they operate on a SaaS (Software as a Service) model, and in any case, the overhead/height channels are lost.
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Apple TV 4K (4th Generation) Max Bit Depth**|24-bit|
48 kHz (system-wide standard); up to 192 kHz via select third-party apps|
|Surround / Spatial|Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital Plus 7.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, Multi-channel LPCM|
|Bitstream Pass-Through|Not supported for TrueHD or DTS-HD MA (converted to LPCM/Dolby MAT)
I ask what does anyone need bit stream trueHD and DTS hd ma for?
That’s certainly true and while it might not matter to everyone, I personally don’t see much point in having a high-quality receiver only to feed it “garbage” via PCM. If you’ve ever tried to play a music video for instance, one with an “English, 5,022 kb/s, 48.0 kHz, 24-bit, 6-channel, DTS XLL (Big) (DTS-HD Master Audio)” track and 4K on an Apple TV, you’ll know what I mean by a “slideshow” to say nothing of how it actually sounds. Using an Nvidia Shield TV, paired with something like Kodi makes for a fantastic experience, provided, of course, that you also have a proper Atmos speaker setup to go with it.
For the average user, which maybe I’m not, maybe I fall below or above that not sure. Just all I am saying is that if I play both Apple TV 3rd generation, and the RS130 into my $7,000 denon avr1h DAC, with 11.4 bowers and Wilkins speaker system with 4 independently controlled subs, all tuned by DIRAC which is partly integrated into the denon, I can hear absolutely zero difference in audio quality, in stereo or in multichannel mode between the Apple TV or the RS130 streamer. I A and B this 1000 times in the past year, and have had others listen as well. No one can tell the difference.
But I can’t play multichannel audio on many of the tidal clips because rose is only stereo.
So for me, there is no actual sound quality difference between the two. They BOTH sound absolutely stunning. Like crazy good. Everyone who heard it is astounded how good it sounds. So not saying at all that what others think about this is not accurate, just saying that maybe for the average user with reasonably capable equipment, the sound quality difference is subtle and minimal, or zero, between Apple TV, and the streamers, and RS130. But at 20 times the price, you better have something working and not continually release software that can be frustrating. I live my RS130, but for 20 times the price it should be smooth and perform nicely after each update. The new Apple TV will be available to consumers on Nov 14th and mind you this is a 5 year update over the previous Apple TV 3rd generation and it is likely that improvements have been done. So all I’m saying is can Rose please fix the software things that make the R130 special, and unique, please make these things work well and put more detailed work into the software updates and coordinate with you tube in the updates, so that my RS130 isn’t struggling waiting for a update after you tube changes their API, (that never happens on Apple, never).
Yes, many here will disagree with me, but I contend the RS130 has no signature sound. Everything downstream of the network transport / streamer can impact the sound: DAC, preamp, amp, speakers, room, etc. So that you are playing both the AppleTV and the RS130 through the same system, it does not surprise me in the least that you cannot hear a difference between the two.
I think we have similar systems, I also have a 7.4.4 setup.
Exactly Eleven!! As far as sound, The streamer is the streamer, it is bit for bit, what goes in is exactly what comes out. There are no missed bits, noise is not a problem, everything is buffered and has plenty of headroom to accept the minuscule amount of noise that might be present (fiber optics are not needed) come on we have cables that are max 6 feet long, there is no noise problem ever in 6 foot cable, you could use a coat hanger almost for your digital signal cable.
noise in this case, because there is hardly is any, like zero noise, the recovery of a bit state is always always alaways 100 percent right, always. So the modern day streamers do not have “a sound’ due to noise, clocks, or jitter, or anything else. in the year 2026, a bit is a bit is a bit. If someone says otherwise they don’t understand how digital processing works. Now let’s say, 20 years ago, they would be maybe right….a bit stream had jitter and had noise that could affect recovery, but not today and likely not for the past 15 or 20 years. Even back then bit recovery, in a noisy environment, it was really really good, and today all noise is accommodated unless your standing under a tv transmitter or something.
But the rs 130 has some fantastic features for sure which I love. I love seeing the screen when it is set to “large” as it looks fantastic when playing my videos on tidal or music on tidal or rose tube. I see the video and I see the screen and hear the fantastic audio from my easy chair with what’s playing and it is just a really great experience, set to large. Tanks you ROSE!!! The vu meters when working correctly are amazing, the rose one app is fantastic and a joy to use (most of the time).
But again there is zero audible sound quality difference in my system set up between Apple TV gen 3 and rs 130. Neither one is better.
Not sure what we will find on nov 14th when Apple TV gen four comes out, I suspect there will again be zero difference in hearable sound quality. But the apple being updated with then generation 4 from the old one, 5 years prior likely will be an amazing device.
So come on rose, do you know what 20 Apple TV gen 4 boxes would look like stacked up on my audio stand? That would be crazy town! (20 Apple TV boxes = one rose rs130).
So please realize you gotta release software in excellent fashion. Go Korea! Honestly in the USA, we love south Korea and want it to be great, that’s seriously a true statement. Please make my vu meters work soon!
Oh and Eleven….I have 7.4.4. Same as you! I highly recommend the Denton avr10h or the avr1h, both are fantastic and worth the small price. I have the Apple TV connected and the rs130 connected to the denon inputs, I can load up the same content streamed at exactly the same time from you tube and rose tube, or tidal, and switch instantly between the two and they sound identical. And I mean truly identical. And just for good measure I bought a Nvida shield (an 8 year old technology design at this point) and returned it, but its sound was also identical in every way.
Apple doesn’t support it, true. But does Rose in actually? it would be great to hear from some on here that have this set up, and know that it works.
Every time I have a Dolby surround content on music on tidal, the Rose RS130 always displays a message saying it can’t decode it.
So I don’t know. If some on here know how this works? Would be great to understand this more.
Apple TV might support it at some point, as clearly they have appropriate power and capable software in the Gen 4 being released on Nov 14th 2026.
All I’m saying is that with my RS130 and my Apple TV gen 3, and my $5000 denon Avr10H as the DAC, both the Apple and the RS130 sound exactly the same, zero difference that I can hear after 1000 of hours listening. It’s sounds fantastic if I use the Apple TV gen 3, or the RS130. (Soon will have Apple TV gen 4).
That’s just my experience. Thanks for everyone’s ideas and input on this.
Rose is 2 channel……