HiFi Rose user Update: Strengthening Stability, Quality, and Support

ROSE NOTICE Notice
#9

I have decided to wait before buying the RS130 & RD160. My primary concerns are regarding the RS130. (see Before I buy RS130 - #2 by joyofmvid)

Note: Increase RS130 price only if the hardware is upgraded ← see It's Time to create a HiFi Rose RS130 Plus

  • also, add the original components as promised (see the above posts & see the original RS130 User Manual’s “HDMI Passthrough” setting)
  • a few community members have complained about the slow speed of the User interface & scan/rescan function (such as HiFi Rose user Update: Strengthening Stability, Quality, and Support - #3 by GuileZ_Kicked); hence, consider increasing the performance of the RS130’s CPU, RAM size/speed & System Storage size/speed (BTW, Eversolo T8 offers 16TB for user data storage; so consider also increasing the available size for the RS130’s data storage)
  • ideally, increase the grade of the components and improve the RS130’s EMI/RFI /jitter’s,… reduction design to further improve sound quality ← plus consider a silent high-quality Torus Power “Torodial Power Transformer”
  • support Multi-Channel (including Dolby Atmos, Sony 360,…) Bitstream on the HDMI port; this was promised in HiFi Rose’s original manual description regarding HDMI Passthrough:
  • see hardware problem: Internal SSD not readable in File Manager
  • ensure no digital stream interruptions every time the user changes tracks or searches within the track played via the AES/SPDIF/I2S,… inputs
  • ensure full audio track playback (ie, no loss of audio at the start of an audio track’s playback)

Regarding the RS130 software, I’m waiting for the User Interface to be greatly improved & stable; for example, provide the following:

  1. Preserve: Benefits of RS130 User Interface Software
  2. Default sort to “alphabetically” for: Albums, Album Artists, Artists (ie, Song Artists), Playlists, Songs, Folders & for each media/function type’s Favorites
  3. When adding an item to a playlist, the pop-up list of current playlists is to be ordered by most recently modified
  4. Support creation of “Virtual Albums/Collections/Playlists” (ie. Virtual XXX is a HiFi Rose created XXX - created by user via the RS130 User Interface)
    • Virtual Albums are needed for Cassettes, CD-Rs, Vinyl Records (Side A & Side B), Boxsets (multiple discs) ← the “Media Source” tag is used & for the latter two media types the following two tags are also used: Disc# & TotalDiscs
    • Virtual Collections are needed to combine multiple Albums/Playlists for sequencial playback ← this is great for parties (BTW, Collections are ordered by oldest to most recent)
    • Virtual Playlists are Rose Playlists created by the user via the RS130 User Interface ← in addition, permit user to create a Virtual Playlist for a specific folder (playlist to be a shuffled order of the folder’s files)
  5. Add “Playlists” user selection/display support equivalent to that provided for Albums ← also, when adding an item to an existing playlist, add the item to the bottom of the playlist (note: that’s how all other media/streaming players do this)
  6. Develop an improved intuitive User Interface complete with 0nline HELP
  7. Stablize hardware including support for UPNP/DLNA & SMB2, SMB3 protocol support
  8. Add “Amazon Prime” streaming service support, Spotify Connect Lossless Audio, Apple Lossless Music & Apple Gapless Playback ← Note: Two+ competitive streamers are now offering these streaming services & capabilities
  9. Permit various sort & filter user selections like sort by Tag (e.g., by Genre, by Released Year, etc), filter by specific starting #/alphabet, by decade, etc ← support multi-field tags like Artists & Genres
    • Filter changes the #of items displayed
    • Sort changes the order of the displayed items
  10. Make Rose’s Classical function available in the Rose User Interface for application on the user’s library media files/folders
  11. Remove need for a user to enter a "pin code’
  12. In addition, see:
1 Like
#10

Gentlemen at HiFi Rose:

Please fix the damage the latest software update did to the RS151.

Version 5.9
Rose 5.9.07
Rose Main 5.9.07.1
Rose Service 5.9.07.1

The DAC isn’t working the same as before… Please be a gentleman and acknowledge the error and simply fix it.

It basically ruined my audio quality. It’s gone from being a top-of-the-line product to sounding like something you buy off the shelf at the supermarket. Also, fix the interface for playing ISOs from SACDs. There’s no back arrow.

UPDATE 5.9.07

ERROR SACD FLECHA

#11

Please review this YouTube video which is a record of a visit by reviewer Jay Iyagi to Eversolo’s manufacturing facility. What struck me the most is that Eversolo has a special team of engineers to monitor their bulletin boards for problems and user issues. The team then works on fixing them immediately and thus has frequent meaningful updates of the software. Secondly they have a heavy emphasis on user flexibility which permits user modifications of the user interface.

HiFi Rose please emulate.

StandardModel

3 Likes
#12

Surely Eversolo saw HiFi Rose’s weakness and will exploit it to the fullest. A satisfied customer with a good product in their hands is a customer they recommend to friends, family, and acquaintances. I will continue with the RS151 until I find a better product, and then I will simply stop being a Rose customer. What surprises me most is that a company doesn’t take seriously the fact that its flagship 2025 product, like the RS151 in this case, is being embarrassed by what they did with the latest software update. If I were a HiFi Rose shareholder, I would have sold all my shares by now.

#14

Flash,

I have seen no reviews of Shanling’s SMT 1.3. I’d love to see a review of it.
Shanling seems to have previously been more in the personal audio space rather than audiophile but with the SMT 1.3 they’re jumping into it with both feet and following Eversolo’s success. For certain they will both give HiFi Rose some real competition.

I have the RD 160 Dac and it has the AK Velvet Sound pair of chips as well. For the first time I really like a Delta Sigma Dac.

Do you know of any reviews of the SMT 1.3?

StandardModel

#15

I remember the first time I went on the Rose app and added an album folder to the play queue. I thought I did something wrong as when I went and browsed the play queue they were in the wrong order! I did find a workaround to get them in the right order by going into the folder and highlight the first one and play from that point forward. A basic function of adding an album to the queue is add it from the folder level. Eversolo is the market disrupter for streamers. Look what happend with Auralic!

1 Like
RS130 User Interface - Simplify & Make UIF More Intuitive
#19

Yes, for that kind of money people don’t want to spend their life debugging something that should have been resolved before going to market.

True that McIntosh is higher quality than Rotel. Moon by Simaudio is better than McIntosh.

I understand exactly why @BorisM speaks his mind the way he does. He’s not wrong.

#20

Flash,

For sure there are people who will buy on a “name” alone to brag to their friends (“Bose”) without regard to actual quality. There are people who will pay extravagant amounts for a “jewel” on top of a button. However, that won’t sustain a brand if there’s no real substance behind the bling. Real audiophiles want quality underneath the bling, even if making it costs more in that different higher end market.
Why would an audiophile pay 2X or 3x for a product that doesn’t measure OR sound better and on top of that has clumsy software. High end audiophiles want a responsive connected company that listens carefully to its users.
For years I have stated this without success.

StandardModel

#21

Rose may want to belong to different market segment (not that it mean anything anyway) but the only things they add above what EverSolo has is a bigger screen and a beefier price tag. Sound-wise it’s at best as good as EverSolo, and often inferior due to the lack of proper bass integration, PEQ, and other things that should be a given in 2025.

2 Likes
#23

Dear HiFi Rose users

Official HiFi Rose Response

  1. Concerns about Update Quality & Stability
    At this time, we cannot provide a general rollback function for software updates. Our policy remains that we always recommend users to operate on the latest version of Rose OS for stability and compatibility. However, if a user wishes to return to a previous version, we may provide an individual update package upon request.

  2. Hardware Quality and Reliability
    Some users may feel that hardware failures are frequent or systemic, largely because individual cases are shared and discussed openly in community spaces. In reality, Rose devices are used by a much larger number of customers worldwide, and the actual failure rate is very low relative to the total number of units sold.
    Additionally, we must clarify that sound quality cannot be negatively affected—or positively altered—by software updates on RS130, RS151, or any other models. Updates may improve stability or add functionality, but they do not change the audio quality.

  3. Customer Support and Communication
    We fully agree that restoring customer trust requires more than promises. Transparency and accountability are essential, and we are committed to continuously improving our communication and support practices.

  4. Concerns about Feature Changes or Removals
    In rare cases, certain features may need to be adjusted, removed, or behave differently after a firmware update. In such situations, we will make every effort to provide advance notice to users in order to minimize inconvenience and dissatisfaction.

  5. Feature Suggestions and Improvement Requests
    Regarding requests for expanded network dongle compatibility, we recommend users continue to use the officially verified Wi-Fi dongles that have been tested with HiFi Rose devices. At this time, we do not have plans to expand compatibility to other third-party dongles.
    We are, however, continuously improving our user interface and overall system to ensure smoother usability and to avoid issues in future updates.

1 Like
#24

So where is the apology for your product damaging my speakers

Nothing I get nothing no RMA nothing
No response of any kind!
I’ve reached out to Mo Fi… nothing
You can’t call anyone!
The good here is Sean At Upscale is helping…
But still No RMA.
Yep my unit has been broken for over three months now and I’ve been playing around with Mr KiHoon for this entire time!
Nothing no RMA.!
Brought it up to ROSEHAN on this site nothing!!
Some one needs to be accountable!
Nothing
Anyway my RS151 is sitting in it’s original box waiting to go out for repair…
Nothing!
Yep 3 months nothing!
Took two months to get a replacement dongle.
So it took Majico two days to send a replacement tweeter
From California to Maine. And because the speakers are a custom they have to make the correct ones at a cost of over 3 grand… Not just one pair but two pairs were affected!
Where’s that apology !
So I put back in play my original steamer that works flawlessly for over 4 years…
It’s run continuously for two days wireless! No drops no mysterious white noises.
KiHoon asked about my equipment more or less insinuating it my fault …
So FYI the same Amp is working just fine on other equipment!
Where is my RMA!!!

#25

As usual, lots of promises and zero action. The truth is that your devices are among the most expensive, and their support lags even among the cheapest devices from the competition. You can only promise things like Tidal Connect, and you probably won’t be able to access Spotify in lossless quality through Spotify Connect either.

1 Like
#26

Hifi Rose,

This announcement does not address the core issues customers face. It’s full of polished language, but there are no real answers. HiFi Rose keeps recycling the same promises about stability, inspections, and “customer satisfaction,” yet the problems persist: unstable software, buggy updates, hardware failures, and customer support that is almost non-existent.

Let’s be clear: blaming “component variances” for hardware failures is not an explanation, it’s an excuse. Customers have seen widespread issues across multiple models, not just a handful of outliers. If your quality control had been adequate in the first place, these problems would not be so common. And if you truly stand behind your products, you should be covering all post-sales failures regardless of warranty timelines, because they stem from your admitted lapses in quality management — not from customer misuse or bad luck. Anything less is shifting responsibility back onto your customers.

As for support, let’s stop pretending there is a functioning network. The reality is that this forum is the only meaningful support channel. Most distributors are either untrained, unresponsive, or completely unprepared to handle the technical problems that keep coming with HiFi Rose products. That means customers who pay thousands for premium gear are left troubleshooting on their own or relying on other users for fixes. That is unacceptable for a brand trying to position itself at the high end of the audio market.

If HiFi Rose is serious, then prove it.

  • Publish the actual hardware failure data and what you’re doing to address it.
  • Publicly commit to covering all failures tied to poor QC, regardless of warranty.
  • Create a real support infrastructure that doesn’t abandon customers after the sale.
  • Stop hiding behind vague language and direct messages — address problems openly in the community so everyone can see the resolution.

Until these steps happen, this isn’t a plan, it’s damage control. HiFi Rose customers don’t need more words — we need accountability, transparency, and real solutions.

-Duffer5

“Hifi Rose wrote:”
Dear HiFi Rose users,

We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support and trust in HiFi Rose. Your feedback and experiences with our products are extremely important to us, and we are committed to using them as the foundation to provide better products and services.

In this announcement, we would like to share with you the key improvements we are working on — including software stability and update policies, product quality management and after-sales support, and enhanced customer communication. These initiatives are part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen HiFi Rose as a brand you can trust.

1. Software Stability & Update Policy

HiFi Rose provides regular software updates to deliver new features and greater convenience. However, we recognize that some users have raised concerns about stability and completeness during the update process. We take these concerns very seriously and will place greater emphasis on stability alongside feature expansion and convenience in future updates.

1.1 Strengthening Software Stability

  • Enhanced Pre-Verification Process: Thorough multi-stage testing before release to minimize unexpected errors or performance degradation.
  • Function Continuity: Ensuring that the key features available at the time of purchase remain reliably supported, so customers can update with confidence.

1.2 Clearer Update Information

  • Transparent Change Logs: We will explain not only new or improved features but also any changes or adjustments, including the reasons behind them.
  • Swift Communication of Issues: Should problems arise, we will share the cause, current status, and our resolution plan with clear timelines.

1.3 Sustainable Service

  • Rollback & Recovery Support: Where necessary, we will prepare rollback mechanisms and provide guidance to ensure a stable user environment.
  • Expanded After-Sales Support: Alongside software improvements, we will continue to provide clear guidelines for warranty, repair, and replacement processes.

2. After-Sales Support for Hardware Issues Reported in the Community

We are aware that some customers have experienced hardware issues. After careful investigation of returned units, we confirmed that these were not caused by design or circuit defects, but rather by variances in specific components in a limited number of units.

Our actions include:

  • Stronger Pre-Shipment Inspections: More rigorous testing before distribution to minimize potential issues.
  • Proactive After-Sales Support: Strengthened service network to ensure quick inspection, repair, or replacement through our global distributors and service centers.

Our goal is to give every customer peace of mind when using HiFi Rose products by continuously refining our quality management system and providing responsible, timely support whenever issues occur.

3. Enhanced Customer Support & Communication

We recognize that at times, technical requests have not been addressed as fully as they should. To improve this, we are reinforcing specialized support channels so both new and experienced users can get the help they need.

  • Expanded Partner Support: Dealers and distributors will receive greater resources including stable parts supply, enhanced training, and updated technical documentation.
  • Faster, Solution-Focused Responses: We will set clear response time goals (SLA) and ensure transparent tracking from inquiry to resolution, moving beyond simple replies to real solutions.
  • Clearer Communication in the Community: Some customers perceived unanswered posts in the community. In most cases, responses were given via direct messages, or customers resolved issues without posting follow-ups. To avoid such misunderstandings, we will actively reply to community threads and clearly share resolutions so that everyone can see the outcomes.

Our Promise

HiFi Rose will continue to listen closely to the voices of our customers, uphold the commitments we make, and place customer satisfaction at the heart of everything we do.

We deeply appreciate your unwavering trust and support, and we look forward to rewarding you with even more advanced products and services.
[/quote]

1 Like
#27

Update.
Finally I got a Return authorization…Going to Nevada for evaluation…
But no one has made any effort to help , if it wasn’t for my nasty persistents then the darn thing would just sit in a box .
So I put back in play an old stand by streamer and it plays flawlessly, no drops , no network issues wireless, just sweet music!
KiHoon I believe was eluding my amp may be at fault, I say how. It loves my old PreAmp!
At any level …
Again people here ,ROSEHAN NO WORDS… :joy:

#28

I have a hifi rose rs 130 en de rd 160. And had never any issues with updates. And I love the SQ.
The fibre usb option works superp and is a unique feature in the hifi world.
Just to let you know everything can work fine.

7 Likes
#29

Fiber connection isn’t that unique. I have 2 Eversolo units that have it as well.

#30

Hello,
It’s not a question of fiber optic internet connection, but of streamers and DACs…
After testing the DMP-A6 and DMP-A8, they are clearly not comparable to the Roses, but it’s clear that these products are sufficient if you don’t hear any difference.
However, for more demanding installations, they go much further.

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#31

Demanding installations or demanding listeners? I think I have a demanding installation and troubleshooting all of the problems when they crop up can be a challenge.

As far as being a demanding listener, I place myself firmly in the camp that does not expect to hear differences between streamers and network transports. I concede however that a decent DAC can make a difference, albeit less than my hearing, my room, my speakers and my amplification — by a large margin.

Having something as simple as a streamer / digital transport work out of the box is not too much to ask. Its function as far as I can tell is easily replicated by a 10 year old MacBook. I think the RS130 tries to do too much and when it fails at anything it is a bit disappointing. I am learning to adapt though.

#32

I did a perfect a/b comparison using DMP-A8 as a transport and the rs-130. I had them reading the same stream as Roon endpoints. I kept flipping back and forth between the 2 units and could not hear any discernible difference. Had a dealer even tell me don’t bother buying an expensive transport since the biggest improvement could be made by upgrading the DAC. Rose does build a nice unit but it’s overpriced at $6k USD and had a horrible UI experience.

I have a very high end system. My ears tell me to save my money and buy reasonably priced equipment. My B stock amplifier probably costs more than some people’s entire systems.

1 Like
#33

I too started with a Mac mini, then modified it, then with a NAS…
And later I got a Rose RS250a which did just as well, or even a little better, than all this computing with its multiple boxes…
So it’s simple: you take an Eversolo and a Rose for testing, you listen, and you choose the one that suits you best! At home, on my system with Goldmund electronics and Magico speakers, there’s a clear advantage in favor of the Rose, but it’s clear that if I hadn’t heard big differences, an Eversolo would have been enough!

4 Likes