I've given up and sold my RS130

ROSE Products
#1

OK. Today I have finally given up and sold my RS130.

The hardware is good but the native software is frankly appalling and shows no signs of the fundamental improvements needed being actioned. Major bugs or shortfalls are never addressed, such as the ability to filter by Album Artist rather than just Artist. As has been mentioned elsewhere, some of the decision trees are baffling - clearing the current queue takes four or five keypresses with two Confirmations. It’s been suggested that software development was outsourced, which might explain a lot.

Release management is also shambolic. The latest Early Access version claims to have the ability to do
DLNA playback but there’s no mention of this in the menus and do explanation of how to activate it anywhere. An early release just stopped all USB DACs from being recognised so the testing regime is insufficient, and support have stated they’re adding stuff right up to the point of release which is appalling practice.

The support team on here are well meaning but do not seem to have the technical knowledge to address issues, nor the ability to pressure the development team into action.

I really wanted to like the Rose but it’s only really usable as a Roon endpoint and then, despite what Boris believes, there’s a sound quality penalty.

Regretfully, farewell.

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#2

Alas, it is only in your imagination. And that would have been only in the case that 130 could affect the sound quality in any way, which is absolutely impossible.

Software is pretty bad though, even if you could play DLNA with official release software. But people buying something like a 130 can’t really be expected to do any kind of loigcal thinking.

#3

I thought about selling mine too but you end up taking a hit and losing money when you sell audio equipment. I have done a comparison between using the Rose app and using as a Roon endpoint. I could hear no difference between the 2. I don’t particularly care for the Apple Music API having no gapless playback. For the Rose playing AAC for AM, it doesn’t sound all that bad, but I bought an Eversolo DMP-A8 since it can run the native Android app in Lossless and Hi Res.

I compared the Rose and Eversolo as Roon endpoints and the Rose sounds slightly better to me. HiFi Huff describes the Eversolo as being a little learner sounding than Rose. I have to agree with him on that.

I hope you find the streamer with the perfect app.

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#4

I agree that the software is in parts unusable and gave me question marks about the brand while i enjoy other unexpected functions.

I my case that is simple FLAC files from internal SSD and the inability to read, sort, list and organise tagged files (Artist and Album Artist) (multiple genres, artists, composers and so on there is no separator sign.

The tags are all coming form certified taggers and are officially sanctioned. I compare that to the audio player in windows with which i manage the music.

#5

I really wanted to like the Rose but it’s only really usable as a Roon endpoint and then, despite what Boris believes, there’s a sound quality penalty.

Could you explain why that might be the case? What testing methodology have you used?

Is this behavior limited to a specific streaming service, or have you observed it with local FLAC files in Roon as well—whether played internally or over SMB?

#6

I could speculate that there’s something about the operation of the RAAT protocol, or the interaction of the Roon Bridge software that somehow affects the signal sent to the DAC (but not the actual bits) but, as I’m sure you’d point out, speculation is what I would be doing.

TLDR: Don’t know.

Oddly enough, listening to the same track back to back through both options, connected to the same DAC through the same cable without touching any controls.

I’m not sure I fully understood this, but answering the bit I did understand, it’s consistent between tracks streamed from Qobuz via Roon vs the Qobuz app on the Rose, and between files held on the RS130 (or even on a NAS)using the Rose player, and via Roon using files held on the Roon server itself.

The local files are generally in aiff format, but it didn’t seem to make any difference when I tried using a few flac files.

#7

Which, of course, would make no sense whatsoever since, despite what some willfully ignorant people might say, DAC only cares about the “actual bits” and not how they got there.

So, the testing was not blind, so the results are quite worthless.

This is quite classic case of people persuading themselves (and each other) of nonexistent differences, then trying to find nonsensical explanations for them.

#8

Boris

I’ve been patronised by masters of the craft, people so good at it that you don’t realise it’s happened until two days later. You’re a clumsy amateur by comparison.

As a hardware engineer friend of mine said about your "only cares about the “actual bits” and not how they got there: “that’s a software person’s view of the world”.

One of the collateral benefits of leaving the Rose world is that I won’t have to read your arrogant input any more. You are, to use one of my favourite internet initialisms, LCW - loud, confident and wrong.

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#9

As often happens with people who are ignorant, uneducated, but just too dumb to realize that, you are vastly overestimating your importance if you believe that anyone cares to patronise you.

Would he be an “engineer” for FraudioQuest? Or for BS Audio?

Of course, if you (or your mythical “engineer” friend) think that bits would have even gotten to the DAC differently after passing through the 130… does your momma need to remind you daily not to stick your fork (oxygen free audiophile fork, of course!) into a wall socket?

Don’t worry, having a double-digit IQ, you will manage to replace your 130 with something equally useless.

#10

Boris

I refer you to the reply given in Arkell vs Pressdram

#11

Oooh, were you being ironic here and your pretense of there being any sonic difference is just a satire of clueless audiophools?

Or, far more likely, being a double-digit IQ buyer of a DACless streamer, you totally missed the point of that famous case, too.

#12

I had the 150, traded it in for 130 and also purchased the 160 DAC. I absolutely love it!!! Maybe i am lucky I don’t have software problems or maybe i will in the future but right now it is a fabulous system!!

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#13

Thank you.

Reason i ask, is that unless we go with some fairly concrete theories on what can be the cause ts all just guess work and subjective conclusions.

I´v tested my self and in my chain there is absolutely NO audiable difference between streaming or local playback of hires flac/dsd files in terms of roon vs rose internal player.

My chain is ROON server–RS130–Gustard U18 i2s–Gustard X30 XLR–Yamaha A-S3200–KEF R 3 Meta/Dalie Menuet SE.

The RS130 own player is mediocre at best in comparison, just as eversolo. I haven´t used a single stand alone player that will rival ROON’s UI and integration.

1 Like
#14

Understood

In my system it is audible, although the extent varies.

Agree completely about the Rose player vs Roon for usability.

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#15

@Vainlord i agree 100% that it’s hard to beat Roon UI. I own both RS130 and Eversolo damp-a8 and use only Roon. I’ve only ever used the Apple Music cast function on Eversolo so haven’t set up my NAS library on the Eversolo. I don’t hear any difference between using Rose connect app or Roon. I do have a high end system and I would be able to hear differences.

#16

@the_bat I’ve joined you and sold my RS130 today. I found it when I responded to an ad for an open box RS130. The dealer was desperate to make a sale and offered a new one for the open box price. I was disappointed with the software by week 2 of ownership. I was slightly annoyed with the dealer since I specifically asked him about the app. He said it was better than BlueSound. I beg to differ on that one.

I’ve never had any hardware issues, but the app is so cumbersome that I had to turn to Roon for a usable UI. I don’t feel like being Rose’s guinea pig on what works and doesn’t work. The library management stinks!

I wish all well in their journey for great music.

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#17

Totally agree with you on the software part of Rose.

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