Hello,
I have been living with the Hifi Rose RS150B for almost six months now. I have found it to offer a level of versatility unmatched by other DAC/Streamers. I also think it’s sound quality is extremely good, perhaps not the equal of some higher priced DACs, but all in all, very, very good. I recently compared it directly with a Lumin T3 in my system and although both are quite good, I much preferred the tonality of the Rose. As a streamer, I have no complaints at all. I primarily stream Qobuz and I have been very satisfied with the Rose App’s format and functionality. However, when it comes to both my local network music files’ access and their management, it is not a mature platform. The same holds true for storing music on an internal SSD. I have installed a Samsung 4TB SSD and once I realized how challenging if not impossible it would be to copy files from external drives via USB, and equally challenging over the Network, I defaulted to ripping CD’s. It was then that I learned the Rose OS doesn’t always recognize the CD’s “metadata”, i.e., its album art, title and songs, sometimes overlaying a completely different and totally unrelated artist and album. The music is correct, but it is incorrectly associated. To make matters worse, I don’t think it can be edited on the internal SSD, at least I have not figured that out. So, what’s my point of adding this comment now? I am hoping Rose will address the defects in the near future, or at least offer specific and easily implemented remedies. There is so much to like about this product, including its video capabilities that I have not touched on, but it is a shame these are somewhat diminished by the current weaknesses associated with managing and accessing music over a local network or on an internal SSD.
Thank you!
I have lot of similar issues. I am unable to read the music files on my network SAN. In order to get it to work, I had to copy some of my music files to a USB SSD and plug it into the USB port on the back of the device. This should not be a permanent situation, because the SSD does not hold all my content.
I really love the sound the RS150B creates for my amp and speakers, but it would be better if the network share capabilities work and I did not have to use extra drives for my music collection.
It also makes the other digital sources directly connected by the coaxial and the optical inputs sound much better than directly connected my Parasound Hint6.
I wish I had something enlightening to share, but our experiences are quite similar. I too resorted to the USB inputs for a pair of external hard drives. I don’t know why Rose has not given more preference and attention to accessing and managing files over the network? The RS150B is more focused on streaming than rendering for sure. I have read many complaints that even when a path is created, scanning a large library over the network is extremely slow and cumbersome. Mine is over 14 TB so I have not even tried it. That’s because the one work around I found involves using JRiver as my IMac’s music server platform coupled with the JRemote App. The Rose recognizes that and it works quite well with the one exception that for some reason it won’t play gap-less. I’m willing to live with that one shortcoming given all the positive attributes the RS150 offers, including great sound! I hope this helps.
Well we both have large music libraries, and it is somewhat refreshing that I am not the only one with the issue. I am ready to also live with the external SSD until they can get their act together and get networking large volumes to work. As for streaming , well that is taken care of by my Sonos Port device. I do not use most of the streaming services because I have everything I need on the storage system. I only use Spotify.
I do love the sound of this device and have no desire to change.
RS150B: one month with me. It sounds very well!
A) USB Audio IN. The driver for a connection to a PC is stated for Win10 and Win 11.
It works well with Win11, with JRiver software. It do not work with Win10, tried with two different PCs.
B) USB Audio IN. The volume of 150B is not adjustable! It is a serious lack!
I hope you will add this feature in the next software update.
C) Music on the net. My net is a domestic Windows net. HDs, Folders, files, all in “sharing”, DLNA and UpnP activated, but 150B is able to play only the files on the NAS. I have a HD connected to NAS through USB. RS150B is not able to run the files of this HD.
Could be the reason the fact I have on line 32TB of music (12TB the NAS and 20TB the HD connected)?? Problems for the 150B’s database??
Thanks for an answer!
Hi all,
I’m having the same disfunctionalities with my 250A and addressed my thoughts through this blog, but nothing happened and nothing improved. It’s a pity because the hardware is good but the software is very poor.
Regards,
Lorenzo
its a big shame that this not has been fixed, its almost like a child has done it, mad about it, i hav e a list of at least 10 things i hate about the same isue,but my English is so poor so i would shut up instead .but NOT impressed with the 150b.
Hello,
Since I wrote my first comments I have learned a little more. There is some file management capacity within the software between external USB drives as well as the internal SSD, but it’s pretty basic. I found it much easier to connect the internal SSD to my PC and do the file transfers that way, then reinstall it in the Rose. Once set up and installed, it works very well, even though again, its format is pretty basic. I think Rose is aware of the shortcomings, but up until now has chosen to focus on other attributes of the 150B. If like me, you value the video capabilities it offers, there’s really nothing else out there that competes. It’s taken a lot of time and patience to get to the point where I am content to live with its shortcomings because of the many positive attributes it possesses, none the least of which is its sound quality.
My only comment about C), is from what I have read, it takes the Rose forever to scan large databases over the network. I think most users give up before the scan is completed. Even so, it should not take so long in the first place. Hopefully, at some point they will get this resolved. Other manufactures have, so it should not remain such a problem for Rose IF they choose to address it.
Can you really not use the volume when you are reading music from USB in? I am receiving the RS250a soon and was planning on connecting an external hard drive to the USB in and play directly to a power amp, with the RS25Oa controlling the volume. Is this not possible??
I think it is entirely possible. The source of the music files should not impact how the amp’s output is controlled. I have two external USB connected drives, and the volume of my RS150B can either be controlled by the 150B itself (variable output), or I can fix the output of the 150B using one of several output level options, and use the volume control on my integrated amp. In my case, I chose the latter.