My RS130 i2S doesn't work at all

Function IN/OUT Settings
#21

Hello.
Please see my issue above with the i2S connection, starting with my April 1, 2025, message. My answers to your two questions on April 29th are as follows:

  1. My Terminator II & RS130 are my only components with i2S. I have a Bluesound Node X, but it does not have an i2S connection. The USB out on the RS130 works fine with the Terminator. However, I prefer the sound quality of the i2S over USB.
  2. My i2S cable is a brand new Audioquest Vodka cable. I’ve tried another new i2S cable and verified that it does not work either.

With regards to your 3rd question on April 27th, I have verified the i2S connection does not work when I play RoseTube videos.

Please let me know what you recommend to resolve this problem…
Am I the only person who has experienced this problem?
What was the solution for EGR64 and others who had the same problem?

Regards,
Jim

#22

It’s been a long time now but it’s been working. But I have had several different cables to use and try. So I just quit worrying about it after I found a cable that worked I guess. Good luck to you.

#23

Hello @ROSEHAN. Please let me know the status of my above support request that started in my April 1st message above.
Regards,
Jim

#24

@JimmySandman

We’re sorry to hear about the issue with your I2S connection. Based on your description static noise and crackling through your DAC/AMP/speakers while other inputs work fine, here are a few steps to help isolate the problem:

  1. Check I2S Output Settings:
    On your HiFi Rose device, go to Settings → Audio Output and confirm that the I2S format (e.g., pin configuration, DSD settings) matches the requirements of your DAC. Some DACs require specific I2S pin mappings or toggle settings.
  2. Test with a Different Cable or Port (if available):
    Although your Audioquest Vodka HDMI cable has been working well, it may help to test with another high-quality HDMI cable temporarily to rule out a hardware fault.
  3. Power Cycle Both Devices:
    Fully power off both the RS unit and your DAC/AMP, then power them back on. Sometimes I2S handshake issues can be resolved with a fresh initialization.
  4. Firmware Update:
    Ensure your HiFi Rose unit is running the latest firmware. Occasionally, updates include fixes or improvements for I2S output stability.
#25

Hello. I have done all four of the steps you recommended and none of them were able to fix the I2S problem. Could you please elevate my problem to your technical or engineering team?
Jim

#26

@JimmySandman

I will forward your issue to the software team.

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#27

Hello. It’s been three weeks. Have you received any feedback from the Rose software team regarding my RS130’s I2S problem, per our messaging above?
Jim

#28

Hello. It’s been four weeks. Have you received any feedback from the Rose software team regarding my RS130’s I2S problem, per our messaging above?
Cheers,
Jim

#29

@JimmySandman

Sorry for the late reply.

  1. You connected the RS130 to the Terminator II DAC via i2S, and it worked fine before, but at some point it stopped working?
  2. Can you take detailed pictures of the symptoms and send them to the email below?
    eunseong96@citech.kr
#30

Here are the answers to today’s questions you asked:

  1. Yes
  2. There really is not anything to take a photo of. A generic HDMI cable and then an Audioquest HDMI cable have been plugged into the i2S ports of both the RS130 and the Denafrips Terminator II DAC. The connection worked very well in i2S A-mode for eight weeks and produced beautiful sounding music–i.e., two weeks with the generic cable and six weeks with the upgraded Audioquest cable. Then it stopped working around April 1st, when I first reported the problem above, and has only produced faint static and crackling noise through my speakers with no music.

After four weeks, does the software team have any other solutions given all of the thorough information I have provided per your questions above that you started asking me April 27th?
Jim

#31

Have you Un-Plugged your Denafrips Terminator II DAC to reset it and verified the DACs I2s pinout settings.
I use a RS130 on A mode PS Audio standard to my Denafrips Terminator 15th DAC with the I2s set with all lights off 0.0.0 with a Tubulus Concentus I2s cable or Wireworld Silver Sphere 48 HDMI cable or Audioquest Thunderbird 48 cable that all work fine.

#32

Hi Michaels1963,
Can you please specify which version you used on the RS130 (A Mode or B Mode) with the Wireworld Silver Sphere 48 HDMI cable?
Have you also tried the Wireworld Stellar™ 48 Fiber Optic HDMI Cable?

#33

I’m not an i²s expert so I may be wrong. AFAIK, your HDMI Cable may be the problem. See Michaels1963’s post; he recommends

  • a Tubulus Concentus I2s cable ← see tubulus.net
  • or Wireworld Silver Sphere 48 HDMI cable
  • or Audioquest Thunderbird 48 cable
#34

True there are a few HDMI cables that will not work with I2s
There is no standard protocol for I2s but most not all manufactures use the open-source PS Audio standard, also eARC HDMI cables are not compatible with I2s

#35

BTW, For a small fee, Tubulus will custom build the cable’s pin connections ← for details see www.tubulus.net

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#36

“A Mode” which uses the PS Audio standard pinout since there is no industry standard for I2s most but not all manufactures use the PS Audio standard.
There is no need to use fiber HDMI for I2s to work properly most manufactures recommend a HDMI cable no longer than 1 meter in length

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#37

I thought an i2s cable’s pin connections were hardware connections (hence, Tubulus’s offer to custom build the cable). If this is true, then why/how can a generic Wireworld/Audioquest HDMI Cable work?

#38

Wireworld and Audioquest plus many other manufactures make standard HDMI cables with 19 individual wires for Audio and Video so all 19 wires are not used for I2s
Tubulus makes their cables to order they don’t keep them in stock on the shelf. Tubulus I2s cables only use the necessary wires for the audio only with no video wires it keeps the noise to a minimum. I2s is used to transport digital data between digital devices and the first company PS Audio to implement I2s between there SCAD transport and there DACs chose to use a HDMI cable because it can transmit digital data fast enough for the purpose and its widely available. Some manufacture also use Ethernet cables with RJ45 connectors to transport digital data between devices ether way the sending device and the receiving device need to be setup with the same pin configuration to communicate with each other properly

#39

Thanks for the answer,
I didn’t say that HDMI with fiber optic is needed, I just asked if you tried such a cable.
By analogy, if fiber optic is better for the ethernet connection, I wonder if here too an HDMI cable with fiber optic wouldn’t have better performance than copper.

#40

Like you I have wondered the same thing since I run fiber optic cable from my data closet to my listening room’s Matrix Audio SS-1 Pro switch then fiber to my Rose RS130
No, I have not tried fiber optic HDMI cables because they are designed for long runs and most high-quality fiber optic HDMI cables start at 5.0 meters, and all of my equipment is close to each other on two purpose built stereo racks and the manufactures of my I2s DACs Denafrips Terminator-15, Denafrips Venus II 12th, Ferrum Wandla GSE all recommend I2s cables to be 1.0 meters or less.