RS 520 must do better

ROSE Products RS520
#1

So I have the RS520 for a couple of months now. Last year I briefly owned a RS250, but I did not like the soud and thought it was not at all user friendly. The manual was horrible and there was no decent explanation on all functions
Also all the fun elements (like VU meters and Rose FM, RoseTube) did not work with all types of input (VU meters). So I sold it after a couple of weeks.

The RS520 experience is much the same.
On the upside:
Sound has much improved on clarity, sound stage and placement.
Beautiful design, very well built, beautiful screen
Many options and connections

On the downside:
Still no working manual, it even fails to mention the seperate Wifi/Bluetooth dongle and does still not explain all functionalities properly.
Very hard to use due to strange choices in the OS
VU meters and Equalizer do not function with all sound inputs esp. Spotify. You need a seperate streamer to get these things to work, but that leads to operational issues
Too much Rose software filled with Korean content for eu market
Rose FM does not work properly in eu and has very limited region choices
The screen design is definetely not used to its full potential in most functionalities
Remote functionality is limited and the app design is not easy to use

Though I understand a complicated well featured one-in-all device takes time to understand, this RS520 with the present firmware requires way too much effort.

As a lot of my main issues are the same as with the RS250 from over a year ago, I doubt that future updates will fix the basic problems. It seems the RS is enthousiastically over engineered with a focus on technical challenges. Shame it is still lacking in the OS and design potentials.

7 Likes
#2

I agree on the whole!!! Rose OS and apps should be sent to Apple to be simplified and streamlined so we could enjoy our music instead of losing time with geeky gadgets.

3 Likes
#3

@Massel you can add to your list, the issue with the ARC/eARC input.

eARC INPUT doesn’t work unless you do a lot of prep:
-turn TV off
-unplugg hdmi’s from TV
-plug back TV
-start RS520
-plug in the hdmi ARC to TV
-wait
-plug hdmi into RS520
-wait
-change the sound settings on TV to Home Cinema (7 times out of 10 this doesn’t work)
-then…if you are lucky, you get sound from RS520

If you turn tv off, you have to start again these steps…absolutely a nightmare.

I’ve had no issues with my previous amps.

This is an expensive piece of kit, it should perform better. Tempted to hand it back and go for NAD M33 instead.

3 Likes
#4

Yes it is a crying shame! I’d hate to see you go for the NAD though, it definetely sounds not as good as the Rose. In my experience the NAD is way too dry and boring for the money. I did a side by side with the Rose and my Musical Fidelity Nu Vista Pre and power 300 and it actually came close. So the gnat thing works, but Gato is way out of my leage for now. I’ll hang on to the MF Nu Vista’s for a bit.

#5

Why not take a look at the NAIM Streamers… I’m also on that page :wink:

1 Like
#6

it’s a pity that none of ROSE reports on this

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#7

Yes I looked at Naim, but the sound is very dull and undynamic. They are also way too expensive for what the bring. The same goes for the Cambridge Audio 150. I bought one after I sold the Rose RS250. The sound and features were better than the Naim but not as good as the Rose. Up till now the search for a good functioning high end compact all-in-one has cost me a lot of time and money;-(

1 Like
#8

I’m afraid yours is a never ending quest, in search for the perfect all-in-one streamer :smiley:. I’m very happy with my 520, I’m still running in both the device and the loudspeakers. My main complaint is its complexity and lack of menu usability. It was designed by a team of engineers, instead of someone with the customer in his mind.

2 Likes
#9

But why you need the manual? It was quite straight forward with nothing need to be experiment. I owned the RS250 before and pretty satisfied with it.

3 Likes
#10

Dear Alain
Clic here :
(Nothing bothers you?

#11

Well, you would need a manual to learn (before you buy) it that the equalizer and VU meters do not work with the Spotify client so that you have to go through an external streamer. And that just one thing that affects the quality ansd ease of of use of the RS520 (as did the 250) .Getting a definite answer to questions like this through Rose’s customer service takes ages. And that just one thing. Given that there is no generous return policy in most of the EU the Rose turns out to be quite time and money consuming.

#12

My RS520 is already broken now.
I will return it to the dealer and ask for a replacement.
What happens is that shortly after switch on there is an enormously loud bang from the left channel speaker.
I was afraid that it had destroyed one or all drivers, but luckily not.
Then the same happened after switch on from sleep mode.
This morning I changed the speaker connections to identify if it is the speakers or the RS520.
Same thing happened now on the right. So it is not the speakers.
The bang was louder this time so I immediately switched the speakers off and then powered down.
This time I really was afraid that the speaker had been blown up, but fortunately not.

It is too bad, because the sound is really good.
I agree with the others on this page. Rose must do better.
Needless to say that I run the latest update from a few days ago. (4.4.2)

I am curious to what the dealer will have to say about this.

Paulus

#13

I sent my 15days old RS520 back to the shop to investigate the fault (“RS520 - Popping and crackling noise from the right channel”).
I’m currently with no device or a replacement, I should find out (hopefully tomorrow) what is going on.
Lovely sound, beautiful screen but a few issues for me: 1) eARC not working unless I do a few tasks (you will find my post in here; 2) Sound delays when connected via OPTICAL in and now, 3) the popping sound in my right speaker.
I am wondering if RS150B would be a better option…?!?

1 Like
#14

Rose 150b is the maximum obtainable as a digital source and with an excellent internal dac. if you have a good amplifier or you think you can buy one ad hoc, the overall performance could also be more satisfactory. Anyway the 520 remains an extraordinary machine, maybe wait to try it calmly after the repair. You will decide later…
Good plays :grinning: :musical_note:

1 Like
#15

@Flash, I agree with you 100%, I’ll wait and see…appreciate your advice, thank you!

#16

I took my RS520 to the dealer and they took it to the importer in my country.
They already knew that the opamp(s) were of an inferior quality and would fail.
They could have told me earlier and change the opamp(s) before selling the unit to me.
Apparently it is not soldered but clicked in, so a quick fix.
Took only 2 days and is working again.

It is playing music again.
What will go wrong next???

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#17

My first one arrived broken, got a replacement in fairly short order and I discovered that I did not like it.
I have returned it to the dealer. Moving on to something else.

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#19

Hmm, some of us are actually capable of operating a sophisticated product like RS series. Some, of course, aren’t and would be happier with something simpler.

4 Likes
#20

I am a happy user of both RS250 & 150. To me , I don’t see any problem at all, but just won’t totally satisfied with the performance only! I add an external dac to bypass the stock one.
I agree there are many streamers in the market. But nearly all of them has functional problem in different aspects. For the aurender mentioned, what I dislike is, not user friendly to rip music file to the unit. Some of them are restricted to read external hd when connected via usb. It can only read after inputting to the unit. Only the rose could meet all my needs in every way!

2 Likes
#21

I don’t understand how you have any say or state your option on a product you don’t own. It’s hilarious to me. Your source is a few people who don’t know how to use the product on forums. That’s what a forum is for is to ask for help. How about the many thousands of people who don’t have any issues? What a joke. Yeah they have some things to sort out but calm down. You won’t find a better streamer and upsampler on the market believe me I’ve looked.

1 Like