Using laptop computer as front end for RS130

ROSE Products RS130
#1

The RS130 is a well-built component that I think is pretty much unrivaled with regard to the features it offers. I have found the software component of the RS130 to be deficient in terms of basic functionality and can be downright maddening at times. I am confident that given enough time the software engineers will solve these glitches. In the mean time I was thinking about hooking up a laptop to the USB input of the RS130 and navigating my streaming apps as well as my saved music library via the computer interface rather than through the RS130 and the Rose Connect app.

Does anyone have experience with this? Is there any downside to sound quality going this route?

Thank you.

#2

You don’t need to use USB. You can control it over the network from your laptop.

#3

Thank you for the response GB. Just to be clear, I am trying to use my MacBook Pro for my music library and as the music streamer, only using the RS130 as a pass thru to my DAC. I have figured out how to connect by AirPlay but not by a direct connection. My laptop and the RS130 don’t recognize each other when I connect through the USB port. Are you saying that if I have them on the same network that I can execute my plan? If so, any tips would be welcome. I am pretty sure AirPlay is capped at 44/16.

I am only going to do this until HiFi Rose gets its software issues sorted out.

#4

Take Roon with the Mac and it works through the network (Roon ready)

#5

Thank you. I am willing to try just about anything to get this to work short of putting the RS130 back in its box at this point. Do I need additional hardware to get the Mac to use Roon Ready?

#6

I’ve had the RS30, and also the RD160, for a few days now and have gotten used to its software shortcomings.

Specifically, what are your concerns?
Accessing stored music?
Streaming?

It works well enough for me that I don’t need to use Roon.
I suggest we try to see how we can combine our needs and methods to use the RS130 without needing Roon.

Qu’en pensez-vous ?

#7

Hi domrol, thank you. My issues with the RS130 fall into 3 categories, accessing stored music from the internal SSD, streaming and listening to music in Dolby Atmos.

I think I made progress with the SSD this morning after reading a number of posts on various topics here on the forum. You never know where you might find a solution so I have taken to reading them all. What I learned was that when trying to access the music on the SSD is to avoid going through the Folders view on ROSEDISK. When I select an album through the Folder view, it does not play the album when I press the forward arrow or shuffle button on the unit, instead the display says Unknown Artist and it gets hung up. However if I access the album though the Artist view or Album view or Genre view the album does play when I hit the forward arrow button. It was such a relief. I am certain that many have discovered this earlier or perhaps never even tried accessing albums through the Folder view, but that was the path I chose and it led to some frustrations.

I am going to try to tackle my music streaming issues today, but they mainly have to do with the ends and beginning of songs being chopped off.

My Dolby Atmos problem may be the most challenging because it might not be the RS130 that is the culprit but rather my Trinnov processor and the HDMI connection between the two units. Right now I am avoiding the HDMI complication by avoiding it altogether and using optical or coax to the Trinnov or my McIntosh C2800 to troubleshoot the RS130. I will come back to the Dolby Atmos problem when I get the basic 2-channel operation of the RS130 sorted.

For now I will postpone my plans to use the RS130 as a pass thru for my MacBook, something that I really did not want to do.

#8

I’m truly sorry for all your troubles.

How long have you had your RS130?

From what I’ve read here and there, as it stands, it would be better to place its data storage externally rather than inside the machine.
You could put your SSD in an enclosure and connect it to one of the two USB ports; that should work better.

Where is the source of your Dolby Atmos music?

I’m not at all sure that the RS130 is capable of outputting multi-channel video streams via its HDMI port, but only in stereo, unless it’s possible to configure it for passthrough somewhere.

#9

I have been playing with the RS130 for about a month. It is part of a larger hybrid home theater / music room so I have not always given it total attention. Have been trying to determine if I want to invest in the RD160 but am currently satisfied with the DACs built into my Trinnov and Mac preamp.

I appreciate your sympathies, but these are really first world problems in the grand scheme of things.

Anyway, like I mentioned above I think I have solved my internal SSD problem today so I can check one box for now.

Regarding Atmos, I was referring to the audio application only, not video. In the manual on page 41 it says that there is an HDMI Passthrough feature that sends surround sound to an audio receiver without decoding. However I just went to my room and tried to pass Spatial Audio via Apple Music to the RS130 and onto the Trinnov and sadly only two channel sound was sent. And while the manual says that there is an HDMI passthrough setting, I cannot locate it. Perhaps it was removed in one of the software updates. I hope they can figure that out.

In the meantime I will listen to Dolby Atmos music on Blu-ray Disc or through my AppleTV. If you have never heard Dark Side Of The Moon or other well produced Atmos remixes, you should try. It is special.

Anyway, thanks again. If I learn anything else I will post here and I hope you do the same.