The HiFi Rose RS250A is a streamer and a preamp that comes with the same sized 8.8-inch touch capacitive display and the same dimensional form factor as the RS201E, but this model steps up the build quality inside and out for a greater emphasis on sound quality. For starters, stepping up to the RS250A will get you a higher-performance 32-bit ESS Sabre DAC chip. HiFi Rose RS250 The ES9038 Q2M DAC is ESS’s extremely quiet 2-channel DAC that features a minimum-phase slow roll-off filter with ultra-low noise for a smoother, more natural, resolute sound. In terms of audio file playback, the RS250A can handle more hi-res audio formats compared to the RS201E—up to 32-bit/768KHz (MQA, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, DFF, DSF, AAC, CDA, AMR, APE, EC3, E-EC3, MID, MPL, MP2, MPC, MPGA, M4A, AIFF, PCM, DSD). The RS250A’s internal power supply uses a fully linear configuration rather than an external switch-mode system, which minimizes electrical noise and distortion from being transmitted to the high-performance DAC. A linear power supply can give you the best possible sound, since it shields the power system away from the audio signal, while also providing clean, reliable power to the CPU and the audio output circuits. HiFi Rose RS250 - Close up Doubling down on all the optimizations to the internal components and circuitry, the RS250A’s aluminum enclosure is also acoustically optimized. Its high-quality aluminum front-top plate was processed as an integral unit to maximize thermal efficiency and to reduce vibrations throughout the chassis, which also added an extra 2 lbs to the RS250A’s overall weight. Additionally, there is a very smooth rotary-style control right above the headphone jack for a premium feel that just looks fantastic with the RS250’s silver finish. The rear panel has similar inputs & outputs as the RS201E for connecting devices and other gear, but in lieu of speaker outputs, there is a pair of single-ended analog outputs for connecting a power amp or a pair of active speakers, plus three digital audio outputs, including—coaxial, optical Toslink, one USB Type-A audio output, and one HDMI 2.0 port that will output video with a resolution up to 3840 × 2160 at 60Hz. For connecting with sources, there’s a pair of single-ended RCA analog inputs plus all the digital inputs, including—coaxial, optical Toslink, one USB Type-B audio input that will let you connect a computer or a laptop, plus another USB 3.0 Type-A port for connecting USB storage devices, and an Ethernet port to connect it over WIFI. The RS250A will also do Airplay, DLNA, Roon, Spotify Connect, Tidal, Qobuz, and more. HiFi Rose RS250 - Back view If you have a legacy DAC that you just love the sound of with only S/PDIF inputs, then the RS250A could act as a network bridge. Or, use the RS250A as a DAC/preamp with a variable output, which is ideal for a power amp. You could also connect a phono preamp to the RS250’s analog inputs and use it with a turntable. If you don’t need a built-in integrated amp inside your streaming DAC, stepping up from the RS201E to the RS250A will give you ESS’s flagship single stereo DAC for the best sound reproduction on 2-channel music. As a streaming DAC, preamplifier, and Roon Endpoint, it’s designed to be an all-in-one hub for a high-end 2-channel audio system. Details & Specs Pure Sound Flagship Single Stereo Design DAC RS250A with built-in ESS flagship DAC (ES9038 Q2M) provides low-noise, low-distortion ultra-high-resolution sound, and rich analog density through proprietary processing that supports PCM 32bit/768KHz and Native DSD512 (22.5792Mhz). Close up shot of HIFI Rose RS250 Network Streamer front panel. Analog Acoustic Sensitivities Acoustic engineers and audio craftsmen with 30 years of experience tune the device to deliver the original impression and intention of high-quality sound. It clearly expresses the entire range, from the magnificent and rich bass to the delicate and elegant highs. Linear Power Circuitry Design The linear power supply provides a clean and reliable power supply to the CPU and audio-output circuits. A fully linear power supply and shielding are applied, and noise that may be transmitted to sensitive DAC is blocked for the best possible sound reproduction. Close up shot of HIFI Rose RS250 Network Streamer volume knob on the front panel. Integral Aluminum Cutting-Processed Case The chassis is made with high-quality aluminum that houses the linear power system, high-performance DAC & preamplifier section for a modern look. High-purity aluminum is processed as an integral unit to maximize thermal efficiency, and by minimizing the assembly area, vibrations that can affect the sound quality are greatly reduced, creating a profound and ideal sense of space. Top-view of HIFI Rose RS150 top panel in black color. High-Resolution Audio & Video Hi-Fi ROSE is officially certified as “High-Resolution Audio” licensed by the JAS (Japan Audio Society). Ultra HD 4K Video Support Watch Local or RoseTube video files in Ultra HD 4K quality on a large display with an HDMI connection. Feel the magnificent and vivid touch of the Opera House at home now. MQA Certified RS250A supports MQA full decoder technology, so you can play studio mastering quality sound. MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) is an award-winning British technology that delivers the sound of the original master recording. The master MQA file is fully authenticated and is small enough to stream or download. MQA is the only technology capable of seamlessly streaming the original master sound in low capacity. Graphic image of MQA certification showing a male audio engineer in front of a mixing console. Elegant Control 8.8-Inch-Wide Touch Screen Intuitive, and convenient interface through high-resolution Multi-Touch panel. The front display can play album art and music videos from a wide viewing angle. Close-up shot of the 8.8-inch wide touchscreen on the front panel of theHIFI Rose RS150 Network Streamer. ROSE Connect App This intuitive and dedicated application allows users to play all music and videos from local and network sources. HIFI Rose companion app on mobile devices and tablets. Bluetooth Remote Controller You can easily control the device with a dedicated Bluetooth remote controller. ROSE OS Compatible HiFi Rose OS system provides an innovative musical experience. In addition to playing and streaming ultra-high-quality music, it offers a variety of services including 4K high-definition video playback, music-oriented YouTube listening, Podcasts, various radio broadcasts around the world, CD playback, and ripping. MUSIC & VIDEO: Play music and video files on a local storage device (USB / SSD). Also, you can build your home network library with a NAS connection. You can play music categorized by recent albums, albums, artists, genres, composers, and songs. SPOTIFY CONNECT: Spotify Connect allows you to play and wirelessly control Spotify music on your ROSE OS over a network. With the Spotify Connect function, you can enjoy a variety of music with hi-fi sound quality on your ROSE device. TIDAL: Built-in Tidal App for high-performance streaming service. Easily integrate all existing features, such as sign-in, playlist, and playback. Supports MQA Full Decoder, so you can enjoy high-resolution music. QOBUZ: Enjoy music streaming with Qobuz’s various functions. Support for hi-res audio (24 bit/192 kHz) means you can enjoy high-resolution music. ROON READY: Roon is an incredibly rich and engaging way to browse and organize your music. It runs on most Mac, Windows, and Linux PCs, or on other products which include Roon Core. Being Roon Ready means that HiFi rose network players transparently discover and connect to Roon without any configuration, and bit-perfect audio is delivered from Roon to your network player. It complies with all requirements of Roon Labs to meet Roon Ready certification, fully compatible with Roon Core. You can enjoy high-fidelity sound on your ROSE device by taking advantage of the powerful sound management features of Roon. CD-RIPPING: By connecting an external CD-Rom Drive via USB, spontaneous CD playback is possible. You can extract music files stored on a CD and save them to SSD, or USB. INTERNET RADIO & PODCASTS: Listen to more than 9,900 Internet radio stations from around the world. Register and listen to your favorite channel. It also offers podcast channels, provided by Apple iTunes. BUILT-IN ROSE APP STORE: You can simply update these applications to the latest version from the RoseStore App. Connect Anything Wired & Wireless Connections You can enjoy seamless streaming through the network. It supports Airplay and DLNA functions. Also, you can connect the device to a smartphone, computer, or tablet PC through WiFi / Giga Ethernet / Bluetooth communications. Graphic image showing all the connection options for the HIFI Rose RS250 Network Streamer. Build a home media library Designed to contain enough storage in consideration for listening to HiFi music sources, RS250 can recognize up to 4TB of SSD, 10TB of external HDD, and even supports connection with a NAS. Experience high-quality music without worrying about drive capacity. Graphic image showing users how to build a home media library with the HIFI Rose RS250 Network Streamer. High-Performance Input & Output Hub RS250 is compatible with multiple devices via several kinds of terminals. Supporting a variety of input and output terminals, RS250 completes the ultimate connectivity. Close up shot of the HIFI Rose RS250 Network Streamer Rear Panel. POWER OUTPUT: Input Voltage: AC100-120V,220-240V 50/60Hz Input Power: 50W DAC: ESS ES9038 Q2M x 1 (Single Stereo Design) FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 40kHz (+/-0.5dB OUTPUT IMPEDANCE: 100Ω TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION: 0.0002% (1kHz 2.3Vrms Unbalanced output) 0.0003% (1KHz 2.3Vrms Unbalanced output) SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO: 116dB (A-wt) ANALOG AUDIO INPUTS: 1 x Unbalanced stereo RCA Line-IN DIGITAL AUDIO INPUTS: 1 x TOSLINK optical 1 x Coaxial 1 x USB 3.0 Type-A DAC (for connecting the HiFi Rose RSA780E CD drive [sold separately] or external hard drive. Bluetooth ANALOG AUDIO OUTPUTS: 1 x Unbalanced stereo RCA preamp Line out 1 x 3.5mm Headphone jack DIGITAL AUDIO OUTPUTS: 1 x TOSLINK optical 1 x Coaxial 1 x USB Audio Out VIDEO OUTPUT: HDMI 2.0 x 1: video output with up to 4K resolution ASF, AVI, MKV, MP4, WMV, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and more ( up to 3840 x 2160 / 60Hz ) MEDIA CONNECTIONS: 2 x USB 3.0 Type-A (Storage interface - File system-NTFS/FAT32, Storage Capacity up to 10TB) 1 x SATA 3.0 SSD (Storage interface - File System-NTFS, Storage Capacity up to 4TB) Network Support Protocol-SMB/FTP/WebDav AUDIO FORMATS: WAV, FLAC, AIFF, WMA, MP3, OGG, APE, DFF, DSF, AAC, CDA,