HiFi Rose RS250A High Performance Network Streamer at Vinyl Sound Buffalo, NY USA

The RS250A is a high-performance network streaming DAC from HiFi Rose (Seoul, South Korea), available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, New York, USA. An evolution of the original RS250, the RS250A upgrades the DAC stage to the ESS SABRE ES9028PRO chip with updated clocking components, delivers analog output via both unbalanced RCA and a front-panel 3.5mm headphone jack, and connects to any network or amplifier via Gigabit Ethernet, dual-band Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth. An 8.8-inch Ultra HD 4K capacitive touchscreen with wide viewing angle and vivid color provides HiFi Rose's renowned interface quality, supporting high-definition album art and video playback at 60 FPS. Supporting PCM at 32-bit/768 kHz and native DSD512, the RS250A is Roon Ready and MQA certified, and accepts up to 4 TB internal SSD and 10 TB external HDD storage.

ES9028PRO DAC, Improved Clocking, and Preamp Capability

The ES9028PRO is ESS Technology's high-performance SABRE DAC chip, offering low noise and high dynamic range through HyperStream architecture. In the RS250A, updated clocking components over the preceding RS250 model deliver improved jitter rejection and a more refined sonic presentation. The RS250A's analog output stage provides one unbalanced stereo RCA output usable as both a fixed line-level output to an amplifier and a variable preamp output, and the front-panel 3.5mm headphone jack allows private listening without additional equipment. An additional unbalanced RCA input enables the RS250A to function as a preamplifier for a passive source component. Digital sampling rates extend to 32-bit/768 kHz PCM and native DSD512 at 22.5792 MHz, and optical CD drive playback and ripping are supported via USB connection of an external optical drive.

8.8-Inch Touchscreen, ROSE Connect App, and Storage Flexibility

The RS250A's 8.8-inch wide-view multi-touch capacitive screen runs HiFi Rose's interface software showing album art, streaming service navigation, and video content at 60 FPS. A front-panel volume knob provides tactile input. The unit supports a 2.5-inch internal SATA SSD up to 4 TB for local music storage, two USB 3.0 ports for external drives up to 10 TB, and network file access via SMB, FTP, and WebDav for NAS drives. Streaming services supported include Qobuz, TIDAL, Spotify Connect, Apple Music, internet radio, and numerous additional platforms. The ROSE Connect app for iOS and Android extends full remote control from a smartphone or tablet, and a Bluetooth remote control is included. The high-quality anodized aluminum front and top panels provide thermal management and acoustic isolation properties, and the unit is available in Black or Silver finishes.

Key Features

• ESS SABRE ES9028PRO DAC: High-performance 32-bit DAC chip with HyperStream architecture supporting PCM to 768 kHz and native DSD512.
• Updated Clocking Components: Improved jitter rejection over the RS250 for a more refined sonic presentation.
• 8.8-Inch Ultra HD 4K Touchscreen: Wide-view multi-touch display with vivid color, high-definition album art, and 60 FPS video.
• Roon Ready and MQA Certified: Full Roon endpoint certification and MQA decoding for TIDAL Masters.
• Front-Panel Headphone Output: 3.5mm headphone jack for private listening without additional equipment.
• Analog RCA Input: Allows use as a preamplifier for passive source components.
• Flexible Storage: Up to 4 TB internal SSD (SATA), up to 10 TB external HDD via USB 3.0, and NAS access via SMB/FTP/WebDav.
• CD Playback and Ripping: Connect an external USB optical drive to play or rip CDs to FLAC or WAV via the ROSE Connect app.
• Dual-Band Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet: 802.11 b/g/n/a/ac 2.4 GHz/5 GHz dual-band Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet for network flexibility.
• Bluetooth Remote and ROSE Connect App: Physical Bluetooth remote and free iOS/Android app for full remote control.
• High-Quality Anodized Aluminum Body: Excellent thermal and acoustic isolation; available in Black or Silver.

Technical Specifications

What's in the Box

• HiFi Rose RS250A Network Streamer
• AC adapter
• Quick Start Guide
• Bluetooth remote control
• AAA batteries (x2)
• SSD mounting screws (x4)
• Screwdriver

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the HiFi Rose RS250A?

The HiFi Rose RS250A is a network streaming DAC from Seoul, South Korea, featuring the ESS ES9028PRO DAC, an 8.8-inch Ultra HD 4K touchscreen, PCM 32/768 kHz and native DSD512 support, Roon Ready and MQA certification, and flexible local and network storage. It is available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, New York, USA.

How does the RS250A compare to the Cambridge Audio EVO 75?

The HiFi Rose RS250A and the Cambridge Audio EVO 75 (from Cambridge, England) serve different roles. The EVO 75 is an all-in-one streaming amplifier at 75W per channel with a built-in Class D amplifier stage, streaming, and DAC in one chassis. The RS250A is a streaming DAC only, requiring a separate amplifier, but delivers a more specialized audio performance with the ES9028PRO chip and 4K touchscreen interface. The RS250A offers superior storage flexibility with internal SSD support up to 4 TB versus the EVO 75's USB-only external storage, and its Roon Ready and MQA certifications cover the same bases as the EVO 75.

Can the RS250A play and rip CDs?

Yes. The RS250A accepts a USB-connected external optical CD drive, enabling playback of CDs through the unit's DAC. Using the ROSE Connect app, the RS250A can also rip CDs to FLAC or WAV format and store them on the internal SSD or an external USB drive for future playback without the disc.

Is the RS250A Roon compatible?

Yes. The RS250A is fully Roon Ready certified, appearing as a networked endpoint in Roon for playback from a separate Roon Core. It is also MQA certified for TIDAL Masters decoding, and supports Spotify Connect, Qobuz, Apple Music, and TIDAL natively through HiFi Rose's own interface.

What is the difference between the RS250A and the RS451?

The RS451 is HiFi Rose's next step above the RS250A, adding a second independent ES9027PRO DAC exclusively for the headphone output, balanced 4-pin XLR and 4.4mm Pentaconn headphone outputs, balanced XLR pre-out at 10 Vrms, HDMI eARC input, the more powerful RK3588 octa-core CPU, 8 GB RAM, and 32 GB storage. The RS250A offers a more compact 8.8-inch chassis and remains ideal for desktop analog-output-focused systems where headphone flexibility is not a priority.

Where can I buy the HiFi Rose RS250A in Buffalo or the USA?

The HiFi Rose RS250A Network Streamer is available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, New York, an authorized HiFi Rose dealer serving customers across the USA. Vinyl Sound carries the complete HiFi Rose range for customers who wish to compare models before purchasing.