Step up from NAD & Naim? HiFi Rose RS520 Amplifier Review
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- čas přidán 25. 05. 2024
- Is the new HiFi Rose RS520 a step up from the Naim Unity Atom and NAD M10? It promises a lot: 250 Watts per channel, huge touchscreen display with one of the slickest interfaces on the market. I find out!
Link to manufacturers webpage:
eng.hifirose.com/RS520
Link to my Patreon:
/ abritishaudiophile
Related reviews:
Hegel H190
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NAD M10 (early video, doesn't look or sound great but hopefully still useful)
• NAD M10 Streaming Ampl...
Time stamps:
0:00 Intro
3:08 Design & features
5:20 Technical insights
6:05 Sound quality
10:34 Setup & partnering equipment
14:21 Conclusion
Anything that makes it easier for people to play music with high quality is to be encouraged. Equipment is to serve the music not the other way around. Very nice review Tarun. :)
Thank you Michael 😊
I’ve come back to your channel after a long hiatus, I subbed when you had very few. Absolutely amazing to see how far the channel has come! Congrats mate 👏🏻👍🏻
Thank you Lawrence. Great to have you back 👍
Detailed and concise review, (more than I've seen in others), I enjoyed this review and look forward to the next.
Thank you Sean 👍
I've known about this unit for a year now. Happy for your take on it.
Thank you 😊
Another super produced video. You have the gift of presentation that keeps me engaged from beginning to end. The swiss army version of audio is an area where I have little knowledge, I am old school, turntables, and valve amps. Sooner or later, I will have to down size, I just don't know how I will do without, the old gear eye candy appeal. Thanks again Taron
Thank you Terry. Much appreciated 😊👍
Hi Tarun, very good review I decided to change my separates and go to the one box solution with the Primare i15 prisma matched with the Audiovector qr3 speakers, very pleased with the sound and the wife is very pleased with less boxes and cables 👍😁
Thank you for sharing 😊
Thanks for the interesting review. I also went for a one-box solution, the NAD M33. After a while I hooked it up to my Blu Ray player via coax to play the few CD’s I have. I also used the toslink connect to hook up the Samsung TV. I’m a 7-year Deezer member and BluOS has Deezer integration which is a huge bonus for me.
Thank you for sharing your experiences Cinq 😊
Excellent review Tarun , it looks very impressive
Thank you Atri 😊
Like you, I am invested in my separates. It cost a lot in time and money to arrive at my preferred sound and equipment…This unit and others like it, has a place in the market for sure.
Your up-front qualifying the HIFi Rose as a secondary system or for someone less engaged in "the pursuit" gives the perfect perspective on your channel for this discussion! 👍🏼
Thank you Bob 👍
Thank you.
I always enjoy your presentation on products you review.
Thank you Nishal 👍
Epic unit. We sold out immediately are already waiting for more of these babies.
Cool 😎
I’ve had the NAD M10 for a little over a year (paired with Buchardt s44mii) and I’ve been very happy with every sonic aspect. But I recently added the NAD C298 for the Eigentakt tech. Now I’m happier still. Dirac with the M10 has done a wonderful job, though I’m not close to even rookie status with Dirac. I see this combo taking me well down the road in my musical journey (dating back to 1971). I always enjoy you thoughtful videos…thank you!
Thank you Robert. Great to learn about your experiences 👍
Hi Robert, how're you using both amps? You disabled power section of M10 or bi-Amp? Not sure if the latest is possible
@@zemanpa Hi Jose…I’m sorry, I just saw this. All I did was run the line out from the M10 to the inputs on the 298. Speakers are connected to the 298. My hunch is that the M10 is rendered strictly as the preamp…so all controls, including Dirac, are still in place. hope that helps and sorry im so late. Robert
@@robertgusberti527 in what did you notice any differcen after you combined the 2?
nice one Tarun, have a great weekend!
Thank you JD. You too 👍
I really am happy with my Blusound Powernodes for my office and bedroom. HDMI is nice for ease of use for my spouse and Roon capability is also convenient. Great review as usual.
Thank you Bryan. The Powernode makes a lot of sense when space is a premium 👍
THANKS TARUN , FOR SHARING A BALANCED VIEW AND GIVING US YOUR THOUGHTS 💭 PLUS AND MINUS…
PROVING TO MANY PEOPLE,…THAT THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO BE AN AUDIOPHILE 👍😎💚💚💚
Thank you 👍
Another great review, Tarun, thank you. I agree completely with Michael's comment below and I've moved from an Audio Research SP8/Classic 60 system to an all-in-one Devialet Expert Pro 220 system and now focus primarily on Tidal. It's been a huge improvement. I still listen to my SACDs but use the Oppo 205's HDMI Audio Out via a Blustream de-embedder, to avoid the D-A, A-D double conversion in the Devialet. Although this works well, it is a bit convoluted, and I have been thinking of the NAD M33, which has several HDMI inputs and would allow me to connect my Apple 4K TV, Oppo and TV directly, rather than via an HDMI splitter.
Thank you Barry. Much appreciated. Glad the Devialet has been up to the task 😊👍
This is the first video of yours that I have seen... You do an absolutely amazing job... I AM NOW A SUBSCRIBER 😉👍
That is great my friend. I appreciate the support. My early videos are a bit rough and ready. Just me with a phone and no mic. I was learning as I went along. I hope you enjoy the content 😊👍
Another top review Tarun thanks
Thank you Bryan. Much appreciated 😊👍
This is really understanding who you really are. I guess the same about any purchase. For myself, it is not a matter of worrying about the quality of such products. Nor do I think they are insensible. I simply find such a product confining. I'm glad the option is available & I think some look very cool.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I never would have considered bundling when I lived in the U.S. and enjoyed a steady income, but since retiring to Cambodia I've been consistently impressed by the value proposition of modern de-cluttered systems. The difference is that I've gone the powered speaker route rather than the all-in-one route, so my positive experiences aren't quite apples-to-apples with the parameters of the question. Still, if you can find a preamp, amp, and speakers for $300 total -- that sound anything like as good as my Edifier s2000-mkiii's -- you've done very, very, *very* well indeed.
Thank you 😊
Another great and thoughtful review. And thanks for giving the price in Blighty. I'm a native American English speaker who first became acquainted with this term while reading British WW1 memoirs like Siegfried Sassoon's and fiction like Pat Barker's Regeneration trilogy. My neighborhood craft brewery did a run of ESB and I talked them in to calling it Old Blighty. Thanks again for your thoughtful and balanced views.
Thank you Walter. Great anecdote 😊👍
🍻
awesome review as usual...
Thank you Mark. Much appreciated 😊👍
another great and detailed review. Thank you.
Thank you my friend. Much appreciated 😊👍
Great presentation and an honest review
Thank you kindly 😊👍
Your honesty in reviewing leaves the discerning viewer with a complete view and even though I know it doesn't have the sound you, Tarun, prefers, you recommend it. BTW lip synching is a deathnell for me.
Thank you my friend. Very much appreciated 😊👍
Great review…again! My one and only one box solution was the Linn Classik Movie DI (the one with DVD player) back in about 1995 but it wasn’t long until I upgraded from there. The system was great and a quality product for the time. Having it all in one was convenient for sure. Like the HiFi Rose it had Pre-Outs (across all 5 channels) so about a year later I added a pair of LK140s with activ cards into Ninka speakers for the mains as well as a single LK140 activ into their matching centre speaker. Linn were moving to the Majik range so I managed to get all the amps ex-demo from the dealer. I still like the idea of a one-box but find that i never need all the bits in it (I have a streaming transport for example) and the opportunity to switch bits in and out is too tempting!!
You need to get a life.
@@plumleytube why? I was answering the discussion question. If you have nothing decent to say just say nothing please.
Thank you for sharing your experiences Paul 😊
Thank you, Tarun, for another entertaining and thorough review. And let me say again how much I value your comparisons and partnering equipment portions.
I'm sure the one-box solution is great for many, but I still prefer my separates. And I much prefer a warmer, fuller sound. That said, isn't it great that this hobby has gear to suit many tastes.
Blighty? Quid?
Blighty is an abbreviation of 'Old Blighty' a common slang term for England or Great Britain popular from the time of WW1
Thank you my friend. Your continued support is much appreciated. Blighty = Great Britain, Quid = Money. I am doing my little bit to keep these colloquial phrases alive 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I appreciate your use of colloquial British, but if you get into Cockney, I'll have a hard time keeping up.
Love your reviews concise detailed and full of information another unit that has got my attention is Goldnote DS10 one box pre/dac/streamer from Italy and in same ballpark price point cheers
Thank you Steve. Very kind. I hope to get to the Goldnote products in time 😊👍
When paired with Goldnote PA 10 monoblocks would make an excellent addition 300watts 8 ohms 600 in 4 ohms
Saw one in a HiFi shop demo when I was buying something else. The sound was equivalent to the £2k amps I was looking at, but the screen and the app on the HiFi Rose were excellent.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I’ve been waiting for English reviews for a while and this is among the best. This will be the solution I’ve been looking for but the latency is a dealbreaker.
Thank you. I hope they can fix the latency problem 👍
I have a. Older system that had latency issues , but there is a simple adjustment in settings menu to change that and get is synchronized..yes it takes a few trial a d errors but once saved it stays accurate. To me the lag here is not a deal breaker
Hi tarun, great review as always. My slightly off topic point about all in one’s is ease of use. I’m about to build a new system, and a key consideration for me is the ability to fire up streaming music purely through my phone from anywhere in the house. My ethos is: the less barriers to start playing music, the more music i will play and enjoy. I critically listen to vinyl, but there is always music playing in the background at other times. So for me, I would love separates with all the nerdy fine tuning and obsessing they entail, but suddenly I have multiple boxes to switch on etc etc.
For me the new Yamaha RN2000A looks very appealing (should match well with klh model 5 as the as1200 does). If and when you get your hands on it, would love it to be compared with the as1200 + ares II and node, as that will equate to roughly the same price.
Thank you. It’s on my radar 😊
A very useful and informative review
Thank you 👍
I've a similar, if more expensive, all in one unit from Italian company Gold Note, their IS -1000 (deluxe DAC model.) I love it! It has a good phono stage (which Gold Note do very well) and a class AB amp. The built in streamer/DAC and build quality are really excellent too. For people looking to keep things fairly compact, these type of unit's are very attractive.
Thank you Sean? That is on my radar to review 😊
I have the Goldnote Deluxe as well, Great amp! I also have a Simaudio moon Ace. I would have a tough time picking one over the other.
Thank you for your review and opinion on this equipment and 'all-in-one' convenience systems. I do feel that at this price point this system is probably not a first choice for 'family room' listening, and in my opinion this is more suited to 'serious' listening. I appreciate your time, effort, and sharing of this content.
Thank you Simon 😊
An entry level all in one integrated class D amp with an ESS DAC chip is definitely no where near serious listening territory, this is family room at best
When I compare this with my Marantz AVR, the value of the Marantz is obvious, all streaming services, 5.2 connectivity, preout allows add better power amps, and while the audio quality is not bad indeed amazing on good sources such as great digital tracks via AirPlay 2, Stockfisch or Yello as test tracks for example. I’ve tried the preout to a 240W Audio Research with great results. Sure the DAC is not next Gen but it’s performance overall is described as weighty dynamic and detailed. GBP£445 retail, I bought the demo unit for AUD$450. Great value compared with the HI-FI Rose.
@@JingoLoBa57 Literally none of that means anything when the sound quality is poor. Using an AVR to listen to music is like using a butcher cleaver to do brain surgery
I’m new to hi-fi and do not pretend to know much about it! I do like good sound though and I think I get it with my ‘one box solution’.
I have an Arcam sa30 powering focal aria 926’s. Great features and sound on the amp ( with eARC and Dirac included) and I also think it pairs really well with the focals.
Great video as always Tarun, keep it up! Learning as I go along from chaps like yourself 👏🏼👍🏼
Thank you Max. Much appreciated. That is a nice system 😊👍
Thank you for another intelligent video. You ask about why some like separate components. I am one of them, for mainly the ability to vary those components and hear the results. For the fun of experimentation if you will
Thank you. I like the fun of experimentation too 👍
I enjoy seeing the one box systems as they give those with with limited space a shot at good sound. The e-arc delay would of course be a deal break for me but is moot as I run the Marantz 8015 A/V as it has the program ability for A) LFE two channel 140W and B) 7.2.4 surround 100W.
Thank you for sharing Lonnie 😊
Lovely review 👏
Thank you 👍
This thing is awesome. Got to play with it for about a day around a month ago. It devastated almost everything I compared it against around its price point. NAD should be worried.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I’m old school which clearly places me in the minority. I can live with that. I don’t expect anyone to drop their new tech and regress to vintage as if you do that, be prepared to spend money recapping your gear. That is not cheap for those massive A/B amps that fit in the vintage category. I have my hands full with my speaker stand and a component stand looming in the future. I’m having to go back to work in order to finance my hobby. I do so with a great deal of happiness since sitting on my rump isn’t any fun. I have a stand to bring to the public and a component stand to follow so my life is pretty busy. This was a fun video for me Tarun as I like keeping abreast of audio trends. Please keep up the good work.
Thank you Mark 👍
I remember some very tasty music centres back in the day, especially from Sharp. Belt drive, Dolby NR, Manual REC levels, magnetic cartridge, but alas not on the version my sister had.
Cool 😎 thank you John 😊
Great review and thanks! It will be interesting to hear how this compares with the Naim Uniti Nova as I haven’t heard the Rose..Actually I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a review of the Nova, there are so many of the Atom.
Personally I’ve done the whole separates journey with Naim and Vitus. I had a Naim NAP 500/552/NDS/555 set up well in excess of £50k for a few years. That the Nova is probably 85% of that sound says a lot and the law of diminishing marginal returns has never been greater in my hi-fi journey. With Vitus I loved it’s sublime Class A sound and there are elements of this that I do miss in my current set up. Thoughts of going down the valve journey fritter in and out of my mind; time shall reveal all.
To me it’s not so much a one box solution vs separates. After all it’s never just one box, if we presume a turntable, external DAC. Even with the Nova I find myself tweaking constantly with power chords, anti resonance platforms etc. Hence the notion of getting a box and being forever happy isn’t happening; this is a bug that never goes away.
Tarun, I applaud your patience in holding onto your exposures, it shows a sense of fulfilment and that’s admirable. I’ll admit I’ve never heard an exposure set up, but might try and find a London dealer, just to hear what it’s all about.
Thank you Shankar. Great to learn about your experiences 😊
Good review - I love the fact the detractors feel its not hi-fi - don't click on the review then !!!
I skip through some of your reviews because either my budget doesn't stretch or it doesn't interest me at this time. I have friends that swear by their one box kit and of course with the passage of time it will only improve - how exciting !
Keep up the great reviews.
Thank you MG 😊
Thanks Tarun for another great video.
My only concern with such products is the expected life span of the touch screen.
At $6,299 Australian dollars you would want it to last longer than the average TV or mobile phone.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Great points. I have separates in my desk top rig. I’ve owned the Naim Atom…great device. I can say that separates are difficult to match up into a cohesive system…so you’ll likely spend additional money chasing component synergy…an ongoing expense until you figure out system compatibility…which is eliminated…if you go with an all in one…you’ll just need to speaker match (as you’ve brilliantly showcased).
And if you’re seeking a small footprint…AIO devices provide it…that’s a bit of a challenge if you go with separates.
But as with anything…it boils down to what you want in a system and what you’re willing to compromise on…no one way is right or better..it depends on the individual user as you’ve eloquently stated.
Thank you my friend. Great points well stated 😊👍
Very Nice review and very Nice Rose.
The NAD C298 is based on a Purify module, not a Ncore.
Thank you Jacob. I appreciate the heads up 👍
The number of power cables etc, is why I certainly would love to go all in one, except in my case I would love to have something that will handle not just two channel audio, but also surround sound for movies etc. But at the moment money has meant I have added a Blu Sound Node into my current set up for music streaming.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Another great video
Thank you 👍
After building a new set based on reviews from one Tarun, I am not planning to purchase a one box solution for the time being, although I am very impressed with the technology in these boxes. I have become aware that power supply has a major influence on the result and therefore opt for separate units with top quality transformers such as O-core.
Great to hear from you Jakob 😊
Great review as usual. Ive read other reviews saying that the app wasn't all that responsive and a bit laggy. But i haven't tried it my self so i couldn't say. I tend to think that these can be gimmicky and after a while. Kind of useless. Like the VU meters or the EQ. But if.like you say. If it sounds very good. Why not !
Thank you. It has less lag than my Auralic Aries Mini 😊
Thank you Taron!
Thank you 😊
hi 👋 guys.
I have a Naim super uniti I love it with PMC 20/22.
went from pre-power amps Roksan with spendor floor standing speakers.
Cool 😎 thank you for sharing Mark
I'm amazed that after so many years there is so much subjective twaddle spoken in the HiFi world.
A proper system from 30 years ago will sound just as good.
The only issue would be connectivity with modern digital sources and streams.
There are many options to add a DAC and the desired connectivity, and the good old system can shine on for another few decades :)
Nice review I always wondered if all the gimmick bits would make some sound downgrades.
I would be more tempted with Lyngdorf or the new Atoll SDA 200 signature
Thank you Scott. I guess some will see them as gimmicks and other as fun. I really enjoyed the VU meters 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 oh I agree, I also love the meters.
Thank you for the review Tarun. What's your view on using the Rose into active speakers such as ATC SCM19A ?
And, did I understand correctly, the VU meter only works when streaming? Many thanks, Dean.
I don’t think using the RS520:as streamer/Dac into active speakers is good value for money. I would just get a dedicated streamer like the Auralic Aries G1.1i recently reviewed. The Hifi Rose dedicated streamer may be worth checking out too 😊
I have no experience with all in one solutions. But I am open to go that way some day - and I most likely will. But judging from your excellent review, this HiFi Rose unit would - by the seasoned audiophile - be used as a streaming pre-amp. If I was in the market for such a device, I would probably be looking at one from Lyngdorf.
Thank you for sharing 😊
great review! class D came from a long way!
Thank you Taco 👍
My one box solution that I am looking forward to: NAD 3050 LE. Reserved one and waiting. ❤
Cool 😎 thank you for sharing 😊
Thank you Tarun. I appreciate your reviews very much. I started years ago with a 1box solution: Linn Majik dsm 1. the sound with the ATC scm 19 was good. But I then experimented with other DACs, and I got stuck with the Chord Qutest. In addition, the Project Streamer s2 ultra. The sound is much better than the built-in DAC and streamer of the Linn (which, of course, are 10 years old). I now use (until I have saved enough) the Linn only as an amplifier. If you are interested in HiFi, you can filter out the sound you really like much better with individual components than with a 1box solution.
Thank you Sebastian. Great to have your perspective 👍
This review is an early Christmas present
Thank you Frederick. Very kind 😊👍
I'm considering an all in one for our TV room. No interest in multi channel AV so a Naim or NAD product could fit the bill. I might consider this product if they fix the latency issue you highlighted.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I wish you were in the USA I could get you to hear some Wilson Alexia-V speakers and also YG acoustics. My favorite integrated amps are Pilium Leonidus and Audionet Humbolt and they are 40-58k but sound like a million bucks! Back to this level I started with a Naim Uniti Star and tossed it when they updated the software and it kept turning off on itself. It took Naim over 6-7 months to fix! By the time the update came it was sold.
Thank you. I hope to visit the USA again sometime 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 when you do email me and we can hang out!
Latency is a huge issue with the NAD M33 too. A lot of processing is being done from adc to dac conversions, to Dirac Live etc so it is to be expected perhaps with all-in-ones coping with everything thrown at them these days. But the sound can be sublime with streaming, LPs, CDs, etc. Box count reduced, allied to a reasonably good BluOs app makes a strong case for either NAD or Rose imo. Apologies for coming late to a Great review.
@@daved5071 thank you Dave 😊
Thank you for this informative video. I'm thinking it would pair well with my old timey HPM 100s. On a side note, if I may be so bold, I think you're a swell person.
Thank you. That is very kind 😊👍
I love the Rose's native Apple Music lossless and hireslossless.
I've auditioned in the store the Rose RS150B but I couldn't hear an improvement at home over my Eversolo DMP-A6 with upgraded LPS by Beatechnik. (I also don't want to spend more than $1500)
Thx for sharing 😊
Hey deviating from the topic you can be an awesome narrator in audiobooks. Really enjoy your reviews. Just saying;)
Thank you buddy. Much appreciated 😊👍
Thank you for the ROSE RS520 review.
I am considering an all-in-one system as my future-fi system and have narrowed it down to either the NAD M10 V2 and the NAIM Uniti Atom to drive a pair of Buchardt Active A500's.
Having previously watched your discussion with Ian White - Our favourite amps - The smart ones! where you clearly lean towards the NAD M10 V2, is the ROSE RS520 a "step up" from the NAD and the NAIM systems?
Thank you. It is a step up 😊
Great, thorough video, Tarun!...QUESTION: How does NAD m10, v.2. compare with the HiFi Rose RS520 ?
Please disregard question above since it was answered in another viewing of above video...
Thank you 👍
I have expensive multi branded separates and spent lots of money on many cables connecting them together. The signal path from all theses boxes and cables can't be good? Now looking for a one-box solution. The main thing with these all-in-ones is the interfaces and how they are so slick to use. Designed to seamlessly integrate together both software and hardware. Has a lot going for it. Holding out for Naim and Nad to revise the atom and M33 Mark ll?
Thank you for sharing 😊
Hi Tarun and thank you very much for a great review, as usual. I owned a HiFi Rose 150B ( I guess the RS 250's bigger brother) but ended up returning it after a month for one main rwason - the user experience wasn't good at all. After the first flush of infatuation playing with all the settings and actually living with it day to day, I found whole thing felt clunky, disorganised and illogical. Also quite a few annoying bugs. The software could definitely be improved. Interested in how easy you found it to live with? I'm now a very happy owner of the NAD M10 V2 - the day to day user experience is just brilliant and sound isn't too shabby either.
Thank you for sharing Denis. I found this one pretty easy and hassle free to use. I suppose they have ironed out a lot of bugs since then 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Hi there and thanks for responding. One quick question I have relates to Internet Radio. I believe HiFi Rose limits the stations you can choose to their own curated collections. On my current system (the NAD M10 V2), I'm not limited and can pretty much choose anything from around the world. Do you know if the RS520 has these limitations? Thanks
@@denissweeney497 I am not sure as I only tried a few stations. The life of a review is fairly transient with equipment so there is only so much you can test 😊
A great review as always.
A disadvantage of such an integrated system is the dependency on the software. How long will it be maintained, and is the cpu/hardware even able to support the streaming systems of the future (10 years from now)?
Thanks, Willem
Thank you. I suspect the shelf life will be about 10 years 😊
I have hardware I can't use 3 years later becsue the maker won't make a new app and the old one won't work on the latest Android OS.. No App means you can't use it..
And it seems that none of the companies want to release the code for their software so that the users can work around their support..
I have a second phone now just to use my portable bluetooth/dac/amp...
@@zakofrx 3 years is really bad!
That is why I like my Allo USBridge streamer that runs on open source software like moOde and Volumio. It does require some IT skills though.
Great review its off my list now.
I am thinking the unity Nova and concept 50 speakers any thoughts would be great.
Thank you. On paper that should work but as you probably know, there is no way to tell without trying 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks im very excited my first proper hifi.
@@slidebed138 please let me know how you get on 😊
I heard the Rose 250?, was amazing.. very beautiful & great sounding unit…
Cool 😎
@@abritishaudiophile7314
Mate.. you’ve had some very nice gear to play with👍.. we’re very lucky to get to enjoy such
@@abritishaudiophile7314
Happy 23 from 🇳🇿
@@tigertiger1699 HNY to you too 🥳👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314
Cheers.. how super modern with the HYN.., nice, I’ll borrow that🙏
I was curious for this, so we need a good AB amp with this screen 🙂 Nice design though!
I am not sure who does an Class AB one with this kind of interface. The UI on the RS520 is very impressive 😊
Great review, the nad does not have ncore modules, its the eigentakt
Thank you. I am not sure what module is used in the RS520. It may be their custom design. That is what HiFi Rose tend to do with most things 😊
Nice review; do you think there will be a match with harbeth 30.1 speakers. The current amps I use are the Cayin tube amp and the nad m12/C298....
By the way: the nad c298 has purify and no hypex....or did i heard you wrong...haha
It is a nice amp but I wouldn’t think they are a good match for Harbeth’s 😊
I bought the Naim Nova a couple of years back. First step back into real Hi-Fi. The dealer , an established Linn/Naim dealer, shared his sales figures for these type of super integrated v separates. It was huge so I would expect to see more and more investment and improvement in this area. That said I been auditioning upgrading the Nova to separates. The jump to supernait is not significant to justify so it’s likely to be a big jump to full pre/power amplification.
I'm also owner of Naim Nova,and I just say is a amazing Integra. So musical ,full of 3d sound stage. I bought couple weeks ago without listening Anthem statement p2 and Auralic Vega G 2.1 (double price of Nova ) and after a couple hours of listening I sent them back to the shop, unbelievable downgrade with a sound compared to Nova.
@@novakeryk wow that’s quite worrying, Auralic is on my shortlist for replacing my Nova. I’ve got a nord/hypex based class D amp spare and I did pair this with a Chord TT2 and found it beat the Nova on soundstage, air, placement of instruments and outright transparency and I did prefer it although it was a cooler sound in terms of tone. When switching back to the Nova it was softer, Warmer, but a bit fuzzy in the detail area, like putting on a warm woolly jumper after wearing a sharp business suit! I did try the M scaler too but in my (limited) system it made little or no difference. Speakers were PMC 20-24 at the time but I bought some ATC SCM40 speakers later. The ATC’s with the Nova has a slightly rolled off bass (compared to the PMCs) but boy they seemed to be bulletproof when you cranked it up, I always bottled it before the speakers! 😱Just though I would put it out there in case it helps anyone. Cheers. Rich.
Thank you for sharing 😊
@@ricardoperoni901 stay away from Vega , don't buy without testing first...
@@novakeryk ok thanks, Will bear that in mind. I’m hearing really good things about the lingdorf systems, especially the room correction. I will be borrowing a friends unit soon to try out hopefully. And would like to try the Linn Selekt as the dac has 3 levels of upgrade and again room correction. If nothing impresses then maybe better speakers on the Nova as I heard Focal Kantas on it and it sounded great but that was a long time ago. Cheers. R
My combo: Atoll ST 300 Signature Hi-res streamer with a Yamaha 3200 amp, complimented by an Audioquest Niagara 3000 and Focal Sopra 2 floorstanders. Cables: Shunyata and Nordost. Sound quality: You guess 😉
Thank you for sharing 😊
I like my M10 v2 but I continue to be more and more impressed with HiFi Rose’s offerings. If I upgrade to a another all-in-one it will probably be one of theirs. I do wish it had room correction.
How does it's streaming app compare to BluOS?
Thank you for sharing. They are good very good apps 😊
I prefer the one box solution approach to audio. Less cables, less space and less places to troubleshoot when their is a problem. If you ever upgrade, it’s as easy as pulling out the cables then inserting them to the new unit.
Thank you for sharing 😊
Good review. A couple thoughts. The all in one box solution is the current darling of audio. Having done this for almost 50 years and survived all the fads and latest and greatest, I predict after a run of single box audio had saturated, someone will "Discover" that separates are better fort this reason or that. One of the main reasons will that DAC and streaming technology changes rather rapidly and is constantly improving. If someone wants to upgrade they need to start adding boxes to their one box solution or throw the baby out with the bath water getting rid of a perfectly good amplifier for updated streaming or DAC technology. This is even more true with powdered speakers that have no facility for upgrading the DAC or steamer, It all goes out the door and a new pair of speakers comes in. Then there is the awkward situation of selling out of date technology to someone else. Who is going to buy your five thousand dollar one box wonder unless it is dirt cheap so they can do what? Add on updated technology in additional boxes to it.
Thanks Jim. All very good points. These days we seem to live in a culture of disposability. Oh my, I am sounding old 😂
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I am old. Math and gravity is the enemy. I am rapidly facing the disposability issue on a personal level.
@@fletchermunson6225 not for many years Jim 😊
Hi Jim, I’m with you on this, it’s a merry-go-round world. Previous examples of the all in one box include the radiogram; a thocking great lump of wood on spindly legs containing radio tuner, turntable, amp and speakers. Extra points for a snazzy front cloth to muffle the sound even more.
Also the ghetto blaster, a satin silver plastic radio, cassette, amp and speaker system designed to perch on your shoulder to ensure asymmetric tinnitus sets in before reaching the end of childhood. The good ones were fantastic and deserve to make a comeback.
These weren’t serious audiophile solutions but in their own way, for the respective target generations, they brought hours of no fuss pleasure. There will always be a place for such things, as the success of Sonus amply demonstrates.
For me, I tried a small Teac one box in my study for convenience while working. Didn’t stay long and the study system is rapidly approaching the quality of my main system. Once a gear head, always a gear head, I’m afraid.
@@markcarrington8565 I wonder how many people are blasting their IEMS at horrific levels begging for hearing problems later?
Ever review the musical fidelity equipment ? Got the A5 amp, bought it 20 years ago, great sound. Needs a repair now, gone in 1 channel
I would also love to see a musical fidelity review from Tarun! Maybe the separates M6 range
I had a lot of MF gear in the past and still have an original modded X-can v.1. I would be very keen to see reviews of new MF gear as they seem to be very rarely covered in CZcams. Perhaps they are unfriendly to reviewers.
The same distributor for MF is the distributor for HiFi Rose. They have gone through some changes since Anthony Michaelson sold it to Heinz Lichtennegger. I am hoping to review some MF products next year 😊
Please may I urge you to consider reviewing one of the Lyngdorf TDAI AIO's? Cheers.
Thank you for the suggestion 😊
The competition is coming! You should take a look at the EverSolo DMP-A6 Streamer...
No 4k video but focused on music with a screen that looks a lot like the HiFi Rose !
And the price is a bargain ;-)
Cool 😎 thanks for the heads up 😊
My use case for these is office/desktop systems. Where a full hifi is impractical and uneeded. I'm looking for small form factor integrated kit that can play music and output from my PC as well. This looks amazing, but is outside of my budget unfortunately, look at other options such as the eversolo.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I recently traded my Audio GD seperates with a Gold Note IS-1000. All in one with 150 AB power. It is cleaner than the bigger Audio GD systemen and has much better soundstage. Oh, and it has a phono stage! I love it an so does the misses, she can actualy use it herself.
Cool 😎
I'm pretty sure Rose uses the open source VLC video player. If the audio sync offset is consistent and the same for every video, then it's a simple adjustment to fix in VLC. Of course Rose might not expose those VLC features, but it should be trivial for them to implement a fix.
Thank you 😊
Surprised to see an Apple interface in streaming services - this is this first I've seen, and while Airplay is solid, it doesn't get far beyond minimum HiFi specs. Do you know of other platforms bringing Apple Music to streaming platforms.
Love your calm & logical approach Tarun!
Thank you Dave. Much appreciated 👍
Doesn’t Bluesound support Apple Music? 🤔
Yep AirPlay support is a must for me, had problems trying to get a streamer which supported AirPlay & i2s to feed my PS audio dac eventually found & purchased a Numprime stream 9 which supports both. Gone right off tidal, quboz tried didn’t really like & Spotify still waiting for lossless if it ever happens
Tatum, just to clarify, the VU meters don’t work when using an external source ?
That is right, when using the streamer. I believe it is something to do with an inability to verify the PCM data with external sources 😊
I have a Naim Nova with Sonus Faber speakers in my living room, sounds great but it’s the price of a small car. The Naim app looks and works great, when working, handshake issues etc. It’s the 2nd Naim I’ve bought and I think the software is below par (Scots translation for ‘pish’). In my bedroom I have a Node 2i, powered by a Pioneer A400 thru (shock/horror) Bose Acoustimass. Sound different, a little thinner in the mids but the bass is fantastic, purely down to the Bose. What is interesting is that the Bluesound OS, although less exciting to look at is light years ahead of the Naim in terms of stability. The A400 was £230 & Bose maybe £700 30 years ago + £500 for the Node 2i. Difficult to extrapolate the cost of the old to the new systems but I do play the A400 more often. Streaming is fantastic from my NAS to both systems, 40 years of bad music choices at the tip of my fingers. My kids hate me 😅
Thank you for sharing your experiences Colin 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 You're welcome, keep up the good work. I watch a couple of HiFi channels (Cheap Audioman for one, 'cos he cracks me up) but you always seem to have a detailed and balance approach.
@@colinyoung5690 thank you Colin. Much appreciated 😊👍
I've been very happy with my Naim Atom. It comes close to or holds its own to any integrated amplifier in its price range. Plus, you get a great streamer added in. The Atom's small form factor and all-in-one solution makes it easy to fit into any room. The only issue I have with it is that it digitizes all incoming signals. Something I don't want happening when using a turntable. One could possibly equal it in sound quality with say an Exposure 2510 and an iFi Neo Stream for about the same price. But then you won't have Naim's slick user interface or application. Nor will you have its small, all-in-one form factor. If much of my listening was vinyl based I'd chose the latter otherwise the Naim makes more sense.
Thank you. Great point well made 😊
Well, shit. I didn’t know that about the Uniti series. I have the Atom with my turntable (phono preamp, to be exact) plugged into the analog input on the Naim. Now I feel silly.
My biggest gripe about the Naim Uniti line is that you cannot connect an external DAC. I think the built-in Burr Brown DAC is excellent, but that really eliminates a big potential upgrade path.
And finally, I use the Naim as a streaming preamp running the pre outs to a Conrad Johnson CAV-45 S2. But even in that application, it’s hard to think of an alternative streamer/pre/DAC combination that would come anywhere near the sound quality of the Naim, never mind the excellent usability, without spending a TON more money. I mean, a ton. And so, I stick with the Naim, but that revelation about the analog to digital conversion really has me thinking.
One last note. The internal Naim amplification sounds truly excellent, but there is a VERY noticeable amount of hiss with high efficiency speakers (like my Klipsch Cornwall IVs), making a rather poor pairing. I only use the internal amplification when it’s really hot outside during the summer.
@@dannyfannyfoodle I agree with you that the Naim Atom can be a little noisier with some speakers. It doesn't have the inky black background of some amplifiers.
Going through a phono preamp hooked up to the Naim I've listened to my Rega turntable quite a few times. It's actually quite good sounding. I guess it just bothers me that the Atom is digitizing master tape to vinyl recordings. An all analogue to analogue experience was the point of why I sought out certain records to buy.
This is part of the reason I have two systems.
Hi Tarun, another high quality review. Thank you. Like other people commenting I’m at a crossroads with hifi. Currently using a Naim Nova and trying to figure out how much it will cost to better it by a significant margin. Have done nearly all Chord Dacs into a decent class D amp and definitely can get more air and better soundstage accuracy but a bit dry sounding. Now looking at one box solutions with separate power amp where necessary. Linn, Auralic, Lumin, Lyngdorf, etc. so much choice. Won’t be getting HiFi Rose, I simply cannot get over the name. Sorry! Could go multi box but would have to be very special. Then there’s active speakers or maybe a 2.1 set up. There’s so much choice! If you are someone who likes tinkering and upgrading (like me) then a one box route will either be a solution or will drive you nuts. I am now spending more on mains conditioning mains cables, and speaker cables even though I went the “one box” route. 😢😂Richy.
@@ricardoperoni901 thank you. If you want to keep box count down and maximum performance, you won’t go wrong with active ATCs. An Auralic Altair would make a good digital front end you could always upgrade the DAC latter 😊
I've been using a Node 2i for my streaming desires but have just placed an order for a similar unit in the hypetrain that is the Eversolo DMP-A6 - should be with me in a week's time ;-) Will you be getting one in to run your ears over? Would be interesting to hear your take on the sub £760 unit
I’ll look into it. Thank you for the suggestion 😊
It's a hype, it's everywhere. 🙂
I have a Nad M10 and Kef R7 combo, but I feel that the Nad M10 is not enough for my Kef’s. I would like a bigger soundstage and a bit more power. I have thought of changing Nad M10 to Hegel H190. Would Hegel be a better fit for my Kef’s?
The H190 will give you a wider soundstage 😊
Just came across this today: bottom line, I want one !
Cool 😎 thank you for watching 😊
hello. so if i was to purchase this and then connect it up to my ps audio bhk dac ,are you saying that my dac wouldn't be able to change or make a proper sound stage? thanks
That’s right 😉
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks
I recently acquired the Q-Acoustics Concept 40 speakers almost for free. While I greatly appreciate high-quality sound, I must confess that I am not an audio expert. Therefore, I am considering an all-in-one system as a viable option. My options include the NAD M10, Advance Paris My Connect 150 or 250, Musical Fidelity 6, or the Rose RS520.
My main concern is whether these amplifiers are well-suited for the Q-Acoustics Concept 40. According to the specifications, the speakers have:
Frequency Response: 53Hz - 22kHz
Recommended Power: 25 - 150W
Most of the amplifiers I mentioned exceed 150W power. Could this be problematic? Should I opt for a less powerful amplifier?
Thank you in advance for your advice.
My primary requirements are:
A USB connection for either a laptop or storage device (essential)
Streaming capabilities (desirable)
Phono input (secondary but appreciated)
More speakers are damaged by underpowered amps. 150W is fine 😊
Do you have any thoughts related to the Cambridge audio evo 150? Are you going to review it?
No plans as yet but I am planning to review more CA products next year 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks for your answer!
I have a NAIM MUSO & MUSO Qb, maybe not quite a streaming box, but I can play things like ROON, AIRPLAY, BLUETOOTH and the NAIM APP. Sound is really nice, but the NAIM APP using TIDAL is clunky and doesn't support a full library. Internet Radio works excellent. If I am playing both MUSO speakers at once using AIRPLAY and SIRIUS XM Radio, one always goes out of sync, drives me crazy, so I can only play one at a time using AIRPLAY. ROON works pretty good (Pairing both speakers at once works), a few issues controlling, the big thing like using TITAL Directly via AIRPLAY, it will only play for about 6 hrs before everything needs a power reset. Annoying, but I've gotten use to it.
Great to learn about your experiences 😊
The brilliant user interface makes this a very interesting proposition. Driven by Android, it quickly feels familiar, and that's where the weakness is too. It runs Android 7.1, an already old version. Customized by HiFi Rose, so they will support it for the foreseeable future. But as the big IT players Apple, Google and Microsoft show, an operating system (OS) needs replacement every now and then especially for security reasons. HiFi Rose is not big in IT, so they won't be able to adequately keep their Android 7.1-based OS safe indefinitely - and then you end up with an unsafe device with full OS capabilities in your network.
That will restrict older HiFi Rose gear to offline use. Still interesting to consider if the price of used gear sinks enough, given the quality of the rest in the products. I'm curious how the used market will play out for this type of gear.
Thank you. The parent compony as a lot of resources and experience in making and maintaining user interfaces for professional applications 🙂
Hifi Rose are a decent company. I thought they were linked to Mark Levinson but may be mistaken. They are well designed and built generally. Nothing wrong with a single box but there are issues if the best performance is to be had. My concern would be for quality of power supplies and having decent dual mono pre amplification robustly shielded from power supplies and switching digital signals. Good low power op amps are a neat solution as are the Gallium FETs. I would not expect this sort of circuit architecture to better a good separates set up as dedicated power supplies and circuit topology dedicated to decent channel separation and high S/N operation with dedicated power supplies would be my preference. I don’t like the appearance much nor the display but that’s personal preference. Given that I have a few TT’s and separate phonostages I think a single box is a solution looking for a problem. The other downside in a few years would be firmware support, the use and repairability if smd componentry and longer term serviceability. Quality products are more usually fully discrete and long term serviceable and this point alone rules out the hifi Rose for me.
Thank you for sharing Paul 😊