One of the pleasures of being an audio critic is watching new models being unveiled in Munich at the HighEnd Show (we'll be there for the last time this year before relocating to Vienna, Austria) and then having the opportunity to listen to them in a private session by appointment, under optimal acoustic conditions, at the Ajasom auditorium in Damaia.
The Hifi Rose RD160 is one of the latest models to emerge from the Rose range, a Korean brand that has consistently impressed me with its technical expertise and original aesthetics. Unlike most established brands, HiFi Rose succeeds in presenting a distinct design for each new model while maintaining its identity:
Note:
Read the tests already published on Hificlube:
HiFi Rose RA180 - it's all about the rose
HiFi Rose RS520 - a bouquet of roses
Regarding sound quality, I have long embraced the ‘Rose sound’, having purchased an RS520 for my daily pleasure, which offers excellent value for money (5.290€). Or, as the Anglo-Saxons say: I put my money where my mouth is.
The RD160 model is a balanced DAC/preamp utilising a pair of AK4191 and AK4499EX chips. With support for up to 32bit 768 kHz PCM and DSD512, the RD160 offers upsampling and six different digital filters, easily adjustable from the front panel. The front panel has a ‘stealth’ design: even when powered on, it remains discreetly hidden behind frosted glass.
The case is constructed from a solid aluminium block, thereby eliminating joints and minimising noise-causing vibrations. Heatsinks are positioned on both sides, ensuring regulated temperature even during extended use.
The ROSE CIM™ architecture completely isolates the digital and analogue stages, resulting in a superior signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The ultra-low-noise linear power supply, designed to power the digital and analogue ports independently, also minimises interference between stages, enhancing signal integrity.
In addition to accepting input from optical USB-compatible sources (as with the RS130), the RD160 allows for the connection of an external clock for even greater accuracy in the time domain. Note: during the audition, we utilised only the internal clock.
The RD160 may be connected directly to an amplifier, as it can adjust the output level between 1V and 9V.
The following complementary system was used for the Ajasom audition:
- Streamer - Rose RS130
- Dac - Rose RD160
- Pre - McIntosh C12000 75th Anniversary
- Power - McIntosh MC1.25KW 75th Anniversary
- Speakers - PMC MBE SE
- Signal Cables and Speakers - Kimber Select
- Power Cables - Shunyata Alpha, Sigma and Omega
- Digital Cables - SOtM
- Current Filter - Shunyata Denali 6000S
- Tables - Bassocontinuo
Listening/recording session
At Ajasom's discretion, the RD160 was used solely as a DAC, linked to a McIntosh C12000 preamplifier via Kimber balanced cables, with the Rose RS130 serving as the source and connected optically to the RD160. A pair of McIntosh MC1.25W amplifiers drove the PMC MBE SE (transmission-line) speakers. Behind the speakers, one can observe the transparent Polifemo tube traps from Acustica Applicata.
With Jorge Mendes in charge of music streaming, we explored a variety of musical genres. Here are a few examples, although I encourage readers to make their own personal selections:
- - Bass Solo, Carnival Morning, Dizzy Gillespie & Friends
- - Fables of Faubus, Charles Mingus
- - The Build Up, Kins Of Convenience
- - Trust, Ane Brun
- - I Know a River, Camané
- - Avec Le Temps, Carlos do Carmo/Sasseti
- - Catone In Utica, Se Mai Senti, Cecilia Bartoli
- - Sitting On the Dock Of the Bay, Sarah Bareilles
Overall Impressions from the Audition
The audition revealed exceptional resolution and clarity without being aggressive or harsh, fine and precise edges, uncanny dynamic presence from the low strings, intelligibility in the voices, remarkable realism from metal and wind instruments, accurate timbres, and a broad, airy soundstage.
Note: I have read elsewhere that the RD160 ‘suffers’ from a slight ‘image vagueness’, allegedly due to very low-frequency jitter (3Hz). However, I had no trouble placing voices and instruments precisely on stage, emerging as firmly implanted.
As proof, I present below the recording made on-site directly from the PMC BEM SE, which clearly demonstrates the excellent focus of Sarah Bareilles' voice performing “Sitting On the Dock of The Bay” live. The powerful electric piano accompanies her, and the vibrant presence of the audience is distinctly defined in the small venue space.
In conclusion, I wholeheartedly endorse the RD160 while emphasising that personal audition considerations are essential for making a ‘sound’ purchasing decision (5.290€).