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Rose HiFi's RD160 is an aesthetically pleasing balanced DAC, based on a duo of AK4191 and AK4499EX chips per channel, capable of upsampling signals up to PCM 32bit 768kHz and DSD512. The brand's expertise ensures a design quality that leaves no detail to chance, having identified every source of noise and potential distortion to provide a suitable solution.
The RD160's appearance perfectly blends cutting-edge technology with the most refined aesthetics. Its aluminum case is machined from a single block, and benefits from a design that reduces the number of joints to an absolute minimum, so as to minimize potential vibrations. Heat sinks have been placed on both sides, ensuring that the RD160 maintains a regulated temperature, even during prolonged use. Last but not least, the hidden display, harmoniously integrated into the front panel, offers a rendering of rare elegance.
The RD160's digital stage incorporates the Rose DPC™ module, designed to ensure that all processing blocks maintain the highest level of signal accuracy to deliver faithful, detailed sound reproduction. This module precisely synchronizes input digital signals in various ways to a high-precision OCXO clock, and aligns them to I2S signals. This process applies clock synchronization and locking to minimize jitter, particularly when processing high-resolution audio signals, for precise signal processing and therefore natural, transparent sound. The user interface and GUI configuration circuits, as well as the digital audio signal circuitry, are completely separated to effectively block distortion and interference. This design enables the RD160 to deliver high-fidelity sound with a high-quality digital signal and compatibility with a wide range of digital formats.
The Rose CIM™ architecture aims to maximize sound quality through complete isolation of the digital and analog parts. The RD160's DAC module is a two-chip solution, with the AK4191 chip handling the digital filtering and initial delta-sigma modulation steps, while the AK4499EX chip performs the digital-to-analog conversion. By completely separating digital and analog circuits with this architecture, the RD160 completely blocks the noise generated during processing of the respective signals, resulting in an extremely high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and first-rate analog output signal quality.
What's more, by individually assigning a DAC module to each channel and designing the analog output circuit to be fully symmetrical, any noise that might be generated between channels is completely blocked. This architecture enables the RD160 to achieve an exceptional dynamic range, reproducing with clarity and precision the finest details of the original sound with a clear stereo image.
Developed specifically by HiFi ROSE, the RD160's linear power supply is designed to deliver the best sound quality. Based on an ultra-low-noise chipset, the power supply is designed to independently power digital input ports and analog output ports. This power supply effectively suppresses the noise that can occur in each circuit, such as digital processing, clock and analog output, minimizing mutual interference and crosstalk between the various stages. By providing a stable power supply tailored to the needs of each stage, it maintains signal integrity and increases the dynamic range and resolution of the DAC. It also reduces jitter and optimizes spatialization, delivering a wider, more accurate soundstage and clearer images.
The RD160 is equipped with a high-quality dual J-FET operational amplifier, boasting excellent speed of response, wide dynamic range and low harmonic distortion, while having the good taste to use an OFC copper leadframe to ensure perfect conductivity. The choice of the RD160's op-amp has been the subject of a rigorous and meticulous process to obtain a natural and lively sound, ensuring you get the best possible performance.
The analog stage with ROSE NRA filter ensures a perfectly flat frequency response, even in the lowest frequency bands. As a result, the RD160 has a wide, stable frequency response, with no roll-off across the entire bandwidth, and clearly and faithfully transmits the original information contained in high-resolution audio, from the deep, heavy infrabass to the ultra-high frequencies.
To ensure impeccable sound quality, the wiring for the digital input signal, the external clock signal and the power supply is made of OFC copper, while the wiring for the analog outputs is made of monocrystalline OCC copper, guaranteeing optimum conductivity at every stage of signal processing.
The high-precision OCXO clock fitted to the RD160 increases the accuracy of digital inputs and provides a highly accurate clock signal. The OCXO is the most accurate and stable clock currently available, and is unaffected by temperature variations. Conventional crystals tend to vibrate differently according to temperature, which can cause jitter in the audio signal. In contrast, OCXO clocks suppress this jitter by maintaining a constant temperature at all times, producing a perfectly stable clock signal.
The maximum permissible input voltage for amplifiers varies according to manufacturer and model. If the output voltage of the source device exceeds this limit, clipping may occur, resulting in sound distortion. The RD160 offers a wide range of output level options, from 1V to 9V, guaranteeing clean, clipping-free sound and perfect compatibility with all amplifiers. By activating this function, you can adjust the level via the rotary knob, enabling you to connect the RD160 directly to a power amplifier without the need for a separate preamplifier.
The RD160 offers the possibility of increasing the sampling rate of your signal via several options (bypass, upscale to PCM, and upscale to DSD) and supports signals up to 32bit 768 kHz PCM and DSD512. In addition, six digital filters with different responses are available, allowing you to choose according to your listening preferences. Both functions can be easily adjusted using the buttons on the left-hand side of the front panel, and are displayed on the live screen.
The USB SFP with optical conversion function completely blocks the digital noise generated by the source device. The Rose RS130 (sold separately), ideally suited for use with the RD160, also supports the USB SFP connection and can transmit data to the RD160 perfectly cleanly and noise-free.
The RD160 also features inputs for 75Ω and 50Ω external clocks. By using the master clock, jitter caused by optical, coaxial, AES/EBU and USB connections from the source to the DAC is eliminated, while ensuring perfect synchronization of the devices.
1 | Circuit breaker reset |
2 | Earth plug |
3 | Right channel XLR output |
4 | Right channel RCA output |
5 | Trigger input and output |
6 | AES/EBU input |
7 | Coaxial inputs |
8 | Clock signal inputs |
9 | Left channel RCA output |
10 | Left channel XLR output |
11 | Power input |
12 | SVC port (firmware update) |
13 | Optical Toslink input |
14 | HDMI I2S input |
15 | USB-B input |
16 | USB SFP input (Optical USB) |
Technical characteristics
Specifications | |
---|---|
Product type | Volume DAC |
DAC chips | 2x AK4499EXEQ 2x AK4191EQ |
Power supply | 3x Independant toroidal transformer |
CPU | RK3128 Quad Core Cortex-A7MP |
RAM mamory | 1GB 1866Mhz DDR3 |
Flash memory | 8GB eMMc |
Internal clock | OCXO clock |
Inputs | 1x USB SFP 1x USB-B 2.0 1x HDMI I2S 1x Coaxial RCA 1x Coaxial BNC 1x Optical Toslink 1x AES/EBU |
Outputs | 1x Steroe XLR 1x Stereo RCA |
Supported sampling rates | USB SFR / USB-B / HDMI I2S : PCM 32bit 768kHz / DSD512 Coaxial RCA / Coaxial BNC / AES/EBU : PCM 32bit 384kHz / DSD128 Optical Toslink : PCM 32bit 192kHz / DSD64 |
External clock inputs | 1x BNC 75Ω (10MHz) 1x SMA 50Ω (10MHz) |
Output levels | 1V ~ 9V |
Digital filters | Sharp Sharp Slow Short Sharp (default) Short Slow Super Slow Low Short |
Input sensitivity | 0dBF 1kHz |
Output impedance | 300Ω |
Output voltage | RCA : 4.5Vrms XLR : 9Vrms |
THD | 0.005% |
SNR | 124dB |
Residual noise | RCA : 0.3mV XLR : 0.4mV |
Crosstalk | -124dB |
Frequency response | 10Hz - 20kHz (-0.3dB) 10Hz - 50kHz (-1.5dB) 10Hz - 73kHz (-3.0dB) |
Operating temperature | 0 ~ 40°C |
Storage temperature | -10 ~ 50°C |
General | |
---|---|
Supply voltage | 110-120V AC / 220-240V AC 50/60Hz |
Consumption | Standby : 0.3W Working : 30W |
Weight | 10kg |
Color | Silver |
Package | 1x Rose HiFi RD160 1x Remote control 2x SFP cables 1x Optical fiber cable 1x Power cable |
Input | BNC |
Input | RCA |
Input | I2S via HDMI |
Input | AES/EBU |
Input | USB |
Input | Optical |
Output | RCA |
Output | XLR |
DAC / ADC Chip | AK4191 |
DAC / ADC Chip | AK4499EX |
Max sampling rate | DSD512 |
Max sampling rate | 768kHz |
Color | Silver |
Networking | No |
Remote Control | Yes |