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The awesome HiFi Rose RS 150B quickly became one of our best-selling reference-grade network streaming DAC preamps when it was introduced. HiFi Rose has now replaced it with the even-better RS 151, with lots of upgrades that Rose discovered when creating their flagship RD 160 Reference DAC and RS 130 streamer. Let’s look at 5 similarities the new RS 151 shares with the outgoing RS 150B.

RS 151 is the same price as the RS150B, with better performance because of all the upgrades. We love getting a new product that offers serious improvement, at the same price.  Even with the $4,995 price tag, the RS 151 offers excellent value when compared to other high-end streamer DAC preamps. 

It also has the same excellent build quality, with the solid-milled aluminum chassis that keeps vibration low, which both feels and looks great. It’s again available in either black or silver finish. RS151’s feel, fit and finish is absolutely top quality.  

The excellent RoseConnect app works on android or iOs phones, not only pulls internet streaming services like Qobuz, Tidal and more, but also supports local music playback of your digital collection. You can manage ALL your digital content with one app - up to one million songs according to Rose, a huge collection! 

It's easy to use. RS 151 has twin USB 3.0 inputs for digital music thumb drives, and retains the 150B’s SSD port at the bottom for up to 4 terabytes of music storage. You can also use Apple Airplay, or even a Rose remote, to easily control your sound.

RoseTube is a great feature that HiFi Rose users love. It’s 4K video out to your TV for YouTube, the world’s most popular streaming platform, BUT with no monthly fee, no advertisements, and excellent sound quality. If you search for music with multiple versions, RoseTube defaults to the version with the highest resolution unless you elect to change the default. 

What are some key upgrades in RS151? Here are 10 that we see: 

1. A much better DAC, with lower noise and distortion. It’s the latest ESS Sabre 9039 Pro DAC vs. the 9038 Pro in RS 150B.  9039 Pro DAC has ESS’s 4th generation of their patented Hyperstream modulator technology for playing high-res music files up to 32 bit / 768 kHz, with 8 channels of independent processing instead of the quad-balanced 150B. The 9039 Pro DAC works together with a precise Femto clock. Jitter is much lower, and D/A conversion is more linear, so musically you’ll hear better channel separation with less noise. 

2. A really beefy, toroidal linear power supply, which is very well isolated from the audio path, so that you can hear the details of the 9039 Pro DAC’s performance upgrades.  

3. HDMI eArc, for a premium TV & movie experience, instead of 150 B’s Arc connection. eArc has far greater bandwidth, up to 192K, offering much better audio quality than the compressed audio you get with Arc on the 150B . 

4. RS 151 has even more back panel connectivity. The 12v triggers are a nice upgrade, enabling you to press one power-on button and switch on other components in the system. RS 151 includes both balanced XLR and RCA inputs and outputs, plus either fixed or variable output. Thus you can use RS 151 as a preamp - just add a good power amp and you’re ready to go. If you have a fine preamp, RS 151 will make a fine DAC / streamer.  

5. Sound quality with upgraded parts and a sophisticated design: with higher quality ME LF resistors, high-end Wima capacitors, better op-amps, and a single point electrical grounding system when compared to the 150B. What do the internal upgrades mean? You get a really quiet product, spec’d at 131 dB signal to noise ratio, a full 10 db quieter than the very quiet 150B, for excellent dynamic range -amazing!  

6. ROSE NRA (Noise Reduction Analog) Filter: now to the analog output stage.  The Rose NRA filter was designed so that the RS 151 is quieter than 150B in both the analog and digital domains. Talk about a black background!  This is an extraordinarily low noise floor, dead-quiet preamp / DAC / streamer.

7. Enhanced Processing Power with the new, lightning-fast, 8 Core CPU.  This new central processor has four times the data processing speed, and eight times the graphics performance, a big upgrade in both audio and video quality.

8. A larger, clearer display. Some high-end streamers are confusing to use. RS 151 is intuitive enough that your whole family can use it. 150B’s interactive touchscreen with album cover art and metadata is fun to use. RS 151’s screen is a 15.4” full HD touchscreen vs the 14.9”, not full HD of 150B. 

9. Upgraded Bluetooth Apt-X and 5.4, the latest BT standard, for easy, high-quality streaming in better than CD quality w/o getting on the network. Your friends can bring their music. 

And last… #10: ROSE DPC (Digital Processing Core) Module, is the same processor used in HiFi Rose’s terrific RD160 standalone DAC, which retails for $5,300. It synchronizes the digital input signals with their internal OCXO clock, for smoother, “less digital” and more musical sound. 

HiFi Rose RS 150B has been very popular, a good value vs. other high-end streamers. But the RS151 has loads of upgrades that make it a much more desirable product. If you’ve been wanting to get an RS150B, please consider getting your RS151 on order with us. HiFi Rose USA has sold out of their initial shipment, which is planned for early March 2025. We’re not trying to hard-close you, but orders placed now, in early February, likely will be filled in early April 2025. If you want a high-quality music and video streaming DAC / preamp, you will love the HiFi Rose RS 151!