Audio Video News

HiFi Rose RS150 Streaming DAC: $4,995

If you haven’t heard of South Korea’s HiFi Rose, you’re not alone. A division of the 50-year-old Seoul-based consumer electronics manufacturer Citech, the brand specializes in audiophile-grade media streamers that incorporate many original components. Built like a tank, the RS150 packs a streamer, digital-to analog-converter (DAC), and digital preamplifier into a standard-size component with a positively stunning touchscreen that commandeers its front panel. You can operate the streamer from the touchscreen or through a companion app or remote control. As reviewer Howard Kneller is quick to point out, the core of this flagship streamer is a super-fast processor that supports ESS Technology's proven Sabre ES9038PRO chipset for playback of PCM and DSD signals up to 32-bit/768kHz and DSD512, respectively.

The RS150 is Roon Ready and supports streaming via Apple AirPlay, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi and can stream directly from Tidal, Spotify, Qobuz, and YouTube addition to decoding MQA files and providing seven (!) digital filter options, making it a dream come true for inveterate tweakers. And, though there are no dedicated video inputs, you can enjoy video and album art in resolutions up to 4K/60Hz on a TV or projector hitched to the RS150’s HDMI 2.0 port. There is also a generous set of audio connections, including RCA and XLR on the analog side and optical, coaxial, HDMI ARC, and USB on the digital side.

Getting to the heart of the matter — the ability to render music in a rich, lifelike manner — Kneller described what he heard as a “rich, weighty, and layered sound” with clearly delineated imaging and an expansive soundstage. He also found the RS150 to be forgiving on iconic but flawed recordings such as "Can't We Be Friends" from the Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong Collection streamed on Qobuz in 16-bit/44.1kHz FLAC. The RS150 managed to moderate a strident trumpet and piano and the sibilants on Armstrong's vocals without dulling voices. HiFi Rose’s RS150 doesn’t come cheap but it provides a wealth of features, operational flexibility and, most important, sound that doesn’t disappoint.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Outstanding performance and build quality
Stunning 14.9-inch high-def color touchscreen
Highly customizable operation
HDMI ports for connecting to a TV
Minus
Lacks headphone output, phono input, and room EQ

Full Review Here (posted 3/9/22)

Kaleidescape Compact Terra 12 TB Movie Server: $10,995 (as tested)

Who needs the cloud when you can have your very own movie server? Video guru Kris Deering hitched the new 12 terabyte (TB) version of Kaleidescape’s Compact Terra movie server ($7,995) to a Strato Player and marveled at its ability to download a 4K/HDR movie in just 15 minutes — a massive increase in download speed over previous servers. He also loved being able to rent 4K movies that have never made it to disc (as many as 500 at last count) and enjoyed using Kaleidescape’s outstanding interface to instantly access any movie — or scene within a movie.

Having lived with a Kaleidescape system for a year, Deering concluded: “I continue to love and highly recommend the Kaleidescape experience. A/V quality is second to none, and I appreciate the rental option for movies I want to watch but don’t want to buy without a test run. As for Kaleidescape’s new Compact Terra 12TB server, it provides another entry point to this fantastic ecosystem, and also offers an option for those looking to improve the performance and increase the capacity of an existing Kaleidescape setup.”

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Compact form factor (fits in standard-width rack space with Strato C player)
Significantly boosts movie download speed
Minus
Pricey
Immersive audio support is spotty via the Kaleidescape Store

Full Review Here (posted 12/29/21)

AV Electronics

Onkyo TX-NR7100 A/V Receiver: $1,099

A new AVR from Onkyo at last! It’s been quite some time since one has landed on our test bench and we’re pleased to report it was definitely worth the wait. The TX-NR7100 marks the arrival of a midline receiver that promises solid audio performance with its nine amplifier channels, the latest in video connectivity standards, support for all of the major high dynamic range (HDR) formats, and onboard streaming via Chromecast and AirPlay 2 plus direct access to Tidal, Spotify, Pandora, and other popular services. Thanks to those nine active channels, the NR7100 can power a full 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos or DTS:X setup or a theater setup with fewer channels plus one or two remote listening zones.

The NR7100 also supports 4K video at 120Hz or 8K at 60Hz and provides a wealth of connections, including six HDMI inputs, in addition to putting a series of sound customization features at your fingertips, including the cutting-edge Dirac Live auto room/speaker correction system (which Dan Kumin covers in great detail in the full review). Our rundown of features, of course, is merely a preview of an AVR that can do most everything you need it to do, except pop your popcorn.

After extensive testing with a sampling of music and movie soundtracks, Kumin confirmed the NR7100’s aural proficiency. The 2017 World War II action flick Dunkirk was a standout. “Every scene sounded (and looked) fabulous via the TX-NR7100 and my new 65-inch Sony OLED TV” with the propulsive Hans Zimmer score and thrilling Spitfire fly-bys dramatically demonstrating the merits of a full-on Atmos setup. Onkyo has delivered a highly capable receiver that does much of what your typical flagship AVR can do but at a fraction of the cost.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Onboard Dirac Live room/speaker correction
Nine amp channels for a full Atmos/DTS:X experience
Multiple HDMI 2.1 connections with 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz support
Minus
Small remote control a bit cramped
Somewhat light-duty casing and speaker outputs

Full Review Here (posted 2/23/22)

Yamaha Aventage RXA6A A/V Receiver: $2,200

The Aventage RX-A6A will enchant you with pristine, all-encompassing sound whether you’re listening to music or watching a first-run movie in the comfort of your home (at least we can thank COVID for something). Sitting one model down from Yamaha’s flagship AVR, the A6A costs $800 less yet boasts 11 channels (nine powered) and is packed with every AVR feature you can imagine, all hidden behind a refreshingly simple front panel.

You get seven HDMI inputs, a selection of legacy analog inputs, a remote with set-and-forget Scene buttons for storing up to eight input/setting combinations, 8K upscaling, and Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR) capability. The list continues with Dolby Atmos and DTS: X surround processing plus Yamaha’s famous DSP music modes (two dozen in all, including acoustical recreations of famous venues), an app offering popular streaming options, and multiroom capability via the brand’s longstanding MusicCast platform. You also get automated speaker/room correction, voice control via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri via Apple’s AirPlay 2 platform, and plenty more. Pretty much everything most of us will ever need, including the promise of gamer-centric HDMI 2.1 features via a future firmware update.

Resident audio expert Daniel Kumin described his listening experience this way: “I cued up Air Force One, a film that has benefitted from Atmos remixing as much as any classic I can think of. I quickly got sucked into the action, forgetting my reviewer’s duties except to wonder at how lifelike Atmos made the on-board ambience in the movie’s earlier, expository scenes, and how visceral its thrill-a-minute denouement.” Not much more to say, except that the RX-A6A is an all-around excellent performer.

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Tremendous surround configurability
Solid multichannel power and sound quality
Powerful Scene memory system
Minus
Complex setup
Limited remote control direct-access to inputs, surround modes
YPAO auto-EQ less accurate than other solutions

Full Review Here (posted 11/24/21)