HiFi Rose RS520 vs Arcam SA30 Detailed Comparison

HiFi Rose RS520 vs Arcam SA30

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HiFi Rose RS520

Integrated Amplifier | 250 watts RMS into 8-ohms

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Arcam SA30

Integrated Amplifier | 130 watts RMS into 8-ohms

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HiFi Rose RS520

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Arcam SA30

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HiFi Rose RS520

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Arcam SA30

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HiFi Rose RS520 vs Arcam SA30 Integrated Amplifier Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing RS520 and SA30, two Integrated Amplifiers from HiFi Rose and Arcam. Let's have a brief look at the main features of HiFi Rose RS520 and Arcam SA30 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

HiFi Rose RS520 Key Specs

250 watts RMS into 8-ohms

Built-in DAC

USB Input

Bluetooth v4.2

Weight: 17.86 lbs / 8.10 kg

Dimensions (H x W x D):5inch x 13-5/8inch x 12-7/8inch

Arcam SA30 Key Specs

130 watts RMS into 8-ohms

Built-in DAC

Phono Input

USB Input

HDMI Input (eARC)

Built-in Room Correction

Weight: 26.40 lbs / 12.00 kg

Dimensions (H x W x D):3-15/16inch x 17-1/16inch x 14-13/16inch

What size room are the HiFi Rose RS520 and Arcam SA30 Amplifiers good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use these amplifiers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their max power parameters:

Listening Environment	HiFi Rose RS520	Arcam SA30
Near-field	Are you nuts?	Poor
Small Room	Bad	Poor
Mid-size Room	Poor	Good
Large Room	Good	Good
Very Large Room	Good	Average

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to understand how HiFi Rose RS520 and Arcam SA30 compares and end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these amplifiers is the better choice for you.

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose HiFi Rose RS520 over Arcam SA30

Full-color Display	Yes vs No	Displays Album and device Info
App-Based Control	Yes vs None	Control the amplifier via an app
Watts into 8-ohms	250 watts vs 130 watts	Delivers higher power into 8-ohms speakers
Watts into 4-ohms	250 watts vs 200 watts	Delivers higher power into 4-ohms speakers
Bluetooth	Yes vs No	Stream music via Bluetooth devices
Max Bit Depth	32-bit vs 24-bit	Play higher resolution range media
Max Sample Rate	768kHz vs 192kHz	Play higher resolution media
Base Surface Area	1134.0cm²/ 175.8inch² vs 1636.2cm²/ 253.6inch²	takes less space in your room

Reasons to choose Arcam SA30 over HiFi Rose RS520

MSRP Price(*)	2,699USD vs 3,695USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
Built-in Room Correction	Yes vs No	Adjusts audio output to compensate for acoustic anomalies in a listening space
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)	0.002% vs 0.007%	Less Harmonic Distortion
Signal to Noise Ratio	112 dB vs 109 dB	Higher ratings results in cleaner sound
Total Analog Inputs	4 vs 1	More options for connecting Analog sources
PhonoInput	Yes vs No	Connect a turntable directly to your amp
Optical Digital Inputs	2 vs 1	More options for connecting Digital sources
Coaxial Digital Inputs	2 vs 1	More options for connecting Digital sources
Headphone Output	3.5mm vs No	Connect your headphone to the amplifier
Apple AirPlay	Yes vs No	Compatible with Apple Devices with AirPlay
Apple AirPlay 2	Yes vs No	Compatible with Apple Devices with AirPlay 2
Built-in Chromecast	Yes vs No	Compatible with Chromecast Streaming
Built-in Chromecast	Yes vs No	Compatible with Chromecast Streaming
Height	101mm vs 127mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces

Inputs and Outputs

The input and output selections that are offered is an important factor when comparing two amplifiers. Here you can find how the I/O selections of the HiFi Rose RS520 and Arcam SA30 differs from each other.

HiFi Rose RS520 Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 1
1 Optical Digital Input
1 Coaxial Digital Input
USB Input:
- USB-B (connects to computer for music playback)
- 3 x USB-A(connecting the included Wi-Fi and Bluetooth dongles
- External DAC
- mass storage or HiFI Rose CD player)
Ethernet Port

Arcam SA30 Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 4
Phono Input
2 Optical Digital Input
2 Coaxial Digital Input
USB Input:
HDMI eARC
Ethernet Port

HiFi Rose RS520 Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

Outputs

Stereo RCA Preamp Outputs

Outputs

Stereo RCA Preamp Outputs
3.5mm Headphone Output

Arcam SA30 Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

What's in the Box of Arcam SA30?

Here are the items that come with the SA30:

Integrated Amplifier

6.5-feet AC power cord

Remote control

2 AAA batteries

2 WiFi antennas

Setup microphone

6.5-feet miniUSB-to-USB cable

Handbook Manual

Thank you Letter