Rose Martini

Rose Technics - Martini - Impressions

Rose Technics - Martini is a premium single dynamic driver earbuds featuring a two-Way Air Pressure Management System.
The impressions are part of a group review courtesy of Concept Kart (https://conceptkart.com/products/rose-technics-martini-wired-earbuds).

No influence or compensation was paid for the review and is the personal opinion of yours truly!

The Review unit came in a nice velvet lined plastic case that reminds of well made pen cases. The shell of the buds is Gold-Plated Brass and feature third-generation Carbon-Based Ceramic Diaphragm dynamic driver measuring a large 15.4mm diameter.

The cable has a paracord like sheath with coiling until the split at the middle. There is a provided neck cinch and a decent and non intrusive strain relief. The unit came with a gold plated 4.4mm balanced connector. The cables are not detachable, and dont carry microphonics when rubbed against the shirt or due to wind. The earbuds also came with standard black foam covers for the shells.

The earbuds, being all brass, is heftier than other earbuds that are usually acrylic builds. The weight is similar to the DQSM turandot, which is all Stainless steel shell in comparison. The earbuds rested comfortably in my ears without issues. The weight is a matter of getting used to, but the shells do look premium and bordering steampunk styling.


Sound impressions

The overall signature of the earbuds is a defined V shape. The bass comes through with power, especially with a close fit in the ear canals. When sitting lightly, there is a slight bass impact, as expected. Subbass does carry through well, as does midbass rumbles. There is a distinct treble presence that makes it sound detailed and wide. Vocal notes carry weight and conveys emotions well.


The large drivers require a bit of power to run. I have used the ibasso DC04 to do the dac duties with songs from Tidal and Youtube to test the buds.

Track selection

TR1> Olulleru - Ajagajantharam ()
This track consists of fast beats, female vocals and a lot of different instruments and sonic ranges. The Martini brings the bass impact from the start, with punchy notes. The female voice is bang center with a lot of energy, and pushed forward, bordering on harshness. Most instruments play a background role in comparison to the vocals and the bass tracks.

TR2> Tabakova - Concerto for Violoncello And Strings II. (Longing) (https://tidal.com/browse/track/79141066)
The track is a deeply emotional composition with strings all through - cello, violin, that showcases fantastic orchestration of the instruments to create a landscape of the theme (longing). The Cello digs deep while the viola and violins provide tasteful and full soundscape. The Martini is able to dig deep with the cello while keeping in pace with the violin's upper registers. The stage is not super wide, but intimate, putting the listener in the presence of the musicians. There is a lot of details and texture in the cello notes, as well as violins. There is a bit of resonance that comes across a little harsh in the upper registers starting around the 1:52 mark. The track is immersive otherwise with the Martini.


TR3> Way Down Deep - Jennifer Warnes (https://tidal.com/browse/track/4964763)
This track is a well mastered track with deep bass, wide staging and imaging cues with the central female vocals. The track starts off with marakas, followed by deep bass drum notes and what sounds like a tensioned drum, before the guitar starts the proceedings. The Martini is able to effortlessly place the instruments while hitting very deep with the drum beats. The stage width is fairly large, keeping the listener facing the centre of a large stage. The guitar notes have texture from the metal strings, that can be almost felt.


Comparisons

DQSM Turandot - The turandot was the DQSM flagship earbuds sporting a 13.5mm CNT diaphram drivers in a stainless steel shell that probably inspired the Monk SM from Venture Electronics. The shell is slightly smaller than the Martini, while also differing in the material of the shell. The fit is easier with the Turandot due to its smaller shell. The Turandot doesnt hit as deeply as the Martini, while matching the Martini in the technical areas. The harshness of the guitar from TR3 does not occur with the Turandot. The stage width is similar, while sounding a touch less warmer than the Martini.

VE Zen 2.0 - The Zen is the VE flagship that comes with very different offering from the Martini. The Zen is an acrylic shell earbud that is close to the size of the Martini. The Zen is a more W shaped earbud than the V shaped Martini. Being acrylic also offers Zen the advantage of being lighter and stays in the ears better. The Zen is a bit more difficult to drive, and requires a good amp to shine, and it does sound like a full sized headphone. The Martini is a tad easier to drive and provides a very deep V signature to people having a good fit.

Conclusions

The Rose Technis Martini is a flagship grade earbud that delivers strongly on a V shaped signature with deep bass and lots of treble energy. The size of the shell could be a drawback for smaller ears. For those blessed with a good fit, will find a portable hard hitting option to chill out on a variety of genre.

Review Of The Rose Technics Martini​

Introduction​

Rose Technics is not a newly emerged company and especially when they have released more than 10-20 IEMs, where some of the notable one's are the QT9 MK2s, QT9 MK2, BR5 MK2S, Pudding, Miracle EST, etc. But Today I will divert my all attention towards their first take on an earbud, the Rose Martini. This is their flagship Earbud with which I agree, because of the build and the quality of material used. Coming to the sound, I'd mention upon later in this review. But for now lets get back to the review.

Disclaimer​

* This is a review unit, courtesy of Concept Kart. Thanks for providing me with this unit to review. But still each and every thoughts below mentioned are my personal own thoughts and they are not fiddled with any outside influences. To learn more about this earbud visit this link
*I will be referring these OEMs to as 'Martini' for the rest of the review.
*And at last I will only be reviewing the Martini on the basis of their performance, I do not care what these are made of or packaged with when newly purchased unless it affects the sound in any sense what so ever.

Specification​

The Martini is a open ear monitor or earbuds, whichever people like to prefer, I always think of them as earbuds. The martini adopts a 15.4mm dynamic driver which has a carbon-based ceramic diaphragm with a gold plated brass cover head. The whole body is made of 304 stainless steel. The cable is non removable and it is made up of high-quality 5N Silver-Plated Copper and Sterling Silver mixed hybrid. The sensitivity is of 100dB and the frequency response is from 16Hz to 45kHz. The impedance is of 32 ohms, through my testing these were harder to drive.

Sound​

Most of the Earbuds are tuned towards a mid centric preference. The Martini is also tuned with the same tuning preference kept in mind, except the fact these are tuned to give more sub bass and sound fuller. This is one of the best bass I have heard on an earbuds period. The sub bass extension is not great by any means as these are open ear monitors but the sub bass is present. Coming to the mid-range it is tuned very forward as suspected and the treble to give some extension which I felt was not quite done right.

Treble​

The treble is present to give a sense of air and energy with crisp and lively sound, though I find the energy most active in the upper mid-range or lower treble. The upper treble is vague with details, I find the air or space in this region to lack dynamics. Although the extension gives a good stage and image, it doesn’t sound airy but congested with more pronounced vocals and instruments. The vocals sounds lifeless and back performing while instruments sounds okay with the extensive nature. On the other hand the lower treble region is a festival full of elemental presentations. There is a lot of happening and everything sounds exciting and energetic. The vocals in this region is more expressive but the tonal balance is off, sounds wonky and unbalanced while the instruments sound clean and smooth. The high octaves of vocals sounds filtered after 2k-3k like they are being artificially produced with metallic taste to it, especially in the female vocals. The overall signature is enough to listen to music but sounds off from my perspective, this is where some people may find it wrong and some may love it.

Mid Range​

The mid-range is the most active region in the whole frequency response, where the tuning is bad and good at the same time. The upper mid-range, as mentioned before is tonally weird especially the vocals. the vocals are wonky and unrealistic sounding while the instrument doesn’t tend to off tone. Most of the time vocals in exertion or pushed in the mix, makes them sound tonally weird and same signature of the vocals as mentioned above in the lower treble region. However I find the instruments to sound pleasing. When it comes to the lower mid-range, everything tends to sound laidback and dull but I hear a difference as they have warmth in this region, the instruments subdues in the mix whereas the vocals have muffle effect. I believe this sense of air comes due to lack of body in the mid range but I can be wrong because I do not find anything lean sounding. Overall the presentation in this region is alive and exciting with offset tuning.

Bass​

The bass is where this piece shines, please do understand that on ear monitors have no seal due to which the bass response becomes lean and light. This is a case with every earbuds, though The Martini is tonally enough to challenge any IEM for response in the sub bass. Even after the fact that earbuds don’t deal positively with bass, Martini excels with it’s response. Yes in the whole spectrum of the frequency response, the bass tends to lack the forward approach but it does push up the lower mid-range and tries to make it sound less off tune. The sub bass have a good impactful punch and the mid bass thumps and resolves quickly. The bass response is safe to say, it is clean, precise and natural.

Technical Performance​

Coming to the technical performance, the stage is widely spread to give a sense of 3d stage. The imaging and layering is poor performing where the separation also lacks the presentation. The detail and resolution is surprising nice with good resolving speed.

Soundstage, Sound Imaging & Separation​

The soundstage is wide and gives a three dimension stage but there are better earbuds in this price range and below which provides a much more wide stage. The imaging and layering suffers as it is not as clear as I expected, where the separation also takes a hit with not enough space for some instruments to sound richer and full.

Speed & Resolution​

The resolution and the detail retrieval is expressive and quite par with other earbuds. I do find it lacking at some points but these do perform nicely. Th attack of notes are precise and quick where decay of notes aren’t quite at par with the attack, but overall they resolve really fast.

Conclusion​

To conclude this review, I would only recommend this earbud to those who want more bass response and really do not require a balanced tuning as I would tag them unbalanced. The treble having limitation, the vocals to sound unnatural but the bass being fast and punchy with good details.

Sources And Tracks Used​

Sources​

Apple iPhone XS Max
LG G8X
iPad (4th generation)
Apple Dongle Dac
Shanling UA1 Pro
iFi HIPDAC
Venture Electronics Megatron
Questyle M15
Apple Lossless
UAPP
Locally stored Flac and Wav Files

Tracks​

Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
Boston - More Than A Feeling
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere(Remastered)
Toto - Africa
The Police - Every Breath You Take
George Benson - Affirmation
Daft Punk - Doin' It Right
Daft Punk - Derezzed
Daft Punk - Tron Legacy (End Titles)
GOJIRA - Amazonia
The Mars Volta - Inertiatic ESP
Fergie - Glamorous
50 Cent - In Da Club
Jay Z - Holy Grail
Erbes - Lies
Nitti Gritti - The Loud
Juelz - Inferno

Impedance: 32ohm

Frequency response: 20-20000Hz

Sensitivity: 102dB/mW

Cable length: 1.2m, available in 3.5mm & 4.4mm, non-detachable, copper litz

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Source: Shanling M8 (4.4mm PO, high gain)

Burn-in: circa 40hours

Primary genres: jazz, classical, ambient, electronic, world music, hip hop

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The Martini can be purchased from Penon audio here. This unit was provided in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own and I will always endeavor to be honest and objective.

Accessories and Packaging

The unboxing experience is very simplistic. All outer and inner product information is in Chinese. The rear of the outer packaging has a ‘waifu’ on it – a increasingly present Chi-Fi fad that I will never understand. Rose Technics have clearly gone to lengths to create a novel product with a very classy look and the waifu seems entirely out of place here. Two matte-effect plastic cases are provided and contain the earbuds themselves in one and accessories in the other. In terms of accessories they include several pairs of full foams and, interestingly, at least in unit provided to me, they included a 3.5mm to 6.5mm adapter. This may be useful to those that opt for the 3.5mm termination and use sources with 6.5mm output. The overall impression I was left with was ‘utilitarian’ and quite basic.



Design, Build, Fit and Comfort

The design and build of the shell on the Rose Technics Martini looks and feels very premium. The Martini has a steel driver housing and a two-way, gold-plated brass venting flutes that are advertised as improving bass (spoiler: they’re right!). It is using a 15.4mm carbon ceramic driver and the shell has an external diameter of about 16.5mm – large as earbuds go but they fit in my ears fine and I have smaller and shallower than average concha. They feel sturdy and have a good weight to them but they never left my ears feeling fatigued from long-listening and they never fell out during travel. Rose Technics have nailed the build quality here in terms of weight, durability comfort and aesthetics.

Onto the downsides of the build and looking at the cable, it’s non-detachable, stiff and microphonic. The outer protective weave and the cable within is highly microphonic, especially if you decide not to use the chin cinch. The chin cinch is plastic but well-made and has excellent grip. With the chin cinch raised firmly the microphonic effect beneath is still present but reduced by about 50%. Rose should have used a softer/more loose weave and less stiff cable insulation. The Y-split should be moved further up the cable to reduce the length of potentially microphonic material. Better yet, design the earbud housing to have a detachable cable.




Sound Performance

Bass – midbass focus with subbass extension, impactful, full bodied, good detail and texture

Comments:

A selling point if there ever was one. The bass is ‘embodied’ with a palpable sustain to it and the Martini make all my other earbuds sound limp and hollow. The impactful midbass is exciting and there’s a rumble to subbass that I’ve heard few sets produce. The bass manages to be dynamic with a softer edge to it that makes long listening sessions a breeze. Bass string instruments sound correct and with enough twang from the upper registers to remain exciting. The texture and detailing to the bass is good and there’s clearly a balance executed here leaning towards quantity over quality but it remains what I would consider Hi-Fi in its depth and nuance and doesn't overwhelm the midrange.

Listen to bass-centric electronic music? These will keep your ears occupied and your brain engaged. Listen to instrumental music? Instruments will have a much more natural weight to them that earbuds often fail to reproduce due their open presentation. Everyone is a winner here. As for the source of the magic, maybe it’s the wizardry of the carbon ceramic driver or the flute venting system, or both? Whatever the case, Rose Technics have managed to push a monumental amount of air from this driver without it losing depth, dimensionality and control.

Notable test tracks:

Lorn – Mercy (from Ask the Dust)

Lorn – Diamond (from Ask the Dust)

Nenad Vasilic – Tscusch Chochek (from The Art of the Balkan Bass)


Midrange – gorgeous lower midrange, male vocals outstanding, no sibilance or shout, female vocals distant and slightly nasal, detailing and presence in the upper midrange is lacking.

Comments:

The midrange is a ‘mixed bag’. The bass and lower midrange work hand-in-hand to create a strong replay of the majority of instruments and makes for a really special listening experience. Unfortunately, there are some issues within the upper midrange. Female vocals and some male artists with higher vocal range can sound distant and lacking clarity. There’s a slight nasal slant that predominates with vocals that, unless you’re listening for it, or very hard-line in your tastes, probably won’t bother you but it is something to consider. The more distant vocal replay is further compounded by the lack of edge to vocal transients making for a softer listen on vocal-centric tracks. A similar characteristic is seen with string instruments that have a smoother/softer presentation. Finally, a degree of unevenness has revealed itself over time, where on very rare occasions I have had to drop the volume to avoid shout (this may just be personal tolerance issues and only ever seems to happen with saxophone).

The overall presentation of the midrange leans towards the analogue and organic and certainly isn’t analytical.

Notable test tracks:

Agnes Obel – The Curse

Manu Katche – Short Ride

Treble –

Comments:

The treble does a reasonable job of completing the picture without significant roll off and providing a degree of sparkle. There is nothing inherently wrong here but I do think we are starting to see the limits of the carbon-ceramic driver in terms of extension, producing a room-like quality to recordings and not much air. If this is the trade off for the incredible bass and body in the lower frequencies, I’m willing to accept it.

Technicalities –

Soundstage – good height and depth, dimensions scale with power (give the Martini plenty) and you will be treated to an over-ear headphone-like experience in a much more portable format.

Imaging, instrument separation & layering – probably the strongest technical aspect of this earbud is its cohesive soundscape. Instruments and elements of the track are placed well with good depth and layering. I find it very easy to move my attention between individual elements of tracks and back to the greater whole quite quickly (my less-than-scientific test of imaging).

Conclusion

The Rose Technics Martini is an interesting proposition. Build quality is excellent (bar the cable) and the tuning, despite its idiosyncrasies, remains warm, organic and versatile. Earbuds would not normally be my choice for bass-heavy music but I find myself reaching for the Martini when listening to electronic music. The bass provides body and heft that many of my earbuds cannot compete with.

Who is the Martini for? I would say the primary audience here are lovers of electronic music (D&B/dub/trance, all sorts). This driver has the heart to deliver in the low end and the shortcomings in the midrange will never be an issue. For those people the Martini could easily be end-game. Instrumental music lovers who are after an analogue presentation with good technicalities will also warm to the Martini. As it stands, the Martini is a strong all-rounder playing a variety of genres to a very good standard. However, for my personal taste, I would want more upper midrange and a better vocal replay and I hope Rose Technics continues to refine future iterations to that effect.

Introduction

Rose Technics is a Chinese brand, known for making high quality IEMS and Earbuds. In the case of earbuds, many enthusiasts are familiar with the great Maria, Maria II, Masya, Masya MK2 and Mojito models. All of them have dual dynamic drivers. However, in the case of the current Rose Martini, the new audiophile earbud model, there is only one dynamic driver, whose diaphragm is made of carbon ceramic. The design of the housing is very sophisticated and features a two-way air pressure adjustment tube system to improve bass performance. The materials used to create the different parts of the capsule are 304 steel (cavity tube, rear panel and rear of the capsule) and gold-plated brass (cavity tube and outer shell). The double tube is responsible for regulating the low frequencies, achieving a solid and powerful bass. The third generation of the dynamic driver, with a carbon-based ceramic diaphragm, provides improved resolution. The metal parts have been CNC-machined for a truly polished and luxurious finish. No effort has been spared on the cable either. A Lizt structure with rare earth copper has been used, with a protective layer of flannel and an insulating layer of PET. Monocrystalline copper was used for the anode and rare earth copper for the cathode. The result is a product that stands out visually for its design, beauty and high level of construction. We will see the rest of its features, as well as its sound performance in this review.



Specifications

• Driver type: 15.4mm dynamic driver, with carbon ceramic diaphragm
• Frequency Response: 16-45000Hz
• Sensitivity: 100dB/mW @ 1kHz
• Impedance: 32Ω
• Jack Connector: Selectable between 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm BAL connector
• Cable length: 1.2m

Packaging

The Rose Martini comes in a relatively small and narrow black box. Its dimensions are 153x132x27mm. On the main part you can read Martini simulating handwriting in white letters. The box is decorated with a hexagonal motif reminiscent of the Rose logo. On the right side you can see the two earbuds, placed vertically and showing each side. On the back face, on the left side, there is an anime girl (something that is becoming very common, and tiresome, on many brands). On the right side, there are the specifications, in Chinese. In reality, this cover is not a box, but a wrapper. After removing them, two identical boxes appear, sealed in plastic. They are both black cases, which have a rubberised coating, with the brand logo inscribed on the top. They open a little less than 90 degrees and are lined with a black velvet-like lining. One of them holds the earbuds, encased in a black foam mould. The other contains a pair of zip pouches with the accessories and several cards. In summary, the complete contents are as follows:

• The Rose Martini
• A 3.5mm SE to 6.35mm SE adapter.
• 10 complete foams.
• One card with instructions and specifications.
• One warranty card.

Both the packaging and the contents with the two boxes are relatively surprising. Although, the accessories are minimal, there are no donut foams and all the foams are equal in density. The boxes, although narrow, are adequate to hold the Martini. I must say that it is the same as the IEMS Rose QT9 MK2, but since these are earbuds, there is no problem storing them.
Overall, I find the accessory set limited and the fact that all the text is in Chinese only.



Construction and Design

Where you can't fault the design and construction. The design is simply exquisite, combining 304 steel with gold-plated brass. The micro-perforated sound hole cover, through which the sound is emitted, is made of gold-plated brass. The diaphragm is carbon ceramic, with a 15.4mm driver. The capsule housing is made of 304 steel, as is the rear panel. The capsule shell is conical and has two elongated openings near its edge. At the top of the cone there is another piece which is cylindrical at its base, attached to another piece which has a semi oval and inclined shape, but one end of which ends with a flat cut, also inclined, forming a sharp vertex on this side, while the other remains rounded. The Rose logo is engraved on its outer face and the letter identifying the channel is inscribed on the vertex. From this semi-oval piece come two gold-plated copper tubes, which form the circuit that regulates the air pressure. Finally, a piece of 304 steel serves as a clamp for the other end of these tubes. You can see the hole in one of them, while the cable comes out of the other. It is covered with black flannel and its conductor is made of monocrystalline copper for the anode and rare earth copper for the cathode. It has a small translucent plastic pin, while the splitter piece is a small metal cylinder. The sleeve of the 4.4mm balanced jack plug is a large cylinder with a slight depression in the middle. The cable is doubled from the splitter to the connector and has a small translucent plastic adapter at its junction. The connector is gold-plated.
The design is clearly distinctive and high-end, with a premium finish and high-quality, highly polished materials. They are almost a work of goldsmithing and the combination of metal and gold parts is tastefully done, without seeming excessive. It is clear that these are not lightweight materials and the weight of each capsule is felt, so care must be taken when handling the capsules. Even the 4.4mm connector is also sensitively weighted, which makes the whole thing feel very solid. On this occasion, the looks alone justify the price.
The only downside I find to the design is the use of a fixed cable, something that all other high-end earbuds do not have, but instead use a convenient 2-pin connection.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

The outer shape is asymmetrical and facilitates fitting. Although the cone is regular. The diameter of the capsules is 16.55mm and their thickness is about 5mm. The material is very smooth and polished. It gives the impression of being slippery, but the foams do a good job in this aspect and a good fit is achieved. It is true that the weight is felt in the ears, but it is bearable. Being a free cone, the capsules can be rotated inside the pinna, for a better fit, while the tubes provide extra grip on their contact with the tragus-antitragus.
Earbuds are not best suited for a perennial fit. In this case, the very smooth surface can make the best fit unstable, due to the sliding of the foams on the surface. This does not usually happen if the movement is of low intensity, but it can happen.
Indeed, the sound quality of the Martini should be contemplated in peace and quiet, in order to make the most of its virtues.



Sound

Profile

The Rose Martini's profile is eminently warm, with a good bass and midrange presence and a smooth treble. Indeed, the sonority, power and presence of the low end is very striking. It is clear that its dual-tube system works, when it comes to reproducing solid and powerful bass. The mids are natural, smooth, very pleasant and rounded, with a feeling of fullness that is quite complete. The highs persist in that idea of smoothness, but with less emphasis. These are not resolution or analytical earbuds, but are more organic and analogue.



Bass

Martini have two oval openings at the back of the capsules, located in the cone, on opposite sides, top and bottom, near the rim. These openings and how they are covered, due to each particular morphology, can contribute to appreciate, to a greater or lesser extent, the bass. It could be said that a typical fit would cover a small portion of the lower opening, leaving the upper opening more free. Rotating the capsule inside the earcup, trying to put the tubes horizontally, manages to cover more of the lower opening and increase the fixation of the earbuds. This is a common practice I do when fitting most of the earbuds I try. Although it is not a quick operation, I get several improvements in hearing, due to a better focus of the driver in front of the ear canals, as well as a more occlusive fit. This is not always possible, but in this case, the Martini's lend themselves very well to this adjustment, remaining very stable and without slipping. In this way, the lower opening is almost completely covered. Perhaps it's a mixture of everything, the better fit I get, the greater degree of occlusion, the better orientation, etc. But, it is clear that these new Rose get a really natural and powerful bass hit. The mid-bass is punchy, even the first sub-bass is also punchy. It is not a very sensory low end, but more audible than perceptible. This limits the expressiveness of the lower notes and shows a certain colouring in them, something that is very common in earbuds, even in this range. But that doesn't limit its sonority, which still has a fairly high degree of naturalness and analogue feel.
Technically it is quite capable, proposing an agile and dry stroke in the execution, although the decay is not so fast, leaving a slight aftertaste that softens the range and provides a feeling of generalised warmth. This aspect also influences the texture, avoiding roughness in the texture and reducing the level of resolution. Similarly, the layering, the separation of layers and different levels, also has that sweet, velvety and cohesive quality that characterises the range.
Despite the feeling of bass presence, it is not the most predominant range, but there is a great balance with the rest of the bands. Perhaps this homogeneity is one of the Martini's most remarkable points. If you listen to electronic music, the bass and treble will make a stellar contribution. But when the vocals come in, the bass seems to have a great respect for them, giving up or sharing the limelight. It is undeniable that the warmth is transmitted towards the mids, but it is clearly noticeable, as the transition occurs quite cleanly. The driver has a great ability to split frequencies and separate them, as well as give them distance and a three-dimensional ambience. And, in that sense, the agility and sense of dynamics offered, feels totally premium and is not within the reach of many earbuds.



Mids

Without being mid-centre earbuds, the Rose Martini's full potential is in the mid-range. However, with this statement, I would be putting the bass and treble in a bad light and that would not be fair. Actually, I would have to say that the Martini's sound is very big. There is plenty of room for everything: the bass has a good place, but there is even more room for the midrange, not to mention the treble. There is not only width, but also a lot of height and depth. The elements acquire the ability to move on the different axes, giving them the virtue of feeling alive within the scene. As the sense of enveloping space is wide, the expressiveness of details and nuances is different, although very analogue. It is very curious how small details are reproduced in a way that is so organic and far removed from a digital or analytical aspect. Nevertheless, there is no denying that the sound presents warmth, softness and also clarity, without being bright or very transparent. The mids are harmonious, euphonic and musical. Thanks to its complete lower range, the first part of the mids has a good weight, without ever being muddy in its presence, which is to be excluded and not associated with Martini's. The result is very full male voices, with presence, body, density, weight and muscle, but at the same time smooth and melodious. Despite the presence of the bass, the vocals open up space, presentially speaking and occupying their throne of power. Their texture is homogeneous and subtle, this is not a sound that is characterised by being descriptive on the surfaces, but rather one that opts for smoothness, but for demonstrating details in empty spaces. Or, rather, in extending such nuances to free locations, so that they can be observed with much better clarity and evidence. In this sense, the revealing effect is associated with the expansive effect, to generate a symbiosis that enhances the perception of such details. This is how it is possible to appreciate an exuberant laterality, as the richness of the notes is demonstrated in those areas where the voices are not present. Returning to the vocals, but this time, to the female ones, due to the balance of the central zone, they do not feel so projected. In this sense, the more homogeneous behaviour of the range is appreciated, even if it is at the cost of losing a sense of forced clarity. This is why the sonority prevails naturally and the female voices acquire a greater descriptive point, as the upper zone possesses a more explicit sparkle, but one that is never excessive. The sibilance, therefore, is always controlled, even pleasant.
The instrumentation is rich, thanks to the harmonics and realistic timbre. It also makes good use of the good laterality of the sound, which takes care of wrapping the voices, as well as looking soloistic when they are. It has an appreciable layering and its organisation in space, as well as its placement, is precise and distinguishable. Thanks to the detail, the nuances of the instruments can be appreciated easily and separately from the voices, even if they are more or less distant. The result is a very choral performance, clear and perceptive, ornamental, concisely placed, spacious on all axes, with plenty of movement, life and dynamics. Tuned for full enjoyment.



Treble

The treble has a mixture of softness and finesse. They are not excessive, nor are they exaggerated. The first part has a good width and relative closeness, which allows a clear perception, but without it being predominant or stressful. Its reproduction, unsurprisingly, falls on the natural and harmonious side. Then you feel the classic control drop, in this case it is light and well thought out. There is a good amount of air to enrich the harmonics and lengthen the high notes. Both the speed and decay are natural and do not show themselves to be forced to be faster. The high notes last in a precise way, just long enough to be enjoyed, without being harmful or excessive. In this way, the upper range allows for a particular showcasing and does not only bring resources to the middle range. The treble is not crunchy, but refined, melodious and very enjoyable, as it could not be otherwise. This is how the three strips build up and complement each other to produce a truly complete and complex sound, at the same time highly musical, pleasant, natural, warm, organic and dynamic.



Soundstage, Separation

I couldn't stop talking about stage and separation, especially in the midrange. Earbuds have the ability to generate a great soundstage. But, in those that are high-end, the perception of the soundstage is even superior. The Rose Martini are in that premium range, where the soundstage is clearly large, with an excellent sense of laterality, an excellent ability to position elements and details, as well as to separate them from both vocals and instruments. But this separation is not limited to these areas; the bands also have a clear division, allowing each of them to complement each other in a symbiotic way. It is not that there are hollows, far from it, but it is commendable how the frequency ranges are able to layer and not overlap, to combine without merging. In this sense, the feeling of three-dimensional separation is shown with ease, but without losing musicality. The sound is not completely transparent or crystalline, the sense of warmth threads through it subtly, but not in a line, not in a mantle, it is a much more complex structure, stretching in all three dimensions, in which height, depth and width, are presented in a very palpable way. And, despite all this, the scene still appears natural and organic, without becoming unreal because it escapes from the head. Realism first and foremost.



Comparisons

NiceHCK EBX21

In a similar price range, although now available at a lower price, is this model which is the current flagship of the NiceHCK shop. With a very premium construction, presentation and accessories, the EBX21 is made of aluminium, with a stylish yet functional design. They have an MMCX connection and a cable very much in the vein of the Rose Martini, albeit with heavier metal parts. The ergonomics are better on the Martini because they have a smaller capsule that fits better. However, it is true that the Rose is heavier.
One great thing about the Martini's is that their first impression is excellent, it's very striking that they have such a full sound in all bands. There are no hollows or cracks, the whole spectrum is present and within reach. What's wrong with the EBX21s? Comparatively speaking, the low end lacks the fullness and power of the Rose. It is true that the NiceHCK's punch is more concrete and concise, with a quicker decay. But its sonority is not complete, and the timbre is affected. It lacks depth and presence in the sub-bass. This is very noticeable when playing electronic music, the bass becomes soft on the EBX21's, while a quick switch to the Rose's is like entering the Sonar Festival, through the big door. I can admit that the NiceHCKs have better technicality in this lower range, but at the cost of losing incidence and weight in the sound.
Entering the midrange, the EBX21s still present a comparative hollowness, in the first part of the midrange. There is a lot of lightness in their sound, but less body in the male voices. Thus, they are thinner, but with good texture and detail. But the dense, full, well-balanced, full-bodied feel of the Rose floods the scene and once again brings out the colours of the EBX21's. Their punchier, warmer, more homogeneous sound presents a more unified, seamless and balanced wall. In the second half of this central range is where EBX21 begin to present their full potential. If the body of the voices is exuberant in the Martini, its details, nuances and ornaments are more appreciable in the EBX21. Still, the Rose's timbre and sonority is more natural, though also more analogue. Again, the midrange of the EBX21s again exhibits soft spots compared to the homogeneity of the Martini.
The high end of the EBX21 is the only range that challenges the Rose Martini, because its sound is simply more acute. The sound has a sharper, brighter and purer tendency, while the Rose has a smoother and more rounded execution. The EBX21's treble is faster and dissipates earlier, technically more appropriate. This is why the descriptiveness and harmonics are more textured and nuanced, the EBX21's driver seems faster and more analytical. Although, at the microphone level, the level of both earbuds is the same, it's just a closer exposure of one element or the other, due to the tuning of each.
The soundstage of each model is quite wide. The greater analytical ability and more concise notes of the EBX21s give their sound a more perceptible sense of separation. The sound is vaporous and ethereal. Whereas the Rose has a superior expansive feel, more depth and height, greater laterality and a higher overall occupancy. More sound, more homogeneity, more balance, more space occupied, more scene. That is the Rose Martini's proposition.



Conclusion

Every premium earbud model I try makes me eat my words and look like a fool. Actually, I don't mind, if I have to admit that the sound has room for improvement and I can prove it. This is the case. Previously, I gave very good marks to models in this price range. But the Rose Martini are better. First, because they have a powerful and present low end. This may not be to the taste of many purist audiophiles, but I thoroughly enjoyed writing this review. The second thing my ears focus on when I try earbuds is the clarity and level of transparency. In this respect, the Martini's are in the range of the great earbuds I've tried. But where they really excel is in balance and homogeneity. From the sub-bass to the first highs, the Rose's have no hollowness at all and every sound band is completely devastating in comparison to their rivals. The sound is complete, seamless, wall-like, dense and full. The mid-range body is full bodied, balanced, warm, organic, natural, euphonic and dynamic. It also has a lot of life and movement. Added to this is its expansive quality: the stage tends to occupy a lot of space on all three axes, allowing empty areas to be filled with nuance and detail, while the main instruments and vocals are placed in much more privileged and larger positions. The result is a truly musical sound that is smooth, harmonious and thoroughly enjoyable. The sensation emitted by the Rose Martini is the sound of large earphones, with a lot of height and dynamics, which is more enjoyable the more time they spend in our ears. A great new step forward.



Sources Used During the Analysis

• ACMEE MF02s.
• ACMEE Magic Sound 4 ES9018K2M 192K/24Bit.
• xDuoo Link2 Bal.
• Tempotec Sonata E44.
• Hidizs DH80s.
• S.M.S.L Sanskrit 10th MKII + iFi ZEN CAN.

Ratings

• Construction and Design: 95
• Adjustment/Ergonomics: 75
• Accessories: 55
• Bass: 89
• Mids: 95
• Treble: 88
• Separation: 93
• Soundstage: 96
• Quality/Price: 88

Purchase Link

https://penonaudio.com/rose-martini.html

You can read the full review in Spanish here:

https://hiendportable.com/2022/03/13/rose-martini-review/