Rose Technics Ceramic

Introduction

Rose Technics, the portable audio brand established in 2012, is betting on TWS technology. It currently has 4 such products on the market: Earfree-i3, Lightyear Star Ring ANC, Beetle and the Ceramics model, which is the subject of this review. With the most expensive product costing $44 and the Ceramics currently priced at $30, these products are in the budget segment.
The Rose Ceramics have a 10mm dynamic driver with DLC diaphragm, they specify that a 10-minute charge can provide 6 hours of playback, while a full charge (40 minutes) can provide up to 7 hours. They use the latest Bluetooth v5.3 protocol with very low latency, 0.060s thanks to LLR (Lightning Latency Reduction) technology. They use an ergonomic design based on more than 70 iterations and more than 2000 tested ear canals. They have an IP54 waterproof rating. There is also an APP, called Roselink, with which some functions of the TWS can be controlled. Let's take a closer look at what Rose has prepared for this model in the following review.



Specifications

• Audio format: AAC/ mSBC/ SBC.
• Playback time: 35H.
• Charging time: approx. 40Min.
• Noise control: ENC.
• Interface type: USB-C.
• Bluetooth version: 5.3.
• Operating range: 15m
• Controller unit diameter: 10 mm.
• Impedance: 32Ω.
• Frequency response range: 20 - 20000Hz.

Packaging

The Rose Ceramics come in a small white cardboard box, whose dimensions are 102x102x36mm. On the front side there is a real picture of the TWS in its charging box. Underneath is the model name and a description of the product, all in black lettering. In the top left corner is the "Super Charge" logo and in the top right corner is the brand logo. On the back are the specifications, the brand's contact details, the contact details of the representative in Europe, a QR code with the address to download the RoseLink APP. Finally, at the bottom of this side, you can see the characteristics of the battery, as well as the logos of the certifications that the product complies with.
The box is sealed and can be easily opened by means of a die-cut strip at the top. Inside are two small boxes of different sizes, one twice as wide as the other. Both are made of white cardboard and have the brand logo on the front. The larger one has the box that houses the TWS and the other the accessories. In summary, the complete contents are as follows:

• A black box protecting the charging box.
• The charging box with the two TWS.
• The two TWS Ceramics.
• Three pairs of black silicone tips, sizes SxMxL.
• One USB charging cable (Type-C to Type-A).
• One instruction manual.

It is customary for Rose to incorporate a black protective box with the Rose logo inscribed on it. Inside it is custom made and padded to protect the charging box of the TWS. This little box is not as big as the old ones and this is appreciated. It is only slightly larger than the charging box. Although it is true that it can be a bit more cumbersome to carry both, given the small size of the charging box. The charging box is grey and has an LED on the front face. On the lid is the model name and underneath is the LED, the brand logo and the name, in grey letters. As usual, the connectors are protected by plastic sheets.
The contents are just the right amount. But I would like to emphasise once again that the extra protection box is very welcome for the low price of these TWS.



Construction and Design

The Rose Ceramics are high-fidelity wireless stereo headphones with HD microphones. They are Bluetooth 5.3 compliant. They have a gaming latency of 60ms, 35h battery life with Super Charge, and are IP54 rated for water resistance. They feature a 10mm DLC dynamic driver. The dual HD microphones have up to 90% ambient noise cancellation.
The charging box is constructed of glossy plastic. Its dimensions are 62x44x25mm. At the bottom is the USB Type-C socket for charging, as well as a button for resetting the TWS. It is available in three colours, black, grey and pink. The model under review is grey, which is the colour of both the charging box and the TWS. The headphones are also made of hard plastic, but matt. Both have touch panels on the outside. On it you can read the brand name and see the brand logo in its centre. There is a hole on the edge of the crown of the outer face. I think it is the hole for the microphones. Although near the base of the mouthpieces there are two more elongated holes that could be microphones. The capsules have a hybrid shape between a sphere and a cylinder. Their shape is crescent-shaped until the split, while the inner side shrinks rapidly. On the inner side are the charge connectors, which are two, the inscribed channel letter and a further hole. The nozzles are very short and transparent. They are protected by a fine dark mesh. It has two diameters, the lower one is 4.6mm, while the upper crown is almost 6.1mm. Their full length is very short, about 3.5mm.
They are a budget TWS, so there is not much to criticise about their construction. If they are IPS54 certified on top of that, they are not bad. They are very light and look tough.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

Rose specifies that their ergonomic design has been based on more than 70 iterations and that more than 2000 ear canal profiles have been used. Actually, their design is very compact, they are a bit stubby, but they fit me very well. Although the mouthpieces are very short, I could say that the large tips fit me very well, which is unusual, given the unique morphology of my particularly wide ear canal. However, the sound obtained with these tips, as well as the fit, grip and seal, is excellent, something I didn't expect. With a very low weight, their shape fits very well and they are very comfortable to wear for hours on end.



Operation and Connection

The Rose Ceramics use Bluetooth v5.3 and the formats are AAC/ mSBC/ SBC. They are not the best in terms of audio quality, but they are very stable. My flat is small, but I can walk all over it without any loss of connection or drop in audio quality, even if there are walls and doors in the way. So, clearly, the specified 15m operating range is met.
The Rose Ceramics allow pairing with two sources at the same time. The system for doing this is given in the manual. I tested it with my mobile phone and the Fiio BTA30 Pro at the same time and it worked correctly. This allowed me to listen to music connected to my PC via the Fiio BTA30 used as a DAC and to take calls with my smartphone when necessary.
The rest of the functions are as follows:

• Volume +: one touch on the right capsule.
• Volume -: one touch on the left capsule.
• Previous song: two-second press on the left capsule.
• Next song: two-second press on the right capsule.
• Play/pause: two consecutive taps on any capsule.
• Voice assistant: three consecutive taps on the right capsule.
• Reject calls: two two-second presses on any capsule.
• Accept calls: two consecutive taps on any capsule.
• Play mode: four consecutive taps on any capsule.
• Pitch change (HiFi/Pop/Rock): three consecutive taps on the left capsule.
• Power on/off: long press on any capsule.

It should be noted that the Rose Ceramics have touch panels on the outside and when pressed, an acoustic acknowledgement is received. They have a rather medium sensitivity and are not very quick to respond to touches, as you have to wait for an acoustic acknowledgement after each touch. So you have to give the right frequency in order to be able to tap in succession. You also receive verbal notifications in English, about some actions, such as mode changes, when switching on or when entering pairing mode or connecting. The voice is very quiet, as usual.
There is an APP called RoseLink, which weighs 55.54MB in version 2.2.2(2115) at the time of writing. It allows you to see the TWS load, change modes and update firmware. It fails to connect to the TWS fully and changing options does not seem to work. The only option that seems to work is switching to game mode, but not always. It is too heavy an APP in size for it to have such poor and ineffective performance. I hope it improves. But apart from knowing how to load the TWS, as well as updating the firmware, it doesn't offer any other appreciated features.
It seems that its charging is quite fast and with 10 minutes you are assured of a 6h operation. With 40 minutes of charging you reach the maximum of 7h. To gain that extra hour, an additional 30 minutes of charging is required. It seems that the charging base allows 5 recharges, reaching the specified 35h.
It has a game mode where the latency is only 60ms. I have not tested it. It seems that the game mode is just for that. To listen to music it is better to exit this mode.
The LED on the charging box is colour coded to indicate the charging of the charging box as well as the charging of the TWS.
The lower button at the bottom of the charging box allows you to reset the TWS. To do this, it must be pressed for 10 seconds.
As a summary of this section I would like to comment that the number of tactile options makes it difficult to remember them all. It is good that it has different tunings and a low latency game mode. But the connection modes are basic, no HD, although its connection is stable, it does not exceed the basic 44.1kHz sampling.



Sound

Profile

The Rose Ceramics' profile starts from a controlled V-tuning for HiFi mode, in which the high mids are slightly forward, while the highs are soft and shaded. When switching to Pop mode there is a bass emphasis of 5dB, while gaining 3dB from the midrange onwards. Rock mode adds a further 2dB to the bass above Pop mode, but relaxes the midrange, which starts almost even at 2.5kHz and gradually rises to almost 4dB at the 7kHz point. As can be seen, the Pop and Rock modes emphasise the V-profile, becoming quite pronounced. On the other hand, it is worth mentioning the amount of air that the Ceramics have, something that is not usual in budget TWSs.
Another thing I would like to comment on is that the total power of the Rose Ceramics is a little fair.



Bass

The low end of the Ceramics is quite emphasised. If we start from the HiFi mode, you feel that the bass is centred in the midrange, a bit lazy and rounded, a bit diffuse and not too explicit. Moving directly to the pure tone test, in HiFi mode the sub-bass is not very sensory and not very perceptible. As the frequencies rise the tone becomes more coloured and audible, but with little depth and low-medium energy. In Pop mode the lower sub-bass is still barely noticeable, but the range gains in energy, presence and volume, even sounding more realistic. In Rock mode this behaviour is enhanced, gaining in depth and darkness, but you feel how the bass is slower to recover, more rounded, to the point of engulfing the rest of the frequencies, especially the first treble, which feels muffled and nuanced.
The result in HiFi mode is somewhat light, close to neutrality, while in Pop and Rock modes the difference is too great. I would have placed the Rock mode in between HiFi and Pop, to get the benefit of more depth, energy and volume, but without dulling the rest of the frequencies, which is what happens with these Pop and Rock modes by boosting the bass by that amount.
In short, the HiFi mode is neutral, but not very effective, it doesn't sound very natural, it should be faster and more resolving, but it's still diffuse and undefined. In Pop or Rock modes, presence, depth and a little more realism, energy and volume are gained, but it is still a rounded and unpolished bass, which does not gain in resolution and affects the rest of the frequencies.



Mids

I still think that HiFi mode is the most suitable mode for music playback. Pop mode boosts the bass and high midranges, but the higher bass gain obscures the sound rather than enlivens it. This feeling is more pronounced in Rock mode, where the bass floods the music and the detail is very shaded. Vocals are more natural in HiFi mode, especially female vocals. The Pop mode gives a little more body to the male vocals, but I go back to the HiFi mode to recover detail and naturalness, as in Rock mode the male vocals become too cavernous. As I said before, a mode in between HiFi and Pop would have been more beneficial.
The midrange representation is simplistic, without too many embellishments, slightly muted, without too much life or sparkle. There is not much perceived dynamics or depth.
With Pop and Rock modes the profile becomes more V-shaped and this penalises the timbre and realism of certain instruments. The HiFi mode fixes this feeling, being more natural.
Another thing that doesn't quite fit is the choice of mode names. The HiFi mode can be saved, but the Pop or Rock modes do not live up to their name as they do not enhance these genres. The Rock mode could be called Bass mode, it would have been more realistic.



Treble

For treble reproduction I would discard the Rock mode, it feels like the bass darken the sound too much, even though you can see an enhancement in the graphic. But if the bass is played at the same time as the treble, the high notes will be affected. This phenomenon happens to a lesser extent in Pop mode, as the elevation of the midrange and upwards seems to compensate for the negative effect of the bass. It is clear that the bass does not sound very natural in HiFi mode, but the treble does. They also have a bit more extension and sparkle. But really, this is a V-tuned TWS with controlled and smooth treble. There is a point of initial excitement, hence the initial brightness, which has a certain realism (not too much) but you can live with it. Pop mode raises the amount of sparkle and would be most appropriate for representing the upper range. In this sense, Pop mode works for some things, gaining naturalness in the bass and exciting the treble. Actually, such a mode could be used for electronic music.
On the other hand, the representation of the treble is still simplistic, recreating only the most obvious notes. The treble does not have the right edge to discern detail, being rather coarse to represent harmonics.
Finally, there is a certain feeling of air that does not really affect the sound.



Soundstage, Separation

The Ceramics stage is front-facing, the side-to-side and stereo feel is very fair, as is the height. Depth in HiFi mode feels a bit clipped, something is gained in Pop mode. However, the sense of definition and resolution is limited in all modes. Detail works at the macro level, there is not much harmonic richness and no note extension here either. The sounds are simple and sparse, without much life, with an informative level that only passes muster. However, the timbre fails at times. If the bass doesn't sound natural in HiFi mode, this mode is better for the treble. Pop mode gives more depth and realism to the low notes, as well as depth, but leaves the midranges deeper, disadvantaging some instruments. There is no mode that works completely well. Again, I insist that a hybrid between HiFi and Pop mode would have alleviated some aspects. However, the sound remains up front, somewhat congested, simple, without much separation and focused on macro detail. There is no definition or resolution to present fine detail, only midrange detail is discernible. Nor is it adept at recreating or layering or stratifying sound. Thus, the image is only intuitive.



Conclusion

There is a lot that the Rose Ceramics can do. They have a large number of commands and modes, three different tunings (HiFi, Pop and Rock) that involve variations of a light V-profile at their base, to emphasise it in Rock mode. They have a gaming mode that reduces latency to 60ms. They are very ergonomic and lightweight. The front panels work relatively well and have a case to protect the whole thing. They can be connected to two Bluetooth sources and their chip is version 5.3. All in all, the Rose Ceramics can be very versatile for many day-to-day scenarios, as they have two HD microphones that seem to work quite well. However, when it comes to sound, they fall short of the mark. None of the music modes seem to be complete, there are things that some do better than others. But it is a limited set in terms of sound, if you only want to listen to music. It is true that its price is very low, but wanting to do many things at the same time for that money must penalise some other aspects. If you are looking for a main use to make calls, play games, watch series or movies and listen to music without too many pretensions, the Rose Ceramics can be a good ally. If you like bass, the Ceramics may also fit the bill. But on the other hand, in the frequency range, it is a mixed package with ups and downs that can make you look elsewhere.
Finally, it is not fair to compare the sound of these TWS with other wired IEMS of the same price, not even for half the price. It is clear that the budget TWSs have a long way to go in terms of sound quality and power. But if we take into account that these Rose Ceramics can be found for as little as $25, the price/performance ratio can change a lot and that's where this solution can work against the direct competition.



Sources Used During the Analysis

• Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro.
• Fiio BTA30 Pro.

Purchase Link



You can read the full review in Spanish here

TLDR version on YouTube: TDLR - Rose Technics Ceramics

The Rose Technics Ceramics have been sent to me by Linsoul in exchange for the publication of my thoughts in this review. Linsoul have not made any requests and I will do my usual best to be as unbiased as possible.

I will leave a link (non-affiliate link, as always) to the Ceramics via Linsoul on my blog.



Intro…

While I have always maintained that I don’t review or spend a lot of time with TWS, lately that seems to not be quite true. You may have seen my recent ramblings (I can’t really call it a review) about the Sony Linkbuds S, where I said that I picked commodity over sound quality, something that is not usual for me personally.

It is true that the sound quality of TWS IEMs is getting better but I am still of the opinion that they have a long way to go before matching the sound quality of many of the cheaper wired alternatives. This is something that I find true at all TWS price points that I have tried, even sets costing around 600€ that sound decent but are no match for other wired alternatives that come in at a third of the cost.

While there are some sets that are using very high quality drivers and some in depth processing to make things a lot better, the truth is that they are still fighting against a very difficult thing to overcome. Size. You need to fit the drivers, the DAC, the amplification, the DSP, the battery, the charging system for the battery, all into a very small space while still managing to leave enough of a cavity for the air that the drivers need to work well.

But really, at least for now, TWS is not about sound quality, it is about the commodities of having something so small and easy to use, without being tied to a device by means of a cable. I am sure that these will continue to advance and at some point we may start to get options that do rival cabled alternatives, but for now, I feel that we are still looking at the best functionality we can get while also getting a “decent enough” sound.

Why am I saying all of this? Well, I want to make it clear that I don’t think it is fair to compare TWS IEMs with wired IEMs, at least not in similar price brackets, therefore it would not be fair if I do a direct comparison of the Ceramics to a set of wired IEMs in the sub 40€ price bracket, which is what the Ceramics sell for at the time of putting together this review (EDIT: They are actually less than 30€ at the time of publishing this review).

My current bench mark for TWS are the Linkbuds S, not because of sound quality but because of functionality and I think that, even though the Ceramics are less than a third of the price of the Sony, the comparison is fairer than putting them up against something like the 7Hz Zero (1 or 2), paired with an Apple dongle, which come in at around the same price (including the Dongle) is not really fair.

So, basically what I am saying is that my reviews of TWS IEMs should be treated as an independent thing. Much like the difference between me reviewing a set of IEMs and a set of over ear headphones.

Anyway, enough with the rambling and on with the review…



Presentation…

The Rose Technics Ceramics arrive in a fairly basic white package that features an image of them on the cover, along with the model, brand and “Hi-Fi True Wireless Stereo Earbuds” underneath. On the back of the box we get some basic specs, line the operation range (15m), Bluetooth version (5.3), charging time (approx. 40 mins) and the impedance (32 Ohms).

It is a little strange to see the impedance mentioned on a set of TWS as it isn’t really relevant due to the fact that they already have all the amplification built in etc, yet there is no mention of the codecs that the Ceramics offer.

Inside the main package we find two smaller white boxes with the Rose Technics logo on them, one labelled as “Earphone Box” and the other as “Accessories”.

Opening the Earphone box reveals a largish black plastic case with the Rose logo on it, which I thought was the actual case of the IEMs and my first thoughts were “this is rather large”. However, opening the black flip top case reveals a much smaller case on the inside which is actually the IEMs storage/charging case. The larger black case is quite nice with a padded interior although I couldn’t help wondering why they decided to pack a case inside a case, inside a box inside a box.

Inside the accessories box we find a USB-A to USB-C charging cable and three sets of silicone tips. In addition to this we get a user manual explaining the functionality (and contents) of the package.

You may be thinking that this is not exactly a lot of content but it is exactly the same content as received with the Linkbuds S at more than three times the price. Well, it’s actually more as we get the extra case to store the case



Build and Aesthetics…

The Ceramics are available in 3 different colours, all black, grey with black internals and white with pink internals. I received the grey set and I think they look pretty good, although they do have sort of a beige tint to the grey, depending on the light.

The storage/charging case is very compact, around the same size as the Linkbuds S case and even a little thinner overall, meaning that they fit easily even in a fifth pocket and will not be something irritating to carry around with you (which is very important to me, as I think one of the positives of TWS is having them always available). This does mean, however, that the internal space of the case is not really very big. I can fit them in the case with Symbio medium sized tips installed but anything larger will mean that they don’t fit in the case properly (they wont fit with Symbio large).

The charging port is located on the bottom of the case, which is something I would usually complain about as you cant charge them standing up, yet in this case (pun intended), it won’t stand up anyway due to the rounded shape of the bottom.

The IEMs (or should I call them buds like everyone else?) are also very compact. They are almost round in shape and sit fairly well inside the ears, although they do stick out a little more than something like the Linkbuds S.

In general I like the size, they seem to be well built and the aesthetics don’t really displease me either.



Functionality…

Pairing for the first time is pretty straight forwards as it is with most TWS. Open the case and take them out, then look for them in your device and pair them. They can also connect to two devices simultaneously, which is a little more complicated (although the manual explains it well) but does work correctly. I could listen to music from one phone and then take calls from the other phone with seamless switching over between devices and back again once ending the call. I know that not everyone uses two phones but it is handy to be able to connect to a tablet or computer while still having a connection to a phone.

As far as I am aware, there is no App for the Ceramics (EDIT: I found out after putting together this review that there is actually an App. However, after trying for more than 30 minutes to connect it to the Ceramics and failing, it's like not having an App). Personally I prefer no App over a buggy and bad performing App but, in this case, I wouldn’t have minded an App to remove some of the functions from the IEMs themselves as there is a lot going on and it can get confusing when you are using different sets of TWS (i.e: different control set ups).

Each side is a touch surface which is not really over sensitive but still suffers from touches when adjusting the IEMs in your ear etc. As you will see now, depending on how many accidental touches you make, you can make quite a few changes.

Volume up - Single tap on right

Volume down - Single tap on left

Previous track - Hold left for two seconds

Next track - Hold right for two seconds

Play / Pause - Double tap on right or left

Answer / End call - Double tap on right or left

Reject call - Hold for 2 seconds either left or right

Voice assistant - Triple tap on right

EQ mode - Triple tap on left

Game mode - Quadruple tap on left or right

As you can see, there is a lot going on and even after reading the manual (which we all know is not my first step ), I still found myself confused by the control layout.

I appreciate the fact that you can adjust volume from the IEMs, something that I have complained about with other models, but in this case the volume of the Ceramics is independent to the actual phone volume.

The fact that it is a single tap and there are many other functions with multiple taps can make it a little more complicated, yet the steps are pretty large. As I listen to all kinds of music, a lot of the time on random playback, there are many volume differences between tracks and turning up for a quieter track may lead to overly powerful levels on the next track, in the end, I found I grabbed my phone to change the volume rather than using the onboard controls and volume, which sort of defeats the object.

Also, both the EQ mode and the Game mode are things that I really don’t need to change on the fly, in fact, I don’t really need to change them at all, so these are things that I end up changing by accident and finding myself unsure of what I have done.

There is a voice that informs you of changes made but for some reason, there are two different voices depending on what you have done. It leads me to believe (just making assumptions here) that the control system was taken from a different model and extra things were added to the Ceramics.

There is no real mention of what the gaming mode does, although the Rose Technics web (and Linsoul) does mention that the Ceramics can offer latency as low as 60ms which ensures a “quick response in FPS games”. I honestly don’t know what it changes as far as the internal set up when activated but it doesn’t change frequency response and I don’t game, other that the odd retro session etc., so I can’t say I have improved much in the FPS gaming world

One thing it does mention about it in the manual is under troubleshooting:

"Q: Noise in game mode?

A: Game mode is for gaming only. For other scenarios, please witch back to music mode"

So it obviously does something.

EQ I will mention in a moment under sound, so that just leaves the charging case. This is stated as having fast charge, with 10 minutes offering six hours of uninterrupted playback, but it doesn’t really say anything about the charging of the actual case. As I haven’t actually run it down to zero, I can’t say how long charging of the case takes.

There is a status LED on the front of the case which tells you the level of the battery, the charging state etc. All of this is explained in the included manual.

Finally, as far as Codecs, the options are SBC or AAC yet I found that setting it to SBC in Gaming mode would break the connection and stop them from working. In music mode, both AAC and SBC work fine. There is also something to note and it is the fact that the Ceramics only have 44.1kHz sample rate, meaning that everything will be resampled by them to 44.1kHz.



Sound…

All tracks mentioned are clickable links that allow you to open the reference track in the streaming service of your choice (YouTube, Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, etc.)

Let’s start off by addressing the EQ modes on the Ceramics. There is no “flat” or “off” setting, so you have to choose between either “Hifi Music Mode”, “Pop Music Mode” or “Rock Music Mode”. Just to repeat that there is no difference between Gaming and Music modes as far as frequency response. The same three EQ settings are available in both modes and the response is the same.

Ok, so here is a graph of the 3 EQ modes (just in Music mode to not show an extra 3 irrelevant lines), with my usual preference curve for reference:



Ok, so where do I start?

Usually I would just tell you which of the EQs I prefer and then go on to explain my opinions with that setting, maybe with a few notes about the other settings along the way. However, I really can’t say that I “prefer” any of them.

So, rather than follow my usual frequency categories, I am going to mention a few of the tracks from my test list, those that I usually refer to the most, and then say how I find that track with each of the 3 EQ settings.

Of course we have to start with “Chameleon” by Trentemoller...

Hifi Mode: There is a noticeable lack of rumble on the Ceramics compared to many other sets. Let’s face it, this track is pretty crazy in the low end, so I can’t really say there is a lack of bass but it doesn’t rumble like it should. There is also a lack of lower mids and mid range in general, with things clearing up a little due to the excessive presence between 2.5 and 5kHz. This makes certain sounds stand out while others seem to be darker and merge together.

Pop Mode: Ok, here we cant say there is a lack of rumble, what we can say is that there is a lack of clarity in the lower ranges of the track. While the drivers don’t seem to be struggling, they also don’t seem to be defining the subbass either. There is, again, a lack of mids in general, with the (even more excessive) upper mids/lower treble giving clarity to some sounds but struggling to do so due to that immense rumble happening at the other extreme.

Rock Mode: Now we are just getting silly I know that there are people who will find this quantity of bass great but I am not one of them. The low end rumble just takes over the whole track and even that excessive 2.5 to 5k can’t really break through that wall of rumble. Personally I find this to be nauseous and is literally just rumble with not much else to be appreciated. I am literally grateful to get to the end of my detailed listening with this track and this EQ.

Another track I mention almost as much as “Chameleon” is “Crazy” by Daniella Andrade...

Hifi Mode: In this mode the overpowering reverb in the lower ranges is avoided yet it does give the overall track a focus in those upper mids, making her vocals sound a little thin and harsh. To this we add a treble that is not really smooth and details stand out but do sound a little artificial at times. There is also a slight hint of sibilance on occasions, with the sounds of her mouth (lips etc.) seeming over emphasized at times.

Pop Mode: Here there is even more emphasis placed on those upper mids with sibilance being more noticeable than with HiFi mode. Although there is more present in the lowest ranges, it is mostly below where the guitar reverb resides, so it doesn’t really affect the low end of this track much in comparison.

Rock Mode: This is my preffered option out of the three for this track. There is still a hint of sibilance but the upper mids/lower treble doesn’t come across quite as exaggerated with this EQ. Again the low boost is mostly below the reverb, so there is a slight touch more but not enough for it to become overly present in the midbass, although it doesn’t seem quite as clean.

Something with a bit of electronic subbass but without the excess of “Chameleon” is “No Sanctuary Here”...

Hifi Mode: Here I find that the low ranges of the track are rather dull in comparison to what I would usually expect from this track. There is also a lack of body to the vocals of Chris Jones, leaving the upper mids exposed. This is not as bad as with female vocals, not as harsh, but does lose a lot of the excitement that this song brings.

Pop Mode: Now the excitement of the subbass is back, although I think it is a little overly present for the rest of the track, or at least overly present for the mids, which again lack the body to the vocals, making them take a back seat behind the subbass. The thing I found here is that the vocals are ok while there is a break in the bass but when the bass comes back, it does overshadow them, even with that 3k presence.

Rock Mode: Again I find that the subbass is overpowering when in this mode with this track. It eliminates all sense of clarity and while I still maintain that the driver doesn’t do a bad job, all you are really experiencing is subbass with some other sounds in the background. Not something I would pick personally.

Seeing that we have a “Pop” mode, lets try something I would consider modern pop, “Don’t Start Now”...

Hifi Mode: Here the bass is actually pretty impressive, with nice clean hits, keeping the rythm entertaining yet not overpowering. The issue here is that once more, we are missing some body to the lyrics of Dua Lipa, with the upper mids sounding a little fragile. There is the slightest hint of sibilance at times but nothing that I would complain about. I would actually complain more about certain sounds that suddenly sound harsh when they coincide with one of the upper peaks, such as the pluck of a bass string etc.

Pop Mode: This is what should be selected for this track, no? Well, I have to say that the bass is possibly even more impressive than in HiFi mode, especially if you like a nice amount of it. The bass isn’t bloated and its clean and decisive in it’s rithym. The issue here is that things sound even more fragile in the upper ranges. Sibilance is slightly more present but not terrible, just peaky overall in the upper ranges.

Rock Mode: Ok, if I wanted to impress someone with bass on a set of TWS, then this track with this mode is pretty amazing. It stays clean and defined, with plenty of bass and I find it sounds better than Pop mode to my ears. Here the upper mids are still a little fragile but not as bad as with the other modes, mainly because they hide behind a a lot of bass. I still wouldn’t say it sounds good, the upper ranges are by no means something I would choose but I still admit that the bass on this track is impressive in this mode.

Seeing that we did Pop, I guess we should do something for Rock also, so let’s use a classic, “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin ...

Hifi Mode: The thing that stands out to me the most here is the upper ranges of the electric guitar as it hits those higher chords. In general the track is sort of dark and distant but then suddenly those chords cut through like a knife in the left ear. The track is listenable although lacking presence in the mids, until those chords appear and are, let’s say, uncomfortable.

Pop Mode: When the track starts, the bass guitar sounds rather impressive but I wouldn’t say it sounds like it should. As soon as it mixes in with the other instruments and vocals, it then becomes a sort of wall that makes it difficult to actually separate what is going on.

Rock Mode: We saw that Pop mode didn’t really work for Pop, at least the track I selected, so does Rock mode work for this Rock track? Well, not really. Again the bass could be considered impressive at the beginning but it again turns into a confused mix when multiple things are happening. To be honest, this is not exactly a complex track but things just don’t sound right on it, with certain parts seemingly like a wall, while other suddenly cut through and sound like they are from a different recording.



Conclusion…

These are a budget set of IEMs, coming in at 40€ (EDIT: Now less than 30), and I have to say that they try to pack in a lot of things for the price, maybe too many things, and unfortunately sound quality is not one of them, at least in my opinion.

There are 3 EQ modes and the only real difference between them is how much subbass we get and how harsh it is around the 3k to 5kHz mark. I appreciate that not everyone has the same tastes and the fact that they have aimed to cater for 3 different profiles, yet none of them match my personal tastes (which is ok, I understand I am difficult) but they also don’t sound great.

The details are pretty decent, yet the peaky treble makes them sound artificial at times. The upper mids and lower treble are just too present and give things a harsh and fragile sound. The mids are the opposite, lacking in presence and leaving many vocals without any real body to them.

That just leaves the bass. I have to say that the bass is pretty impressive. That doesn’t mean I like it, there is too much of it for my tastes, but I still have to admit that it can be impressively clean and present on certain well mixed tracks. Of course, it didn’t work well with “Chameleon”, due to the track being overpowering and adding the additional overpowering bass of the Ceramics. But still, I can’t deny that these TWS have enough bass for most of the bass lovers out there.

I really can’t say I am a fan of these TWS IEMs and, although I do think that some people will enjoy them just for that excessive bass, I feel that there are other options in this price range that make much more sense.

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As with all my reviews, this is also available in Spanish both on my blog (www.achoreviews.com) and on YouTube (www.youtube.com/achoreviews)

All FR measurements of IEMs can be viewed and compared on achoreviews.squig.link

All isolation measurements of IEMs can be found on achoreviews.squig.link/isolation

Rose Technics Ceramics
HIFI TWS Bluetooth Earbuds True Wireless Earphone
Are they for you?

Rose Technics Ceramics
2 HD microphones with ENC noise canceling
Game mode utilizing LLR (Lighting Gaming Latency) can be as low as 60 milliseconds
Up to 2 hours playback from a 10 minute quick-charge when in a bind
Up to 7 hours playback from a full-charge
Accessing case charges enables up to 28 hours playback
10mm DLC Diaphragm
3 EQ modes of Pop, HIFI and Rock

Released on December 18th, 2023 the Rose Technics Ceramics offers the consumer a range of advantages and qualities. Truly I’m not into TWS IEMs all that much, and in fact don’t know why they sent me these, but I am into headphones so? I don’t want to come-off as any kind of expert here? A while back Linsoul sent me the incredible TINHIFI Tin Buds 3, and even though they are sold out on Linsoul’s main site, they probably are a good alternative to what the Ceramics are if you want to spend 2X the money. Meaning I’m guessing you can still find them around. Yep, just checked and they are still for sale at Linsoul’s Amazon Store. Also in comparison to Apple AirPods (2nd Generation) the Ceramics are way less money and while not being exactly tuned the same way, the Ceramics are more of a regular IEM fit experience. More on the difference between the two in the comparison section.



TINHIFI Tin Buds 3 $89.52
https://www.linsoul.com/products/tinhifi-tin-buds-3?_pos=7&_fid=286027dfb&_ss=c
https://www.amazon.com/Linsoul-TINHIFI-Tin-Buds-High-Fidelity/dp/B0B671TLJC?th=1

Apple AirPods (2nd Generation) $129.00 (Still available)

Rose Technics Ceramics, A choice of 3 colors $39.99
https://www.linsoul.com/products/rosetechnics-ceramics

Comparisons:
Here we delve into a few TWS IEMs, while not brand-new devices, they are simply what I have to compare. All of these features and sound quality have to be somehow quantified. Why, well one reason different from regular IEMs is they all have internal batteries. As such these batteries have only a limited amount of charges, before the playback time starts to be compromised, until theoretically they cease working. Now to be honest I have used a TWS at the gym now 4 days a week for 2 hours a day and still don't have an issue, even starting to use the pair in October of 2022? And I don’t even know the age of the Apple AirPods I have, they seem to still work fine, yet I don’t ask that much of them? It could be feasible that super expensive TWS IEMs have replaceable batteries, because if you could replace the batteries they could last as long as regular IEMs. Typically though TWS is an attractive option due to convenience of use. No wires and really no source if your phone or DAP is put away and you don’t need to touch it. With that said it may be that a person doesn’t find value in spending more than $80.00 as in reality these things are disposable IEMs in the end. Yet the Noble Audio FoKus Prestige is $599.00……so expensive TWS is out there.

Apple AirPods (2nd Generation)
Probably the biggest thing for me is the Ceramics ear-tips. They come with 4 sets of wide-bore ear-tips. Now these are not any old ear-tips…nope…they are my favorite ear-tip style of all time and I use them in 90% of my reviews. The only difference here is they have purple centers……but to me I would buy the Ceramics alone just to get these ear-tips.

AirPods:
Yet to many they may find this midrange centric playback of the Air-pods more clear and even more (tonally) balanced. Where the AirPods once lodged in place create an airtight fit to utilize bass frequencies, yet this forward stance also can come-off slightly too much for some listeners, having better luck with the AirPods at a more moderate volume. And yes the Ceramics are laid back and warmer offering a style of relaxation yet many may have an issue with the possible maximum potential volume levels from the Ceramics. Yep, they only get so loud. I mean sure Apple AirPods are not everything, except they get way louder than the Ceramics. And that’s the sad part, as the Ceramics have this tone stance that begs for volume? It is like you're eating at this restaurant where the portions are way too small………more, we don’t care about politeness, we want grub!

TINHIFI Tin Buds 3:
Coming in at $89.52 there is a noticeable clarity put forth as a difference to the Rose Ceramics. And sure they are 2X the money, except what do you get? You simply get a bigger stage and even a form of better tonal balanced sound. Yes they are more money but if they are within your budget, they may be the better choice? This starts with just how they fit inside your ear, the outside sound occlusion, the deeper fit with more IEM structure farther inside your ear. Such fit results from a semi-custom design which simply stays in place better. Better separation and itemization in the sound field, more defined bass, better imaging of both midrange and treble elements….etc, etc.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/tinhifi-tin-buds-3-tws-iems.25964/reviews#review-28909

Yes, it came out at the end of July 2022, but the TINHIFI Tin Buds 3 still hold a very special quality. Read my review if you want to know more.




Construction:
The Ceramics hold what looks like a three piece construction and a unique clear plastic nozzle. Though one surprising thing about the choice of ear-tips is they are on the shallowest size, almost you can get. Now they fit me OK, and this exact tip I use all the time. Yet due to the wideness of the bore, and shallow donut shape they only go in (the ear) so far. What this means in the end is that you are almost forced to use this style of ear-tip, the reason being is that aftermarket narrow bore (longer) ear-tips don’t fit in the charge case. Literally the case has been designed with these tips, or very close to the shape of these ear-tips only. As such the IEM sits slightly farther back due to the circumference of the wide-bore ear-tip. Sure you can change ear-tips once you take the IEMs out of the case, but that would probably only be convenient at home? Note the picture when the Ceramics were first taken out of their change-case, the blue plastic tape which keeps the Ceramics from taking a charge, you obviously need to remove it before using.

In use:
The good news is general use with the BlueTooth is fairly straightforward and fluid. In fact if by chance you go out of range the IEM will drop out then reconnect upon reaching the range of your device. Though I did find the signal acceptance was limited to the room I was in, meaning it’s Bluetooth wouldn't work traveling behind walls, like other more powerful BlueTooth IEMs would.

Different is the complete 12 page guide (all in English Language) that is fully explanatory of use.



Weighting in at just 4 grams each the Ceramics are easy to stay in place. Watching a news cast on YouTube then switching to another new reporter and then another, lip-synch was surprisingly good with the latency being maybe the best I have ever seen, showing about an 1/8th to a 1/4 second delay at most. Probably more towards the 1/8th of a second. The words they spoke were in-synch while still spoken from their mouth, which was something that you could start to not notice at all.



The EQ settings:
As you can see each EQ found the majority of changes behind the Pinna gain area. Maybe due to the volume issue or maybe something else, really the differences were less perceived than the graph shows.

Sound:
As such we are gifted with a V shaped signature allowing a peak at 3.5kHz and then another at 5kHz. As such the bass additive goes to both increase the overall girth of the stage and ends up a very complementary opposite signature to the Apple AirPods 2. Remember though due to the fit of the Apple AirPods 2 most people will perceive a wildly different bass response. So here we kind of welcome the smoothness and added warmth generated. I spent about 6 hours basically listening to various YouTube videos and came out of the experience thinking this tuning (while strange) kinda worked. Still in comparison to Apple EarPods, way more laidback and forgiving. Still after a few hours my mind somehow started to adjust to this tuning, which while made music sound relatively OK, was a much better tune for talking and sound effects.

Packaging:
As special, note the box once opened can never be closed to look un-opened. Basically you are guaranteed a fresh new product that could never be put back to look like new.

Conclusion:
The sound was simply utilitarian in nature, not bright, not really foggy (OK, maybe a little) just slighly subdued. As such really these get points for background music and listening to news casts primarily. I mean sure they are more forgiving than Apple AirPods, and own a style of relax-ability, but you pay for that with a style of non-involvement where the music in places becomes almost missing dynamics, yet does it offer some dynamics in areas? Due to the laid-back treble even lead guitar takes on a smoother than normal tone, more acceptable maybe late at night when you want a pair of IEMs to simply get the job done and not offer any sonic thrills? As such, yes they do all genres, yet blend the same signature into every song, like making every song sound almost the same, with no introduction of pizzaz? Simply going through with the motions here. Really for the money you’re paying for the BlueTooth, as there are more wired IEMs in the audiophile realm that offer way better sound. Yet, if you have to have BlueTooth, then these are OK, I have never reviewed a BlueTooth set in this specific price category? With that said they are built well and offer solid dependable sound for what you get.

$39.99
https://www.linsoul.com/products/rosetechnics-ceramics

Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Kareena from Linsoul for the opportunity to review Rose Technics Ceramics TWS IEM.

Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C

Equipment Used:
Samsung Phone
Apple iPod
Apple MacBook Air

These are the experiences and thoughts of a single individual, your results may vary.