ROSESELSA QUIET SEA II: Tastefully-done Coloured Sounding Set

It is known that Utagawa Hiroshige's skill of creating some of finest ukiyo-e style artworks and one of his favourite subject is a calm and quiet seaside scenery which were usually found on his works like Fifty-three Stations Of The Tokaido and The Eight Views Of Omi in which was heavily-inspired from the 11th-century collection of paintings, The Eight Views Of Xiaoxiang which was produced during the Song Dynasty. His seascape paintings shows its composition and colours that approaches more a gentle, poetic and ambient that captures the natural state of the seashores which is in contrast with his more well-known contemporary, Hokusai as he is known for his vibrant and bolder yet more conventional style of his iconic work, The Great Waves off Kanagawa which is the most influential artwork from late Edo period and these Japanese artworks have an impact on a burgeoning art movement that greatly influences some of the well-known Impressionist artists in Europe on the third quarter up to late 1800s.

Some of Utagawa Hiroshige's woodblock prints that illustrates a quite seaside in Edo period Japan.

The product model that will be featured in this product review article is from ROSESELSA/ROSE TECHNICS's other latest entry-level set. And this one would be a follow-up ROSESELSA  product review along with their other product, the PHOTON PRO which is a more budget entry-level IEM set in a single driver encased in bullet-type shell configuration.

What we have is the ROSESELSA Quite Sea II, a sequel of the Quiet Sea that was released in 2023 and like its predecessor, it has a single dynamic IEM earphone but it has some new features that ROSESELSA updated it to have a better performance. It features a ORBITA architecture for power efficiency of its 10mm dual-chambered dynamic driver for better power efficiency due to strong magnetic flux along with a topology-processed composite diaphragm comprised of carbon-copper dome structure and a multi-layered PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) suspension coil, and with the application of these materials, it offers an exceptional tensile strength and a good resistance on both thermal and chemical reaction for long lasting durability and greatly decreases distortion. And with these properties with its topology diaphragm, it allows to fine-tune its desired sonic profile; it delivers deep and better extensions on both sides of frequency response, a rich and organic sound on its overall tonality and pleasant vocals.

The driver was then encapsulated in a light composite shell structure made of CNC machine-milled aluminium alloy on its cavity base and a mix of a clear polycarbonate plastic and aluminium alloy on its faceplate that partially exposed its transducer inside. It has a total of three vent holes, one is on the cavity base and two are on its faceplate. It utilises a 0.78mm bi-pin connector as its interlocking mechanism for its detachable cable.

Speaking of its stock cable, this one has a well-balanced build as it is neither lean nor too thick for better flexibility and resistance from entangling and pre-forms. This cable is a 4-core structure made of 5N oxygen-free copper wiring and each strand was coated with a carbon nylon-fabric insulating sheath for a lossless signal transmission without distortion and not just that, it also offers a modular termination plug as it allows swapping between 3.5mm single end and 4.4mm balanced.

Its compact size and lightweight shell offers a comfortable wear and with a proper pairing with appropriate ear tips, it offers a secure fitting for better passive noise isolation that allows it to block unwanted external noises from the outside surroundings.

As for its product packaging, it was packed in medium-sized packaging with an anime-style mascot print. The contents inside are well-organised and it has its own compartments.

These are the following contents that are included inside of its packaging box:

• Pair of ROSESELSA Quiet Sea II transducer earpieces.
• Modular stock cable
• 3.5mm adapter plug
• 4.4mm balanced adapter plug
• Four (4) pairs of SoundCocoon clear liquid silicone ear tips in different standard sizes.
• Four (4) pairs of balanced bore silicone ear tips in different standard sizes.
• A PVC product mascot earphone standee.
• Some mascot stickers
• Cleaning tool
• Cleaning cloth
• User's manual

What makes me wonder that it doesn't have any storage case at all is that this set will be prone to dirt, scratches and nicks.

With a resistance rating of 18 Ohms and a sensitivity of 106db, this set is quite sensitive that it can be driven with a standard gain power output that are usually implemented on smartphones and tablets with a decent headphone amplifier inside. So, no need for USB DAC dongles or any types of amplifier (unless its a 4.4mm balanced output) as this one with an optimised power output will sound very dynamic with a full range of its audio frequency.

Regarding its tonal profile, this one has a U-shaped sound signature with a warmish-balanced tonality on it. It has more emphasis on the low frequency, a bit recessed midrange and some noticeable a bit elevation on the high frequency.

LOWS/BASS:

It is certainly that the bass response of this one is more of a mid bass-centric tuning of how full-bodied and rich sounding the bass-clef instruments and male vocals are on this one. It sounds quite potent and impactful although this one is quite borderline boomy as I noticed some noticeable bass bleed across the low midrange as it muddles a bit to give that warmer sound.

I almost forgot the sub bass presence of this one as I'm more focused more on the mid bass texture but I can sure that I've felt a fair amount of reverberation and rumble coming from a certain types of  instruments like electronic, percussion and low-tuned strings such as synthesisers, drum machines, bass guitars and double-basses albeit not the detailed nor deep as I observe a slight attenuation on it, as if that it was cut-off.

On how some bass instruments and male vocals sound like on this, bass guitars sound full and mellow, while the double basses have a broader and weighty sound, and then a full and sonorous sound coming from the strokes on bass kick drums. Meanwhile on bass and bass-baritones, they sound quite dusky and dense with dark timbre, however I also noticed that it doesn't have that prolonged reverberating depth.

MIDRANGE:

It appears the midrange of this one is evidently recessed on its overall frequency response but to the slight mid bass smudge, it gives the warm and lush sonic bearing with enough energy on it that it gives full and textured sound on some vocals types particularly on male ones and low female voice register like contralto. The instruments on this one seem to sound natural as they sound rich, rounded and full depending on specific type of instruments.

The male vocals have a rich and smooth sound as baritones have a plushiness and smoothness on their voice, while the tenors have a brassy sound and countertenors have gentle and soothing sound. As for female vocals, contraltos have rich and strong chesty voices, mezzo-sopranos have a velvety sound and sopranos have a creamy and a bit musky sound which makes it more ideal on dramatic-type sopranos.

Regarding instruments, let me introduce the string instruments first; guitars have a meaty and balanced sound, while violins have a full and sensuous sound and cellos have that weighty clarity on them. On woodwinds, concert flutes have a mellow and wafting, piccolos sound a bit dull and soft, and saxophones sound rounded and melancholic. The brasses like trumpets, trombones and horns, they sound full, solid and sonorous respectively, while on percussions, snare drums sound hard and penetrating, tom-toms have warm and resonant sound, field drums gives a venerable sound and then a velvety sound on kettledrums. Pianos appear to sound more balanced as it has a rich and crisp tone on them.

HIGHS/TREBLE:

The treble response of this one is more on the glossy side as it is smooth with ample brightness with a modest amount of air. That slight lift on the upper mids and presence treble section will give a clarity and definition on vocal articulation and a precise attack on instruments and also, I don't hear any excessive hissing, harshness or piercing sound even if I played some sibilant-prone tracks from my selected playlist.

The brilliance section of this one is rather modest in my opinion as it gives enough sparkle. Cymbals have a lustrous sound while the hi-hats have light yet tight and crisp tones to give that distinctive chick-y sound, then glockenspiel have soft shimmering sound and celestas have a warm and velvety sound on them.

SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING & OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

On its soundstage, it has a modest sound field dimensions as it gives me a bit of intimate head room within my aural perception as it has average length lateral span but it has a sufficient height and depth that complements well that somehow makes it well-proportioned. Although on its imaging aspect, it presents a standard two-dimensional stereo field presentation and it has a fairly-layered soundscape although it still has good separation where I was able to locate the placement of musical elements as if that it has its own space but not in the most accurate way in which I was able to pinpoint clearly.

On its driver coherency, while it is not the fastest in terms of transient speed response, it is capable to deliver an attack on its bass response and other parts of frequency response to deliver a faithful sound reproduction for a full, clear and detailed sound from vocals and instruments. When it comes to resolution capabilities, this one has pretty solid macro-dynamics as it was able to highlight the differing degree of loudness coming from instrumental passages and chorale lines from the quietest up to the very loud level, and also it has a decently sharpness on its micro-dynamics as it was able to extract micro-details, nuances and grains from the sonic background of an audio track like vocal ends, notational texture and instrumental reverb tails.

PEER COMPARISONS:

EPZ Q1 PRO

• It was priced around US$30 in some online stores.
• Features  a 10mm LCP diaphragm dynamic driver encased in a resin shell.
• It has a good stock cable but it doesn't have a modular termination feature.
• This one has a U-shaped sound signature as it has a well-balanced bass quality as it has rumbly and thumpy response,  a tad recessed midrange but it has an ample warmth with enough energy to be an all-rounder for vocals and instruments albeit it has less depth compared to the QUITE SEA II I noticed on its male vocals like baritone, and a bit brighter treble response with almost similar airy extension.
• It has a very similar technical performance with the QUITE SEA II as it has an average-size head stage but it presents a concave-like stereo presentation and similar resolution capabilities in terms of detail, however it has a bit better driver coherency performance as it has a faster transient response.

7HZ G1

• This one is priced around US$35 in LINSOUL.
• It has a 10mm DLC diaphragm dynamic driver encased in a solid aluminium alloy shell structure.
• The stock cable is quite nice for its asking price but unlike the QUITE SEA II, it doesn't have a modular termination feature.
• It has a U-shaped sound signature that closely align with a Harman tuning curve as it has a tight yet rumbly bass response, a recessed midrange presentation as it a hollowed lower mids but it has an energetic and transparent sound that more suitable on female vocals and instruments like woodwinds and strings, and then a bright treble tuning with good amount of airy extension.
• It has a similar perceived head stage size with the QUITE SEA II but it has a concave-like stereo imaging presentation, better driver coherency and a resolving resolution capabilities particularly on micro-dynamics as it has a sharper definition in detail retrieval.

BQEYZ BQ-10 (DSP Variant)

• Currently priced at US$30/£26 on both HIFIGO and BQEYZ Official Store.
• It has a large 12mm dynamic driver with PET diaphragm encased in a composite shell chassis consisting of resin material of its cavity base with a brushed-finish faceplate panel.
• The cable is decent but not on par with the QUIET SEA II's stock cable which has a better build and quality material and also it doesn't have a modular termination option.
• It has a mild U-shaped with a balanced-warmish tonality as it has a balanced bass response as it is quite rumbly with a punchy sound, a balanced, rich and clean midrange sound presentation that makes the vocals and instruments have an almost accurate timbre and tonality on them and then, smooth and balanced treble response with good amount of air.
• While it has a reasonably-sized sound/speaker stage that makes it a bit intimate in terms of sound field projection but it has a holographic stereo imaging presentation, better driver coherency and a better detail definition on its resolution capabilities particularly on its micro-dynamic aspect.

SIMGOT EW300

• It is currently priced at US$45 in LINSOUL.
• It sports a 10mm dynamic driver with a proprietary composite polymer diaphragm encased in a mirror-finish shell chassis.
• It has a decent stock cable but compared to the QUIET SEA II, it is of lesser quality in terms of build and it doesn't even have a modular termination functionality.
• It has a bright U-shaped sound profile as it has a rumbly and a tighter bass response, a recessed and a bit lean midrange presentation with a transparent and energetic sound makes them more ideal on female vocals and instruments on both strings and woodwinds, and then, a bright, vivid and a moderate air on its treble response.
• It has an above-average soundstage size but it presents a rather linear two-dimensional stereo imaging presentation, but it has a bit better driver coherency and a sharper definition in its micro-dynamics capabilities.

In conclusion of this product review, it appears that ROSESELSA is diversifying its tuning capabilities as this set is quite distinctive from other sets that they previously produced. While this one still has a coloured tuning as it has that fun and musical sound but it has that warm and rich sound that is reminiscent of an old school Hi-Fi tuning of the 70s and 80s that makes them more enjoyable and captivating to listen to of its  natural tonal colour on vocals and instruments. And it is also quite a rarity to find a set that is priced at under US$70/£52 with a good quality liquid silicone ear tips and a good quality stock cable with modular termination plug.

ROSESELSA QUIET SEA II is now available on HIFIGO, check out the link below that I have provided below.

LINK:

https://hifigo.com/products/roseselsa-quietsea-ii

More ROSESELSA/Rose Technics product reviews?

★ROSE TECHNICS CERAMICS

★ROSESELSA AURORA ULTRA

★ROSESELSA DISTANT MOUNTAIN

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: ROSESELSA QUIET SEA II

IMPEDANCE: 19Ω

SENSITIVITY: 126dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz – 40KHz

CABLE LENGTH: 1.2m

PIN TYPE: 0.78 2-PIN CONNECTOR

PLUG TYPE: (MODULAR) 4.4mm, 3.5mm

DRIVER UNIT(S):  (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER

PROS:

● Lightweight and solidly constructed  composite shell chassis.

● The shell's design is quite peculiar yet eye-pleasing. (Subjective)

● Comfortable to wear without any discomforts.

● Good quality stock cable and also a modular termination plug feature.

● It includes proprietary Sound Cocoon ear tips on its packaging

● It also includes a PVC IEM Standee with its product mascot and other goodies. (If you are in this anime fandom thing)

● It has a fun, engaging and coloured sounding just enjoying a lively vibe and beats of your favourite track.

● Punchy and impactful bass response 

● Rich and full-sounding bass-clef instruments and male vocals

● Warm, smooth and vibrant midrange

● Lush, rich and smooth sounding on baritones, tenors, countertenors and 

contraltos. 

● Somehow, almost all types of instruments seem to sound natural.

● Velvety and soft sound on mezzo-soprano voices and also on instruments like cellos, kettledrums and celestas.

● Lustre and inoffensive treble response. 

● Not a hint of harshness nor sibilance even on sibilant-laden tracks.

● Fairly detailed resolution capabilities, firm macro-dynamics and decently sharp definition on micro-detail retrieval.

CONS:

● Way too coloured sounding for ardent neutral heads.

● Not even for bassheads due to lack of authority and even physicality

● Some noticeable bass bleed on both red and white ring tuning nozzles

● Recessed midrange 

● Not the fastest driver in terms of transient response.

● Less spacious soundstage if you are into this expansive sound field dimensions.

● Of all accessories, where is the carrying case for storage?

TRACKS TESTED: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *

Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**

Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **

Mountain - Mississippi Queen *

Queen - Killer Queen **

Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*

Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'

Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'

Pearl Jam - Daughter **

Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *

Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*

Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *

New Order - Blue Monday *

The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *

The Madness- Buggy Trousers *

Metallica - Motorbreath **

Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *

Destiny's Child - Say My Name *

Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *

Mozart - Lacrimosa *

New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *

Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*

Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *

Exciter - Violence and Force *

Diana Krall - Stop This World **

Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*

The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**

Suzanne Vega – Luka **

Lauren Christy – Steep *

Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *

Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*

Type O Negative - Black No.1 *

Felix Ayo - Vivaldi: Presto **

Three Tenors - Nessum Dorma *

Mercyful Fate - Witches' Dance *

P.S.

I am not affiliated to ROSESELSA nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to Ms. Alex Cheuk of HIFIGO for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate her generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.