Rose Technics Ceramics Review: Decent ChiFi Wireless Earbuds

Many mainstream brands have released their own true wireless earbuds, but the ChiFi space doesn’t see quite as many releases in this product category. While there are definitely a number of options in the ChiFi market, there are no wireless earbuds in this landscape that really stand out.

And this remains true with the Rose Technics Ceramics wireless earbuds. Despite the brand claiming to have been established in 2015, this is the first time I’ve heard of it. To be fair, I suspect Rose Technics is another ChiFi OEM that manufactures various products for other Chinese audio brands throughout the years, much like Ziigaat.

Anyway, looking through Rose Technics’ catalogue of products, the brand has previously released several IEMs, earbuds, and even a pair of headphones. The Ceramics I have here is also just one of four wireless earbuds that the brand has under its belt, so there is (at least) some established credibility. Now, let’s get to the review of the Ceramics.

What It Is

The Rose Technics Ceramics is a pair of true wireless earbuds that currently retail at $29.99 (about RM145) on Linsoul, which was kind enough to provide Nextrift with this review unit. The earbuds are driven with a single 10mm DLC diaphragm driver that promises thumping bass and crisp highs.

Curiously, the Ceramics also has a low-latency mode for gaming that uses what Rose Technics calls Lightning Latency Reduction (LLR) technology, a feature that reduces the latency to 60ms; I’ll elaborate more about this particular feature further down the review.

Other features of the Ceramics include an IP54 rating, Bluetooth 5.3, touch controls, as well as fast charging that offers two hours of use with just a 10-minute charge. There’s also an iOS and Android app for the Ceramics dubbed RoseLink, which is used for tweaking the touch controls and EQ.

The packaging of the Ceramics has two separate compartments. One of them houses a USB-C cable and three sets of ear tips in various sizes. In the other is a hard shell case that holds the Ceramics’ charging case with the earbuds seated inside. Nothing fancy here, but the extra hard case to protect the charging case – that’s a lot of cases – is a nice touch, I suppose.

How Does It Sound?

Before I go into the sound of the Ceramics, it’s important to note that there are three EQ presets available through the RoseLink app: HiFi Mode, Pop Mode, and Rock Mode. Of the three, HiFi Mode is the most neutral and boring-sounding EQ. This would normally be fine for a more balanced sound profile, but the highs are still quite overpowering, making the overall sound signature too thin.

Pop Mode, on the other hand, has a little bit more bass than HiFi Mod, but that also comes at the price of even sharper treble. As for Rock Mode, it offers even more bass while also taming the treble, thankfully enough. I find myself setting the EQ to Rock Mode more often than not, though it is still not the most ideal for all genres of music.

Bass

Sub-bass of the Ceramics has a good amount of slam, but there’s not much extension and the impact doesn’t last all that long. The earbuds’ mid-bass is strong and boomy, but it isn’t particularly tight. On the brightside, the meaty low-end helps give male vocals a pleasant warmth and weight. The same cannot be said for female vocals, as the bright treble of the Ceramics results in a thinner presentation.

Mids

While we’re on the topic, the Ceramics’ recessed mid-range makes vocals a little less engaging than they should be. While male vocals have heft to them, female vocals are thin and lack definition due to the aforementioned recessed mid-range.

I find myself cranking up the volume to hear more of the vocals, but then I find that the vocals become a tad shrill and certain instruments become too sharp for my ears to bear. Like the slightly ambiguous EQ settings in the app, it’s also a struggle to balance the volume in order to avoid overly prickly highs.

Highs

The Ceramics’ highs are crisp and clear, but almost unnaturally so. As I have pointed out, I can’t raise the volume too loud before reaching the point of sibilance with these wireless earbuds. The sparkly highs also don’t last long as there is quite a sharp roll-off that limits the amount of air in female vocals.

In short, the Ceramics has an inherently big, boomy bass shelf that stands out from the rest of the frequencies. Mid-range is a tad recessed and laid-back, while highs are bright but peaky at all the wrong places, unfortunately enough. As for the Ceramics’ soundstage, it is quite spacious vertically, but a bit narrow on the sides. The brighter treble does let a bit more details to surface, though the earbuds’ overall resolution is just average.

What’s the RoseLink App Like?

Well, it’s quite buggy, and on certain occasions, I had to reconnect to the Ceramics several times. To Rose Technics’ credit, the app has been updated four times throughout the review period to solve various issues, so at least it shows that the brand is actively improving the user experience. Once I got the app working as intended, it doesn’t present much issues, though it’s worth noting that this is also quite a minimal, barebone app.

Aside from the EQ presets, The RoseLink app allows users to configure the Ceramics’ touch controls, including skipping a track forward or back, call controls, and volume adjustments. The touch controls are also responsive enough, and there’s an audible feedback whenever it recognises an input.

Within the RoseLink app, there’s the option to toggle Game Mode, which utilises the brand’s LLR technology to achieve a 60ms latency response. I tested this mode with Honkai: Star Rail, and while the feature does reduce latency a tad, there is still quite a noticeable audio delay.

Is It Worth It?

Overall, the Rose Technics Ceramics is a decent pair of wireless earbuds for the money. I’m just a little let down that the “ChiFi factor” – which usually offers great sound quality at a competitive price point – isn’t particularly present on the Ceramics.

Nonetheless, if the $29.99 price tag of the Ceramics fits your budget, you’ll definitely get what you paid for. The wireless earbuds may not have active noise cancellation or the best audio quality, but at this price point, we do have to manage our expectations.

Li Jin Soh contributed to this review.