The Roseselsa Quiet Sea Mk II has a very simple and effective approach and it isn’t trying to blind you with a lot of drivers. It keeps things pure with a single 10mm DD. Some fancy tech is going on under the hood though, like a dual magnetic circuit and a carbon-copper alloy dome. This tech focuses on clean, powerful bass and low distortion. It’s an evolution from the original Quiet Sea, promising a more dynamic, warm, and musical sound profile. It’s more focused on an engaging and enjoyable tuning, not a lab instrument.
Roseselsa QuietSea II Review
The first time I got to test the The Roseselsa QuietSea II, it felt quite ‘OK’ to me. The upper mids sound a bit unnatural at the very first listening. So, I let it burn for 60+ hours and that’s really worth it. It quickly became my ‘Friday night’ IEM- perfect for classic rock, pop and disco listening where you just want that satisfying slam and a warm hug of sound. It really well matched with almost all of my DACs from a bit bright Dawn Pro to the warm melodic RU7. But with ifi Hip DAC2 the warmth is all over the place.
DISCLAIMER
HiFiGo was kind enough to send me the Roseselsa QuietSea II to review. I am not affiliated with HiFiGo, and of course, I was not asked for any copy-checking before publishing. All opinions shared in this ‘Roseselsa QuietSea II review’ are my subjective thoughts.
One thing more: The review is based on my personal experience and what I hear using different sources. Your experience may vary because of personal preference and physical differences like the shape and depth of the ear canal.
For your personal purchase, checkout HiFiGo for their fantastic products and promotions (non-affiliated link).
GEAR USED
● DAP: Cowon Planue R2, Cayin N3 Ultra, Hiby RS2, Hiby R4, Snowsky Echo Mini, F.Audio M20.
● DAC/AMP: xDuoo MT-604, Fosi Audio GR40, Hiby FD5, KAEI Design TAP2, ifi Hip DAC 2, xDuoo XD-05 Plus (with BB OPA 2604), Cayin RU7, iBasso DC04 Pro, Dunu DTC 480, Fosi Audio DS-1, Celest CD-10, Celest CD-20, Hiby FC05, Hiby FD03, Hidizs SD8 Pro Robin, Moondrop Dawn Pro.
● Smart Device: Poco X3, Xiaomi MiPad 5.
● Files: Tidal, Spotify, local Hi-Res FLAC & DSD files.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
● Driver: 10mm Dual-Magnetic Dual-Cavity Dynamic Driver Unit
● Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
● Impedance: 18Ω
● Sensitivity: 106 dB
● Cable: 4-Strand 8-Core OFC Cable
● Pin Type: 2pin, 0.78mm
● Cable Length: 1.2m
● Plug Type: 3.5mm/ 4.4mm (interchangeable)
WHAT’S IN THE BOX
● Roseselsa QuietSea II IEMs
● Modular 8-Core OFC Cable
● 3.5mm & 4.4mm plug
● 4 pairs of silicon tips (SS/S/M/L) & 4 pairs SoundCocoon oval bore liquid silicon tips (SS/S/M/L)
● PU Leather Pouch
● Cleaning cloth & Brush
● Rosie stand & stickers
● User Manual
UNBOXING EXPERIENCE
It’s a very pleasant unboxing experience for the price point. And everything inside is practical & useful, that is uncommon in this price range. Opening the box, you will be welcome by the IEMs that are nested well in foam cut-outs. And all other accessories like cable, tips, cleaning tools are stored in another box with the ‘accessories’ mark on it. Beneath the pack, you will find the Rosie stand & stickers. Everything is well organized here.
BUILD & DESIGN
The CNC cut aluminum body of the Roseselsa QuietSea II IEMs feels light in hand but also it feels sturdy. It’s not any other cheap IEMs with poorly built shells. The shell design is fantastic and the ergonomics are so well that will give you the confidence of comfort. The air vents are on both sides and it’s really a good design in my honest opinion. The stock cable looks like the OG QuietSea one but it’s a bit thinner, and tangle friendly as always! It’s disturbing when you will use it on your morning or evening walks. The provided tips are of very good quality, especially the SoundCocoon oval bore one.
FIT & COMFORT
Due to its light weight and good ergonomics, the IEMs are really comfortable in longer listening sessions. Two air vents makes it even more comfortable and doesn’t create any extra pressure in the ears. The supplied tips are soft and comfortable too. I especially used the SoundCocoon oval bore tips all the time and they gave me fantastic fit & utter comfort. The only complaint is the stock cable. Though it has less microphonics, it got tangled easily, very easily. That’s a disturbing thing.
SOUND IMPRESSIONS
The sound signature has a gentle V-shape, warm, and bass-oriented. What you get is like the taste of a rich and comforting drink like a cappuccino coffee. The audio has a musical quality and emphasizes bass response rather than an undisturbed and reference-like quality in the manner of a monitoring audio.
Here is the frequency graph:
Let’s dive deep…
SUB-BASS
I find most of the single DD IEMs are more focused on the mid-bass more than the sub. Here, it’s also true. But that doesn’t mean the sub-bass is the weaker or abandoned part of this IEM. Rather it is present in a very strong manner which can dig down deep with lovely rumble and vibration. It’s not over done though. It remains clean and clear, which adds great emotional depth to tracks without getting muddy. It has a longer decay and a bit of boominess, that may ‘hurt’ some purist audio enthusiasts who love a tight presentation on the sub region.
MID-BASS
I can call it the star of the show and really it is! The mid-bass of Quietsea II the main attraction of the sound presentation. It is capable of delivering an excellent slam and punch. Kick drums hit with authority and clarity. This mid-bass is what makes good ol’ 80s, 90s classic rock, pop, disco genres incredibly satisfying and engaging to listen to. It really drives the rhythm. The quantity of mid-bass is very generous and the presentation is well-controlled. But it may feel a bit overwhelming to some listeners who are passionate for a bright & clinical sound signature.
VOCALS
The Roseselsa Quietsea MKii shows it ability to handle the vocals with notable intimacy and lower-end energy.
MALE
The male voices shine through in an excellent manner. The male voices offer a warm, rich, and full experience, blending in the mix and remaining on top. Since the whole tone is warm, male vocals don’t have that super high-contrast sharpness you might hear on brighter sets.
FEMALE
The female vocals are well-defined and pleasant, slightly boosting the upper midrange. They remain strong and intense, sounding smooth rather than harsh and hiss-like. The overall warmness could make them slightly less forward and airy than the male vocals, and this could simply be tuning.
INSTRUMENTS SEPARATION
There’s excellent clarity and separation between the sources. The string instruments, like guitars and violins, sound warm and engaging, and the soundstage maintains its cohesion. The reason why the note weight and bass energy are so high, and the fact that there are only single drivers, make the space between the sources seem slightly cramped compared to multi-driver systems, causing micro-details to seem slightly less distinct.
TREBLE
The highs are prolonged, but neither overdone nor excessive. These highs provide the needed detail and even a healthy dose of sparkle in the sound, without either reaching the realms of the too-sibilant. The trebles exude a polite and refined quality. Some audiophile enthusiasts demanding the highest detail possible may find it somewhat conservative. The sound doesn’t lay claim on the largest soundstage and the best ‘crystal clarity’; rather, the focus ends up on an evenly balanced, pleasant listening experience.
SOUNDSTAGE
The soundstage has a great feeling of width and depth. The stage itself isn’t cavernous, but the music isn’t cramped or hemmed in on your head either. Rather, it has an excellent, credible sense of depth that draws you in and provides the sound plenty of room to breathe. This isn’t an expansive, cavernous room in terms of audio. That forward, up-close presentation means you won’t hear the expansive, out-of-your-head separation you would on a larger soundstage.
TECHNICALITIES
Dynamics: The powerful driver with the dual magnetic circuit ensures there are sufficient impact and energy. The sound has a dynamic quality and isn’t flat. The light V-shaped tuning provides dynamic distribution in the bass and upper midrange, and not the whole range.
Speed: The driver performs well in terms of speed, especially in the mid-bass, where it remains agile and dynamic, and does not become sluggish or parky during quick rhythms. Inherently, the bass has a “boom” quality, implying that the decay rate isn’t rock-fast, and could have marginal effects on the perception of micro-transients.
Analytics (Detail Retrieval): It provides much detail despite the warm presentation and performs much better than some other wireless earphones I’ve listened to. The detail resolution is excellent in the single dynamic driver class. This isn’t an IEM designed for the analytical, detail-obsessed audiophile. The details are immersed in the song, and in terms of mix detail, the warm presentation could obscure the slightest detail.
SOURCES
First of all, it’s not that much sensitive or power hungry IEM, it’s a really easy drivable set. Second of all, it doesn’t scale up with high power sources. So, a decent DAC dongle can do the perfect job. But don’t pair it with overly warm sources, they may ruin your enjoyment by making the low end overly warm with less details.
CABLE & TIP ROLLING
The supplied tips, especially the SoundCocoon oval bore liquid silicon tips are really fantastic and do their job. So, this department is covered. But if you don’t like your cable getting tangled every now and then, you may look for an after market one. I will suggest you the Dunu Lyra Mini, a very affordable cable with interchangeable connectors.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Roseselsa Quiet Sea Mk II is in a class all by itself when it comes to well-rounded performance, because it has lot to offer in terms of sound quality, even compared to other IEMs that cost several times as much. The first thing you’ll notice when listening through the Roseselsa Quiet Sea Mk II is the clean, powerful bass tones that quickly hook you in, combined with the warm, rich male vocal range and high-quality treble. These, in combination with the ergonomic design, make the Roseselsa Quiet Sea Mk II an IEM that is incredibly easy to recommend, particularly in terms of those who have a big listening collection filled with different genres of music.
WHATEVER YOU’RE THINKIN’ OF BUYING—DAC, DAP, IEM, HEADPHONE, AMP, WHATEVER—JUST MAKE SURE YOU GIVE IT A DEMO RUN FIRST. TRY IT OUT, LISTEN TO IT WITH YOUR OWN TRACKS. SERIOUSLY, ONE QUICK AUDITION CAN SAVE YOU A BUNCH OF MONEY AND REGRET LATER ON.
AUDIO TESTING PREFERENCES
I desperately love the music from the 60s to 90s era. Music was alive then. The genre I love most is ROCK ‘N ROLL. Though Jazz, Blues, Metal, Disco, Pop is also my favorite genres. I have a collection of albums with high dynamic recording. Most of the time I teste audio gears with those albums to understand sonic capability of the specific gear. If you have tidal subscription, you may click here to get the playlist.
You are welcome to read other reviews by SONIC MANTRA.
