Roseselsa RS9039 Review
Intro
Hello everyone, thanks for checking out this feature and review of the Roseselsa RS9039 dongle dac. The RS9039 comes from the audio brand Rose Technics. I was actually happy to receive this device, for a few reasons. For one, I am an unabashed fan of Rose Technics. Always have been. I feel that they craft and create some of the best and most unsung audio gear, or so it seems. Two, the RS9039 sports the absolute latest ES9039Q2M dac chip, which is the successor to the wildly popular ES9038Q2M dac chip. Three, it’s just a dope looking dongle dac and is rated to have some impressive specs. Beyond those reasons, I also cannot help but desire to hear the new thing, and I have an ever-evolving curiosity about what is out there in the world of personal audio. At any rate, I thank the audio store HiFiGo for providing the RS9039 for a feature at Mobileaudiophile.com.
Rosetech Selsa
Rose Technics actually was founded as “Rosetech Selsa” which began way back in 2012. From what I gather; Rosetech Selsa was derived from an ancient proverb which means “There’s a lot of water yet only one scoop is taken to drink”. Rosetech Selsa has had over a decade of designing earphones while doing their best to maintain a sense of simplicity, like crafting small pieces of artwork. These are actually Rose Technics words (paraphrasing), and I can appreciate this cornerstone fundamental core principle; You can build a company with these words, and so long as everyone buys in… you’ll have a very good and prosperous thing.
Founded
That brings us to around 2015 which was when the brand “Rose Technics” was founded. Since that time Rose Technics have been crafting one set after another that truly competes against the competition. Especially of late. I have actually reviewed a handful of their iems and have given great marks to each and every one of them. Starting with the Rose Technics QT9 MK2S (QT9 MK2S Review). The Rose Technics QuietSea (QuietSea Review). Then the Rose Technics Star City 5 Pro (Star City 5 Pro Review). Lastly, I reviewed the Rose Technics QT9 Mk3 (QT9 MK3 Review). Each set represents some of the best in each of their respective price points. Especially the QT9 MK3 which is without question one of the best hybrid iems that you can purchase around the $200 range. Rose Technics keeps it simple and usually puts good thought and effort into their products as well.
I know I don’t have to say this, but there really is a mountain of devices beginning to pile up under the $100 price point. Many of which I have on hand to test out and I’d be very interested to hear where they stack up. Well friends, I think I’m ready to see what this little device is all about. The Roseselsa RS9039 everyone…
Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:
Disclaimer:
I received the Roseselsa RS9039 from HiFiGo as a review sample and in exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. This set is a review sample iem. HiFiGo has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to HiFiGo and thanks for reading.
RS9039 Pros
-Nice build quality
-The design is sleek, simple, stylish
-Great for those who like simple plug n’ play devices
-One of the better dongle dacs for battery drain, very efficient
-Brand new ES9039Q2M dac chip
-300mw on 4.4 and 240 on 3.5 se
-Pleasant warmer sounding dongle dac
-Bass is emphasized, full, profuse in comparison to other dongle dacs
-Note weight is on the more lush side
-Black background, even for very sensitive iems
-Good for brighter sets
-Non-Offensive and Non-fatiguing throughout
-Nice imaging
RS9039 Cons
-No volume, gain, pause/play, buttons
-There isn’t any extra features
-No accompanying app
-Too warm for some
-Detail Retrieval
-Separation of elements within the stage
-Could use more treble energy and brilliance
Gear used for testing
-Hidizs S8 Pro Robin
-Moondrop Dawn 4.4
-Simgot Dew4x
-A multitude of iems, too many to name here
Packaging / Accessories
Unboxing
There’s never a lot to talk about within the packaging of a source device. In the case of the Roseselsa RS9039, it showed up at my door in a smaller rectangular box. It’s a black box to be exact with pinstripes and a holographic sheen of different colors as you move it in the light. Pretty cool, if you are into boxes that is. Anyways, the front cover shows the Rose Technics logo with “Roseselsa” and “ES9039Q2M” underneath. It’s a stylish display I suppose. On the back is a bunch of stats (as usual). Once you slip off the outer sleeve you are met with another black box. Inside that black box is the case that the RS9039 comes in. Rose Technics always hands out some cool accessories, but this is a case where we really don’t see much. You’ll notice that when you open the case the RS9039 will be sitting pretty inside of a felt molded pocket. The type-c data cable is right there too. That’s about it. Nothing that will blow your mind.
Carrying Case
This kind of surprised me. I don’t usually ever get carrying cases with my dongle dacs and other source devices. In this case, Rose Technics provides a larger black rectangular rubber coated case with a hinge and a snapback style open/shut mechanism. It’s very satisfying actually. The case itself is roughly about 4.75” in length, by 2.5” inches in width, and 1.5” in height. It’s a good size. However, with the molded cut-outs inside you cannot bring anything other than the RS9039 with you anywhere. I guess you can rip the molded guts out and that will give you enough room for a pair of iems, the RS9039 and some other smaller accessories. I love the soft rubber feel on the outside of the black carrying case. It’s actually a nice extra add-on. Again, this is not the norm. However, they also didn’t provide any other adapters or cables which would have been nice. Granted, I personally have every adapter I’d ever need but for those who don’t they’d have to purchase those separately. Nice case though.
Cable
Not much to say about the type-c to type-c cable. Thankfully the RS9039 does have a cable that I can swap out if need be. I will say that the included black cable is one of the nicer cables I’ve gotten with a source device. It’s very pliable, but also not flimsy. Strong enough to hold the RS9039 without bending at the strain relief. The outside covering is a soft black fabric as well. In length the included cable comes in at just a hair over 4”. It’s not a bad cable at all. Not up to the standards of the cable that came with the Aful SnowyNight and EPZ TP50, but much better than almost every other cable I’ve gotten. It has just enough rigidity, but not too much. I like it.
Specifications
General Info.
-Brand: Rose Technics
-Model name: Roseselsa RS9039
-DAC chip: ES9039Q2M
-Dimensions: 48mm x 22mm x 12mm
-Approximate weight: 14.5 grams
-Output Option: 3.5 single ended, 4.4 balanced
Sound Parameters
-Output Power: 3.5 se- 240mw @32 ohms, 4.4- 300mw @32 ohms
-THD+N: 0.0003% @1 kHz 32 ohms
-SNR: 126 dB @ 1khz 32 ohms
-Dynamic Range: 130 dB
-PCM: Up to 32bit/384khz
-DSD: Native DSD 64/128/256
Build / Design / Internals
Build Quality
Rose Technics usually gets this area right, all the time. Once again, they’ve crafted a device that’s built very well. Made 100% out of aluminum, the RS9039 is a very robust and sturdy little guy. Coming in at roughly 2” in length, about 1” wide and a ½” at its fattest portion in the body which houses the 4.4 port. The RS9039 only weighs 14.5 grams which means it will not overly stress the usb-c port on your phone or computer…even if you let the dongle dangle. Ha. Anyways, it’s not heavy but it is very durable and well made. You can see there’s a 3.5 single ended port as well as a 4.4 balanced port on the thick side and a lone usb-c charging/data port on the other side. There is also a small indicator light as well on the side of the unit. To be honest, the build is fantastic. You’d be very hard pressed to find build quality that is much better.
No buttons?
However, Rose Technics did negate a few things that the community greatly desires and that is buttons of any kind. People in this hobby love control! It’s almost an unspoken truth. We love control. Give us buttons. We want to control the play/pause, skipping tracks, gain modes, and sound filters. These are things that hobbyists desire. I may be some sort of an outlier as I don’t mind this at all because I always control volume, play/pause, etc. at my phone, for the most part anyways. Still, having “gain modes” at my fingertips would’ve sent this dongle dac into the “tops in class” category. However, this is a huge omission for some folks. That’s not just coming from me. I did an “Initial Impressions” post on Facebook, and I got more than a few personal messages about the lack of buttons. I suppose this keeps the price down. That’s one way to look at it. Also, if one could simply look at this device how they look at something like the Moondrop Dawn 4.4, Shanling UA2, Fiio KA3 etc. then you may come to the conclusion that I came to… “It’s not really a big deal and I’m not missing much”. I’m not you though and these functions may be integral in your listening experience. So yeah, no buttons. Is this a deal breaker to you?
Design
I have to say, the RS9039 is one of the better-looking dongle dacs on the market under $100. I love the aerodynamic and streamlined shape. It’s a dope look in my opinion. The writing on the top side looks classy and not cheesy. You’ll see the Rose Technics logo followed by the name “Roseselsa”. Next to that is the name of the dac chip “ES9039Q2M”. Turn the RS9039 over and you’ll see a schematic blueprint style drawing of the Internals which is a tough look. Really a cool thought and a nice design feature. To be honest there really isn’t a ton to say. The designers did a bang-up job on this device, and they should get some recognition for that. Nice work.
Internals
I’ve already spoken of what is inside this device quite a lot already. The dac chip used is the ES9039Q2M. This chip is the follow up from the much loved and widely used ES9038Q2M dac chip. At the outset it doesn’t seem like a huge improvement but the amp section on the newer chip is quite a bit bigger and more powerful. Also, the dynamic range is boosted at 130 dbs, signal to noise ratio is much better at 126 db’s, 32-bit PCM and up to 384khz decoding. These chips will only get you so far though. Everytime a company decides to use a chip it has to actually be implemented well. This is true for any dac chip. Yes, it has some refined capabilities and has the potential to really make a device great. Again, if it’s implemented well. There’s also a low-noise LDO power supply chip used among other Internals that you don’t care about.
Features
Note: The Roseselsa RS9039 doesn’t really have a bunch of actual features on board. This is really just a plug n’ play device which works as it should. There’re no buttons, sound filters or any other notable feature to discuss.
Driving power
Due to the lack of some more notable features, I figured I’d add in “Driving Power” to the features portion of this review. This is one key aspect of the RS9039. Promotional material states that the RS9039 can get up to 240mw @ 32 ohms on 3.5 single ended, which is quite a lot compared to other dongle dacs out there. 240mw should be able to drive darn near any iem out there. Now, on 4.4 balanced listening the RS9039 can push up to 300mw @32ohms. Both are huge numbers for a dongle dac. Certainly, on paper the RS9039 is one of the more powerful devices in this dongle dac form factor. Without question my Samsung Galaxy Z-Fold 5 was able to provide the best listening experience short of plugging the RS9039 into an actual computer. Many devices nowadays don’t have the current capacity to push these dongle dacs to their best output. However, even if I attached the RS9039 to my daps, like the iBasso DX240, it is still able to power every iem that I tested with with relative ease.
Plenty in the tank
One thing I did notice is that I was using more volume steps to reach the same loudness levels as some other dongle dacs. In fact, the RS9039 reached equal volume with the Simgot Dew4x. Of course, power and volume are two different things. Just something I thought I’d share. The truth is, the RS9039 is able to power every planar iem that I own very easily and with very good dynamics. Sets like the Hidizs MP145, Raptgo Hook-X, Letshuoer S15, Letshuoer S12 Pro, and Letshuoer S08, BASN Asone, and many many more. Too many to name here. I found the RS9039 is able to drive each set well and with headroom. At the end of the day, I feel that the RS9039 is a very good source device for easier to drive iems, which is most iems. I don’t have any over-ear headphones to test either so please forgive me for that.
Battery Draw
Another great feature is also not really a feature per se. That is… battery draw, or lack thereof. Like I said earlier the RS9039 does very well at not killing my phones battery. You see this very evident when you begin to compare the RS9039 with other dongle dacs of similar pricing. I’d say only the Simgot Dew4x, and the Hidizs S8 Pro Robin are the only two which seemed to get around the same battery draw. Now, I did not actually run any tests to see how long it takes the RS9039 to actually drain my battery. I simply pay attention and I’m always watching closely to the battery on my phone. Every time I’m ever listening to any dongle dac I do this. It’s embedded in me to do so and it’s plainly obvious that the RS9039 does better than most. Of course, you simply have to take my word for it in this one. I stand by it.
Sound Impressions
Note: I should preface this entire section by letting you all know that I did let the RS9039 burn-in for roughly three to four days. I realize that this is a questionable action with questionable results, but I figured I’d get it out of the way anyways. I didn’t notice any real change, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t any change either. It’s hard to remember (four days prior) exactly what you heard. For critical listening, I listen to flac or better files stored on my devices using the UAPP app (mostly) as well as Hiby Player. Also, I should state that source reviews are some of the more challenging to explain. I say this because most of the way the sound will be tailored comes from the earphones or headphones you have attached. All the sources can do is influence that sound. Of course, some devices will affect that influence greater than others.
What’s it sound like
If there was one enduring quality that I noticed from the jump with the Roseselsa RS9039, is that it’s a warmer sound. Not only is it a warmer sound but it’s also a bass emphasized sound. Without question the RS9039 tweeters to the left. Why do the scales tip to the left? Because of that low-end emphasis in combination with the fact that the right side of that scale is less emphasized. The highs are less profuse, almost rolled-off in comparison to similarly priced done dacs. So, it’s warm, but along with that warmth is a smooth and richer note body throughout. This all equates to a sound that is generally characterized by “musicality”. Certainly, a more organic, natural, and earthy sounding dongle dac. To a degree. I’m not speaking in absolutes here. The truth is that the RS9039 is a very nice sounding warmer device that is fantastic for brighter iems if you seek to take the edge off a bit.
A warmer tilt
To be perfectly honest, this slightly warmer tilt threw me for a loop folks. I was not expecting this ES9039Q2M Sabre dac chip to come across this way. Not that that’s a bad thing either. “Warm” and “rich” certainly have their perfect spot in the Audioverse. So, I was a bit surprised, but at the same time it was good to hear something different from neutral and analytical. Now, one downside is that detail retrieval won’t always be the best. Granted, if you have an analytical style iem, the RS9039 isn’t going to turn it into a veiled and mushy mess. No sir. The RS9039 will only give your listening experience a warm shade over your listening. Analytical sets like my Softears Studio 4 are still great for details. That said, sets like my Simgot EA1000 are much better at expressing the upper midrange without that glare that can occur from time to time. Is it world changing? Probably not.
Influence
Source devices only really influence the sound to a degree, one way or the other based on which side of the scales they tip to. How much they can color the sound is how far from neutral they skew. They can enhance clarity a bit, add dynamics, add energy and increase control. Source devices can add depth to an extent and even layer the sound etc. They can add a sense of musicality, or bring upon a more analytical flair to your earphones. Sources can truly make or break a listening experience. In the case of the RS9039, it influences the sound a bit richer, with a bit more of an earthy glaze. It’s a nice change of pace if I don’t say so myself. Let’s put it this way, the very warm and rich sound of the Penon Fan 2 doesn’t all of a sudden sound like a milkshake thick mess of mushiness. The sound is still clean, and the micro-dynamics are still present. There’s still some nice energy in macro-dynamics as well. Perhaps not that ultra energetic, brilliant, and sprightly sound, but it’s definitely not boring. I can certainly understand if there are those folks who don’t enjoy this type of sound as much, while at the same time the opposite of that is true too.
Beyond the tonality of the RS9039, I do like the highly resolving nature of this slightly warmer sound. This is not a gooey and veiled sound. Transients still sound tight within this smoother canvas. To the extent that they can be swift and tight. The sound is very clean and very transparent for what it is. The stage is very full in comparison to a few other dongle dacs and there seems to be some depth to the sound as well.
Bass Region
The bass is full. I could stop right there, and you’d get the gist of it. However, we know me better than that. The bass has a definite density to it which can really add a new dimension to some iems in comparison to some other dongle dacs. For instance, listening with the Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite I found the low-end to have more authority than with other dongles. The low-end seems to add a touch of punch and even some pointed impact but mostly the low end simply sounds fuller and more profuse in its quantity. No, the RS9039 will not turn your bass lite sets into Bass-Boi Baddies. However, that warmth that it provides will thicken up the sound altogether and will give a bit more grunt weight to the bass region notes. There is some very nice extension added to my iems which on some sets is exactly what I needed. Others could use a bit less too but that’s the hobby. It’s an ever-growing search for that perfect synergy.
Midrange
The mids borrow some slight warmth from the bass region which provides a butterier sound with the right earphones. What I enjoy is that the RS9039 still has a certain level of transparency which is very nice to hear when coupled with the richer note density it can provide. The background is as black as can be (so far as I can tell), even with sensitive iems which ultimately seems to form a nicely contoured outline around midrange notes yet in a smoother delivery. They sound quite nice with the right set of iems. The mids are slightly more forward, good presence, but also less energetic as many other dongle dacs. It’s up to you if this is a good or a bad thing.
The right pairing
Again, coupled with the right earphones you’ll be surprised just how clean a sound the RS9039 can provide. Listening with the Simgot EA1000 is a real treat. Take the highly resolving and completely vibrant sound of the EA1000 and the warm and lush influence of the RS9039 and you have yourself a great pairing. However, if you take the slightly warmer sound of the QOA Aviation and pair it with the RS9039, the sound may not be as vivacious as one would enjoy. On the flip side, I also don’t hear any extra upper-mid energy to wreak havoc on my eardrums. Detail retrieval may leave a bit to be desired with less transient swift iems as well. I found the Softears Studio 4 to be a very nice pairing however with nice detail retrieval and a very transparent sound. Still, compared against other dongle dacs I do feel the RS9039 isn’t quite as technically sound all the time. I the end I find the midrange to be nicely musical with an emotional tilt to my music. Never harsh, never grating, never sibilant and always a clean background.
Treble Region
The treble region is not the most brilliant of treble displays. It’s somewhat laid-back and less enthusiastic, so to speak. There’s a slight feeling of roll-off when listening to the RS9039. I simply don’t hear that vibrant and shimmery energy up top. The RS9039 isn’t tuned in such a way to add more levity to my earphones, but instead they knock the edge off of some brighter sets to a slight degree. However, at the same time they also may come across a bit duller to some folks as well. That said, depending on the earphones/headphones you choose this can be a wonderful thing… or a no-go. This isn’t the most detailed presentation up top, and it isn’t the most extended either. The treble region of the Roseselsa RS9039 is non-offensive all the way through and like I said, it should subtly buff down some peaks. Simply put, there’s no extra treble energy and extension and what you are getting is a simple moderate emphasis. I wouldn’t call the treble dark, but I would probably call it warm I suppose. Great for those who are sensitive to upper mid pinna gain and heightened treble emphasis. I feel those folks are going to enjoy this device quite a bit.
Technicalities
Technically the Roseselsa RS9039 is what it is. What is that? Well, the RS9039 is in my mind geared towards warm musicality and everything else is just icing on the cake. With a slightly thicker sound, less energetic, less expressive in the air regions and the treble in general which would otherwise add some luminance and help to bring out the subtleties in music. This is not the case… not always anyways. Detail retrieval is not going to get better on your iems or headphones with the RS9039… let’s just put it that way. It simply isn’t tuned in that way. Separation of elements on the stage are a little more constricted. Not to any detrimental degree either, but the sound isn’t that analytical, dry, airy, fine lined, neutral-clean, and ultra-resolving type of sound, and folks should be aware of that. Having said that, the RS9039 also isn’t deficient in these attributes either. It’s still pretty good and on top of that, it’s a musical, organic, and more earthy sound which has its own endearing qualities and charm.
Comparisons
Moondrop Dawn 4.4 ($65)
Oh the Moondrop Dawn 4.4. I have used this little guy for a long time folks. I really enjoy its sound and the way the Dawn controls the spectrum. It’s simply tuned very well. Now, the Dawn comes equipped with an older dual dac chips in the CS43131. However, just because something is older doesn’t make it worse. I never got around to reviewing the Dawn 4.4 but if I did I would’ve called it one of the best pure music dongle dacs that money could buy when it was released. However, there are a number of issues which hold it back. Namely, no buttons and it only has a 4.4 balanced port rather than both a 3.5 single ended and 4.4/2.5. Most certainly this was an issue with prospective buyers.
Differences
To start, the Dawn 4.4 is round in shape and so you should be aware that it will roll off a table if not tied down. Also, the Dawn 4.4 provides slightly less in output power with 240 mw @32 ohms to the RS9039’s 300 mw @ @32 ohms. To be honest, that’s so close you don’t even notice it. I did notice that the Dawn 4.4 can decide PCM @ 32bit/768khz to the RS9039’s 32bit/384khz. Both provide DSD256. Both are built very well, both made out of aluminum, however the RS9039 actually has a replaceable cable whereas the Dawn 4.4 only has a fitted cable. This never bothered me but if it breaks, the Dawn 4.4 will be inactive. The price on both devices is very close and so to find any differences you will have to look towards the sound department.
Sound Differences
Both devices are very good at replaying music, yet both are tuned quite differently. The RS9039 is warmer, thicker, more robust. The Dawn 4.4 runs neutral, clean, punchy and well detailed. The low-end of the RS9039 is boosted substantially more, deeper and denser bass which influences the rest of the spectrum quite a bit more resulting in warmth and heavier, richer and more organic note weight. The Dawn 4.4 is snappy, crisp, crunchy in its treble bite and very resolving. The low-end of the Dawn 4.4 is nicely defined, carved edges, quick transients with clean lines and air between instruments. Truly these two could not be further away from each other sonically. The RS9039 has a milky midrange to the Dawn’s thinner but more transparent and cleaner midrange. Technically the Dawn is superior by a small margin while the RS9039 presents a more musical and more engaging sound. I find the stage is a bit wider in the RS9039 as well as a touch deeper while the Dawn 4.4 has that vivacious energy and vibrance that really brings some good macro-dynamics to my listening experience.
Final thoughts on this comparison
Without question this comparison is the definition of a “preference battle”. These two are wholly opposite and each has its place among some of the best sound under $75. Each device replays music at a high level but yet in different ways.
Simgot Dew4x ($79)
This is a special device folks. The Simgot Dew4x (Dew4x Review) came out recently and had its share of fanfare. I wouldn’t call it hyped, but folks really enjoyed it. I am one of those people. It houses brand new CS43198 dual dac chips which I have grown quite fond of. The Dew4x also comes equipped with about half the output power of the RS9039, but it does have volume buttons, gain buttons, track buttons and sound filters too. It’s built very well and is very light as well. Just a fine device that I really do enjoy.
Differences
First off, the RS9039 is about $10 cheaper (give or take) depending on where you purchase from. It’s a hair smaller (lengthwise) and about the same weight. Both devices are built extremely well. Neither is going to fall apart anytime soon. These are two companies who pride themselves on build quality. Both devices have brand new dac chips from some of the best dac chip manufacturers (Cirrus Logic & ESS Technologies). Now, like I said, the Dew4x does have BUTTONS. We love buttons. Again, it has options to change sound filters, change volume, skip tracks, the whole nine yards. It simply lacks an app. However, the RS9039 has none of those unfortunately. Thankfully we don’t buy anything in this hobby solely based on buttons and features. They’re nice, but we care about sound.
Sound Differences
I would characterize the Simgot Dew4x as warm/neutral with only the slightest tinge of warmth. The RS9039 is warmer than neutral (as you know). The bass of the RS9039 will actually add weight and density to the lower end of the spectrum. Bass will be added to, bigger, fuller. The Dew4x, with its CS43198 dac comes across less emphasized but more pointedly punchy. Snappier. Each device suits a slightly different earphone if you go by the logic of opposite pairings. Both are clean. This goes for the rest of the spectrum as well. The RS9039 has a heavier note weight, more organic, more musical and the Dew4x is better resolving, better detailed and better separated. The RS9039 is simply warmer across the board with a much less emphasized treble region in comparison. The Dew4x will bring an airier sound and has a better upper end extension. Technically the Dew4x is simply tuned to be better in this area. However, the soundstage of the RS9039 is a hint wider and slightly deeper too.
Final thoughts on this comparison
Friends, the truth is that these two devices once again represent a true “preference battle”. Meaning, they both sit so far away from each other in sonic qualities that you’ll know right away which one you enjoy better. Before conducting comparisons, I knew I would have these types of comparisons. Where both devices emphasize almost opposite areas of the mix. However, both devices are actually pretty great. I use them both for different purposes. Thankfully, I enjoy damn near every sound signature out there which is very helpful for reviewing. That said, you will likely already know which is better for you. I don’t think either is a clear winner in any area. Unless of course features mean a tin to you, then the obvious choice is the Dew4x.
Is it worth the asking price?
Is the Roseselsa RS9039 worth the $69 that Rose Technics and HiFiGo is asking? This is a great question. It’s a nuanced answer too. Well at least to a degree it is. For me to answer this I’d have to take a couple different angles. For the person who loves a neutral sound that leans analytical and comes across vibrant with energy and expressiveness, they will likely not find the RS9039 worth the asking price. I’m sure those folks would have a multitude of devices which fit that criteria. Also, to those who simply need features and more control over their listening experience. Those folks probably don’t consider the RS9039 worth the asking price.
Unique
However, this is a very unique tuning that you don’t hear much anymore. Rose Technics took a chance in how they went about tuning the RS9039. I say that because it isn’t everyday you present such a warm, moody, and melodious type sound. So, for those folks who love a slightly thicker sound, more emotionally gifted, or a sound that laughs at details and champions musicality and engagement. To those folks, I think I have the device for you.
The Why…
From the perspective of the person who does enjoy a warmer, less offensive, less glaring and peaky sound and who enjoys a thicker bass. First off, the RS9039 is built like a champ and is slick looking as well. Beautiful lines in an aerodynamic style. Looking more like a sports car than a dongle dac. What a tough look and design. However, it’s the sound. The RS9039 has that profuse and almost bulbous low-end (especially when paired with a bassy set) that is nicely defined for what it is. This is a set that will give less bass inclined sets that last little bit of oomph and will calm down peaky sets to a degree. In general, this is a situational dongle dac that when paired right is a truly wonderful purchase. You have to know what you are getting though. I really feel that Rose Technics made a special source device that I’m very glad to have in my arsenal. Also, yes, it’s worth the $69 it takes to own it!
Conclusion
To conclude my full written review of the Roseselsa RS9039, I first have to thank the good people of HiFiGo who provided this device to me. HiFiGo has been nothing short of awesome and the great contact with whom I deal with is always very helpful and never asks anything out of me except to review with honesty. Never have they asked to pre-read a review or rush me and that is very nice. I’d also like to thank anyone of you who chose to click the link and read this review. I and everyone from mobileaudiophile.com thanks you. Every click helps, the amount of time you stay helps too, so thank you very much and I do hope this review has helped you. That is the goal.
Other perspectives
It wouldn’t be a Chris Love review if I didn’t plead with you all to check out other thoughts, other than mine. Folks, each and every reviewer on planet earth is different. No two of us are perfectly alike. We can hear different, like different styles of music, have different gear and not everyone of us has had the same experience within the hobby. Please look further into other thoughts and don’t simply read my review and hit “buy now” unless you know me and trust my thoughts. I know that $69 is a ton of money for most of the peoples of this world. Heck, $69 is a lot for me. Three kids are never cheap, and every dollar counts. Money doesn’t grow on trees, I get it friends. I don’t want to steer any of you wrong because a $69 purchase may be the only purchase you make for a long time. It has to be right. I say what I hear and hear what I say and nothing more. This I can promise. However, what I hear, the next guy may feel polar opposite about and guess what… both of us are correct. Beyond this, I think I’m done. Take good care and stay as safe as possible, and always… God Bless!
