Roseselsa Distant Mountain Review (Love’s Take)
Intro
Hello, this review and feature covers the latest from the audio brand Roseselsa (formerly Rose Technics) named the Roseselsa Distant Mountain ($59). It’s actually been a hot minute since I’ve reviewed a set of cans, and I can say that I’ve never reviewed a retro styled set quite like the Distant Mountain. In fact, right away I was struck by how gorgeous the Distant Mountain is. Let’s just hope that when I actually get them in my hands, they sound halfway decent. You know, I have a personal rule that I don’t review anything that I don’t enjoy or that a large group of hobbyists wouldn’t enjoy. However, I think I may bend that rule whether the Distant Mountain sounds good or not, just because it’s so dope looking. At any rate, I am still waiting on the Distant Mountain and I’m happy to see what Roseselsa can do with a set of cans for only $59.
Roseselsa
Now, as I said earlier Roseselsa actually used to be Rose Technics and was established way back in 2015. It is pretty apparent that crafting and creating audio products is most certainly a labor of love for the brand. It’s no secret that Roseselsa has gotten their fair share of garnered respect from the community. Rightly so. They have made some quality products. I don’t think they’ve ever broken through and made anything tops in class, but very solid products, nonetheless. Roseselsa seems like they are still hanging on the fringes of the audio game, just outside of popular thought and opinion. To me they are still somewhat of a solid secret. Of course, they’ve certainly gained some audience of late with some of their releases, but I’ve loved this brand since the QT9 MK2S days when to me Roseselsa was more akin to a hotly held secret. There was a point in time when I thought the QT9 MK3 was one of the best price to performance iems on the market. Or the $50 QuietSea which easily played beyond its price point. Anyways, I’ve gotten my hands on a handful of Roseselsa’s products. You can check out those reviews below:
–RS9039 (Dongle Dac)
One week later….
Okay, so I received the Distant Mountain and put them on the burn-in station for just about 100 hours thus far (best guess). This set certainly has some upsides folks, especially for a pair of over ear headphones with such a quality build and design at only $59. There are definitely some subtle issues that I’ve heard. I went back and forth about publishing a review until I gave the Distant Mountain some good and long burn-in. Now, I’ve grown quite fond of this set. With that said, I think I’m ready to dive into this review. So, without further ado, the Roseselsa Distant Mountain…
Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:
Disclaimer:
I received the Roseselsa Distant Mountain 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. However, this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to HiFiGo, and thanks for reading.
Distant Mountain Pros
-Price
-Build Quality is clearly awesome
-Very nice clamping force, some may completely disagree
-The retro style minimalist appearance is very classy
-Fantastic unboxing experience
-Bass has surprisingly nice slam
-Very clean midrange, musical, reasonably detailed
-Treble is smooth with nice extension and great clarity
-Better technical display than I would’ve thought
Distant Mountain Cons
-Clamping force may be a bit too tight over long periods
-Design may not be for everyone
-Cable was extremely difficult to attach (may be an isolated issue)
-Non-swiveling cups may lead to worse fitment for some
-Definitely an upper mid spike which may be too fatiguing for some folks
-Not a natural sounding set of headphones
-Somewhat lean presentation
-Pretty narrow stage, at times
Gear used for testing
–IBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
Packaging / Accessories
Unboxing
One of the absolute highlights for me was the very nice unboxing experience. Call me a sucker for a good presentation, but this one is nice. Come to think of it, most of Roseselsa’s unboxing experiences are sort-of over the top for each products respective price range. Concerning the Distant Mountain… I’m impressed. How could you not be? The unboxing looks like it should cost three times the amount. It’s gorgeous. I honestly wonder if Roseselsa could’ve saved money and the price could’ve been even lower if they provided a more “mid” unboxing experience? After all, I just toss the box and forget about the accessories. However, I don’t want to take away from how well Roseselsa put this package together. A very well-done presentation. So, whatever this means to you, whether you care about unboxing or not, I have to give the Distant Mountain’s unboxing a hard A+ for presentation and for quality.
Open the box!
So, the Distant Mountain came in a very large white cardboard box with a beautiful graphic on the cover. You’ll see a photo of the Distant Mountain sitting on a table, very organic shot. Under the photo is the name “Harukana Yama” which translates to “Distant Mountain”. Very classy approach to the design. The box opens like a book and when you do the package becomes considerably larger in size. It’s huge. Once you open the box you’ll see a thin paper with a line drawing of the Distant Mountain. Under that you’ll notice the gorgeous Distant Mountain sitting pretty on the left side of the box, looking all dapper and clean. In the middle is a box labeled “Earpads” which obviously holds the… earpads. Then, the whole right side of the package is a box labeled “Accessories”. Inside of the accessories box are two more neatly packaged boxes labeled “Cable” and “Giveaway”. Those hold the cable as well as a waifu stand which is a very nice piece to the whole package. I don’t want to ruin the experience, but within the packaging Roseselsa also provides a nice little 3.5 single ended dongle dac (sounds nice too). All in all, it’s a gorgeous way to display your product and I salute Roseselsa for their creativity and care for how their products are presented. Good for you Roseselsa!
Earpads
So, the Distant Mountain comes with two sets of foam earpads which fit tightly to the cups. These aren’t bad in my opinion. The foam is soft enough and fits very well without too much movement or hassle. Roseselsa was smart enough to include a set of full coverage pads as well as donut style which do tend to alter the sound just enough to justify adding both styles to the package. Now, the earpads are somewhat thin, but they do their job. I don’t find them uncomfortable at all, and I do think they are nice accessories to add to the packaging. I personally like the full coverage earpads as they do tend to smooth over some of the upper mid peaks a bit better, but you can definitely find aftermarket earpads which may do a better job. That’s just speculation on my part though as I haven’t sought out anything else personally. I enjoy the Distant Mountain just fine with what was provided in the package. Nice.
RZ200-M Dongle Dac
As I said, Roseselsa also provides a very small dongle dac within the packaging named the “RZ200-M”. The RZ200-M is a 3.5 single ended dongle which isn’t the most powerful but does the job if you have no other sources. I should add that Roseselsa has always added in a dongle dac with their products, and by now I have about six of these things… Lol. I actually use them in every review to test out earphones for how they sound with weaker sources. They are very useful. Also, the RZ200-M doesn’t sound bad by any stretch of the imagination. It’s a nice addition and certainly Roseselsa didn’t “have” to add in a dongle dac. So, if you don’t have a source… well… now you do. Thanks, Roseselsa.
Waifu?
I don’t get the whole waifu thing, never have actually. I suppose I missed that whole boat. Of course, for those who do enjoy waifu and the beautiful art of some of the waifu’s out there (I don’t even know if I’m saying that right) they will probably enjoy what Roseselsa added into the package here. So, what I’m referring to is a clear plastic stand (of sorts) which has a very suggestive picture of some red-haired chick sitting cross legged, super short dress, skirt, sexy-ish high heels, and a wand in her hand. Folks, I have zero idea what this is about other than to show off some sexy looking cartoon girl. Why do we do this again? Anyways, sorry, I’m not judging. Anyways, it’s a clear plastic stand that you put together and I suppose you put it on a desk and display it. Maybe for fans of waifu. The art itself is really very nice with vivid colors, and the person is attractive. Well, as attractive as a cartoon can be… Lol. Very suggestive picture folks. Obviously, she is trying to seduce or is trying to look overtly sexy. I don’t know guys and gals. For those who enjoy this type of thing, it’s nice I suppose.
Cable
The cable which comes packaged with the Roseselsa Distant Mountain is a decent wire which comes with mmcx connections. Before I speak on this I have to say that for whatever reason I had a devil of a time trying to get the mmcx attached. I don’t know why. I have about 50 sets with mmcx connections and I don’t have this issue with any of them. It’s very difficult and probably shouldn’t be. However, eventually the connection does work and the cable isn’t bad at all. So, the included wire is actually a black fabric covered cable. I have zero idea about the material of the cable. I can only tell you that it terminates in a 3.5 single ended jack. Now, I most certainly swapped cables, almost right away. I instead went with the 4.4 balanced KBear Expansion cable. I most certainly felt like having a 4.4 connection brought out better sonics to my listening session as I could provide the Distant Mountain with more output power with my devices. You’ll see as we go along that the Distant Mountain isn’t necessarily hard to drive, but it is hard to bring enough juice to provide the Distant Mountain with its best dynamics, if that makes sense. Basically, she wants power folks. So, a 4.4 cable did help alot. However, I don’t mean to despair upon the cable provided as it isn’t a bad cable by any stretch. It is a nice addition. It isn’t microphonic and is very pliable. However, it does tend to tangle, so be aware of that.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit
Build Quality / Design
I have to lump both “Build Quality” & “Design” into the same section because in the case of the Distant Mountain those two things go hand in hand. Really, I could not be more impressed with the build and the aesthetic of this beautiful retro style on-ear headphone. I mean just gorgeous! I couldn’t speak highly enough of the designers and architects of this build. You guys are freaking awesome! Now, no doubt about it the design will not be for everyone. Not everyone can see the beauty in a retro style such as this. However, I most definitely appreciate it!
Tell us about the design…
Folks, starting with the headband, it is covered entirely with a foam covered with lamb skin and is extremely soft, but also durable. This isn’t “faux” … anything. It’s legit. The skin is gorgeous and wrapped fairly tightly around the band. So, all the fittings are either made of a golden colored metal, or a silver-colored metal and I couldn’t be happier with that. The contrast on metallic colors looks absolutely striking folks. Again, this is retro all the way yet with a very handsome and regal appearance. You’ll notice the band can be adjusted using the notched scale on the band itself. As you adjust you can feel the clicking of each setting. Very well made. I love the medium sized silver colored alloy cups with the golden accent piece in the middle. The cups also have many small holes meant to help the driver to breathe. On the bottom side of the Distant Mountain, you’ll see the mmcx female connection. Besides all of that boring stuff, the Distant Mountain is a very finely made set of headphones. For the lowly cost of $59 I find it almost ridiculous. Truly a slick looking set that doesn’t look stupid on the head. Really friends, I know many of you don’t realize this but most over ear headphones look absolutely gaudy on the head. The Distant Mountain skirts around this almost entirely. I applaud Roseselsa just for the design alone.
Internals
So, Roseselsa decided to outfit the Distant Mountain with a large 40mm composite topological diaphragm dynamic driver. Beyond the driver they also had the presence of mind to incorporate some larger neodymium N52 magnets as well. Folks, 40mm is pretty large for these smaller cavities which sort-of surprised me when I read it. That’s a little over 1.5” in diameter which is pretty impressive. Beyond the driver Roseselsa added in small vents, or ports which surround the backside of the driver for proper breathing and dispersion of air which is thought to increase the treble response. Other than that, the Distant Mountain has a fairly simple layout. The true experience and engineering know-how comes in the cavity and how certain sounds bounce around that cavity, where to place the driver, size of vents, and a whole list of variables which determine the absolute sound.
Fit / Comfort
As far as the actual fitment of the Distant Mountain, I think they are great. I could see how they would be uncomfortable for some over a long period of time, but not me. So, the clamping force is pretty strong on this set, which is usually a good thing. You want some force clamping down with “ON-EAR” headphones. If you have over-ear headphones, they can usually cup the sound and seal the sound without as much force pushing against your head. However, “ON-EAR” headphones need clamping force to catch a seal. So, when you read others saying it’s uncomfortable, well, it has to be tight. If it isn’t tight then the sound is much thinner, less bass presence, definitely airier, but more detached sounding. You need clamping force. So please don’t let that dissuade you. It’s what you want!! However, with that you also may come across long term water fatigue. Maybe. I don’t have that, but others have reported it. I don’t know folks. Anyways, the Distant Mountain is very comfy for me, no fatigue, feels great clamped tight to the head. By the way, when I say “tight” I don’t mean it’s clamped overly tight. It’s just a slight pressure pushing on your ears. Frankly, I don’t know why this is fatiguing for some people, maybe they just have very sensitive ears, or maybe mine are just worn & calloused (just kidding). Ha. So, the fit is nice, but the one thing Roseselsa didn’t think to add are swivel cups. I really wish they would’ve thought of that. However, that’s small potatoes my friends, all in all the Distant Mountain feels and fits nice for me.
Drivability / Pairings
Output Power
The Distant Mountain is rated with an impedance of 32 ohms and a sensitivity of around 115 db’s which means that on paper the Distant Mountain can be driven from even weak sources. I can attest that this is in fact… true. Even the weak RZ200-M dongle dac provided with the Distant Mountain easily drives this set. I used many different weaker sources which were able to bring the Distant Mountain to nice volume. To an extent. There is a point that weaker sources stop in their effectiveness. The truth is, the Distant Mountain desperately wants and yearns for POWER! I found that without question the best dynamics, fidelity, refinement of sound, and overall cleanliness came when I gave the Distant Mountain some real power. I mean high gain on my Shanling M6 Ultra, or my iBasso DX240, or my Fiio Q15. That’s when the Distant Mountain truly finds its voice folks. Even if you can get a good dongle dac with nice output power you’ll see an increase in ability and sound. Like the EPZ TP35 Pro, the Hidizs S9 Pro Plus, Aful Polarnight, and even smaller daps like the Hiby R3 Pro II, or the Fiio JM21. They all drove the Distant Mountain very well. The point is, try to give this set some power before you judge too harshly.
Source Pairing
This brings us to the tonal Pairings with different source tonalities. In my opinion I’d get away from any source which emphasizes the upper mids to treble ranges. The Distant Mountain doesn’t need any more emphasis in those regions. In fact, if you can find a warm/neutral source with some tight transient influence you will find a good source to use with the Distant Mountain. I found really bright sources, or really warm sources gave me the most fits. Either you are exaggerating the upper mids and adding glare or you are exaggerating the lows and adding some wooly mud. So, the Distant Mountain is a bit picky for source tonality folks. No doubt I found my best sources to be the Shanling M6 Ultra and the Fiio Q15. However, I won’t take anything away from how well the Distant Mountain sounded attached to the DX240, the R3 Pro II, the JM21, or any other source which isn’t too bright or too warm. At any rate, this is my experience folks. I do hope it helps you.
Sound Impressions
*Note: Before I traverse my thoughts about the sound and relay those thoughts to you concerning the Distant Mountain, I first want to add in a couple things. I burned in the Distant Mountain for a very long time. Most certainly it was for over 100 hours. I don’t have the exact amount, but it was a lot. Yes, it helped. Before burn-in the Distant Mountain had some serious glare in the upper mids and burn-in dialed that back to where it was tolerable, most of the time. Enough for me to review them and be happy listening to them and enough to tell you all about this set. So, burn em’ in folks. Also, I listen mainly to flac or better files which are stored on my devices. The Android music players of my choice are UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro) as well as Hiby Music Player, and at times I use Poweramp also. Lastly, I used the full cover earpads as the donut style simply adds too much glare to the sound for me.
What’s it sound like?
To me the Roseselsa Distant Mountain comes across with a warmer (warm/neutral) W-shaped signature. I say W-shaped because the midrange is fairly far forward on this set. It certainly is not recessed. Also, there is this pervasive warmth which cascades across the atmosphere of the sound field which adds a musical element to my library that can be very engaging. However, I should also note that there is without question an upper mid sharpness which can occur on some tracks. Again, after burn in this subsided a lot, but it never truly goes away. So, if you can live with some slight upper mid vivacity then you should be okay. Fans of a darker, warmer, and richer style may want to keep looking.
Contrasting Sentiments…
At any rate, the sound is pretty airy, it’s sort-of open too, yet the stage sounds “a hair narrow” and not as deep as I’d like (please note the words “a hair”, not “a lot”). These attributes seem like contrasting sentiments but somehow, they live simultaneously. Slightly narrow… yet airy. That said, I find that in tracks which don’t have that big upper-mid presence the timbre comes across very organic, very natural too. Note weight is on the thinner side at times as well, but it isn’t that brittle sounding thin style. There is some note density to give your music some tactility and texture. I should also add that I do hear plenty of crispness even in that warm canopy of sound. The more I take in the sound the more I am struck with many different competing elements to that sound, yet they coexist pretty well. Beyond those aspects of the sound the Distant Mountain is actually a nicely detailed on-ear set of headphones. Also, even with the slightly narrower stage I find separation to be quite good between instruments. Actually, I want to take that back. I should say “slightly narrower” when describing the stage. What I should call it is “less wide” or “average”. I don’t think it’s congested. Depth isn’t bad either, but not ultra deep and while there isn’t a ton of depth, I do still hear a slight bit of layering. Also, the Distant Mountain’s imaging abilities are quite good to my ears. So, definitely a musicality-first sound that isn’t without a good technical foundation.
It Won’t Be For Everyone…
Having said that, the Distant Mountain won’t be for everyone. I really want to drive this point home to you. This sound is very particular and my report on it must be very nuanced to explain it in a way that you know if it is for you, or not. I really wish Roseselsa would have dialed back the upper-mids a bit more while adding in a few different foam earpad options to alter the sound further. Other than that, I am more impressed than anything. Some tracks will come across a hair more vibrant than natural with a more brilliant upper hue, but all tracks will carry that warmth from down low as well. It’s literally one track to another that I’ll hear those distinctions. One track will be perfect, and the next will induce some slight sharpness. Past that, I find the sound to be quite nice.
Hear Me Out…Please…
Believe me now friends, if I thought the upper-mids were too big of a problem I wouldn’t have reviewed this set. Please believe that. Friends, I have a mountain (no pun intended) of iems and audio products that I refuse to review sitting in enormous boxes in my basement. I refuse them because I don’t enjoy them, or a vast amount of people likely won’t enjoy them. I literally have box after box collecting dust. So much so that my wife is not happy with me. Of course, I do give them away often, and I send them to other reviewers, but if I don’t think the sound is tolerable, or just not jiving with me (for whatever reason), I will not review that product. For me to spend my time on these reviews is like a cathartic journey I go through. It’s my Zen folks. I don’t spend my precious time with stuff I don’t enjoy. You’ve seen my reviews, they are long, and I deep dive, I pour my thoughts into my reviews.
Is the sound for me?
Now, I don’t know if that brings you any comfort whatsoever concerning the Distant Mountain, but it’s the truth. Every brand knows this about me. I absolutely believe that the Distant Mountain has a good tuning, albeit a very particular tuning which is not going to resonate with everyone the same. Though, for those who do enjoy this vibrant warmth and musicality, I think they will adore this set. Now, is the sound for me? I could say yes and no. No because I have so many other audio products in my collection which match me perfectly, but yes because I am able to get lost in my music with the Distant Mountain. Would I spend my own money on the Distant Mountain? That’s a big question friends. This set is a review sample, it’s free, and so it is much harder to answer a question when my own money comes into the equation. Still, in all truth the answer to that question is yes. Yes, I would spend the low amount of $59 to own this set. I adore the design. I adore it so much that it’s worth it to me. To add icing to the cake, I like the tuning, especially after the long burn-in. Yes, it can get a bit bright at times, but I can handle it. I just know what tracks may be a hair too sharp at times and which won’t. I’ll do my best to explain myself going forward. Sorry for that long and drawn-out explanation of my thoughts.
Condensed Sound Between the 20’s
Okay, now that we’ve traversed that minefield of Chris’s word babble (no I never speak of myself in the 3rd person) I want to give you an idea of the sound in a much more focused way as I go through each 3rd of the mix (bass, mids, treble) and try to explain those areas of sound and how they incorporate into the overall sound as a whole. Just remember this; the bass is emphasized (more so in the mid-bass), it’s warm-ish, it has some punch, but it’s not even close to oversaturated in my opinion. The midrange is forward, kind of thin, vibrant towards the upper half and slightly more organic towards the lower. Maybe a bit sharp too. The treble has very nice clarity, it’s airy, yet it isn’t too bright. This is important folks. It took hours of listen-in and burn-in, but the brightness died down to what I’d call “semi-bright”. I say that because prior to those hours logged, especially out-of-the-box, the sound was almost too bright up top. Anyways, the sound is nicely detailed, good separation, decent stage. I’d call the Distant Mountain a “musicality-first” sound with a side of analytical intonations all across the mix. Transients are slightly slower through the bass and tighter as you move through the mids and treble. All things considered it’s not a bad sounding set of in-ear headphones.
Bass Region
I won’t go very long into the breakdown of each 3rd of the mix because I feel we’ve gotten a fairly good understanding already, but I’ll definitely try to explain myself. So, the bass region is much more authoritative than I ever would’ve thought. I say that because most on-ear headphones that I’ve used never had solid bass. It was either so unbelievably boosted to the max making the sound bloomy, muddy, and wooly. Or it was thinned-out and almost non-existent. So, how nice is it to have a somewhat natural sounding bass (to the extent that Roseselsa is able to do so) which is well defined, relatively snappy, and robust too. It isn’t a weak bass folks. Having said that, the bass is not to the point that it overtakes the spectrum. It’s more like a supporting actor just doing its job. I don’t find anything outright “special” about the bass other than it isn’t thin, or it isn’t wooly and muddy. It sounds the part, does its job, and the bass is able to convey my music in a way that isn’t odd, speaking of the timbre. If that makes any sense. The punch can be tight, somewhat soft on attack, but dense in body. As I always say; “like a hammer wrapped in a sock”. I have zero idea why I use socks in this metaphor, but you get what you get folks. That isn’t every track though as there are some less complicated and more precise bass lines which do have that hard outline of note. It certainly isn’t perfect, but Roseselsa is obviously doing their best with this type and style of “on-ear” headphone. I’d say they did a great job because it can’t be easy. It’s a very satisfying bass, per the style of headphones. Certainly not basshead and not ultra quick and snappy either. It comes across fairly naturally with a semi-deep and extended rumble and a pretty hard slam too. It is hard to not be impressed.
Sub-Bass
Like I said, to my ears the Distant Mountain’s bass region had more of a “mid-bass” foundation. Having said that, the sublevels of the bass do have nice extension and can come across very rumbly at times. However, it’s a moderate emphasis. It’s definitely there, the sublevels do their job, but they aren’t that ultra deep and low droning style. Again, moderate. Enough to add some tactility and haptic feedback to the sound down low. I always use the song “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard simply because the bass guitar bassline is so dirty, guttural, and gritty. I can easily tell how deep, how pointed, or how soft a bass is by using this track. Also, the bassline starts right away which is great for reviewing. Anyways, the Distant Mountain comes across guttural and has a semi-juddering vibrational feel to the sound. It is a very full-bodied sound yet with a touch of vibrance at the crest of each note. Or “Got Your Back” by Washed Out I hear a very full and tangy bassline as the electric bass goes through its progression of each note. I’m telling you all right now, it sounds great. The other thing is that the bass doesn’t mask the sound. In fact, I’d say this track gets a hair sharp with the rest of the melody. Believe me, there’s no masking. Though speaking of the sublevels of the bass I can’t find any major fault at all. It’s pretty deep, I can feel it, it sint slow or muddy. It’s nice, but it’s moderate in emphasis at best.
Mid-Bass
Now, the mid-bass has a hair more meat to it in that I can hear that fuller body to this region. The mid-bass does add warmth; it adds some musical character to the sound as a whole. Tracks which have that nice bass guitar will sound fairly full. I definitely hear a nice kick drum with the texture that it needs on attack and the full resonant hollow boom which follows. Even though the mid-bass is the more emphasized region within the low-end, I still would only call it moderate in lift. You have to understand that on-ear headphones usually don’t have the authority that most would enjoy and to hear even a semblance of that authority with the Distant Mountain’s mid-bass is really nice to hear. Once again, the sound has a natural cadence to it. The sound in this region has some snap to it, it has some energy, some dynamics, it’s not too weak, pillowy, or one-noted. Also, it’s pretty nuanced too. Note definition is much better than I would’ve guessed and the bass is actually fairly well detailed. Especially when you give the Distant Mountain some good clean power and a solid source. “Glass House” by Kaleo begins with some big and sonorous kick drums and the Distant Mountain doesn’t disappoint at all. You have that hard and tacky initial hit at the crest of the note followed by that chasmic (albeit moderately lifted) hollow boom. Those kick drumbeats run one after the other to form the bassline. It’s quite nice folks. Bass guitar is full enough and the Distant Mountain handles bass drops in a gratifying way. So, it’s not sloppy, it’s clean, it isn’t one-noted, not muddy, it has some dynamism, and the mid-bass has some slam… moderately speaking.
Downsides to the Bass Region
For anyone looking at a set of on-ear headphones expecting anything near a basshead sound I’d say you are not going to be thrilled with the Distant Mountain. These types of sets aren’t made to produce that deep sound that an in-ear or over-ear can provide at times. Bassheads don’t even try. It isn’t that. Honestly, there isn’t much more I’d remark about considering the type and style of headphones these are. I feel that some personal responsibility should be at play here in knowing the limitations of some of these styles of audio devices. These are on-ears folks, they have their pluses and their minuses for sure. While the bass isn’t perfect at all, it is one of the best that I’ve heard from a set of on-ears… ever. I think I cemented that thought the second I blasted “Soul Survivor” by Young Jeezy sitting in my sunroom. I thought to myself… Nice work Roseselsa.
Midrange
The mids on the Distant Mountain are definitely more forward than not with a very prominent feel to them. It is because of this that I couldn’t help but call this set a W-shaped sound signature. The midrange to me is warmer nearer to the low-mids (to an extent) and more vibrant and even further forward towards the upper-mids (to an extent). I wouldn’t call the midrange the most natural sounding midrange I’ve ever heard. There is certainly conflicting tonal coloration pulling the sound in different directions. In one way the Distant Mountain’s midrange will sound slightly warm and semi-rich while in other ways you’ll hear the sound thin-out and come across almost bright with a vibrant hue to every note. It’s a track-by-track basis folks. Then other tracks will sound organic, almost natural to my ears. It really all comes down to genre and even more specifically it comes down to individual songs. That said, I have become absolutely lost in my music with this set and the midrange has been the catalyst for that to occur. To my ears everything sounds worse when you have a track which leans vibrant with a source which leans vibrant. The sound will thin out quite a bit and sound unnaturally edgy. That’s just the tonal aspects though. As far as technical ability the Distant Mountain is going to surprise some people because detail retrieval is way better than I would’ve guessed. Sound separation is pretty nice too. This is in respect to a slightly less wide stage, or a more average stage size from left to right.
Lower-Midrange
The lower midrange is the more natural part of the midrange as a whole. There is a subtle warmth which has a nice hold on this region adding what I’d call a semi-rich sound. Male vocalists certainly benefit from this tuning. No question the bass region does spill over into the midrange, but I feel it’s more tasteful than anything. What I mean is that the lower-mids don’t sound like they are caked in warmth. It’s subtle. You still have clarity, and a sense of transparency. Alex Warren sings the song “Ordinary” and his voice comes across very close to a natural hue. There are some higher pitched moments where he thins out a hair, but for the most part his voice is prominent, forward, and well highlighted against the backdrop of the melody. Nothing wonky or weird, nothing boxy, and on the flip side I hear nothing too edgy or abrasive sounding. It’s just a clean warm/neutral area that has a decent density of note, is pretty smooth, and most male vocalists sound much better for it.
Upper-Midrange
The upper mids seem to be a totally different tale as they do sound more forward, more out front, more sparkly leading to some females which come across almost too vivacious. Perhaps a little EQ would be an option just to try to tame some of those off-tracks which have a more prevalent upper midrange. At any rate, without EQ I am mostly pretty happy with how females turned out. The only thing to consider is that they aren’t very moist or rich in body. Females can sound a bit drier, with a touch more luster than many folks may enjoy. No doubt the upper mids are boosted in a way to add that snap for percussive instruments and the edge for violin, the sparkle for different woodwinds and so on. So, the energy in this region can be great. However, it’s those few times in your favorite tracks where the voice will be a bit less grounded and organic than you are used to. Perhaps voices and instrumentation can sound a bit more tilted towards being sprightly and sharp at times. It’s not easy to pinpoint when those times may be. I can go 10 songs in a row without anything sharp or harsh at all. Then there’s that one track which I’ll have to turn down a bit. Definitely this energy is a double-edged sword which has its good points and it’s not-so-good points.
Downsides to the Midrange
For me personally, I find that the worst part of the midrange comes in the form of a slight bit too much energy somewhere between 2-3.5khz. I don’t want to overstate my point because I really do feel that the Distant Mountain is a very nice sounding set of headphones and the midrange is a big reason for that. However, this is your money we are talking about, and I want you to know exactly what you are getting from my perspective. Most definitely there are those who only want a dark, rich, warm, and totally weighted midrange and those folks will definitely not be the type who would enjoy the Distant Mountain. This set has way too much lift for that. Other than that, I find the mids to be quite nice.
Treble Region
The treble is one which took on two different roles as I used this set. I can tell you without the shadow of a doubt that the treble was much brighter as I first listened to this set. This was the one thing which prompted me to burn them in right away. It was simply bright, too edgy. I guarantee there will be reviewers who don’t do their due diligence and burn them in who will scorch this set over brightness, not realizing that a 40mm driver needs some burn-in. This happens all the time folks. Reviewers who have a lot on their plates with huge backlogs don’t take the time to learn about a product and then publish or record a review which isn’t necessarily false, but it isn’t complete. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I will say that I never ditch a product before I’ve tried every last option at my disposal. No doubt burn-in is a necessity folks! I haven’t read any reviews yet, but I already know because I’ve seen it so many times in the past. Especially after I heard how bright this set was at first. Remember, that tinsley brightness at least somewhat smooths over. I gave this set around 100 hours burn-in, but who knows, the Distant Mountain may need another 100 hours. Without question I’ve seen sets which need that.
Treble cont…
Back to the treble. After you’ve let this set run-in long enough the treble sounds almost laid back yet with just enough brilliance to come across semi-bright, with some nice crispness as well. This treble is a decently detailed treble region with nice note contours. What I enjoy is that the treble isn’t some mishmash of treble smear and the treble is dialed back just enough to separate those frequencies to not sound blended in energetic sizzle. There’s nothing worse than a blended treble. The Distant Mountain doesn’t have the type of tuning that leads to annoying sibilance either. That’s one great point that I found to be nice. Also, I don’t hear anything metallic or truly off within the timbre. You have nice note separation for an on-ear headphone and even the occasional treble punch too. I’d say the treble is smoother than it isn’t while displaying some nice harmonics of different instruments and even better fundamental tones. It’d be much different had the treble stayed ultra bright. Shoot, I wouldn’t have reviewed this set if that was the case. Beyond that, the treble is also fairly airy with a more open sound. Again, this may make the sound a hair drier than many may enjoy but I don’t think it’s an outright “con”.
Speed & Extension
Extension is nice as well. One thing I enjoy is a treble that is slightly toned-down, which rides that line between laid back and bright, but also has solid extension into the upper treble. So many sets lose out by providing too much luminance which by the time you reach the upper treble it comes across too splashy and is usually full of treble tizz. I don’t hear that on the Distant Mountain. At least that I’ve paid attention to. So, the treble isn’t bad and actually it’s fairly fast on more vigorous treble tracks. Songs like “Evil Twin” by Lindsay Sterling are a good example of a set which can both keep up with every fast-paced note as well as coherently playback those notes without coming across smeared. This is why I say that the Distant Mountain’s treble region does keep nice enough note contours. They are separate, distinct enough, and there is a dynamism to help those notes pop.
Downsides to the Treble Region
One of the larger downsides that some may have is that the treble region doesn’t cater to treble heads. I feel it’s a hair too laid back for that. On the other side of the coin, those dark lovers, the rolled-off treble lovers who adore those easy listening laid-back highs are not going to be fans. I have to remember that the Distant Mountain only costs $59 and so I am trying to keep from judging them on much stricter standards. Honestly, all-in-all, the Distant Mountain has a treble which works within the framework of the tuning as a whole and it’s a solid cog in the machine.
Technicalities
Soundstage
Like I’ve said a few times in this review already, the soundstage of the Distant Mountain comes across about average as a whole. I realize earlier I said that the stage is narrow, but what I really mean is that it isn’t normally huge. I do hear some semblance of depth to the sound but again, it’s mostly a 2D expression of my music. Not bad by any stretch of the imagination, just not as grandiose as I was expecting from a semi-open back set.
Separation / Imaging
Sound separation is one aspect of the tuning which will take different forms. On one track you’ll hear nice separation and on another it’ll be less distinct. However, for an on-ear set of headphones the Distant Mountain is better than most, especially at only $59. That price is ridiculously low folks. Anyways, sound separation is about average as a whole but will surprise most on many different tracks. That said, Imaging is very good in my opinion. Hearing the placement of instrumentation is an easy task. Left to right everything is laid out nice. Vocals are always dead center, depending on the track. You’ll also hear some decent layering of the sound field as well. I’m not saying the Distant Mountain is going to blow your mind or anything, but it’s better technically than one might expect.
Detail Retrieval
I’ve said a bunch already that detail retrieval is certainly above average for an on-ear style of headphones. The sound is actually pretty clean folks. Also, transients are not as slow as I would’ve thought. You won’t hear a super congested sound either, there’s some room for notes to breathe on most tracks and there is a balance to the sound with plenty of resolution inducing brilliance from the upper mids to the treble. Take all of that and you usually get a set which can handle some of the subtleties fairly well. Of course, there are some heavier bass tracks which may mask certain frequencies, but for the most part the Distant Mountain is nicely detailed.
Is it worth the asking price?
Always a tough question to answer but I think I’d have to say that the price of the Distant Mountain is simply so low that this set is worth the cost simply out of sheer curiosity. I won’t even delve very deep into the why because… seriously… it costs $59 folks! I’d be lying through my teeth if I said that this beautiful set of on-ear headphones isn’t worth the measly $59 to own it. In my most honest opinion, this isn’t my favorite set by a long shot. I feel it does have some issues with the tuning. However, those issues are simple preferential qualms that I have. I don’t think everyone will have those. Also, I enjoy this set way more than I don’t. Still, even with those “subjective, preferential, idealistic, issues” … yes, it’s worth the cost. Now, $59 may mean way more to the next guy and for that guy maybe that $59 will make or break them. In that instance I’d say that you should be darn sure that you enjoy the tuning. You should make certain that the words I’ve spoken in this review reflect what you enjoy. However, this set should cost more, just for the build, design, and unboxing alone.
The Why…
Because the Distant Mountain is a true Beauty Queen. Lovely in any light, a picture in any moment. Folks, those camera shots took me no time at all, and each shot was in the moment and the Distant Mountain looked gorgeous. For these photos I wanted realistic action shots during listening sessions in my favorite place to listen. I didn’t want artsy shots. Sometimes those feel like the photographer is trying too hard. Go for simplicity when your subject is a picture at any moment. What I’m trying to say is that the Distant Mountain is a beautiful set of cans and the build quality walks hand in hand with that design. This set is one of the few pairs of cans which actually look halfway decent on the head. They look dope! I couldn’t speak highly enough on what Roseselsa was able to make for $59. The unboxing is great. Hands down the unboxing looks as though the Distant Mountain should cost three times as much. Look at all that you get folks.
Worth the $59?
However, it’s also the sound that I find the most appealing. Sure, the Distant Mountain isn’t perfect. And yes, it has some upper mid glare from time to time. Sure, it isn’t the most natural all the time too. Among other subtle infractions. Knowing these facts, the Distant Mountain is also a very nice set to really soak into your music with. I really love the bass response. It hits pretty hard, it’s punchy, it has some meat to its bass, some extension into the sublevels too. I hear a nicely defined slam that doesn’t veil the mix or cause muddiness. The midrange is forward and energetic, nice macro-dynamics, semi-rich note weight, and the midrange has a nicely airy presence. Also, the treble region is mostly non-offensive, yet also brilliant enough to add some levity across the mix. The treble has better detail retrieval than I ever would’ve guessed too. However, I think one of the coolest aspects of the sound is the technical display of the Distant Mountain. Especially for a set of on-ear headphones. You get better than average detail retrieval, nice instrument separation, and very good imaging too. Add to that a stage which doesn’t feel congested or closed in with adequate depth and even some layering too. What this boils down to is a very definitive decision on my part to say that yes, the Distant Mountain is worth the $59 it takes to own it.
Conclusion
To conclude my full review of the Roseselsa Distant Mountain I first have to thank HiFiGo for providing the Distant Mountain for review. I just want to add that HiFiGo has truly been a wonderful outfit to work with. Why do I say that? I say that because they’ve never once even whispered that I speak highly on their products. Never once have they asked to preread a review, and they’ve never asked anything of me other than complete honesty. For that they have my respect. Also, I want to thank you, the reader, for clicking the link which got you here. It means more than anything to us at Mobileaudiophile.com that you take your precious time to spend here and I sure do hope this review has helped in at least some capacity.
Other Perspectives
So now that you’ve spent some time reading my words, go and read someone else’s. Do your homework and see what others are saying. I’m just one man and my words here are my opinions based off of my personal preferences. Every other reviewer works on the same principles. So, if you are in the market for a set like the Distant Mountain, I do hope you will do your due diligence and seek out more than one of those opinions. With that all said, I think I’m done folks. So, please take good care, stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless!!
