Disclaimer
Hello everyone! Before I start this review, I’d like to thank Rose Technics for sending me the Roseselsa EARFREE i5 for review. Please note that they have not influenced my thoughts in any way. They’ve never told me what to write, when to publish, or even to review it before publishing. I always have full control over my reviews, and the opinions expressed here are entirely my own, based on my personal experience, and not influenced by any other external things.
I also want to thank you, the readers, for taking the time to read my review, and thank you for your trust in me. It truly means a lot to me!
Introduction
Rose Technics (Roseselsa) is a brand whose products I’m always glad to review. They always manage to impress me with all of the products that I have reviewed. Now I’ve got my hands on the Roseselsa EARFREE i5, which are their newest TWS earbuds, and I am really curious to see how they perform, especially for the asking price of 59.99$. Having already reviewed their Ceramics X, I was curious to see what the i5 would bring to the table in terms of sound, features, build quality, and overall experience. So let’s jump right in and find out!
Unboxing
Unboxing the Roseselsa EARFREE i5 was an interesting experience. The packaging has a sleek, modern vibe with its chrome accents and clean picture of the buds themselves with many of their specs and features. It definitely feels like they are targeting a more mainstream, or fitness-oriented crowd, which I think is a nice change from the usual chi-fi designs, especially for TWS buds.
Inside, the presentation is decent, but not perfect. The earbuds were placed in the cardboard insert, wrapped in paper foil. However, the case wasn’t snugly secured and moved around a bit, which was a bit disappointing. The same goes for the ear tips, as most of them were rolling loose in the box, which took away some of the excitement for me…
As for the contents, you get a small charging cable, four sizes of clear, oval-shaped silicone ear tips, and the instruction manual (available in English, Japanese, and Chinese). The highlight for me, though, was the pair of Super NC 200 foam tips that Rose included for me as well. Rose Technics knows how to make great foam tips, and I was happy to see them included, although they have to be purchased separately, or in a pack with the EARFREE i5.
One thing I wish they’d added is a silicone cover for the charging case. It’s a bit of a niche design, so finding aftermarket cases is tricky. Overall, the unboxing experience felt functional, but I think it could’ve been a little more polished.
Technical Specifications
Specs
- Driver Unit: 12mm DLC Dynamics
- Audio Format: LDAC/ AAC/ mSBC/ SBC
- Impedance: 32 Ω
- Output Power: 15 mW
- Frequency Response Range: 14 – 23600 Hz
- Bluetooth Version: 5.3
- Communication Range: 10 m
- Earphone Battery Capacity: 40 mAh
- Charging Case Battery Capacity: 500 mAh
- Charging Time: Approx. 1h
What are their features?
Noise Cancellation (ANC): Features 3 adjustable levels of ANC and transparency modes, plus wind suppression to cut down on annoying wind noise. It’s not the strongest ANC out there, but it’s effective enough for daily use.
Gaming Mode: There’s a low-latency mode that reduces the delay to 54 ms.
Battery Life: The earbuds gave me around 6 hours of use per charge with ANC on, and the case provides an additional 50 hours. If you are just using them without ANC, you can get maybe closer to 10 hours.
Charging Case: The case is slim, made of metal, and has a magnetic lid. It feels solid and premium, but you might need to buy a silicone case since it’s not included, and it’s pretty hard to find a good case that will fit them…
Water Resistance: Rated IPX5, so they can handle sweat and light rain, and it is perfect for workouts or outdoor use.
Connectivity: They support Bluetooth 5.3, LDAC for high-quality audio, and you can connect them to two devices at once for easy switching.
Touch Controls: The touch sensitive panels are near the sides and top of the earbuds. Here’s what I did, and you can change it to whatever you want:
- Single Tap: Play/pause music or answer/end calls.
- Double Tap (Left/Right): Adjust volume (left for down, right for up).
- Long Press: Right ear-Switch between ANC, transparency, or off mode/Left ear-Voice Assistant.
- Triple Tap: Right ear-Next Track/Left ear Previous Track.
App Support: The ROSELINK app lets you adjust ANC levels, switch EQ presets (Pop, Rock, HiFi, Light), and remap the touch controls.
Sound Performance
The EARFREE i5 has a V-shaped sound to it with a bit more focus on the bass, making it an engaging and more fun listen, rather than pure neutral performance. Let’s break it down:
Bass
The bass on the EARFREE i5 is energetic and full of life. It has a nice, deep rumble that works well for genres like EDM, Electronic, or anything with a strong beat. Even with the shallow fit, the bass doesn’t feel weak or lacking. It’s punchy but well controlled, so it doesn’t overpower the rest of the sound too much. I enjoyed how it added weight to the music, but I didn’t quite enjoy the fact that some of the things got a bit muddy. It’s good for workouts and overall outdoor use, as it sounds fun and easy to enjoy if you are not fully paying attention to the sound itself and just wanting to pass the time.
Mids
The mids are a little pulled back, which is expected from a V-shaped sound. But they are still fairly clear and easy to enjoy. Vocals sound warm, and instruments like guitars and pianos come through clearly, and male vocals sound forward and powerful. The mids don’t stand out as much as the bass or treble, but they still manage to keep the overall sound balanced and pleasant.
Highs
The treble is bright and clear and most of the time isn’t too harsh. I noticed it really brings out things like cymbals and little background details in the music pretty well. It adds some sparkle, which makes the sound feel more lively, but it’s not so bright that it hurts your ears. I turned the volume up high to test it, and the treble stayed fairly smooth and not too harsh, which was nice.
Technicalities
This is where the i5 impresses. The soundstage is wider than I expected for earbuds, with a good depth, so the music feels more open and immersive (of course when considering that it’s a TWS and a pretty budget one). The imaging is really good too, I could pretty easily tell where different sounds are coming from. The layers in the music are also well separated, so everything feels mostly clear and well organized.
Volume Headroom
The i5 can get surprisingly loud without losing quality, which is great for noisy environments or if you just like to crank up the volume (although I would highly suggest not doing so…). Even at higher levels, the sound stayed clear and distortion free. I don’t usually listen at max volume, but it’s good to know the option is there for those times you need it.
Roseselsa EARFREE i5 (59.99$ or 62.99$ with the NC200) vs. Ceramics X (34.99$ or 37.99$ with the NC200)
Build and Design
The i5 has a metal charging case, which feels more premium compared to the plastic case of the Ceramics X. The i5’s case has a very solid, cool-to-the-touch feeling, and the magnetic lid snaps shut nicely and is very fidgety. As for the earbuds themselves, the i5 uses glossy plastic, while the Ceramics X has a matte finish, which feels a bit nicer and more refined. The design of the i5’s stems is also a bit more similar to AirPods, with a longer, more noticeable shape, which I actually prefer, as I have better control of its placement and when I need to quickly take them off. The Ceramics X, on the other hand, is smaller and more compact.
Features
Both models come with most of the features you’d expect, like LDAC support, ANC, and transparency modes. But the i5 takes it a step further with an extra EQ preset and a few added features like more customizable ANC and transparency settings and some more control features. Oh, and there’s a low latency gaming mode for the i5 as well. But I must say that the Ceramics X have better noise cancellation and better transparency mod.
Sound Quality
The sound is where they show some real differences. While both are solid performers, the i5 has the edge in terms of pure volume, bass power and technicalities. The i5 can go louder without distorting, and it has better separation between instruments, making it feel a bit more detailed. The soundstage is wider and more 3D on the i5, and the imaging is clearer too, so it feels more immersive. The Ceramics X, though, has a bit less bass impact, and it makes it a bit more neutral and natural sounding, which is actually nice, but in this case, the technicalities of the EARFREE i5 are placing it ahead.
Comfort and Fit
In terms of comfort, I found both earbuds to be comfortable, but the EARFREE i5 has the advantage of being easier to fit correctly for me, and I can also take them off faster thanks to those stems. I’m always afraid that the Ceramics X will fall out of my ear, while I can easily adjust the i5. So for me, the EARFREE i5 is the better design for everyday use.
Price
Of course, the i5 comes at a higher price point than the Ceramics X, but I think the improvements in sound and features make it worth it, especially if you care about things like better soundstage, more technical detail, and higher clean volume headroom. But in terms of ANC and transparency mods, I must give the edge to the Ceramics X.
Conclusion
The Roseselsa EARFREE i5 really impressed me overall. It’s got a fun, engaging sound with solid bass and crisp highs, plus a good bit of detail and space in the soundstage. I love how comfortable they are and how easy they are to use, especially with the app that lets you customize things like ANC and EQ presets. The battery life is actually good too and holds for a pretty long time.
What really stands out to me is the overall balance that Rose achieved here, between features and sound quality. The i5 gives you a lot of bang for your buck, especially if you want a deep bass and a useful amount of control features. The design and build feel premium, and the extra features like gaming mode, wind suppression, ANC, and transparency mods are great additions.
If you are looking for a pair of TWS earbuds with great sound, good features, and a bit of extra punch, I think the Roseselsa EARFREE i5 is a solid choice. For me, it’s a nice step up from the Ceramics X, but both are great depending on what you are after.
Overall, I’m pretty happy with the i5, and they have definitely earned a place in my regular rotation.
Pros
- Solid sound quality with deep bass, clear treble, and a spacious soundstage.
- Good build quality, using a metal charging case and comfortable earbuds.
- Good battery life, which lasts around 6 hours on a charge with ANC or transparency modes in use.
- Great features, which include LDAC support, ANC, transparency modes, wind suppression, and low latency gaming mode.
- Customizable settings with EQ presets and touch controls customization.
Cons
- The buds themselves feel a bit plasticky and cheap.
- The sound may not be for everyone, as it’s pretty V-shaped with a bass boost.
- ANC and Transparency mods could have been better.
- No silicone cover for the charging case.