Rose North Forest Review

About Rose Technics:

The company Rose Technics is founded by University students in China and is specialized in IEM and Earbuds.

The company name Rose has actually nothing to do with the rose flower, the name spells in Chinese – ‘弱水‘, which actually means a mythical river.

Disclaimer:

I would like to thank Rose Technics for providing me this sample via Penon Audio for review purposes. I am not affiliated with Rose Technics and Penon Audio beyond this review and these words reflect my true, unaltered opinions about the product.

Price:

The Rose North Forest is available on Penon Audio for 24,90 USD.

Purchase Link: https://penonaudio.com/rose-north-forest.html

Package and Accessories:

The Rose North Forest comes in a small black box which is wrapped with a White glossy cardboard that sports an image of the North Forrest.

The box includes the following contents;

• 1 pcs x Rose North Forest
• 3 pairs x Grey silicone ear tips
• 1 pair x White silicone ear tips
• 1 pair x White double flange silicone ear tips

Technical Specifications:

• Driver Type     : Single Dynamic Driver with Titanium Diagram
• Freq. range     : 14 ~ 23000hz
• Sensitivity       : 105db
• Impendence    : 18ohm
• Cable material : 128 shares 4n oxygen-free copper+ anti-pull bullet-proof wire
• Shell                : aeronautical magnesium-aluminum alloy

Design, Fit and Build Quality:

The Rose North Forest is available in two (2) color options, which are red and blue. I would wish that they could make a version where the left monitor is blue and the red monitor red for a better indication and an extra stylish look.

The North Forest has small metal housing, which is made according to Rose Technics of aeronautical grade magnesium-aluminum alloy, which is lightweight and look pretty solid.

On the back of the housing is a vent to avoid driver flex that is common in such small monitor.

On the front is the sound nozzle that has a small metal filter on the top and a bass vent on the side.

The monitors have on one side a white printed Rose Technics logo that I found very stylish.

The cable of the Rose North Forest is not removable and is fixed with a strain relief that has small left and right monitor, which are not very visible in my opinion.

The cable of the 4N purity oxygen-free copper + anti-pull bullet-proof wire that has a black plastic (TPU) coating.

There is a microphone that is a nice addition and a metal Y splitter with the same silver styling.

The cable has a straight profiled plug with a silver color metal housing that sports the “Rose” logo and a 3.5mm unbalanced jack.

The Rose North Forest is very ergonomic and easy to wear due the small size and lightweight housing, which makes it ideal for long listening periods and to wear even while sleeping.

Equipment’s used for this review:

IEM’s              : Rose North Forest, Lypertek Mevi, VE Monk IE Smalls
DAP&DAC’s   : Cayin N5II, Fiio M7, Hiby R3, Audirect Beam, Shanling M0
 

Albums & tracks used for this review:

• London Grammar – Interlud (Live) (Flac 24bit/44kHz)
• Laura Pergolizzi – Lost On You “Live at Harvard and Stone” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Jehan Barbur – Yollar (Spotify)
• Minor Empire – Bulbulum Altin Kafeste (Spotify)
• Adam Taylor – Colour to the Moon (Flac 16bit/44kHz)
• Casey Abrams – Robot Lover (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Vivaldi – Le Quarttro Stagioni “The Four Season” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Steve Srauss – Mr. Bones (Flac 16bit/44kHz)
• Otto Liebert & Luna Negra – The River (DSF) – Binaural Recording
• Future Heroes – Another World (Tidal Hi-fi)
• Lorde – Team (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
• Tom Player – Resonace Theory “Album” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Liquid Tension Experiment 2 – Acid Rain (Spotify)
• Opeth – Damnation (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Metallica – Sad bu True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)

The Sound:

This review is written after a burn-in process of approx. 80 hours and I have used the stock silicone grey silicone ear tips.

Please note that this is an entry level IEM and all my comments about the sound quality are in consideration of this price range.

The Rose North Forest is easy to drive and an ideal source to pair with a phone or tablet, that have in general pretty low amplification.

Sound Signature:

The Rose North Forest shows a V shaped sound signature along with a strong mid-bass presentation, an emphasis at the upper midrange and a clinical/vivid treble presentation.

Bass:

The Rose North Forest has a strong and entertaining bass presentation, with good extensions, quantity and emphasis, which should be enough for genres like EDM, Pop or Trance. The sub-bass depth and extension of the Rose North Forest is a bit weak. The bass impact has more focus to the mid-bass area than the sub-bass region, while the bass attack, speed and energy are on a moderate level.

My only complaint could come to the mid-bass hump while listening to genres like EDM or Trance music that I think is pretty normal at this price range. Percussion (drums) and string instrument (bass guitars) have an entertaining and strong presentation.

Midrange:

The midrange of the Rose North Forest sounds a bit recessed due the V shaped sound signature.

Male vocals have a thick tonality, while Female voices sounding warm and sweet what I really enjoy with this entry level IEM. Male vocals are more successful with the Rose North Forest than female voices, due the slightly veiled presentation of the midrange.

Only a slightly more transparency could make this IEM much more successful in this frequency region. Additionally, the Rose North Forest sounds sweeter with instruments that have a tick tonality than with those who have a thinner tonality.

Treble:

The Rose North Forest has a pretty good treble presentation for an In-Ear Monitor with a price of 24.90 USD. The treble presentation is bright and pretty analytical, which is rarely found in this price category.

The North Forest sounds energetic and vivid form cymbals to woodwind instruments like flutes. The extension, sharpness and detail level performs ways above its price point, but can be a touch to present for those who are treble sensitive.

Soundstage:

I can describe the soundstage performance of the Rose North Forest as above average with moderate level of depth and wideness, where instruments have a relative precise placement. One of the remarkable abilities regarding the soundstage is the performance for instrument separation, which is above its price point.

Comparisons:

Rose North Forrest vs Lypertek Mevi

Both IEMs are at the same price category but have a different sounds tuning. The Rose North Forest has a V shaped sound signature, while the Lypertek Mevi has a relative flat/neutral tuning.

The Rose North Forest is superior to the Lypertek Mevi in terms of bass quantity and emphasis, while the Mevi’s bass has a more linear character with slightly better speed.

The midrange of the Rose North Forest sounds a bit recessed due then V shaped sound signature, while the midrange presentation of the Lypertek Mevi is more upfront. The overall resolution for both IEM’s is nearly identical. The Rose North Forest sounds is more successful with male vocals, while the Lypertek Mevi has the more suitable tonality for female voices.

Both In-Ear Monitors sounding vivid, energetic and bright in the treble range but the Rose North Forest is superior to the Lypertek Mevi in terms of treble extension, quantity and intensity.

When it comes to Soundstage performance, I have identified that the Rose North Forest has a slightly wider expansion, while the Lypertek Mevi has the upper hand for depth.

Rose North Forrest vs VE Monk IE Smalls:  

Both IEMs sharing a V shaped sound signature with emphasis on the top and the bottom. The main difference is that the VE IE Smalls have more emphasis at the bottom, while the Rose IEM has is emphasis at the top.

The VE Monk IE Smalls has a stronger bass presentation with good punch, where the Rose North Forest sound more balanced. The IE Smalls sounds a bit uncontrolled and slow in the bass department especially in the mid-bass region, where the North Forest is more controlled and detailed.

The midrange of the Rose North Forest sounds cleaner and has a better detail rendering, where the VE Monk IE Smalls sounds a bit hollow due the strong mid-bass emphasis which bleed in to the midrange. The Monk IE Smalls performs relative good with male vocals, while its missing some sparkle and transparency for female voices. The Rose North Forest shows more transparency and sparkle that makes female vocals more enjoyable. The same situation exists for Instruments, which are sounding more detailed and lifelike with the Rose North Forest.

The VE Monk IE Smalls has a significant roll-off between the upper midrange and treble range that makes it more suitable for long listening periods in the cost of losing detail and definition. The Rose North Forest is superior in terms of overall detail and treble extension.

The soundstage of the Rose North Forest is more expansive in both directions, compared to the VE Monk IE Smalls, while the difference for depth is higher and more noticeable.

Conclusion:

The Rose North Forest is a small stylish In-Ear Monitor with a nicely done V shaped sound signature, combined with a musicality and detail representing, which is above this price tag.

My only complaint could come to the left/right indicators that are hard to notice.

Pros and Cons:

• + Nice stylish housing with good build quality
• + Comfortable and lightweight
• + Good detail retrieval for the price

• – Left/Right indicators
• – Straight profiled headphone plug (I know it’s a matter of preference)