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From using the Roseselsa Ceramics Mk2 for a while, what I don’t like about it is it's got poor noise canceling, and it sounds bad for me out of the box. And it’s not because it’s tuned badly, it’s because its default eartips are too small, even though they’re supposedly medium sized. So it didn’t have good bass and the mids are too shallow, giving the impression that the highs are super bright. Horrible.

But from my experience, I thought maybe it’s the eartips being too small that’s causing the issue. So I changed it to the large ones, and I was right! The large eartips made them sound way better, and even though its noise canceling is still not great, it now sounds fuller, richer, more tonally accurate in the vocal region. It even took the edge off the bright high frequencies.

Another thing which I don’t like is that even though it supports LDAC codec, you can’t use it unless you create a RoseLink app account and sign in! I have never seen anyone else lock out the best codec unless you surrender your data. And even if I wanted to register, I can’t, because the app didn’t recognize the verification code it sent to my email.

We’ll have to see if the issue get’s fixed on Roseselsa’s backend. But till then, I can’t use LDAC at all!

That being said, maybe streaming over LDAC isn’t so important to you, and you care more about performance. We’re going to see how they compare to some of the best earbuds under $100 like the OnePlus Buds4, and the CMF Buds Pro 2 which cost just a bit more but packs even more features - even a click dial for music and volume controls. We’re going to find out how they compare, so buckle up!

Active Noise Cancelling

Before we get to the sound quality and microphones, let’s address its noise canceling. I said the Ceramics Mk2’s noise canceling is bad, even on its max ANC settings. And if we compare them to OnePlus Buds 4 and CMF Buds Pro 2, you can see that it’s a lot weaker at canceling the lower to bass frequencies.

When I’m using it, I did get that feeling of silence, and I did dumb down ambient noises a bit, but nowhere near the level of most noise canceling buds, even in the budget range. In this group, the OnePlus Buds 4 has the best noise canceling, followed by the CMF Buds Pro 2, then the Ceramics Mk2.

👉 Have a listen to the ANC quality samples

Transparency Mode

On the other hand, its transparency mode is decent. Is great for quick awareness because it amplifies the higher mid and treble frequencies quite well, so there’s a sensation of airiness. What’s not so great is voice passthrough, even on its so-called voice transparency mode. For example, if I’m having a conversation, my own voice sounds muffled, so is the voice of the person I’m speaking to, which makes verbal exchanges feel weird.

The CMF Buds Pro 2 does a better job at this, although it doesn’t amplify as much of the ambience as the Ceramics. The OnePlus has the best transparency of this group because it feels airy and clear, and there’s very little occlusion in the vocal range.

Microphone Quality

In terms of microphone quality, the Roseselsa’s mic pickup is good in quiet conditions, but in noisy, windy conditions, its noise gating is too aggressive, cutting out half of my own voice when I’m speaking. Based on this, I am giving it a Rank C in my mic quality rankings, whereas the CMF Buds Pro 2 and OnePlus Buds 4 are Ranked A because they’ve got great background noise canceling without cutting into my voice. Let’s hear the difference.

👉 Have a listen to the mic quality samples

Sound Quality

For sound quality, provided you use the right eartips, these do sound quite enjoyable. For bass lovers, bass sounds heavy, meaty, textured, and there’s a heaviness in the midrange also which makes music sound fuller, more grounded. And I would describe its soundstaging as being more compact and intimate - there’s not much spaciousness or depth.

If you want that spaciousness and depth, the OnePlus Buds 4 already has that spacious feeling by default, and it’s even got a Spatial Audio mode that adds even more space and background reverb which the Ceramics don’t have. The OnePlus also sounds more relaxed in the mids, so vocals feel a bit further away, which makes it nicer for watching videos.

The CMF Buds Pro 2 is somewhere in between. On its default Dirac Opteo setting, it sounds a bit less compact and intimate than the Ceramics Mk2, and less relaxed and spacious than the OnePlus. I’m also noticing more grain and sizzle in the upper mids, so it didn’t sound as smooth as the Ceramics or the OnePlus. And though its bass is quite heavy, there was a little less gravity or texture compared to the Ceramics.

Where the Ceramics is much better is in terms of loudness. At 40% volume, it’s already similar to 50% on the OnePlus and CMF. But in my opinion, the best sounding one in this group is the OnePlus Buds 4, followed by the Ceramics Mk2, then the CMF Buds Pro 2.

👉 Have a listen to the sound quality samples

Cons

What’s really lacking about the Ceramics Mk2 is the ability to customize its sound in the RoseLink app. It only has a grand total of 3 EQ presets to choose from,and only the default pop setting sounds good to me.

It’s far less than what can be done on the HeyMelody app for OnePlus, because that actually gives you a 6 band custom EQ along with Golden Sound automatic calibration, and Spatial Audio.

Yes, the OnePlus does cost a lot more money, but even if we compare Ceramics to the CMF Buds Pro 2 which is much nearer in price, at least the CMF has a 3 band equalizer - in case you want some manual adjustments, and Spatial Audio.

So the one with the best Sound settings is the OnePlus, followed by the CMF, then the Roseselsa.

Consclusion

So is the Ceramic Mk2 a good purchase? Well, it depends. It does sound good, and has most bases covered, but there are better alternatives. I would definitely recommend the CMF Buds Pro 2 over the Ceramics, because I think it’s better value for the features and performance, and LDAC codec is not locked behind a registration field.

The OnePlus doesn’t support LDAC, but t’s more advanced, richer in settings and features, and it also sounds awesome. It is quite a bit more expensive, but if you have more cash to spare, definitely go for the OnePlus over the CMF Buds Pro 2 or Ceramics Mk2.

Check latest price:

Roseselsa Ceramics Mk2 - Link TBA
CMF Buds Pro 2 - https://amzn.to/3zwPivw
OnePlus Buds 4 - https://amzn.to/4kY9EQ4

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