Performance

Both the EX-500 and EX-700 are equipped with a hybrid driver setup, which means that you have one balanced armature and one dynamic driver. Wideband balanced armatures are usually expensive, but you can also pair a balanced armature with a high-efficiency dynamic driver for the low end with the aim to crate a complete soundstage equal to that of a single wideband balanced armature for a much lower price point. The downside is that you need to add a crossover and that the impedance between the two units might be a problem when it comes to getting a uniform frequency response.

On top of that, they both mention "Hi-Res Audio" on their packaging. Such a mention is common practice as it lets you know that an analogue headset comes with above-average quality, but it should not be mistaken with the similar wording found on such digital devices as sound cards or USB-/lightning-equipped headsets. As the EX-500 and EX-700 are analogue, the hi-res audio logo means that you will have things like extended frequency range, for example, but every manufacturer defines the meaning of "hi-res audio" on their own.

That brings us to the extended frequency of these in-ears. Most headsets offer a 20 Hz to 20 kHz range because that is the widely accepted range of what humans are capable of hearing. Some of us are able to dip just below that to around 16 Hz, or above the 20 kHz ceiling. Usually, young people are more likely to have an extended hearing range due to the fact that our hearing deteriorates as our body breaks down with age. Also, frequent club goers tend to loose some of their audible frequency range sooner due to the strain put on their ears in such environments. That said, it is great of Rosewill to offer a 20 Hz to 40 kHz range as it will cater perfectly to those who deem themselves audiophiles with the "palette" to notice such a difference.

Thus, diving into the performance aspect, we expect to have a clear and complete soundstage, something many other headsets in this price range fail to offer.

Rosewill EX-500

The Rosewill EX-500 fit quite well, but you do feel the bulk a bit when you compare it to the usual run-of-the-mill units out there. Its aluminum housing does add some good weight to it without pulling the in-ear downward. Thanks to the angled tip, there is no tension to the left or right either.

The microphone is well placed and about 3'' from my mouth when speaking while walking around outside. The person on the other side of the line never complained about excessive background noise or not hearing me well during the week of me testing the unit in the real world.

In terms of sound, the EX-500 sounds quite balanced, with an excellent frequency range. The sound is generally slightly on the soft from various sources, including high-end audio files played from a home theater amp. The bass does have a bit of pressure and volume to it, which sometimes feels like it is about to overpower any highs that may be in the mix, but you still get a lot of clarity from both ranges. The mid-range feels accurate but is not as pronounced overall.

Using the special tips, the purely subjective experience does change very slightly as trebles do seem a tiny bit more defined and noticeable, but in my humble opinion, the standard tips end up giving the EX-500 a better overall balance. That said, you are free to pop on tips of your liking to adjust the feel of the fit and its audio characteristics.

The passive noise-canceling attributes of the EX-500 are great as they block out exterior, unwanted noise extremely well - even at fairly low volumes and with the use of medium tips, which do not really put any unwanted pressure on my ear canal.

Rosewill EX-700

In terms of comfort, the Rosewill EX-700 is barely registering inside my ears - in a good way, which is due to the slim, elongated casing. Once again, using the medium-sized tips, the EX-700 fits well with the noticeable absence of a bulky housing putting gentle pressure on the outside of your ears as the tip is basically of the same size as the housing.

Once again, as they use the same cable setup, the microphone seems well placed and just as functional as with the EX-500, and you may notice that it is 3g lighter, but this may also be because the EX-500 comes across as slightly bulkier so one may think of it as much heavier.

In terms of audio, the EX-700 just seems to be a tad bit more voluptuous, which seems to be due to the lower impedance of 26 vs. 32 Ohms when compared to the EX-500. This is further supported by the higher sensitivity of 102 vs. 96 dB between the two models respectively.

The sound landscape of the EX-700 feels just an itsy bit clearer, but also sounds different. The bass is more pronounced, but the treble still comes across clear and detailed. Just like with the EX-500, the EX-700 manages to deliver a lot of detail across all frequencies with the mids being squeezed slightly by the treble and bass - I actually prefer it over the EX-500 as I tend to listen to a lot of electronic music during the day. Both Rosewill in-ears offer clear sound without any noise distortion even at high volumes, which is amazing to hear and feel.