SA950i:

You may have never heard of RHA -- short for Reid and Heath Acoustics products -- but it's a small Scottish headphone company that makes some pretty decent products for affordable prices. We've taken a look at some of its in-ear models, including the $50 MA450, but the SA950i model reviewed here is an on-ear model.

What I liked about these headphones is that they're lightweight, offer a comfortable fit (especially for on-ears), have a detachable cloth-covered cord with a built-in Apple-friendly remote and microphone, and they sound good for the money.

The SA950i has a sort of retro design and while I can't rave about it, I will say that it's attractive enough and fairly distinct. If I have a few quibbles it's that there's a bit too much glossy plastic in the mix and I think the earcups will show scratches over time, but that may not be a bad thing for some people. They also don't fold up for storage.

Build quality seems good but not great. However, RHA does offer a three-year warranty on these guys, which is a couple of years longer than what you get with most headphones.

As for their sound, these headphones are more bound to please audiophile types who prefer well-balanced sound that doesn't accentuate the treble or bass. The SA950is offer smooth, clean sound, with good bass, but they're not incredibly detailed nor do they deliver incredibly deep, powerful bass despite their 40mm drivers. Speakerphone performance was fine.

The RHA SA950i is an all-around solid on-ear model that offers decent sound for the money. I can't say they excel in any one area (design, comfort, or performance), but they're lightweight and likable. I'd like to see them come in under $50, especially with all the competition in the $60-$80 price range, but the SA950i certainly holds its own soundwise with other headphones in its price class -- and it comes equipped with an inline remote and microphone.

Read the full article at Cnet.com

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SA950i:
I have been checking out a lot of different audio products recently and have been using the RHA MA450i earphones on a regular basis. They sound fantastic, have a well designed cord that doesn't tangle, and are priced low. RHA sent along their other iOS-optimized audio product, the SA950i headphones, and they too are good performers.

RHA created a very attractive retail package for the SA950i that shows glossy photos of the headphones. You can open a flap to reveal the headphones through a clear plastic window on the right. On the left you will find a photo blow up of the headphones, mic, and a performance chart.

The headphones are compact and much lighter than I thought a set of headphones could be. They slide up and down about an inch and also rotate to fit your head size well. The earpieces are covered in soft material that feel like leather. This same soft material is all along the top as well. The 3.5mm headphone jack fits into the bottom of the left earpiece. The outside of the earpieces are glossy black plastic. The braided cable is 1.5 meters and does a good job of remaining tangle free.

There are three buttons on the mic control unit. The upper is for increasing volume and the lower is for decreasing volume. The center button controls several things through a series of pushes and this is easily used thanks to the indented design so you don't have to look down and can manipulate it by feel. A single press answers or hangs up a call while also acting to play or pause media. Double press skips forward and a triple press goes back. A long press and hold launches Siri on my iPhone 5. Unfortunately, the mic is not supported on other devices and while the press and hold launches Google Now on my Note II, the mic is not picked up so it is worthless there. The retail package clearly states these earphones are made for iPod, iPhone, and iPad. They do work for enjoying audio on Android or Windows Phone, but there are some limitations.

The SA950i has a cable the same as the MA450i and that is a great thing. I like the braided covering on the cable that keeps it from getting tangled like many other headphones. These headphones fit on top of your ears and even with my glasses on they were quite comfortable and I was able to wear them for extended periods of time. The nice thing about such a lightweight set of headphones is that they are easy to carry around with you.

Music, podcasts, and audio from movies sounded great on the RHA SA950i headphones and I really can not believe they are priced at just $59.95, from online stores such as Amazon. I have tested several different audio products recently and think these are the best value so far. People pay two to five times this price for headphones and this is a brand and model I am putting on my list for potential gifts.

Read the full article at ZDNET

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MA450i:

Recently, when I reviewed RHA’s MA350 earphones, I concluded that they were a perfect second pair of earphones that were great for commuting. I considered their $40 price a bargain. However, one major (for some) drawback was a lack of a mic for making and receiving phone calls – especially for any commuting. RHA has an answer for that with the RHA MA450i earphone with remote and microphone.

You might think that there would be an audible difference between the RHA MA350 and the MA450i. After all, the MA450i is 100 more something than the 350, right? If you think that, you would be wrong. There is no difference in construction or sound between the MA350 and MA450i. If you don’t need a mic, you can stop right here. I’m not going to bother with a review of the audio quality of the MA450i, because I would just be repeating myself. You can go here to read my complete review of the sonically-identical MA350.

But I will talk about the included remote mic. Boy, did RHA get this one right.

Many earphones I have reviewed include a mic option. Most of them work just fine, but I always ask the person I am talking with if they can tell whether it’s me using the mic or my iPhone directly. I always get the same answer in varying degrees: From “Yes I can tell, but it’s not too bad” all the way to “Yes, I can tell and you sound like you’re in a tunnel.” I get this responses no matter how expensive or cheap the earphones are.

Until now, that is. Everyone I talked with could not tell that I wasn’t speaking into my iPhone, but instead was using a mic. Not one. I don’t know what RHA did or how they did it, but it works. This is one of those things you take for granted until you experience a lesser mic. The tapered remote works well with the usual Pause, Forward and Skip functions, but it’s hard to get excited about that. The middle pause button is easy to feel, but the + and – buttons can easily be confused.

The MA450i’s construction is another match to the MA350. The same aluminum shell with its aerophonic-designed shape plus their fabric-covered cables. You do get a much more varied choice of tips, however. Both the MA450i as well as the MA350 come with a 3-year no-hassle guarantee.

It all comes down to this: If you need a mic and a remote, get the MA450i. If you don’t, then the MA350 is what you want. If you want a great commuting pair of earphones, the decision couldn’t be any simpler.

Read the full article at Gadgeteer

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MA150: 

RHA, the Glasgow headphone company that makes some good-quality earphones at a modest price, has in a sense, downscaled. It has adapted some key components from its midprice earphones to produce the budget-price MA150.

The MA150, at a price of $20 — less than replacement Apple earbuds — uses 10-millimeter drivers similar to those in the popular MA350s,which are $40, and MA450s, at $50.

RHA trims cost where it is largely unnoticeable. The earphones’ cable is rubber instead of cloth, and it is a bit shorter. The earpieces are plastic rather than aluminum. The ear tips are single-density silicone rather than double-density. The warranty is one rather than three years.

Some differences you might notice — the loss of the three-button controller on the cord and the lack of a carrying case, for instance.

The sound remains very good, although not quite as good as I recalled the MA350’s as being. One reason may have been that the 150’s ear tips were not perfectly sized for me. With a really good seal, I found the bass a little overpowering and the overall sound a little fuzzy and indistinct. Using slightly looser tips made the bass less overwhelming and improved the overall impression.

Read the full article at NYT

View the MA150 product page.

MA150: 

The recently launched RHA MA150 earphones recently dropped through my letterbox in an unassuming brown box made from recycled cardboard. Flimsy as anything the box did not give out a sign of quality and did not bode well for the contents.

RHA’s MA150 earphones are the Glaswegian company’s latest foray into the earphone market, this time at the budget level. Indeed, these earphones are currently retailing at £14.95.

I recently found myself without earphones and so purchased a cheap (£9.99) pair of big Japanese named earphones. They were truly awful to the point that after 15 minutes I removed them and gave up!

On that basis and coupled with the fact that RHA’s other offerings are of a more premium level expectations were low when I plugged these into my Nexus 4 in order to have a trial listen.

As with the more expensive MA350 and 450i’s, the RHA MA150′s are designed with inspiration taken from a trumpets bell and although these budget set do not have the aluminium of their counterparts, they do feel much more of a premium product than their price point belies.

The cable is a 1.2m offering with the gold plated jack set at a 45 degree angle. It has a rubber anti-tangle coating that does a reasonable job of preventing that annoying knotting that so many earphones suffer from. The cable is much more lightweight than the MA150′s elder siblings but still feels good enough to last.

Also included in the box are 2 more sets of tips thus giving a selection of small, medium and large – enough to cover almost any ears! Once you have your perfect fit you will find excellent noise isolation and earphones that are comfortable to wear for hours on end.

As already stated, I didn’t have any overblown expectations of sound quality from these earphones, after all, how good can a £15 pair be?

Cue Prodigy’s Firestarter and oh how wrong was I? At near full volume the bass is thumping and not a hint of distortion while the treble is clear and crisp without being harsh. Adele’s Someone Like You was next for the test and once again the music and vocals were reproduced with nothing short of excellence. Tune after tune and from genre after genre the same was repeated and as time went on my surprise grew with just how good these things really are.

To find a pair of budget earphones that are equally adept at playing Tchaikovsky as they are at Led Zepplin is rare but the MA150′s pull it off with some style.

The simple fact is that there is no excuse for not owning a pair of these. In truth, at this price point quite simply everyone should have a pair of MA150′s.

It doesnt matter if your budget is £15 or £90, I highly recommend purchasing a pair of RHA MA150′s.

Read the full article at CoolSmartphone

View the MA150 product page.

MA350:

I donned a pair of MA-350 earphones for the day and threw everything I could at it.

My first impression was that the “noise isolation” actually worked, despite the fact that there’s no technology behind it. Outside noise is being blocked out by the soft silicone tips, which fit perfectly in my ear. Other earbuds have a tendency to fall out of my ear with even the slightest provocation, so that was a huge selling point for me!

As far as sound quality goes, I found that the MA-350′s sounded really clear and detailed. They produce a decent amount of bass, but I wouldn’t have minded a little extra kick. And if you’re listening to Dubstep, you’ll probably want something else entirely..

The fabric braided cables also tend to pick up some noises when moving around, an issue I’ve experienced with other cables like this. On the flip side, these types of cables tend to last a lot longer, and they don’t get tangled up as easily.

The earphones come with a small carrying case, which was a nice surprise. All in all, there’s quite a bit of bang for your buck here, considering the RHA MA-350′s price point of $39.95.

If you’re in the market for a pair of low-cost earphones, you owe it to yourself to check out the RHA MA-350′s. You won’t be disappointed!

Read the full article at Guys Gab

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MA350:

I got my hands on a pair of RHA MA350 earphones last week and have spent the last few days putting a pair of what are easily the best sub-$50 earphones and among the best sub-$100 earphones I have ever heard through their paces.

I’ve had the pleasure of listening to quite a few pairs of earphones in my time, all over the price spectrum. For the most part, you get what you pay for – but every once in a while you get a nice surprise like the RHA MA350s. I have spent the past week listening to these earphones and am happy to say that they have exceeded my expectations.

For the song list, I stuck to the same lineup as we used to test out the very capable Braven 650 Wireless Bluetooth speaker. I also spent some time testing out the RHA MA350s on FLAC. They excelled at every turn. They outperform a lot of earphones in the $50-100 price range, which is exceptional for a pair that only costs $40.

Before we get started, we need to talk expectations. The levels of performance that you expect to see in a pair of $50 earphones differs markedly to that which you would expect to see in a pair of $300 headphones. When you start paying a lot of money for headphones, the differences between the models in terms of quality are a matter of degrees. In the $50-100 space though, things can vary quite widely.

With cheaper earphones things tend to be either bass- or treble-heavy. I found the MA350s to be very pleasantly balanced. They produced very high highs, and respectably low lows. The end result was very satisfying no matter where the song fit on the spectrum. In fact, they performed so well that I found myself looking for tracks that did a better job of testing out their limitations – when Tori Amos and Maynard James Keenan’s Muhammed My Friend didn’t stretch the treble, I turned to Sarah Brightman’s Time to Say Goodbye. At the opposite end of the spectrum, I found myself listening to random dubstep tracks then exploring the complicated electronic and percussive soundscapes of Prodigy’s live performances – at volume. The MA3350s excelled at every turn and the louder things got, the better they became.

FLAC and other lossless codecs did not prove to be an issue. Sound quality with lossless tracks was noticeably crisper.

The RHA MA350s are well designed and comfortable to wear, even for extended periods of time. The casing of the earphones is aircraft-grade aluminum, the cord is braided, they have a mic (but no controls), and a little circular bit of plastic that you can use to keep the buds together when they are not in use. They are fairly tangle resistant, not as much as earphones with ribbon cables, but good enough.

They sat comfortably in my ears and did a very good job at blocking out virtually all of the ambient sounds in my home.

The RHA MA350s offer outstanding performance for what they cost. My earphones of choice had been a pair of aging $120 Sony in-ear earphones – these were considerably better and cost a third of the price.

At times the level of definition proved to be something of a curse. With high bitrate MP3s there was no problem, but at lower bitrates things there was a slight but audible hiss. The level to which this was noticeable varied depending on the track – but it definitely had me wanting to upgrade some of my older tracks. At any rate, this is not really a failure of the speakers so much as it is an indictment of lossy music.

Five out of five stars: at just $40, the RHA MA350 earphones punch well above their weight. If you are looking for an affordable pair of earphones that does not compromise on sound quality – look no further.

Read the full article at Caledonian Mercury

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MA350:

I don’t ask for too much out of my earbuds. I don’t even mind when comfort trumps quality when I’m listening to my iPod or HiFiMAN portable device. If I wanted to focus purely on quality, I’d put on a set of on-ear headphones to transport me into musical bliss. But if I’m going for a walk, I’d rather not have anything weighing my head down.

Earbuds are funny though—you would think that manufacturers perhaps think the same way when it comes to comfort. Wrong. Just look at Apple’s iconic white earbuds that come with every iPod. I can’t tell you how many people tell me that they replace those right away, and that includes myself; one long walk wearing those and my ears feel like they’ve been pressed in a waffle iron.

I’ve also tested earbuds whose bulbous design carried so much heft to them that unless I jammed them seemingly into my brain, they would keep falling out of my ear if I was out walking at even a semi-brisk pace. I don’t have too many bigger pet peeves during a walk than having to continually paw at my head making sure my earbuds aren’t about to fall out.

So when British manufacturer RHA sent me its MA-350 earbuds for an evaluation, the first thing that struck me was how utterly comfortable they are. They provide a sort of invisible-like quality, with which you barely notice they are even in your ears though they surely are working effectively.

My wife uses our iPod touch during exercise, so comfort and sturdiness in earbuds are critical. She confirmed my initial response by saying the MA-350s were the most comfortable earbuds she’d ever used, “and you know how picky I am about them.”

In terms of features, RHA says the earphones employ “the aerophonic design of a trumpet’s bell … clean, simple lines and aluminum finish” among its attributes. The aluminum gives the finish just enough oomph to keep the buds in place, and the “soft silicone tips” live up to their billing. I used them for nearly three hours straight on a train ride, and no part of my ear felt bad after the trip.

Speaking of which, RHA also notes the earphones’ noise-isolating design, which was evident during the train ride as well. As soon as I plugged in, the background noise was very muted, and PA announcements and even whistle blows were barely audible. No, not on par with over-ear headphones, but certainly respectably efficient for $40 earbuds.

Don’t let the price on these fool you, either. Performance and build quality are very good. Apart from the aforementioned comfort, I also liked the fabric cable braiding as opposed to the usual plastic wrapping that earbud cords ordinarily employ. The fabric is much easier to untangle, and for my money I would go so far as to call it trickle-down technology from quality speaker-wire manufacturers—think about it, how many high-end speaker cables do you see sheathed in plastic? I’ve been using Clarus cables in my home system, and like other high-performance manufacturers they use fabric among the fine build quality.

In terms of performance, the MA-350s are solid, especially for the price. While listening to them with an iPod touch, I found that they really delivered a nice, neutral, crisp presentation that wasn’t overly boomy like some earbuds or lean like others. Sonics came across at a good compromise, somewhere in the middle, which allowed for plenty of detail on both the low and high frequencies.

Several tracks by Jack Johnson emphasized the MA-350s’ balanced and sharp delivery. Johnson begins many of his songs with a quiet opening passage before some drums and bass kick into the usual acoustic strumming. Each time, the earbuds provided a good amount of thump to make an impact, while not overpowering Johnson’s gentle vocal style. I also felt that acoustic guitar plucking, whether it was Johnson or on albums such as Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks, resonated really well through the MA-350s as you could hear every little thwang of the strings.

The dynamics of the MA-350s I thought were nicely revealed while listening to Genesis’ epic Lamb Lies Down on Broadway on the iPod, despite playback at 128 MP3 (most of my iPod listening is in MP3 at 128 or 320 kbps). RHA lists the frequency range at 16-22,000Hz and the earphones handled the Lamb quite well, with all of its shifts from quiet interludes like “The Lamia” to the heavy growling of “Back in NYC” and more. The swirling energy of this album and all of its deeply textured composition came across superbly, and the rich reproduction of the percussion and keyboards from Phil Collins and Anthony Banks throughout made for a vibrant earful of sound.

Combined with their comfort and their build quality, the MA-350s are an astounding value if you’re looking for a boost in earbuds performance. Sonics are full and lifelike, and the overall package delivers an enjoyable listening experience that is fatigue free, whether you’re out for a half-hour walk or settling in for a cross-country plane ride.

Read the full article at Electronic House Review

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MA450i:

There are plethora of aftermarket headphones and earphones available for the iPhone these days. If you’re looking to spend some of that hard earned Christmas cash, you may not need to look any further than the RHA-ma450i earphones. If you haven’t heard of RHA Audio, they’re a Glasgow, UK based company that recently launched their products in North America and simple trip to the Apple Store will reveal their very affordable $50 price tag.

The RHA-ma450i come with seven (yes, 7) sets of ear inserts including a set of double coned tips in their own box, plus the headphones themselves and a soft classy carrying case. The tips come with 2 pairs each of Small, Medium, and Large so regardless of ear size, you should be able to find the right fit. The earphones are machined of aluminum, which makes them very attractive and much more durable than your typical plastic ones. The earphone cable is a braided fabric cable to reduce tangling and prolong cable life. If you’re anything like me, and you could probably tangle a 2×4, then these cables are for you. My days of tangling cables were over once I starting using these. They are compatible with any iPhone & iPod touch that supports inline mic/volume controls.

Audio Quality

The RHA-ma450i had some big shoes to fill, as my regular earphones are the audiophile oriented $400 Westone 3s. The earphones were very straightforward to use, offering much better than average sound quality. The bass is controlled and tight, with the right amount of midrange. My only complaint in sound quality was a little too much treble, not necessarily a bad thing, but it required an adjustment of the phone’s equilizer settings.
On the Phone

The inline mic offers good sound quality, even on a crowded subway; the recipient at the other end of the phone call could hear me just fine. There were no complaints of sounding distant or muffled conversation. While not a true noise cancelling headphone, a good fit with the correct ear tips provides excellent isolation from unwanted outside distractions and offers little to no sound leakage, another plus for those of us who like to travel.

Controls & Features

A note for Siri lovers: a long press will bring up everyone’s favourite voice assistant. The inline mic offers volume control, with one click offering pause, answer and hang up. A double click will skip to the next song while a quick triple click will take you back to the beginning of the last song. The mic also has a small indent in the center, making it very easy to locate the different controls. No fumbling in the dark or when you’re in a hurry to pick up a call. It would seem that the engineers and designers at RHA Audio thought through these very well.

RHA Hits MegaTechie Home Run

RHA claims to create unique, high specification audio products and everything they make is engineered to deliver professional grade, cutting edge sound. Each feature, detail and component is the result of extensive research and their uncompromising commitment to innovation and quality. In every aspect, the RHA-ma450i hits the mark. They are the perfect combination of price, sound quality, and performance.

The sound quality is on par with earphones costing a $100 more and the build quality is first rate. The inclusion of a 3 year, no questions asked warranty should seal the deal for anyone that is still on the fence. The only drawbacks I found with the headphones were the slightly higher treble than I would liked and the lack of replaceable cables. Now, for $50, I’m not going to argue about the cables.

Whether you’re a student on the go or an executive working out at the gym, the RHA-ma450i should be at the top of a very short list for anyone in the market for some new earphones.

Read the full article at Mega Tech News

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MA450i:

British manufacturer RHA has recently released their line of headphones and earphones for the first time in the US. Of note: the company’s flagship MA450i noise isolating earphones.

In addition to sounding fantastic, they’re also ultra-durable. The shell is constructed of aircraft grade aluminum, while the cord consists of reinforced copper cable inside a braided fabric enclosure. An inline remote allows users to skip tracks, adjust volume and pause/play tunes on any iPhone/iPad/iPod. To ensure a snug but comfortable fit, they feature a choice of seven pairs of soft silicone ear-tips.

Read the full article at Vagabondish

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MA450i:
Let me begin by saying that there is at least one Apple product I cannot stand. Despite their initial cool look, the original stock earphones were a literal pain in my ear. Even adding the mic and remote on the cord of the second generation couldn’t convince me to use them for any length of time, so they are a back-up pair for those times I need earbuds – say while traveling (or having your earbuds yanked from your ear by a lawn mower… don’t ask). While I don’t have the newest version of Apple’s Earpods, the first and second generation of earphones didn’t give me much confidence in trying them out.

Depending on your needs, the best earphones/earbuds I’ve recently been using had the ability to sequester external noise so the sounds from the ear-embedded micro-speakers are more effective. Britain’s RHA entrance into this field are exceptional with their strangely-named MA450i.

The MA450i, so named for “Micro Aural” 450i (for Apple’s iDevices), is the next in line for RHA, and upgrades their MA350 version, a well-liked item at Amazon.com. Since the MA450i is for idevices, it places a familiar, yet an ergonomically curved, mic/remote on the right-eared cord.

By comparison to most other earphones, the sound from the all-aluminum MA450i is downright phenomenal. Bass thumping in my ear, clear highs and mid-ranges, all without full volume. Oh yes, these quickly have become my default earphones – for running and exercising, for podcasts, and even for drifting to sleep – because of the diminutive size and comfort in my ears. I suppose that was my biggest gripe of Apple’s earphones: they were just too honking big for my ear canal. On the other hand, I can wear the MA450i earphones for hours without adjustment or major discomfort.

Besides the earphones themselves, RHA sends many different size silicon tips (for noise isolating in different size ear canals) and even a superfluous velvet bag. RHA clearly is sending a strong belief in their product as well since they advertise a 3-year parts and labor warranty.

The MA450i’s come with a harder-than-usual-to-tangle fabric covered 1.5 meter cord. Now, I’m 6’3″, and 1.5 meters is over 4 feet of cord! That means I can put an iPhone below my knee before the cord length is used up. Most of the time when I need earphones, the furthest away my device is in my pocket, so there is a lot of cord left to drape, dangle, and get in the way. When I move my iPhone to an armband while running, I have to put over 3 feet of cord in my shirt to keep it from flopping around.

While the microphone is acceptable for both indoor and outdoor use, the curved remote buttons don’t always function so well with my iPhone, iPad, and iTunes on my MacBook Pro. Fidgeting with the remote while running and exercising is a distraction I’d rather not have.

Compared to $29 for Apple’s version of earphones/earpods, these high quality earphones earn high marks for their relatively inexpensive $50 price tag. Heck the comfort alone is worth $20, and getting heavy duty bass without distortion in one’s ear is this audiophile’s joy.

Read the full article at iSource

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MA450i:

Still looking for a last minute gift for the music lover on your holiday list? Look no further than the incredible sounding earphones from RHA Audio. The British company, which is relatively new to the U.S. market, makes some very high-quality earbuds that pack impressive sound without inflicting a lot of damage on your wallet. Here are two of their products that I've recently had the opportunity to test, coming away very impressed.

The MA450i is RHA's flagship in-ear model that is available through Apple Stores – both online and brick and mortar – as well as Amazon. These earphones are built from aircraft grade aluminum, which gives them a very solid and durable feel that you don't always find in similar headsets. They also feature a three-button inline remote that allows users to skip tracks, adjust volume or pause their music on an iPhone, iPod or iPad. The remote even has a built-in mic, which makes it easy to both place and receive calls that sound crisp and clear on the tiny speakers. RHA has also included seven sizes of interchangeable soft tips for the earphones allowing users to find just the right fit for isolating outside noise.

If you've ever gone in search of good earphones for your portable devices, the above description probably doesn't seem very out of the ordinary. After all, there are literally hundreds of options for earbuds on the market from dozens of different companies that offer a similar set of features. But where RHA's products stand out from the crowd is in their performance for the price. Simply put, these are easily the best sounding earbuds I've ever used in this price range and they equal or exceed the quality of many higher priced offerings as well.
As I tested these earphones I was continually impressed with how clear the audio was across the entire range of sound, including the lower bass levels, which are not easy to reproduce on an earbud at any price point. Highs and mid-ranges came across very cleanly too, making these a great choice for music lovers who prefer a full audio experience. Listening to my favorite music on the MA450i's was a rich, personal experience, highlighting subtle notes that aren't always noticeable on other earbuds.

I found these earphones to be super comfortable to wear as well, once I found the proper size tips to use. True to form, my ears always require different sizes to fit properly, but with all of the options that RHA includes, it was easy to adjust as needed. Once I had the right sizes dialed in, the MA450i's did an excellent job of isolating outside noise, which can be particularly distracting at times. These earphones were also comfortable to wear for hours on end, something that comes in very handy on long flights.

Available in both black and white, the MA450i's come with a nice little soft case for use while traveling. Throw in a long, durable cable and a full three-year warranty, all for a price of just $49.95, and you really have a set of headphones that are incredibly tough to beat. This kind of sound quality just doesn't show up very often at this price point, which makes them a bargain that is tough to pass up.

Read the full article at Gadling

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MA450i:

Read the full article at Swipe Magazine or download the full edition from the iTunes store.

View the MA450i product page.

MA450i:

RHA has had no shortage of praise from reviewers. Their products are wonderful. And, more importantly, affordable ... Since I'm pretty sure we're all broke.

From a design standpoint, the MA450i's are pleasantly minimalist. A soft black fabric-coated wire (which doesn't transfer much if any noise) splits into left and right wires and black aluminum earbuds with a silver trim. The wire leading to the right earbud includes a slim in-line volume control module/microphone. The earbuds themselves are remarkably light.

And, yes, the 'i' in the 450i means they're specifically tailored to Apple's i-devices.

From an acoustic standpoint, they're fantastic. Especially for the price: $49.95.

The key to the MA450i's is balance. And richness within that balance. Bass will thrum and treble will sing, but these RHAs also allow you to hear all of the layers in a song. These are not, I should point out, necessarily the earbuds to own if you want to drown yourself in brain-shaking bass or eye-melting high notes all the time. Again: They're balanced very well.

That's not to say I blew them out. They performed admirably during even my loudest death metal and soundtrack sessions (I've been using them, actually, to enjoy the Dredd 3D soundtrack -- which is a sort of industrial score). But they're not going to give you the kick you're looking for is you're all about bass. (See that pun? Good.)

The most important aspect of the MA450i's, for me, was the fact that I could wear them for more than an hour and not feel any discomfort. From my apartment, to my mile-walk, to the subway, to work. Their aforementioned lightness is a comfy blessing.

What we're talking about here is remarkable quality for not a lot of money. Which is, itself, a terrible sentence. But the thought is there. The MA450i's are superb and you're getting a lot at a low price.

I highly recommend them.

Read the full article at New York Post

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MA150: 

I use my iPhone a lot to listen to music when I'm out and about. And I have a really great pair of earphones to use for this purpose. However, they are high-end in-ear monitors. And while they sound amazing, they are not always practical for day to day tasks like going for a run or shoving them in my back pocket when I arrive at my destination. They are expensive, and therefore require special attention.

So I've been in the market for a second pair of great sounding earphones that don't break the bank and can take the beating of daily life. And that's why I was excited about Apple's EarPod headphones. I thought they would be the answer to my easy listening requirements: A budget pair of earphones that are well designed and produce a great sound. However, we all know they turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment. And that's where RHA's MA150 noise-isolating earphones come in.

Released in January of this year, the MA150s can be bought for US$19.95. They are designed to be affordable, yet provide uncompromised sound and function.

Design

The MA150s look like a standard pair of earphones. They come with a 1.2 meter Y-shaped cable with a slider to stop tangles, a 45 degree angled, gold plated, 3.5mm connector and a high performance, 10mm Mylar driver in each earphone. The earphones come with 6 silicon ear tips; two each for small, medium and large sizes.

Impressively, it's clear a great deal of attention to detail has gone into these earphones, from manufacture to the simple-yet-tasteful eco friendly packaging.

The MA150s speakers utilize an aerophonic, trumpet bell inspired design for delivery of audio, the same used in its more expensive MA350 and MA450i variants:

Functionality

I was very impressed with the performance of the MA150s. After getting the right size ear tip on each earphone, the MA150s fit easily and snugly in my ears. Straight away I was impressed with how well the earphones stayed in my ears, even when running.

With regards to sound, the first thing I noticed was that the sound was very warm, with a strong, punchy bass presence, which I assume is aided by the snug fit of the earphones, resulting in good noise isolation. For budget earphones, this was not what I was expecting.

As far as I can describe (in my limited and humble experience), the mid range was energetic and the treble was clear. Basically, I was immediately pleased with the reproduction of sound.

For some comparison, I tried the MA350s ($39.95), and my in-ear monitors (around $200). The MA450s provided a clearer and more balanced and detailed sound, and as expected, my in-ear monitors even more so. But going back to the MA150s, I was still very satisfied with the sound, surprisingly so -- especially at the price point.

Conclusion

According to their website, in designing the MA150s, RHA set out to combine "outstanding audio, minimalist design and affordability... at an entry level price to offer a new market of listeners exceptional audio quality." And I have to absolutely agree, that is what they have done.

In comparison to budget earphones like Apple's EarPods at $29.99 (and granted, they have a mic and remote built-in), the MA150s outperform EarPods in every way. Though they are budget earphones, no corners have been cut. These are minimalist earphones, but they don't feel cheap or tacky, just good value for money with fantastic sound quality.

If you're after an affordable, but solid pair of no friills earphones that don't compromise on sound quality, the MA150s are certainly worth jumping for. You'll be surprised at just how well they perform.

Read the full article at TUAW

View the MA150 product page.

SA950i:

Es ist gar nicht so lange her, da habe ich euch an dieser Stelle die Ohrhörer MA350 von der im schottischen Glasgow beheimateten Firma RHA vorgestellt. Zum damaligen Zeitpunkt betrat ich Neuland, da ich zuvor von der Reid Heath Ltd. und ihren Audio-Produkten noch nichts gehört hatte. Inzwischen bin ich mit RHA schon ein bisschen vertrauter, da ich in den letzten Wochen einen weiteren Kopfhörer auf die Probe stellen durfte: das Modell SA950i.

Schon auf den ersten Blick wird deutlich: hier kommen hochwertigere Kopfhörer um die Ecke. Aber ich möchte ehrlich sein: als ich die Kopfhörer angeboten bekommen habe, erwartete ich in etwa eine Verarbeitung wie bei Beats-Kopfhörern von Dr. Dre, diese Messelatte war aber offenbar ein bisschen zu hoch gelegt. Denn der erste Eindruck ist eher: “Hoppla, etwas billig”. Nicht nur bei mir, sondern auch bei drei Freunden, denen ich die Kopfhörer einfach mal in die Hand gedrückt habe.

Und dieser doch eher negativ anmutende Eindruck ist extrem schade, weil es im Prinzip gar nicht so weit kommen müsste. Getrieben wird der erste Eindruck nämlich von den beweglichen, fast um 360 Grad drehbaren Ohrmuscheln. Hätte RHA hier auf ein bisschen mehr Liebe zum Detail geachtet und nicht billiges Plastik in den Vordergrund gestellt, würde der erste Anschein wohl ganz anders aussehen. Denn einen richtig tollen Eindruck vermitteln die silberfarbenen (etwas dünnen) Chrome-Schieber, mit denen eine Anpassung an die Kopfgröße möglich ist. Tipp für RHA: für Menschen mit einem großen Kopfumfang vielleicht bei Neuentwicklungen noch ein bisschen mehr Spielraum lassen. Ich hatte immer wieder den Eindruck, dass mir die Kopfhörer nur gerade so passen.

Eine ordentliche Portion Lob möchte ich aber auch aussprechen. Richtig angenehm ist nämlich, dass nicht nur die beiden Ohrpolster, sondern auch der Kopfbügel mit weichem Kunstleder ummantelt wurden. Das Tragen ist dadurch sehr komfortabel und hat mir auf meinen letzten Reisen sehr viel Freude bereitet – auch über mehrere Stunden. Das trifft ebenso für meine Touren auf dem Fahrrad zu, wo ich stets das Gefühl hatte, wärmende Ohrschützer mit mir durch die Gegend zu fahren. Zu empfehlen ist eine Nutzung auf dem Fahrrad allerdings nicht wirklich. Umgebungsgeräusche nimmt man nämlich kaum noch wahr und das kann ziemlich gefährlich werden. Top: Selbst beim Joggen sitzen die Kopfhörer perfekt und verrutschen wohl auch wegen ihres recht geringen Gewichts von rund 100 Gramm so gut wie gar nicht. Ist im Vergleich mit Ohrstöpseln ein echter Mehrwert.

Wichtig: die Polster umschließen das Ohr nicht vollständig, sondern liegen nur auf. Die Lautstärke sollte ferner in Bus und Bahn nicht zu laut aufgedreht werden, weil sonst Menschen in der unmittelbaren Umgebung doch recht stark durch die austretenden Ton-Geräusche belästigt werden. Wer also die kritischen Blicke seiner Mitmenschen vermeiden möchte, sollte den Pegel nicht zu hoch schalten.

Geliefert werden die SA950i übrigens in zwei Teilen. Denn das 1,5 Meter lange Audio-Kabel mit Stoff-Ummantelung und vergoldeter 3,5mm-Klinke muss zunächst mit der rechten Kopfhörermuschel verbunden werden. An dieser Stelle darf und will ich nicht verschweigen, dass meine Test-Kopfhörer erst dann richtig funktioniert haben, nachdem das Audio-Kabel getauscht wurde. Jenes Modell, das im Original-Lieferumfang inklusive war, verursachte bei höherer Lautstärke massive Kratzgeräusche, was einen Musikgenuss unmöglich gemacht hat.

Nach einem Austausch des Kabels waren die Probleme beseitigt und ich konnte mich vor allem über satte, druckvolle Bässe freuen. Bei meinem bevorzugten Musikgeschmack aus dem House- und Trance-Bereich natürlich ein großer Vorteil. Nichts zu beanstanden habe ich auch an den klaren Höhen. Wenn man sich überlegt, dass die Kopfhörer bei Amazon “nur” 59,95 Euro ohne zusätzliche Versandgebühren kosten, liefert RHA rein qualitativ ein richtig gutes Produkt ab. Wenn man doch bei der Verarbeitung noch ein bisschen mehr Ehrgeiz bewiesen hätte…

Praktisch ist übrigens, dass das Kabel auch gleich mit einer Fernbedienung versehen wurde. Die ist allerdings recht einfach gehalten. Neben einer Play/Pause-Taste lässt sich auf den ersten Blick nur die Lautstärke regulieren. Etwas tricky: Wer zweimal die Pause-Taste drückt, kann zum nächsten Titel springen. Das funktioniert aber nur bei über iTunes gekaufter Musik und beispielsweise nicht über die installierte Spotify-App. Schade ist zudem, dass die Lautstärke mit der Fernbedienung nur bei Apple-Produkten regulierbar ist.

Sowohl beim Nokia Lumia 920 als auch beim Samsung Galaxy S 3 Mini habe ich diesen negativen Umstand beobachten müssen. Generell mit allen Smartphones scheint es hingegen möglich zu sein, die Fernbedienung auch als Freisprecheinrichtung zu verwenden. Dann zieht man zwar zum Teil verdutzte Blicke auf sich, der Gesprächspartner ist aber erfreulich laut zu hören. Auch das ist ein Zeichen von Komfort.

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MA350:

RHA Audio sent us a set of the MA-350 Noise Isolating Aluminum Earphones. These earphones are aero phonically designed to naturally relay sounds in the user’s ear using the design of a trumpet’s bell. The earphones are precision machined from solid aluminum to provide a rich natural reproduction of the sounds that coming through the headphones.

They also come with 3 different sized silicon tips to allow a comfortable fit in the ear. The cables on the headphones are braided fabric to reduce tangling and prolong the life of the cables. All of this and a handy carry case are included in the packaging of the unit.

As a lover of all kinds of music, I always end up putting my headphones thru the paces and might be over critical when it comes to my opinion of different headphones on the market. The first thing that I noticed about these particular headphones was the attractive price point of $39.95 US on Amazon.com which includes a 3 year warranty from Reid and Heath Acoustics Ltd. Most of the other headphones that I have considered to be top of the line cost two to three times the price of these headphones. I consider anything less than $40 to be considered a “throw away” pair of headphones and really don’t expect much from those headphones. Packaging of the earbuds is very straight forward, no gimmicky slogans or motto’s, which makes me think that RHA doesn’t need flashy packaging to draw customers to their product.

Looking at the construction of the headphones there isn’t a lot left to improve upon all of the basics are met, these headphones are aesthetically pleasing and almost utilitarian in the appearance which I like. The fabric braid on the cords definitely does the job of protecting the wires and allows for the wire to resist the twisting that is o so familiar with any smaller gauge cords used on headphones. The straight plug will definitely work with any and all phones/MP3 Players that are out there. They fit wonderfully on my Samsung S2 Epic 4G Touch. The shape and design of the headphones nestles the meat of the ear bud up against the natural indention of your ear and there are no sharp edges that would irritate the ear.

The fidelity of these headphones is what blew me away. I compared these to a set of House of Marley earbuds that I reviewed a couple of months back and initially thought that these speakers were lacking in the lower registers, but a bit of adjustment for the headphones on the computer that I was using fixed that issue. These speakers focus on the higher register of the music. The mids and highs are perfect, crisp, and toeing the line of too bright. If you are listening to Jazz you can pick up the sounds of fingers sliding across the neck of a guitar as it is being played, the drumstick making contact with the cymbals, and the whisper of valves on the brass instruments. Even with adjusting the equalizer and bring the bass frequencies up to match the emphasis on the mids and highs you do not lose clarity. I threw everything I could at these ear buds including Jazz, Hard Rock, Hip Hop, RnB, Country, and even Dubstep not once did I hear any bit of distortion at the higher levels. The fidelity is constant across all volume levels. There is a bit of harshness that is introduced at the higher levels but I think that might be the 10 MM reaching the top of the excursion levels. I feel like I cannot realistically describe the clarity that is present on the upper registers. The noise isolation is also superb; I tested these with my office phone and was not able to hear the ringing with music playing in my ears and the ringer set to higher levels.

In closing if you are looking for a good pair of headphones that will outperform some of your higher level Sony, and Panasonic units these are a safe bet. They even won the coveted “What Hi-Fi” award in Britain during December of 2011. If you are on the fence take my word for it, pull the trigger you will not be disappointed at all.

Read the full article at Android Nerds

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SA950i:

It's hard for me to believe that the RHA SA950i on-ear headphones only retail for $60. Sonically, they perform much better than their price would indicate. While they may not be the most linear or accurate headphones I've tested, they are easily one of my favorites. With well extended highs, engaging bass, and no real weak point, you could do a lot worse for $60. Heck, you could do a lot worse for much more. I only feel sorry for those of you with large heads as you won't be able to enjoy the RHA SA950i as I have. If this is what RHA can do for $60, I want to see what they can do with a $200 headphone—though I'm afraid my head might just explode from the sonic goodness.

It often feels like I get headphones in waves. A bunch of on-ears followed by a number of in-ear models. It makes comparisons easy but it is sort of weird how that works out. In this case, I had two on-ear models arrive back-to-back with an external slide mechanism for fit. This is a very "old school" design which oftenlooks better than it works. In particular, people with larger heads may have problems with the external slide design. Not always, mind you (and this doesn't preclude other designs from being problematic for people with large melons), but I've found it to be the case.

I reviewed a pair of RHA in-ear headphones a while back and they inquired if I would be interested in an on-ear model. Being a reviewer means that there is only one answer to that question. The RHA SA950i are the highest priced on-ear model from RHA. They represent the pinacle of what RHA can produce in a headphone. After how impressed I was with the $40 MA350 in-ear headphones, I was excited to see what RHA could do with $20 more.

The SA950i have a very unique shaped ear cup. It is basically the same shape as many ears. At first, they looked a bit small to me but, with use, it was clear that they should be comfortable for most users. The SA950i have a gloss black back to the ear cup with chrome accents. The band is leather and very comfortable.

The cable is fabric covered but, unlike the cheaper MA350 headphones, doesn't transmit noise when manipulated. It has an in-line control unit with three buttons. The center button has a large indentation making it very easy to locate blindly. The microphone worked adequately and it was placed on the cord in the correct place to catch your voice without being held to your mouth.

The cable was longer than normal at 1.5 meters (most cables are 1.2 meters). I appreciated the extra length as I've often found the 1.2 meter length just a little too short when placing my phone/MP3 player in the side pocket of my cargo shorts (as I often do). The cable was also removable which makes it very easy to switch out if there is a problem.

The SA950i headphones are very light (105 grams according to RHA) so long listening sessions won't be affected by the weight. There are gold-plated connections on the cable/ports. The sides are well labeled but the black on black is hard to see. It won't matter as you just have to remember which side the cable connects. There is a bit of tape on the chrome frame to hold the wire to power the headphones in place.

RHA claims the SA950i have an "ultra-portable design" though I'm not seeing how. Yes, they are light and relatively small but they don't fold up in any way and RHA hasn't included any sort of carrying case. There are also no adapters for airline or 1/4" plugs, or any other extras you'd expect for a headphone that is designed for traveling.

As mentioned, the SA950i have a slide adjustment. Here I ran into my first concern with the RHA SA950i headphones. While they fit me just fine (with room to spare I might add), it was clear that those with larger heads were going to run into problems. For comparison, I wear (depending on the make/model) anywhere from a small to medium motorcycle helmet. There was probably less than an inch left on the slide on each side. I'm not seeing how the SA950i headphones will work for those with larger heads.

The fit was tight but not overly so. The ear pads on the SA950i headphones were very soft and comfortable. Long listening sessions weren't a problem though you never "forgot" you were wearing headphones. With time, this may loosen up but I didn't get that impression from them. The slide mechanism worked well and held its position without having to be readjusted each time I put them on. The leather in the band actually creased slightly where the slide connected making a natural hold point.

It was hard to reconcile the weight of the RHA SA950i's and their perceived quality. They were so light, I kept expecting them to fall apart in my hands. The gloss black back covers of the ear cups, in particular, seemed like they should pop off easily though, with repeated trying, I was unable to find any problems with the construction of the SA950i headphones.

I very much like the in-line controls. The large indentation for the center button made it very easy to control blindly. I never had a problem locating the correct button and I never had a complaint about intelligibility when using the in-line mic. The extra length on the cable was a plus. Noise isolation with the SA950i headphones wasn't great though there wasn't a ton of sound leakage to bother your neighbors on the train.

When I reviewed the RHA MA350s, I found them to be very bass heavy. I was actually surprised when RHA contacted me to review the SA950i as they have the same size drivers and I expected that they'd have similar sound. Usually, manufacturers tend to stick to a "sound" that becomes their signature. But, as I said, I don't typically turn down reviews.

On closer inspection, while both the MA350s and the SA950is have 40mm drivers, the MA350 sport a mylar driver while the SA950i have a titanium-coated mylar driver. Both are rated down to 16Hz but the MA350s have a rated impedance of 16 ohms and sensitivity of 103dB. The SA950i, on the other hand have a rated impedance of 32 ohms and a sensitivity of 113dB. On specs alone, they should sound different.

The first thing I did was take a listen with the RHA MA350 in-ear headphones for comparison. For $40, I really liked the MA350s though I found them a little bass-heavy for my tastes. While it may partly be the headphone design, I found the SA950i headphones to be much more balanced overall. The top end, in particular, sounded much more forward and present while the bass, while still fairly prominent, wasn't nearly as overdone.

Sonically, the RHA SA950i headphones are far superior to to many headphones I've reviewed, regardless of price. While their little brethren, the MA350 seemed to have slightly better bass extension, the SA950i's bass was better balanced giving a more neutral presentation. The midrange was rich and full with vocals sounding absolutely lush. The top end was well extended without being fatiguing.

I tested the SA950i headphones with everything from show tunes to rap to heavy metal to electronica.Often, headphones will sound good with one type of music or be more forgiving of lossy encoding. The SA950i headphones really didn't seem to have a weak point. 

Imaging with the SA950i headphones was very good with good stereo separation especially for the price point. Dynamic range was acceptable. I find that a bit of bass bump (which the SA950i's have) makes the presentation of the headphones much more engaging and pleasing but often sacrifices dynamic range. Unlike the I-MEGO Throne headphones, the sacrifice on dynamic range was slight with the SA950i headphones. Listening an lower volumes did result in a muddier presentation (that's always the case to some degree) but, frankly, who puts on headphones to listen at very low volumes?

It's hard for me to believe that the RHA SA950i on-ear headphones only retail for $60. Sonically, they perform much better than their price would indicate. While they may not be the most linear or accurate headphones I've tested, they are easily one of my favorites. With well extended highs, engaging bass, and no real weak point, you could do a lot worse for $60. Heck, you could do a lot worse for much more. I only feel sorry for those of you with large heads as you won't be able to enjoy the RHA SA950i as I have. If this is what RHA can do for $60, I want to see what they can do with a $200 headphone. Though I'm afraid my head might just explode from the sonic goodness.

Read the full article at Audioholics

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SA950i:

There are a lot of headphones to chose from, but it’s tough to find a good one that is affordable. The on-ear SA950i ($60) is a solution to that problem. Featuring 40mm titanium-coated drivers and dynamic neodymium magnets in a compact supra aural design, these lightweight headphones produce studio-quality sound in a portable unit.With contour-forming earcups attached to adjustable chrome sliders they are secure and comfortable.

Read the full article at Leveled

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MA450i:

Most of the stuff on sale at the Apple Store, both physical and virtual, tends to be made by Apple itself. Usually if Apple likes a company that makes something that could make its products better, it just buys the company. British company RHA is a special exception, as it sells its line of earbuds directly through Apple.

The flagship of their line of just-for-iPhone, iPod, and iPadearbuds are the Ma450is. They offer great sound for hearing nuances even in compressed audio files (as well as glorious, glorious outside noise cancellation) more so than the ubiquitous white earbuds that come with those same Apple products. The extra $49.95 is worth it.

More earbud covers than you could possibly use or imagine. While they’re a little hard to get off and on, the upside of that meaning they don’t slip off or make the whole apparatus fall out of your ears when you shift slightly, they come standard with seven slightly different sets to make sure you’ve got absolutely the perfect fit. Certainly no other mainstream earbud set comes with so many lavish options for customization, or, if you’re so inclined, to share with your six siblings, all who have different-sized-by-a-few-millimeters earholes.

Also from a tactile point of view, because headphones and earbuds are as much about feeling and bells and whistles as they are about the sonic presentation, is the material of the headphone “string.” It’s not wire covered in black plastic, it’s wire covered in a thin, clothy, rope-like material. I’ve somehow cut through headphone wires before, and I don’t think that’s going to happen. These suckers are tough.

Another notable feature is the “remote,” or rather a convenience button on the string-wire for volume, so you don’t have to open up or unlock your iPhone or iPod just because you want to turn up the music. Yes, newer models have volume controls on the side of the device, but when you’re running or don’t want to pull out your $300 communications device on mass transit, it’s nice to be able to easily turn it up or turn it down. (RHA makes a version of the earbuds without that remote, the MA350, which cost a little less.)

Read the full article at Popdose

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MA350:

The MA350
The MA350 is an earbud produced by RHA, subsidiary of the UK firm Reid Heath Ltd., based in Glasgow. RHA currently manufacture only two models earbud, both of which use the same audio guts - one of them just has inline controls. The MA350's are the model without them. They retail for $40 (buy here). A small carrying pouch and three sets of eartips are included.

The Sound

For $40, the RHA MA350's produce sound that is - I would argue - far more comparable to headphones of the $80-100 range. My primary point of comparison, therefore, were my trusty old Etymotic Research hf2's (equivalent to the hf5, which are $100 street price, $150 MSRP).

Being dynamic driver headphones, as compared to the balance armature Etymotics, there were bound to be major differences in the sound - and there are. Now, to be fair, I am comparing one headphone to another with a suggested price three times as high. So keep that in mind. I didn't have a pair of crappy iPod or in-the-box smartphone earbuds to put them up against.

The MA350's claim to fame is RHA's "reverse trumpet"-shaped soundhole which the driver sends audio through to your ear. They claim this produces a more balanced output across the spectrum of sound, which I'm not sure I really buy - but I'm not an expert on earbuds acoustics (or, as RHA calls it - aerophonics, which frankly has far more to do with instruments that headphones).

The sound signature of the MA350's is interesting. Bass-heavy, to be sure, but not to the point of sounding unnatural. They sound like a solid, powerful dynamic driver earbud. Bass also isn't so extreme that it overwhelms the decidedly gentler mids, and is fairly tight, with little muddiness. The mids feel a little too subdued to my ears, resulting in a somewhat "compressed" sound at times (like your ears need to pop), especially on tracks lacking much in the way of low-end. These wouldn't make great jazz / classical earbuds - strings and keyboards just don't have the depth of a good balanced-armature IEM like the hf2's.

The treble end of the equation is a mixed win for the MA350's. The amount of detail able to be drawn out by these headphones amazed me - I've never heard something on this side of the $50 mark quite so able to extract the subtleties of a song. The little, imperceptibly quiet things that you just don't hear on a cheap set of headphones without maxing the volume (and, as a result, destroying your ears). The drawback is that the MA350's are also very bright - without a heap of bass to balance out the equation, songs heavy on cymbals, snare drums, and other sibilant percussion can become grating and harsh. The same goes for very high vocals, or particularly shrill guitar squeals.

I found the soundstage a little wider than I expected, but nothing to write home about - which is to say, still a million times better than Apple earbuds. Instrument separation was solid, though I found this was one area where my hf2's very noticeably bested the MA350's.

Overall, the MA350's produce great sound for the price, though I'd advise you to explore other options if you're into classical, jazz, or mellower / classic rock. The MA350's are tuned great for modern rock, pop, and are plenty suitable for hip-hop. Electronica listeners may demand yet more bass, though I'd argue the MA350's have plenty for anyone who does not actively endeavor to distort their music.

The Fit

I won't say the MA350's fit brilliantly - I lost seal at times - but they do fit very well. While walking, they didn't dislodge themselves. The only difficulty really stemmed from getting them in correctly in the first place, which I found was best achieved by lodging them unusually loosely into my ears, probably due to the interesting chopped-off-egg shape of the tips. Still, once they were in, they generally stayed in. The machined aluminum housing makes them feel rather durable, as well, and didn't cause my ears any discomfort (aside from the fact that they're icy-cold when you first put them on).

The cord is evil. It's a very light and narrow fabric-wrapped affair, and it gets tangled and knotted up like sewing string when left to move about in your pocket. That really annoyed me, but it's far from a dealbreaker. The cord also makes a fair bit of noise, though that's the tradeoff of fabric - you don't get the annoying reverberation when the cord strikes your body/clothing, but you do when it slides up against anything.

When it comes to earbuds, my judgment of fit is generally reduced to a binary result: good or bad. The MA350's fall squarely into the "good" category.

Conclusion

I really like the MA350's. These are the sort of headphones I'd recommend to my friends who aren't particularly interested in sound, but who suffer through overpriced products like Apple's god-awful earbuds (even the new ones sound pretty terrible), or whatever marked-up Skullcandy crap Best Buy puts in the smartphone aisle. For $40, you're getting an experience, I would say, that matches or exceeds many earbuds at twice that price.

I reviewed the MA350's because I find that many of our readers tend to think spending anything more than $50 on headphones is just excessive, so I wanted to showcase something a little more economical. While I still disagree vehemently and absolutely with the notion that something like the eargasmic $400 UE 900's simply "aren't worth it," I can understand wanting the most bang for your buck - who doesn't?

In that sense, I think the MA350's are an absolutely stellar headphone. I'd argue that, compared to numerous earbuds around the $100 mark that I've tried, you're getting 90% (or more) of the performance at around 50% of the price. That's serious value.

Read the full article at New York Times

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MA350:

Is there anyone not making headphones at this point? There are so many brands of headphones on the market now, one has to wonder if anyone is purchasing loudspeakers. Based on the number of high-end loudspeaker manufacturers rushing earphone and headphone products to market it would appear that the balance has tipped. While it is nice to see that a new generation of listeners is taking the plunge and tossing those crappy white things Apple includes and stepping up, I am almost starting to miss the days where my choices were limited to AKG, Sennheiser, Grado, or Stax.

Headphone listening is also not necessarily for folks with kids; as much as we'd like it to be at day's end. My pair of AKG K702s sit gathering dust as the lady of the house gets medieval on me should I dare to sit down at 8 pm and attempt to have a private moment with Jimi or Sam.

The best parts of my childhood (which kinda speaks volumes about my parents) involved a pair of closed headphones, a beat-up Marantz receiver, and listening to George Carlin on Sunday nights on 104.5 CHUM-FM. Just George and I discussing the seven words you couldn't say on television. Those three hours each week restored balance to my troubled nine year-old mind. Balance is important in life. It's even more critical in a pair of headphones. That probably explains why I like the RHA MA350 earphones so much.

The audiophile snob in me wants to raise an eyebrow to such a stupid question, but then again not everyone has heard of Linn. Great Britain has some of the best audio manuacturers in the world; Naim, KEF, Harbeth, Cambridge Audio, Arcam, Spendor, SME, Rega, Rotel, NAD, Tannoy, and many more. Scotland is better known for its whiskey, kilts, awful food, Sean Connery, and the television. Yes, the television was invented in Scotland. Seriously.

So where does that leave a company like Reid Heath Audio with their impressive line-up of affordable over the ear and in-ear headphones?

In really good company. Guid.

It's hard to imagine Renton or Begbie standing around a street corner in Edinburgh listening to music on a pair of headphones (let's be honest...they would be stealing a pair to pay for their next hit), but if they could, a pair of RHAs would be on or in their ears. Guaranteed.

What's most notable about the MA350s (aside from their ridiculously low price of $39.95) is how balanced they sound. Looking for a pair of bass heavy in-ears? Move along. Nothing to see here. There are a pair of Beats by Dr. Dre for almost three times the price calling out to you in that case.

Inspired by the aerophonic design of a trumpet's bell, the MA350s are a simple-looking design constructed from solid aluminum that weigh only 11 grams. The construction of the headphones reminded me of a carbon fiber tonearm I once owned from another British manufacturer; Wilson Benesch. The A.C.T. One tonearm was the lightest I've ever tried but also one of the best sounding.

The MA350 uses a 10mm Mylar driver with an impedance of 16ohms. It's quoted frequency range is 16-20,000Hz and at 103dB sensitivity is a relatively easy load for tablets, smartphones, and iPods.

Like the Paradigm Shift in-ear headphones, I recently reviewed, the MA350 use a very strong fabric-braided 1.2m cable with a 3.5mm gold-plated connector. It is a sturdy pair of headphones for a rather paltry asking price.

Unfortunately for the MA350s, this little thing called Hurricane Sandy decided to punish my section of the Jersey Shore so listening to music became an afterthought as we stood in line for gas at 4 am and ate outside on our BBQ before falling asleep at 7 pm in a frozen house surrounded by downed trees. It was an awesome experience to bond even further as a family and the worst time for me to settle in at 3 am listening to music when I needed to be on the lookout for looters.

Sitting in my driveway one morning as we charged our phones on a powerstrip connected to a generator (which is a good way to ruin your phone BTW...), I decided to forget about how awful life was at that exact moment and drift away to the sounds of Sam Cooke, Animal Collective, Kraftwerk, and the Who.

Unlike the Paradigm Shift E2ms which sounded rather heavy-handed out of the box, the MA350s were remarkably easy to listen to; although their bass response was a tad too anemic to my ears.

The bass became more taut over time, but they don't match the more expensive Paradigms which have a more visceral punch and better definition in the upper bass and lower midrange.

The MA350s also suffer from a mild case of chestiness with male vocals compared to the E2ms which have a cleaner midrange. Nothing too terrible for $39 but even my sleep-deprived brain could discern the clarity of Sam Cooke via the more expensive cans from the colonies. Greater presence for sure.

It was impossible to stream movies on my Nexus 7 or iPad 2 post-storm on the shore (no Wi-Fi) but I found a working Starbucks on Staten Island and relaxed with the kids who desperately needed to watch something to take their minds off ur living situation.

Movies had a nice sense of clarity and spaciousness via the MA350s and while I refuse to let my six year-old son listen to headphones (let him ruin his hearing as a teenager like the rest of us), his older sister has displayed enough maturity with the volume control to earn a limited amount of time with headphones. After six days without power, she needed something to make her happy and it almost brought tears to my eyes to watch her smile for once as she watched a cartoon on Netflix. She's a rather visual kid so when I lifted my fist with thumb raised high, she gave me both thumbs way up. Nice job RHA.

The MA350s have a genuinely balanced sounding presentation but do they favor certain types of music? Yes, Ewan...they most certainly do. If heavy metal is your thing, I'd look for something else as the MA350s do not have the ability to really blast your ears into oblivion with bone crunching bass. Should your brain prefer something more cerebral like Dvorak or Sharon Van Etten, there is a distinct possibility that you may like their laid back, more ethereal presentation.

Electronic music such as Kraftwerk sounds quite energetic via the MA350s but they don't posses the E2m's ability to recreate that sense of space which I found to be one of their strongest points of differentiation. But compared to the latest "new and improved" set of earbuds from Apple, the MA350s are dramatically cleaner sounding and far easier to listen to for extended periods of time.

Noise isolation? One of the best I've used so far and that includes headphones that are 3-4 times the price. You lose yourself completely with these in your ears.

If it sounds like I have been slightly hard on the RHA MA350s, that's because I like them a lot. Huh? If the folks in Glasgow can work on altering the tonal balance just a tad (need more meat in the bass), they have a monster in the affordable in-ear category. $39 for these quality headphones is a steal and something to think about when buying gifts this holiday season. Quality Scotish engineering that will leave a warm fuzzy feeling in your belly like a good scotch. The world of headphones just became even more crowded with these.

Read the full article at Big Picture Sound

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SA950i:

RHA is a British headphone company that produces high-quality, attractive headphones at relatively low prices without skimping on premium features. Indeed, the SA950i looks great given its $60 price. The headband and earpads have a leather-like texture, and the glossy-black earpieces are somewhat similar to those of Skullcandy’s Aviator and Navigator. Chrome highlights grace the design as well. When I pulled the review sample out of its shipping box, I guessed that it cost two or three more than it actually does.

The SA950i features a three-button, Apple-style inline remote and microphone module for controlling music and taking phone calls. The fabric-wrapped cable attaches to the left earpiece via a standard 3.5mm miniplug. Unlike the other models here, the SA950i doesn’t come with a carrying bag or case—or any other accessories—but RHA does provide a three-year warranty.

Comfort is good for a model of this size, with adequate earpiece and headband padding and light weight, though the SA950i doesn’t feel as sturdy as the other models here. People with large heads should try out this headset (or any of the other three reviewed here) before buying, as its small size and sealed design put more pressure on a wearer’s ears and head than most full-size models do. For my large head, however, the SA950i exerted the least pressure of the four models I tested. The disadvantage of the less tight fit is that the SA950i offers less noise isolation than the other three headsets.

RHA designed the earpieces with the ability to pivot 180 degrees, so the SA950i can double as a set of DJ headphones. The SA950i’s cloth-wrapped cable, though a nice touch, is prone to kinking and doesn’t feel as sturdy as the V-Moda Crossfade M-80 v2’s cable. The remote’s volume buttons are helpfully raised and easy to access, but the depression for the center (play/pause/talk) button is a bit too small and a bit too recessed for reliably effective pressing. I found that the glossy-plastic earpieces scratched and scuffed fairly easily, so consider using a bag or case to transport the headphones.

The SA950i looks much better than its $60 price tag would lead you to expect, and it delivers fun sound, with a slight high-end emphasis that makes cymbals sparkle. High frequencies are distinct, though they lack the realism of the treble reproduction found in higher-end models. The SA950i also has a low-end boost that provides strong bass response, including kick drums with substantial impact.

Bass quality is good overall, though it possesses some of the flab that I’ve come to expect from sealed (non-in-ear) headphones. Neither the highs nor the lows overwhelm the midrange, which is pleasant and offers good detail. The headset also does a good job of communicating subtleties that give music its drive. Beyond tighter bass and better high-frequency detail, the primary thing missing from the SA950i is the je ne sais quoi of higher-end models that draws a listener fully into the music.

But let’s not lose perspective here: We’re talking about an attractive set of on-ear headphones with a three-button remote/microphone and pleasant sound for $60. The SA950i is a great value.

Read the full article at TechHive

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SA950i:

These glossy black iPhone-optimized headphones from esteemed British audio hardware maker RHA look gorgeous and sound better. Yet they're not so expensive that you'll begrudge replacing them when, as all headphones eventually do, they start cutting out (and that may be longer than you think, thanks to a sturdy, replaceable knitted cable). The audiophile in your life will thank you.

Read the full article at The Globe and Mail

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