MA450i:

Hailing from the not-all-that-sunny-climes of Glasgow, RHA has hit upon a winning formula here. Nice build, comfortable fit, an iPhone-friendly three-button remote and a very full-bodied delivery - and all for just £40. The bass can get just a smidge overbearing when pushed, but the RHAs still have the overall quality to push the E10s right to the wire.

5/5

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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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MA350:
Everything’s relative, of course, but the RHA MA-350 look pretty bulky. Fortunately, the big aluminium enclosures (shaped aerophonically, in the manner of a trumpet’s bell) are lightweight and a comfy fit.
And the MA-350s are a gratifyingly poised listen. The 10mm driver doesn’t place undue emphasis on any particular area of the frequency range, instead delivering an even, balanced sound – dynamism and punch are on the menu, certainly, but not at the expense of detail or subtlety.
The RHAs sing in a natural, unforced manner, and consequently remain an easy listen even through the entirety of a long-haul flight.

Read the full article at www.whathifi.com/review/rha-ma-350

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MA350:
RHA only has a single set of in-ear earphones in its range, but don’t assume they’re an afterthought. The distinctive shape – which reminds us a little of a B&O speaker, with its arching aluminum cone – is apparently based upon “the aerophonic design of a trumpet’s bell” while the fabric-braided (non-detachable) cable and gold-plated connectors are carried over from the headphone line.

Read the full article at http://www.slashgear.com/rha-sa-850-sa-500-and-ma-350-review-09170442/ 

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SA950i:

We test a lot of audio products around here — so many, in fact, that it’s getting harder to differentiate between many of them. But these RHA SA 950i headphones set themselves apart from the crowd with a triple punch: They’re relatively cheap, they’re feather-light, and most importantly, they crank out some spectacular sound.

The minute I first held these unusually small over-the-ear headphones in my hands, I was astonished. Something this substantial has no business being so light. They weigh hardly anything — a mere 3.7 oz (105g). I handed them to a few of my colleagues here at the Midwest Test Facility, and all of them immediately had a look of surprise on their faces — even those who don’t care at all about headphones and their associated gadgetry.

Placing the headphones on my ears, their light weight proved to be a pleasing characteristic. I could hardly tell I was wearing them — they were so light they might as well have been weightless. Although the headphones clamped onto my oversized noggin more tightly than I would have liked, I quickly became acclimated, realizing it was good to have them pressing up against my ears firmly enough to form a proper seal, and to keep them from falling off my head if I started feeling energetic. After wearing them nonstop for a couple of hours, I hereby declare them officially comfy-cozy longtime.

Next it was time to get down to some serious listening. I started out with some righteous funk, cranking it up a bit. Whoa! These babies were loud. And where have I heard sounds like this before? The most noticeable attribute of the sound quality was the forceful bass, reminding me of my favorite headphones for low frequencies, the Beats Studio by Dr. Dre.

Heck, I thought, why not break out those stellar $300 Beats headphones and compare them with this relatively cheap $59.95 product? Would it be a fair fight?

While I was at it, I picked out another pricy pair of cans, the Soul by Ludacris, to see how this humble pair of sound muffs stood up to the monsters of the headphone midway.

In mid-listen, quickly taking off these headphones and placing the Dr. Dre phones on my head, I realized the more expensive headphones did sound somewhat cleaner (but not by much), and their signature bass response was almost equaled by these RHA headphones.

When I replaced those with my overall favorite headphones, the Soul By Ludacris, the result of my comparison was the same. The bass response was equal, and the highs and midrange were comparable as well. I can only conclude that when you spend four or five times as much on an audio product, you certainly expect it to sound at least twice as good — but in this case, these cheap headphones were nearly the equal of the much more expensive Dr. Dre and Ludacris models. The only difference I could discern was slightly better presence and a bit less distortion with the two high-end pairs.

So how would I describe the sound of these RHA SA 950i headphones?

The highs are extremely well-defined and relatively free of distortion — tightly tuned snare drums, cymbals and bell trees shimmered with their clear high-end frequency response.

The midrange sounds realistic, with the headphones able to faithfully reproduce the subtle sounds of classical guitar and the clear tones of the human voice with aplomb.

And then there’s that bass. Wow. It felt like the headphones were dancing on my head, just like the Dr. Dre’s do. The sound was firm, clear and clean, and when I cranked the volume up, it was almost scary.

These little British headphones knocked my socks off. After intense listening to a variety of musical styles, and comparing them with my favorite headphones, I can only conclude this is the best value in headphones I’ve ever seen. Unless you’re an audiophile or you’re lucky enough to have inherited golden ears, I don’t think you’ll be able to tell the difference between these and headphones costing five times as much.

They’ll be available soon for $59.95 on Amazon in the U.S., and although that’s still plenty of money, when it comes to this kind of sound, this is one of the best bargains of the year.

Read the full article at Mashable

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MA450i:
I haven't covered too many inexpensive earphones in this blog, mostly because I prioritize sound quality, and precious few under-$50 models cut it. The RHA MA450 really stands out in this crowded market, not just because it actually sounds pretty decent; the look and feel are outstanding and RHA sells the MA450 with a three-year warranty. Reid and Heath Acoustics products are designed at its research and development center in Glasgow, Scotland.

Build quality and features are exceptional for a $50 pair of in-ear headphones; the MA450 has machined aluminum earpieces, 10mm drivers, seven pairs of silicone eartips, an Apple-compatible mic and remote, fabric-covered wire, a small, black soft carry case, and a three-year warranty! Few headphones, including most high-end ones, come with three-year warranties, and RHA might be the only company providing that level of protection for affordable headphones (if you know of any others, please share that information in the Comments section). Warranty claims will be made through RHA's U.S. warehouse in Michigan. Following inspection, RHA will repair or replace the earphones, and proof of purchase or a sales invoice will be required.

The MA450s' sound immediately makes a strong impression. It's big, highly detailed, and the bass goes a lot deeper than most competing models. The sound is actually too bright, so if you listen to a steady diet of acoustic jazz or classical music, the MA450s probably won't make you happy. Subtlety isn't a strong suit, but rock, pop, and hip-hop fans will like what they hear.

I compared the MA450 with the Klipsch Image S3 in-ear headphones ($49.99). The red plastic S3s look and feel a little cheap next to the MA450s, and the S3s have a softer, more laid-back tonal balance. The treble is sweeter and less brilliant than the MA450s'. Listening on the street and NYC subway, the MA450s' brighter sound and punchier bass cut through the background noise better. Noise isolation capabilities are about the same from both earphones, but at home and in quiet surroundings, I preferred the S3s' more accurate, less hyped sound. There, the MA450s sounded too bright and overly detailed, and with older analog recordings the MA450 emphasized tape hiss. There's a lot of bass, but it can be a bit loose and fat for my tastes. Then again, if you crave bass impact, you'll love the MA450s' low-end. To finish up I compared the MA450s with the Velodyne vPulse in-ears ($89). The vPulses are sweeter and their bass output is just as potent as the MA450s', but the vPulses have much better definition, so it's easier to distinguish between bass guitar and bass drums. If you can afford the difference, the vPulses are superior-sounding headphones, but I still really like the MA450s; they're a lot of fun.

The RHA MA450s are available on Amazon for $49.95.

Read the full article at www.news.cnet.com

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SA950i:
Life is better with great headphones, but some of us — especially those who tend to lose or break things — just need something that’s cheap and good enough. For those listeners, the RHA SA950i headphones deliver a level of quality, design and portability that’s way out of proportion to the product’s pricetag.

What Is It?
A $US60 pair of iPhone-optimized headphones from a quality audio manufacturer.

Who’s It For?
Someone looking for decent pair of headphones that won’t cause bankruptcy (or even tears) if they’re lost or stolen.

Design
Retro, combining glossy plastic cups, chrome wire frames, and leather. Classy, if not the most original looking headphones out there.

Using It
Extremely comfortable, thanks to the light weight and just the right amount of clamping force. They don’t feel wildly durable or brittle. They sound a bit dark and muffled, but the level of detail and the width of the soundstage is impressive for a $US60 headphone.

The Best Part
The sound quality you get for the money. Sure, more expensive headphones sound better, but it’s not a difference that’s shocking (or even immediately apparent). You won’t find a better pair for $US60, and even when you start looking in the $US100 range, few pairs can extract the same detail and fidelity from a smartphone.

Tragic Flaw
The earcups have a tendency to become detached from their metal rods, and then those rods scratch the hell out of the cups. Ugh.

This Is Weird…
Digital and electronic music in particular does not shine on these cans.

Test Notes
• Used primarily with an iPhone 4S. Also a 13-inch MacBook Pro.
• Tested against the Bowers & Wilkins P3, Harman Kardon CL, and Sol Republic Tracks headphones.
• Used cached and streaming tracks from Spotify at both 320kbps and 160kbps.
• Used at home, outside, on the train, for varying periods of time (0.5-3 hours).
• These small, lightweight cans make impressive use of their 40mm drivers.

Should You Buy It?
Definitely. If you’re not looking to spend a lot of money, but still want something decent, give these a whirl. They’re pretty good in every aspect, even if they’re not necessarily amazing. And at only $US60, they cost a fraction of the money you’d spend on some other cans we love.

That said, if you’re an audiophile type on a budget, you can get a lot for your money with some of the more expensive pairs we compared these against, like the B&W P3, or the Harman Kardon CL.

Read the full article at Gizmodo

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CA200:
RHA may have just started out but they've been hard at work to combine value headphones that offer quality of sound and are stunningly designed, here is their latest creation, the CA-200
RHA have unveiled their premium CA-200 headphones which are clearly aimed at both the style-conscious and after a quality set of cans.

Read the full article at http://www.t3.com/news/rha-unveil-new-ca-200-headphones

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CA200:

Since its conception Benchmark Reviews' primary focus has been on consumer and enthusiast PC hardware and games, but with the proliferation of mobile computing and gadgets it was only a matter of time before that focus shifted slightly. Today we will be taking a look at a set of RHA CA-200 Black Noise Isolating Headphones from Reid Heath Acoustics. The CA-200's are light weight over ear headphones designed for use at home, in the studio, or on the move.

Available now for a mere $29.95, the CA-200's claim to offer high quality and performance at a low cost. Features include; 40mm mylar drivers, neodymium magnet and CCAW voice coils, 3.5mm gold plated connections, an "ErgoFit system" which allows the ear cup to pivot on multiple axes, and most importantly - a detachable 1.2m fabric braided cable. On paper the CA-200's are an attractive prospect and we aim to see if they can really deliver.

The first thing you may notice here (my favorite feature) is the lack of a cable. The CA-200's from RHA have a detachable cable and this is great for many reasons, I will list a few I can think of just off the top of my head. When you are not using them you can easily detach the cable to keep it from dangling, if the cable becomes damaged in any way you won't need to buy a new set of headphones (just replace the cable) and if you were to snag the cable on something it is less likely to become damaged (it should pull free from the cans).

The 3.5mm stereo cable splits into two mono 3.5mm jacks and connects into the bottom of the cans, the cans are labelled left and right and the cable is color coded. This also means you can wear the headphones backwards depending on which way you find more comfortable.

The CA-200's have a good 2 inches of adjustment to cater for different head sizes. I find with headphones that I tend to be on or around the smallest adjustment position, but the CA-200's small position is very small (think child size). The large adjustment position would easily cater for larger headed masculine adult. There is an nice chrome accent around the cans that give the CA-200's a stylish look.

The glossy plastic head band has a silver stripe printed along its length which is broken on each side by an RHA logo. The main body of the cans are made from this same glossy plastic, and the unit initially has a kind of cheap feel to it, but after listening to the CA-200's this is immediately forgiven. This is where RHA have made savings in production costs, but also by design they are very lightweight and comfortable.

The CA-200's have a nice thick head band that will rest comfortably near the middle of your head top. If you find it more comfortable you can flip them round and wear them backwards and then the head band would sit more towards the back of your head.

The RHA CA-200 Black Headphones were tested in a range of scenarios such as listening to music and watching movies (PC and mobile) and while gaming. Since there are no benchmarks that can produce comparative results I will give my impressions on the performance and function of the CA-200's including important factors relating to comfort and ease of use. Please remember that these are my personal impressions and may not reflect the way you would feel, after all we are all different and what's good for me may not be so for you.

For just under $30 I wasn't expecting much, and after initially handling the CA-200's I honestly felt I was going to be let down, the plastic construction and lightweight design gave an immediate impression that they were just another cheapo set of headphones. To my surprise I was immediately impressed by the level of comfort and quality of audio delivery that is expected from a pair of headphones at twice their price. The detachable cable is an added bonus that you don't tend to see at this price point and instantly boosts their value.

Real world Usage: The RHA CA-200 headphones deliver high quality audio across the whole range and deliver very powerful bass that does not overwhelm the audio experience. With a little tweaking of the EQ settings of my Realtek audio software I was able to get very impressive results from the CA-200's. The level of bass produced by the 40mm drivers without distorting or over powering the rest of the audio experience was able to be not only heard, but also felt. I like my music loud but what I really want is to feel the bass, I have no preferred genre of music but I always prefer a heavy bass line where possible along with intellectual or clever word play.

I generally don't listen to music through headphones on my Blackberry (iPod belongs to my son) as I much prefer a fuller sound that can only be reproduced via a multi speaker setup with a subwoofer - like in my car, or the 7.1 setup at my PC. While I can appreciate what current generation mobile devices are capable of, not all headphones are able to reproduce sound equally. The RHA CA-200's took it in their stride and then some, I was able to listen to most tracks at full volume but I wouldn't want to do so for a long period, 85% volume was more than sufficient for the iPod and full volume on the Blackberry was perfect (before AUDIOBOOST kicks in). The CA-200's are over-ear but the ear cups aren't massive so they sit somewhere between over-ear and on-ear and share the benefits of both, blocking outside noise and reducing sound leakage without completely covering your ears and blocking everything out.

Comfort: The RHA CA-200's are very very light because of their plastic construction and it was quite easy to forget that I was wearing them. The padded headband and ear pads make the headset a pleasure to wear. If there was an option for fabric covered ear pads they would be my preference, but the faux leather coating does reduce heat build up better than fabric.

The RHA CA-200 headphones come with a 3 Year warranty as standard, for a sub $30 pair of headphones this is a great reassurance that you are actually getting a quality product. I am very impressed by the sound quality offered by these headphones, value for money is an understatement! The plastic construction is a necessary evil in regards to keeping production costs down and making the CA-200's light and comfortable. I have a similar pair of Sennheiser HD 407 headphones (slightly cheaper at $26) that I thought were impressive for their price but the RHA CA-200's literally blow them out of the water, and in addition to that the CA-200's have a detachable cable, so it's win win all round.

In this section I am going to write a brief five point summary on the following categories; Performance, Appearance, Construction, Functionality and Value. These views are my own and help me to give the RHA CA-200 Black Headphones a rating out of 10. A high or low score does not necessarily mean that they are better or worse than a similar set of headphones that have been reviewed by another writer here at Benchmark Reviews, which may have got a higher or lower score. It is however a good indicator of whether the CA-200 Black Noise Isolating Headphones are good or not. I would strongly urge you to read the entire review, if you have not already, so that you can make an educated decision for yourself.

Performance and value go hand in hand with the CA-200 headphones, if I were to do a blind test on them I would assume they were more expensive than they are. There is a level of bass than is not only heard but also felt, complemented nicely by the undistorted and well delivered mids and highs. If you want better sounding headphones then be prepared to spend more than double the price of the CA-200's.

The appearance of the CA-200's match its price point perfectly. The silver accents compliment the glossy black plastic construction and ensure that the CA-200's are not just another bland black set of headphones.

Although they are made from plastic, the CA-200's feel quite durable and flexible. The leather effect ear pads and headband cushion along with the lightweight construction ensure a pleasurable wearing experience.

As far as functionality is concerned the RHA CA-200 Black Headphones deliver on their marketing promise. The fabric braided detachable3.5mm stereo cable adds a unique touch that you won't find in many headphones at this price point. The range of adjustment, along with the pivoting ear cups, ensure that these headphones will fit just about any size of head. The ear pads are somewhere between over ear and on ear (RHA call it 'around ear') and provide a satisfactory level of noise isolation while also preventing sound leakage.

As of October 2012 the RHA CA-200 Noise Isolating Headphones are available for $29.95 (Amazon) / £29.99 (Amazon UK). The RHA CA-200 Black headphones represent outstanding value for money, and with a 3 year warranty as standard you can't really go wrong.

If you have the chance to, I would urge you to give the RHA CA-200 Noise Isolating Headphone a try. If not, and you are looking to buy a inexpensive set of headphones, then these deserve a place on your shortlist.

Pros:

+ Excellent bass response
+ High quality audio for this price point
+ Excellent value for money
+ Sufficient noise isolation and low sound leakage
+ Comfortable and lightweight
+ Detachable fabric braided cable
+ Low price
+ Very loud

Cons:

- Plastic construction is a necesary evil
- Fabric ear pads would be better than leather effect
- Ear pads don't appear to be replaceable

Overall:

Performance: 9.00

Appearance: 8.00

Construction: 8.25

Functionality: 9.00

Value: 9.50

Final Score: 8.75/10

Read the full article at Benchmark Reviews

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MA350:
I was recently offered a pair of RHA MA-350 in-ear headphones for review. I brought them with me on a business trip to China, so I had plenty of time on the long flight to try them out and see how they felt after extended wear.

Before I get started, I should mention a few things about myself: I enjoy listening to music, but I’m definitely not an audio expert. When I’m planning on purchasing headphones, my main concerns are comfort, general sound quality, and durability.

The first thing that grabbed my attention about these earphones was that they were made from solid aluminum. My previous name-brand $40 pair of in-ear headphones were made of plastic coated in a thin rubber sheath, so I was impressed right away with RHA’s use of a durable material.

Aside from being more durable than plastic (and having a satisfying “click!” when knocked together), the extra weight wasn’t really noticeable when listening to music. The aluminum construction increased my perceived value of the product, and when I showed the MA-350′s to others, it was the first thing they noticed.

These earphones also feature a braided fabric cord which helps reduce cord tangling. The downside is that the braided cord is thicker and a little less flexible than the normal plastic/rubbery stuff, but that did not affect my usage of the earphones. Again, I appreciated the use of higher quality material in these earphones.

The cord is a standard “Y” format, where both earpieces have equal lengths of cord which forks from the main connector. My previous pair of headphones featured a behind-the-ear style cord which I preferred, but mainly for the fact that the cords were easier to keep out of my way while working.

The only strange decision regarding the construction of these earphones was the way they differentiate between the right and left earphones. A tiny letter is extruded on the rubberized part of the earphones which is pretty hard to see without looking closely.

The MA-350 earphones included three sets of interchangeable earpieces: small, medium, and large.

I’ve listened to music for many hours using the RHA MA-350 earphones, and I’ve found that the sound they produce is extremely clear, crisp, and accurate. I had previously grown accustomed to the bland, muffled sound of typical lower-end headphones, so the MA-350′s presented a stark contrast which, at first, sounded almost unnatural because of its clarity.

For most of my testing, I listened to music that presented a wide variety of audio conditions, such as Deadmau5, Regina Spektor, and the wonderfully eclectic Bastion soundtrack (side note: Bastion is a fantastic game). With these samples, the MA-350′s excelled at producing clear treble tones, and offered tight-but-surprisingly-full bass for their size.

One of the best features of these earphones is that they provide solid noise isolation. The earphones fit snugly in my ear using the default size earpiece, and I could keep my music at a much lower volume than with my previous pair of earphones because of the improved isolation. This might not be a big deal when sitting in a quiet office listening to music, but it’s a lifesaver when sitting on a long international flight.

I wore these earphones in bursts of about 1-2 hours at a time during my flight, mainly listening to music and playing Bastion for iPad. Overall, they were very comfortable, although for long sessions I’d usually prefer to wear over-ear headphones (which RHA also makes).

The MA-350′s in-ear earpieces are very solid, and compared to my previous pair (which were nearly gelatinous), the RHA earphones caused a little more “ear fatigue” than I was used to.

Overall, I’ve been extremely impressed with the RHA MA-350 earphones. I carry them with me at all times in my laptop bag, and I keep them within reach whenever I’m working on my laptop. My expectations for in-ear headphones are typically lower because of the limitations of the form factor, but the MA-350′s definitely stand above earphones I’ve previously used for the same price.

Read the full article at Techerator

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MA450i:

Scottish headphone manufacturer RHA hasn't had much of a stateside presence, but this week marks their arrival in Apple stores, with the MA450i in-ear ($49.95) and SA950i on-ear ($59.95) set to appeal to budget-minded consumers looking to accessorize their iDevices. And appeal they may.

The in-ear MA450i, available in (of course) black and white, is very comfortable; the aluminum housings are quite tiny, and reassuringly solid in construction to boot, with beefy strain relief conveniently marked with L and R channel indicators. I'd have liked to see a right-angle plug in place of the straight one used here, and the fabric-wrapped cables seem overly prone to tangles.

But any way you look at it, for 50 bucks, with 7 pairs of ear tips included and an iOS-compatible mic/remote pod, the MA450i is really a fine deal — the question at this price point is always whether or not you're actually getting a significant improvement over the freebie earbuds (EarPods, nowadays) that shipped with your iDevice, and in this case you certainly are.

Sound quality is pretty impressive. Bass is tight and unexaggerated; midrange is what headphone aficionados would likely call "recessed," but it's refreshingly uncolored for an in-ear in this price range. The top end is a tad strident for my taste, but those looking for an affordable in-ear that offers a good amount of detail without sounding thin will want to investigate.

The little RHA offered solid performance on a wide range of tracks. The stereo effects on Peter Hammill's "The Institute of Mental Health, Burning" (from Nadir's Big Chance), with its mix of heavy guitars, processing, voices, and winds, was presented quite well here, the upper-register percussive guitar and electronics perhaps a bit forward, but a big step up from an earbud. The tone of the fretless bass on Bohannon's "Run it On Down, Mr. DJ" (from Stop & Go) was clear, and though the female vocals and snare had a bit too much of an edge, everything else sounded very nice; the organ and wah-wah-guitars sitting in the mix as they should.

Still, for the money RHA have done a solid job with these two phones, particularly so with the MA450i. You could do worse than give 'em a listen if you're in the accessory market after picking up your iPhone 5.

 Read the full article at Sound & Vision Mag

Click here to view product

SA950i: I reviewed a decent pair of RHA’s in-ear earphones a few days back, and having loved them (despite my hatred of in-ear sets usually) I couldn’t wait to take their big brother – the SA950i – for a spin. While the in-ear MA450i set were bright, and crystal clear, the on-ear SA950i is a much more bass heavy headphone. But, don’t take that as a bad thing.

Design-wise, I love them. It’s personal preference, but the set reminds me so much of a really old pair my dad used to use when he practiced drums in our out-building. They’re mostly black, with chrome trimmings here and there. The headband tapers, getting narrower towards the ends, is well-cushioned and is covered in a leather-like material. A quick sniff allays hopes that it’s genuine. The two cans are held on thin chrome sliders that make the set very adjustable. The on-ear parts are also well padded and covered in a similar lining to the head band, making it comfortable for the most part. But, as with many on-ear headphones, they have the tendency to get a little uncomfortable after any substantial time with them on.

The classy look is a tiny bit deceiving. As with the MA450i earphones, the company has skimped a tiny bit on materials for the sake of producing jaw-dropping sound. A compromise I’m more than willing to make. All-in-all, they’re nice to wear and are very light and compact. For convenience, RHA package it with a 1.5m detachable fabric covered 3.5mm jack to 3.5mm jack audio cable. Its “made for iPhone” status is intact thanks to an inline microphone/remote control. With it you can talk hands-free, play/pause tracks or adjust the volume.

On to the important part: sound. When I put them to my ears and started playing through my eclectic Spotify soundtrack, I was amazed. Stunned in fact. Considering this pair will only set you back $60 (or £49 in the UK), you get so much from them. In fact, if I’d paid $100 for these, I still wouldn’t feel like I’d been ripped off. The first thing you notice is the bass. It’s so clear. Granted it’s loud, but it’s not muddy and indistinct. In some tracks it was almost as if you could hear the bass drum’s skin pushing air in to your ears. They’re that clear.

Depending on what genre you listen to, you might find that the mid-range is out-muscled slightly, but not a lot. Generally, tonal variety is impressive. Lyrics and vocals are always clear, no matter the volume, or what the bass levels are like already inherent in the track.

To round it up: if you don’t want to spend more than $50-$60 on a pair of on-ear cans, don’t look any further than these. This sound quality and performance would easily cost you double if it was made by a well-known brand, and I’ve certainly spent a similar amount of money on earphones that were not even half as good as these. Very impressive indeed.

The SA950i just launched in the U.S. Apple Retail Stores yesterday for $59. UK dwellers, buy them for £49 direct from RHA online. If you regret the purchase, I’d be very surprised.

Read the full article at Today's iPhone

Click here to view product

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.

CA200:

After listening to and reviewing the rather good RHA MA350 earphones and knowing that not everybody likes in ear buds, I thought I would take a look at another RHA product but this time a pair of headphones – the RHA CA-200s.

The RHA CA200′s are a bit of an enigma.  Retailing at the surprisingly reasonable sum of £29.95 one could reasonably expect something that is not too great in quality however this is simply not the case.

RHA have opted to build the CA200′s from plastic and whilst this may not be to everyone’s taste it actually looks rather good.  The set I had are all white with a silver stripe around the headband broken only by the RHA logo on either side.

The earpads are attached using RHA’s ErgoFit system which “allows the ear cup to pivot on multiple axes for a comfortable fit & better noise isolation.”

From a comfort perspective, the system works.  The sliding ball and joint system means that the headphones achieve a snug fit whilst not seeming as if they are trying to squeeze ones brain out of your ears!

The pads themselves are around the ear versions that cover the ear completely.  With the whole unit weighing in at only 166g after a while you can barely feel them on your head.

Another stand out feature of the CA200′s is the cord.  Completely detachable, it features gold plated connections and is made from braided fabric to help prevent tangling.

So, on to the sound.  The RHA CA200′s have 40mm mylar drivers, neodymium magnets and CCAW voice coils.

The bass is exceptional.  On tracks such as Insomnia by Faithless it is powerful without being overbearing whilst Soul II Soul’s Back to Life sounds simply awesome.

Emeli Sande is currently in vogue and when playing her track Suitcase the raw emotion contained within her vocals is transmitted superbly.

A change of tack bought about a listen to The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony.  The movement of the music was handled with ease, the violins sounded like violins and not some dogs squeaky toy whilst the mid range was an easy listen and not harsh on the ears like some of the lesser similarly priced headsets.

Overall, the sonic experience is a good one and certainly wouldn’t be out of place on a set of headphones costing twice the price.

As with the MA350 earphones,  RHA have excelled themselves with the CA200′s.  This small company from Glasgow deserves recognition for a job well done and if they continue to produce earphones and headphones of this quality then they will certainly be around for a long while yet.

Read the full article at CoolSmartphone

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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.

MA450i:

High spec doesn't need to be high priced and that shouts volume with the RHA MA450i earphones.

The MA450i in-ear headphones have all the glitz and sound quality of many other higher priced brands, but the guys at RHA have managed to package all that into one very reasonably priced product that looks and sounds great.

These earphones are machined from solid aluminium so not only do the look stylish they are very light and produce amazing rich, deep bass thanks to the aerophonic shape of the speaker channel. The trumpet shaped inner ear channels the sound perfectly resulting in crystal clear and precise sound. Something I realised straight away after using a cheap £10 set of headphones 5 minutes earlier, the difference in the same audio file was like night and day.

The MA450i’s are designed for use with iPods, iPhones and iPads and include an inline remote and microphone for taking calls. The earphones can be use perfectly fine with other MP3 devices and smartphones but the in-line functions for changing tracks, volume control and answering calls won't work.

Like many of the quality earphones these days the MA450i’s comes with a carry case and additional silicon ear tips so you can find the most comfortable and tailored fit you need.

Read the full article at Daily Record

Click here to view product

SA950i:

The on-ear SA950i is a similarly attractive package. The lightweight 'phones are quite comfortable, and they look, on first inspection, a lot pricier than they are, with welcome features like a detachable cable (including, again, an iOS remote). Sonically, I don't think these offer as much bang for the buck as their in-ear siblings — low-end performance is less robust, with drums and bass lacking muscle on heavy stuff such as Meshuggah's "Pravus" (from Obzen) and hip-hop tracks like The Pharcyde's "Runnin'" (from Labcabincalifornia), and more coloration is evident in the midrange, with Radka Toneff sounding quite cardboard-tubey on "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress." The on-ear doesn't have as much top-end zing as the in-ear, though so it might be a less fatiguing 'phone in general if you like it loud.

 Read the full article at Sound & Vision Mag

Click here to view product

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

Click here to view product

MA450i:

Featuring 10mm drivers that deliver a stated 16 - 22,000Hz range, the MA450i’s promise a wide spectrum of sound - and they deliver. Rumbling lows are well represented, making sub-heavy tracks sound full and alive, whilst a punchy midrange and clear high-end make for intricate and dynamic listening. 

Sporting earbuds made from aircraft grade aluminium, custom ear tips and fabric braided reinforced cords, the MA450i's  keep the majority of background noise out and also exude quality - that is until you get to the in-line 3 button remote. 

Allowing users to make calls as well as change the volume of tracks on the go, the remote has plastic feel, betraying the  MA450i’s very modest £49.95 cost.

Despite build quality which falls slightly short of more expensive models, the MA450i's more than make up for it with great sound at a very affordable price - ideal for upgrading from standard Apple headphones.

Read the full article at Mixmag

Click here to view product

MA450i:

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

View the MA450i product page.

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.

MA350:

The RHA MA350 delivers high quality sound for a very reasonable price. The MA350 is a simple yet elegant pair of black earphones (an aluminum and fabric woven cable to be exact) that provides clear and crisp sound comparable to Bose headphones and other high-end models I’ve used in the past. RHA Audio, a division of Reid Heath Limited, is a British company that is relatively new to the American market, so its products are have had limited exposure in the U.S. The Glasgow, Scotland-based company aims to create “unique, high specification audio products” and guarantees its products for three years.

Listening to a wide variety of music, from classical, alternative, to rap, the MA350 provides an impressive sound for such a small object. The earphones also do a great job of canceling out background noises, further improving the sound quality and allowing the listener to concentrate on the music – I was able to turn the volume on my MacBook down by half when I switched to these headphones from my Mac earbuds. Also, the earphones are comfortable, sitting nicely in my ear that I almost forget they’re there.

Now, for a few drawbacks. The earphones do not come with a microphone. This is not a huge deal, but something worth considering if you talk on your mobile device using an earpiece, as I frequently do. The RHA MA450i is sold with a microphone, but its availability appears to be limited in the United States. The earphones are best used when sitting or in a still position – too much movement, such as use at the gym or walking – and the sound gets slightly obstructed. While the obstruction is not horrible, it’s definitely noticeable. Also, the right “R” and left “L” are small and somewhat hard to see.

With only a few exceptions, the RHA MA350s are a top quality set of headphones that provide excellent sound at an affordable price.

4/5

Read the full article at Pnosker

Click here to view product

SA950i:

A couple of weeks ago we featured the RHA MA-350 Aluminum Noise Isolating In-Ear Earphones, the award winning earphones impressed us with their build quality and affordable price. Now British electronics-maker RHA have sent us their over ear headphones for testing, the SA950i are compact and lightweight headphones with remote and microphone. Read our thoughts and check out some photos below... 

The SA950i promise to deliver professional-grade audio for under $60, and the brand states they feature technologies more commonly found in full-sized studio equipment.

The SA950i´s use a mixture of glossy plastic, aluminum and titanium in their production. You feel that RHA has skimped a tiny bit on materials for the sake of producing great sound. Aesthetically, the headphones are simple, sleek in design, and have a vintage feel. The SA950i´s feature 40mm titanium-coated drivers and powerful neodymium magnets which deliver the full audio with fidelity and precision. 
 
The sound is mind-blowing, and you will be impressed considering they will only set you back $60. They have great base with almost no distortion and excellent tonal variety. Lyrics and vocals are crisp and clear, however you might find a slight lack of definition in high-end. 
 
The cable is fabric braided, an essential detail to avoid tangling as it would with standard cables. This also prolongs cable life. Also included is an inline microphone/remote control. With it you can talk hands-free, play/pause tracks or adjust the volume.  

The SA950i are very compact and lightweight at just 105g, making them discreet and ideal for users that don´t like the look of larger and bulkier over ear headphones. They have small ear cups, so if you have larger than average ears you might not get a great fit from these.  
 
All-in-all we found them ideal for traveling and generally active use. The SA950i´s are well-designed pair of headphones and possibly the best over ear headphones in their price range. If you´re looking for some good quality headphones at an affordable price, at $60, it’s hard to ask for much more than what the SA950i´s deliver.

Read the full article at Bless This Stuff

Click here to view product

MA450i:

 RHA’s latest in-ear headphones, the MA450is, arrive with an arsenal of bells, whistles and trumpets. Yes, trumpets. On top of the trumpet-shaped earphone and braided cables (a useful feature should you, on pulling them from your pocket, find your earphones in knots that would make an old sailor cry) that come as standard with the Glasgow-based company’s ear and headphone range, the MA450is come with variably-sized soft-tip earbuds, and an in-built remote control/microphone assembly designed for a suite of Apple products such as the iPod and iPad. If used with Blackberries and other such smartphones, you should still be able to adjust the volume and facilitate phonecalls.

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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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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MA450i:
Made of aircraft grade aluminium and featuring a built-in mic and remote, these might be the only earphones you'll ever need.

Click here to view product

This article appeared in The Herald Magazine Gift Guide 2012.

MA450i:

Recently MacNN had a chance to test the RHA MA450i, a pair of earbuds aimed at owners of Apple iOS devices. The difference is an inline remote, which can be used to take calls, change tracks or volume, and issue Siri commands. In general, this works just as you'd expect. The remote is located near the right earbud, which might be awkward for some, but is relatively easy to get used to. It can also be used to answer calls and play/pause music on other smartphones, including Android devices, but people wanting real control over a non-Apple device should probably look elsewhere. The remote's position seems to be good for ensuring clear voice reception from the mic.

RHA promises "high definition sound with full bass," and it's hard to dispute that claim for the most part, since in testing the MA450i's audio was quite clear. Calling it "full" bass is an exaggeration, but the earbuds perform reasonably well when listening to beat-heavy music like Photek. The supplied silicone tips also manage to do a decent job at balancing comfort and noise isolation; there are even six extra pairs, in case the pre-attached ones don't match your ears. That's more tips than you'd normally get with a set of earbuds.

Another nice perk comes from the 450i's cord, which measures almost four feet from end to end and is wrapped in braided fabric. Time will tell, but it seems like the cord should be more resistant to tangling and tearing.

In short, the MA450i is fairly easy to recommend. It won't set the world on fire, but it actually feels like it might be worth the $50 RHA is asking.

Read the full article at MacNN

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SA950i:

Fantastic quality headphones at an extremely reasonable price, RHA designs and engineers all its range from its base in Glasgow. There are earphone models with remotes, but we particularly recommend the SA950i headphone model.

Read the full article at Guardian

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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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MA450i:

I consider myself borderline audiophile, though, I wouldn’t say “full fledged”. My wallet prevents such ventures. But for all intents and purposes, I love personal audio. Whether it be mp3 players or headphones, I’m on it. Trying out headphones of all price ranges is always something to take pleasure in. So when RHA asked us to check out their new MA450i in-ear phones (a slight upgrade from their entry-level MA350 which we reviewed – and loved – earlier this year), we jumped. The MA350s, we think, are a steal at only $30. They are by far the best sounding in-ear phones south of a Benjamin. Can the slightly better, slightly more expensive ($40) MA450 improve upon their much loved sibling?

From the outside, not much has changed from the 350 to the 450. In fact, you’d probably look over the two pairs side-by-side and write them off as the same pair of headphones. But there is one important outward change – a mic. The MA450s now back an in-line mic for true, 100% iPhone compatibility. Stop taking your headphones out to make/receive a call. It’s a minor addition but a highly welcome one. The other minor change – a longer cable.

Outside of the new mic, the rest of the changes reside on the inside. According to RHA, the drivers inside the ear pieces have been tweaked slightly. In A-B testing with the 350s we still have in-house, we can confirm that the 450s do indeed sound slightly better. Now, many people probably won’t notice the change. Truth be told, we weren’t sure we noticed anything at first at all. But after running through a wide range of genres and artists through our ears, it became apparent that the 450s are in fact a nice, albeit small step ahead of the 350s. Highs seem to be slightly less harsh and mid-range tones are generally slightly less forward. The upper base range also seems to be a little more subdued, which is nice. Finally bass extension is just as deep (maybe a touch more-so) than the 350s.

In many of our favorite dubstep songs we enjoyed each and every drop that would leave pretty much all < $100 in-ear phones in shame. Likewise, the highs and separation offered by the MA450s make complex songs from artists such as Linkin Park, DMB, Muse and Radiohead sound downright awesome. The entire soundstage offered by the MA450s is greater than their $40 would lead onto, too. Material by artists such as M83, Massive Attack and Sigur Rós was airy and ambient as ever.

The sound quality of the MA450s is untouched anywhere near it in terms of price. On top of the awesome sound and newly included iPhone compatibility, the sheer number of included ear tips is huge plus. Literally any ear type will find a plug that comfortably fits. And after all, getting a good seal is incredibly important with in-ear phones like the MA450s.

After a solid month of using the MA450s we can’t recommend them enough. If you’ve got an i-Device user in your life and think they’ll enjoy the added in-line mic as well as the slight bump in audio quality, the MA450s are a great gift idea. Speaking of which, it is that time of year. Stocking stuffer, anyone?

Read the full article at Gadgetsteria

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MA350:

Whilst the majority of Britain’s manufacturing industry has disappeared, there is one area where the UK still excels and produces some of the best equipment in the world and that area is audio.

With companies such as Cambridge Audio, Roth, Creek, Wharfedale and Meridian to name but a few, the UK has always produced top quality audio products in order to replicate lifelike sound.

One company producing and manufacturing this high quality equipment and with products on sale in Apple stores in Australia and America is RHA.

RHA produce a variety of different headphones and earphones from their R&D department in Glasgow, Scotland.  One such product is the RHA MA350′s.

According to RHA, the MA350′s design is inspired by the aerophonic shape of a trumpet’s bell.  They are machined from solid aircraft grade aluminium which is then partially anodised in matt black.

They have a braided anti-tangle cord which is 1.2 metres long, gold plated connections, come with 3 sets of tips (small, medium and large) and a black carry case.

Upon opening the MA350′s my first thought was how good they look.  Many in ear earphones at this price point all look alike with the same bland design but not the RHA’s.  Exactly as described, the trumpet shaped body that is hewn from aluminium and the braided cable make for a great look.  The tips (I used the medium ones) are comfortable and fit nice and snugly within the ear.

I am one of those that listens to an awful lot of music from many different genres.  Podcasts are a growing penchant too and so I have had a wide variety of ways with which to test and compare.  My usual earphones of choice are the Klipsch S4A’s  which fall into a slightly different price bracket than the RHA MA350′s but make a good comparison nonetheless.

The MA350′s have good noise isolating capabilities, traffic noise whilst walking was minimal even with no sound playing and virtually non-existent with music playing – Perhaps not a good choice for the cyclist!

The 10mm mylar drivers ensure that the quality of sound is great across the frequencies, never sounding too harsh or too soft.  I tested them with a variety of tracks from Eric Bibb’s Saucer and Cup to Sinead O’Conner’s Nothing Compares to You  whilst taking in Jeff Wyne’s War of the Worlds and the Cistercian Monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz (yes seriously!)  All of these were handled with ease and there appeared none of the strain that can be heard with lesser and sometimes more expensive earphones.

A favourite of mine to test the bass levels is Usher’s Yeah and when played at full volume there was no sign of distortion at all, quite an achievement!!

In summary, the MA350′s are priced at £29.95 and come with a 3 year warranty direct from RHA.  At this price point you would be extremely hard pressed to find anything that comes close to achieving the sound quality or build quality, indeed I would expect to pay double the asking price for this particular pair of earphones.

It’s not often that a product appears that blows me away but the MA350′s have certainly achieved it and my Klipsch have now fallen into second choice. If you are in the market for a new pair of earphones I cannot recommend these highly enough!

Read the full article at Coolsmartphone

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MA450i:

A pair of Earbuds that will put a smile on anyone's face. Incorporating striking depth and dazzling audio distinction, they really do make listening to music a pleasure, at an affordable price.

Read the full article at Slinky Studio

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SA950i:

If the Parrot Zik headphones above are a bit outside your budget, we can recommend these Glasgow-made beauties for all your listening needs. Lightweight and rather sexy looking, these employ hi-tech, professional quality materials for casual use and great sound reproduction. Like the (also ace) MA450i noise-isolating earphones, these are designed especially for iPhones, iPods and iPads to give you the best possible listening experience and the best thing to come out of Glasgow since James McAvoy.

Read the full article at Empire/a>

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SA950i:

The folks at British audio company RHA sent us a pair of headphones. They started selling the SA950i model in Apple stores and on Amazon on October 30. Should you pick up a pair along with your skinnier iPhone or smaller iPad? Here’s the lowdown.

Brand: RHA makes headphones that are “designed and engineered” in the U.K. They offer a “no quibbles 3-year parts and labour warrantee” on their products, which is awesome and also very quaint and British of them. There’s a small silver RHA plate on both ear adjustments but that’s as far as the branding goes. On a scale of zero to Beats by Dre, the SA950i model is very subtle.

Appearance: This is a pretty pair of headphones. Black leathery headband, black leathery ear cushions, silver ear adjustments. The outer part of the ear cushions are made of smooth black plastic that tends to look a little fingerprint-y once you get your hands on them, but if you’re really concerned about the sheen of your headphones, just breathe on them and rub them with your sleeve, like an apple. Basically, these headphones look like a black Mitsubishi Outlander. I almost expected a “heated seats” switch.

Feeling: Cushioned as fuck. I love on-ear headphones—earbuds, even those newfangled EarPods, tend to fall out for me—but my biggest gripe with on-ear and over-ear headphones is the headaches that sometimes occur with extended wear. No migraines here. Just a squishy and comfortable listening experience.

Specs: The headphones are 105g, meaning they weigh a little less than a quarter-pound. (American branding idea: “the Quarter-Pounder of headphones”?) 3.5 mm gold-plated connections. The speakers have 40mm mylar drivers that are micro-coated in titanium to strike a balance between being sturdy and lightweight. Lots of fancy metals involved. The cable is braided (not rubber) and detachable to avoid snaggles. There’s also a remote and microphone on the cable meant specifically for iPod/iPhone/iPad, so you can pause, skip tracks, raise/lower volume and answer phone calls. 

Complaints?: Very few. None, actually, except it was difficult for me to get used to the single cord attached to only the left ear. I’m accustomed to being yoked to my electronics. Neck felt naked at first. Also, non-Apple product fiends might feel left out by not being able to use the remote.

Lets test out some music on these puppies:

Guilty pleasure song: Adele, “One And Only.” A cheesy, emotional song is useless without at least decent sound quality. It’s a lot harder to feel deep and sentimental feelings when the deep and sentimental song sounds tinny and cheap. Adele’s slightly overblown masterpiece from 21 sounded delicious, and I got a little sniffly before the gospel choir part even began, which is the sign of superior sound quality.

Bass-heavy song: Dead Prez, “Hip-Hop.” What better song to prove the bass power of the SA950i model than Dead Prez’s 2000 hit? This track contains at least dozens of earthworms of booming bass tunneling through the moist soil of your mind. And it sounded pretty incredible through these headphones: powerful and hypnotic. The kind of sound quality that would send me into a bass-filled universe and cut off my peripheral vision. Conclusion: I should be careful crossing streets when listening to music with these.

Phone call: I was easily able to talk on my phone (or should I say, my iPhone) with the mic; phone rang, I answered, I complained about getting stuck on an F train for an hour, I hung up. All whilst wearing the headphones.

Acoustic song: “I’m In Love With a Girl,” Big Star. Crystal-clear and lovely. Felt like Alex Chilton was gently strumming a guitar right right in my ear.

Complex indie rock song: Grizzy Bear, “Yet Again.” Vocal harmonies come through sounding angelic, guitars be lush, percussion never gets too distorted, and the low end doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. Good stuff.

In a nutshell: the RHA SA950i headphones offer quite a multisensory experience for something that is theoretically dedicated to the ears alone. They’re comfortable, they’ve got a convenient microphone, and most importantly, they make good music sound great.

Read the full article at Prefix Magazine

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MA450i:

When it comes to personal audio, looking for the perfect earphones is a seemingly impossible task. If you haven’t got more than $50 to spend, the choice is difficult. Do you go for something that looks really cool, but sounds awful, or do you go for Apple’s earPods? If you make the latter choice on purpose, there’s something wrong with you. Let me start off this review by making a confession: I really hate in-ear headphones. It’s not that I can’t appreciate their quality, it’s just that I don’t like having all the outside world completely blocked off like I’m in my own little bubble. I always sense that there’s no air movement and a lot of pressure inside my ears, making them quite uncomfortable to use. But, I will ignore my personal preference for the sake of this review, because this headset deserves to be praised for many reasons.

RHA’s ma450i set has impressed me immensely. A lot of work has gone in to the design, and 3 years of research in to the acoustics and sound. The earphones themselves have been designed to replicate the bell of a trumpet. They’re made from aircraft-grade aluminum, making them incredibly sturdy and resonant (also not likely to rust). The cable is lined with a weaved fabric to make them less tangle-prone. To top it all off, they ship with 8 different sized earbuds, so they’re bound to fit anyone’s ears, and the mini-jack is gold plated to increase connection quality. The only negative on the hardware side is that the plastic casings around the 3.5mm jack, inline mic and controls seem a tiny bit cheap. But, to create earphones this good for such a low cost was bound to have a few trade-offs, and this is one I’ll happily accept.

The most important thing about earphones is sound quality, and these have it in bucket loads. Without spending over $100 on a set of Beats/Bose/Sennheiser etc headphones, you’d struggle to find a better in-ear pair than the ma450i’s. The sound produced from these tiny speakers is stunningly clear. I’ve heard sounds in song backing tracks that I never knew were there before. It produces all the little subtle sound effects added in that you’d never notice without a great audio system. When considering sound quality, it’s not necessarily volume that should be used to judge (although these do pack a punch if cranked up to 11), it’s the breadth, and depth of sounds you can hear that’s surprising about this tiny set of earphones.

The earbuds also keep pretty much any exterior noise out: positively or negatively. I had them in my ears walking up my road (which has no pavement/sidewalk) and didn’t notice a huge truck driving past me until it had already gone. An unnerving experience – I’m sure you’ll agree – but, it did fill me with a huge sense of awe for the RHA earphones I was using.

On the sound side, the only disappointing thing is the same that comes with any in-ear earphones. I don’t feel like I’m immersed in sound, and bass/treble balance is swung a tiny bit more towards the bright/treble side, and with the aluminum earphones, it obviously tends to sound a little too clean and metallic at times. Not enough to put me off using them in favor of anything else. I’ve had plenty of in-ear sets before now at similar prices that concentrate far too much on bass, and drown everything out with a horrible indistinct drone. These pick up and isolate all the sounds within a track and produce them back with such clarity. If they’ve had to tone down the bass a tad to achieve that, again, I’m happy with that trade-off. What you’re left with in the end is a sound that baffles. How the heck could they achieve this for less than $50? Simply stunning.

 Read the full article at Today's iPhone

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MA450i:

RHA has a reputation for releasing high-quality audio products at very affordable prices, and the MA450i earbuds are no exception. Vocals are brilliantly realised, with crystal clarity and very good detail. Treble is well defined and lively too, though the bass could be a little crisper. They’re also very comfortable, have inline controls for iOS devices and an anti-tangle cord that does its job well. They come supplied with a carry bag and an excellent range of tips. Overall, these are very credible set of earbuds at any price and a bargain at £40.

If you’re still using the earbuds you got with your iPod or iOS device, we recommend you treat yourself to these.

Click here to view product

MA450i:

 After checking out the Logitech UE 900 earphones a few weeks ago, I don't think too many other earphones can match their performance. Then again, they are priced at $399 so it isn't likely many readers are will to fork over that kind of cash when I hear people complaining about paying $50 more for a smartphone. There are some great alternatives and the folks at RHA, a British audio company, reached out and asked if I wanted to try a pair of their new MA450i earphones that they recently launched here in the US and Canada. It is MUCH easier to pay $49.95 for a pair of earphones and after testing these out with various phones over the past week I have to say they are a great choice at a very affordable price.

 I'm not sure if the folks at RHA knew it or not, but orange is one of my favorite colors (brown and yellow too) and thus I was pleased to see the dark gray retail package with orange highlights. The package is long and rectangular with the earphones shown in a clear window while the replaceable ear cushions are shown in the left side of the package. You will find the following inside:

RHA M450i earphones 
7 pairs of silicone ear cushions (2 each of S, M, L with one double flange)
Carrying pouch
User documentation

The large size seemed to fit my ear the best and it is always great to have a spare of the size that fits you. I like that the orange highlight is part of the color on the piece that fits over the aluminum on the earbud itself.

My ear opening is too big to use the double flange pair (they look to match up well with the medium size). The standard soft ear cushions are very comfortable and do a good job of blocking out surrounding sounds while also helping to hold the earphones in place. This model of earphones includes a mic and media controls on the right cable. BTW, the cables are fabric coated which helps keep them nearly tangle free with the total length from your ear being 1.5 meters.

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.

I enjoyed using these earphones and found that I could wear them for hours on end without ever feeling any discomfort. They also stayed in my ears, much better than the earpods included with my iPhone 5 by Apple. The RHA MA-450i are also much easier to put in my ears than the high end Logitech UE 900 that I have to take my glasses off to wrap around my ear and secure. The volume really CRANKS and gets way too loud to actually be comfortable. I did find that there is too much treble at the upper volume levels so I changed my iPhone 5 equalizer to bass boost mode to try to reduce that.

The controller worked very well and thanks to the improved version of Siri in iOS 6 I found the overall package to be quite useful. BTW, you can also find the MA-350 without the mic and controller for $39.95. One of the rather unique features of these earphones is the three year warranty so RHA is standing by the product they created. If you are looking for a pair of earphones that are better than the ones from Apple, then I recommend you consider the RHA MA-450i.

 Read the full article at ZDNet

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MA350:

You’re looking for a new set of earphones. The combination of performance at a good price point is what you’re after, correct? I recently spent some quality one-on-one time with the RHA MA-350 Noise isolating aluminum earphones and I came away very impressed. If you’re on the lookout for great sound backed by super pricing, the MA-350′s are a good choice. Let’s get a little background info on these earphones.

Aerophobic design naturally relays sound into the ear

Precision machined from solid aluminum

Soft silicone tips for a comfortable fit

Fabric braided tangle free cable

Carry case and S/M/L size tips

I’m going go to just say I came away quite impressed with these earphones.  I listen to quite a variety of music and I put the MA-350′s to the test by listening to a fix of music to include classical, jazz, metal, dubstep, etc.  They performed admirably on all levels of music throughout my testing.  RHA calls the MA350 earphones “noise isolating.” While they will cancel out most external noise quite well, the isolation is passive, which means they work the same way as shoving fingers in your ears.

The MA-350′s felt really comfortable in the ear.  A snug fit but not irritating to say the least.  I even used the earphones while hitting the elliptical machine at the gym and the earphones stayed intact in the ear without any adjustment.  This is key to me.  I’m a very active person and I need earphones that can accommodate my lifestyle.

I came away presently surprised by the clarity of these earphones.  Listening to classical music allowed me to truly enjoy the beautiful upper-end treble levels with the MA-350′s.  Turning up the volume on an extremely high level did come with a little distortion, but that’s something you’d expect when testing earphones on a level not normally comfortable to the average human ear.  Otherwise, the earphones were quite clear as you would see if you decide to pick up a pair.

One word…dubstep.  Dubstep is a genre of music that allows you to really test the bass sound of just about any set of earphones.  I listened to various dubstep tracks and came away impressed as well.  The MA-350′s sounded great.  I do have to say that once I increased the volume on the higher end of the spectrum, around 80 decibels or so.  Don’t get me wrong…you can purchase better sounding headphones, but you’d be hard-pressed to obtain a better bang for the buck than the MA-350 Noise isolating alumimum earphones from RHA.

The reviews speak for themselves.  Great sound and great pricing…it doesn’t get much better than that.

Read the full article at Techfanatix

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SA950i:

Quality sound usually comes at a price. But while RHA’s SA950is won’t win any beauty awards, their audio output blows away similarly-priced opposition.

Retailing for £49.99, the SAH950is incorporate 40mm titanium drivers which deliver a performance on par with headphones twice their price. 

Thumping bass is immediately noticeable with almost no distortion, and remains effective even when the amplitude is well beyond normal listening volumes.

Treble has been tailored to deal with the substantial low end thump, and generally performs well. 

However, the frequency response is not wholly effective over all music genres. 

The result is that the SA950is work wonders on hip hop and pop music, but some classic and techno beats sometimes sound deeper than intended.

Aesthetically, the SA950is are a mixed bag. Although very light, weighing in at just 105kg, there’s a clear focus on practically over out-and-out style. 

The ear cups are comfortable and well-padded, encouraging long-term use – but the quality of the leather is in no way premium.

This, coupled with their glossy plastic shell and thin metal headband attachment, hints at where RHA have tried to keep the costs down.

There are some clever touches, though. The cable, for example, is coated in a braided fabric which stops it from getting tangled, and an inline remote and microphone allows you to adjust volume, change tracks and answer phone calls.

The SA950is are also hardware friendly, compatible with both Android and Apple devices.

This, coupled with their wallet-friendly price point, make the SA950is a perfect gift this Christmas.

Read the full article at Daily Mail

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MA450i:

Getting decent cans for your trip to and from work can be a nightmare thanks to a flooded market. But when you’re paying under $60 for a set that sounds good and has seven different sized earpieces, your gamble is likely to pay off.

That’s the gamble you will take with the RHA MA450i in-ear earphones. All in all, it’s a pretty decent gamble. If there is one thing we have learnt about reviewing earphones, it’s that everyone’s ears are different so there is little point putting too much emphasis on what we think is the inspired part audio wise of the earphones in question.

So when it comes to the RHA MA450i, we’ll just say this. The bass is decent but you may find it could be better if you like your music to thump. Sound is clear with crisp audio separating the different instruments and voices. Fit should be fine as there are so many different sizes of bud – but they can be quite tricky to pull on and off. The fabric Y-cable is a great thing and stops a fair few tangles, although you will inevitably have to untangle them from time to time after you leave them in your man-bag or pocket for too long. There is also a microphone and volume control on the cable.

In terms of practicality, the biggest issue we have with in-ear earphones is the sound the chord makes as you walk down the street. Often it can pull at the buds and interfere with the music. If you’ve paid handsomely for your earphones it is an extremely annoying issue. Thankfully the RHA’s keep this to a minimum. You would have to have your music on pretty soft to hear external interruptions. That also means you need to pay close attention when crossing the road!

At the end of the day they do what most earphones already can do to differing degrees of success. The real win here is the price. At $59.95 they are a bit of a steal for the quality. It’s a price that will allow you to throw them around and even break a pair every now and then without worrying too much and then curling up into a little ball of despair after you realise how much you spent on them.

Would we use them at home to listen to our favourite tunes in high quality? No. Would we recommend them for your travels? Yes, very much so.

Read the full article at EFTM

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SA950i: Following on from the RHA CA-200 Noise isolating headphone review last week, Benchmark Reviews is all set to take a look at the higher priced RHA SA950i On-Ear Portable Headphones from Reid Heath Acoustics. The SA950i headphones are designed primarily for Apple iPhone/iPod/iPad users, but will also work just as well on most Android devices and other modern smartphones. Available in Apple Retail Stores from October 30th 2012 (MSRP $59.95), the RHA website claim the SA950i Headphones feature "technologies more commonly found in full-sized studio equipment, and delivers professional-grade audio in a compact supra-aural design".

We were quite impressed by the sound quality of the inexpensive RHA CA-200 Noise Isolating Headphones, and looking at the specifications and price of the SA950i headphones we could easily come to the conclusion that they will be even better still. The SA950i Headphones also feature a 1.5m braided cable with a multi function in-line remote, contour forming ear cups, adjustable chrome sliders, 40mm titanium coated mylar drivers, dynamic neodynium magnets and CCAW voice coils. RHA seem pretty confident about the SA950i Headphones, and we aim to see if they can really deliver.

Upon receiving the RHA SA950i Headphones one thing was immediately apparent, they were so much smaller than I was expecting. To put it into perspective, the 600x545 pixel image above (when viewed on a 22" 1080p screen) is merely 1/5th smaller than the actual product. There is 300mm of adjustment afforded by the sliders but this might not be enough if you have a relatively large head.

The ear cups measure 57mm wide by 66mm tall and are an irregular shape, this means that there isn't much room inside the ear cups (after you allow for the 40mm drivers) for sound to resonate, resulting in a reduction in the perceived depth of the sound.

The RHA SA950i Headphones feature a soft comfortable faux leather covered headband and ear pads and the finished product is very tidy and stylish. The choice of materials used, added to the small size, result in a very light set of headphones. There is moderate clamping force and no horizontal rotational adjustment, so the comfort factor of the SA950i Headphones definitely has room for improvement. The SA950i Headphones would definitely benefit from a slight inward angle adjustment to make them feel more comfortable and also to increase the contact area on my ears, I don't feel that the ear pads are cushioned enough to compensate for this.

One of the best features of the RHA SA950i Headphones is the 1.5m detachable fabric braided cable, by now this should be a de-facto standard in all on-ear/over-ear headphones as it is relatively inexpensive to implement. The bundled cable has an inline remote and mic featuring multi-click control over call, music and volume functions on Apple iPod/iPhone/iPad devices. The inline remote also supports full call control and track selection for most Android and other smartphone platforms. Since the SA950i Headphones have a single 3.5mm port, the possibility to use a standard or higher grade aftermarket alternative to the bundled cable is immediately apparent.

Despite their light weight the RHA SA950i Headphones feel like a premium product. The balance between metal, plastic and synthetic leather added to the quality craftsmanship also give the SA950i headphones a premium look.

The ear cups pivot on the chrome adjustment sliders but they only allow for vertical adjustment, horizontal position is fixed in place so that the ear pads don't quite sit flat on your ears. There is a little bit of compensation offered by the cushioned ear pads but it is not quite enough. This shouldn't be a deal breaker though as the SA950i Headphones have other features that make up for this.

The cable plugs into the left ear cup which should ensure correct orientation of the SA950i Headphones during use, the inside of the headbands also feature R and L symbols for correct orientation.

The 1.5m detachable fabric braided cable is prominently displayed in the product packaging, The supplied cable has an inline remote and mic featuring multi-click control over call, music and volume functions on Apple iPod/iPhone/iPad devices. The inline remote also supports full call control and track selection for most Android and other smartphone platforms.

I recently tested the CA-200 Noise Isolating Over-Ear Headphones from RHA and they set a very good precedence. While comparing the on-ear SA950i Portable Headphones to the over-ear CA-200 Noise isolating Headphones might be like comparing apples to pears, there are enough similarities between the two sets of headphones from RHA to reach the conclusion I have. The SA950i Headphones didn't work with my Blackberry via the supplied cable, instead a standard 3.5mm stereo cable was needed to bypass that minor issue.

The SA950i On-Ear Portable Headphones are good, but I was expecting more. The 40mm titanium coated mylar drivers produce deep low frequency bass without over powering the mid and high range frequencies. There is definite clarity, fidelity and definition but they lack the perception of depth, the sound is perceived in your head rather than around it. My other problem with them is that they are not really loud enough until you amplify them.

Bass boost on an iPhone/iPod resulted in all other frequencies being lowered rather than bass being boosted, which means that while I had the required EQ to suit the music I was listening to, my need for a louder listening experience wasn't satiated. I had a similar experience with the Samsung Galaxy S II but there were other factors out of my control with these devices; The iPhone's, the iPod Touch and the Galaxy S II are not mine and therefore I couldn't listen to the same music files across all devices. When listening on my Blackberry (which has AUDIOBOOST) via a standard 3.5mm stereo cable I found that the experience was only slightly louder. When listening on my PC (amplified via external surround system) the RHA SA950i On-Ear Portable Headphones really showed what they are capable of.

The RHA SA950i On-Ear Portable Headphones are very good but to get the most out of them they need to be amplified, the volume level afforded by your mobile device well be enough for your needs but I felt they were a bit tame compared to the less expensive little brother - the CA-200 Noise isolating Over-Ear Headphones - which are half the price of the SA950i On-Ear Headphones. All products from RHA come with a standard 3 year warranty which adds value and peace of mind.

They do have other up sides too, they are small, light and compact so you won't look like a goon walking the street with massive cans on the sides of your head. They are also much better looking and use higher quality materials than the CA-200's which are all factors that go into the price consideration. There is no horizontal adjustment in the ear cups and that affects the comfort experience. As I write this I am wearing the SA950i Headphones and the pressure is not evenly distributed on my ears, there is more pressure on the back of my ears than on the front and this could be simply remedied if the front of the ear cups pointed inwards slightly.

Important: In this section I am going to write a brief five point summary on the following categories; Performance, Appearance, Construction, Functionality and Value. These views are my own and help me to give the RHA SA950i On-Ear Portable Headphones a rating out of 10. A high or low score does not necessarily mean that they are better or worse than a similar set of headphones that have been reviewed by another writer here at Benchmark Reviews, which may have got a higher or lower score. It is however a good indicator of whether the SA950i On-Ear Portable Headphones are good or not. I would strongly urge you to read the entire review, if you have not already, so that you can make an educated decision for yourself.

The performance of the RHA SA950i On-Ear Portable Headphones is very good but to get the most out of them they need to be amplified, your mileage may vary, you may well be content with the performance under mobile conditions but I felt they were a bit tame compared to the less expensive little brother - the CA-200 Noise isolating Over-Ear Headphones - which are half the price of the SA950i On-Ear Headphones. Get the SA950i On-ear Headphones hooked up to your PC or home studio and you will see what they are really capable of.

The SA950i On-Ear Portable Headphones are small, light, compact and look good. Many people refuse to wear full size headphones in public because the massive headphone look isn't desirable, they instead prefer to wear in-ears, and I think RHA may have found a nice balance.

The aesthetical construction of the RHA SA950i Headphones is very good and there are some nice design touches incorporated into the headphones. The chrome sliders insert into the ear cups and allow them to tilt up and down, the problem is that they are not secured into the ear cups and it doesn't require much effort to pull them out. They will lose a point for not having horizontal adjustment (pivot) of the ear cups which affects the comfort and long use wearing experience.

As far as functionality is concerned the SA950i On-ear Headphones almost deliver on all their marketing promise. The fabric braided detachable 3.5mm stereo cable with inline control and mic adds a unique touch that you won't find in all headphones at this price point. The range of adjustment means that these headphones will fit most sizes of head. The ear pads are comfortable but there isn't enough cushion to compensate for the lack of horizontal pivot in the ear cups. The microphone is very clear during calls and voice recording and is comparable to a high quality computer headset microphone.

Presently available for £49.95 (Amazon UK) / $59.95 (Amazon.com). The RHA SA950i On-Ear Portable Headphones will also be available in Apple Retail Stores from October 30th 2012 (MSRP $59.95).

They are by no means overly expensive, and comparing the SA950i On-Ears to the CA-200 Over-Ears may be like comparing apples to pears but the lower priced CA-200 Over-Ear Headphones gave a better overall experience for me so my recommendation would lie there. If you prefer the look of the SA950i On-Ear Headphones and you intend to also use them for voice calls etc then you should attempt to see if you can try before you buy.

8.4/10

Read the full article at BenchMark Reviews

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MA350:RHA are a recent British audio company but are quickly becoming known for their cutting edge sound and quality design. Example of that are these RHA MA-350 Aluminum Noise Isolating In-Ear Earphones we received for testing. The award winning earphones feature full aluminum construction and produce astounding sound quality, all this for under $40! Read our thoughts and check out some photos below... 

The RHA MA-350 come in a small package that includes the headphones, a carrying pouch and 3 pairs of soft silicone ear-tips(small, medium and large). 

The build quality on these is fantastic, something rare for sub-$100 earphones. The 10mm drivers are made out of solid aircraft-grade aluminum and feature RHA’s signature aerophonic design, allowing the air to progress unobstructed and unforced from the speaker into the ear, producing clearer more natural sound than traditional earphone, as well as allowing full and deep bass response.  
 
The cable is fabric braided, an essential detail to avoid tangling as it would with standard cables. This also prolongs cable life. 
 
They come with several uniquely shaped high-grade silicone tips, and once you find the right fit the sound truly is balanced and penetrating. In fact, these are the best earphones we have tried for under $50, the sound quality is warm and natural, the mids and lows are very good, even when you get into the highs with a lot of sound and base they still perform very well.

Normally we are a bit wary when it comes to cheap headphones, but RHA did a extraordinary job with these. The design is clean and simple, and the build quality is astonishing for the price you´re paying. They have a bit less bass than we´d like, but the sound is nice and crisp. The RHA MA-350 produce amazing sound that are a bargain at their price. 
 
If you´re looking for some good quality earphones or headphones for an affordable price and you don´t really know what to get, we recommend you check out RHA website, they produce some seriously good products. 

Read the full article at BlessThisStuff

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SA950i: The short form: If you have $60 to spend on a pair of iPhone-ready headphones, buy the RHA SA950is. They are hands-down the best $60 I have ever heard, and better than a lot of cans at several times the price. Move over Porta Pros — there’s a new boss in town.

 The SA950is are a pair of compact, over-the-head headphones with a detachable cable. This braid-covered cord has mini-jacks on both ends and a remote control with a mic around 15cm in from one side.

The headphones are light (105 grams), good looking (black) and mostly comfortable (more on that in a second). But the most astonishing thing is how great they sound.

I deliberately didn’t check the price when the SHA950is came in for testing, so as not to color my expectations. After a few listens I had them down as a high-end set, perhaps costing around $200, and I prefer them to a couple of $300+ headphones I have around the house.

Why? The most startling aspect of the sound is the “soundstage,” the virtual 3-D space where the musical instruments live in recorded music. With the SA950is, you really do get a feeling that the various voices and sounds are coming from different places — sometime far off to one side or even behind you. This can be a little disconcerting when walking down the street.

The magic appears to come from the 40mm titanium-coated mylar drivers. RHA says that this makes them light enough to respond quickly and stiff enough to give accurate sound and good bass. Whatever, they sound amazing. Bass is deep but also sounds like a sound, not like a monstrous sonic thump. Highs are crisp and accurate without being jarring or tinny, and mids are open and strong.

You really feel like you’re getting all the music that’s there in the file. I heard details in tracks I have never heard before. And — amazingly — I head them while walking down a city street.

(Speaking of walking down streets, these headphones manage to block out a lot of the ambient traffic and other city noise, whilst somehow not making you feel isolated. In fact, these headphone have actually gotten me listening to music again when I go outside, after years of podcast and audiobook-only listening).

The remote works just fine. The torpedo shape has a scalloped cut-out in the center for the answer/hangup/play/pause/skip button, and the volume up/down switches are on the ends. All are good and positive, although when skipping tracks things are a little unpredictable. Then again, I have trouble skipping tracks with all remote headphones, so it’s either a problem with software or with my dumb brain.

This section will be small. The SA950is are well built, and should last, but on closer inspection and extended use, I noticed a few glitches. The first is that the wire loops that hold the cups onto the headband can pop out of the cups and start scratching the glossy black finish.

The second is that the small, teardrop-shaped headphone cups feel a little weird if you have big ears — it seems like you don’t have them properly centered over each ear. You soon get used to this, though, and discover it is your perception and not the headphones which are at fault. In fact, they stay in place rather tenaciously.

These headphones would score well at thrice the price (except maybe on materials), but for $60 they are a complete steal. Better still, you’ll be able to buy them in Apple Stores at the end of the month, which also means that you should be able to test drive them in-store.

Wherever you find them, though, these headphones should be on any sub-$100 shortlist. They look good, feel good (staying comfy during extended wear — like four-hours-stuck-in-traffic-on-a-bus extended wear) and sound great. This is probably the best $60 you could spend on headphones, and they even work with your iPhone.

5/5

Read the full article at Cult of Mac

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MA350:

UK audio company RHA has recently released a new set of noise isolating aluminium earphones, the RHA MA-350. I’m normally more of an over-ear headphone type, but after spending a few weeks with these earbuds RHA has me thoroughly converted.

These sleek earphones have a simple and elegant look, and with three different rubber tip sizes these earbuds actually fit in my tiny ears. These are the first earphones that I have ever used that have actually been comfortable. Even after hours of wear, the RHA MA-350s fit comfortably and snuggly in my ears without the aching pain I would normally be experiencing with other products.

The earphones also have a fabric braided cable, an elegant and innovative solution to tangling and cable wear that I am shocked isn’t industry standard. Though it does make the cable a bit kinky and may contribute to the only problem I have with this product, I was certainly thankful for it when I found one of my cats, a notorious destroyer of electronics, chewing on the cable. Yet it was completely undamaged. It’s also a relief to pull my MP3 player out of my pocket and not have to deal with an incredible knotted mass of cable.

Finally, the sound from these earphones is excellent; they have great base and deliver full crisp sound, even at low levels, and the upper-range is reasonable and does not heavily distort. This is in part due to the noise isolating design of the MA-350s, which do a premier job of blocking out ambient sound and funnelling your music into your ears, filtering out other stimuli. I’ve actually been keeping my MP3 volume at a slightly lower level with these earphones since I no longer have to compete with the racket of the bus. The complete seal of the buds also stops sound leakage, which is great for long plane rides where your music might disturb other passengers.

However, there is one problem with the MA-350s and that is that the cord is incredibly noisy; every time the cable rubs against your clothing it echos in the earbuds, drowning out softer music should you dare a brisk walk. It’s something you can tune out and is likely due to a combination of the braiding on the cable and the noise cancelling acoustics of the earbuds themselves, but it can get a little annoying. As a result, I wouldn’t really recommend these earphones for people that like to listen to their music while running, but it doesn’t break the deal for those that want to use them during regular day-to-day life. Overall, I believe that the trade-off is worth it.

Ultimately, I love these earphones; they’re the best in-ear buds I have ever tried. They’re comfortable, provide great sound, and I won’t be surprised to see the braided cable copied by acoustic companies the world over. It’s a shame that the cord is so noisy when it rubs against things, but that does not greatly detract from the overall quality of RHA’s product. I would definitely recommend these, even if you’re not usually a fan of earphones.

Read the full article at NerdReactor

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MA450i: Forged from aircraft-grade aluminum, coated with a scratch-resistant material, and featuring a cable made from woven fabric to reduce tangling - the tiny MA450is have a rather large box of tricks up their sleeve.

This latest model from RHA includes iOS device compatibility, and a three-button microphone – an all important feature in the ever-demanding earphone market. 

As with many earphones, sound changes once they are ‘broken in’ – and the MA450is are no exception. 

Although at first frequency may seem slightly brash and uncomfortable, this soon evens out over time. The result is a warm and rich sound, with more emphasis on balance than out-an-out power.

There’s a strong depth of sound achieved with a noticeable linear bass throughout the spectrum. 

Vocal reproduction is effective, with just enough power to allow the vocals to cut through, without taking away from the backing instruments.

What really helps the MA450is get ahead of similarly priced competition is its amazing soundstage property – treating the listener to the various instruments delivered in a way to emphasise musical depth.

They are also very comfy, too, with much lower levels of ear fatigue than with larger headphones. 

The tips come in various sizes to ensure that they fit correctly, and RHA even provide a carrier case to stop them getting lost.

Aesthetically, although not eye-catching, it’s clear a lot of thought has gone into their design. 

The package boasts that the sound delivery has been inspired by the aerodynamic design of a trumpet’s bell, and indeed, on closer inspection, the MA450is have a unique look.

But these are designed for people who want to experience the music completely, not turn heads with garish aesthetics.  

To that end, there are few earphones that do it better.

Read the full article at DailyMail

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MA450i: To be sure, I'm not an audiophile, but I am discerning enough to know what headphones sound better than the ones I'm used to. I'm not a big fan of the new EarPods Apple released last month. While they are an improvement over the old earbuds, I've recently found a pair of earphones I like a lot better: RHA's MA450i noise isolating earphones.

I've been trying out the RHA MA450i earphones for a few weeks now and I'm happy to say they're the first earphones I've found that sound good, stay in my ears and are reasonably priced. The earphones are machined from aircraft-grade aluminum and come in black or white. Each pair also comes with a set of seven silicon ear-tips so you can choose the size that is right for your ear. And as is a must for any earphones used with the iPhone, the RHA MA450i has an in-line remote and mic so you can operate your iPhone without taking it our of your pocket. But what I really like about these earphones is that they have a fabric-braided cable -- meaning it's not cheap plastic -- so it doesn't get all tangled and it lasts a lot longer than normal earphone cables.

RHA is relatively new to the audio scene. It's a Glasgow, UK, company that was founded in 2008, but spent three years in research and development before launching its first products. Based on my usage, I think we'll see plenty of great audio products from RHA in the future. The RHA MA450i earphones are available in Apple stores and online at RHA's website for US$49.95.

Read the full article at Tuaw.com

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SA950i:

Last time I wrote a headphone review, I swore off doing more, given that I’d used up what I had to say about headphones. But RHA (a division Reid Heath Ltd.) intrigued me, especially as they were a small company and they’re located in the UK. I wondered if there would be any serious design differences between United States and British companies.

The first thing I noticed when I unpacked the SA950i headphones that RHA sent for review was that they were the lightest headphones I’d ever felt. Usually with headphones, the choice is between heavier noise-canceling features or a lighter structure that lets in more ambient noise. These headphones, according to RHA, are only 105 grams.

Two other features I liked about the SA950i headphones were the chrome sliders to adjust fit and the fabric-braided detachable cable. Fabric cables tend to last longer than the plastic-coated cables on some other moderately priced headphones.

Style-wise, they pass the looks test. They perform well, though perhaps not up to the higher end sound of $200-$300 headphones. Then again, they’re not designed to compete with those. They work well as headphones with a PC device but the remote and microphone will only work with iPhone/iPad/iPods. I would put these in the same category as the sturdy Urbanears that my youngest daughter is still wearing, with bonus points for being more comfortable and with slightly better sound.

Read the full article at Wired Geek Dad Blog

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MA450i:
 RHA a division of Reid Heath, have released a successor to the MA-350 Earbuds, dubbed the RHA MA-450i Earbuds. We loved the MA-350 Earbuds, they had an excellent build coupled with accomplished audio performance but the lack of a remote and microphone prevented them from gaining a full five stars. This time around a remote and microphone have been included, so what do we think, keep on reading.

After first removing the earbuds from the retail packaging, it was very apparent that the build is still top notch. The strong trumpet bell shaped silver lightweight and small aluminium buds look identical but are no longer matte in finish, instead are now glossy. Each buds flat rear back can come in two colours, black or white, also glossy in finish. The 1.5m braided cable doesn't just look better than it's plastic counterparts, it performs better too, because the cable is harder to tangle and is also generally more durable and hard wearing. They're a very smart looking pair of earbuds and the design should still be applauded.

Seven sets of interchangeable tips are neatly found in a small box within the retail packaging. Removing and applying tips takes around a minute for each bud, some are a little harder than others to remove and apply. I found the default tips offered me the most comfort coupled with compactness. But the sheer choice of tips in different sizes and styles, really shows how much RHA want you to have the best possible listening experience. Also included within the box is a travel pouch.

If a pair of earbuds don't have a built in remote these days, I'm not going use them as my everyday pair. Possibly sounds a little unfair but I need that functionality, even if it's a cheap and cheerful implementation. So when I first read that the MA-450i's had a remote for Apple devices to take advantage of, I was very excited. After using these earbuds for two weeks, I can safely say that the remote is one of the best I've ever seen or tried. It's brilliantly contoured to hold between your index finger and thumb. The buttons are all separate and very responsive when clicked. Offering adjustment of volume, pausing/ resuming music and answering calls. Also a single microphone is located on the rear of the remote and is adequate for phone calls but is a little sensitive to the wind.

Noise isolation is very good. You can't hear the exterior audio from the earbuds when in public and loud noises from surroundings doesn't creep into your music either. The exceptional noise isolation is due to the aluminium used on the buds.

Down to what really matters, audio quality. Here is where the really noticeable differences from the MA-350's show. The on paper specs are as follows, 10mm drivers, a frequency range of 16-22,000HZ, Max Power of 3/10mW and the impedance of 16ohms. The audio generated from these specs has striking depth, dazzling distinction of individual elements, accurate treble, exceptional acoustics, deep but not harsh bass and the volume can be cranked all the way, with zero distortion. We tested these across many genres of music and they performed magnificently, audio is rich and detailed, it makes listening to music a pleasure.

The RHA MA-450i Earbuds are brilliantly built and designed, deliver exceptional audio quality and have a fantastic supplied remote control. At an RRP of £49.95 and available to purchase for just £39.95 on Amazon, I can't point to a better option in the price range. We look forward to seeing what this Scottish company has in stall for us in the future.

Read the full article at Slinky Studio

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MA350: One the things the fellas do at the end of each show is suggest apps, devices and software that they’ve been using and suggest that the listeners try out. So I took this opportunity to talk about the unassuming but BANGIN’ RHA MA-350 noise isolating aluminum earphones.

RHA Audio is out of the UK and makes a number a highly-engineered audio products. The company was kind enough to send me a pair of the MA-350 earbuds to review. I’ll be honest, compared to the ‘flashy-ness’ of your average high-end earbuds, the MA-350′s are nothing to brag and boast about. They’re sleek and simple earbuds with black cords, aluminum body, rubber ear-tips, and a plain “RHA” brand logo on the back-side.

Here is where the MA-350′s get my vote. I often joke that I have slight O.C.D. when it comes to tangled cords. So you can imagine I was more than pleasantly surprised that the earphone’s cable is not made of that typical fragile rubber that accompanies most earbuds; but a fabric-braided cable, that reminds me of the cable a rock-climber uses to suspend crazies, I mean…adventure seekers hundreds to thousands of feet in the air…on a rock. So not only is the cable sturdy enough to resist accidental tugging and yanking when you’re moving the cables around; but it also eliminates constant tangling that drives me absolutely up the wall.

LET ME TELL YOU when I put these things in my ear and fired up iTunes, I was blown away at the sound quality. It’s what you would expect in headphones with a price tag of $200 and up. The highs are crisp, the bass is deep, and the vocals couldn’t be more clear. The noise isolation technology is very effective if you want some time alone your tunes.

The MA-350 earphones don’t have an integrated mic or controls folks have come accustomed to; but as an entry-level earphone that can be found on Amazon for $35 bucks, the MA-350′s will definitely make you think twice before spending big bucks on premium earphones, I know I will.

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CA200:Looking for that perfect pair of headphones that doesn’t take your wallet to cleaners can be a real struggle. There are several amazing options if you’re willing to spend major money but what about if you’re looking for sound similar to the top headphones at a fraction of the cost? Well you might want to take a look at the RHA CA200 Headphones and what they have to offer. Check out the full review below to see just how well they perform and if the affordable price is justifiable by its performance.

I’ve gone through countless pairs of headphones that never really live up to the hype they generate or the price they charge. Nothing is worse than spending over $200 for some headphones that really only give you half of a good sonic experience (Beats anyone?). RHA aims to give you adequate sound all in a great looking housing paired with a very affordable price point.

Upon first glance you would be miffed to guess these headphones cost what they do. Hands down they look better than ¾ of the over the ear headphones out there today. The design of the CA200’s are very minimal and sleek which is welcomed with open arms. The CA200’s have a very glossy finish to the entire outer of the headphones with a silver stripe down the headband and a simple RHA lettering on each ear cup.

The cable on the RHA headphones are of the fabric kind that I always enjoy using especially if you’re going to be taking these headphones out of the house. The fabric cord always seems to work well when walking around the streets as it blends in very well with your clothing and you don’t hear a constant bump from a heavy plastic cord. The cable is also detachable from both ear cups which is a nice feature if something should ever happen to your cable you can just replace that and not the entire headset as a whole.

The ear cups on the CA200’s are wrapped with an extremely comfortable faux leather that is very soft and padded ensuring you will be able to wear these for an extended amount of time without the pain and constant pressure of some other headphones. Each ear cup fits very well around your ear as well with adequate room for even the largest of ear. I found it very easy to use these for several hours with no need to adjust them because of discomfort or a loose fit. Each ear cup has a nice pivoting to them which ensures you will have a good comfortable seal no matter what size you head and ears are. Adjusting the length of the CA200’s is easy as well with the hidden mechanism to either lengthen or shorten the size of the headphones.

The headband is padded with the same faux leather and is very comfortable as well. I have to say the padding on the CA200’s are much nicer than the price point of these headphones would make you believe but that is a constant theme throughout the entire feature list of these headphones. 

The CA200’s are extremely light for the size which is great for people who will be using these for an extended amount of time as nothing is worse than having a heavy pair of cans on your head while trying to escape through music or get work done.

Each ear cup has a 40mm Mylar driver which gives off great sound throughout the entire range of sound no matter what kind of music you are listening to. Highs and mids truly shine well with the CA200’s as everything in these two ranges are above normal performance wise and much better than headphones 3 times the price. The bass is adequate but just didn’t have that big solid kick that I normally would need from a pair of headphones like these. The amount of bass is perfectly fine for most music but for hip-hop or rap listeners you may be looking for more power from the low end when looking at these headphones but for the price you pay you definitely get what you pay for

In the end while I want to compare the RHA CA200 headphones to much more expensive competitors I can’t because that’s just not fair. That’s partly RHA’s fault for making such a nice pair of headphones that feel like they cost 4 times as much. For the money you aren’t going to find a better pair of over the ear headphones no matter where you look. With its great design, comfort and sound it’s hard to nitpick anything about the RHA CA200’s.

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MA350:
The last time we had the opportunity to check out a pair of headphones from RHA we were really into what they were pushing out. Not only did the headphones offer great quality and construction but the sound was above average especially at the price point. This time we are going to take a look at the in-ear sibling of the previous headphones. The MA350 Earphones have a lot to live up to so be sure to read ahead and see if they can actually out duel their bigger brother in the full review below.

I was a tad bit skeptical of the MA350 Earphones just because they don’t feature an in-line mic/remote but I gave them a chance anyways and let me tell you right now that was the best decision I could have made. Even though an in-line mic/remote is nearly a must have for me when I use in ear headphones if any pair of earphones are going to make me forget they are missing it’s going to be the MA350’s.

Let’s start with the overall construction of the MA350’s which feature a very unique design and profile that was actually inspired by a trumpet’s bell. The look of the MA350’s are definitely one of the nicest I have seen yet with its solid aluminum housing and half silver half matte black finish. 

While we have seen aluminum housing earphones before I have to say that these are probably the nicest I have used to date. Not only does each ear bud look amazing but they have a very solid weight to them that just makes them feel 3 times as expensive as they really are. They are definitely one of the classiest looking earphones we have tested out.

One nice little feature they have as well is the cord coming out of each ear bud has a slight tilt to it away from your head that makes it that much easier to insert them into your ear without ramming them into your ear canal. That slight angle actually made a noticeable difference when wearing them making the MA350’s very comfortable after use over a long period of time. 

The cable is your normal fabric braided variety and is actually made well when compared to some other brands fabric cables. There is no wiry feel to them and they feel very thick which ensure a tangle free experience. 

Now getting to the real reason these earphones shine is the sound they put out. As soon as I put these in my ears and slowly turned the volume up I was just floored by what was coming out of them. The first thing I noticed was the level of bass they produce even at low volume levels. While you may be thinking uh oh the big bass must drown out the mids and highs well don’t worry about that either. Even though the bass given from these earphones is above normal they never once drown out or take anything away from the rest of the range of sounds. 

I really cannot emphasize enough how great these earphones sound when even compared to other brands options that top out at nearly $200. For the price you pay for the MA350’s you are more than getting your money’s worth and much much more. If these had an in-line mic/remote they would be my number one choice for a pair of in-ear headphones if you need big bass by a large margin. RHA does offer another model that does include an in-line mic/remote but is not yet available in the states however once they are available we are going to be first on the list to get them so we can see if they are able to take the crown. The sound isolation they provide is really one of the best we have seen as well especially for an in-ear set of headphones. The MA350’s give you a very secure and comfortable seal with the provided silicon ear tips that are more comfortable than your normal disposable ear tips. Once these are in your ears and the music is turned up you cannot hear a thing even in the loudest of environments.

If you can do without the in-line mic/remote feature I would definitely recommend the MA350 earphones to anyone regardless of the type of music you listen to but especially if you listen to bass heavy music as these are just going to blow you away. I don’t know how RHA is able to produce such a nice sounding pair of earphones at this affordable price point but it’s more than welcome and a nice change. We cannot wait to see what else RHA has up their sleeves in the future.

Rating: 5/5

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CA200:
I have previously introduced you to Reid and Heith Acoustics (newly rebranded as RHA), the audio company based out of Glasgow, Scotland, when we reviewed their MA-350 earbuds. We were incredibly impressed with the MA-350s, so we were excited to get the opportunity to review their CA-200 headphones.

Will the CA-200s live up to the legacy that the MA-350s left us with? Keep reading the review to get our full thoughts on these over-the-ear headphones.

The CA-200s are very aesthetically pleasing headphones. They are beautifully designed headphones that are extremely lightweight weighing only 156g (0.34 pounds). The plastic build on the headphones feels extremely durable, but flexible enough to be comfortable.

The CA-200s utilize RHA’s “ErgoFit” system. The ErgoFit system pivots each earcup so each cup fits perfectly alongside your head’s contour. The system works well with the up and down pivots, but the cups also pivot side to side. This can cause a bit of discomfort if the headphone doesn’t fully pivot to the correct side.

Another thing that I like about the ErgoFit system is the fact that the cups are adjustable to your head. By including this feature on these headphones, it makes the CA-200s compatible with anyone.

When you put on the headphones, they do feel very comfortable. The earcups have thick padding and then the band at the top has padding. The synthetic cushion earcups are also large enough so that you are able to use them for prolonged periods of time without your ears becoming fatigued. This is especially great if you take them on long car rides or flights or even just use them as your everyday drivers.

RHA’s cables never fail to impress me. The cable for the CA-200s is a detachable, braided, fabric cable that does not tangle much. At the end of the cable, you will find 3.5mm gold-plated connections. The 3.5mm connection makes these headphones compatible with most of today’s popular devices including all of Apple’s devices, most Android phones, etc.

As I have previously mentioned, the earcups are made out of a synthetic cushion that are actually extremely comfortable. Unlike most headphones, I find that these headphones actually go over your ears, not on. This reduces fatigue since the sides are flush against the sides of your head.

RHA’s “ErgoFit” system really helps up the comfort level of these headphones. The headphones don’t’ “lock in” like other headphones. Instead, they move with you and readjust themselves for an optimal fit. Even when you move, the movement of the headphones counteracts your moving and it feels like they never move.

 Headphones can look great but if they don’t sound, they belong in the trashcan. The RHA CA-200s have kept the reputation that RHA established with the MA-350s.

If you listen to vocal-heavy songs or videos, you may find the sound to be a bit muffled. By muffled, I mean that certain sounds can sound a little tinny. This only happens, however, if the voices are hitting high pitches. I found this the most with singers like Florence + the Machine’s Florence Welch & Maroon 5’s Adam Levine. Now, if you turn up the volume a bit, that problem goes away. It’s definitely an odd sound quality. It’s not bad, it’s just something unique to these headphones.

Now, if you are listening to fast, techno-like dance music with a lot of bass, you will find these headphones to be fantastic. These sounds come out of the drivers crystal clear and will fill your eardrums with the crisp sounds.

RHA has done it again by creating a pair of headphones at an unbelievable price. The CA-200s have okay sound quality, but when I was told that they retail for only $29.95, I was shocked. After testing the headphones, I figured they would retail for somewhere around $150, so how they are able to sell them for only $30 is beyond me. For $29.95, these are a no-brainer.  The sound quality is unique (not bad, not great, just special to these headphones) and the build is fantastic. I have grown to love RHA, and I can’t wait to see what they will bring out next.

Overall TRG Rating: 10/10

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CA200:

RHA may not be the most known company within the US, but their mission of delivering good quality at a low price-point is shown in their CA200 over-ear headphones. Coming in at 30 dollars, this is the base-line offering from RHA. Although it is impressive for the price point, there is a little more to be wanted.  

The CA200s are offered in two different flavors, black and white. They offer a glossy plastic body that has a nice glare to it and is attractive overall. Their small body doesn’t make them look obtrusive or flamboyant. However, they remain beautiful in their own way from a distance. Up close, you’ll find that the glossy surface becomes a fingerprint magnet. A single strip goes around the entire headband leading up to the RHA branding on either edge of it. The entire design is flashy, but also subtle at the same time. Overall though, I’m very pleased with the overall design.

Design: ★★★★½

These RHAs offer a classic V-shape in terms of sound signature. The bass and treble is boosted while the mids remain warm with a bit of sweetness. It’s not tuned to perfection, but it is still enjoyable nonetheless.

The low end on the CA200s is focused towards the lower-mid bass. This offers a big impact and slam. The end result is a more boomy sound that offers good depth. The depth leads to wonderful textures, despite being a bit solid, that are shown beautifully in your music. The CA200s do, however, lack that mid-bass balance with the rest of the spectrum as the lower bass overshadows them a bit.

Bass: ★★★★½

The midrange on the CA200s is warm and inviting. Despite this, clarity within the instruments not only is intimate, but very clear. Detailing, on the other hand is at a bit of a loss. Timbre is one of the areas that this headphone does excel well in. The vocals have a deep lushness in them, but also extend well to create great dynamics and sweetness. They, however, do have a tendency to be more sibilant than they need to be. Sound stage is on the larger end of the spectrum, partly due to the V.

Mids: ★★★★

The high end has a well-controlled, soft sparkle to it. It extends well into the higher octaves without problem. That said, energy is at an all time high with these, but still remains fatiguing. Sibilance is nowhere to be heard. There is a slight loss of micro-detailing though. Clarity is good throughout, as is separation. Overall, the highs aren’t fatiguing, despite being boosted, and actually are an overall joy to listen to.

Highs: ★★★★½

Audio: ★★★★½

If I were to name one part of the headphones that was disappointing, it would have to be the build. Even at 30 dollars, I’ve seen headphones with build quality light years ahead of the CA200s. No case or pouch is provided which leaves them even further vulnerable.

Outside the padding, everything on these is plastic. The plastic doesn’t have a quality feel to it and actually feels a little fragile. The hinges and sliders are all matted plastic. Basically, the housings are light, but don’t feel strong by any means, which does give me a scare.

The headband is made of the same plastic that is used in the housing. Once again, weaker, not the strongest I’ve used by any means. There is a good flexibility to the headband which helps a little bit. Like the housings, the word fragile is all I can think with these. They aren’t a piece of glass, but feel very weak nonetheless.

The cable does give the build a big step up. The cable itself is a thinner, but strong, braided cable. Tangling is non-existent with them as well, always a plus there. Although I’d rather it be a little stiffer, it’s still tough enough to last.

The headphone jack and connectors bring it back down. The straight connector is small, and doesn’t have that quality feel to it. The strain reliefs are tiny in size, and look as if they tear a little easily. They are flexible, but offer no resistance to movement. The jacks themselves are gold plated which helps fight corrosion.

Build: ★★½

Although I feel the build needed some fixing, the light plastics used do play a positive roll when it comes to comfort. These are probably one of the most comfortable headphones I’ve worn to date. The padding is nice and soft throughout. Break in periods are basically non-existent as well. Their lightweight design allows users to keep them on for hours. I really can’t say much more, they are really just comfortable.

Comfort: ★★★★★

These headphones can be had for 30 dollars on Amazon (through RHA). For the price, they offer a stellar sound, excellent comfort, and a flashy design that is a bit above its price range. The build is what turns me away from these though as it’s an Achilles heal, and a bad one at that. If you can get through that though, the rest of the package remains strong.

Value: ★★★★

I feel that RHA did a fine job on the majority of the CA200s. Outside the materials used, I feel strongly that the sound, comfort, and design is one that will be able to keep sales going. For 30 dollars, they do offer a well balanced package overall.

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MA350:These earplug-style headphones are designed by British newcomer Reid and Heath Acoustics. They have a number of pairs headphones on the market, but these are the first in-ear designs, and very impressive they are too. At £30 these can’t be described as high-end earplugs, but the audio quality leaves us with little to complain about. They are bassier than most earplugs using a 10mm driver; and while some may enjoy a flatter, more neutral sound, others will prefer the MA-350′s richer deep tones. The physical design is also good, though not without its own foibles. The actual earplugs are made of aluminium and feel incredibly sturdy. There are three sets of silicon tips supplied, so anyone should be able to get a comfy fit.

In terms of audio quality there’s little to complain about here, and if your musical preferences tend to bassier tracks then you should seriously consider buying a pair. The lack of obvious L/R marking and proper noise isolation are both minor down points (unless of course you commute on the tube), but generally these are a good pair of earphones that are well worth the asking price, so go for it!

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SA950i:

Not everyone here can afford professional grade studio headphones that will rock your wallet up in the high hundreds, but I could be wrong. However, what I can promise is that nobody is coming to us to find the cheapest and worst quality headphones available. Now here's the twist: RHA's new SA950i offer surprisingly amazing audio quality for an even more amazing price point. Head on past the cut to check out our full review and if these are worthy of your ears. 

Presented nicely, the SA950i's come in a subtle packaging, without any high quality materials to make itself flashy and known, because it knows that it has got one hell of a punch to throws once it gets on your ears. The perforated edges could have been better cut because I still ended up ripping away at it, but that's not even worth talking about right now. 

RHA incorporated a retro but classy design for these cans and did an excellent job of it. The ear cups are wrapped in a comfortable leather with a good amount of padding to encourage long durations of use, especially while you're on-the-go. To make things even more satisfying, the headband adds additional padding, but not as much as you'd find on the heavy duty over-the-ear headphones. This isn't a problem for the SA950i's considering it's extremely lightweight. Weighing in at 105g, these are an excellent choice to take with you in a hurry or for a long trip. 

Even after a couple of hours of use, these didn't feel uncomfortable to wear. They just sat on my head and they didn't put so much pressure that my ears hurt but they also stayed on without falling off all the time. 

By going the lightweight route, RHA had to sacrifice in its other departments. The materials used on the overall headphones aren't anything to be excited about. The leather, which is in no way premium quality real leather, wraps around the top half of the headband and while it doesn't scratch easily or present any obvious wear and tear issues, it is still something to think about. Along with that, the ear cups are constructed out of a glossy plastic which is prone to fingerprints and the chrome wire frame may seem a little more on the flimsy side. 

This was something that I enjoyed seeing here and would prefer every headphone maker do: detachable cables. The 1.5m long 3.5mm gold plated connector cables are removable for when they're not in use, but most importantly, if you were to ever lose or damage your cable, you only have to replace it on its own instead of purchasing the entire headphones again. On top of that, the cable is a fabric braided which reduces tangling. 

As denoted by the i in SA950i, these are designed to go with your Apple device but it is also compatible with Android devices. The inline remote and mic works very similar to what Apple's EarPods do with a volume up and down buttons, and a center button for a number of functions. You can pause your music, answer or end a call with just one click, or skip to the next song with a double click. The mic delivers clean and clear sound to the other end without any significant audio degradation. 

The RHA SA950i's come packed with 40mm titanium drivers that are made to pump out audio quality that will put even some of the 100 dollar range headphones to shame. Taking advantage of every mm, RHA was able to create a pair of high quality headphones that blows away all previous expectations and sets the bar high. 

Right off the bat, you hear the bass. It doesn't have the rattling you might here in a lot of bass-happy headphones nor is it overpowering to the point that that is the only thing you can hear. It has a wholesome and healthy thump for when it's required and it lets off just as well to make sure it doesn't compete with the highs and mids. This definitely makes for a comfortable listening experience. If your favorite song, Gangnam Style is on, feel free to turn it up. The quality stays clean and it'll go way beyond a reasonable listening level, even with the volume set at 75%. 

The highs are also clear to the point that you know its there and the mids aren't trying to be intrusive either. The overall listening experience fits well with a wide variety of genres, however, if you wanted to practice for any raves coming your way, the SA950i's might not be able to help you out. Once you try and slap some electronic or techno tracks on, they have a hard time sounding as clean and crisp as they did with say, hip hop or pop. 

Now, don't get me wrong and say I told you these will be the best cans you'll ever find, because, that is far from the truth. However, considering the astonishing low $60 price point, you can't go wrong, especially the audio quality. I can't emphasize how surprised I was by what these pair of headphones pumped out. RHA has definitely done an excellent job with both the  design and quality on this one. On top of that, they offer a no questions asked three-year warranty, and come on, nobody can argue with that. 

We highly recommend this pair of on-ear headphones to just about everybody, because frankly, you can't be disappointed with the price. For $59.95, there really isn't anything out there right now to compete. These will be available at your local Apple Retail Store by the end of October and trust me, you don't want to miss out. This one has gotta receive our Editors' Choice Award. 

4.5/5

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MA450i:There's no question that, as we climb higher up in the price ladder, reasonably decent headphones provide - with one or two expensive exceptions perhaps - a listening experience unavailable with earphones. But the thing is that for many who satisfy their music hunger with an iPod or iPhone or iSomething, headphones are not an option. Ask my daughter. Earphones are.

Earphones are handy, sort of, and visually less intrusive. iPods/iPhones are often used outdoor, in the street, in the company, and there matters of style do matter. Ask my daughter. The more invisible the headphone is the better; hence, earphones. To me, however, the hot question was to what extent earphones can provide a similar listening experience than comparable headphones do?

RHA MA450i is a 50 euro, noise isolating dynamic earphones with a remote and a microphone. It's designed iDevice users in mind. It's machined from solid aluminium - not plastic - and houses a 10mm driver. What caught my attention initially was RHA’s signature aerophonic design, which was said to provide "an impressively detailed, well-balanced sound experience".

Aerophonic design

The term "aerophonics" refers to noise-generating action of wind instruments. The shape, volume of space and build quality all contribute to the aerophonic function (the production and amplification of sound in a volume of air) of an instrument, or in the case of RHA, an earphone.

The traditional earphone shape pushes sound out of the driver into a compact chamber, forcing the sound through a narrow channel and, according to RHA, making it be harsh and muddled. To avoid this - and to realize a sound that is as clear and natural across the audio spectrum - the RHA R&D team decided to follow the model of the aerophonic properties of the bell of a trumpet, the shape which they thought is perfectly designed to channel air and sound efficiently.

In the RHA MA450i, the normal airflow system used in trumpets is inverted, and the air is directed from the widest part of the bell shape to the narrowest. According to RHA, this concentrates sound naturally and allows air to progress unobstructed and unforced from the speaker into the ear. This RHA's signature aerophonic design is hoped to produce clearer and more natural sound than traditional earphones, as well as allowing full and deep bass response.

The Sound

Well, full and deep bass it was, surprisingly deep and full. For listening experiments I used iPod and a variety of more and less compressed audio files in several formats. From a track to another, the low bass came out in a way it didn't come out from ordinary button earphones nor from my daughter's less than 50 euro headphones: with force and power, sometimes but not too often slightly out of proportion.

More importantly, the overall tonal balance was quite healthy. As compared to standard earphones, the balance of the MA4501 is of the kind that hifi hobbyists are reaching for, meaning that the MA450i didn't do any cheap sonic tricks to attract a quick superficial listener. It didn't, for instance, push the midrange artificially forward to emphasize the compressed nature of compressed music. That might have been fun for kids but not for sound lovers. In fact, I found the midrange a tad laid back in relation both to the low bass and the presence of high treble. That's kind of daring given that most iDevice listeners probably listen to compressed music.

All in all, after having tried standard button earphones and headphones from the same price category as the MA450i, I'd say that the MA450i opens up a spacious sonic landscape that is quite advanced and sophisticated. I fully enjoyed the MA450i's well-balanced reproduction of Beethoven's Fifth, for example. With the cheap button earphones and lesser headphones, the same track sounded dull and two-dimensional. This is not to say that there were no other similarly priced earphones that would perform equally well, it's just that I'm not sufficiently familiar with the supply.

Using the RHA MA450i was mostly trouble-free. They were easy to insert in the ear, and stayed there too. Fit is unlikely to be a problem since seven pairs of soft silicone ear-tip come along. Also, the remote functioned as promised.

Finally, I took a walk close to a heavily trafficked road to check the efficiency of the MA450i's noise isolation system realized with the dual density ear-tips. Soft silicone on the outside is designed to keep external noise out, while firmer silicone on the inside produces a tighter seal to prevent sound leakage. I was quite happy with the way in which the MA450i ignored hundreds of cars passing by. More disturbing was rubbing noise coming from the fabric braided cable: to avoid it completely one needs to stop walking altogether.

The RHA MA450i didn't make me a headphone listener but they proved that fairly good sound is nowadays available also from less expensive earphones. That was a good lesson. My daughter was more indifferent but that's because sound is not on her priority list.

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MA450i: