I reviewed the MA-350 by RHA in July of 2012 and I thought it was a cut above the average in the general first time upgrade from ibuds category. Well a year later and RHA are back with a new range of higher end (but still quite reasonable) earphones, the MA600i and the MA750(i) retailing at £59.95 and £79.95 (£89.95 for the i version with mic and remote) and I can tell you right now I think these are stunning earphones both aural and visual terms and for them to be popping in at sub-100 quid or $130 in the US is just the icing on the cake. These could well be the best earphones in the market right now at this price range.
From the box and zip case pouch, to the clever little aluminum crafted earbud tray and carefully considered choice of tips the MA-750i has the smell of a mature and serious product that is aimed squarely at the discerning listener who cares that little bit more but isn’t going to break the bank for what he wants. Now I break the bank for what I want, yup I am insane, but even I had to stop and gaze at the the MA-750i presentation and wonder if there is anything under $200 that can beat it. Frankly there is not. Westone’s little cute nylon hard case and multiple array of tips comes close, Fischer Audio’s DBA MK2 is pretty good in choice also and the Rock-It R50, which price wise is right in there, also has some choices but they all look roughly the same and have that samey feel about them.
Build
The MA750i itself reminds me of a poor man’s K3003 in some ways. The cable thankfully is much more durable and better built than the MA-705i and finished in aluminum encasing for the 3.5mm jack with coiled stress relief and another aluminum tube at the splitter half way up. Microphonics are zero, nothing, “notta ding” below the splitter tube and minimal above aided by the over ear finish which further dampens against noise travelling up the cable.
This is a thick well constructed cable with tiny amounts of memory retention but easily squished out when in use. If anything the cable is industrial level possibly being too heavy for those who like their cable really short and discreet. It does at times require a little bit of origami type folding to ensure it just doesn’t fall out in a random manner. The sliding clasp above the splitter does help to keep cables relatively tidy and the included lapel clip can also be used to keep the whole experience from becoming “outwardly mobile”.
Fit wise I have read a few experiencing some issues with the included tips but I had zero experience of that with the over the ear cable fit and stock tips working like magic right out of the box. The only time that happened to me before was with the K3003. True the driver units weigh a bit more than your average IEM being crafted out of stainless still but that works for me better than lightweight plastic alternatives.
The MA-750i though cannot be worn straight down unlike some other alternatives. This is strictly over the ear. Those without glasses will wonder why the big issue, those with glasses might find that a comfort issue in the long run. Personally its the more secure way to wear earphones for me and you can run the cable down the back of your head or to the side and front depending on your needs. Once inserted I found no need to move away from the standard tip already on the earphones which created a perfect seal. This ease of fit is very rare for me to be honest hence my preference for customs or double flange tips.
Speaking of tips, the MA750 does come with a healthy array of tips including silicone, double flange and their own type of foam tips in that ever so neat little aluminum tray. The tray itself fits nicely into the black leather zip wallet with plenty of space to put the earphones in also. The isolation with the silicon tips was above average for me personally with minimal background noise leaking in.
The MA750i version sports a heavy duty remote and mic on the right cable and those with Android might be a bit disappointed to learn it has limited functionality sadly with only full control on idevices. I didn’t find the added weight to be off putting thankfully and for those who do not want any remote or mic interfaces getting in the way the MA750 is the way to go which is 10 quid cheaper.
Click next page for sound impressions…
