Of course the suave presentation and superior build quality wouldn’t be much if the sound didn’t hit the mark and bearing in mind how much they cost these punch way above their price point for me personally. But I didn’t come to that conclusion right away simply because the MA-750i reacts quite differently to just about combination of source and amp I tried with it in my collection. There is quite a wide range of initial opinions already out there for these dynamic driver IEM’s and interestingly some of them are quite contradictory.
If I could best sum up the common tonality (using the supplied silicon tips) or in any average source then the MA-750i for me is a detail orientated neutral to slightly bright sounding IEM with excellent and well controlled bass response as and when required and a clean, more prominent mids section with accurate timbre and above average black background. There is some energy in the treble with a bit of peakiness around the lower end but I didn’t find it harsh or abrasive with little or no listening fatigue even after a few hours straight. This is not a thin sounding earphone – there is an excellent degree of authority and weight especially with guitar work. The overall coherence of the 750 was good with the treble and mids retaining excellent degrees of clarity even when the bass kicked in.
The bass response itself is not a constant boom nor does it exude any excessive coloration. In fact if anything its a bit more restrained than some other offerings I have heard before from RHA giving it a more balanced feel overall for many genres such as classical, acoustics, jazz or vocal dominant genres. What elevates the bass response of the 750 above the lower models is that level of control and weight that seems almost intuitive to the genre you are playing. I thought they were somewhat bass light when playing folk such was it’s reserved and controlled manner but switching to Benny Benassi or David Guetta the whole lower end of the spectrum just lit up like the 4th of July in an instant.
Some amping coloration comments
What I found most interesting, more so than a few other IEM’s I tried was the source and amp matching. Power wise they are easy enough to drive out of most sources directly like mainstream DAP’s but the sound signatures does go through some transformations that left me wondering exactly what the best match might be.
Ironically, being made for idevices I hated the sound of the 750 out of the Ipod 7th Gen. Bass response died for me, that nice sound stage characteristic of good dynamic drivers collapsed and it was all top end and not much else. Paired with my Theorem 720 things got much more balanced, neutral and the bass returned in that well controlled manner. The 720 gave it a much more monitor like tonality and presentation that I quite enjoy but didn’t think it was quite the fit. Note to 720 owners there was no hiss with the 750i so brownie points for that match.
Matched with the AK100 the the 750 was a little bit more aggressive and dynamic, perhaps more bombastic but overall I found it just a bit too fatiguing and the mids didn’t quite stand out as much as I thought they could. It was the rather cheaper but no less capable Ibasso DX50 that brought about the best synergy with the 750. Here the 750 was less aggressive than the AK100 pairing but with a fuller bottom end and a smoother top end. Amping wise again the Vorzuge DuoAmp outshone the 720 for musicality and gave a slightly more liquid presentation than the more precise and neutral Theorem 720. The Vorzuge’s volume control was also that bit more precise. I tried the bass and volume boost but felt it was way over the top so everything stayed in stock mode.
Overall straight out of the DX50 presented the best balanced for me personally between detail, tonality, dynamics and power when matched with the RHA MA750i. The Ipod 7th gen classic presented the the worst. I did not try with iphones etc simply because I do not use them nor do I use android solutions (yet).
Final Thoughts
The RHA MA-750(i) is probably one of the best sounding and the best looking IEM in it’s price range. I do not think anything really comes close to the build and finish and the thinking behind the well crafted accessory kit and packaging. The sound is excellent, punching above its fiscal weight, more of a monitor like experience with great control and accurate tonality and timbre. The tips do play a role but the sources play an even greater role in the final experience.
It is not necessary to amp the 750 but it can add to the fun. The 750 does gravitate to higher quality recordings and can be a bit unforgiving on lower quality stuff. At £79.95 (£89.95 for the i version with mic and remote) it is what the always honest Bricktop would call “a proper” earphone. Things are done just right and whilst they are not the final word in resolution I highly doubt anyone is going to be left wanting for the price.
Technical Specifications
Drivers 560.1 Dynamic
Frequency range 16-22,000Hz
Impedance 16ohms
Sensitivity 100db
Rated/max power 1/5mW
Weight 36g
Cable 1.35m, reinforced, OFC
Connections 3.5mm, gold plated
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