RHA MA450i Earphones Review

Back in January, we took a look at RHA's SA950i headphones and were thoroughly impressed by their design and performance. Now we are looking at RHA's MA450i earphones to see if they can offer similar performance in a different design. While headphones are great for all-out performance, nothing can match the flexible and portable nature of earphones. RHA is aiming to deliver a high-quality audio package in a small and portable - in-ear - form factor. Utilising 10mm Mylar drivers and with an impedance of 16 Ohms, the MA450i's are RHA's flagship set for its earphone catalogue. Like RHA's other products, the MA450i earphones are designed and engineered in Britain. Can the MA450i noise-isolating earphones impress as much as the SA950i headphones did? Specifications: Type: Noise isolated, in-ear Frequency Response: 16 - 22,000 Hz Impedance: 16 Ohms Sensitivity: 103dB Driver Size: 10mm Cord: 1.5m Available Colours: Black and White Accessories: Seven pairs of silicone ear-tips Product Net Weight: 14g RHA ships the MA450i earphones in a box which shows off the machined aluminium ear buds. The packaging features plenty of information regarding the earphones and their key features, such as the 3 year warranty and Apple compatibility. Even more information regarding the MA450i earphones' features is found on both sides of the box. The additional seven sets of silicone ear-tips can be seen through the packaging. RHA supplies the earphones with a very high-quality fur pouch that features a draw-string neck. With dimensions of 10.5 x 7.5 cm, the velvet-esque pouch is smaller than a Nexus 4 phone, meaning that it can be quickly and easily slipped into one's pocket. A user guide provides information regarding the in-line remote control's function buttons. Seven silicone ear-tips are provided with RHA's MA450i earphones. The variety of sizes and two different styles allow users to tailor their choice of tips to their own individual preference. The orange coloured tips conform to a standard hemispherical design of varying sizes. The all-black tips utilise a unique 'double-hull' design that resembles a pair of unequally-sized hemispheres connected to one another. RHA's MA450i earphones use a unique ear bud design which sees their shape narrowing from a flat-backed circle that sports the RHA logo, to a thin pipe-like structure that feeds directly into the silicone ear-tips. Machined from solid aluminium, the ear buds certainly have a high-quality feel about them. The rubberised section of cable connected to each ear bud is a good medium from which the MA450i earphones can be held. The letters 'L' and 'R' indicate the ear to which each individual bud should be delivering sound. Removing the silicone ear tips is a simple task; just peel back the flexible cover and pry them away from the ear bud. Replacing them, on the other hand, is a far more difficult chore. The standard, hemispherical tips' flexible material makes pushing a solid pipe-shaped structure through an almost identically-sized gap a very tricky procedure - the tips just bend and flex. We had to resort to a pair of needle-nosed pliers which helped us attach the tips. Fortunately, the unique design of the double hemisphere tips makes connecting them to the ear buds a hassle-free manoeuvre. An in-line microphone doubles up us a device's remote. On Apple devices, the centre button can be used to accept calls, issue a voice command and manipulate tracks, while the '+' and '-' buttons control the volume level. For Android users, the volume buttons do not function. We would assume this is also the case for Windows phone users as shortly after our RHA SA950i review, RHA had this to say when asked about functionality with a Nokia Lumia device: “the SA950i’s (and the MA450i earphones) are ‘Made for iPhone’ so offer full functionality with recent Apple products. Some call and music control is offered on Android and other smartphone devices, however, this functionality is dependent on all of model, generation, software as well as which applications are installed; as I’m sure you can appreciate, we therefore can’t guarantee full functionality on the Nokia Lumia 920.” RHA's choice of 1.5m fabric cable helps prevent irritating tangles that would have plagued a plastic version. After spending more than three months thoroughly testing the MA450i's on a daily basis, it is clear that RHA has designed a superb pair of in-ear earphones. Many in-ear earphones can quickly cause irritation and discomfort; not the MA450i's. Using the pre-applied pair of ear tips, I didn't experience any discomfort or irritation over the entirety of my lengthy test period. The soft silicone material is comfortable and has a friction factor that is capable of cementing the MA450i's in one's ears for extended periods of time. The MA450i earphones' sound quality is very good. A wide range of diverse tones is effectively produced by the 10mm Mylar drivers - a clear strength when listening to classical and instrument-filled music. Even at high volumes, the RHA MA450i's still exhibit strong audio playback performance, outputting high-quality music. As far as in-ear earphones go, the bass levels achieved by RHA's MA450i's are excellent. R & B, rock and hip-hop music thundered through the MA450i's tiny ear buds to deliver a powerful punch. But it's the balanced nature of the bass that had us impressed. Even at painfully-high volume levels, the low-pitched thuds were kept at a level where they wouldn't overpower and drown out a song's lyrics. And on the topic of volume, if it's loud music that you like, you'll have no complaints about the MA450i's maximum level. Any more than a few minutes at maximum volume and a headache will inevitably ensue. We tested some everyday-quality 128 kbps MP3 tracks at maximum volume and found the experience to be bearable for no more than a few seconds - a testament to the MA450i's power output. Audio quality was still high, so the option of a painfully-loud listening experience is available. With the microphone positioned no more than a few inches in front of one's mouth, there shouldn't be any problems having a clear conversation, even outdoors on windy days. As soon as the microphone drops out of line-of-sight of your mouth, the quality of speech reception plummets. While this is to be expected, to a certain extent, a slightly stronger receiver would help eliminate reception drops. This is perhaps being a little picky, but it did catch us out on a few occasions. Noise-isolation performance is average. Without audio being output, the MA450i's struggle to drown out low-level noises such as a computer fan or birds singing. As soon as audio starts flowing, low-level background noises quickly become imperceptible. This seems to be the norm for many mid-range sets of in-ear earphones. One slightly negative aspect arises due to the fact that a large amount of 'rogue' noise can be transmitted to one's ears when using the MA450i earphones on the go. This is due to the cable's fabric material rubbing against clothes and transmitting the vibrations towards the aluminium ear bud area. We wouldn't call this a huge negative, or a deal-breaker, but it is slightly annoying when having a conversion or listening to medium-volume music when out-and-about. Increase the audio volume and the vibrations are wholeheartedly overpowered by the MA450i earphones' impressive performance. Another criticism comes in the form of the removable silicone ear-tips. While we feel that the tips are a worthwhile, comfort-enhancing addition, attaching all but the double hemisphere tip is a painstaking process. A subtle design change should help to make the process far more simplistic. Priced at £39.95 from Amazon, we have no reservations about recommending the MA450i earphones. If you can tolerate the occasional transmission of cable noise into your audio playback, and have the patience attach the silicone ear-tip of your choice, the RHA MA450i earphones are a great option that don't break the bank. Pros: Very good audio playback performance. Strong bass. High volume levels. Seven unique silicone ear-tips. Comfortable. In-line microphone and remote. 3 year warranty. Cons: Cable can cause additional, 'rogue', noise to enter the audio. Attaching the ear-tips is a difficult procedure. KitGuru says: Deep bass, a wide variety of tones, and a thunderous maximum volume level combine to create a set of earphones that is a great choice for a number of usage scenarios.