RHA MA450i

RHA recently sent me a pair of the MA450i to demo and review.  You may not have heard of RHA as they are a company from Glasgo, UK, and are only available from a few retailers in the US.  I was excited to try these out and review them as the first set of in ears on the site.  I’m normally an on or over the ear sort of person but these fit me comfortably and I was able to get a good sense of the sound they are capable of producing.  This is also an in ear that has several fit options and a 3 button mic, compatible with idevices, for a reasonable amount of money.

RHA MA450i back

Sound

The first thing I noticed about the sound of the 450i is that they have excellent bass response, something that is not easily achieved with an in ear.  These are also a very clear pair of earphones with crisp highs while not being so bright as to be fatiguing.  The mid bass is also very strong and the bass overall can bleed some into them.  These in ears sound great whether you are listening to Louis Armstrong or Kid Kudi. Fantastic stereo imaging also makes things like Deep Forrest a real joy to listen to. Overall the 450i from RHA has a very natural sound that is detailed while retaining great low end.

RHA MA450i tips

Comfort/Fit

Now the fit of these is my favorite feature of the 450i.  I generally do not like the fit or feel of in ear monitors but the tips included with these are soft and shape very well to my ears.  They also come with 7 different sizes to ensure that you can get a good fit.  Changing the tips however is a real pain as they do not go on easily and there is some risk of your tearing the inner sleeve trying to get them on.  I didn’t have to try many tips to find the ones that fit me just right but with how hard they are to change you wouldn’t want to have to.  The earphones themselves are extremely light and easy to forget you have in.  These do not however have a flat profile so if you are someone that likes to sleep with in ears in you may want to look at something else.  With in ears fit is the most important thing to get the sound right as well and these fit me marvelously.

RHA MA450i remote

Versatility

As I had said before musically these are extremely versatile and sound good with all types of music I listened to them with.  Being an in ear they also offer easy portability and have a fabric covered cable to help ensure they don’t tangle as easily or get bound up on clothes/skin.  The inline mic works very well and people said they didn’t realize I was using it when I talked to them.  The 3 button controls are apple only so android users are out of luck there.  The three buttons are easy to differentiate and easy to use.  For me what it really comes down to in versatility with these earphones is the diversity of music they are very good with.

RHA MA450i box contents

Value

At $50 these are a great sounding feature rich in ear.  They are only available in the US from the apple store, but I believe you can get them at their online store as well as at some store locations.  The downside to them being only available at the apple store is that you won’t be able to try them to see if you get the same great fit that I do with them.  Fortunately with the 7 different tips offered most everyone will be able to find something that fits well for them.  Overall I would say these i ears are a great value at $50 as they have some great features with the 3 button remote, different tip options, and great sound.

RHA MA450i close

Conclusion

Overall this is an in ear I really like.  It fits my ear incredibly well and sounds amazing.  At $50 its a great value with its main competitor being the Sound Magic E10M.  The MA450i comes with plenty of tips, though they are nearly impossible to change, and has the functionality of a 3 button remote.  All in all this is an in ear I would highly recommend.  I like the fit better than the Sound Magic E10M and feel the sound is on par with it.

• Sound – Incredible
• Comfort – Fantastic
• Versatility – Amazing
• Value – Incredible
• Overall – Fantastic